Meir Orbach / CTech:
Israel-based GEOX, which uses AI to analyze real estate risk from climate-related disasters, raised a $19M Series A, bringing its total funding to $23M — The Israeli startup’s technology uses artificial intelligence to conduct 3D analysis of aerial imagery, enabling automated and highly accurate assessments of real estate properties.
The Tor Project merges with Tails, a portable Linux-based OS focused on user privacy and anonymity; Tails says it had “outgrown its existing structure” (Paul Sawers/TechCrunch)
Paul Sawers / TechCrunch:
The Tor Project merges with Tails, a portable Linux-based OS focused on user privacy and anonymity; Tails says it had “outgrown its existing structure” — The Tor Project is merging operations with Tails, a portable Linux-based operating system focused on preserving user privacy and anonymity.
Sources: the DOJ is investigating Super Micro after a report by short-seller Hindenburg Research; an ex-employee accused the company of accounting violations (Wall Street Journal)
Wall Street Journal:
Sources: the DOJ is investigating Super Micro after a report by short-seller Hindenburg Research; an ex-employee accused the company of accounting violations — Former employee accused AI server maker of accounting violations — Super Micro Computer , the server maker that saw its business …
Researchers find a flaw in carmaker Kia’s web portal that let them track millions of cars, unlock doors, and start engines; Kia seems to have fixed the issue (Andy Greenberg/Wired)
Andy Greenberg / Wired:
Researchers find a flaw in carmaker Kia’s web portal that let them track millions of cars, unlock doors, and start engines; Kia seems to have fixed the issue — Researchers found a flaw in a Kia web portal that let them track millions of cars, unlock doors, and start engines at will …
Q&A with Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth on Orion, Reality Labs, building News Feed, competing with Apple, developers, the AR and VR bifurcation, Ray-Ban, and more (Ben Thompson/Stratechery)
Ben Thompson / Stratechery:
Q&A with Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth on Orion, Reality Labs, building News Feed, competing with Apple, developers, the AR and VR bifurcation, Ray-Ban, and more — Listen to this Update in your podcast player — Today’s Daily Update Interview is with Meta Chief Technical Officer Andrew Bosworth.
Sources: Peak XV, the largest India-focused VC fund, has realized ~$1.2B in exits since its Sequoia separation in June 2023, selling stakes in ~12 companies (Manish Singh/TechCrunch)
Manish Singh / TechCrunch:
Sources: Peak XV, the largest India-focused VC fund, has realized ~$1.2B in exits since its Sequoia separation in June 2023, selling stakes in ~12 companies — Peak XV Partners, the largest India-focused venture fund, has realized about $1.2 billion in exits since its separation with Sequoia last year …
An interview with Rabbit founder Jesse Lyu on the Rabbit R1 on criticism of the AI device, bad reviews, and more; Lyu says ~5,000 people now use the R1 daily (Liz Stinson/Fast Company)
Liz Stinson / Fast Company:
An interview with Rabbit founder Jesse Lyu on the Rabbit R1 on criticism of the AI device, bad reviews, and more; Lyu says ~5,000 people now use the R1 daily — In a frank conversation at the Fast Company Innovation Festival, Ammunition’s Robert Brunner and Rabbit’s Jesse Lyu unpacked AI hardware’s slow start.
LG rolls out full-screen screensaver ads to its smart TVs, including its expensive OLED models; the ads, on by default, can be disabled (Rasmus Larsen/FlatpanelsHD)
Rasmus Larsen / FlatpanelsHD:
LG rolls out full-screen screensaver ads to its smart TVs, including its expensive OLED models; the ads, on by default, can be disabled — Even if you buy one of the most expensive TV models today, you cannot escape ads. LG is rolling out screensaver ads, including ads for things completely unrelated to the TV experience.
A look at some exciting startups from Day 1 of YC’s AI-heavy S24 Demo Day, including estate planning startup Elayne and clinical trial startup Baseline (Rebecca Szkutak/TechCrunch)
Rebecca Szkutak / TechCrunch:
A look at some exciting startups from Day 1 of YC’s AI-heavy S24 Demo Day, including estate planning startup Elayne and clinical trial startup Baseline — Famed Silicon Valley startup accelerator Y Combinator on Wednesday kicked off its two-day “Demo Day” event that showcases what the most recent YC batch, S24, companies are building.
Matt Mullenweg says Automattic has “been attempting to make a licensing deal” with WP Engine “for a very long time, and all they have done has string us along” (Matt Mullenweg)
Matt Mullenweg:
Matt Mullenweg says Automattic has “been attempting to make a licensing deal” with WP Engine “for a very long time, and all they have done has string us along” — In short, WP Engine is violating WordPress’ trademarks. Moreover, they have been doing so for years.
