Here’s a roundup of what we’ve been reading this week on how to get more dates on Tinder, VR spreading its Ocu-pus legs across every possible industry, Samsung’s self destruction, and yet another tall building in Dubai. Leave us comments below on what you read this week and feel like sharing with us!

Samsung: when your phone lights on fire, your profit forecast turns to ash. The South Korean company’s stock have unsurprisingly come crashing down. And now in a statement by the company, they have asked “all carrier and retail partners globally to stop sales and exchanges of the Galaxy Note 7 while the investigation is taking place”. It’s not just their phones that are burning, probably worst of all is the damage to their brand.

Theranos won’t stop bleeding. In the latest episode of the blood-testing company’s seemingly unending drama, the startup’s investors are now suing for securities fraud. Hedge fund Partner Fund Management said founder Elizabeth Holmes lied and omitted key information to secure funding. The company fired back saying the the hedge fund has not based its lawsuit on fact. Classic ‘You’re a liar’, ‘No, you’re a liar!’. And just like children in a schoolyard, what is likely is that they’re both lying.

Wamda of the week: Tamer Azer wants Egyptian investors to be a team.  Azer, who is the investment and venture development director at A15, is advocating for closer collaboration between Egyptian investors. In his Wamda oped this week, Azer argues that collaboration can lead to a long-term gain through data sharing, but will create a unified front to lobby for better regulation, legislation and outreach. It’s a piece we recommend for investors and entrepreneurs as we all try move our regional ecosystem from ‘blossoming’ to ‘matured’.

Dubai seeks to break its own record of world’s tallest building. Dubai is like the Usain Bolt of the 200m race. But unlike Bolt, who said he is no longer interested in breaking records, Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum will not waver. The new tower, titled The Tower at Dubai Creek Harbour, is due to be completed by 2020 and according to Sheikh Mohammad’s Twitter feed, “sets another challenge in the history of human architecture: a race the UAE deserves to lead”.

 

We strive for new achievements.
A new heart for our city and global landmark. Humankind has no ceiling or border but our imagination pic.twitter.com/q4sGw67P9Y

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) October 10, 2016

 

If you want to get more dates on Tinder, don’t smile. According Tinder CEO Sean Rad, the key to getting swiped right is to keep it simple, serious and wear bright colors. Job titles of the most swiped men are pilot, founder/entrepreneur, and firefighter (typical). For women, physical therapists, interior designers, and also founder/entrepreneur. Take note, love seekers.

Would you spend $30,000 to travel the world while working remotely for a year? Highland Capital Partners, and cofounders of Airbnb and Wework sure hope so. They just invested $12 million in Remote Year, a startup that takes around 75 “digital nomads” to travel the world, from one wireless secured work station to another, for a year. The startup, which received over 20,000 applications, has already completed their first year. Reviews from participants were mixed, many reportedly dropped out or got fired. While the idea is terribly tempting, it sounds like more like the plot of a twisted reality show to us.

VR is eVeRywhere. It feels like every company and their mother company want to get their hands animated with virtual reality. This week alone, Mark Zuckerberg demo’d Facebook’s new social experience complete with VR emojis and friend hangouts, Sony launched Playstation VR headset, movie theater company IMEX announced it’s opening its first VR center in the UK, etc etc. Watch the video and find out how now you’ll never need to get off your sofa to hang out with your friends again.

Feature image via Pexels.com, edited by Wamda