5:27 PM PDT Fri, Sep 16, 2011 
Apparently AOL Ventures is putting together a swanky cocktail party for its acquisition alumni.
Here is the text from the invitation:
"Hi Everyone!
On behalf of AOL Ventures...
4:15 PM PDT Fri, Sep 16, 2011 
Google released a stable version of Chrome today to give developers more tools to create web apps and games, and improve functionality for users on Mac OS X Lion.
The release features the Web Audio API, which lets developers add advanced audio effects, and the Native Client, an open-source technology that allows developers to easily code in C and C++ languages.
Developers can use the Web Audio API to create...
2:32 PM PDT Fri, Sep 16, 2011 
WHAT: A professional networking solution to foster introductions based on common interests. Commonred members can also connect with VIP professionals through community-decided pitch competitions. Members state why they want to meet with a VIP professional and compete against other users in the Commonred community. Currently, the VIPs are predominantly made up of entrepreneurs and other digerati, but the service looks to expand to include other professionals.
Answer Commonred questions to build your interest graph and connect your social media accounts to expand the number of ways you can connect to others. Commonred also lets you add a Wordpress feed, YouTube video or other images to your account.
LAUNCHERS: Derek Andersen, CEO and founder of Vaporware Labs and former EA product manager. Joel Fernandes, CTO, founder of Digital Work...
1:13 PM PDT Fri, Sep 16, 2011 
Ifttt (If This, Then That), a San Francisco-based company that launched to the public Sept. 7, lets users create interactions between web services that can do tasks like send you a text message when stock prices drop.
Registered users create tasks, known as 'recipes' on ifttt, using the "if this, then that" programming structure. The "this" part of a task triggers an action -- the "that" -- on one of 35 channels, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Gmail and Evernote. Tasks search for new trigger data every 15 minutes.
"We plan on building out new Channels/Triggers/Actions as fast as we can," ifttt co-founder Linden Tibbets tells LAUNCH via email. "We also would like to build out some cool ways to explore Recipes and bubble up interesting or novel uses."
Here are five of the most popular recipes:
11:18 AM PDT Fri, Sep 16, 2011 
Broadcasters NBC, TNT and TBS account for three of the top 10 free apps in the iPad iApp Store right now -- but HuluPlus, Netflix and XFINITY TV, are way down on that list. Netflix is the closest, ranked at 28 with its app.
NBC's latest TV-based iPad app, which came out June 22, is ranked fourth behind arcade game Asphalt 6: Adrenaline HD and puzzle game Six Towers HD. TNT and TBS, which both released apps Sept. 8, hold eighth and tenth place, respectively.
The latest NBC app offers full-length episodes that do not require service authentication -- which must not make Comcast and TimeWarner happy -- while TNT and TBS require...