Convicted spyware chief suggests Greek government is behind dozens of phone hacks
The founder of spyware maker Intellexa says he plans to appeal a Greek court’s conviction on charges that he and three other executives illegally obtained personal data as part of a mass eavesdropping operation in the country. The spying scandal, also known as “Greek Watergate,” involved the hacking of dozens of cell phones of Greek […]
Who is driving Waymo’s self-driving cars? Sometimes even the police.
Last August, a fire consumed 10 acres of grassland on both sides of Interstate 280 near Redwood City, California. Traffic was backed up as firefighters extinguished the fire, and California Highway Patrol (CHP) troopers told drivers to turn around and exit the highway in the opposite direction. Some of these drivers encountered a new obstacle: […]
Google introduces TurboQuant, a new AI memory compression algorithm — yes, the internet calls it “Pied Piper”
If Google’s AI researchers had a sense of humor, they would have called TurboQuant, a new ultra-efficient AI memory compression algorithm announced Tuesday, “Pied Piper.” Or at least that’s what the internet thinks. The joke is a reference to the fictional startup Pied Piper, which was the focus of the HBO television series “Silicon Valley,” […]
Riding the GLP-1 boom, VITL raises $7.5 million to overhaul cash-pay clinic prescribing
The number of medical spas, weight loss clinics, and concierges where patients can pay a fee to access doctors directly, often on the same day, has exploded in recent years. However, while patients pay out-of-pocket for these services, healthcare providers often still rely on software built for traditional insurance-based care. VITL, an 18-month-old startup, claims […]
Apple overhauls app developer platform, adds 100 new metrics and tools
We have big news for app developers today. No, App Store fees will not be reduced. Instead, Apple on Wednesday announced major updates to its App Store Connect service, which lets developers publish, manage and track app performance across its platforms. This change introduces over 100 new metrics that can be tracked across areas such […]
Google launches Lyria 3 Pro music generation model
Google announced Wednesday that it will release Lyria 3 Pro, a music generation model, one month after the release of Lyria 3. The Lyria 3 model offered tracks that were 30 seconds long, but the new model allows you to create tracks that are up to 3 minutes long. The company said the Lyria 3 […]
Granola raises $125M, expands from meeting note-taking tool to enterprise AI app, reaches $1.5B valuation
Users may not like a bot visibly taking notes during a meeting, but many people don’t care if an app on someone’s computer is doing the transcription. This is the core reason behind granola’s popularity, and helped it secure $125 million in Series C funding led by Index Ventures’ Danny Reimer with participation from Kleiner […]
ReelShort made $1.2 billion with its werewolf romance. Watch Club wants to improve that.
Over the past few years, a new category of mobile apps has quietly exploded into a multibillion-dollar business. These are called “microdramas,” which are short, mobile-first scripted shows designed to be viewed vertically on mobile phones. Think of it as soap opera meets TikTok. Packed with a billionaire’s secret romance, a werewolf stepmother’s disapproval, and […]
Arbor Energy has secured a $1 billion order to bring rocket turbine technology to the power grid.
Energy startup Arbor Energy said Wednesday it has sold up to 5 gigawatts worth of modular turbines to GridMarket, a company that helps arrange power projects for data centers and industrial users. “Everyone wants more power, and they wanted it yesterday,” Arbor co-founder and CEO Brad Hartwig told TechCrunch. “The time frames are compressing and […]
Meta uses AI to make shopping on Instagram and Facebook easier
Meta aims to leverage AI’s ability to inform and potentially influence shoppers to increase sales on its social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. At this week’s Shoptalk 2026 conference, the tech giant announced it would begin testing a new experience that would allow consumers to see more product information and an overview of […]