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EVA, an entertainment booking platform for events, raises $2M as it expands to more cities 

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EVA co-founders Makenzie Stokel and Channing Moreland

EVA, the platform that connects event bookers with local performers, has secured $2 million in funding as the popularity of in-person events comes back in full force. The round, which the Nashville-based startup says was more than double the target amount, values EVA at $15 million.

The recent round is timely as event organizers are witnessing a surge in attendance at in-person B2B conferences. According to a study by event management company Bizzabo, 86.4% of planners invested in more in-person events in 2023.

With the new capital, the company plans to expand its services to new markets, beginning with New York City in early December, shortly followed by Los Angeles, California. It’s currently available in seven markets: Atlanta, Austin, Dallas, Chicago, Charlotte, Nashville, and New Orleans. 

EVA allows event planners to book performers for various events, including corporate occasions, private parties, public events, college events, festivals, and weddings. Upon creating an account, organizers gain access to a wide selection of entertainers, ranging from Santa Claus for Christmas parties to motivational speakers, musicians, magicians, and even Taylor Swift impersonators. 

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The platform also enables planners to create events by inputting details such as location, date, number of guests, budget, duration, required equipment, and attire, and more for performers to apply for. Once the event details are posted, EVA’s matching algorithm suggests the most suitable entertainers and the event planner can review their profiles before making a booking. The “Teams” hub lets all team members collaborate on different events and manage invoices. 

EVA booking platform for entertainers and corporate events
Image Credits: EVA

EVA not only aims to revolutionize the event-hosting industry but also seeks to provide entertainers with access to large events they may not have had the opportunity to attend previously. Many performers on the platform are emerging artists who often struggle to make a living from their craft, typically being hired for small-scale events like birthday parties or local bar gigs. EVA could potentially offer them greater exposure, serving as a reliable source of income for local performers.

Tabitha Meeks, a local Nashville singer-songwriter, told TechCrunch, “EVA has allowed me to not only grow as an artist but also live in a way that I can start to build my future…I am able to not just scrape by as a ‘starving artist,’ but actually save money.”

The company revealed to us that, over the past four years, it has helped artists earn $6 million collectively. The minimum booking fee for events is $400, however, the company shared that the average transaction ranges from $600 to $7,500. 

Organizers are required to pay the entertainer 50% of the deposit prior to the event, and then entertainers collect the second half of the payment at least a week before it starts. All performers must submit a professional video before being accepted on the platform. 

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The company also provides both parties with performance contracts and event insurance. 

“We carry a blanket, general liability, and professional liability insurance policy for our entertainers and the corporate clients,” co-founder Makenzie Stokel told us. “That was another big roadblock that corporations had with trying to book entertainers individually, is that typically these entertainers don’t carry that $5 million of insurance. That’s crazy for them to have to carry that, so we carry it ourselves on behalf of every event that we do.”

Image Credits: EVA

In 2015, the concept for EVA originated from the personal frustration experienced by co-founders Stokel and Channing Moreland when they attempted to organize events while studying at Belmont College. Both of them have music-related backgrounds and noticed that many of their artist friends were being exploited.

“At our core, we felt artists and creators deserve to be paid for their craft, and so that’s what started us down this path,” Moreland said. “We first started by building an events discovery platform to help promote [our college friends]. That led us to start producing and promoting our own events and festivals, which then led us to really understand the big problem with booking and how not transparent or easy it was.”

In 2019, the platform started offering its service to corporations. Notable companies such as Amazon, BMW, Dell, ESPN, and LinkedIn have chosen EVA as their event planning partner, using the platform to connect with entertainers and interactive offerings to spice up their events.

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There are more than 2,500 entertainers available on the platform.

Investors in the latest round include the founders of Songfinch — John Williamson, Josh Kaplan, Scott Kitun, and Robert Lindquist — as well as Justin Kalifowitz of Downtown Music Holdings, Cascade Seed Fund, Stout Street Capital, and others.

EVA declined to share its current revenue run rate. However, it said that it takes a 20% platform service fee from organizers on all booked events.  

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Planes are under attack from GPS jamming – can we find a fix?

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Planes are under attack from GPS jamming – can we find a fix?

Air traffic controllers can track transatlantic flights’ GPS problems

NATS

Disruptions to GPS signals, which began near war zones in Europe and the Middle East, are now affecting the busiest oceanic airspace in the world. More than 1700 transatlantic flights cross the North Atlantic between Europe and North America each day. In recent months, a small but growing number of these flights have lost reliable GPS service over Europe or the Middle East and failed to recover it before the ocean crossing.

“We receive daily reports of aircraft that experience jamming prior to entering oceanic airspace,” says Jane Johnston

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Complete Assembly Procesure for 9U Wall Mounted Network Cabinet (Single Section)

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Complete Assembly Procesure for 9U Wall Mounted Network Cabinet (Single Section)



How to assemble a wall-mounted network cabinet?
1, Insert top and bottom panel into the side frames. And fixed the frame on the front door position with 4 M5*8 self-tapping screws.
2, Use 16 M8*12 inner hex round screws and M8 flange nut for fixing the top & bottom panels into two side frames.
3, Fix mounting profile on the frame with 8 M6*12 head screws.
4, Fix back panel on the frame with 6 M5*8 self-tapping screws.
5, Fix the removable cable entry panels.
6, Install front glass door into frames, put a door latch at the right bottom.
7, Install side panels into both sides of frames, switch the door to be smooth.

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Amazon staff appear very upset about return-to-office order

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Amazon staff appear very upset about return-to-office order
An Amazon logo seen on the side of a building.
Phil Nickinson / Digital Trends

Amazon’s corporate employees seem rather peeved about being told to return to the office five days a week from January, according to a poll by Blind, an online forum for anonymous tech workers that have been verified by the platform.

A whopping 91% of 2,585 Amazon professionals surveyed by Blind said they were dissatisfied with the new back-to-the-office policy, which was announced last week in a memo from Amazon CEO Andy Jassy.

“RTO [return to office] blanket policy is crazy, particularly for those of us who were hired remote and FAR from an office — I have kids and family here so unwilling to relocate,” one of the survey’s participants commented in response to the new rule. “Even if I didn’t there’s too great a risk I’d be laid off in 6 months anyway so why risk a move?”

Amazon’s corporate employees have been allowed to come to the office a minimum of three days a week since June 2023, but evidently keen to bring to an end the hybrid working style that was adopted during the pandemic, Jassy told staff last week that he believes “the advantages of being together in the office are significant,” and that it’s time to return full-time.

“We’ve observed that it’s easier for our teammates to learn, model, practice, and strengthen our culture; collaborating, brainstorming, and inventing are simpler and more effective; teaching and learning from one another are more seamless; and teams tend to be better connected to one another,” Jassy wrote in his memo, adding: “If anything, the last 15 months we’ve been back in the office at least three days a week has strengthened our conviction about the benefits.”

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The CEO said the company would “help ensure a smooth transition” for those who have set up their personal lives in a way that means returning to the office full-time will require some adjustments, though it’s not yet clear how flexible Jassy and his top team will be regarding such matters.

Amazon isn’t the only tech giant that changed its working practices during the pandemic, with Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Meta among those that made similar moves. These firms currently expect their workers to show up at the office at least two or three days a week, though it will be interesting to see if any of them take Amazon’s lead and instruct their employees to return to their desks for the entire working week.



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Xiaomi unveils Smart Band 9, Xiaomi Buds 5 & more new products

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Xiaomi unveils Smart Band 9, Xiaomi Buds 5 & more new products

Today, Xiaomi held a big launch event where we met the Xiaomi 14T and Xiaomi 14T Pro. However, those were not the only devices the company showed off during the event. Xiaomi also launched a plethora of AIoT products across multiple segments, including the Xiaomi Buds 5, Xiaomi Watch 2, and more.

Xiaomi Robot Vacuum X20 Max and Xiaomi Robot Vacuum X20 Pro

The Chinese giant introduced as many as seven new products alongside its latest smartphones. First up, there’s a pair of robot vacuum cleaners. The Xiaomi Robot Vacuum X20 Max has 8000 Pa suction power and an extendable arm, allowing the mop to reach corners and edges more easily. There’s a customizable high-temperature automatic mop washing system (you can tweak the temperature). It also includes a hot air drying system that dries the mops in about three hours, preventing odor buildup.

The X20 Max features a 5,2000 mAh battery that enables up to 120 minutes of continuous cleaning. Like other similar devices, it features an advanced obstacle detection and avoidance system. It will be available for €649.99.

The company also launched the Xiaomi Robot Vacuum X20 Pro. This model offers a suction power of 7000 Pa and stands out for a tank that empties automatically in just 13 seconds. It can also detect carpets to tweak the suction power levels when it’s required. Like the previous model, it includes an obstacle detection system. The X20 Pro’s 5,200 mAh battery allows it to clean continuously for 160 minutes. You can buy this model for €499.99.

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Xiaomi Robot Vacuum X20 Max

Xiaomi TV Max 2025 series boasts huge 144 Hz displays

Moving into a completely different product category, the company launched the Xiaomi TV Max 2025 series. Available in 100″ and 85″ models, they stand as interesting options for those looking for high-end entertainment. The lineup integrates QLED displays with 4K UHD and support for 94% of the DCI-P3 color space. The TVs support a high refresh rate of 144 Hz for ultra-smooth images.

The company integrated technologies such as Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos for a cinematic experience. Xiaomi also considered gaming, including support for HDMI 2.1 with VRR and AMD FreeSync Premium technologies. There’s a Filmmaker Mode specially designed for movies. Both models run Google TV and boast a premium design with reduced bezels. The 100″ and 85″ Xiaomi TV Max 2025 cost €1999.99 and €1299.99, respectively.

Xiaomi TV Max 2025 series

Xiaomi Buds 5 offer comfort, ANC, and HiFi audio

Audio fans are also in for a treat. The Xiaomi Buds 5 is a pair of semi-in-ear TWS earphones with impressive features. For the audio output, there are powerful 11 mm dual-magnet drivers and Harman AudioEFX tuning. They support the Qualcomm aptX Lossless codec to enjoy high-quality local files or services with HiFi plans, such as Tidal.

The earphones are compatible with adaptive ANC and multiple customizable ANC modes. The company boasts a high-quality triple microphone array designed with content creators in mind. Other features include wind cancellation during calls, up to 39 hours of battery life (including the charging case), and more. They can be yours for €99.99.

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xiaomi buds 5

Xiaomi Smart Band 9 and Xiaomi Watch 2

The new Xiaomi Smart Band 9 maintains the line’s approach by offering a lot for only a little money. The new model follows in the footsteps of the latest generations by being highly customizable, thanks to the availability of several straps and bands. The wearable supports monitoring for more than 150 sports, heart rate, and sleep quality. There is a new customizable linear haptic motor for notifications. Users can choose from more than 200 watch faces for any occasion. The Xiaomi Smart Band 9 offers up to 21 days of use on a single charge. You can purchase the new budget wearable for just €39.99.

The Xiaomi Watch 2 is a Wear OS product that combines style and functionality. It is built around a 1.43-inch AMOLED display with high resolution and up to 600 nits of brightness. The Snapdragon W5+Gen 1 chip and 2 GB of RAM power the smartwatch. You can store your favorite songs and enjoy music without an internet connection thanks to the 32GB of onboard storage.

The device includes a new Pet Park feature to inspire you to get active. It basically works like a “Tamagotchi,” which you feed and watch grow according to your daily physical activity. The Mi Fitness App now offers interactive boxing lessons. Additionally, you can conveniently control the new Xiaomi TV Max 2025 lineup from the watch. Lastly, Xiaomi boasts up to 65 hours of battery life for the watch. It can be yours for a price of €169.99.

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REVIEW RACK SERVER TIPE BARU: OPEN RACK POST

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REVIEW RACK SERVER TIPE BARU: OPEN RACK POST



Halo Sobat IT! Pada video kali ini, kita akan mereview Rack Server Baru dari Indorack, yaitu Open Rack Post!

Untuk lebih detailnya, simak video reviewnya sampai akhir ya sobat IT!

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The best deals ahead of the October Big Deal Days sale and everything we know so far

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Early deals ahead of the October Big Deal Days sale and everything we know so far

Amazon Prime Big Deal Days is back this year, returning on October 8 and 9. The “fall Prime Day” of sorts has served as the online retailer’s unofficial kickoff to the holiday shopping season for the past few years.

We expect most of the deals to be Prime exclusives, meaning you must be an active Prime subscriber to get the discounts. There are always a couple of deals available for everyone, though, so it’s worth perusing Amazon’s site even if you don’t pay for Prime. It’s also worth doing so now because we’ve found a number of solid early Prime Day deals already available. These are the best of the bunch; we’ll be updating this post regularly in the lead-up to October Prime Day, so check back for the latest deals.

Apple AirPods 4

Photo by Billy Steele / Engadget

In addition to discounts on iPads and Apple Watches, you can save a bit on the new AirPods 4 right now. AirTags have a slight discount as well, both in single and multi-packs.

Amazon Fire HD 8 (2020)

Valentina Palladino / Engadget

It’s a safe bet that we’ll see even more Amazon gear discounted on October Prime Day, but for now, you can snag a Fire tablet on sale, as well as Ring and Blink security cameras for much cheaper than usual.

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Google Pixel Buds Series A

Engadget

Early Prime Day deals on tech include discounts on robot vacuums, webcams, smart plugs and more. There are also wireless earbuds and smartphones that you can grab for cheap, along with storage gear and power banks.

Paramount+

Paramount+

While these discounts aren’t technically October Prime day tech deals, we’d be remiss not to mention them. While sales on streaming services are becoming more common, there isn’t as much rhyme or reason to them as there is to, say, Amazon’s Prime Day sale cycle. That said, if you see a discount on a service you’ve been meaning to try, it’s worthwhile to jump on it.

October Prime Day will be held on October 8 and 9 this year.

October Prime Day is a members-only sale event run by Amazon in which the online retailer has thousands of sales on its site that are exclusively available to those with an active Prime members.

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October Prime Day will last two full days.

Most October Prime Day deals will not be revealed until the days of the event. However, in years past, we’ve seen everything from clothing to household essentials to outdoor gear go on sale during this event. Engadget cares most about tech deals, and in past fall Prime Days, we’ve seen things like phones, tablets, headphones, earbuds, robot vacuums, smart home gear and more receive deep discounts.

Yes, because most deals will be Prime exclusives. However, there are always a few decent deals available to all Amazon shoppers, so it’s worth checking out Amazon’s site during October Prime Day to see where you can save even if you don’t pay for Prime.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice in the lead up to October Prime Day 2024.

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