inside

NEW YORK--Guitars. Skulls. Bracelets. Colorful heads. And so much more.

That was what was on display at the Inside 3D Printing event here today, a celebration of all things 3D printing, and one of the first-ever professional events dedicated solely to the decades-old technology that has been taking the world by storm over the last few years.

Just about ever leading company in the field was on hand, from 3D Systems to MakerBot to Stratasys, and many others. And hundreds of people packed the event hall, eager to see the latest machines, and hear from some of the leaders in … Read more

Amazon Chief Executive Jeff Bezos led an investment group that pumped $5 million in news Web site Business Insider.

In a press release, the news site's co-founder, Henry Blodget, said that Bezos Expeditions, the executive's investment company, led the new round of financing that also included existing Business Insider investors Institutional Venture Partners and RRE Ventures.

"On a personal note, I will add that we are totally stoked about this," Blodget wrote.

In a note to staff, Blodget noted that the proceeds will be used to invest in editorial, technology, sales and marketing, subscriptions, and events. … Read more

A Federal judge decided today that a five-year-old lawsuit accusing tech mogul Mark Cuban of insider-trading is going to trial, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The Securities and Exchange Commission filed suit in 2008 against Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks and former Yahoo and Broadcast.com executive, for allegedly relying on confidential information when he sold his stake in search engine Mamma.com and avoided a $750,000 loss.

Cuban has stated in the past that he has done nothing wrong, saying, "The government's claims are false and they will be proven to be so."

Judge … Read more

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Analyst: Instagram will be big moneymaker for Facebook.

- NY Senator drafts bill to make ticket scalping at benefit concerts illegal.

- The most expensive, useless, awesome 3D-printed object ever.

- Home invasion plot foiled by Xbox 360.… Read more

Talk about a pivot.

When I last talked to SherLabs in March, CEO Satjot Sawhney was busy getting his TapFame product into the hands of game developers. TapFame was a sweepstakes engine that any developer could drop into a game with the aim of raising awareness and loyalty.

But after a recent chat, Sawhney said the company had changed directions yet again, this time turning TapFame into a networking business that connected developers with companies looking for talent in app design.

Sawhney had built a vast network of both brands and strong developers in his effort to push the sweepstakes … Read more

The Securities and Exchange Commission earlier today accused Kris Chellam , a former senior executive at Xilinx, of illegally passing along nonpublic information to convicted Galleon hedge fund manager Raj Rajaratnam.

Galleon used the tip to make approximately $978,684 in illegal profits as a result, according to the government.

In its report, the SEC says that Chellam turned over confidential company information in December 2006 that Rajaratnam used to short Xilinx stock.

The two were described as personal friends. Chellam, who had a "substantial investment in Galleon funds" according to the … Read more

If you're anything like me, you'll spend a lot of time perusing an app store looking for an interesting new game, but then are unable to commit to one.

It's a problem for users looking for games, and it's a problem for developers who want their games to be found.

Hooked believes it has at least a partial solution. The app, which is only currently available on Android, acts as a recommendation engine, serving up not just the most popular games, but also games relevant to you. After installation, the app actually takes a look at … Read more

NQ Mobile isn't content to protect your phone; it wants to protect your children too.

The company, which primarily makes mobile security software that fights off malware and viruses on smartphones, is moving to an adjacent area of security with its Family Guardian app. The app, only available on Android for now, is presented as an all-in-one parental control tool.

Victoria Repice, senior director of product development for NQ Mobile, ran through the app with me last week. While nothing that it does is particularly new, the app does bundle together a lot of features under one price.

Family … Read more

Electronic Arts' latest tool to keep The Simpsons: Tapped Out iOS game from becoming a zombie app: actual zombies.

In anticipation of The Simpsons' annual Treehouse of Horror episode, EA updated its Farmville-like game to include Halloween-themed landscapes such as a cemetery, complete with zombies and zombie pets that can infect the characters in your game. The addition adds a new wrinkle to the game, and breathes new life in for players who were done buying buildings and likely on the verge of burning out.

With the upgrade, EA made good on its promise to continue supporting The Simpsons: Tapped … Read more