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January 19, 2022, 2:00 PM
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| Wall Street Journal: |
Sources: in recent weeks, CEO Bobby Kotick suggested Activision Blizzard make an acquisition, including of trade publications like Kotaku and PC Gamer — After a lawsuit and a Journal report, the company's stock was falling, board members were getting anxious—and the tech giant was ready to take a gamble
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VentureBeat, Protocol, Forbes, IGN, GamesIndustry.biz, Rock, Paper, Shotgun, Game Rant, OnMSFT.com, Hit Points, Eurogamer.net, Nitch, Polygon, thegamer.com, GameSpot, Still Alive, MUO, SegmentNext, MSPoweruser, and Coinspeaker
Tweets: @kellen_browning, @wario64, @dkdynamite1, @joshgamnchannel, @six6jiang, @tomwarren, @thetomzone, @triforcemeg, and @gamedadjp
| Bloomberg: |
Sony's stock fell 13% on Wednesday, its biggest drop since October 2008, wiping $20B off its valuation, after Microsoft announced its Activision Blizzard deal — Sony Group Corp. shares fell 13% in Tokyo on Wednesday, their biggest drop since October 2008, after PlayStation rival Microsoft Corp. announced …
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Wall Street Journal, Eurogamer.net, Xbox Wire, TechRadar, IGN, New York Post, WinBuzzer, GameSpot, CNBC, Newsletter, Rock, Paper, Shotgun, thegamer.com, Gamereactor UK, Wall Street Journal, purexbox.com, and Fortune
Tweets: @futterish, @6d6f636869, @falkoopa_, @grace_dustin, @serkantoto, and @thetreavor
| Bloomberg: |
Sources: Activision Blizzard tried to find other buyers, including Meta, while weighing a potential Microsoft takeover after the WSJ's exposé in November — Late last year, as Activision Blizzard Inc. and Chief Executive Officer Bobby Kotick were reeling from accusations that Kotick knew …
More:
Ars Technica, Wccftech, Game Rant, Kotaku, thegamer.com, purexbox.com, TechRadar, and SegmentNext
Tweets: @witch_cass, @jordannovet, @imranzomg, @_hanatwothree, @business, @tieguytravis, @stephentotilo, @martinsfp, and @davidgura
| Microsoft: |
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The Verge, New York Times, Bloomberg, Protocol, Bloomberg, CNBC, Bloomberg, Wall Street Journal, VentureBeat, Video Games Chronicle, GamesIndustry.biz, Financial Times, Financial Times, Dexerto, Moneycontrol, BGR India, Polygon, Wccftech, thegamer.com, Rock, Paper, Shotgun, Kotaku, SlashGear, Neowin, Reuters, IGN, Wolf's Newsletter, The Ringer, MSPoweruser, TechRadar, Mercury News, Cointelegraph, ZDNet, PCWorld, International Business Times, Axios, Coinspeaker, Beyond Search, Sobre Startups, MUO, Dot Esports, OnMSFT.com, CNN, GameSpot, Sublink, The Hustle, Engadget, Blockchain News, Financial Times, Destructoid, The Week, and SegmentNext
Tweets: @gregisenberg, @dinabass, @jasonschreier, @satyanadella, @xbox, @jonerlichman, @ashleyesqueda, @zhugeex, @pucknorris, @kristyt, @adriennelaw, @microsoft, @edzitron, @paultassi, @aarongreenberg, @jasonschreier, @damianburns, @scottjohnson, @mkbhd, @technology, @technology, @richlightshed, @technology, @technology, @richlightshed, @paultassi, @andrewyang, @ericnewcomer, @tomwarren, @joshmunsee, @anildash, @jasonschreier, and @andrewrsorkin
| CNBC: |
Apple and Google warn of harmful consequences to user privacy and security from two proposed Senate antitrust bills scheduled to be considered this week — - Apple warned in a letter on Tuesday that antitrust bills being considered in the Senate would increase the risk of security breaches to iPhone users.| Carly Page / TechCrunch: |
Password management service 1Password raises a $620M Series C led by Iconiq Growth at a $6.8B valuation and says it now has 100K+ paying customers — Password management platform 1Password has closed a massive $620 million Series C funding round that raises the company's valuation to $6.8 billion.
More:
BetaKit, 1Password Blog, Crunchbase News, Benzinga, VentureBeat, siliconangle.com, iPhone in Canada Blog, CNBC, and SecurityWeek
Tweets: @davidjhogg, @britforsyth, @thurrott, @mrbobbytables, @armchairdude, @gcluley, @theromit, and @keithdsouza
| Steve Dent / Engadget: |
Opera unveils Crypto Browser Project, a beta browser for Windows, Mac, and Android, with a crypto wallet, access to crypto/NFT exchanges, dApps, and more — Opera has launched its Web3 “Crypto Browser” into beta with features like a built-in crypto wallet, easy access to cryptocurrency/NFT exchanges …
More:
Opera Crypto, SiliconANGLE, Windows Central, and iPhone in Canada Blog
Tweets: @robinwauters, @sameer_singh17, @cointelegraph, and @andretelevise
| Dustin Volz / Wall Street Journal: |
Biden signs a memorandum expanding the NSA's role in protecting sensitive government networks, and mandating cybersecurity practices at DoD and spy agencies — White House order mandates cybersecurity practices at Defense Department, spy agencies, contractors
More:
The White House, The Record, The Hill, FedScoop, C4ISRNET, and Federal Computer Week
Tweets: @ericgeller and @daviduberti
| Reuters: |
China denies reports that it plans to require large internet companies with 100M+ users or $1.58B+ in revenue to obtain an approval before making investments — China's cyberspace regulator has drafted new guidelines that will require the country's large internet companies to obtain …
More:
Wall Street Journal, TechCrunch, PYMNTS.com, Bloomberg, Slashdot, and Bloomberg. Tweets: @jchengwsj
| Makena Kelly / The Verge: |
Democratic lawmakers unveil the Banning Surveillance Advertising Act, which would ban targeted ads but allow broad location-based and contextual ads — It could reshape the entire tech industry — On Tuesday, Democrats introduced a new bill that would ban nearly all use …
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Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, VICE, PCMag, ITIF, SiliconANGLE, Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, and ExchangeWire.com
Tweets: @dmarti, @josephfcox, @hypervisible, @can, @ne0liberal, @seyitaylor, @repgosar, @motherboard, @carissaveliz, @adamkovac, and @repannaeshoo
| NBC News: |
Snapchat's friend recommendation feature will no longer suggest users under 18, unless they have a certain number of friends in common, to curb drug dealing — Exclusive: Snapchat executive on company's efforts to stop sale of counterfeit pills — Snapchat's parent company announced Tuesday …
More:
Snap Inc., Protocol, The Verge, 9to5Mac, KnowTechie, PhoneArena, and Pocket-lint
Tweets: @carnage4life, @dlberes, and @epro
| Wall Street Journal: |
AT&T and Verizon temporarily restrict 5G expansion near US airports, but a few airlines will still suspend some flights on Wednesday amid Boeing's guidance — Flight suspensions occur even as AT&T and Verizon agree to limit signals within 2 miles of runways to address air-safety concerns
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The White House, NPR, Airlines For America, Reuters, Engadget, PCMag, The i Paper, PCMag, Bloomberg, The Register, tmfassociates.com, ZDNet, The Verge, Daily Mail, The Drive, The Mac Observer, Tom's Guide, Washington Post, Tech Xplore, Silicon Republic, and Newser
Tweets: @byerussell, @reuters, @jeffnolan, @reuters, @kpottermn, and @diogomonica
| Devin Coldewey / TechCrunch: |
Ambient.ai, which uses AI to process live video footage from security cameras and alert users of breaches, raises $52M led by a16z — Security — as in “hey you, you can't go in there” — quickly becomes a complex, arguably impossible job once you get past a few buildings and cameras.
More:
siliconangle.com and VentureBeat
| Rebecca Bellan / TechCrunch: |
Parallel Systems, which builds autonomous battery-electric rail vehicles, comes out of stealth, with a $49.55M Series A, bringing its total funding to $53.15M — Parallel Systems, a company founded by three former SpaceX engineers to build autonomous battery-electric rail vehicles …
More:
Morning Brew, CNBC, Wall Street Journal, and IEEE Spectrum
| Ingrid Lunden / TechCrunch: |
Tel Avi-based Personetics, which helps incumbent banks compete with neobanks by personalizing their customer offerings, raises $85M led by Thoma Bravo — Big banks are under a lot of pressure to modernize their services to meet demands of consumers who now view things like mobile apps … | Sarah Perez / TechCrunch: |
Instagram Subscriptions launches as an alpha in the US, initially letting 10 creators offer paid access to exclusive Instagram Live videos and Stories — Instagram is giving creators more ways to make money with today's launch of Instagram Subscriptions. The feature, which was spotted hitting …
More:
9to5Mac. Tweets: @mosseri, @paul__armstrong, @theryanford, @caseynewton, @deitaone, @deitaone, and @kennedy_odh
| Katie Roof / Bloomberg: |
Handshake, a diversity-focused recruitment network aimed at college students, raises a $200M Series F at a $3.5B valuation, up from $1.5B in May 2021 — Handshake, a job network for recent college graduates, reached a valuation of $3.5 billion after a new round of financing.
More:
Yahoo Finance. Tweets: @joinhandshake, @jonstull, @garrettlord, @mamoonha, @katie_roof, and @msquinn. Thanks:@mayajvarma
| Andrew Asmakov / Decrypt: |
Crypto.com halted withdrawals on Monday and required users to sign back in and reset 2FA; research shows it lost 4,600+ ETH, worth ~$15M, in a presumed hack — The crypto exchange has reportedly lost at least $15 million in Ethereum, and security experts believe the true losses could be much higher.
More:
The Block, Bloomberg, HotHardware.com News, Cointelegraph, Tech.co, Crypto Briefing, CoinGeek, xuanling11's Free Newsletter, and PC Gamer
Tweets: @peckshield, @cryptocom, @kris_hk, @anthony, @cryptocom, @bloomberglive, @cryptocom, @briannawu, @egg_dog, and @juddlegum
| Dean Takahashi / VentureBeat: |
South Africa-based mobile games publisher Carry1st raises a $20M Series A extension led by a16z, the firm's first investment in an Africa-headquartered startup — Carry1st has raised $20 million in funding from marquee investors for its mobile game publishing platform targeted at unlocking demand in the African market.
More:
The Block, Forbes, Bloomberg, TechCrunch, Quartz, Cointelegraph, Andreessen Horowitz, Stuff, Hollywood Reporter, and Pocket Gamer.biz
| Hannah Lang / Reuters: |
Revolut launches commission-free stock trading in the US, letting users trade shares of 1,100+ securities listed on the NYSE and the Nasdaq — Britain-based digital banking app Revolut launched commission-free stock trading in the United States on Wednesday, a move that will see it compete … | Brandy Betz / CoinDesk: |
iTrustCapital, which lets users with an individual retirement account invest in cryptocurrencies, raises a $125M Series A at a $1.3B+ post-money valuation — The round, led by Left Lane Capital, will help iTrustCapital explore potential acquisitions. — Crypto individual retirement account …
More:
Finextra, Decrypt, and Cointelegraph
| Sarah Perez / TechCrunch: |
Filmhub, which lets filmmakers distribute their work to over 100 streaming channels, including Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV, raises a $6.8M seed led by a16z — As the streaming market grows, so has the demand for content. But even though it's now easier than ever for filmmakers to create … | Noah Kirsch / The Daily Beast: |
Internal memo: Better.com CEO Vishal Garg resumes full-time duties over a month after taking time off following his controversial firing of ~900 staff on Zoom — The volatile founder had laid off hundreds of workers in an emotionless webinar, triggering widespread scorn online.
More:
CNBC, CNN, The Hill, New York Times, Protocol, and New York Post
Tweets: @lesliefeinzaig, @davidjeans2, and @amydiehl
| Emma Betuel / TechCrunch: |
Gale Healthcare, which matches nurses with available work shifts at hospitals or clinics, raises $60M from FTV Capital and says 40K nurses use its service — If there was ever a rubber-meets road moment for six-year-old app Gale Healthcare Solutions, it's probably right now.
More:
FinSMEs and Gale Healthcare Solutions
| Ingrid Lunden / TechCrunch: |
Lattice, which builds workforce people management tools including for performance reviews and tracking career goals, raises a $175M Series F at a $3B valuation — Lattice, a platform that helps with workforce people management — the ability to carry out performance reviews, employee feedback … | Clive Cookson / Financial Times: |
The Royal Society finds social media sites banning misleading content is ineffective and can drive misinformation to “harder-to-address corners of the internet” — Risks of removing information rejected by the mainstream outweigh benefits, according to the Royal Society
More:
BBC and Politico
| Kate Rooney / CNBC: |
The US OCC and Federal Reserve approve SoFi's bid to become a bank holding company via its Golden Pacific Bancorp acquisition; SoFi stock jumps 16%+ after hours — - San Francisco-based SoFi got approval from its two key regulators to become a bank holding company.
More:
Office of the Comptroller …, SoFi, PYMNTS.com, The Block, Crowdfund Insider, and Blockchain News
Tweets: @senatebanking, @anthonynoto, @ralexjimenez, @carlquintanilla, @sofi, @apompliano, @openoutcrier, @socialcapital, and @nikesharora
| Arjun Kharpal / CNBC: |
Chinese government data shows domestic smartphone shipments grew 15.9% YoY to 342.8M units in 2021, below the 371.7M smartphones shipped in 2019 — - China domestic smartphone shipments jumped 15.9% year-on-year in 2021 to 342.8 million units, according to the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT).| Chris Stokel-Walker / MIT Technology Review: |
A look at Tonga's internet blackout following the volcano blast, which initial investigations suggest destroyed the country's single undersea internet cable — The world is anxiously awaiting news from the island—but on top of the physical destruction, the eruption has disconnected it from the internet.
| Keith Romer / New York Times: |
AI tools can generate an optimal poker strategy, balancing bluffing and playing it straight, which some professional players are using to augment their play — Good poker players have always known that they need to maintain a balance between bluffing and playing it straight. Now they can do so perfectly.
Tweets: @marloscmachado, @nytimes, @octonion, @electricalwsop, and @tarunchitra
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