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February 5, 2025, 1:20 PM
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Annie Palmer / CNBC:
The USPS resumes accepting China and Hong Kong mail hours after suspension due to Trump's EO, disrupting e-commerce, and is implementing “the new China tariffs”  —  WATCH NOW  —  The U.S. Postal Service said Wednesday it will resume accepting inbound mail and packages from China and Hong Kong …
Mathieu Pollet / Politico:
The EU unveils e-commerce shipping rules that would add more customs checks and fees, potentially impacting Chinese platforms like AliExpress, Shein, and Temu
Jess Weatherbed / The Verge:
Google releases Gemini 2.0 Flash via its API, an experimental Gemini 2.0 Pro version via its apps, Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking, and 2.0 Flash-Lite in AI Studio  —  Gemini 2.0 AI updates include cheaper access for developers, and AI that can use other Google apps like YouTube.
Pei Li / Bloomberg:
Sources: China's State Administration for Market Regulation is examining Apple's policies, including its up to 30% App Store fees, ahead of a potential probe  —  - Company under fire for app commissions, barring outside stores  — Beijing is investigating Google as response to new US tariffs
Kevin Collier / NBC News:
The US OPM plans to make each government agency's chief information officer a political appointee who can be fired at will, helping Trump exert more control  —  The change could smooth Elon Musk's efforts to access the technology systems of various federal agencies through his Department of Government Efficiency.
Olivia Reingold / The Free Press:
a16z hires former Marine Daniel Penny, who in December a New York jury acquitted in a controversial subway chokehold case, to work on its American Dynamism team  —  “Daniel acted with courage in a tough situation,” said partner David Ulevitch in a statement explaining the hire.
Rafe Uddin / Financial Times:
Uber reports Q4 revenue up 20% YoY to $12B, Gross Bookings up 18% to a record $44.2B, operating profit up 18% to $770M, and trips up 18% to 3.1B; UBER drops 5%+  —  Ride-hailing group's weaker forecast comes after record fourth quarter  —  Uber's shares fell almost 6 per cent on Wednesday …
Alphabet Inc:
Alphabet reports Q4 revenue up 12% YoY to $96.47B, net income up 28% YoY to $26.54B, Services revenue up 10% to $84.1B, and Other Bets revenue down 39% to $400M  —  MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. - February 4, 2025 - Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG, GOOGL) today announced financial results for the quarter and fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.
Reuters:
Alphabet expects 2025 capex of ~$75B, vs. ~$58B est., and reports Google Cloud Q4 revenue up 30% YoY to $11.96B, vs. $12.16B est.; GOOG drops 7%+
Lina M. Khan / New York Times:
Lina Khan says that DeepSeek's breakthroughs highlight that there isn't enough US competition and that foreign startups could surpass Big Tech in AI innovation  —  When Chinese artificial intelligence firm DeepSeek shocked Silicon Valley and Wall Street with its powerful new A.I. model …
More: Fortune.  Bluesky: @stacyfmitchell and @areidross.  Threads: @carnage4life
X: @bigblackjacobin, @atabarrok, @tysonbrody, and @nhegde.  LinkedIn: Yann LeCun.  Forums: r/neoliberal
Jonathan Bell / Wallpaper*:
OpenAI unveils a visual rebrand, featuring a new bespoke typeface called OpenAI Sans, a refined “Blossom” logo, and a new color palette based in greys and blues  —  A new typeface, word mark, symbol and palette underpin all the ways in which OpenAI's technology interacts with the real world
Chris Welch / The Verge:
Sources: Sonos will release an Android-based streaming box in the coming months, priced between $200 and $400, combining Netflix, Max, Disney+, and more content  —  After the most tumultuous nine months in Sonos' history, the brand is trying to find its footing again.
Chainalysis:
In 2024, ransomware attackers received ~$813.55M in payments from victims, down 35% on 2023's record $1.25B, as more victims refused to pay  —  The ransomware landscape experienced significant changes in 2024, with cryptocurrency continuing to play a central role in extortion.
Washington Post:
Google drops language from its AI Principles that said it would not pursue AI applications “likely to cause overall harm”, such as for weapons and surveillance  —  In 2018 the company updated its policies to explicitly exclude applying AI to weapons.  Now that promise is gone.
New York Times:
Sources: the US SEC is moving to scale back a special unit of 50+ lawyers and staff members that had been dedicated to bringing crypto enforcement actions  —  Some in a special unit of 50 lawyers and staff members that had been assigned to regulate cryptocurrency are being reassigned in the agency.
Brody Ford / Bloomberg:
Workday is cutting approximately 1,750 workers, or 8.5% of its workforce; WDAY jumps 5%+  —  - Figure represents roughly 8.5% of company's workforce  — Salesforce, Amazon, Microsoft recently cut personnel … The cuts will amount to about 1,750 workers, Chief Executive Officer Carl Eschenbach wrote …
Daniel Cooper / Engadget:
Oura Ring 4 review: comfortable, better data collection, and gorgeous, clean app, but requires a paid subscription to use basic features and colors cost more  —  It remains the smart ring to beat, but is still limited by its form.  —  Smart rings have been a niche inside a niche in the wearables world for more than a decade.
Jennifer Maas / Variety:
Brookhaven, a top title on Roblox with 120M+ monthly players, was sold by its anonymous creator Wolfpaq to game developer Voldex for an undisclosed sum  —  Popular Roblox life simulation game “Brookhaven” has been acquired by game developer Voldex in a deal funded by Raine Partners and Shamrock Capital.
Ian King / Bloomberg:
AMD reports Q4 revenue up 24% YoY to $7.66B, Data Center revenue up 69% to $3.86B, vs. $4.09B est., and forecasts Q1 sales of $6.8B to $7.4B, vs. $7.04B est.  —  - Results suggest the chipmaker is still lagging behind Nvidia  — Company fares better in PC market, making gains on Intel
Nikkei Asia:
Chinese chip firms blacklisted by the US are turning to universities, state-backed labs, and “pilot production lines” to keep their development efforts on track  —  TAIPEI — Chinese chip and chip equipment makers blacklisted by the U.S. are turning to universities and state-backed chip labs and …
Henry Chandonnet / Fast Company:
An interview with Twitch CEO Dan Clancy on competition with YouTube and Kick, exclusivity contracts, content moderation, Twitch's expansion plans, and more  —  Business leaders are often reluctant to speak about their competition.  It's rare that you'll hear Netflix's Ted Sarandos talk about Disney+ …

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From Mediagazer

Sara Fischer / Axios:
The White House says it will bar AP from events in the Oval Office and on Air Force One over AP's refusal to use “Gulf of America” instead of “Gulf of Mexico”

McKay Coppins / The Atlantic:
James and Kathryn Murdoch detail the succession battle that has pitted James and Lachlan Murdoch against each other, leaving the family empire's future unclear

Jessica Toonkel / Wall Street Journal:
Sources: Paramount execs weigh risks of settling Trump's lawsuit against CBS News, concerned about potential shareholder litigation or criminal bribery charges

More News

Earlier Picks

Foo Yun Chee / Reuters:
The EC releases its prohibited AI practices guidelines under the EU's AI Act, like using AI to track employees' emotions or to manipulate app and website users
Brian Heater / TechCrunch:
Robotics startup Figure exits its February 2024 OpenAI deal, which aimed to develop AI models for robots, to focus on in-house AI after a “major breakthrough”
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