Technology

In a significant development, India has surpassed North America to take the top global spot in the smartwatch market, according to a report from market research player Counterpoint. The quarter that ended in September witnessed a remarkable growth of 171% year-on-year, driven by the festival sales and proliferation of affordable smartwatches. Affordable Smartwatches Drive Growth The affordable smartwatch models with bigger displays and features like Bluetooth calling were key selling factors in India during the festival sales. As per Counterpoint, Bluetooth-calling emerged as an important feature, contributing a 58% share in total shipments, the highest ever share to date. Consumers are also preferring bigger display sizes, which is evident from the fact that over half of the total shipmen...

The Battle for Control: Generative AI, Copyright Law, and the Future of Journalism In a landmark lawsuit filed in the Federal District Court in Manhattan, The New York Times is taking on two of the biggest players in the generative AI space: OpenAI and Microsoft. At stake are allegations of copyright infringement, potentially billions of dollars in damages, and the very future of journalism itself. Background: Generative AI and Copyright Law Generative AI models learn from examples to create new content, often using web scraping techniques to gather training data. Some vendors argue that this is akin to fair use under copyright law, but others contend that it constitutes copyright infringement. The New York Times lawsuit marks a significant escalation in the ongoing debate. The Allegations...

Disney+ Unveils First Trailer for 'Andor' Series The highly anticipated series, "Andor," a prequel to the 2016 film "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," has finally dropped its first trailer. The show will be available on Disney+ starting August 31, with two episodes to kick off the story. A Prequel Like No Other As announced at the recent Star Wars Celebration in Anaheim, California, "Andor" will consist of a total of 12 episodes. This news was confirmed by Lucasfilm, which has been working closely with the show's creators to bring this ambitious project to life. The series will take viewers back five years before the events of "Rogue One," offering a fresh perspective on Cassian Andor's journey. The Journey Begins Diego Luna reprises his role as Cassian...

In recent news, social networking rivals have seen a significant increase in user growth following the exodus from X (formerly Twitter). Spill, a social app founded by two former Twitter employees, has released a statement claiming it has also experienced a surge in users after the U.S. presidential election. Spill's Rapid Growth According to co-founder and CEO Alphonzo Terrell, Spill has seen a 10x week-over-week increase in sign-ups, making it the highest single week of growth since the platform launched in July last year. This growth is not limited to new users; returning users have also increased by 4 times, which is the highest since last summer. Terrell shared this information during an interview with TechCrunch on the sidelines of the AfroTech Conference. When asked about Spill's ra...

Scaling is the holy grail that every early-stage startup founder chases. It's the key to turning an unknown startup into a household name. But scaling internal operations may lack the glamour of funding rounds and founder profiles, it's essential heavy lifting for startup success. Two respected companies that have mastered the art of scaling are Airbnb and Instacart. These companies share important similarities in their ability to scale to massive size while adding new features to their initial offerings: Airbnb Experiences and Instacart ad network. We're thrilled to announce that Naba Banerjee, director of trust product and operations at Airbnb, and Asha Sharma, COO at Instacart, will join us for a session called 'How to Build Intelligent Startup Ops that Will Scale with Your Business' at...

Are you preparing to take the leap and raise your first round of funding? With numerous resources available, it can be challenging to know where to start. At TechCrunch Early Stage 2024, taking place on April 25 in Boston, a daylong event will cover the essential topics that new and prospective founders need to know. Experienced Founders, VCs, and Startup Experts Share Their Insights Join us for an informative session featuring experienced speakers who have navigated the challenges of raising funding. From understanding investor perspectives to avoiding common pitfalls, we'll provide you with the knowledge necessary to secure your first round of funding. Tom Blomfield: Raising Money and Coming Out Alive We're excited to announce that Tom Blomfield, a group partner at Y Combinator, will joi...

The Quest for Energy-Efficient Homes: European Startups Take the Lead Houses in Europe are notorious for being hard to heat, largely due to their age. Most were built during an era when knowledge about energy consumption was limited compared to today's standards. With energy costs rising and geopolitical tensions intensifying, tech startups have proliferated to tackle this issue. The Challenge Ahead Consumers need a simple way to engage with the problem of how much energy their home needs, manage it effectively, and finance necessary changes. This requires a straightforward approach to help homeowners understand and address their energy consumption. Enter: A Pioneering Solution In New York, Sealed is a climate tech company that designs, manages, and finances home weatherization and electri...

This is not a specific question that requires a direct answer. It appears to be the last newsletter of the year from TechCrunch's Natasha Mascarenhas, summarizing her experiences and reflections on the past year in tech news. However, I can provide a summary of the key points mentioned in the newsletter: Summary of 2022: The author reflects on the complexities and challenges faced in covering tech news during the past year. Career highlights: Natasha mentions some of her notable interviews and articles from the year, including an interview with Kevin Hart and writing about rebuilding a startup. Lessons learned: She expresses her growing fascination with how power and capital work in the tech world and acknowledges the importance of her team at TechCrunch. Holiday break: The author announc...

The article highlights the challenges faced by Black-owned media startups in securing funding and achieving success in the publishing industry. Despite the growing demand for diverse perspectives and voices, Black-owned publications continue to struggle to access capital and resources. Here are some key points from the article: Lack of representation: Only 4% of media is owned by Black individuals, and even fewer receive funding. Revenue vs. Venture Capital: The author suggests that revenue, rather than venture capital, is more helpful to Black publishers, as it allows them to charge more for advertising and maintain control over their content. Deal flow: Advertisers need access to the audiences of Black-owned publications, making deal flow a crucial factor in their success. Networking: T...

Gorilla, a Belgian company that specializes in providing real-time data and analytics for the energy sector, has secured €23 million ($25 million) in a Series B funding round led by U.S. venture capital firm Headline. This significant investment will enable Gorilla to further expand its operations into new European markets and grow its presence in the United States. About Gorilla Founded in 2018 in Antwerp, Belgium, Gorilla has established itself as a leading provider of cloud-based data analytics solutions for energy providers across Europe, the United States, and Australia. The company's platform allows energy retailers to process vast amounts of data and derive valuable insights on consumption patterns, enabling them to forecast future energy needs and identify areas for improvement. Ke...