​[[{“value”:” TechCrunch is joining forces with Google Cloud as its lead partner for Startup Battlefield 200. This event will highlight and support the most promising startups from around the globe at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024, which will take place in San Francisco from October 28-30. At the heart of this collaboration is a shared vision of fostering […] © 2024 TechCrunch….

​[[{“value”:” YouTube is adding several new features for Premium users, including smart downloads and support for picture-in-picture mode for Shorts as well as a wider rollout of its “Jump Ahead” feature for navigating through videos. The Google-owned video streaming platform already allows background play and picture-in-picture mode for long-form videos so you can consume content while […] © 2024 TechCrunch….

​[[{“value”:” a16z-backed Character.AI said today that it is now allowing users to talk to AI characters over calls. The feature currently supports multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese. The startup tested the calling feature ahead of today’s public launch. During that time, it said that more than 3 million users had […] © 2024 TechCrunch….

​[[{“value”:” NC STEM starts with you. Twice a month the NC STEM Center publishes an e-update on what’s happening in STEM education throughout North Carolina, and their latest edition is now available. View NC STEM e-Update in your browser by clicking here. Not receiving an e-update? Opt-in and subscribe at the NC STEM Center and get your personalized copy sent…

​[[{“value”:” TikTok is gearing up to challenge Amazon’s Prime Day event in the July. The social network announced on Thursday that TikTok Shop is holding a “Deals For You Days” sales event in the U.S. starting on July 9. The announcement comes a few days after Amazon revealed that its annual Prime Day sales will take […] © 2024 TechCrunch….

​[[{“value”:” Reliance Jio, India’s largest telecoms operator, has initiated what analysts expect to be an industry-wide increase in tariffs in the world’s second largest wireless market, raising some of its plans by more than 20%.  Jio’s revised pricing structure, effective July 3, sees its entry-level Rs 155 ($1.87) plan, offering 2GB of data and unlimited calls, […] © 2024 TechCrunch….

​[[{“value”:” SoftBank Group founder Masayoshi Son announced on Thursday that the Japanese tech giant has set up a joint venture in the country with Chicago-based health tech company Tempus. Together, the pair plan to develop AI-powered personalized medical services, by way of analyzing data in Japan under the name SB Tempus. The company plans to start […] © 2024 TechCrunch….

​[[{“value”:” While startup valuations have plummeted since the bull run of 2021-2022, a factor that’s hit the European startup ecosystem particularly hard, there’s one region of Europe where the correction has slightly worked in its favor: the South. Evidence for this was apparent during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona earlier this year, as time and time […] © 2024 TechCrunch….

​[[{“value”:” By now we know how crucial it is to have quality data for use by large language models (LLMs), but getting data ready for the models has been an early challenge for companies, an opening that represents an opportunity for an enterprising entrepreneur. Enter Illumex, a two year old Israeli startup from the former VP […] © 2024 TechCrunch….

​[[{“value”:” A travel hack that went viral on TikTok teaches users how to save money on hotels and Airbnbs by booking directly with the properties themselves. Now, a new startup, Directo, will help travelers find those same deals with the help of a Chrome extension that points you to the property’s website, where you’ll often find […] © 2024 TechCrunch….