Techmeme
March 16, 2024, 1:35 AM

Top News

Tom Warren / The Verge:
Microsoft is again injecting pop-ups into Chrome on Windows in a bid to get users to switch to Bing, after previously pausing them citing “unintended behavior”  —  Microsoft is once again injecting pop-ups into Google's Chrome browser in a bid to get people to switch to Bing.
Maxwell Zeff / Gizmodo:
Lawyers warn that the bill to ban TikTok unless it's sold gives POTUS unchecked power to ban any app or website the President deems a “national security threat”  —  The United States could make TikTok the first app banned by law, but technology lawyers warn it won't be the last.
Mike Masnick / Techdirt:
Banning TikTok is a performative, unconstitutional, authoritarian move that won't stop China from spreading propaganda or getting Americans' data  —  from the stupid-xenophobic-moral-panic dept  —  Over the last few days, we've had a few posts about the latest attempt to ban TikTok in the US …
New York Times:
Elena Schneider / Politico:
Dan Primack / Axios:
Reddit says FTC launched an inquiry into Reddit's licensing of user data to AI companies; an ex-FTC official says other companies also got such “hold letters”  —  - It also suggests that the FTC is expanding its look into AI-related deals, which previously appeared to be focused on equity investments.
Chance Miller / 9to5Mac:
Walmart starts selling Macs directly for the first time, partnering with Apple to sell the M1 MacBook Air for $699 a week after Apple stopped selling the laptop  —  Walmart is teaming up with Apple to sell the Mac for the first time.  In a press release today, the company said that it is now selling …
Jonathan Stempel / Reuters:
Apple reaches a $490M settlement to resolve a class-action lawsuit that alleged Tim Cook defrauded shareholders in 2019 by hiding falling iPhone demand in China  —  Apple (AAPL.O) has reached a $490 million settlement to resolve a class-action lawsuit that alleged Chief Executive Tim Cook …
Tom Henderson / Insider Gaming:
Leaked PS5 Pro docs mention rendering 45% faster than the PS5, 2x to 3x the ray tracing performance, and more; sources say it's set for a holiday 2024 release  —  Insider Gaming can confirm that the leaked PS5 Pro specs leaked earlier today are real and the PlayStation 5 is still tentatively targeting a 2024 holiday release.
Dean Takahashi / VentureBeat:
Game developer Scopely says Monopoly Go! crossed $2B in revenue in February 2024, just 10 months after launching and three months after hitting $1B in revenue  —  Scopely announced that Monopoly Go has generated $2 billion in revenue just 10 months after launch and three months after hitting $1 billion.
Andrew Hayward / Decrypt:
Starbucks is ending Odyssey, which launched in December 2022 in closed beta offering NFT-based rewards minted on the Polygon blockchain, on March 31, 2024  —  Starbucks will close the Odyssey Beta platform on March 31, with platform quests available until March 25.
Emma Roth / The Verge:
Uber and Lyft threaten to leave Minneapolis on May 1, after the city passed an ordinance to guarantee drivers a minimum rate of $1.40/mile and $0.5/minute  —  Uber and Lyft are pulling their services out of Minneapolis after the city council passed an ordinance that will increase drivers' pay.
Business Insider:
Sources: BeReal is weighing raising a Series C or being acquired, as what is left of its $90M in funding is set to run out this year and DAUs stagnate at 25M  —  - BeReal, the once-buzzy French social media app, is staring down a crossroads.  — User growth has been tough to come by …
Steven Levy / Wired:
Michael Seibel steps down as YC's managing director, says he did not feel disappointed when he was not tapped as CEO but would have accepted the job if offered  —  As the influential startup incubator downsizes—and navigates political pushback—managing director Michael Seibel is taking …

Sponsor Posts

Okara:
Meet Okara, the AI platform that doesn't train on your data  —  Chat with 30+ open-source models (Llama, Kimi, Qwen, DeepSeek) through encrypted infrastructure.  Used by teams handling proprietary code and strategy.
Soxton:
AI-powered 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!
Zoho:
Team communication in 2026: What's changing, what's fading, and what's next  —  We're already in 2026, and there's a lot happening.  New releases, updated roadmaps, closed tasks—everything is moving quickly.
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

Lenny's Podcast:
The non-technical PM's guide to building with Cursor | Zevi Arnovitz (Meta)
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.
Big Technology Podcast:
Is Google's Gemini Winning?, Thinking Machines Drama, Claude Cowork's Potential
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.
Hard Fork:
Jonathan Haidt Strikes Again + What You Vibecoded + An Update on the Forkiverse
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:
Building an autonomous car utopia with Rivian's RJ Scaringe
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:
Three New Influencers
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:
Special Edition: Key findings from the Microsoft AI Diffusion Report
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 1:35 AM ET, March 16, 2024.

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

James O'Donnell / MIT Technology Review:
Amanda Silberling / TechCrunch:
CNN:
Bob Van Voris / Bloomberg:

Earlier Picks

Manish Singh / TechCrunch:
Natasha Lomas / TechCrunch:
Ryan Weeks / Bloomberg:
Wired: