You thought Netflix was cool,...well check out our start up 'pick of the month': Rent the Runway.

Rent the Runway is a site which allows you to rent a dress for the night - a Netflix model for chic designer clothes.

According to TechCrunch.com, 'The startup does exactly what it’s name indicates: it allows anyone to rent designer clothes for a fraction of the price.' They buy pieces directly from top designers and then offer rentals at just 10% of retail prices. Users add it to their basket, tell them when you’d like it delivered, and it’ll appear on your doorstep. After the date, or wedding, or cocktail party, is over, just repack it in handy, pre-paid packaging and just drop it in a mailbox. They will take care of the dry cleaning.

Here's why we love them so much: 

1. The model (value add) is fundamentally different than anything else out there. 

2. The business model leverages technology to connect people with rental designer clothes.

3. This business has great potential for growth (community building, market expansion, etc...).

Image taken from Apple.com. Excerpt taken from TechCrunch.com

The iPad Comes With iBooks And Will Cost $500 To $830

Steve Jobs revealed the Apple iPad today, its much-awaited tablet computer (see our live notes). Jobs positions it as a third computing device between a laptop and a smartphone geared towards the “key tasks” of Web browsing, email, sharing photos, watching videos, playing games, and reading digital books. All current iPhone apps will run on the device, as well as new games and digital books designed specifically for it. An enhanced iPhone SDK released today will support both the iPhone and the iPad.

Some specs: The device has a 9.7 inch display, weighs 1.5 pounds, and is half-an-inch thick. It is powered by new chip made by Apple itself, a 1 GHz A4 and will come with 16Gb to 64 GB of storage. It supports WiFi, has an accelerometer, compass, and built-in speaker and microphone, just like the iPhone. The screen is a full capacitive multi-touch screen. Battery life is supposed to be 10 hours. In addition to WiFi, it will have a 3G option from AT&T. The Wifi-only version, with 16GB of memory, will cost $499. A 32GB version will be $599, 64 GB will be $699, and with 3G from AT&T it will cost $829 (for the 64GB version). AT&T will offer two data plans: $14.99a month for 250 MB of data or $29.99 for unlimited. All the 3G iPads, however, will be unlocked, meaning they can be used on other carriers as well.

On-stage, Apple highlighted the iPad’s use as a digital reader. The iPad comes with a new app called iBooks and an iBooks store. Apple partnered with five publishers to make books available for sale through the iBooks store. “Amazon has done a great job of pioneering this technology,”says Jobs referring to the Kindle. “We’re gonna stand on their shoulders and go farther.” The iBooks support the ePub format, allows readers to flip through pages and supports pictures, video, and other graphics. The first book available will cost $14.99.

It is clear one of the main functions of the iPad will be as a reading device. Martin Nisenholtz from the New York Times showed its own app onstage for the iPad, which looks like a larger, lusher version of the one which is now available on the iPhone. “This is the next version of digital journalism,” declares Nisenholtz. We’ll see.

Who ever said that TECH guys can't have fun...? In this clip, you'll see Mr. Bill Gates having some "fun" at the Sundance Film Festival (video put together by CrunchGear/TechCrunch - www.crunchgear.com, www.techcrunch.com).

Enjoy!

Hey there…start up. We're pleased to offer a new program for start ups called RESTART.

In this crazy web 2.0 world, YOU NEED TO BE DIFFERENT. YOU NEED TO CONNECT. YOU NEED TO…BE START UP SMART.

We know you're busy reeling in users or members, forming partnerships, OR building a cool iPhone OR facebook app. While you do that, we want to help your start up:

BE DIFFERENT - TO CONNECT - BE START UP SMART. LET'S GET STARTED.