Mount Sinai hospital establishes blockchain research center
There’s no escaping the blockchain these days — soon, it could even be part of your healthcare. Earlier this week, Mount Sinai hospital’s Icahn School of Medicine announced the establishment of the Center for Biomedical Blockchain Research. As the name suggests, research at the center will involve determining potential uses for blockchain technology within the context of Mount Sinai’s expansive healthcare system. Mount Sinai joins a string of other medical research facilities, including Stanford University, who are working to find blockchain-based healthcare solutions. [Read More]
MoviePass announces increased pricing after stocks topple
Is the end neigh for MoviePass? It’s difficult to say for sure, but there’s no denying the company has had a difficult (and at the very least, confusing) week. The latest wave of troubles began last week, when the company was forced to borrow $5 million in capital. The app was plagued by widespread outages, and stocks toppled to sell-off prices. Many were left concerned that MoviePass would go under before the week’s end. Instead, the company announced a slew of new rules and regulations, including increased monthly fees, surge pricing and a more limited selection of movies. The coming weeks will prove whether MoviePass is here to last or whether, as many feared, the service was simply too good to be true. [Read More]
Regulators force Spectrum to shutter business in New York state
Spectrum, provider of internet, phone and cable to 2 million New Yorkers, has 60 days to pack their bags and leave New York. The New York Public Service Commission — a regulatory board — feels the company has repeatedly broken promises to the state and provided below-adequate service to its customers. This eviction notice comes at a particularly critical time for Spectrum, whose parent company, Time Warner Cable, is attempting to negotiate a massive merger with AT&T. [Read More]
City hopes to curb volume of taxis on streets; Uber and Lyft are not happy
A recent, high-profile study revealed that ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft have actually contributed to a significant uptick in traffic congestion, as opposed to creating a new, separate stream of transportation options. Now, the New York City Council is looking into a proposal that would limit the number of new ride-sharing licenses issued in a year. Ride-sharing companies are encouraging their supporters to “speak up for ridesharing” and nix the city’s proposal. The real question is how long you will be sitting in traffic en route to your local representative’s office... [Read More]
New York Daily News suffers massive newsroom cuts
The New York Daily News, one of the most popular print and digital local publications, recently announced a massive round of layoffs in its newsroom: more than 50 percent of its team was left jobless. In an email to employees, it was announced that the layoffs were part of an attempt to “[refocus] much of our talent on breaking news — especially in areas of crime, civil justice, and public responsibility." It remains unclear what the larger picture of the paper’s restructuring will look like. [Read More]
