way to shortcut

By CECILIA KANG from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2xO9bez

By NATHANIEL POPPER from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2QgfIpc

Elon Musk reaches a deal with US regulators over tweets he sent about taking Tesla private. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2Is1fUm

The health secretary - a father of three - says he is worried about the impact on children's mental health. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2NRSid5

Super 8 enjoys a huge resurgence as filmmakers ditch digital in favour of the original film format. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2Rau6k4

French startup Klaxit connects drivers with riders so that you don’t have to take your car to work every day. And the company recently announced a new feature with the help of Uber. If your driver cancels your ride home, Klaxit will book an Uber for you. Klaxit is a ride-sharing startup that focuses on one thing — commuting to work. And this problem is more complicated than you might think. You can’t just go to work with the same person every day because you don’t always go to work at the same time. Similarly, sometimes your driver has to leave work early, leaving you at the office with no alternative. As a driver, you want to take the quickest route to work. So you want to be matched with riders who are exactly on the way to work. Klaxit currently handles 300,000 rides per day. In particular, the company has partnered with 150 companies, including big French companies such as BNP Paribas, Veolia, Vinci and Sodexo. Klaxit can be particularly useful for companies with large office

French startup Ownpage has recently released a new product called Relike . Relike is one of the easiest ways to get started with email newsletters. You enter the web address of your Facebook page and that’s about it. The company automatically pulls your most recent posts from your Facebook page and lets you set up an emailing campaign in a few clicks. You can either automatically pick your most popular Facebook posts or manually select a few posts. Just like any emailing service, you can choose between multiple templates, decide the day of the week and time of the day, import a database of email addresses and more. If you’ve used Mailchimp in the past, you’ll feel right at home. But the idea isn’t to compete directly with newsletter services. Many social media managers, media organizations, small companies, nonprofits and sports teams already have a Facebook page but aren’t doing anything on the email front. Relike is free if you send less than 2,000 emails per month and don’t nee

How to beat Google's personalized ads Google has created its own universe. If you wanted to, you could use nothing but Google products, and you could live a very fruitful digital life. You could buy a Chromebook, use Gmail and G Suite, post your videos to YouTube, and save every last bit of data on Google Drive.

Dressed in a Naruto t-shirt and a hat emblazoned with the phrase “lone wolf,” Ne-Yo slouches over in a chair inside a Holberton School  classroom. The Grammy-winning recording artist is struggling to remember the name of “that actor,” the one who’s had a successful career in both the entertainment industry and tech investing. “I learned about all the things he was doing and I thought it was great for him,” Ne-Yo told TechCrunch. “But I didn’t really know what my place in tech would be.” It turns out “that actor” is Ashton Kutcher, widely known in Hollywood and beyond for his role in several blockbusters and the TV sitcom That ’70s Show,  and respected in Silicon Valley for his investments via Sound Ventures and A-Grade in Uber, Airbnb, Spotify, Bird and several others. Ne-Yo, for his part, is known for a string of R&B hits including  So Sick , One in a Million  and Because of You.  His latest album,  Good Man,  came out in June. Ne-Yo, like Kutcher, is interested in pursuing

Dressed in a Naruto t-shirt and a hat emblazoned with the phrase “lone wolf,” Ne-Yo slouches over in a chair inside a Holberton School  classroom. The Grammy-winning recording artist is struggling to remember the name of “that actor,” the one who’s had a successful career in both the entertainment industry and tech investing. “I learned about all the things he was doing and I thought it was great for him,” Ne-Yo told TechCrunch. “But I didn’t really know what my place in tech would be.” It turns out “that actor” is Ashton Kutcher, widely known in Hollywood and beyond for his role in several blockbusters and the TV sitcom That ’70s Show,  and respected in Silicon Valley for his investments via Sound Ventures and A-Grade in Uber, Airbnb, Spotify, Bird and several others. Ne-Yo, for his part, is known for a string of R&B hits including  So Sick , One in a Million  and Because of You.  His latest album,  Good Man,  came out in June. Ne-Yo, like Kutcher, is interested in pursuing

A security breach with the Tory Party conference app reveals contact details for MPs and journalists. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2zEqXm0

Browse privately, master Windows and more: Tech Q&A Google is tracking everything. Is there a search site that doesn't record what you search?

By NATHANIEL POPPER from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2QidiXf

GOP lawmakers have 'positive' meeting with Google CEO Sundar Pichai Google CEO Sundar Pichai met privately with GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill Friday amid allegations of anti-conservative bias at the tech giant and concerns about the privacy issues and the firm’s re-entry into China.

To keep up with the growing sizes of early-stage funding rounds, Y Combinator announced this morning that it will increase the size of its investments to $150,000 for 7 percent equity starting with its winter 2019 batch. Based in Mountain View, Calif., YC funds and mentors hundreds of startups per year through its 12-week program that culminates in a demo day,  where founders pitch their companies to an audience of Silicon Valley’s top investors. Airbnb, Dropbox and Instacart are among its greatest successes. Since 2014 , YC has invested $120,000 for 7 percent equity in its companies. It has increased the size of its investment before — in 2007, a YC “standard deal” was just $20,000 — but the amount of equity the accelerator takes in exchange for the capital has been consistent. “We thought a $30K increase was necessary to help companies stay focused on building their product without worrying about fundraising too soon,” Y Combinator chief executive officer Michael Seibel wrote in

By CECILIA KANG and DAISUKE WAKABAYASHI from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2DFAE7I

US government investigators have lost a case to force Facebook to wiretap calls made over its Messenger app. A joint federal and state law enforcement effort investigating the MS-13 gang had pushed a district court to hold the social networking giant in contempt of court for refusing to permit real-time listening in on voice calls. According to sources speaking to Reuters , the judge later ruled in Facebook’s favor — although, because the case remains under seal, it’s not known for what reason. The case, filed in a Fresno, Calif. district court, centers on alleged gang members accused of murder and other crimes. The government had been pushing to prosecute 16 suspected gang members, but are said to have leaned on Facebook to obtain further evidence. Reuters said that an affidavit submitted by an FBI agent said that “there is no practical method available by which law enforcement can monitor” calls on Facebook Messenger . Although Facebook-owned WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption

Attackers exploited vulnerability in a feature known as "View As", the social media giant says. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2DEnfwK

Facebook says 50 million user accounts affected by security breach Facebook said Friday it discovered a security breach that affects nearly 50 million user accounts.

Blok.Party , the company the upcoming PlayTable game console, announced today raised $10 million in new funding. It’s also unveiling a big content partnership, where Blok.Party will create its own version of the popular board game Settlers of Catan . I first wrote about Blok.Party and PlayTable earlier this year , when co-founder and CEO Jimmy Chen first laid out his vision to use blockchain technology to build a console that can recognize real-world objects (like figurines and cards), creating a hybrid between tabletop and video gaming. The idea may have sounded a little abstract at the time, but it got a lot clearer when Chen dropped by the TechCrunch New York office to play a couple rounds of Catan with me. I’ll admit that I hadn’t played in a while, but it was clear from the start that PlayTable saved us some setup time — instead of putting all the pieces of the physical board together, you play on a digital representation of the board. Most of the pieces are digitized too, and

By MIKE ISAAC and SHEERA FRENKEL from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2DDbHtB

The social network has been criticised for targeting ads using data people shared as a security check. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2zCM9bU

The search giant is facing legal action over its mapping of sensitive locations. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2NM3ZCf

San Diego port targeted in ransomware attack Hackers have targeted the Port of San Diego in a ransomware attack that disrupted the agency’s IT systems.

Investors take fright after the US financial regulator accuses Elon Musk of securities fraud. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2xVVqcZ

Google CEO to meet GOP lawmakers regarding alleged bias against conservatives Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai will finally meet with Republican lawmakers on Friday to discuss allegations of bias against conservatives, privacy and controversial business practices in China.

By CADE METZ from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2DEvY22

By RAYMOND ZHONG from NYT Technology https://ift.tt/2NcH8KY

Security experts have reported a series of issues with widely-used voting equipment. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2OTLXdx

Admin systems and internal networks were knocked out by the intruding malware. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2OQUQo5

Customers of TSB and HSBC face problems accessing accounts due to more computer problems. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2R63SPQ

BBC Music Memories aims to help with the provision of music therapy to patients with Alzheimer's. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2N7aJW2

A Paralympian says the app will "empower disabled people to travel without any fear". from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2xDLS7l

Urban-X , the urban-tech startup accelerator backed by BMW MINI and early-stage urban-tech fund Urban.Us , hosted a demo day today for its fourth cohort of companies at its Brooklyn HQ.   The seven presenting companies offered solutions to issues plaguing modern cities, including toll-road pricing, energy and construction management, and even the inefficiencies of modern cycling helmets. In a day that offered an impressive display of entrepreneurial talent, here are a few of the companies that really stood out to us: Rentlogic In hopes of improving landlord transparency, Rentlogic uses years of city government data to create objective algorithmic letter ratings for apartment buildings.   As CEO Yale Fox pointed out, despite city-dwellers spending half our paychecks on rent, urban housing hasn’t seen the same rating systems that we use to guide decisions on where we eat, what car we buy, or what shows we binge.   Rentlogic allows apartment hunters to screen buildings before sign

Fear not, citizens — the law enforcement apparatus of California has apprehended or is hot on the trail of more than a dozen hardened criminals who boldly stole from the state’s favorite local business: Apple . Their unconscionable larceny amounted to more than a million dollars worth of devices stolen from Apple Stores — the equivalent of hundreds of iPhones. The alleged thieves would wear hoodies into Apple stores — already suspicious, I know — and there they would snatch products on display and hide them in the ample pockets of those garments. Truly cunning. These crimes took place in 19 different counties in California, the police forces of which all collaborated to bring the perpetrators to justice, though the San Luis Obispo and Oakland departments led the charge. So far seven of the thieves have been arrested, and nine more have warrants out. In a press release, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra harangued his state regarding the dangers of the criminal element. O

The SEC files a suit in New York alleging securities fraud by Tesla chief executive Elon Musk. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2DAbC9X

Cargo , the startup that helps ridesharing drivers earn money by bringing the convenience store into their vehicles, has raised $22 million in a Series A round led by Founders Fund. Additional investment came from Coatue Management, Aquiline Technology Growth and a number of  high-profile entertainment, gaming and technology executives that include Zynga founder Mark Pincus, Twitch’s former CSO Colin Carrier, media investor Vivi Nevo, former NBA commissioner David Stern, Def Jam Records CEO Paul Rosenberg, Steve Aoki, Maria Shriver and Patrick and Christina Schwarzenegger. To date, Cargo has raised $30 million in venture funding. As part of this latest round, Founders Fund partner Cyan Banister is joining the board. Cargo provides qualified ridesharing drivers with free boxes filled with the kinds of goods you might find in a convenience store, including snacks and phone chargers. Riders can use Cargo’s mobile web menu on their smartphones (without downloading an app) to buy what

Fox on Tech: Predators using online games, FBI warns Online multiplayer video games like “Fortnite” and “Minecraft” are exploding in popularity, and each contains a social media component where players are encouraged to interact with each other. But now the FBI is warning of a new threat: dangerous sexual predators using those games to target underage boys and girls playing online.

This December a set of autonomous vehicles will start roaming the streets of Columbus, Ohio in an effort to turn this bustling midwestern community into the first smart city. The project, which is part of the Smart Columbus and DriveOhio initiatives, is the first step in launching a fully autonomous shuttle route in the city. “We’re proud to have the first self-driving shuttle in Ohio being tested on the streets of Columbus,” said Mayor Andrew J. Ginther. “This pilot will shape future uses of this emerging technology in Columbus and the nation. Residents win when we add more mobility options to our transportation ecosystem – making it easier to get to work, school or local attractions.” Michigan-based May Mobility provided the shuttles and the team is training the autonomous vehicles to navigate Columbus streets. May Mobility already launched their vehicles in Detroit and this is the second full implementation of the tech. The six-seater electric shuttles will follow a 3 mile rou

Think Ethereum and other crypto coins are overvalued? Now you can make money when their prices fall via Compound, which is launching its money market protocol for shorting cryptocurrencies today. The Coinbase and Andreessen Horowitz-funded startup today opens its simple web interface allowing users to borrow and short Ethereum, 0x’s ZRX, Brave’s BAT, and Augur’s REP token, or lend them through Compound to earn interest. “If/when  Compound  scales, this will lead to some really interesting improvements in market structure, namely, fairer prices” Compound CEO Robert Leshner tells me. The startup spent the summer completing a security audit by Trail Of Bits and adding 26 hedge fund partners who will trade with Compound, offering liquidity to independent investors looking to be matched with borrowers or lenders. Next, the startup wants to offer a stablecoin on its protocol, bring in big financial institutions to add even more liquidity, and partner with a wallet provider to make signu

DARPA launches massive new '3rd wave' next-gen artificial intelligence The Pentagon’s science and technology research arm is launching a vigorous push into a new level of advanced artificial intelligence, intended to integrate advanced levels of “machine learning,” introduce more “adaptive reasoning” and even help computers determine more subjective phenomena.

Meet the new Air Force helicopters that can 'defy Armageddon' Ever wonder what would happen to the U.S. leadership and the nuclear missile arsenal if the nation was under attack? New helicopters will take on these two highly dangerous – and incredibly important – missions.

WndrCo, the consumer tech investment and holding company founded by longtime Hollywood executive Jeffrey Katzenberg, has invested $30 million in The Infatuation , a restaurant discovery platform. The Infatuation made waves earlier this year when it  purchased Zagat from Google,  which had paid $151 million for the 40-year-old company in 2011.  Despite efforts to makeover the Zagat app , the search giant ultimately decided to unload the perennial restaurant review and recommendation service and focus on expanding its database of restaurant recommendations organically. New York-based The Infatuation was founded by music industry vets Chris Stang and Andrew Steinthal in 2009. It has previously raised $3.5 million for its mobile app, events, newsletter and personalized SMS-based recommendation tool. Stang told TechCrunch this morning that they plan to use a good chunk of the funds to develop the new Zagat platform, which will be kept separate from The Infatuation. “The first thing we

This year’s rush of IPOs from Chinese tech companies has dominated headlines , but what’s more interesting is how quickly they got there. Traditionally, “going public” represented the gratifying culmination of sleepless nights and missed birthdays that went into building a company. The peak of a lengthy climb, where founders and VCs would finally see the fruits of their labor.  However, Chinese companies appear to be reaching that peak much quicker than their American peers, heading to the public markets only a few years after initial venture investments, and often with little operating history.  Analyzing twenty of the most high profile Chinese tech IPOs this year, the average time from first venture investment to IPO was only around three to five years. Take e-commerce platform Pinduoduo, which pulled in $1.6 billion less than three years after its Series A.   Or the recent IPO of EV-manufacturer NIO, which raised a billion dollars just three-and-a-half years after its Series A

The latest update are more likely to be an attempt to broaden the game's player base, expert believes. from BBC News - Technology https://ift.tt/2zAqcKM

Who should you sell your startup to? Facebook and the founders of its former acquisitions are making a strong case against getting bought by Mark Zuckerberg and Co. After a half-decade of being seen as one of the most respectful and desired acquirers, a series of scandals has destroyed the image of Facebook’s M&A division. That could make it tougher to convince entrepreneurs to sell to Facebook, or force it to pay higher prices and put contractual guarantees of autonomy into the deals. WhatsApp’s founders left amidst aggressive pushes to monetize. Instagram’s founders left as their independence was threatened. Oculus’ founders were demoted. And over the past few years, Facebook has also shut down acquisitions, including viral teen Q&A app TBH  (though its founder says he recommended shutting it down), fitness tracker Moves , video advertising system LiveRail , voice control developer toolkit Wit.ai and still-popular mobile app developer platform Parse . Facebook’s users mi

How Instagram is cracking down on illegal drug sales Instagram is cracking down on selling illegal drugs after a scathing media report uncovered nefarious actions on the platform.

Google CEO to meet GOP lawmakers regarding alleged bias against conservatives Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai will finally meet with Republican lawmakers on Friday to discuss allegations of bias against conservatives, privacy and controversial business practices in China.

Entrepreneur First (EF), the company builder and “talent first” investor, held its tenth London Demo Day this afternoon. This time around the even had a decidedly more international bent as it combined pitches from the London and recently launched Berlin programs. Once again, the pitches took place in front of a nearly overcapacity crowd at King’s Place in London’s King Cross area, and saw a 24 startups pitch their wares to investors, press and other actors in the European tech scene. EF stands out from the many other demo days that the U.K. capital city hosts because of the way the investor backs individuals “pre-team, pre-idea” — meaning that the companies pitching only came into existence over the last 6 months and perhaps may never have done so without the founders bashing heads during the program. Unusually, aside from the upstarts presenting on stage, there were no other EF announcements today, which is in stark contrast to most previous demo days. However, I’m hearing ther