Techmeme
July 11, 2019, 12:35 AM

Top News

Zack Whittaker / TechCrunch:
Apple pushes silent Mac update to remove the hidden web server in the Zoom app that could let websites add a user to a video call without their permission  —  Apple has released a silent update for Mac users removing a vulnerable component in Zoom, the popular video conferencing app …
Lily Hay Newman / Wired:
Alex Heath / The Information:
Sources: Facebook is looking to buy game studios and has signed deals for exclusive VR versions of Assassin's Creed and more to bolster its Oculus ecosystem  —  Facebook is looking to buy game studios and ink exclusive deals for virtual reality versions of well-known games to bolster …
Scott Stein / CNET:
First look at Nintendo Switch Lite, a smaller, cheaper, handheld-only model launching September 20 for $200  —  When reports emerged of a lower-cost Nintendo Switch that wouldn't have detachable Joy-Con controllers and couldn't plug into a TV, my son had one question.  What's the point of a Switch that doesn't Switch?
Tom Simonite / Wired:
Belgian broadcaster obtains 1,000+ Google Assistant audio clips from a Google contractor, some of which seem to be recorded inadvertently and may violate GDPR  —  GOOGLE, AMAZON, AND Apple say their AI-powered virtual assistants make it easier to get things done on smartphones or at home.
Frank Chaparro / The Block:
SEC approves the first-ever regulated token offering, letting blockchain startup Blockstack offer $28M in tokens under Regulation A+, an alternative to IPOs  —  The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) gave blockchain startup Blockstack the go-ahead today to conduct a $28 million digital …
Jonah Weiner / New York Times:
An in-depth look at the changing TV landscape as users shift towards consuming media online, pitting old companies like HBO against new companies like Netflix  —  In their rush to match Netflix, competitors like HBO, Hulu and Amazon are ordering a slew of content — ushering out the age of …
Jon Fingas / Engadget:
Catalin Cimpanu / ZDNet:
Researchers identify “Agent Smith” Android malware, found on 25M handsets, which swaps apps with clones that show ads generating revenue for a criminal group  —  New “Agent Smith” malware operation is preparing to invade the Google Play Store.  —  A new Android malware strain …
Rani Molla / Vox:
ETR survey of ~580 CIOs or IT decision makers at large enterprises reveals 59% use or plan to adopt Microsoft Teams compared with 35% for Slack  —  Microsoft Teams isn't better than Slack, but it is freer.  —  Tech workers' favorite communications tool, Slack, is losing ground to its biggest rival …
New York Times:
Charting how Google's privacy policy has changed since 1999, when it was a mere 600 words, until now, when it's 4,000 words, and what it says about the internet  —  The late 1990s was a simpler time for Google.  The nascent company was merely a search engine, and Gmail, Android and YouTube were but glimmers in the startup's eye.
Holly Beilin / Hypepotamus:
Stratasan, a Nashville-based provider of healthcare data analytics software, raises $26M; Stratasan had previously raised $1.2M, per Crunchbase  —  Stratasan, a Nashville-based healthcare data analytics software provider, has closed a $26 million growth funding round led by Fulcrum Equity Partners.
Josh Constine / TechCrunch:
Anchorage, which safeguards crypto assets for institutions with a unique no-password security system, raises $40M Series B led by Blockchain Capital  —  Visa and Andreessen Horowitz are betting even bigger on cryptocurrency, funding a big round for fellow Facebook Libra Association member …
Josh Dzieza / The Verge:
“Amazon nomads” crisscross the US looking for cheap, sometimes rare, goods at small-town superstores and outlet clearance sales to sell on Amazon Marketplace  —  To stock Amazon's shelves, merchants travel the backroads of America in search of rare soap and coveted toys

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More News

Henry Giardina / Gizmodo:
Tom Warren / The Verge:

Earlier Picks

Chaim Gartenberg / The Verge:
Jacob Kastrenakes / The Verge: