Home renovation projects can be unpredictable for both customers and builders. Meanwhile, small contractors barely use modern software and home renovation giants, like IKEA, tend to trundle on with dated legacy software. UK startup Beams thinks it can solve this conundrum and has now raised a $9 million Series A funding round to crack the…
Category: Global IT News
Apps, Elon Musk, Global IT News, Global Security News, Social networks, Twitter
X says it is rolling out labels for parody accounts
Elon Musk-owned social network X said today that it is rolling out labels for parody or satire accounts to differentiate them from other accounts. In the past, users, including news presenters, have mistaken posts from parody accounts as authentic statements made by real people or entities. The company’s safety account on the platform said that…
Climate, emergency alert, Global IT News, Global Security News, LA wildfire, privacy, push notifications
Every smartphone in LA accidentally received a wildfire evacuation alert
As wildfires rage for the third consecutive day through parts of Los Angeles, now including the Hollywood Hills, several neighborhoods have been forced to evacuate for safety purposes. But on Thursday afternoon, a wildfire evacuation alert was mistakenly sent to the smartphone of every resident in Los Angeles County, a region with more than 9…
CES, Gadgets, Global IT News, Global Security News, Hardware, paintcam, paintcam eve, security system
This security system shoots paintballs at intruders
Doorbell cameras are standard fare these days. More and more people have invested in connected security systemss, as the technology has become both cheaper and more user friendly. There’s one important thing these system won’t do, however: shoot people and animals with paintballs. That is, however, pretty much the Eve PaintCam’s whole M.O. Carrying the…
electric vehicles, Global IT News, Global Security News, Tesla, Transportation
Tesla launches new-look Model Y in China
Tesla has revealed a new-look Model Y meant for the Chinese and other Asian-Pacific markets, marking the first major update to the SUV since its launch in 2020. The redesign comes as Tesla finished 2024 having delivered fewer vehicles than it did in 2023. It was the first year-over-year drop since the company started selling…
a16z, AI, Biotech & Health, General Catalyst, Global IT News, Global Security News, Kleiner Perkins, nvidia, patients, Startups
Hippocratic AI raises $141M for creating patient-facing AI agents
Hippocratic AI, a startup building AI solutions that can handle non-diagnostic patient-facing tasks, secured a massive $141 million Series B at a valuation of $1.64 billion led by Kleiner Perkins, the company announced Thursday. The funding comes nine months after Hippocratic AI raised a $53 million round from General Catalyst and Andreessen Horowitz and five…
AI, AI avatar, CES, ces 2025, Global IT News, Global Security News, nvidia, TC
Nvidia’s AI avatar sat on my computer screen and weirded me out
Nvidia unveiled a prototype AI avatar at CES 2025 that lives on your PC’s desktop. The AI assistant, R2X, looks like a video game character, and it can help you navigate apps on your computer. The R2X avatar is rendered and animated using Nvidia’s AI models, and users can run the avatar on popular LLMs…
3d printing, austin, Global IT News, Global Security News, icon, Layoffs, Startups, Tiger
ICON, a builder of 3D printed homes last valued around $2 billion, cuts about 25% of staff
ICON Technologies Inc., which builds homes using 3D printing, is laying off 114 people, according to a WARN letter filed with the Texas Workforce Commission. A spokesperson for the company confirmed the news to TechCrunch, providing a statement that ICON had “recently made a difficult decision to re-align” its team and team size “to focus…
8VC, anduril, defense tech, Global IT News, Global Security News, Joe Lonsdale, shield ai, Venture
Defense startup Epirus in talks to raise over $150M, potentially cutting valuation
The round could give the company a valuation of about $1 billion, a decrease from the company’s previous $1.35 billion valuation. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
apollo, apptronik, CES, Global IT News, Global Security News, Hardware, robotics
Apptronik’s Apollo humanoid robot gets to work at CES 2025
CES 2025 has been a mixed bag for humanoid robots. The form factor had a watershed moment, as images of the top players flanked NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang during his Monday keynote. Of these, Agility’s Digit also showed up alongside a miniature conveyer belt at a closed access NVIDIA booth. It was a nice return…
Global IT News, Global Security News, la, la fires, la wildfires, rto, Social, social media, TC, TikTok, wfm, wildfires
TikTok tells LA staff impacted by wildfires to use personal/sick hours if they can’t work from home
Wildfires are currently devastating the greater Los Angeles area, burning over 45 square miles, torching over 1,300 structures, and putting nearly 180,000 people under evacuation orders as of Thursday. And yet, TikTok’s LA-based employees are being told to either continue their work from home or use their personal/sick days if that’s not possible, while the…
AI, Apps, ChatGPT, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, Open AI
ChatGPT’s newest feature lets user assign it traits like ‘chatty’ and ‘Gen Z’
OpenAI is introducing a new way for users to customize their interactions with ChatGPT, the company’s AI-powered chatbot. Some users on X on Thursday reported that ChatGPT’s existing custom instructions menu on the web has been revamped with new fields. Now, users can specify a preferred name or nickname, their profession, other things they’d like…
CES, Global IT News, Global Security News, techcrunch mobility, Transportation
Autonomous vehicles are having a moment and other vibes from CES 2025
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! Hey hey, it’s a new year! I’ve missed you these past two weeks. But I’m back, and in Las Vegas for CES 2025. As always, announcements from…
automakers, CES, Ford, General Motors, Global IT News, Global Security News, Scout Motors, Transportation, Volkswagen, Waymo, zoox
CES 2025: Where have all the US automakers gone?
The old chestnut passed around by industry watchers for the past decade was that CES — one of the world’s largest consumer tech trade events — had turned into an auto show. Maybe even the most important auto show of the year. And there was ample evidence of that. GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra…
AI, Dev, developers, Enterprise, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, Google, google deepmind
Google folds more teams into DeepMind to ‘accelerate the research to developer pipeline’
As it looks to accelerate the pace of its AI development, Google is further streamlining the teams building its AI services, platforms, and tools. On Thursday, Logan Kilpatrick, who leads product for Google’s AI Studio developer platform, said in a post on X that Google’s AI Studio team and the team developing the API for…
AI, Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News, lawsuits, Scale AI, Startups
Scale AI hit by its second employee wage lawsuit in less than a month
Scale AI just got hit by another lawsuit alleging widespread wage violations and misclassification of its workers. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Global IT News, Global Security News, In Brief, Larry Page, Venture, Y Combinator
Y Combinator scored a surprise win when Larry Page came to speak
Y Combinator is maybe only two-degrees of separation from anyone in tech. Even Larry Page. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
CES, Gadgets, Global IT News, Global Security News, Hardware, ifixit, worst in show
These are CES 2025’s least repairable and sustainable gadgets, according to iFixit
The Razzies, the Darwins — not all awards are good. Sure, CES is a time to celebrate the year’s weirdest and most wonderful consumer electronic, but thankfully we’ve got iFixit around to throw a little cold water on the fair. As we enter the penultimate day of the event, the repair stalwart presents its “Worst…
CES, Gadgets, Global IT News, Global Security News, Hardware, Security, Startups
DoorBox debuts its new and improved smart delivery box at CES 2025
Millions of packages stolen each year. DoorBox aims to change how packages are delivered with its smart package box that features a theft-proof design with live camera feeds and an alarm that activates automatically if the box is tampered with. After selling 2,000 units of its initial version, which offered manual functionality, the startup unveiled…
AI, copyright, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, lawsuit, Llama, Meta
Mark Zuckerberg gave Meta’s Llama team the OK to train on copyrighted works, filing claims
Counsel for plaintiffs in a copyright lawsuit filed against Meta allege that Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg gave the green light to the team behind the company’s Llama AI models to use a data set of pirated ebooks and articles for training. The case, Kadrey v. Meta, is one of many against tech giants developing AI…
Ads, bug bounty, bugs, Cybersecurity, Facebook, Global IT News, Global Security News, hacking, infosec, Meta, Security, security vulnerability, vulnerability
Facebook awards researcher $100,000 for finding bug that granted internal access
A security researcher found a bug in a Facebook ad platform, which gave him access to the company’s internal infrastructure. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
CES, electric vehicles, EVs, Global IT News, Global Security News, interview, Scout Motors, Transportation
Scout Motors CEO Scott Keogh says modern cars have become ‘dystopian’ and ‘disconnected’
Volkswagen-backed startup Scout Motors broke cover just a few months ago, and at this week’s CES 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada, they hold the honor of being one of the only American automakers with a presence at the show. That’s not the only thing that stands out about Scout being here, though. In a sea…
AI, CES, Global IT News, Global Security News, Hardware
CES 2025: The weirdest tech products and claims from this year’s event
CES 2025 is in full swing. While the conference features reveals from tech powerhouses like Nvidia, Samsung, and Toyota, there are also some very strange product concepts and announcements circulating on the show floor. We’ve compiled the weirdest, silliest, and most eyebrow-raising products from CES 2025. A robotic cat that cools down your coffee for…
advertising, Comcast, Global IT News, Global Security News, Media & Entertainment, social video, streamers, streaming services, tv, YouTube
Comcast and other TV streamers are now chasing YouTube’s ad dollars instead of the other way around
TV providers and streamers’ real competition isn’t each other, it’s social video. Or at least that’s what the president of Comcast Advertising, James Rooke, said during an interview on Wednesday at CES 2025 in Las Vegas. The ad exec was speaking about the company’s Monday launch of “universal ads,” a solution that lets marketers buy…
Apps, Facebook, fact checking, Global IT News, Global Security News, Google Search, google trends, Instagram, Mark Zuckerberg, Media & Entertainment, Meta, meta content moderation, Social, social media, Threads, trends
Google searches for deleting Facebook, Instagram explode after Meta ends fact-checking
Google searches for how to cancel and delete Facebook, Instagram, and Threads accounts have seen explosive rises in the U.S. since Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the company will end its third-party fact-checking system, loosen content moderation policies, and roll back previous limits to the amount of political content in user feeds. Experts see…
Apps, Climate, consumer apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, top apps, wildfires
Watch Duty surpasses ChatGPT as top free app on App Store as California fires spread
Watch Duty, an app to track wildfires with live maps and alerts, has become the No. 1 free app in Apple’s App Store as of Wednesday morning. The fire-tracking app surpassed the ChatGPT app for the No. 1 spot as devastating fires continue to rage across Southern California. ChatGPT had been in the No. 1…
Cybersecurity, data breach, Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News, powerschool, Security
PowerSchool says hackers stole students’ sensitive data, including Social Security numbers, in data breach
In an FAQ obtained by TechCrunch, PowerSchool confirms it negotiated with the threat actors responsible for the breach. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
AI, Apps, Artificial Intelligence, audio, Global IT News, Global Security News, Google, google search labs, Search Labs
Google’s Daily Listen AI feature generates a podcast based on your Discover feed
Google is testing a new “Daily Listen” feature that automatically generates a podcast based on your Discover feed. The company confirmed to TechCrunch that Daily Listen is a personalized AI-powered audio experience that is designed to help you stay up to date on the topics you care about. The feature is currently rolling out on…
Apple Watch, Apps, CES, Gadgets, Global IT News, Global Security News, hand gestures, Hardware, interfaces, smart watch, TC
Doublepoint launches free Apple Watch app to control devices with hand gestures
Finnish startup Doublepoint launched its free app, WowMouse, for the Apple Watch this week at CES 2025. The app uses the wearable’s sensors, compass, and accelerometer to turn your hand into a mouse that can control devices through hand gestures. The Apple Watch already uses a similar technology for the double tap feature it released…
Apps, bytedance, captions, Global IT News, Global Security News, Video Editing
Video editing app Captions switches to a freemium model to boost growth
Video editing app Captions is looking to cash in on uncertainty around TikTok and ByteDance’s video editing app CapCut’s future in the U.S. by turning to a freemium model. The app, backed by Kleiner Perkins, Sequoia Capital, and Andreessen Horowitz, has been a paid-only app until now. However, the company is changing its course to…
Global IT News, Global Security News
Openreach chooses Nokia to build open-access fiber network to connect millions to faster broadband
Nokia building open access platform to accelerate fiber broadband services for millions of UK homes and businesses. Nokia’s intent-based model enables Openreach to reduce operations support systems (OSS) complexity by 85 percent. Nokia’s domain controllers allow Openreach to fully automate and simplify network operations, driving scalability and operational efficiency throughout its network9 January 2025 Nokia…
Commerce, E-Commerce, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, online shopping, pdq, prettydamnquick
PrettyDamnQuick snaps up $25M to speed up online checkout
A startup hoping to provide a credible alternative to Amazon has picked up funding to double down on the gap in the market. PrettyDamnQuick (PDQ) provides tech to retailers to let them customize and test different shipping and checkout flows, and now it has picked up a deal of its own: a $25 million Series…
b capital group, Biotech & Health, Exclusive, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, Innovaccer, Kaiser Permanente, M12, Startups
Innovaccer aims to become healthcare’s AI powerhouse with $275M Series F
Innovaccer has raised a $275M Series F from investors including B Capital Group, Banner Health, Danaher Ventures, Generation IM, Kaiser Permanente, and M12. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Global IT News, Global Security News, Tesla, tesla directors, Transportation
Tesla directors to pay up to $919 million to settle claims they overpaid themselves
A Delaware judge has approved a settlement that will see Tesla directors – including Chair Robyn Denholm, Oracle founder Larry Elison, Kimbal Musk, and James Murdoch – return up to $919 million to the automaker, officially resolving allegations that they overpaid themselves, per Reuters. The settlement concludes a 2020 lawsuit by the Police and Fire…
Global IT News, Global Security News
East coast gas surplus on the immediate horizon but longer-term regulatory certainty needed to avoid future shortfalls
How Australia’s leading enterprises are tackling product design challenges The increasing complexity of digital product development is driving Australian enterprises to seek new solutions to streamline their design and development processes. As teams grow larger and more distributed, organisations are investing in integrated platforms to manage end-to-end product delivery more effectively.
AI, AI voice agent, donna, Global IT News, Global Security News, Rounded, Startups
Rounded is an AI orchestration platform that lets anyone build an AI voice agent
French startup Rounded believes AI voice agents are going to become the default way customers interact with companies, so instead of building AI voice agents that are ready to use, the company is building an orchestration platform that lets companies build their own voice agent. Rounded started off working on a web3 product before shifting…
biomanufacturing, biosphere, Biotech & Health, biotechnology, Climate, electrification, Exclusive, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, Lowercarbon Capital, VXI Capital
Biosphere zaps germs with UV light to make biomanufacturing cheaper
Using LEDs has the potential to bring down the cost of biomanufacturing, allowing such processes to make materials that previously would have been too expensive. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Global IT News, Global Security News
Cohesity Expands Cyber Event Response Service with Incident Response Provider Partnerships, Fortifying Cyber Resilience
COMPANY NEWS: Cohesity, the leader in AI-powered data security, today announced it has expanded the Cohesity Cyber Event Response Team (CERT) service to include partnerships with leading incident response (IR) vendors.
Global IT News, Global Security News
How Australia’s leading enterprises are tackling product design challenges
COMPANY NEWS: The increasing complexity of digital product development is driving Australian enterprises to seek new solutions to streamline their design and development processes. As teams grow larger and more distributed, organisations are investing in integrated platforms to manage end-to-end product delivery more effectively.
Global IT News, Global Security News
New Body Camera by Motorola Solutions Boosts Safety for Frontline Workers
V200 expands Motorola Solutions’ enterprise security offerings for customers in retail, healthcare, hospitality and education
Climate, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, robotics, Startups, Xocean
Xocean raises $119M to capture ocean data with uncrewed surface vessels
Xocean, an Irish marine robotics startup that provides ocean data to the energy and hydrography industries using uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), has raised €115 million ($119 million) as it looks to expand coverage to additional sectors. Founded in 2017, Xocean has built a fleet of remotely-controlled USVs that can remain offshore for long periods of…
ces 2025, Global IT News, Global Security News, Media & Entertainment, Videolan, VLC
VLC tops 6 billion downloads, previews AI-generated subtitles
VLC media player, the popular open-source software developed by nonprofit VideoLAN, has topped 6 billion downloads worldwide and teased an AI-powered subtitle system. The new feature automatically generates real-time subtitles — which can then also be translated in many languages — for any video using open-source AI models that run locally on users’ devices, eliminating…
Apple, Apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, iOS, ios 18
Apple might be working on a new ‘Invites’ app
The year has just begun, and Apple might already be in “Sherlocking” mode to create a new app for iOS called Invites. Details are still thin on what this app might look like, but it could potentially be a competitor to Evite or Partiful. According to findings in iOS 18.3 beta 2 code by 9to5Mac, Apple…
casual gaming, Fundraising, Gaming, Global IT News, Global Security News, grand games, Istanbul, mobile games, puzzle games
Grand Games, the Turkish startup behind Magic Sort, drinks up $30M
Gaming startups, specifically those building casual mobile games, are very hot in Turkey right now, and today another one is announcing a sizable round. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Cam Rail, Defiant, Global IT News, Global Security News, Joseph Pizzolato, Venture
Defiant is a new European VC firm that uses data and products to make better investments
Defiant is a new early stage VC firm focused on B2B SaaS and fintech coming out of stealth today. Joseph Pizzolato (pictured right) and Cam Rail (pictured left), the duo at the helm of the firm who met when they were six years old, have already secured $30 million and plan to raise as much…
AI, AI chatbot, Elon Musk, Global IT News, Global Security News, Grok, Twitter, xAI
xAI is testing a standalone iOS app for its Grok chatbot
Elon Musk’s AI company, xAI, is testing out a standalone iOS app for its chatbot, Grok, which was available only to X users until now. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Commerce, Dunzo, Flipkart, Global IT News, Global Security News, India
Flipkart taps Dunzo founder to lead quick commerce push
Flipkart has hired Kabeer Biswas, co-founder of Indian delivery startup Dunzo, as the Walmart-owned e-commerce group expands its quick commerce business in the world’s most populous nation. Biswas will lead Flipkart’s quick commerce business, called Flipkart Minutes, a source familiar with the situation told TechCrunch. The move follows Flipkart engaging with Biswas over a potential…
AI, CES, ces 2025, Elon Musk, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News, synthetic data, TC, training data
Elon Musk agrees that we’ve exhausted AI training data
Elon Musk concurs with other AI experts that there’s little real-world data left to train AI models on. “We’ve now exhausted basically the cumulative sum of human knowledge …. in AI training,” Musk said during a live-streamed conversation with Stagwell chairman Mark Penn streamed on X late Wednesday. “That happened basically last year.” Musk, who…
2024, 2025, Channel Insider, Global IT News, Global Security News, IT, IT Channel, Managed Services, MSP, Partner POV, Partners, Podcast, reseller, tech vendor, Technology, VAR, Video
Video: A Look Back On The Channel In 2024 With Channel Insider
With 2024 officially in the rearview mirror, the Channel Insider editorial team discuss the events, news stories, and disruptions that shaped the IT channel in 2024. Managing Editor Victoria During and Staff Writer Jordan Smith join Katie Bavoso for an in-depth discussion of a year that saw no shortage of seismic shifts. From the biggest…
autonomous vehicles, Global IT News, Global Security News, robotaxi, Transportation, Waymo
We talked to the guy who was stuck in a Waymo robotaxi on an dizzying loop
A month ago, a video circulated around social media of a Waymo robotaxi stuck in a roundabout loop – an isolated incident with no passengers in the vehicle, according to Waymo. Apparently, it wasn’t a one-time thing. Around the same time, in another Waymo robotaxi headed for the Phoenix airport, Mike Johns, founder and CEO…
connected devices, Cybersecurity, Global IT News, Global Security News, Government, Hardware, In Brief, IoT, Security, smart devices, u.s., U.S. government, White House
The U.S. has a new cybersecurity safety label for smart devices
The White House this week announced a new label for internet-connected devices, the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark, intended to help consumers make more-informed decisions about the cybersecurity of products they bring into their homes. To earn the U.S. Cyber Trust Mark, which is being administered by the Federal Communications Commission, companies have to test their…
CES, Gadgets, Global IT News, Global Security News, Guitar Hero, Hardware, liberlive, liberlive c1
The LiberLive C1 stringless instrument isn’t a guitar, and that’s fine
I’m old enough to remember musicians getting angry over Guitar Hero. But they always seemed to be missing the point. Nobody was seriously suggesting that a video game controller would replace an instrument that’s been going strong since the 15th century. Guitar Hero was a fun game, and if it persuaded a new generation to…
Global IT News, Global Security News
How AI will unlock Australia’s potential for growth in 2025
2024 was a breakthrough year for AI, both globally and here in Australia. Contributions to public generative AI projects on GitHub in Australia surged by 65% in 2024, signalling a promising trajectory for the nation’s productivity and economic growth. We saw businesses transition from experimenting with AI to adopting and implementing it, unlocking the benefits…
AI, ai slop, CES, ces 2025, Global IT News, Global Security News, irl slop, Roundup
CES 2025 was full of IRL AI slop
It’s 2025, and companies still don’t know what AI is good for. That’s the impression I got from this year’s CES, which featured AI-powered kitchen appliances, baby cribs, and other products that really weren’t calling for AI. See: Spicerr, an “intelligent” touchscreen-equipped spice dispenser that learns your taste as you cook to recommend unique recipes.…
Global IT News, Global Security News
The Risc-V architecture that can shape the future of computing
Open source software rightly gets a lot of attention; open source hardware has its part to play too. One development drawing increasing attention in both technical and executive circles is RISC-V, pronounced “risk five”. While many industries have long relied on established processor architectures such as ARM and x86, RISC-V offers a fresh approach—particularly in areas of…
AI, CES, Global IT News, Global Security News, Hardware
CES 2025: The weirdest tech products and claims from this year’s event
CES 2025 is in full swing. While the conference features reveals from tech powerhouses like Nvidia, Samsung, and Toyota, there are also some very strange product concepts and announcements circulating on the show floor. We’ve compiled the weirdest, silliest, and most eyebrow-raising products from CES 2025. A robotic cat that cools down your coffee for…
CES, Gadgets, Global IT News, Global Security News, Hardware, pickpad, point of service, restaurant
PickPad addresses the chaos of restaurant takeout
There was a time when baristas just had to write a customer’s name on a cup and call it out. They wouldn’t always get the name right, but more often than not, it went to the right person. The prospect of picking up takeout has, however, become considerably more dicey in this post-pandemic era dominated…
astrohaus, CES, FreeWrite, Global IT News, Global Security News, Hardware, Keyboard, mechanical keyboard
Astrohaus launches a mechanical keyboard for writers
Astrohaus has cornered a very specific niche. The Michigan-based startup builds hardware for writers looking to eliminate distractions. It’s really tough finishing up that novel when Instagram exists, after all. While the company has made its name bucking most tech trends, however, its latest offering has found a bandwagon to jump onto. Announced at CES…
Global IT News, Global Security News
Nokia and STC claim MEA record with 1Tbps trial across 850km network
Telecoms equipment vendor Nokia and Saudi telco STC have concluded what they say is the first-ever 1Tbps long haul field trial in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, using Nokia’s Photonic Service Engine (PSE-6s) technology .
AI, chatbot, Elon Musk, Global IT News, Global Security News, Grok, musk, Social, social media, unhinged model, X
Grok may soon get an ‘Unhinged Mode’
Last April, Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, teased a mysterious “Unhinged Mode” for X’s AI-powered chatbot, Grok. Nearly a year later, xAI, the Musk-owned company behind Grok, has updated an FAQ page on its website that sheds light on the new mode. Grok in Unhinged Mode will provide responses “intended to be objectionable,…
Global IT News, Global Security News
Medallia appoints Mark Bishof as Chairman and CEO
Customer and employee experience company Medallia has announced the appointment of Mark Bishof as Chairman and CEO.
Global IT News, Global Security News
HMD enters mobile to satellite communications market with OffGrid
Finnish smartphone maker HMD (Human Mobile Devices) has entered Non-Terrestrial Network (NTN) Communications market with the launch of a new mobile messaging device called HMD OffGrid.
AI, AI wearables, CES, Global IT News, Global Security News, Hardware, SMART Glasses
Halliday’s $489 smart glasses beam a tiny screen to your eye
Walk up to someone wearing a pair of Halliday’s smart glasses, and you might not notice they’re looking at smartphone notifications, live language translations, or advice from an AI assistant. The only giveaway is the tiny green dot of light on their eyeball. Wearables startup Halliday launched a pair of smart glasses at CES 2025…
CES, Gadgets, Global IT News, Global Security News, Hardware, iPad, zugu
This $1,500 iPad bundle will Rickroll your family after you die
It’s only the second day of CES 2025, and we’ve already reached the point where it’s difficult to distinguish real products from elaborate pranks. In Case of Death currently leads that race by a country mile. Produced by Zugu, the product is designed as a kind of dead man’s switch for your digital life. It…
a16z, flock safety, Global IT News, Global Security News, Policy, sales, Startups
Flock Safety quietly hired a sitting California mayor. Now he’s suing Flock
Last year, police surveillance startup Flock Safety hired the mayor of a California city with over 200,000 residents to promote its products. But the mayor, Ulises Cabrera of Moreno Valley, now claims Flock wrongfully terminated him, partly because he refused to use his position as mayor to benefit Flock, according to a lawsuit Cabrera filed…
Global IT News, Global Security News
Australian organisations face an array of cybersecurity challenges that didn’t exist half a decade ago
GUEST OPINION by John Penn, Security Propositions Architect at BT : And yet the reliance on traditional security and legacy systems is largely the status quo – often falling short in addressing the nuanced interplay between human behaviour and technological vulnerabilities.
AGI, AI, arc prize, arc prize foundation, arc-agi, benchmarks, Francois Chollet, generative ai, Global IT News, Global Security News
AI researcher François Chollet is co-founding a nonprofit to build benchmarks for AGI
Former Google engineer and influential AI researcher François Chollet is co-founding a nonprofit to help develop benchmarks that’ll probe AI for “human-level” intelligence. The nonprofit, the ARC Prize Foundation, will be led by Greg Kamradt, an ex-Salesforce engineering director and founder of the AI product studio Leverage. Kamradt will serve as president and a member…
Apps, Climate, consumer apps, Global IT News, Global Security News, top apps, wildfires
Watch Duty surpasses ChatGPT as top free app on App Store as California fires spread
Watch Duty, an app to track wildfires with live maps and alerts, has become the number one free app in Apple’s App Store as of Wednesday morning. The fire tracking app surpassed the ChatGPT app for the number one spot as devastating fires continue to rage across Southern California. Watch Duty has been around since…
Global IT News, Global Security News, Mastodon, Meta, Social, Threads
Mastodon CEO calls Meta’s moderation changes ‘deeply troubling,’ warns users cross-posting from Threads
Mastodon CEO Eugen Rochko has spoken out about the significant moderation changes announced by Meta on Tuesday, which will see the social networking giant removing fact-checking across its apps in favor of a crowdsourced community notes feature, similar to X’s. The Mastodon founder, whose app competes with X and Meta’s X rival, Instagram Threads, called…
Diablo 4, Elon Musk, Gaming, Global IT News, Global Security News, TC
Gamers can’t fathom how 6x CEO Elon Musk found time to best Diablo IV
On October 16 and November 20, Elon Musk tweeted videos of himself clearing the highest level of the Diablo IV video game in about 2 minutes. While Diablo IV has been out since mid-2023, the latest “season,” called The Pit, launched on October 7. Many asked: How did he find the time to do it…
basketball, CES, davy robot, Global IT News, Global Security News, Hardware, robotics
This basketball robot uses AI to rebound the ball after you shoot
Like anything in life, the secret to becoming Steph Curry or Sabrina Ionescu is practice, practice, and more practice. You practice when it’s too hot, too cold, you’re tired, or you’re sick. Finding a willing one-on-one partner through all of that is, however, another question entirely. The good news is that later this year, you…
Artificial Intelligence (AI), Climate, electrical grid, Exclusive, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, Gridware, Power Lines, Sequoia Partners
Gridware’s boxes literally listen to power lines to find outages
Gridware’s sensors listen for sounds that the company’s software has been trained to identify as different hazards to the grid. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
cyberattack, data breach, Global IT News, Global Security News, russia-ukraine war, Security
Ukrainian hackers take credit for hacking Russian ISP that wiped out servers and caused internet outages
The Russian ISP blamed the Ukrainian hackers for causing a “complete failure” across its internet infrastructure. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
AI, Global IT News, Global Security News, openai, this week in AI
This Week in AI: More capable AI is coming, but will its benefits be evenly distributed?
Hiya, folks, welcome to TechCrunch’s regular AI newsletter. If you want this in your inbox every Wednesday, sign up here. The AI news cycle didn’t slow down much this holiday season. Between OpenAI’s 12 days of “shipmas” and DeepSeek’s major model release on Christmas Day, blink and you’d miss some new development. And it’s not slowing…
Apps, Creators, Global IT News, Global Security News, Media & Entertainment, Social, TikTok, TikTok Ban, Triller
Triller launches a tool to back up users’ TikToks ahead of the U.S. ban deadline
Triller, a would-be competitor to TikTok, is hoping to capitalize on the potential for a TikTok ban in the U.S. by pitching to creators to move their content from the popular short-form video app to its own. The company has now launched a website, SaveMyTikToks.com, which promises to back up all your TikTok videos by…
CES, ces 2025, connected fitness, Gadgets, Global IT News, Global Security News, Hardware, tonal, tonal 2
Tonal’s new strength training system arrives with refreshed hardware and new workouts
The post-pandemic years haven’t been especially kind to connected fitness. As bigger names like Peloton and Mirror have struggled, however, plenty of smaller firms like Tonal are still going strong. At CES 2025 on Wednesday, the Bay Area firm announced the arrival of its new strength training system, fittingly named Tonal 2. At its core,…
boston dynamics, ghost robotics, Global IT News, Global Security News, robotics
Boston Dynamics settles patent suit with military robotics firm Ghost
Roughly two and a half years after their patent battle began, Boston Dynamics and Ghost Robotics have settled the dispute on reasonably amicable terms. The robotics firms on Wednesday issued a joint release announcing the end of the dispute. “We are pleased to resolve this dispute on mutually advantageous terms,” Boston Dynamics Chief Legal Officer…
AI, CES, device tracking, Gadgets, Global IT News, Global Security News, pet tech, Startups
Former Huami employees launch SATELLAI, a satellite pet tracker, at CES 2025
With the smart pet wearable market estimated at $1.72 million in 2024, a new startup in the pet tech space is entering the scene with a dog tracker and collar that can directly link with satellite tracking without needing an LTE signal. At CES 2025, SATELLAI presented its pet tracker and smart collar, which include…
china, cyberattacks, Cybersecurity, Global IT News, Global Security News, Japan, Security
Japan says Chinese hackers targeted its government and tech companies for years
The years-long hacking spree targeted government organizations as well as companies across Japan. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
AI, AI device, AI wearable, Global IT News, Global Security News, TC
Omi, a competitor to Friend, wants to boost your productivity using AI and a ‘brain interface’
San Francisco startup Based Hardware announced the launch of a new AI wearable, Omi, to boost productivity during the Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas this week. The device can be worn as a necklace where Omi’s AI assistant can be activated by saying “Hey Omi.” The startup also claims Omi can be attached to…
AI, Biotech & Health, clinical trials, Global IT News, Global Security News, Grove AI, seed capital, Startups
Grove cuts clinical trial enrollment time with AI
Tran Le was an engineering student at Stanford University when she tried to enroll in a clinical trial for her chronic condition. Although she identified several promising trials, she found the sign-up process daunting — she had to have extensive email exchanges with clinical sites and complete lengthy 20-page forms. All that paperwork was so…
AI, AI model, Apps, Bing, bing image creator, DALL-E 3, Global IT News, Global Security News, image generator, Media & Entertainment, Microsoft, model, pr16
Microsoft rolls back its Bing Image Creator model after users complain of degraded quality
Ahead of the holidays, Microsoft said it was upgrading the AI model behind Bing Image Creator, the AI-powered image editing tool built into the company’s Bing search engine. Microsoft promised that the new model — the latest version of OpenAI’s DALL-E 3 model, code-named “PR16” — would allow users to create images “twice as fast…
Global IT News, Global Security News, lawsuit, Media & Entertainment, moviepass, movies, Startups, subscription service
Former CEO of MoviePass’ parent company pleads guilty to fraud over ‘unlimited’ plan
The former chief executive of the parent company of MoviePass, Theodore Farnsworth, pleaded guilty to charges of securities fraud and conspiracy after being accused of misleading investors over the service’s “unlimited plan.” Farnsworth also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud as the chief executive of Vinco Ventures, a publicly traded company. Helios &…
Global IT News, Global Security News
Telstra to bring SpaceX’s Starlink Satellite-to-Mobile technology to its customers
Telstra has announced it is collaborating with SpaceX’s Starlink to bring Satellite-to-Mobile text message capability to Telstra customers in Australia.
a16z, Biotech & Health, General Catalyst, Global IT News, Global Security News, h1, M&A, Startups, venture-backed M&A
Healthcare analytics platform H1 has acquired Ribbon, backed by a16Z and General Catalyst
H1, a healthcare data analytics platform serving the pharmaceutical industry with data on over 10 million healthcare professionals, has acquired Ribbon, a startup that helps patients find doctors that are supported by their insurance. Financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed. The last time that Ribbon — founded in 2016 and a Y…
business, channel, Global IT News, Global Security News, News and Trends, services, US Channel News
MacPaw Announces Expansion of CleanMyMac Tech for SMBs
Leading macOS and iOS software producer MacPaw has announced the launch of CleanMyMac Business, which will extend its CleanMyMac technology to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and managed service providers (MSPs). Simplifying Mac maintenance for partners and businesses The new software will simplify Mac fleet maintenance for organizations, complementing commonly used mobile device management (MDM)…
Bain Capital, Cybersecurity, data breach, Global IT News, Global Security News, powerschool, Security
Edtech giant PowerSchool says hackers accessed personal data of students and teachers
The Bain Capital-owned edtech giant says hackers accessed its customer support portal using a “compromised credential.” © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Global IT News, Global Security News, Transportation
Vay expands driverless car-sharing fleet in Las Vegas
Vay is hitting the accelerator on its driverless car-sharing service in Las Vegas. The Berlin-based startup, which uses teleoperations technology that lets humans pilot empty vehicles to customers, has been operating a small commercial fleet of retrofitted Kia e-Niro vehicles in certain parts of Las Vegas since January 2024. When customers open the Vay app…
Cybersecurity, Data Privacy, european commission, GDPR, Global IT News, Global Security News, Security
EU court fines European Commission for breaching its own data privacy laws
The EU court said the bloc’s executive authority violated a citizen’s rights by transferring some of his personal data to the U.S. without proper safeguards. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Global IT News, Global Security News
Dragos Names Ekta Singh-Bushell as Chief Operating Officer
In the new COO role, Singh-Bushell will apply vast experience scaling high growth companies and market leaders through operational excellence and customer value
Apps, Commerce, E-Commerce, funding rounds, Global IT News, Global Security News, livestream shopping, series E funding, Whatnot
Livestream shopping app Whatnot raises $265M, pinning valuation at nearly $5B
Whatnot, the platform that allows users to sell items such as trading cards, comics, and sneakers through live videos, announced on Wednesday that it has secured $265 million in a Series E funding round, a significant investment for a livestream shopping platform. This round puts Whatnot’s valuation at $4.97 billion. The investment marks an important…
Global IT News, Global Security News
Infoblox Threat Intel research sheds light on the use of spoofed domains in malicious spam campaigns
GUEST RESEARCH: Infoblox Threat Intel researchers have discovered new insights into the use of spoofed domains in modern malicious spam (malspam) campaigns, sending unsolicited emails that contain harmful attachments or links designed to infect the recipient’s computer with malware or to steal sensitive information. This reveals how threat actors exploit domain spoofing and how pervasive…
Global IT News, Global Security News
WatchGuard Acquires ActZero to Add Scalable and Open-Platform AI Security to Deliver Simplified 24/7 MDR Services
COMPANY NEWS: With demand for WatchGuard’s existing MDR service soaring, this acquisition lets MSPs easily add best-in-class MDR capabilities without building and maintaining their own in-house security operations center (SOC).
CES, ces 2025, Gadgets, Gaming, gaming handheld, Global IT News, Global Security News, lenovo, Lenovo Legion Go, Lenovo Legion Go S, SteamOS, Valve
SteamOS expands to other gaming handhelds with the Lenovo Legion Go S
SteamOS is slowly becoming an alternative to Windows for handheld gaming devices. After launching the Steam Deck with SteamOS, its own operating system, Valve is now partnering with third-party manufacturers so that they can release gaming handhelds with SteamOS support. On Tuesday, Lenovo unveiled the Legion Go S at CES 2025. Unlike its predecessor, the…
Casio, Cybersecurity, data breach, Global IT News, Global Security News, Ransomware, Security
Casio says hackers stole personal data of 8,500 people during October ransomware attack
The Japanese electronics giant says it did not negotiate with the hackers responsible for the attack. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
Biotech & Health, diabetes, Fundraising, Global IT News, Global Security News, siren socks, wearables
Siren secures strategic funding for its socks that detect diabetic foot ulcers
After studying burn victims and war veterans, entrepreneur Ran Ma hand-made a sock that contained sensors to detect foot ulcers. Now, her company, Siren, has secured $9.5 million, with an $8 million check from lead investor Mölnlycke Health Care to further the development and adoption of its diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) prevention product. It’s now…
Cybersecurity, data breach, Global IT News, Global Security News, hacking, icao, Security
UN aviation agency confirms hacker breached recruitment database to access thousands of records
ICAO says compromised data includes job applicants’ names, email addresses and employment history © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.
AI, Global IT News, Global Security News, India, Microsoft
Microsoft backs its $3B AI push in India with public and private sector deals
Microsoft announced a sweeping series of artificial intelligence partnerships across India’s core sectors on Wednesday, a day after pledging to invest $3 billion in the country over the next two years as it intensifies competition with rivals Google and Amazon. The tech giant’s chief executive Satya Nadella (pictured above) unveiled agreements with five major organizations…
cross-border payments, Fintech, Global IT News, Global Security News, nomupay, payments, wirecard
Nomupay raises $37M on a $200M valuation to build payment rails in underserved markets across Asia
Wirecard, a German fintech that raised hundreds of millions of dollars only to collapse in 2020 in a sea of scandal and insolvency, still makes headlines today as lawsuits continue against different entities and people once connected to the business. Meanwhile, a Dublin-based startup called Nomupay that was formed in 2023 out of some of…
Exclusive, Global IT News, Global Security News, India, Indian government, Security
Indian government websites are still redirecting users to scam sites
Some Indian government websites are still redirecting to links planted by scammers. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.