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Willow, founded by Allan Guo and Lawrence Liu, has launched an iOS app that enables users to type with their voice across all applications. The app supports over 100 languages and allows users to define vocabulary terms and writing styles. Key features include a full keyboard for edits and integration with a desktop assistant. Willow has raised $4.5 million and competes with companies like Wispr Flow and Monologue. Future plans include expanding to Windows and Android.
diVine, a new app backed by Jack Dorsey, is launching to revive the spirit of Vine's six-second looping videos. The app provides access to over 100,000 archived Vine videos restored from a backup created before Vine's shutdown.
Users can create profiles and upload their own Vine videos, with suspected generative AI content flagged. The project is financed by Dorsey's nonprofit, "and Other Stuff," focused on funding open-source social media tools.
Evan Henshaw-Plath reconstructed the Vine content from large binary files saved by the Archive Team after Twitter shut down Vine in 2016. The app contains a good percentage of the most popular videos from about 60,000 creators.
Vine creators retain copyright and can request DMCA takedowns or verify their accounts to post new videos or upload missing content. DiVine uses technology from the Guardian Project to verify that new video uploads are human-made.
Built on the Nostr decentralized protocol, diVine allows developers to create their own apps and run their own hosts and media servers. DiVine is available on iOS and Android.
Clad Labs, a Y Combinator startup, launched 'Chad: The Brainrot IDE,' an AI coding tool that integrates brainrot activities like gambling, TikTok, and Tinder into the development environment. The founders claim this increases productivity by preventing developers from getting distracted by their phones or browsers while waiting for AI to complete tasks. Despite mixed reactions and accusations of 'rage baiting,' the founders insist it's a genuine attempt to create a consumer app-like experience for developers. Currently in closed beta, Chad aims to build a community of users who appreciate the concept.
YouTube TV and Disney are locked in a dispute over streaming deals, leaving YouTube TV subscribers without access to Disney-owned networks like ABC and ESPN. This blackout has affected millions, with sports fans and 'Jeopardy!' viewers feeling the impact. YouTube TV is offering a $20 credit to subscribers, but some argue it's not enough compared to past disputes. Disney is estimated to lose millions due to the standoff, while YouTube TV claims Disney's demands would raise prices for customers.
The dispute centers on fair rates for Disney's channels, with Disney potentially gaining revenue from its new ESPN Unlimited subscription. The author humorously laments the inability to watch 'Jeopardy!' and hopes for a resolution to the blackout.
Democratic lawmakers have cautioned governors in Arizona, California, Colorado, and Wisconsin about the inadvertent sharing of drivers’ data with federal immigration authorities, specifically U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), through the National Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (Nlets).
Nlets facilitates the sharing of state residents’ personal data between state, local, and federal police agencies. Lawmakers are urging governors to block ICE's access to this data, citing concerns about potential abuse and the use of drivers’ license photos for facial recognition purposes.
Some states like Illinois, New York, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Washington have already restricted ICE's access via Nlets, highlighting the potential for states to control data sharing practices.
Hero, a productivity startup, has launched an invite-only autocomplete SDK designed to simplify AI prompt creation for developers. This SDK anticipates and populates prompt fields based on context, reducing the back-and-forth needed with AI apps.
The SDK can be used to easily create a tune. With AI autocomplete, you pull forward all the inputs needed to complete an action, finishing it 10 times faster as there are fewer back-and-forths involved. This unlocks a whole new set of use cases ranging from travel to commerce, and ads to customer support,” Kowalk said.
Hero, founded by ex-Meta employees, raised $4 million in seed funding last year and has secured an additional $3 million. The company plans to release the autocomplete feature in its app and is exploring AI-powered ads with Koah Labs.
Nitin J. Sanket from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) is developing small, agile flying robots inspired by bats for search and rescue missions. These robots, equipped with ultrasound sensors and AI-powered software, can navigate challenging environments and detect obstacles within a two-meter radius. The project aims to replace human search and rescue teams in dangerous conditions. Sanket's research draws inspiration from biology, particularly how insects and birds achieve remarkable feats of flight with limited resources. The team overcame challenges related to sensor noise by mimicking the sound modulation techniques used by bats. Currently, they are focused on improving the robots' speed and navigation capabilities.