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AI & Mobile Technology

Willow AI: Voice Dictation App for iOS Launches with $4.5M Funding

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.

Climate Tech & Investment

Mirova Invests $30.5M in Varaha to Support Regenerative Farming in India

Mirova, a climate-focused investment firm, has invested $30.5 million in Indian climate tech startup Varaha to expand its regenerative farming program, benefiting smallholder farmers in northern India. This investment, Mirova's first carbon investment in India, involves cash in exchange for a share of carbon credits generated over time. Varaha, founded in 2022, focuses on regenerative agriculture, agroforestry, and biochar projects, utilizing a network of local partners and real-time monitoring software. The investment will support Varaha’s Kheti project, which encourages low-emission practices among farmers in Haryana and Punjab. Varaha also promotes direct seeding of rice and incorporating crop residue into the soil, reducing the need for burning stubble. The credits generated will be verified using Verra’s VM0042 methodology, with proceeds directed to farmers. Additionally, Varaha has partnered with Google for a biochar carbon removal deal and has raised $12.7 million in venture funding.

Social Media

diVine: Jack Dorsey-Backed Reboot Revives Vine's Legacy with Archived Videos and AI Content Detection

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.

Technology

Silicon Valley's Unparodiable Reality: The Rise of 'Chad: The Brainrot IDE'

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.

Entertainment

Cord-Cutting Crisis: YouTube TV and Disney Standoff Leaves 'Jeopardy!' Fans in the Dark

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.

Government & Policy

States' Data Sharing with ICE Sparks Concern Among Lawmakers

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.

Artificial Intelligence

Hero's Autocomplete SDK Streamlines AI Prompts for Developers

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.

Robotics

Bio-Inspired Robotics: Bat-Like Drones for Search and Rescue

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.