Kno

Kno, Inc.
Industry E-learning
Headquarters Santa Clara, CA, USA
Key people
 Osman Rashid, Babur Habib
Products eTextbooks and eBooks
Services Education Software

Kno, Inc. is a software company that works with publishers to offer digital textbooks and other educational materials. [1] In November 2013, after raising nearly $100 million in venture capital, the company was acquired by Intel for $15 million.[2]

History

Founded in May 2009, Kno was headed by CEO Osman Rashid.,[3] the co-founder of Chegg, and CTO Babur Habib, a consumer electronics veteran. The firm received funding from Andreessen Horowitz,[4] Intel Capital, Goldman Sachs, FLOODGATE and GSV Capital, and was based in Santa Clara, California.

The company initially announced, in June 2010, a line of tablet computers.[5] Its goal was to offer a "digital textbook/student platform" aimed at the academic market.[4] The textbook tablet was available either with a single panel 14.1" touchscreen or with dual 14.1" touchscreens.[6] The operating system was based on Linux and Webkit.[7]

In April 2011, the company announced that it had licensed its hardware design to Intel and would instead focus on developing software.[8] Two months later, the company released an iPad application, [9] followed by versions for the Galaxy Note 10.1,[10] Android Jelly Bean,[11] Windows 7 & 8,[12] and Web platforms and devices.[13]

In August 2012 the company expanded its catalog of titles from college textbooks to include the K-12 market.[14]

Products

Kno currently addresses its product to three different audiences; Kno for College, offering higher education eTextbooks, Kno for School, covering K-12 learning material, and Kno for Publishers, providing publishers with the tools to add textbooks to Kno and add interactive content.

Each eTextbook comes with interactive features (videos, 3D models and simulations), a personal journal, Kno Me (for students to track and monitor their progress), social sharing features, and sometimes flashcards and other learning aids. .

References

  1. ↑ http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/kno-partners-with-state-university-of-new-york-press-to-bring-digital-content-to-students/
  2. ↑ Carrie Mihalcik (November 9, 2013). "Intel stuffs its backpack with high-tech textbooks in Kno deal". CNET News. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  3. ↑ "Kno: Andreessen Horowitz, others invest $46M in digital textbook startup". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 2010-11-19.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Kno Wants a Slice of Apple". Time Magazine. 2010-11-11. Retrieved 2010-11-19.
  5. ↑ Helft, Miguel (2010-06-10). "A Tablet to Let Students Replace Notebooks and Textbooks". New York Times. Retrieved 2010-11-19.
  6. ↑ Helft, Miguel (2010-09-27). "Kno Offers a Second, Lighter Tablet Computer For Students". New York Times. Retrieved 2010-11-19.
  7. ↑ "Kno dual-screen tablet appears at D8, we go hands-on". Engadget. Retrieved 2010-11-19.
  8. ↑ "Intel Capital, Advance Publications, Andreessen Horowitz, First Round Capital, FLOODGATE and SV Angels Invest $30 Million In Kno". Press release. Retrieved 2011-04-08.
  9. ↑ http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20110606005790/en/Kno-Unveils-Beta-Textbook-App-iPad-World%E2%80%99s
  10. ↑ http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120815005341/en/Kno-Education-App-Samsung-GALAXY-Note-10.1
  11. ↑ https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kno.textbooks
  12. ↑ http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-US/app/kno-textbooks/c9ca3bf7-7379-4448-aeae-91a8e8d0c075
  13. ↑ https://www.kno.com/account/courseManager
  14. ↑ http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120807005373/en

External links