Reading List - Week of September 26

What a week for the eCommerce and technology sector! BlackBerry has finally decided to abandon its mobile business to just focus on software. Amazon same-day delivery is finally available in Vancouver and Toronto. Elon Musk is convinced he can send people to Mars very soon. Snapchat revealed a new gadget for all social media lovers and software companies can now use a dedicated eCommerce platform. Continue reading for all the details.

Say Bye-Bye to BlackBerry’s Mobile

Source: The Guardian

BlackBerry is experiencing some tough times. After 14 years in the mobile sector, the Canadian telecommunications company has announced the closure of its mobile department and is shifting the focus towards software development. Colin Cieszynski, chief market analyst at CMC, declared that “today marks a big transition for BlackBerry and the end of an era for the company”. BlackBerry is just no longer in a position to compete with Apple and Samsung–the two worldwide leaders in the smartphone market.

Amazon Same-Day Delivery Now Available in Vancouver and Toronto

Source: Financial Post

Are you a true Amazon aficionado? Good news! Amazon is now offering same-day delivery in two Canadian cities: Vancouver and Toronto. All Canadian Prime subscribers will now benefit from the same-day delivery on every order above $25. And the timing couldn’t be more perfect with the holiday season just around the corner. Say goodbye to worrying about last minute Christmas gift shopping, Amazon’s got your back.

Get Ready to Go to Mars (Yes, We Said Mars)

Source: CBC News

This week Elon Musk, Tesla and SpaceX CEO, announced he wants to send you to Mars. And guess what? He’s not joking about it. He revealed his plans on Wednesday and introduced his spacecraft, named Dragon, which can carry up to 100 people. The trip to Mars is expecting to last no more than 80 days. Elon Musk is currently looking for more funding as his plan is expected to be extremely expensive. If you want to be the first one to Mars you can already put your name on the waiting list. We recommend you start saving now.

Snapchat Released Its New Video Sunglasses

Source: The Wall Street Journal

They may look like a normal pair of sunglasses but they’re definitely not. Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel, revealed a new product called “Spectacles” in California this week. Spectacles are the first generation of video sunglasses. How do they work? When you tap a button near the hinge, it records a video (up to 10 seconds) and you can directly share it on your Snapchat account. Expect to spend $130 for these connected sunglasses though.

Paddle is Now Offering a SaaS eCommerce Service

Source: TechCrunch

Paddle, an eCommerce marketing and analytics platform, is going after B2B and B2C software companies. The London company will sell a SaaS eCommerce service for scaling SaaS startups. Why? To help software developers and make their lives easier. Paddle believes that “software businesses choose to run on Paddle so they can get back to doing what they love. Building great products”. Who said that managing customers, payment and sales was time-consuming?