Applications
Nickelodeon US releases app for Windows 8
MUMBAI: US kids broadcaster Nickelodeon will re-imagine Nick.com for Windows 8, tailoring it to the platform‘s fun and gesture-based interface.
Providing a hub for all things Nickelodeon and available for free download in the Windows Store, fans can play more than 1500 games, view photos and watch videos featuring series including iCarly, Victorious, Big Time Rush, The Legend of Korra, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and SpongeBob SquarePants.
Nickelodeon Group executive VP, GM Digital Steve Youngwood said, "Nickelodeon strives to be everywhere kids are — with this multiscreen generation, it is especially important to offer companion experiences featuring their favourite content. We are thrilled to bring Nickelodeon to Windows 8 as we further extend our offerings to platforms where our fans are."
Microsoft senior director of Windows App Marketing John Richards said, "Nickelodeon is one of the top brands for kids, and we are excited to bring the brand to Windows 8."
Applications
Canva acquires animation and AI startups Cavalry and MangoAI
The deals strengthen Canva’s push into enterprise and AI-led design workflows
AUSTRALIA: Global visual communication platform Canva has stepped up its acquisition drive, buying UK-based 2D animation platform Cavalry and US-based AI startup MangoAI to deepen its AI-powered creative stack.
Cavalry, whose tools are used by brands including Amazon, Meta, Google and Netflix, will strengthen Canva’s motion design capabilities. The deal builds on Canva’s 2024 acquisition of Affinity, which has crossed four million downloads since launch. With Cavalry, Canva now counts seven Europe-based acquisitions, underscoring its global expansion strategy.
MangoAI, an early-stage startup focused on video advertising optimisation, will integrate its reinforcement learning systems into Canva AI. The move aims to enable brands to generate personalised marketing content in real time, cutting production cycles while improving campaign performance. MangoAI co-founder Vinith Misra will join Canva as reinforcement learning lead in its research lab.
Canva co-founder and chief operating officer Cliff Obrecht said the acquisitions reflect the company’s ambition to make professional-grade creative tools more accessible without sidelining human creativity. The goal, he said, is to bring everything from vector to motion design into a single, integrated suite.
The company now reports 265 million active users, including 31 million paid subscribers, and $4 billion in annualised revenue, up 36 per cent year on year. The latest buys further position Canva against rivals such as Adobe and Apple’s Creator Studio as it pushes deeper into enterprise workflows.
Canva head of pro design marketing Liam Fisher, said AI is intended to act as a creative assistant rather than a replacement, reinforcing the primacy of craft and individual design judgement.
