Timef 02/20/2025

Mr. Musk, one of President Trump’s main advisers, has not outlined a plan to reverse falling sales at the electric car company of which he is chief executive.

Tech start-ups typically raised huge sums to hire armies of workers and grow fast. Now artificial intelligence tools are making workers more productive and spurring tales of “tiny team” success.

Twitch on Wednesday announced it will begin limiting streamers to 100 hours of highlights and uploads, and will delete content if a channel exceeds the limit. The company said it’s introducing the change because highlights haven’t been effective in driving discovery or engagement, and because storage is costly. The storage cap goes into effect on […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says Hipshipper, which is used by eBay, Shopify and Amazon sellers, exposed millions of shipping labels.

The likelihood of 2024 YR4 colliding with the our planet in 2032 have ticked up to over 3 percent. Is it time to start worrying?

OpenAI is increasingly looking like a consumer company, telling CNBC that it now has 400 million weekly active users. Usage is still growing at a rapid pace as the AI developer behind the AI chatbot, ChatGPT, “only” had 300 million users in December 2024. Though OpenAI has not revealed the number of paid customers with […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Hours of screen time lead to stiffness, pain, and brain fog. I tested the Chirp Wheel to see if it could help—and the results were surprising.

The prolific Medusa ransomware group claims to have stolen troves of data from HCRG, including patients’ sensitive health data © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Whether you want a backyard presenter or a theater-quality behemoth, our projector picks will help you upgrade your movie nights.

Three founders who built out one of the bigger startups in risk management are scaling a new company to take on another pain point in the world of work. SmartSuite‘s platform lets teams collaborate on projects, build automations around that work, and search and access work across larger libraries of data spanning a disparate number […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Mercor, the AI recruiting startup founded by three 21-year-old Thiel Fellows, has raised $100 million in a Series B round, the company confirmed to TechCrunch. Menlo Park-based Felicis led the round, valuing Mercor at $2 billion—eight times its previous valuation, the Wall Street Journal previously reported. Existing investors Benchmark, General Catalyst, and DST Global also […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

This foldable keyboard combo delivers a seamless experience for getting work done on the go without breaking the bank.

Oppo has officially launched the Oppo Find N5, the world's thinnest, book-style foldable phone.

Mobile World Congress 2025 kicks off in early March. Here's what to expect from the smartphone-focused event.

Amazon will discontinue its app store for Android on August 20 this year. The company sent a notice to developers indicating that they will no longer be able to submit new apps to the store. The company said on a support page that it will also discontinue its Coins digital currency, which could be used […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

These WIRED-tested wearables reduce your reliance on a phone while keeping you connected.

Google enables marketers to target people with serious illnesses and crushing debt—against its policies—as well as the makers of classified defense technology, a WIRED investigation has found.

The Sennheiser Accentum headphones normally retail for $199.95. As of Feb. 20, they're on sale for $99.95 at Amazon.

A series of mistakes by DOGE shows just how arbitrary and destructive this slash-and-burn strategy can get.

Companies developing small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) have raised more than $1.5 billion in the past year, as tech companies hunger for power to train AI models and governments decide to commit to the industry. For example, X-energy raised $700 million this month, and Paris-based Newcleo raised $151 million last year, and one would be […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

WIRED’s advice columnist considers whether some AI tools are more ethical than others, and if developers can make AI wiser.

As of Feb. 20, the Garmin vívoactive 5 is on sale at Best Buy for $229.99. Normally it retails for $299.99.

What's new to Netflix, Hulu, Max, Peacock, Prime Video, and digital? Here are the must-sees and the better-off-to-avoids.

Boxabl’s Baby Box is a 120-square-foot foldable home that can be set up in 60 minutes and has off-grid features. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says it's designed to maximize functionality.

The ad-supported service is home to the biggest content library of any streamer. So why is Tubi still considered a social punching bag?

Answers to each clue for the February 20, 2025 edition of NYT's The Mini crossword puzzle.

Scientists using old flyby data from NASA's Galileo mission have found stronger evidence that Jupiter's moon Callisto has an ocean.

Breeze Liu has been a prominent advocate for victims. But even she struggled to scrub nonconsensual intimate images and videos of herself from the web.

As of Feb. 20, the Apple iPhone 15 Silicone Case in Orange Sorbet is $9.99 at Amazon, down from $49. That’s 80% off this MagSafe-compatible case.

As of Feb. 20, the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are $125.99 at Amazon, down from $149.99. That’s 16% off these feature-packed wireless earbuds.

As of Feb. 20, the Garmin Instinct 2 is $194.83 at Amazon, down from $299.99. That’s 35% off this rugged GPS smartwatch.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra normally retails for $649.99. As of Feb. 20, it's on sale for $419.99 at Amazon.

Mashable senior reporter Rebecca Ruiz gives a firsthand account of riding in a driverless vehicle.

From Waymo to Tesla, here's what to know about autonomous vehicles and robotaxis and where they may end up next.

Live stream Saprissa vs. Vancouver Whitecaps in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

Get a 2-pack of MagSafe-compatible wallets with built-in tracking, RFID-blocking, and a secure magnetic grip for just $54.99 (reg. $79).

Turn any wall into a 200-inch movie screen with the CinéMini 720P HD Mini Projector — featuring powerful sound, seamless streaming, and ultra-bright projection for just $129.99.

Learn up to 14 languages for life with Babbel’s lifetime subscription, now just $149.99 when you use code LEARN20 to get an extra $20 off — no monthly fees, just unlimited learning.

Upgrade your PC with Windows 11 Pro for $17.97 and get pro-level security, multitasking, and AI-powered tools with a lifetime license.

I tested 15+ botvacs at home to narrow down the best self-emptying robot vacuums for your home. These four from Roborock, Shark, and more offered the most efficient hands-off experience.

Save 22% on the Amazon Fire TV 4-Series at Amazon.

Save 43% on the Shark Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo at Amazon.

We answer the age-old question, "What do I want for my birthday?" with some fun gift ideas for your wish list.

Apple's iPhone 16e surprisingly doesn't support MagSafe accessories, but you can already get third-party cases that do.

Save 19% on the Apple Studio Display at Amazon.

"Zero Day" premieres February 20 on Netflix. It stars Robert De Niro, Angela Bassett, Lizzy Caplan, and Jesse Plemons.

Shiny Shoe has announced "Monster Train 2," a sequel to 2020's incredibly popular, highly addictive roguelike deckbuilder.

These are the best AI laptops announced at CES 2025 that you can buy now, including Copilot+ PCs from Asus, Acer, and more.

As payment companies increasingly explore stablecoins for cross-border payments and real-time settlement, some startups are tapping into the zeitgeist by providing liquidity via a revolving line of credit in stablecoins. One of them is Dubai-based but Africa-focused Mansa, whose offering allows payments companies to settle transactions and fund customer accounts instantly. The startup has raised […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Stream your favorite shows and save up to 50% today with Max discount codes and subscription deals.

Unlock savings on phones, tablets, internet, and more with the best Verizon coupons for February 2025.

Enjoy 30% off new full-price and sale styles, 15% off when you sign up to be an adiClub member, and more with our Adidas coupons.

Recalls in the food and beverage industry due to contamination incidents can have catastrophic effects. Not only do companies have to pay fines and damages, but the impacts on the brand’s reputation can be long-lasting. That’s why Spore.Bio, a Paris-based deeptech startup, is trying to reinvent microbiology testing to avoid the next PR crisis in […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Live stream the 2025 AFL for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Bangladesh vs. India in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free from anywhere in the world.

The NYT Strands hints and answers you need to make the most of your puzzling experience.

Connections: Sports Edition is a New York Times word game about finding common sports threads between words. How to solve the puzzle.

Connections is a New York Times word game that's all about finding the "common threads between words." How to solve the puzzle.

Here's the answer for "Wordle" #1342 on February 20, as well as a few hints, tips, and clues to help you solve it yourself.

DOGE technologists Edward Coristine—the 19-year-old known online as “Big Balls”—and Kyle Schutt are now listed as staff at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

Codeium, an AI-powered coding startup, is raising a new round of funding at a $2.85 billion valuation, including fresh capital, according to two sources with knowledge of the deal.  The round is being led by a returning investor Kleiner Perkins, the people said. The new round comes just six months after Silicon Valley-based Codeium announced […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Patreon has continued on its crusade against algorithmic feeds with its latest State of Create report, a look at trends in the creator economy based on internal data, and it’s an effort creators can get behind. In its survey of 1000 creators and 2000 fans, the membership platform reported that 53% of creators think it […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

“I do not believe that DOGE can continue to deliver the work of USDS, based on their actions so far,” wrote Anne Marshall in a LinkedIn post on Wednesday.

Austin-based defense startup Saronic has raised a $600 million Series C to build an autonomous ship factory called “Port Alpha,” it announced. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Recommendation algorithms operated by social media giants TikTok and X have shown evidence of substantial Far Right political bias in Germany ahead of a federal election that takes place Sunday, according to new research carried out by Global Witness. The non-government organization (NGO) undertook an analysis of social media content displayed to new users via […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Fintech Varo has been hoping to raise a $55 million Series G round but has, so far, closed on $29 million to date, according to a new SEC filing. Varo declined to comment on this new round but the fintech has raised just over $1 billion in funding since its 2015 inception, according to PitchBook.  […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Find out how to watch 'Anora' at home, including the official Hulu streaming date and the best streaming deals.

The iPhone 16e starts at $599, which is nearly $200 more than the iPhone SE it just replaced.

Elon Musk's X wants to raise $44 billion, which is what Musk paid for the company.

One developer responds to the release of Muse: “We are implicitly empowering a class of people who own these tools and don’t give a fuck about how they reshape our lives.”

Uber has introduced daily fees for auto rickshaw drivers in India to move away from its typical commission-based model. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Swizzle Ventures has closed its Fund I at $6.6 million, bypassing its initial $3 million target, Jessica Kamada, the firm’s founder, told TechCrunch.  Back in December, TechCrunch previously reported that the firm, which quietly launched in 2023, was raising and has already bypassed $5 million, per its SEC filing. The thesis of Fund I will […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Mark Zuckerberg’s charity has eliminated its DEI programs and efforts just weeks after assuring staff it would continue supporting DEI efforts, the Guardian reports.  The Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), co-founded by Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, will end internal DEI programs and no longer provide “social advocacy funding,” which provided grants for racial equity and […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

SpaceX engineers were said to be simply touring the Federal Aviation Administration on Monday. In fact, some were already being onboarded at the agency under a policy designed to increase “employment opportunities for people with disabilities.”

Facebook Live videos will now disappear after 30 days unless users save them.

The little-known surveillance vendor filed for bankruptcy in January, after years of peddling spyware to countries like Colombia. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

For decades, couples going through in vitro fertilization have had to spend tens of thousands of dollars on the procedures with no guarantee of success. It’s not only an emotionally draining process, but a financially exhausting one as well. San Francisco-based startup Future Family wants to help ease some of that burden for couples with […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

We found the best post-V-Day sex toy deals. Save up to 70% on products from Lovehoney, Lovers, Babeland, FemmeFunn, and more.

As air travel seems to get scarier and scarier, the internet is responding with memes about flying.

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network is one of USAID’s most data-driven programs, but its work has been stalled by the Trump Administration.

"Good American Family," based on the true story of Natalia Grace, premieres March 19 on Hulu.

Investors on the lookout for startups working at the frontiers of technology are casting their nets ever further into unchartered territory, sometimes literally as well as figuratively. In one of the latest examples, a startup called Karman+ with ambitions to build autonomous spacecraft that can travel to asteroids and then mine them for materials has […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Welcome to TechCrunch’s regular AI newsletter! We’re going on hiatus for a bit, but you can find all our AI coverage, including my columns, our daily analysis, and breaking news stories, at TechCrunch. If you want those stories and much more in your inbox every day, sign up for our daily newsletters here. This week, billionaire […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Google is launching a new experiment that uses AI to help people explore more career possibilities. The company announced on Wednesday that a new “Career Dreamer” tool can find patterns between your experiences, educational background, skills, and interests to connect you with careers that might be a good fit. With Career Dreamer, you can use […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Google is pulling its AI assistant Gemini from the main Google app for iOS devices. The move is meant to encourage users to download the standalone Gemini app instead, which would allow Google to more directly compete with other consumer-facing AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity. However, the change could also risk reducing Gemini’s […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Biohacker Josie Zyner’s new company, Los Angeles Project, is creating a new generation of gene-edited pets.

Learn ethical hacking and cybersecurity skills with lifetime access to 18 expert-led courses for just A$55.

Get PDF Converter Pro for A$37 (reg. A$157) with code SAVE20. Convert, edit, and manage PDFs without losing formatting.

"The Residence" premieres March 20 on Netflix. A White House-set murder mystery, it stars Uzo Aduba and Randall Park.

As of Feb. 19, get the Asus ProArt PZ13 laptop for $300 off at Best Buy.

How to watch Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo's 'Wicked' at home, including when and where it will be streaming, and the best deals.

'Avowed' is taking the internet by storm, but what do all of those choices at the start actually mean?

Apple is officially done with the home button upon the debut of its new phone, the iPhone 16e.

As of Feb. 19, get the Logitech G502 wireless gaming mouse for 47% off at Amazon.

iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16: What are the differences?

"The Actor," starring André Holland and Gemma Chan, premieres March 14.

The 27-inch Samsung FHD Curved Monitor is on sale at Amazon for $137.95, down from the list price of $229.99. That's a 40% discount.

The iPhone SE, iPhone 14, and iPhone 14 Plus will no longer be sold by Apple.

ElectronX has raised $10 million to build an exchange for electricity derivatives trading. © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

The demand for voice and speech recognition technologies is massive — and growing. An analysis by market research firm Markets and Markets found that the sector could be worth over $28.1 billion by 2027. There’s no shortage of vendors providing voice and speech recognition solutions, but some newer upstarts have managed to carve out niches. […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Google on Wednesday is rolling out a new update that lets users search what’s on their screen via a simple gesture when browsing within the Google Chrome or Google Search app on iOS. The feature is similar to Android’s built-in “Circle to Search” feature which also lets users search what’s on their screen using a […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

As of Feb. 19, you can get up to 40% off select Le Creuset items at Williams Sonoma. Shop Dutch ovens, soup pots, and more.

A couple of weeks after the initial release of Mistral’s AI assistant, Le Chat, the company told Le Parisien that it has reached one million downloads. In particular, Le Chat quickly reached the top spot for free downloads on the iOS App Store in the company’s home country, France. “Go and download Le Chat, which […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

The iPhone SE is no more. It's now replaced by the iPhone 16e, which includes a price hike, Face ID, and USB-C.

In a unique move, Fiverr announced a new program that lets freelancers train AI models on their own work and offer AI-generated content for sale.

The best Amazon deals on Feb. 19 include the Eufy Omni C20, Blink Outdoor Floodlight camera, Ultimate Ears Miniroll, Echo Pop Kids, and Logitech Lightspeed G305.

Apple announced the iPhone 16e Wednesday, its first budget smartphone in three years. Here's when you'll be able to preorder it.

The Dyson V15 Detect Pro cordless vacuum is $499.99 at Woot, down from the normal price of $749.99. That's a 33% discount.

As anticipated, Apple revealed the long-awaited iPhone SE refresh Tuesday. The fourth generation device arrives three years after the last major update to the budget-minded smartphone. This one arrives with a twist, however. The SE branding has been dropped to keep the device more inline with the company’s flagships. The new iPhone 6e starts at […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Apple has launched its new affordable phone with an unexpected twist: A new name.

Instagram is doubling down on its DMs with message translation, scheduling, and pinning, in addition to new music-sharing features and QR code invites.

Instagram is upgrading its direct messages, also known as DMs, with a handful of new features that make its messaging system more competitive with alternatives, like Apple’s iMessage and other third-party apps. On Wednesday, Instagram users globally will gain access to tools to translate messages across 99 languages, tools to schedule and pin messages to […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Forget about patchy internet connections and dead spots in the house. These WIRED-tested multiroom mesh systems will get you online in no time.

As of Feb. 19, get the Apple Watch Series 9 for less than $400 at Best Buy.

Cameron John Wagenius pleaded guilty to hacking AT&T and Verizon and stealing a massive trove of phone records from the companies, according to court records filed on Wednesday. Wagenius, who was a U.S. Army soldier, pleaded guilty to two counts of “unlawful transfer of confidential phone records information” on an online forum and via an […] © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Apple Store is down in anticipation of what is likely a new member of the iPhone family.

The EcoFlow Delta 2 portable power station is on sale at Amazon for just $414 with the on-page coupon, down from the normal price of $999. That's a 59% discount.

As of Feb. 19, you can snag a eufy Omni C20 robot vacuum mop combo for just $399.99, down from $649.99 at Amazon.

A24 has released the first teaser trailer for Bring Her Back, the next horror from Talk to Me creators Danny and Michael Philippou.

WIRED tests the benefits and limitations of using generative AI, specifically ChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode, as a language tutor for travelers.