Techmeme
December 13, 2019, 5:30 PM

Top News

Tom Warren / The Verge:
Microsoft's next-gen Xbox, once-codenamed Project Scarlett, is officially called Xbox Series X, and looks more like a PC than past consoles  —  Xbox now looks like a PC  —  Microsoft's next-generation Xbox is officially called Xbox Series X. Microsoft revealed the name and console design on stage at the Game Awards today.
Ashley Carman / The Verge:
Apple Podcasts and Spotify podcasts are available through Amazon Alexa-enabled devices like Echo speakers in the US, starting today  —  Sad for HomePod  —  Starting today, Apple Podcasts is available through Amazon Alexa-enabled devices like Echo speakers.
Kurt Wagner / Bloomberg:
Unencrypted hard drives with payroll data, including names, bank account numbers, compensation info of 29,000 Facebook employees, stolen in a car break-in  —  - Some 29,000 current, former employees impacted by theft  — Unencrypted hard drives were stolen from payroll worker's car
Mark Gurman / Bloomberg:
Sources: Apple buys Spectral Edge, a UK startup whose tech improves the colors in photos by taking infrared shots and blending them with standard photos  —  - Spectral Edge technology improves colors in smartphone photos  — Photograph is a key differentiator in the smartphone market
Polina Marinova / Fortune:
WeWork sells SEO startup Conductor, which it bought for $113.6M, back to its management team, shuts down Spacious, which it acquired for $42.5M four months ago  —  As WeWork looks to sort out its future, the flashy startups it acquired are also seeking a new path forward.
Richard Nieva / CNET:
Google says it has captured more than 10M miles of Street View imagery, and, via Google Earth, mapped out the parts of the world where 98% of people live  —  If Google were to have a mascot, it might be the Street View car, with its towering camera rig and corporate logo exterior.  There's good reason for that.
Wall Street Journal:
Trump agrees to a limited trade deal with China that could result in Apple and others avoiding a 15% tariff on their products set to begin on Dec. 15  —  Plan would prevent new tariffs planned for Sunday and roll back some existing tariff rates  —  President Trump has agreed …
Bloomberg:
Inside Google's culture war as some employees and managers describe a “climate of fear” and the erosion of transparency that once defined the company  —  Restive workers see a culture in ‘total collapse.’  —  Each morning, workers at Google get an internal newsletter called the “Daily Insider.”
Li Yuan / New York Times:
Liu Jingyao, the college student who accused JD.com founder Richard Lui of rape, describes what it's like to be slut-shamed by the Chinese internet  —  Liu Jingyao, a college student, describes what it's like to be slut-shamed by 800 million people.  —  MINNEAPOLIS — When Liu Jingyao introduced herself …

Sponsor Posts

Soxton:
Fast, affordable law for startups  —  Soxton automates startup legal so founders can move faster and sleep better.  We handle incorporation, advisor, employment and commercial contracts.  Join the waitlist for early access!
F5:
Accelerate AI Adoption at F5's AI Virtual Summit  —  Learn how to architect, secure, and scale AI for production with real-world insights from industry leaders on June 23.  Register now to save your spot.
Zoho:
Say hello to Zia Answer Bot: Your organization's knowledge, on-demand in every Zoho Lens session.  —  Imagine your technician is halfway through a live remote assistance session.
IDrive:
Protecting your Cloud Applications Data  —  Backing up Office 365, Google Workspace, Dropbox & Salesforce data is critical to preventing data loss or corruption, complying with laws and avoiding critical downtime in case of a disaster.

Featured Podcasts

Big Technology Podcast:
Are AI Glasses Over?, Big Technology Audience Questions, Alex Stamos on AI Cybersecurity
The Big Technology Podcast takes you behind the scenes in the tech world featuring interviews with plugged-in insiders and outside agitators.
Subscribe to Big Technology Podcast.
The Upstarts Podcast:
Mutiny's Jaleh Rezaei: Walking Away From Millions In Software To Grow Even Faster With Sales AI
Veteran tech reporter Alex Konrad sits down with breakout entrepreneurs taking on the status quo to shake up their fields in AI, design, nuclear energy, space, and more.
Subscribe to The Upstarts Podcast.
Hard Fork:
'Hard Fork' Live, Part 3: Differing Visions of an A.I. Future
The future is already here. Each week, journalists Kevin Roose and Casey Newton explore and make sense of the latest in the rapidly changing world of tech.
Subscribe to Hard Fork.
Access:
The billionaire paying AI researchers to stay out of Big Tech
A show about the tech industry's inside conversation, hosted by tech reporter Alex Heath and founder whisperer Ellis Hamburger.
Subscribe to Access.
The Nick, Dick and Paul Show:
The Race to the Middle
Nick Bilton, Dick Costolo, and Paul Kedrosky pull back the curtain on AI, startups, and the future rushing toward us, all with healthy dose of irreverence.
Subscribe to The Nick, Dick and Paul Show.
Tools and Weapons with Brad Smith:
AI's Mythos Moment: Rishi Sunak on preparing governments for AI
Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith speaks with leaders in government, business, and culture to explore the most critical challenges at the intersection of technology and society.
Subscribe to Tools and Weapons with Brad Smith.
 

About This Page

This is a Techmeme archive page. It shows how the site appeared at 5:30 PM ET, December 13, 2019.

The most current version of the site as always is available at our home page. To view an earlier snapshot click here and then modify the date indicated.

More News

Dean Takahashi / VentureBeat:

Earlier Picks

Sean O'Kane / The Verge:
Wall Street Journal:
VICE:
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Brian Heater / TechCrunch: