Month: May 2020

It may be a while before you can check for an irregular heartbeat. The ECG sensor on the Galaxy Watch Active 2 has gone unused for the better part of a year, but it’s finally close to fulfilling its original purpose… in one country, anyway. Samsung has received approval to use the ECG feature for measuring heart rhythms from South Korea’s … Continue reading Samsung gets approval for Galaxy Watch Active 2’s ECG, but only in Korea Continue Reading →

There are a number of different technologies both proposed and in development to help smooth the reopening of parts of the economy even as the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic continues. One such tech solution launching today comes from Brian McClendon,  co-founder of Keyhole,  the company that Google  purchased in 2004 that would form the basis of Google Earth and Google … Continue reading New nonprofit from Google Maps co-creator offers temporary ‘safe’ passes to aid COVID-19 reopening effort Continue Reading →

Thailand’s largest cell network AIS has pulled a database offline that was spilling billions of real-time internet records on millions of Thai internet users. Security researcher Justin Paine said in a blog post that he found the database, containing DNS queries and Netflow data, on the internet without a password. With access to this database, Paine said … Continue reading A massive database of 8 billion Thai internet records leaks Continue Reading →

Plus the best Memorial Day tech deals available now. Happy unofficial start of summer! The Memorial Day weekend kicks off with a bunch of electronics deals, including some of the lowest prices we’ve ever seen. Notably, the Google Pixel 3a has dropped to $280 (the 3a XL is also deeply discounted) and Apple’s HomePod is … Continue reading The best deals we found this week: Pixel 3a, the HomePod and more Continue Reading →

Hello and welcome back to TechCrunch’s China Roundup, a digest of recent events shaping the Chinese tech landscape and what they mean to people in the rest of the world. It’s been a tumultuous week for Chinese tech firms abroad: Huawei’s mounting pressure from the U.S., a big blow to U.S.-listed Chinese firms, and TikTok’s high-profile … Continue reading China Roundup: A blow to US-listed Chinese firms and TikTok’s new global face Continue Reading →

They used a device called a microcomb to replace standard lasers. Today’s cable and fiber optic internet connections are good enough — at least where they’re available. Home users can browse the web, stream videos and play online games, and companies can keep business moving. But as content becomes more complex, the world will need faster … Continue reading Researchers squeeze 44.2 Tbps through existing fiber optic cables Continue Reading →

Fashion is having its moment in the metaverse. A riot of luxury labels, music, and games are vying for attention in the virtual world. And as physical events and the entertainment industry that depends on them shuts down, virtual things have come to epitomize the popular culture of the pandemic. It’s creating an environment where … Continue reading As fashion has its metaverse moment, one app looks to bridge real and virtual worlds for sneakerheads Continue Reading →

Hello and welcome back to Equity, TechCrunch’s venture capital-focused podcast, where we unpack the numbers behind the headlines. First, a big thanks to everyone who took part in the Equity survey, we really appreciated your notes and thoughts. The crew is chewing over what you said, and we’ll roll up the best feedback into show tweaks … Continue reading Clubhouse proves that time is a flat circle Continue Reading →

Statespace has today raised a $15 million Series A financing round led by Khosla, with partner Samir Kaul joining the board. Existing investors, such as FirstMark Capital, Lux and Expa, also participated in the round, as well as newcomer June Fund. Statespace  launched out of stealth in 2017 with a product called Aim Lab, which recreates the physics of … Continue reading Statespace, the platform that trains gamers, raises $15 million Continue Reading →