Category: Tech news

 If you were to write a history of Silicon Valley, you could do it by looking at a series of major diaspora. Companies like Google, Yahoo, Oracle and PayPal attract top talent for years; when they reach maturity or a major liquidity event, their talent disperses and germinates into the next generation of companies. It’s quite possible that Snapchat could do the same for L.A. Read More

 This week, AT&T unveiled its new TV streaming service for cord cutters, who aren’t ready to subsist entirely on Netflix, YouTube and whatever else they can watch for free around the web. Launched on Tuesday, DirecTV Now offers access to over 120 live TV channels, in addition to on-demand programming, and the option to add on premium networks like HBO and Cinemax for just $5 more… Read More

 Lost and stolen iOS devices could be at risk if ne’er-do-wells learn of this blunt-force method of getting past Activation Lock. No special equipment or technical know-how is required, which means any geek off the streets can do it. Fortunately, it’s easily fixed — but until that happens, you might want to be a little extra careful about leaving your phone unattended. Read More

 Across the Bay Area, affordable housing remains hard to come by. In a climate where many displaced residents point their blame at the techies, Facebook has decided to invest $20 million in what it calls “A partnership to strengthen our local community.” In just the last six years, San Mateo County has added 54,000 new jobs while only building 2,148 new housing units to support… Read More

 Jolted into existence with a $500,000 Indiegogo campaign back in 2013, followed by a version 2 that was sold in Apple Stores all over the world, Beddit is back with a third generation of its popular addition to the Quantified Self movement: sleep tracking. The product went on sale in September and immediately sold out, and the company is still selling Beddit 3 faster than it can make them. Read More

 Africa’s two leading e-commerce startups, Jumia and Konga, topped their 2015 Black Friday merchandise sales in Nigeria—even as the country weathers currency volatility and recession. The shopping spree of the continent’s most populous nation has become a de facto test event for each venture’s business model. Collectively backed by over $400 million in VC funding, both… Read More

 Internet radio pioneer Pandora, saw its shares jump over 11% on Friday to $12.77, amid renewed acquisition speculation. A report from CNBC indicated that Pandora and SiriusXM are expected to discuss a possible purchase. The story cautions that there is “no assurance” that Pandora will reach a deal with SiriusXM or any other prospective buyers. This isn’t the first time… Read More

 Not only is Facebook not providing little red warnings along with links to potentially specious news—it’s now blocking links to the plugin that did.
Over the past week, some Facebook users reported seeing content warnings next to links from established fake news domains, apparently without realizing a third party was responsible. We reported this phenomenon, later clarifying that B.S. Read More

With Sphero’s new Force Band accessory, you can control your favorite rolling bot with a flick of the wrist. The post Review: Sphero Battle-Worn BB-8 with Force Band appeared first on WIRED.

When loaded with the right features and technology, sneakers can stand up to winter weather too. The post 5 Stylish Snow-Ready Sneakers to Keep You Warm This Winter appeared first on WIRED.

Hanging out with former TechCrunch writer and current editor in chief at Mattermark, Mr. Alex Wilhelm, GoPro cuts 15% of its workforce, Amazon can move your data by the truckload and now you can download Netflix for offline viewing. All this on Crunch Report. Read More

 It looks consolidation is acoming to the wearables space with Fitbit set to acquire smartwatch maker and $20 million Kickstarter-darling Pebble, according to a report from The Information. Read More

 Grab, the Uber rival in Southeast Asia, has scooped up a strategic investment that could help it expand its pools of drivers to battle rival services. Read More

 This afternoon, Norwest Venture Partners announced that it led a massive $210 million Series D investment round in OpenDoor. With the new capital, the startup is looking to expand the usage of its marketplace platform for buying and selling real estate to 10 cities. OpenDoor is unique in that it owns its own inventory of homes. While the predictive analytics the company employs to project… Read More

 Millions of people suffer from strokes every year worldwide, and severe ones can require long-term care — but as with other rehabilitation regimens, it can be hard for doctors to track the everyday activities of their patients. A high-tech suit created by a Dutch grad student may be a powerful new way to help keep better tabs on those in recovery. Read More