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May 16, 2019, 4:05 PM
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Tom Warren / The Verge:
Microsoft and Sony announce a strategic partnership to explore development of future cloud solutions in Microsoft Azure for game and content-streaming services  —  An unusual partnership  —  Microsoft and Sony are announcing an unusual partnership today, allowing the two rivals to partner on cloud-based gaming services.
Casey Newton / The Interface:
As the definition of “bias” expands to include instances where social media users don't have the desired outcome, it's harder for platforms to say there is none  —  Three years ago this month, Mark Zuckerberg gathered together a group of influential conservatives to defend Facebook against allegations of political bias.
Makena Kelly / The Verge:
White House launches tool to solicit information from people who had social media accounts suspended or banned and who suspect political bias behind the actions  —  'If you suspect political bias caused such an action to be taken against you, share your story with President Trump'
Thomas Brewster / Forbes:
Europol and FBI arrest the leader and ten members of the GozNym criminal network, who broke into 44K computers and tried to steal ~$100M  —  Paying money and buying online concept, couple doing internet shopping with computer, customers making secure payment on laptop via e-banking service, close up view of hand holding credit card
Ingrid Lunden / TechCrunch:
Instagram is shutting down Instagram Direct, its standalone direct messaging app that it was testing to rival Snapchat, on iOS and Android  —  As Facebook pushes ahead with its strategy to consolidate more of the backend of its various apps on to a single platform, it's also doing a little simplifying and housekeeping.
Dan Seifert / The Verge:
Google clarifies Works with Nest shutdown, says connections will continue to work beyond Aug. 31 until they are replicated in new Works with Assistant program  —  Works with Nest moves from fully dead to on life support  —  Google has issued a response to the criticisms of its recent announcement …
Josh Constine / TechCrunch:
Facebook is updating the News Feed algorithm to include data from user surveys about which links users find most worthwhile and who their closest friends are  —  Facebook is updating the News Feed ranking algorithm to incorporate data from surveys about who you say are your closest friends and which links you find most worthwhile.
Nat Levy / GeekWire:
Amazon upgrades its $50 Fire 7 tablet with faster processor, doubled storage, and hands-free activation of Alexa, available for pre-order now, shipping June 6  —  Amazon today unveiled the next generation of its Fire 7 tablet and Fire 7 Kids Edition, speeding up the devices and adding more storage and features.
Jeremy Horwitz / VentureBeat:
Sprint says it will begin offering 5G in Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and Kansas City on May 31, with preorders for LG's V50 ThinQ 5G starting tomorrow  —  Having previously set general targets for its initial launch of 5G services and devices in the United States, Sprint says today …
Chaim Gartenberg / The Verge:
Asus announces Zenfone 6 with a 48 megapixel flip-top camera, Snapdragon 855, and a 5,000mAh battery, starting at €499  —  Plus a giant 5,000 mAh battery  —  The Asus ZenFone 6 has officially been announced, and where the ZenFone 5 was basically just a boring iPhone X clone …
Washington Post:
Trump issues order blocking US companies from doing business with information and communications technology companies owned or controlled by a foreign adversary  —  Amid a deepening trade war with China, President Trump on Wednesday declared a “national emergency” to protect U.S. communications networks …
Larry Cermak / The Block:
Sources: Coinbase is in advanced talks to acquire the Bitcoin custody provider Xapo for around $50M  —  Regulated U.S.-based cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase is in advanced talks to buy custody provider Xapo for about $50 million to boost its custody business, people familiar with the matter said on Thursday.
More: Axios.  Tweets: @bensemchee.  Thanks:@dogetoshi
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Ticketmaster announces “Safetix” digital tickets with NFC support, tied to user's phone via an encrypted barcode that automatically refreshes every few seconds  —  Ticketmaster is turning to new technology to help fight ticket fraud.  The ticketing giant today unveiled …
Salvador Rodriguez / CNBC:
Sources: acceptance rates for Facebook job offers among graduates of top US schools like Stanford fell from nearly 90% in late 2016 to around 50% in early 2019  —  KEY POINTS  — Among top schools, Facebook's acceptance rate for full-time positions offered to new graduates has fallen …
Kyle Wiggers / VentureBeat:
Revenue Analytics, which uses AI to help clients like Toyota, Best Buy, and Marriott to instantly adjust prices to drive sales, raises $11M Series A  —  Imagine you're a retailer with a diverse clientele.  To whom should you extend a promotion when a product isn't flying off the shelves, and how steep should the discount be?
Steven Loeb / VatorNews:
Phil, a platform that connects doctors, pharmacies and insurers to deliver speciality drugs to patients' homes, raises $25M Series B  —  Phil works with everyone from patients to manufacturers to make drugs cheaper and easier to get  —  It's no secret that medication is prohibitively expensive …
More: PR Newswire and FinSMEs
Christina Farr / CNBC:
Nimble Pharmacy, a startup that raised $60M from Sequoia, Khosla Ventures, and others, pivots to become an “Instacart” for independent pharmacies  —  KEY POINTS  — With Amazon's jump into the pharmacy business, Nimble is focusing on helping local pharmacies deliver to customers.
Thanks:@chrissyfarr

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This is a Techmeme archive page. It shows how the site appeared at 4:05 PM ET, May 16, 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.

From Mediagazer

Todd Spangler / Variety:
Trump names Danielle Thumann, an adviser to FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, to serve as an FCC commissioner; if confirmed, she'd bring the Republican majority to 3-1

Dade Hayes / Deadline:
Scripps' CEO says the company is adopting a streaming news model enabled by AI, including cutting 12% of staff, and praises the FCC's lift of the ownership cap

Ted Johnson / Deadline:
A federal judge has dismissed an antitrust challenge to Paramount's WBD acquisition brought by a group of consumers, but allows them to file a revised complaint

More News

Earlier Picks

Chance Miller / 9to5Mac:
Valve releases Steam Link, its service for streaming desktop games to another device, on iOS and Apple TV, almost a year after its initial App Store rejection
New York Times:
Sources describe Uber's IPO process and the setbacks that led Uber's $120B pre-IPO valuation floated by bankers to fall to its current market cap of $69B
Peter Bright / Ars Technica:
Microsoft releases its SPTAG algorithm, used to answer questions on Bing, as MIT-licensed open source on GitHub
Michael Potuck / 9to5Mac:
Report details Apple's “long and painful divorce” with Intel, says Apple's custom 5G modems may not arrive until 2025
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