[[{“value”:” And it’s the latest in an ongoing saga over the company’s future ownership. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only. “}]]
Sonos lays off 200 ahead of rumored set-top box release
[[{“value”:” Sonos announced that it has laid off 200 people in a letter posted to its site Wednesday. The news follows a 100-person layoff in August. Both rounds arrive in the wake of a disastrously botched update to the Sonos app that alienated broad swaths of the premium audio hardware firm’s extremely loyal fanbase. The new […] © 2024 TechCrunch….
Researchers created an open rival to OpenAI’s o1 ‘reasoning’ model for under $50
[[{“value”:” AI researchers at Stanford and the University of Washington were able to train an AI “reasoning” model for under $50 in cloud compute credits, according to a new research paper released last Friday. The model known as s1 performs similarly to cutting-edge reasoning models, such as OpenAI’s o1 and DeepSeek’s R1, on tests measuring math […] © 2024 TechCrunch….
Scout Motors sued over plan to sell EVs direct to consumers
[[{“value”:” Scout Motors’ plan to eschew traditional dealerships and sell EVs directly to consumers is running into legal trouble. A group of Volkswagen and Audi dealers filed a lawsuit this week against Scout Motors, the EV that spun out of Volkswagen. The lawsuit, which was first reported by Automotive News, seeks to block Scout’s direct-to-consumer sales […] © 2024 TechCrunch….
Bench burned through $135 million before shutting down
[[{“value”:” A clearer picture of Bench’s downfall is emerging thanks to new bankruptcy filings, which show the accounting startup burned $135 million before collapsing. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only. “}]]
XOi raises $230M, acquires Specifx to expand its tech for field service technicians
[[{“value”:” Field service engineers may not be the first group of customers that come to mind when you think about lucrative opportunities in B2B technology. But that same blind spot speaks of the opportunity in the space for those who are stepping up and targeting “the job site.” One of the players in that space, XOi […] © 2024 TechCrunch….
Google ditches DEI hiring goals
[[{“value”:” Google will no longer have diversity hiring targets and will review its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, according to an email sent to employees seen by the Wall Street Journal. Google now joins other tech companies rolling back DEI practices, especially as DEI practices come under fire from conservative groups. Amazon and Meta have also […] © 2024 TechCrunch….
The biggest breach of US government data is under way
[[{“value”:” Elon Musk’s DOGE has taken control and accessed large swathes of Americans’ private information held by the U.S. federal government. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only. “}]]
Amazon reportedly gears up to release next-gen Alexa
[[{“value”:” Amazon may be gearing up to release a next-gen, AI-powered Alexa experience, according to Reuters. Per the outlet’s report, Amazon plans to preview an upgraded version of Alexa, the company’s smart home assistant that runs on a number of first- and third-party devices, at an event on February 26. The revamped Alexa is said to […] © 2024 TechCrunch….
Paragon spyware used to target citizens across Europe, says Italian government
[[{“value”:” WhatsApp said users in several European countries were targeted with Paragon spyware, according to the Italian government. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only. “}]]