Daily Tidbits: Joost kills software application

Online video service Joost sent e-mails to its users Wednesday announcing that it has discontinued its software application. Released just a few months ago, the software application will be shuttered as of Friday, December 19. In the e-mail, the company claims that users will still be able to watch its videos online.

Panasonic is getting into the social-networking realm, it announced Tuesday. According to the company, its new social-networking community, Living in HD, is designed to "inspire ideas and spark conversation" among people through videos, photos, and project ideas. Each user will be given the opportunity to explain to the community how technology has helped them maximize their enjoyment of high-definition products. In essence, it's a social network for Panasonic fanboys.

Textbook rental start-up, Chegg, announced Wednesday that it has closed a Series C round of funding worth $25 million. The round was led by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. The company's executives claim they will use the funding to increase its stock of textbooks and invest in company growth opportunities.

Facebook announced late Tuesday that it has added a section for recently used applications to the top of the site's application menu in response to users complaining about not being able to find used apps that they had not yet bookmarked. The "recently used" option was available in previous design iterations, but it was taken out by the company's development team in the site's latest redesign.

Mobile social search engine, Taptu, announced Wednesday that it has secured $9.8 million in Series B funding in a round that was led by venture capitalists, 3i and Sofinnova. The company plans on using the cash to improve its infrastructure.