Your Hub for Tech News and Handy Online Tools.
Elon Musk has agreed to settle a $128 million lawsuit with four former Twitter executives he fired after acquiring the company in 2022. The executives, including former CEO Parag Agrawal and CFO Ned Segal, claimed they were denied severance payments for holding Musk to his original $44 billion acquisition commitment. The terms of the settlement are currently undisclosed. This follows a previous settlement with 6,000 laid-off Twitter employees over unpaid severance.
AST SpaceMobile and Verizon have entered into a partnership to deliver space-based cellular broadband across the United States. Verizon will integrate AST's satellite network with its terrestrial infrastructure, utilizing Verizon's 850 MHz spectrum to extend coverage in remote areas.
This agreement builds upon a previous commitment of $100 million from Verizon to support AST's service rollout. AST has already launched its first five BlueBird satellites into low Earth orbit and is developing the next generation of satellites with plans to deploy 45-60 satellites by 2026.
The satellite-to-cell market is rapidly evolving, with competitors like SpaceX's Starlink also rolling out direct-to-cell services. AST has demonstrated 4G and 5G connections between its satellites and smartphones.
Google is expanding its AI virtual try-on feature to Australia, Canada, and Japan, now including shoes.
Users can upload a photo to see how clothes and shoes look on them virtually.
The feature is accessible via the "Try It On" button on Google product listings.
Google also launched Doppl, an experimental app for deeper virtual try-on experiences.
Amazon and Walmart have also introduced similar virtual try-on technologies.
British fintech Revolut is launching in India to tackle the underserved cross-border payments market. Revolut aims to compete with traditional banks and fintech players by offering a prepaid wallet with UPI support, domestic and international Visa cards, and dedicated kids and teens accounts. The company has invested $45 million in India and plans to onboard 20 million users by 2030, processing $7 billion in transactions. Revolut has already secured regulatory approvals, including a PPI license, and acquired Arvog Forex to offer remittance and multi-currency account services. They will focus on full-KYC wallets to attract high-intent customers, measuring success through user engagement and profitability.
Zelda Williams, the daughter of Robin Williams, has publicly denounced the creation and sharing of AI-generated deepfake videos of her father. Her statement comes after the release of OpenAI's Sora 2 video model, which allows users to create realistic deepfakes. Williams expressed her distress and disapproval, emphasizing that such content is disrespectful and not what her father would have wanted. OpenAI's Sora 2 model has faced criticism for enabling the creation of deepfakes of deceased individuals without consent, raising ethical concerns about the use of AI technology to manipulate and exploit the likeness of the dead.
Google is expanding access to Opal, its AI-powered vibe-coding app, to 15 additional countries, including Canada, India, Japan, South Korea, and Brazil. The app enables users to create mini web apps using text prompts.
Early adopters in the U.S. surprised Google with sophisticated and practical apps, prompting the global expansion.
Opal allows users to describe their desired app, and Google's models generate it. Users can customize the app's visual workflow, edit prompts, and add new steps. Apps can be published and shared for others to test.
Google has improved Opal's debugging program, keeping it no-code. Users can run workflows step-by-step, tweak steps in the console, and see errors in context.
Performance improvements have significantly reduced app creation time. Steps can now run in parallel for complex workflows.
Tesla has introduced more affordable 'Standard' versions of its Model 3 sedan and Model Y SUV, priced at $36,990 and $39,990, respectively. These models offer an estimated 321 miles of range but come with fewer features, including the omission of Autopilot and a more minimalist interior. The release aims to boost Tesla's sales after a decline in 2024, though the pricing is higher than initial expectations, particularly the unrealized $25,000 Tesla.
The new 'Standard' models have differences inside and outside, such as manually adjusted steering wheels and side mirrors, fewer speakers, and no second-row touchscreen. External changes include removing the light bar and glass roof found on pricier Model Y variants. This move is part of Tesla's effort to cut costs, but it also strategically positions Tesla against competitors, including Ford, General Motors, Rivian, Lucid Motors, and Slate Auto, amid changing market dynamics and EV tax credit expiration.
Otter.ai is expanding beyond meeting transcription with a new suite of enterprise tools designed to integrate meeting data into company workflows, creating a centralized knowledge base.
The new product suite includes an API for custom integrations with platforms like Jira and HubSpot, an MCP server for connecting Otter data to external AI models, and an AI agent that can search meeting notes and presentations.
CEO Sam Liang aims to transform Otter.ai into a comprehensive system of record for conversations, facilitating information sharing and driving business value.
Despite privacy concerns and a class-action lawsuit regarding unauthorized recording of conversations, Otter.ai believes increased access to information through AI-powered meeting tools is beneficial for companies.