SweetLabs

SweetLabs
IndustryApplication Management, Devices
GenreDigital distribution, Software update, Application software
Founded2008
Number of locations
San Diego, Seattle
ProductsApp Install Platform, Pokki Start Menu and App Store,
Number of employees
70
Websitesweetlabs.com

SweetLabs is a software distribution company.

Company overview

Based in San Diego and Seattle, SweetLabs has raised $21.5 million in venture capital from Bessemer Venture Partners, Google Ventures, Intel Capital, and O’Reilly AlphaTech Ventures.[1][2]

Apps services

The company supplies products for software developers, advertisers, consumers, and manufacturers (“OEMs”) of Android-operated devices and Microsoft Windows-based devices and personal computers. In May 2014, SweetLabs released the App Install Platform,[3] cloud-based and client-side services which include an App Ad Server that gives OEMs the ability to customize and manage the apps that are delivered to devices;[4] an App Ad Network that opens a marketplace of app developers bidding for app install ads; and App and Device Analytics that provides real-time analysis of app installs and devices. As of 2014 SweetLabs was the driver for about 1 million app installs per day,[5] and powered app distribution software for device manufactures including Acer, Toshiba, and the world’s largest PC manufacturer, Lenovo.[6][7] In June 2011, SweetLabs launched the Pokki, a free application framework software to bring a modern Start Menu replacement to Microsoft Windows 8 and app store to access and discover apps on Windows computers.[8][9][10][11] In January 2014, SweetLabs had driven 50 million installs of Pokki software on Windows-powered devices.[12]

Pokki start menu

Pokki Start menu is a start menu replacement for Windows 8 PCs.[9][13][14][15] The Pokki Start menu returns core functionality of the Windows Start Menu, including central point to find and launch programs and apps, access folders and files, search their computer and the web, manage settings, and shut down. The Pokki Start menu also includes a centralized notification center, a smartphone-like home screen to organize apps, sites, files, folders, an app recommendation service, and access to free web and desktop apps like Pixsta (Instagram desktop app).[16] The Pokki App Store, included in the download, is an app store for free, connected, and downloadable Windows desktop apps and games.[17][18]

Pokki is classified as "viruses and spyware" by Sophos AV.[19]

OpenCandy

Sweetlabs also produced OpenCandy, an Adware module classified as malware by many anti-virus vendors.[20][21][22][23] They flag OpenCandy due to its undesirable side-effects.[24][25]

See also

References
  1. Takahashi, Dean (29 September 2011). "SweetLabs raises $13M for desktop apps interface". VentureBeat. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  2. Wauters, Robin (29 September 2011). "SweetLabs Raises $13 Million From Intel, Google And Others For Pokki App Platform". TechCrunch. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  3. Protalinski, Emil. "SweetLabs' new App Install Platform helps Android and Windows OEMs take the crap out of crapware". The Next Web. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  4. Frank, Blair. "SweetLabs helps OEMs lose bloatware with new service". GeekWire. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  5. Wilhelm, Alex. "SweetLabs Rolls Out An App Recommendation Platform For Android, Windows OEMs". TechCrunch. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  6. Mlot, Stephanie (June 25, 2013). "New Acer PCs to Come Pre-Loaded With Pokki, Zynga Games". PC Magazine. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  7. Bass, Dina (Aug 22, 2013). "Lenovo Turns to a Startup to Bring the Start Menu Back to Windows". Bloomberg. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  8. Chang, Alexandra (16 October 2012). "Pokki Brings the Start Menu Back to Windows 8". Wired. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  9. Newman, Jared (16 October 2012). "Pokki Aims to Fix Windows 8 with Replacement Start Menu". TIME. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  10. Molt, Stephanie (16 October 2012). "Pokki Brings the Start Menu to Windows 8". PC Magazine. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  11. Whitney, Lance (17 October 2012). "How to restore the classic Start menu with Pokki for Windows 8". CNET. Retrieved 19 June 2014.
  12. Wilhelm, Alex (Jan 8, 2013). "Pokki Plans To Take Its App Recommendation Service To Android, Expanding From Its Windows Beachhead". TechCrunch. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  13. Chang, Alexandra (16 October 2012). "Pokki Brings the Start Menu Back to Windows 8". Wired. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  14. Molt, Stephanie (16 October 2012). "Pokki Brings the Start Menu to Windows 8". PC Magazine. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  15. Whitney, Lance (17 October 2012). "How to restore the classic Start menu with Pokki for Windows 8". CNET. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  16. Zuckerman, Erez (23 October 2013). "Pixsta review: This is the Instagram desktop client you've been waiting for". PC World. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  17. Van Groove, Jennifer (30 August 2012). "Pokki exits beta, picks up 1M users, and sets out to prove that desktop apps can be cool, too". VentureBeat. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  18. Gallagher, Billy (30 August 2012). "Pokki Surpasses 1 Million Monthly Active Users, Releases Angry Birds, Pandora and Pinterest Desktop Apps". TechCrunch. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  19. https://www.sophos.com/en-us/threat-center/threat-analyses/viruses-and-spyware/Pokki.aspx
  20. PUP.Optional.OpenCandy, Malwarebytes, retrieved 3 February 2018
  21. OpenCandy, Sophos, retrieved 3 February 2018
  22. ADW_OPENCANDY, Trend Micro, retrieved 3 February 2018
  23. Virustotal analyses of OpenCandy, Virus Total, retrieved 3 February 2018
  24. Richards, Gizmo (16 April 2017), Controversial Advertising Program Now Being Embedded in More Software, Tech Support Alert, retrieved 2 February 2018
  25. ADW_OPENCANDY: Trend Micro page, 30 April 2016
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