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Technology

ByteDance to Tailor CapCut for US Market Amid Divestiture Concerns

ByteDance is reportedly planning to launch a U.S.-specific version of its popular video editing app, CapCut.
This move is speculated to be in response to a 2024 law requiring ByteDance to divest from its U.S. assets, including TikTok, or face a ban.
CapCut has achieved over 1 billion downloads on the Google Play Store and is currently the top video app on the iOS U.S. App Store.
ByteDance is also said to be developing a new version of TikTok for U.S. users ahead of a potential sale.
The plans for U.S.-specific apps for ByteDance's other services, Lemon8 and Gauth, remain unknown.

Business & E-commerce

Bookshop.org's Clever Jab: An Anti-Prime Day Sale with a Bezos Wedding Twist

Bookshop.org, an independent online bookseller, is holding an Anti-Prime Day sale to coincide with Amazon's Prime Day. The sale aims to attract customers who want to support independent bookstores instead of Amazon.
In a pointed move, Bookshop.org mocked the graphic design of Jeff Bezos' recent $50 million wedding invitations, which were criticized for their lo-fi, childish design reminiscent of Microsoft Word clip art.
Bookshop.org's promotional message reads: "Enjoy free shipping and the knowledge that your money will go toward supporting independent bookstores, not billionaires," highlighting the contrast between supporting independent businesses and contributing to the wealth of billionaires.

Social Media

Mastodon 4.4: Enhanced Features and Quote Post Preparation

Mastodon 4.4 introduces several updates, most notably preparing for Quote Posts, similar to Twitter's Quote Tweets, with user controls to limit misuse. The update also includes profile enhancements with a 'Feature on my profile' option, carousel display of Pinned Posts, and a profile widget showing mutual follows. Navigation is improved with a redesigned 'Trending' section and reorganized sidebar. Media player updates offer better controls, mobile zoom, and alt-text reminders. Onboarding is simplified for new users, and server admins gain new legal compliance features. The changes follow Mastodon's move to a non-profit structure and plans for commercial offerings.

Cybersecurity

Marks & Spencer Remains Silent on Ransom Payment Following Cyberattack

Marks & Spencer chairman Archie Norman refused to disclose whether the company paid a hacking group following a ransomware attack earlier this year. The company confirmed that hackers stole customer data, including names, dates of birth, addresses, phone numbers, and order histories, disrupting operations for weeks. Norman stated that recovery efforts are ongoing and expected to continue until October or November.

Mobile Technology

Nothing Phone (3): A Bold Attempt to Challenge Flagship Giants

The Nothing Phone (3), priced at $799, aims to compete with Samsung and Apple by focusing on design and software. It features a transparent design with asymmetric elements and a Glyph Matrix, a circle-shaped second screen displaying information like time and battery level. The phone is powered by a Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 processor, has a 6.67-inch AMOLED screen, and includes three 50-megapixel cameras. While the camera quality is good, color accuracy needs improvement. The international version has a 5150mAh battery with 65W wired and 15W wireless charging. AI features include an Essential Key for quick access to the Nothing Space app and Essential Search, which uses Google’s Gemini models for web searches. Available in the U.S. through Nothing's website and Amazon, the phone faces competition from Samsung Galaxy S25, Google Pixel 9, and iPhone 16. In India, its high price has received mixed reactions.

Automotive

Slate Auto Secures $700 Million with Slauson & Co. as an Early Investor

Slate Auto, an electric truck startup, has raised $700 million to date, including a Series A round with investments from Jeff Bezos and Slauson & Co.

Slauson & Co. invested in Slate due to its mission of providing affordable, reliable, and customizable vehicles manufactured domestically.

Slate Auto's CEO Chris Barman, Chairman Rodney Copes, and CFO Ryan Green bring decades of automotive industry experience from companies like Chrysler, Harley-Davidson, and Rivian.

Slate's truck has garnered over 100,000 refundable reservations and is backed by investors such as Mark Walter and General Catalyst.

Slauson & Co. believes the investment in Slate Auto can generate significant returns despite the low-margin auto business.

Energy

Arbor Energy's BiCRS Technology: Powering Data Centers with Carbon-Free Energy

Frontier is funding Arbor Energy to remove 116,000 tons of CO2 by building a commercial-scale power plant in Louisiana.

Arbor's BiCRS technology burns waste biomass to generate electricity for data centers while capturing and storing the resulting CO2.

The power plant, inspired by rocket turbomachinery, transforms biomass into syngas and captures 99% of the CO2 released during combustion.

Frontier emphasizes the importance of sustainable biomass principles and sees potential for BiCRS and BECCS to address future energy needs.

Real Estate

Huspy Secures $59M to Revolutionize Property Tech Across Europe and Middle East

UAE-based proptech startup Huspy has raised $59 million in Series B funding to expand its digital home buying and mortgage platform across the Middle East and Europe. Led by Balderton Capital, the investment will support Huspy's growth in the UAE and Spain, as well as its launch in Saudi Arabia. Huspy has achieved significant success in the UAE, capturing 30% of the mortgage market, and is now replicating its network-based model in Spain. The company aims to streamline the real estate process for agents and buyers by providing tools for lead access, CRM, transaction support, and integrated mortgage products. Huspy plans to operate in over 10 cities by the end of 2025 and has facilitated over $7 billion in transactions.

Artificial Intelligence

OpenAI Fortifies Security Against Espionage and Internal Threats

OpenAI has significantly enhanced its security measures to safeguard against corporate espionage, prompted by the release of a competing model by Chinese startup DeepSeek.

The enhanced security protocols include:

  • Information tenting policies limiting access to sensitive algorithms and new products.
  • Isolation of proprietary technology in offline computer systems.
  • Biometric access controls and a deny-by-default internet policy.
  • Increased physical security at data centers and expanded cybersecurity personnel.

These measures address both external threats and internal security issues, such as talent poaching and information leaks.

Artificial Intelligence

Meta Poaches Apple's AI Models Chief, Ruoming Pang, to Bolster AI Superintelligence Unit

Apple's head of AI models, Ruoming Pang, is departing to join Meta, according to Bloomberg. Pang previously led Apple's team training AI foundation models for Apple Intelligence. His move is the latest in a series of high-profile AI executive acquisitions by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg for his AI superintelligence unit.
Apple's AI models have faced challenges, lagging behind competitors like OpenAI and Anthropic. The company has even explored using third-party AI models to enhance Siri. Pang's departure may signal further changes within Apple's AI division.
At Meta, Pang's expertise in designing small, on-device AI models could prove valuable, adding to the talent Zuckerberg has recruited from Google DeepMind, OpenAI, and Safe Superintelligence.