Application development platform Sencha has raised $14 million in Series A funding from Sequoia Capital and Radar Partners. Sencha is a three year old Palo Alto based company that started as a business application platform on the Internet, but now has gone into mobile platforms. Sencha Touch is a mobile platform that enables developers to create web apps that are compatible for the the Apple iOS and Google Android. [paidContent]

U.S. companies are expected to spend about $38 billion on social media in 2015 according to a report by Borrell Associates Inc. This is up from 2009, when companies spent $4.5 billion on social media. Over 1.5 million local businesses use social networks and they accounted for about half of all spending. “Given their unique ability to move messages among connected users, social networks have been irresistible to marketers looking for ways to deliver advertising and promotional messages,” said the report. “The results to date have been breathtaking.” [Inman.com]

Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) is increasing rates for California cable and Internet customers by about an average of 3.8% starting August 1st. The monthly bill will increase by $2.49 from $60.76 to $63.25 per month for video customers. The Internet service will be increased from $44.72 to $46.67. The new rates will not affect the 40-50% of customers that have promotional offers. Andrew Johnson, regional VP of Comcast California said that the increase is necessary in order to pay for additional program choices, faster Internet, and new features. [SFGate]

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Camera Culture team is working on a $2 box that refracts the image displayed on a smartphone screen. When this is combined with an app that displays dots and lines, users can manipulate the image until everything looks like it is perfectly aligned. After this is complete, the app shows the prescription. Check out the video demo below.

Google Apps users that want access to other services that regular Google Accounts have may get it soon. Google Apps accounts will soon have full access to other Google services such as Google Voice, Google Reader, Google Buzz, Google Analytics, etc. If you have a Google account that conflicts with your Apps account, Google resolves it by adding a +personal to your regular account’s sign in address. [Smarterware]

Jimmy Kimmel and Drake made a skit that focuses on using Twitter to come up with rap song lyrics. The catchy tune called Tweet Tweet, features Kimmel and Drake going through tweets from celebrities and blending them together. Check out the video below:

China Unicom (NYSE:CHU) plans to launch an application store this month. The China Unicom Unistore will offer applications for smartphones and tablet computers. China Unicom has about 10 million 3G users.

Even though Apple denied that e-mail conversations between Tom and Steve Jobs were real, BoyGeniusReport published the e-mail headers proving otherwise. However BoyGeniusReport slipped with the last line of their original blog post. They indicated that Steve Jobs said “Retire, relax, enjoy your family. It is just a phone. Not worth it.” But it was actually Tom writing that to Steve Jobs. [BGR]