instagram Instagram Launches U.S. Test to Hide Like Counts from Public View Instagram begins testing a new feature that hides public like counts on posts for a select group of U.S. users. The change aims to reduce competitive pressure and improve the well-being of younger users on the platform.
airbnb Airbnb Announces Listing Verifications Amid Growing Marketplace Scrutiny As Airbnb pushes toward its IPO, the company pledges to verify all listings for accuracy and safety. The move highlights a broader lack of accountability across peer-to-peer marketplace platforms.
alpaca Alpaca Raises $6 Million to Let Developers Build Their Own Stock Trading Apps Fintech startup Alpaca provides a free API that handles banking and regulatory hurdles so developers can easily build their own stock trading platforms. The company earns revenue through payment for order flow and interest, surpassing $1 billion in transactions within its first year.
android Android Baseband Flaws Allow Hackers to Intercept Calls and Block Service Security researchers discover that popular Android phones inadvertently grant Bluetooth and USB accessories access to sensitive baseband software. This flaw exposes unique device identifiers and allows attackers to intercept calls or disrupt cellular service entirely.
facebook Facebook Launches First Experimental Apps Focused on Students and Social Music Facebook's NPE Team releases its first experimental applications, including Aux for social music listening and Bump for anonymous student chatting.
stockx StockX Opens Doors to Reveal Sneaker Authentication Process StockX CEO Joshua Luber shows off the company's massive Detroit authentication center as the billion-dollar marketplace expands into collectibles.
instagram Instagram Expands Hidden Like Counts to U.S. Users to Reduce Anxiety Instagram rolls out a test hiding public Like counts in the U.S. to reduce social pressure, despite potential drops in influencer engagement.
roku Roku Brings Full Remote Control to Apple Watch Users Roku releases a new Apple Watch app that transforms your wrist into a fully functional remote for Roku players and TVs. The miniaturized app includes navigation, voice search, and even a remote finder feature.
disney+ Disney+ Sets March 2020 Launch Date for Five Major European Markets Disney confirms that its new streaming service will arrive in the U.K., Germany, Italy, France, and Spain on March 31, 2020. Viewers should expect the available content library to vary by region due to existing licensing agreements.
veritas genetics DNA Startup Veritas Genetics Suffers Quiet Data Breach Veritas Genetics confirms a breach of its customer portal but refuses to disclose exactly what data is stolen. The incident adds to growing privacy concerns surrounding DNA testing companies.
spacex SpaceX Needs 1,000 Starships to Build a Martian City in 20 Years Elon Musk reveals that creating a self-sustaining city on Mars requires building 1,000 Starships and leveraging $2 million launch costs over a two-decade timeline. He also highlights the massive Earth orbital payload capacity the reusable rockets will provide in the near term.
microsoft Microsoft Overhauls Internal Processes to Accelerate AI Innovation Microsoft is actively reforming its internal operations to bridge the gap between pure research and practical product integration, with a specific focus on artificial intelligence. A newly formed AI group leads this charge by guiding the company through emerging technological paradigms.
apple Apple Releases iOS 13.2.2 to Fix Aggressive Background App Closing Apple rolls out iOS 13.2.2 to resolve a frustrating bug that causes background apps to close prematurely. The update also patches several other issues involving cellular service, encrypted emails, and Safari sign-on.
facebook Global Lawmakers Confront Facebook Over Disinformation and Oversight International legislators gather in Dublin to press Facebook on accountability, scrutinizing its planned Content Oversight Board and Libra cryptocurrency while also questioning Twitter's political ad ban.
disney research Disney Research Finds Slower Robot Arms Feel Safer to Humans Disney Research shows that robotic arms deliberately slow down their reaction times to avoid unnerving people during handovers, finding a sweet spot that mimics human behavior.