Techmeme
March 31, 2020, 7:20 PM

Top News

Michael Potuck / 9to5Mac:
Weather app Dark Sky says it's been acquired by Apple along with its team; the Android app is no longer available and the API will shutter on Dec. 31, 2021  —  In a big move to improve its weather app, Apple has purchased the highly popular iOS app Dark Sky.
The Intercept:
Zoom's marketing and product make the claim that it uses “end-to-end encryption”, but video and audio content from meetings is not end-to-end encrypted  —  Zoom, the video conferencing service whose use has spiked amid the Covid-19 pandemic, claims to implement end-to-end encryption …
New York Times:
New York's AG sent a letter to Zoom expressing concern over security vulnerabilities and privacy practices as more users conduct sensitive tasks on the service  —  As the videoconferencing platform's popularity has surged, Zoom has scrambled to address a series of data privacy and security problems.
Catalin Cimpanu / ZDNet:
After reports in tabloids of Houseparty users having social media accounts hacked, Houseparty offers $1M reward to unmask those behind apparent “smear campaign”  —  App maker denies getting hacked after multiple reports in British media.  —  Houseparty, a video conferencing desktop …
Cara Lombardo / Wall Street Journal:
Xerox plans to end its $30B+ tender offer for HP and proxy fight to replace HP's board after the pandemic undercut its ability to execute a merger  —  Coronavirus pandemic prompts copier maker to walk away from challenging merger attempt  —  Xerox Holdings Corp. is pulling the plug …
Todd Spangler / Variety:
Spotify Kids launches in the US, Canada, and France on the Spotify Family tier with 8,000 songs and 60 hours of stories, of which 50% is localized by market  —  Spotify is giving more housebound parents — and their cooped-up kids — a new tool to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Issie Lapowsky / Protocol:
Tech trade groups and congressional leaders send letters to the Trump administration requesting VC-backed startups not be excluded from the stimulus' SMB loans  —  In a letter, the lawmakers ask the Trump administration to include the “engine of the innovation economy” in stimulus package loans.
Victoria Song / Gizmodo:
Fitbit unveils the Charge 4 fitness tracker, its first new product under Google, with built-in GPS, NFC payments, and Spotify compatibility, starting at $150  —  As we entered a new decade, Fitbit's fortunes looked uncertain.  Last year, the company was acquired by Google for a neat $2.1 billion …
OnePlus Community:
OnePlus says its OnePlus 8 flagship phone will have Snapdragon 865 for 25% better performance, 120Hz display, 5G, and more; launch event will be on April 14  —  As most of you already know, OnePlus has focused on creating a “fast and smooth” user experience since day one.
Josh Dzieza / The Verge:
Around 60 employees staged a walkout at a Staten Island, NY fulfillment center to protest the impact of Amazon's COVID-19 response on warehouse workers  —  As Amazon workers across the country test positive for the virus, employees believe collective action is the only way to get the company to meaningfully clean its facilities
Bloomberg:
Arjun Kharpal / CNBC:
Huawei reports net profit of $9B for 2019, up 5.65% YoY, its slowest growth since 2016, on revenue of $123B, up 19.1% YoY, says it's impacted by US blacklist  —  - Huawei reported revenue of around 858.8 billion yuan or $123 billion for 2019, in line with its target at the start of last year.
New York Times:
How the Biden campaign is ramping up its digital operation amid the COVID-19 crisis, as Democrats look to close the technological divide with the Republicans  —  In the era of big data, memes and disinformation, the Democrats are trying to regain their digital edge as the president and his loyalists dictate the terms of debate.

Sponsor Posts

ElevenLabs:
ElevenAgents by ElevenLabs  —  You know us for voice.  Now meet ElevenAgents — featuring Expressive Mode, our most human-sounding AI voice technology in 70+ languages with ultra-low latency.  Hear it for yourself.
Niantic Spatial:
World models need real-world data  —  Scaniverse is the gateway to spatial services — self-serve and built for AI and robotics.  Large-area 3D reconstruction from 360° cameras and precise localization, anywhere machines operate.
Zoho:
Zoho Analytics Now Connects to Tally Prime  —  Most finance teams have two systems.  The one where the numbers live, and the one where the numbers get understood.  Tally Prime handles the first job well.
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

Cheeky Pint:
The economics and trends of the restaurant industry, with Tony Xu of DoorDash
Stripe cofounder John Collison interviews founders, builders, and leaders over a pint.
Subscribe to Cheeky Pint.
Invest Like the Best:
Alex Karnal - The Trillion-Dollar Health Revolution
The leading destination to learn about business and investing. We do this by showcasing exceptional talent and ideas.
Subscribe to Invest Like the Best.
Big Technology Podcast:
Tim Cook Steps Down — With Joanna Stern
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.
Grit:
From Airbnb to Linear: How Karri Saarinen Redefined Product Design
Grit explores what it takes to create, build and scale world-class organizations.
Subscribe to Grit.
Lenny's Podcast:
Why half of product managers are in trouble | Nikhyl Singhal (Meta, Google)
Interviews with world-class product leaders and growth experts to uncover actionable advice to help you build, launch, and grow your own product.
Subscribe to Lenny's Podcast.
Tools and Weapons with Brad Smith:
Ryan Roslansky: Turning AI Anxiety into Skills for the Future of Work
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 7:20 PM ET, March 31, 2020.

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

Earlier Picks

Jacob Kastrenakes / The Verge:
Emil Protalinski / VentureBeat:
Ina Fried / Axios: