D! DARE TO ASK -- TV\TECH\TALK

Have you got the TE-X-FACTOR?

You know tech is ready for primetime when will.i.am teams up with X Factor creator Simon Cowell to search for the next Mark Zuckerberg.

“Singing and performance create a couple of jobs. But this will create lots. It’s about getting in touch with youth and giving them a platform to express themselves — whether that’s in science or mathematics,” told will.i.am the Sun about the joined project.

First obvious signs that technology is graduating to the mainstream, came with a hint of Hollywood at techconferences. Ashton Kutcher, Adam Grenier and Jessica Alba took to the TechCrunch Disrupt stage, whereas super agent Ari Emanuel has been a returning (and wildly entertaining) guest star at Web 2.0 and D!.

Now, the tech-crowd hits the home screens. This is not the first attempt to bring the drama of Silicon (V)alley to tv screens. Bloomberg first aired „TechStars“, where a camera followed the ‚cast’ of New York’s most high-profile incubator programme.

Bravo has teamed up with Randi „Mark’s Sister“ Zuckerberg for „Silicon Valley“. The show is still in production and due to air this fall, but has already garnered criticism from the ‘legit tech crowd’ that it might make the start-up scene appear like a nerdy version of Jersey Shore – “except without the tan”. Kevin Rose was apparently hit up with a general invite email from the show’s casting director. 

oh boy, a new “silicon valley reality show” yuck, please stay in LA: twitpic.com/6vp80w/full

— Kevin Rose (@kevinrose) October 5, 2011

Fear is, that with a loaded last name like Zuckerberg attached as exec producer, the non-insiders might mistake this for the real deal. So, be warned. Even Randi Zuckerberg admitted in her Facebook post that “This is a reality tv show, not a documentary”. “The show isn’t meant to represent all of Silicon Valley, but to authentically follow the lives of a few young people trying to blaze their own trails.”

But there are good examples as well: Dragon’s Den, the veteran entrepreneurial programme that originated in Japan in 2001 and came to fame on BBC2 in 2004, is already in its 10th season. The show is (smartly enough) not limited to geeks & gadgets and focuses on the ‘risky business pitch’ as such - and does so successfully with 23 local adaptations of the format.

Mega-producer Mark Burnett adapted the Dragon’s Den format back in 2009 for US television with the extra portion of American spice and competitiveness. Aptly called “Shark Tank”, the successful show with judges including Marc Cuban and Barbara Corcoran is back this fall for its fourth season.

It will be interesting to see which angle Cowell and will.i.am will take on the format to make the primetime audience care for code.

“Howard and I signing the deal last evening. #Onward” — @jack

Historic day. Mobile payment just got a major caffeine injection with an extra shot:  Jack Dorsey and Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz sign milestone deal. The Seattle-based coffee giant will invest $25 million in Square as part of the company’s Series D financing round, which values Dorsey’s mobile payment company at $3.75 billion. Beginning this fall, approx. 7,000 US-Starbucks stores will ‘get Squared’, paving the road to a mainstream roll-out of the leading mobile payment solution. 

“As the largest retail mobile payment platform in the U.S., we’re excited and proud to accept payments with Square,” said Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman, president and ceo. “The evolving social and digital media platforms and highly innovative and relevant payment capabilities are causing seismic changes in consumer behavior and creating equally disruptive opportunities for business. Both Starbucks and Square take a similar approach when building products and running our businesses, and together we can bring the best possible payment experience to Starbucks customers.”

Jack Dorsey on the deal:

We’re proud that Starbucks chose Square, as we share the value of always putting customers first.”  - “More than 2 million individuals and businesses can already use Square. This partnership will accelerate our ability to provide them with the tools they need to grow their business and thrive in today’s economy.”

Jack Dorsey is a confessed lover of authentic coffee craft. He part-owns Sightglass Coffee in San Francisco, one of the ‘real deal’ coffee culture places and the first shop to accept Square. Wonder where he will be getting his latte now. In any case, big day and big deal to bring mobile payment to the masses.