Startup Roundup: Tap DJ makes top 10 paid apps list in App Store

Technically Philly’s Startup Roundup parses out the small pieces that make our greater Startup ecosystem thrive. We want to keep you in touch with the innovations that we can’t quite get to covering, but that deserve highlight. Follow along with the Startup Roundup’s dedicated newsletter or RSS feed. If you’ve got news to share, get in touch.
MUST READS
Five weeks after launch, Laan Lab‘s Tap DJ is currently the #9 highest downloaded iPhone/iPod Touch application, the 11th highest-grossing app, and the #1 music category app. It’s like a sweep at the Grammy’s, only—these days—much cooler. We had a chance to play with the DJ mixing app this weekend, and despite the occasional crash hiccup, it’s slick enough to make Schoolly D jealous.
A Groupon for monthly utility bills? It could work, at least in states like Pennsylvania where energy is sold in a free market. Paoli’s AlphaBuyer, which launched late last week, is hoping to give consumers a competitive edge, and hoping to provide utility companies with access to new customers, with a model similar to GroupOn’s discount service. During a quick test, we found that we could save 1.35 cents per kWh, with a preliminary offer, which on average is a little more than $100 per year.
A smart piece on CenterNetworks on Viddler‘s role in the HuffPo/AOL deal, given the video platform’s integration with Endadget and the lack of video player standards throughout the network: Should Viddler be AOL’s next acquisition?

GIVE A GLANCE
ProtonMedia has upped its credentials by achieving Microsoft’s Silver Unified Communications competency, making it the only company in the virtual immersive environment software space with the marks.
A new startup, Tutorhand, is hoping to connect students with local tutors. Though some basic functionality—like a true calendar system—seems to be missing, and despite the fact that there’s only a handful of folks signed up, the premise seems promising. We hope to see more.
TicketLeap is indeed allowing event organizers to analyze the conversion rate of specific traffic sources, allowing for measurement of social media and other site links, including user influence details. Handy, since the company is beefing up its social media sharing tools.
MIGHT BE WORTH YOUR TIME
Virtual environment platform vcopious announced yesterday that it has been nominated for The Enterprise Awards’ Technology Startup of the Year. The company seemed to have a large runway when it announced that it was providing SAP with its virtual conference software, but we’ll look for awards like this to bring on some new clients.
The New Zealand Herald has an interview with media-misanthrope John Gruber, who publishes the Apple insider blog Daring Fireball.
The International Business Times has a report on one of Philly’s mobile payment startups XIPWIRE, including details on the company’s $500,000 in angel funding raised this summer.
Finally, Wharton’s SBDC wants to remind you it’s not all about the Benjamins, at least when it comes to bank lending, PhillyInc reports.
Startup Roundup will post weekly on Wednesdays until there’s not a Philly startup story left to link to on the Internet. See others here, or sign-up for its email newsletter.