Category: Apps
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A closer look at the AirPods Pro’s new hearing aid features
In November 2022, the FDA passed a resolution allowing Americans to purchase hearing aids over-the-counter. The move launched a mini-industry, with companies rushing to make available technology that was previously mired in healthcare restrictions. Consumer electronics firms saw opportunity, as well. In September, Apple announced that it would be bringing hearing aid features to the…
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Uprise wants to help small businesses make better financial decisions
Small business creation has been on the rise in the U.S. since the pandemic. There are a lot of tech tools designed to help these companies with things like payroll or setting up retirement benefits — but more tools doesn’t mean small businesses know how to use them to make smart decisions. Uprise is looking to…
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Final countdown: 7 days until TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 kicks off
T-minus 7 days until TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 officially kicks off! One of the year’s biggest tech events is ready to dominate the Bay Area’s thriving tech landscape for almost the entire week. Get ready for one of the biggest tech gatherings, taking place October 28-30 at Moscone West in San Francisco. Tech experts from every…
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Ireland adopts Online Safety Code for video-sharing platforms including TikTok
Ireland’s media and internet watchdog, Coimisiún na Meán, has adopted and published an Online Safety Code that will apply to video-sharing platforms headquartered in the country from next month — including the likes of ByteDance’s TikTok, Google-owned YouTube, and Meta’s Instagram and Facebook Reels. Under the Code, in-scope platforms are required to have terms and…
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Shobizzy, a networking app for the TV industry, aims to open new doors for freelancers
With the current unemployment crisis in Hollywood, many TV and film crew members are concerned about finding their next job. This is particularly the case for freelancers, who often face unstable work and irregular pay. Shobizzy is the latest professional networking app for the entertainment industry that aims to address this challenge. And, as more…
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Daze, a creative, AI-powered messaging app for Gen Z, is blowing up prelaunch
On TikTok, Daze’s most popular video has been viewed 8 million times. Across TikTok and Instagram, the startup behind a new messaging app aimed at Gen Z, has seen around 48 million combined views. Pre-launch, the app’s waitlist is already bursting with roughly 156,000 signups. Driving the demand for this next-generation alternative to iMessage and…
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Joseph Jacks bets on open source startups, a ‘paradox of philanthropy and capitalism’
Open source might be many things, but one thing it’s not is a business model — by most estimations, at least. However, that hasn’t stopped Joseph Jacks and OSS Capital from seeking some of the earliest-stage, open source startups and funding them through their formative years. These include the likes of open source Qualtrics-alternative Formbricks,…
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Investments in generative AI startups topped $3.9B in Q3 2024
Not everyone is convinced of generative AI’s return on investment. But many investors are, judging by the latest figures from funding tracker PitchBook. In Q3 2024, VCs invested $3.9 billion in generative AI startups across 206 deals, per PitchBook. (That’s not counting OpenAI‘s $6.6 billion round.) And $2.9 billion of that funding went to U.S.-based…
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Gusto’s head of technology says hiring an army of specialists is the wrong approach to AI
As founders plan for an increasingly AI-centric future, Gusto co-founder and head of technology Edward Kim said that cutting existing teams and hiring a bunch of specially trained AI engineers is “the wrong way to go.” Instead, he argued that non-technical team members can “actually have a much deeper understanding than an average engineer on…
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Can AI sandbag safety checks to sabotage users? Yes, but not very well — for now
AI companies claim to have robust safety checks in place that ensure that models don’t say or do weird, illegal, or unsafe stuff. But what if the models were capable of evading those checks and, for some reason, trying to sabotage or mislead users? Turns out they can do this, according to Anthropic researchers. Just…