Techmeme
July 5, 2023, 8:30 PM

Top News

Casey Newton / Platformer:
Hands-on with Threads: fairly basic text-based messaging app, log in via Instagram handle, no hashtags, can't search for anything other than user handles, more  —  Programming note: I really was trying to take a vacation, but this felt like it was worth the one-day interruption.
Jonathan Vanian / CNBC:
Meta launches Instagram's Threads, now available on the App Store and Google Play in over 100 countries  —  - Threads is a text-based messaging app that looks very similar to Twitter.  — People will be able to use their Instagram usernames on Threads and follow the same accounts on Threads as they do on Meta's photo-sharing app.
Alex Heath / The Verge:
Q&A with Adam Mosseri on how Threads started, why it is a “risky endeavor”, creating a standalone app off of Instagram, ActivityPub integration, and more  —  The ‘volatility’ of Twitter under Elon Musk has given Instagram an opening to compete with its new app Threads.
Adrian Weckler / Independent.ie:
Kris Holt / Engadget:
Kris Holt / Engadget:
Washington Post:
Source: the US State Dept. cancels regular meetings with Meta about 2024 election prep, one day after a judge limited Biden officials' contact with tech firms  —  A Louisiana federal court's order limiting the Biden administration's communications with tech firms already is disrupting efforts to fight misinformation.
Kyle Wiggers / TechCrunch:
OpenAI forms Superalignment, a team for developing ways to steer and control “superintelligent” AI systems, with access to 20% of its compute secured to date  —  OpenAI is forming a new team led by Ilya Sutskever, its chief scientist and one of the company's co-founders …
Lucas Shaw / Bloomberg:
Sources: Andy Jassy asked Amazon's Hollywood studio for detailed budgets to scrutinize ballooning costs; Amazon spent $7B on originals, sports, and more in 2022  —  I am off this week; that means no newsletter Sunday.  —  (Tips are still welcome at lshaw31@bloomberg.net or on Signal.
Sarah Perez / TechCrunch:
Bluesky raised an $8M seed led by Neo and partners with Namecheap to offer easy custom domain purchasing and management, Bluesky's first paid service  —  Hours before Meta launches its anticipated Instagram competitor, Threads, another Twitter rival — Bluesky — is announcing additional funding and its first paid service.
Bloomberg:
Sources: Australia searched several local Binance offices as part of its derivatives investigation; CZ acknowledged that “external pressure” has hurt Binance  —  Binance's offices in Australia were searched by the country's financial markets regulator as governments around …
Jess Weatherbed / The Verge:
Fairphone and Murena partner to launch the user-repairable, modular Fairphone 4 in the US for $599+, unlocked and running the Google-free /e/ OS, not Android  —  The storage of both models can be expanded via microSD, and the phone features a modular design that can be easily disassembled using …
Bill Toulas / BleepingComputer:
The Port of Nagoya, Japan's largest and busiest port, plans to resume operations by July 6 after a July 4 ransomware attack; no group has claimed responsibility  —  The Port of Nagoya, the largest and busiest port in Japan, has been targeted in a ransomware attack that currently impacts the operation of container terminals.

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More News

Jack Thompson / Rest of World:
Maria Sherman / Associated Press:

Earlier Picks

Nate Lanxon / Bloomberg:
Kevin Okemwa / Windows Central:
Stephanie Bodoni / Bloomberg: