Techmeme
January 25, 2021, 9:00 AM

Top News

Clubhouse:
Clubhouse raises a new round of funding led by a16z, says it has 180+ investors, will test options for paying creators and soon begin work on an Android app  —  Clubhouse is moving quickly today, but in some ways it feels like the journey started a long time ago.
Steve Dent / Engadget:
Google pledges $150M in grants to promote COVID-19 vaccine distribution and converts some of its facilities into vaccination sites  —  Google will convert some of its facilities into COVID-19 vaccination sites starting in New York City, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area and Kirkland, Washington.
Joe Rossignol / MacRumors:
Apple warns magnets in iPhone 12 models and MagSafe devices may affect pacemakers and should be kept at least 6" away from medical devices or 12" while charging  —  Since the launch of iPhone 12 models in October, Apple has acknowledged that the devices may cause electromagnetic interference …
Zoe Schiffer / The Verge:
Google workers across the world announce Alpha Global, an international union alliance comprising 13 unions representing workers in 10 countries  —  Alpha Global includes workers from 10 countries, including the United States and Germany  —  Google workers across the world are coming together to form a global union alliance.
Timothy B. Lee / Ars Technica:
In an interview, Waymo CEO dismissed Tesla as a competitor and argued that Tesla's current strategy, without lidar, wouldn't produce a fully self-driving system  —  Elon Musk and John Krafcik have very different theories about driverless tech.  —  Many Tesla fans view the electric carmaker …
Reuters:
Sources: Huawei is in early stage talks to sell its premium smartphone brands P and Mate to a Chinese consortium led by state-backed investment firms  —  (Reuters) - China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd is in early-stage talks to sell its premium smartphone brands P and Mate …
Wall Street Journal:
Research shows that hundreds of SPACs are looking to acquire tech companies in the coming months, heating up competition for startups and inflating deal values  —  ‘Blank check’ firms known as SPACs are in pursuit of America's hottest startups.  Is the invasion a sign of a market euphoria that can't last?
Microsoft On the Issues:
Microsoft confirms it halted all donations of its PAC while it decides by Feb. 15 whether to suspend donations to those who voted against election certification  —  Microsoft confirmed publicly today, as it announced internally on Jan. 8, that it has halted all donations of its PAC …
Steve O'Hear / TechCrunch:
Wolt, a Helsinki-based online ordering and delivery company, raises $530M led by Iconiq Growth  —  Wolt, the Helsinki-based online ordering and delivery company that initially focused on restaurants but has since expanded to other verticals, has raised $530 million in new funding.

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Nikkei Asia:
Dave Gershgorn / OneZero :
Christopher Mims / Wall Street Journal:

Earlier Picks

Conor Hale / FierceBiotech:
Mike Isaac / New York Times:
Crispian Balmer / Reuters: