Techmeme
October 27, 2020, 1:15 PM

Top News

Michael Sheetz / CNBC:
SpaceX, in emails to interested customers, says the beta of the Starlink satellite internet service will initially cost $99/month plus a $499 upfront cost  —  - SpaceX is expanding the beta test of its Starlink satellite internet service, reaching out via email on Monday to people who expressed interest in signing up for the service.
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
TikTok partners with Shopify, letting merchants create TikTok ad campaigns and In-Feed video ads from the Shopify dashboard  —  TikTok is further investing in social commerce with today's announcement of a new global partnership with e-commerce platform Shopify.
Patrick Moorhead / Forbes:
AMD says it will buy rival chipmaker Xilinx for $35B in an all-stock deal  —  I talked to AMD CEO Lisa Su last night and got the download on what could be a historic, $35B semiconductor deal to acquire Xilinx.  AMD had a monster Q3 and guide and has been on a growth tear for years …
Dan Goodin / Ars Technica:
Researchers detail how link previews in messengers from Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Line can leak sensitive data, consume limited bandwidth, and more  —  Link previews provide convenience.  They can also compromise privacy or security.  —  Link previews are a ubiquitous feature found …
Manish Singh / TechCrunch:
Ankhi Das, Facebook's public policy director for India, South, and Central Asia, leaves after allegations of content moderation interference for India's BJP  —  Ankhi Das, a top Facebook executive in India, is leaving the company on Tuesday months after she was alleged to interfere …
BBC:
UK regulator bans mobile networks from selling locked phones from December 2021  —  The UK's mobile networks are to be forbidden from selling phones locked to their services from December 2021.  —  Regulator Ofcom said unlocking handsets could often be a complicated process …
Salvador Rodriguez / CNBC:
Facebook launches free-to-play cloud gaming on desktop and Android but says it is unable to bring games to iOS due to Apple's “arbitrary” policies  —  - Facebook announced the launch of cloud gaming on its desktop website and Android app but not to iOS due to Apple's “arbitrary” policies.
Frederic Filloux / Monday Note:
A look at VC firm a16z's media and podcast offerings, led by ex-Wired editor Sonal Chokshi, which feature an array of voices across 500+ episodes  —  Andreessen-Horowitz firm has developed a sophisticated podcast system.  Its mission: becoming the go-to place to understand the future.
Ingrid Lunden / TechCrunch:
Tinder is rolling out Face to Face, its opt-in video chat feature, globally  —  Tinder, currently the world's biggest biggest dating app for people to find matches and connect with them, is expanding another feature today to extend the time people spend in the app, and the communications they can have within it.
Danny Crichton / TechCrunch:
The rise of “no-code platforms” is helping usher in a new generation fluent in using computers and mobile devices for self-expression, research, and analysis  —  In the distant past, there was a proverbial “digital divide” that bifurcated workers into those who knew how to use computers …
David Z. Morris / Fortune:
Zoom adds support for end-to-end encryption, but when it's enabled several features like cloud recording, telephone dial-in, and 1:1 private chat will not work  —  Our mission to help you navigate the new normal is fueled by subscribers.  To enjoy unlimited access to our journalism, subscribe today.
Jennifer Elias / CNBC:
YouTube says it will add a “Results may not be final” label to relevant search queries and videos on Election Day linking to Google's election results feature  —  - YouTube announced Tuesday it will add a label to relevant search queries and videos on Election Day.
Noam Cohen / Wired:
Wikipedia to protect its main 2020 election page with expanded measures, like stopping new editors from making edits, that it has used to stop COVID-19 misinfo  —  The encyclopedia is determined to emerge from the insanity of a pandemic and a polarizing election with its information and reputation intact.
Kyle Wiggers / VentureBeat:
Serverless search and analytics startup Rockset raises $40M Series B led by Sequoia Capital  —  Real-time analytics startup Rockset today announced a $40 million round.  The company says the funds will be used to grow its workforce and accelerate product development and research while bolstering its go-to-market efforts.
Mark Bergen / Bloomberg:
Alphabet says it has altered its rules for electing board members, shifting from plurality to majority voting, a system considered better for accountability  —  Google parent Alphabet Inc. said it altered rules for electing board members, switching to a system considered better for corporate accountability.

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Earlier Picks

Jessica Guynn / USA Today:
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
David Ingram / NBC News:
Arjun Kharpal / CNBC:
Bloomberg: