US district court dismisses FTC's antitrust complaint against Facebook, saying its definition of market dominance was insufficient, but will let FTC refile it
- A federal court on Monday dismissed the Federal Trade Commission's antitrust complaint against Facebook.
On Monday, Facebook's stock rose 4.2%, closing at $355.64, giving Facebook a $1T market cap for the first time, the fifth US company to hit the milestone
The irony: The milestone was achieved following a federal judge's dismissal of an antitrust complaint from the FTC, which sent shares up. https://www.axios.com/... Caleb Watney / @calebwatney : Extrem...
Microsoft releases the first Windows 11 preview, available to Insiders, with major updates included except Teams integration and Android app support
The next version of Windows is available for testing — Microsoft is releasing its first Windows 11 preview build today.
Microsoft rolls out its Xbox Cloud Gaming service via browser to PCs, iPhones, and iPads across 22 countries for Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members
No Xbox necessary — Microsoft's xCloud, the cloud game streaming component of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate that doesn't require a console to use …
The dismissal of FTC suit against Facebook shows the difficulty of making antitrust charges stick and could spur lawmakers to strengthen outdated antitrust laws
and threw cold water on the heated campaign to brand Big Tech as illegal monopolists. It shows just how tough it will be for regulators to make their charges of tech malfeasance stick. https://www.axi...
Samsung details a new smartwatch user interface called One UI Watch, debuting on an upcoming Galaxy Watch later this year
At its MWC event today, Samsung showed off its latest smartwatch interface called One UI Watch. This software will run on top of — the new Wear OS, which the company co-developed with Google.
Google says all Play Store developer accounts will need to enable 2-Step Verification, provide an address, and verify their contact details later this year
To improve developer security on the Play Store, Google is requiring those that develop for Android to abide by 2-Step Verification … Source: Android Developers Blog .
Microsoft announces a redesign for Office and says Windows 11 version will have a native 64-bit Arm version and support for 64-bit add-ins
A cleaner Office experience and Arm improvements — Microsoft is announcing that the next version of Office for Windows 11 will have a native 64-bit Arm version …
HP unveils the 13.3-inch Pavilion Aero 13, its lightest consumer laptop, weighing under 1KG with a 90% screen-to-body ratio, starting at $749, available in July
HP has unveiled the Pavilion Aero 13, which is the company's lightest consumer laptop yet. The device weighs less than a kilogram …
Worldcoin, a cryptocurrency co-founded by Sam Altman, launches with $25M from a16z and others and plans to develop an orb-shaped device to scan human eyeballs
Sam Altman has a new startup that intends to give a special type of cryptocurrency to every person on earth. But first, it wants to scan everybody's eyeballs.
Microsoft and Open AI build GitHub Copilot, an AI-based tool to recommend code to software developers in almost any programming language
- GitHub, GitHub's parent company Microsoft and OpenAI have teamed up to deliver a tool that comes up with source code for programmers to use as they work.
Instagram says it is running a small test that lets any user share links in their Stories through a sticker
Now with a linking sticker — Instagram has always limited who can post swipe-up links to their stories, but today, the company is starting a new test that could widen that ability.
WHO publishes its first global report on AI in health care, a 2-year effort, with six guiding principles for its design and use, like protecting human autonomy
Growing use of AI for health presents governments, providers, and communities with opportunities and challenges
Source: Apple is on track to spend ~$300M on Google Cloud storage services in 2021, up ~50% from 2020, dwarfing ByteDance, Spotify, and other large customers
Apple executives have taken swipes at Google in the past over its privacy practices. But the iPhone maker trusts Google enough …
Snapchat says it has fixed the issue causing its iOS app to crash for some users, asks users to manually update the app if they are still facing any problem
The app was crashing on launch — If you've been experiencing the bug where the iOS version of Snapchat crashes at launch …
Google launches a website for people struggling with food insecurity, aggregating 90K places offering free food support, a Google Maps locator tool, and more
Google today is launching a new suite of resources for people struggling with food insecurity across the U.S. The project includes …
Duolingo files for US IPO, reveals revenue growth of 129% YoY in 2020, and reports $55.4M in revenue during Q1 2021
The edtech unicorn reveals 129% 2020 revenue growth — Duolingo, a Pittsburgh-based language learning business last valued at $2.4 billion, has officially filed to go public.
TP ICAP, the world's largest interdealer broker, says it is launching a cryptocurrency trading platform with Fidelity Investments and Standard Chartered
TP ICAP (TCAPI.L), the world's biggest interdealer broker, is launching a cryptocurrency trading platform with Fidelity Investments …
After a wave of criticism, Microsoft defends Windows 11's minimum requirements, says it will test PCs with Intel 7th gen and AMD Zen 1 chips for compatibility
Sources and docs: as part of contracts, Amazon has made 80+ deals for stakes in suppliers, often at below-market prices, a sign of how it leverages its power
Certain suppliers are asked to give Amazon the right to buy shares at potentially lower-than-market rates as part of their contract
Orum, which provides an API to help financial institutions move money in real time, raises $56M Series B, bringing its total raised to $82M+
Orum, which aims to speed up the amount of time it takes to transfer money between banks, announced today it has raised $56 million in a Series B round of funding.
Amazon debuts Reading Sidekick, which reads physical and digital books aloud from a catalog of over 700, for Kids Plus on Fire tablets and Echo devices
Reading Sidekick is available on Echo devices starting today — Amazon has announced a new feature for its Kids Plus service …
After hackers wiped many of Western Digital's My Book Live devices, a look at the code suggests the manufacturer had removed authentication code
Western Digital removed code that would have prevented the wiping of petabytes of data. — Last week's mass-wiping of Western Digital …
DevOps company JFrog acquires Vdoo, which develops AI-based security tools for IoT and connected devices, for $300M
JFrog, the company best known for a platform that helps developers continuously manage software delivery and updates, is making a deal to help it expand its presence …
Neeva, a $4.95/month ad-free search engine from two ex-Google executives, launches after raising $77.5M
Sridhar Ramaswamy and Vivek Raghunathan helped turn Google into an ad giant. Now they're starting over with a service whose only customers are its users. — A new search engine?
Sources: SoftBank is scaling back its robotics business globally, including eliminating 165 jobs in France, and has stopped producing its Pepper humanoid
An in-depth look at the rise of influencers, from Kim Kardashian to FaZe Clan and Elon Musk, using their huge platforms to promote altcoins to fans
Known for their pranks, parties and crude humor, the YouTubers are used to getting in trouble. Patricia Hernandez / Kotaku : Faze Clan Members Skewered By Fans Following Huge Crypto Losses Tweets: Nel...
Alphabet's Wing launches OpenSky in the US on Android and iOS, letting users find the nearest open airspace for drones, after debuting in Australia in 2019
I love testing drones. It's a lot of fun, and a nice way to mix up my standard review cycle. But I've altogether given up on testing them around here.
Gympass, a corporate fitness app that gives employees access to 50,000+ gyms, raises $220M Series E at a $2.2B valuation, twice its previous valuation
Gympass, the exercise and corporate wellness unicorn that originated in Brazil, today announced a $220 million Series E. The company …
Qualcomm unveils Snapdragon 888 Plus with 3GHz clock speed and a claimed 20% boost in AI capabilities, arriving in devices during Q3 2021
Interviews with 15 Amazon Flex drivers reveal how algorithms hire, rate, and fire contract drivers with little or no human oversight
Sources: Facebook to roll out its newsletter product, called Bulletin, on Tuesday, and has recruited dozens of writers across categories like sports and finance
Bulletin, coming soon from Facebook Tweets: @can : Some personal news... https://twitter.com/... Alex Kantrowitz / @kantrowitz : Are the emails you send via Facebook to inboxes on other services subje...
Google says it removed two user-generated maps that listed names and addresses of hundreds of Thai activists accused of opposing the monarchy
A South Korean court has ruled that Netflix is obligated to pay network usage fees to mobile carriers; Netflix made up 4.8% of the country's traffic in Q4 2020
Song Su-hyun / The Korea Herald :
2U, which provides degree programs for top US universities, acquires edX, a nonprofit hosting 3K courses led by 15,000 instructors, for $800M in cash
2U, a SaaS platform that helps non-profits and colleges run online universities, plans to acquire all the assets of Harvard and MIT-founded edX … Tweets: @nmasc_ . Thanks: @nmasc_ Tweets: Natasha / @n...
UK-based Smart, which offers a retirement investment service with over 70K plans to choose from and is managing $2.4B+ in assets, raises $228M led by Chrysalis
International travel restrictions are still in effect for most of the globe, but that's not stopping U.K.-based Chrysalis Investments … Tweets: @nashvillebiz Tweets: @nashvillebiz : Retirement fintech...
Discord acquires augmented reality startup Ubiquity6, which had raised $37.5M and recently pivoted to become a collaborative service for simple online games
Today, I'm excited to announce that Discord has acquired Ubiquity6! Jordan Major / Finbold : Discord acquires AR and video chat startup Ubiquity6 for an undisclosed price Babafemi Adebajo / Coinspeake...
Sources: Didi plans to price shares in its US IPO at or above its $13-$14 marketed range, raising ~$4B at a market value of ~$67B
Bloomberg :
Sensor Tower: global consumer mobile app spending hit $64.9B in H1 2021, a record and up 24.8% YoY; install growth slowed to 1.7% overall, declined 10.9% on iOS
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch :
Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong says the exchange's goal is “to list every asset where it is legal to do so”, and it will provide a ratings system for assets
Mexico's Treasury Secretary confirms cryptocurrencies are not legal tender assets nor treated as currencies within the country's current regulatory regime
Coinbase is granted a crypto custody license from Germany's Financial Supervisory Authority, the first company to get such a license according to the regulator
Age of Learning, which develops the subscription-based digital education service ABCmouse, raises $300M led by TPG at a $3B valuation
Gillian Tan / Bloomberg :
Visier, which develops cloud-based workforce analytics software, raises $154M CAD Series E from Goldman Sachs at a $1.2B CAD valuation
Meagan Simpson / BetaKit :
Thoma Bravo has agreed to buy QAD, which provides cloud-based planning software for manufacturers, for about $2B in cash and will take the company private
India-based 10club, which acquires small e-commerce brands and scales those businesses, raises $40M seed round
Manish Singh / TechCrunch :
Accel announces fifteenth early-stage US fund at $650M, seventh early-stage European and Israeli fund at $650M, and sixth global growth stage fund at $1.75B
Mary Ann Azevedo / TechCrunch :
India-based LocoNav, which makes vehicle fleet management software, raises $37M Series B and says users across 25 countries manage 500K+ vehicles on its service
Education software company Instructure files for a US IPO, reporting $94M in revenue in quarter ended March 31; Thoma Bravo had taken it private in March 2020
Emily Bamforth / EdScoop :
4G Clinical, which develops software to manage clinical trials, raises $200M led by Goldman Sachs
Emma Betuel / TechCrunch :
Payments company Payoneer closed ~1.5% lower on its Nasdaq debut via a SPAC merger, giving it a market cap of $1B+; the company was originally valued at $3.3B
Riley de León / CNBC :
ShipBob, which helps e-commerce businesses streamline fulfillment and manage inventory, raises $200M Series E led by Bain Capital at a $1B+ valuation
Wall Street Journal :
Shopify's new AI commerce stack
Their VP of Product digs into just-launched products to help entrepreneurs and developers build with the latest AI and tech.
Email fatigue is real: Here's how smart email tools help you regain control
Picture this: It's Monday morning. You walk into the office feeling energized and ready to take on the week.
Protecting your Cloud Applications Data
Backing up Office 365, Google Workspace, Dropbox & Box data is critical to preventing data loss or corruption, complying with laws and avoiding critical downtime in case of a disaster.