Sony’s modular speaker system is a clever and portable take on the home theater
Here’s a dirty little secret: Consumer electronics can be boring sometimes. Hardware scaling is hard and people love the familiar, both things that have a tendency to disincentive adventurous product design. So it’s worth acknowledging when big companies try something a bit different. From a purely design perspective, there’s a
Read moreWhat is Instagram’s Threads app? All your questions answered
In the last few months, Twitter alternatives — new and old — have found an audience willing to try out a new text-based social network. Mastodon, Bluesky, Spill and T2 are some of the social media platforms people are trying out. Now, Meta has stepped into the game with a
Read moreIn-space propulsion developer Benchmark Space Systems closes $33M in new funding
Benchmark Space Systems, a Vermont-based developer of in-space propulsion products, has raised $33.2 million in new funding, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Committee. The Series B capital will be used to help the company manufacture at-scale and deliver on the more than 220 propulsion systems
Read moreDeel under fire for alleged questionable hiring practices, advice to other companies
A California Senator is urging the state’s Labor and Workforce Development Agency to conduct an investigation into the business practices of fintech turned HR startup Deel. Last week, Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego) sent a letter to Stewart Knox, California Secretary of Labor, alleging that Deel has hired hundreds of
Read moreEurope is more of a fuzzy tech cloud than a functioning ecosystem
Haje Jan Kamps Contributor Share on Twitter Haje Jan Kamps is the director of portfolio at Bolt, a venture capital firm focused on hardware startups and enabling technologies. He was also a staff writer for TechCrunch. More posts by this contributor This sex toy company uses ChatGPT to whisper sweet,
Read moreMaybe the second half of 2023 will have greater capital flowing into crypto, but maybe not
To get a roundup of TechCrunch’s biggest and most important crypto stories delivered to your inbox every Thursday at 12 p.m. PT, subscribe here. Welcome back to Chain Reaction. Looking at the first half of 2023, funding for crypto startups continued to grow more scarce. In Q2, venture capital flowing
Read more15 investors lift the lid on the biggest surprises of H1 2023
The first half of 2023 hasn’t been kind to startups, but venture capital investors weren’t spared migraines either. Some VCs had a tough time of it, with their portfolio companies finding it hard to fundraise, while others dialed back their investment cadence to match the current investment climate. But what
Read moreBill C-18: Major Quebec cities and companies suspend advertising on Facebook, Instagram
Hours after the federal government announced that it is suspending advertising on Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, the province of Quebec, City of Montreal, Quebec City, Laval, Longueuil and Gatineau followed suit. The decision to suspend advertising signaled the government’s intention to stand its ground in the ongoing Bill C-18 dissent
Read moreTikTok launches a music streaming service in Brazil and Indonesia called ‘TikTok Music’
TikTok has already dominated the short-video and social media market, and is now looking to take on Spotify and Apple Music with its latest offering. The company announced today that it’s launching a new subscription-only music streaming service called “TikTok Music” in Brazil and Indonesia. TikTok Music lets users sync
Read moreShould you move to a new state for tax savings before selling your startup?
Peyton Carr Contributor Share on Twitter Peyton Carr is a financial adviser to founders, entrepreneurs and their families, helping them with planning and investing. He is a managing director of Keystone Global Partners. More posts by this contributor How much tax will you owe when you sell your company? With
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