Author: dweetleapp

  • Former Googlers seek to captivate kids with an AI-powered learning app | TechCrunch

    Big Tech companies and upcoming startups want to use generative AI to build software and hardware for kids. A lot of those experiences are limited to text or voice, and kids might not find that captivating. Three former Google employees want to get over that hurdle with their generative AI-powered interactive app, Sparkli. Sparkli was read more

    Former Googlers seek to captivate kids with an AI-powered learning app | TechCrunch
  • A new test for AI labs: Are you even trying to make money? | TechCrunch

    We’rein a unique moment for AI companies building their own foundation model. First, there is a whole generation of industry veterans who made their name at major tech companies and are now going solo. You also have legendary researchers with immense experience but ambiguous commercial aspirations.There’sa clear chance that at least some of these new read more

    A new test for AI labs: Are you even trying to make money? | TechCrunch
  • How PopWheels helped a food cart ditch generators for e-bike batteries | TechCrunch

    Food carts are a staple of New York City dining, dispensing everything from dosa and doner kebabs to dogs and dim sum in short order. But no matter how enticing the aroma of a cart’s food, the smelly gas generators that keep the lights on threaten to put customers off their meals. Cart owners and read more

    How PopWheels helped a food cart ditch generators for e-bike batteries | TechCrunch
  • Top Stories: iPhone 18 Pro Leaks, Siri Chatbot, Apple AI Pin, and More

    Apple rumors are starting to pick up now that we’re a few weeks into 2026, and this week saw some potential clarity around conflicting iPhone 18 Pro rumors, plus some new word on Apple’s plans for Siri. This week also saw a report that Apple is working on some sort of AI pin while also read more

    Top Stories: iPhone 18 Pro Leaks, Siri Chatbot, Apple AI Pin, and More
  • Rare Glimpses of Diverse Marine Life Take the Stage in This Year's Ocean Art Photography Contest

    Off the deep waters of Kumejima, Japan, Steven Kovacs captured an image that would be awarded Best in Show for the 2025 Ocean Art Photography Contest. Traveling to the Okinawa prefecture in the hopes of encountering a scarcely documented species of larval goosefish, Kovacs spent nearly two weeks blackwater diving before photographing the rare moment. read more

    Rare Glimpses of Diverse Marine Life Take the Stage in This Year's Ocean Art Photography Contest
  • Apple iPhone just had its best year in India as the smartphone market stays broadly flat | TechCrunch

    Apple’s iPhone is gaining ground fast in India, shipping about 14 million units in 2025, based on market data shared exclusively with TechCrunch. Yet the country’s overall smartphone market stayed largely flat at around 152–153 million devices. That means that across the full-year of 2025, Apple’s market share of shipments rose to a record 9%. read more

    Apple iPhone just had its best year in India as the smartphone market stays broadly flat | TechCrunch
  • Saving South Africas threatened albatross from lethal fishing lines

    Mayeni JonesAfrica Correspondent, Cape Town Cape Town Pelagics Albatrosses are particularly vulnerable to being harmed by fishing boats On a small boat in the Atlantic, about 27 nautical miles (50km) away from South Africa’s Cape Point, a group of bird watchers are calling out seabird names: “Atlantic yellow-nosed! Black-browed albatross!” The tour boat takes bird read more

    Saving South Africas threatened albatross from lethal fishing lines
  • Sudan civil war: Half of my friends were killed in el-Obeid school shelling

    Mohamed Mohamed OsmanBBC World Service, El-Obeid, Sudan BBC Twins Makarem (left) and Ikram were in separate classrooms when the shelling began It had been a normal day for 18-year-old twins Makarem and Ikram when their school came under fire. Makarem was in an English literature class and Ikram was in a science lesson when they read more

    Sudan civil war: Half of my friends were killed in el-Obeid school shelling
  • Monster storm about to hit millions with catastrophic ice and heavy snow | CNN

    Dallas will get mostly ice from this storm, though it will experience all types of precipitation over the next 48 hours, including rain, ice and sleet. Sporadic rain Friday will turn to freezing rain and ice around midnight that will continue off and on until Sunday morning. An inch or two of snow could then read more

    Monster storm about to hit millions with catastrophic ice and heavy snow | CNN
  • Stateless in South Africa: Youre invisible, you dont exist – life without a birth certificate

    Mayeni JonesAfrica correspondent, Johannesburg Christian Parkinson / BBC Arnold Ncube was unable to complete his education because he could not prove he was South African Many people may take their birth certificate, or similar official papers, for granted – hidden in a drawer and rarely seeing the light of day – but for those without read more

    Stateless in South Africa: Youre invisible, you dont exist – life without a birth certificate
  • Who's behind AMI Labs, Yann LeCun's ‘world model’ startup | TechCrunch

    Yann LeCun’s new venture, AMI Labs, has drawn intense attention since the AI scientist left Meta to found it. This week, the startup finally confirmed what it’s building — and several key details have been hiding in plain sight. On its newly launched website, the startup disclosed its plans to develop “world models” in order read more

    Who's behind AMI Labs, Yann LeCun's ‘world model’ startup | TechCrunch
  • Waymo probed by National Transportation Safety Board over illegal school bus behavior | TechCrunch

    The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has opened an investigation into Waymo after its robotaxis have been spotted illegally passing stopped school buses numerous times in at least two states. The NTSB is specifically focusing on the more than 20 incidents that have occurred in Austin, Texas, it said in a post on X on read more

    Waymo probed by National Transportation Safety Board over illegal school bus behavior | TechCrunch
  • ‘Uncanny Valley’: Donald Trump’s Davos Drama, AI Midterms, and ChatGPT’s Last Resort

    And I think there was, to a certain extent, CEO response was both advantageous to them politically at the time, but also, internally they had to respond to their employees sort of revolting over this. Until we see something similar, I don’t know that we’re going to get… Well, I don’t know we’re ever going read more

    ‘Uncanny Valley’: Donald Trump’s Davos Drama, AI Midterms, and ChatGPT’s Last Resort
  • Alaska College Student Arrested for Eating AI Artwork Speaks Out: ‘AI Chews up and Spits out Art’ Made By Other People.’

    The University of Alaska Fairbanks undergraduate arrested earlier this week for eating an AI-generated artwork on view in an MFA exhibition has since addressed his controversial meal. Graham Granger, a student in the school’s film and performing arts program, was charged Wednesday with class B misdemeanor criminal mischief for tearing up a set of Polaroids read more

    Alaska College Student Arrested for Eating AI Artwork Speaks Out: ‘AI Chews up and Spits out Art’ Made By Other People.’
  • Art Market Sentiment Is Up for 2026, But the Recovery Has a Very Specific Shape

    The art market is heading into 2026 in a better mood than it’s been in years, according to a newGlobal Art Market Outlookreport from research firm ArtTactic. After a long hangover following the 2022 peak, confidence is back, selectively, cautiously, and with clear favorites. More than half of art market participants now expect the market read more

    Art Market Sentiment Is Up for 2026, But the Recovery Has a Very Specific Shape
  • The Rippling/Deel corporate spying scandal may have taken another wild turn | TechCrunch

    The Department of Justice has reportedly opened a criminal investigation into HR and payroll startup Deel over allegations that it hired a corporate spy to leak information on its biggest rival, Rippling, reports The Wall Street Journal. In an emailed statement to TechCrunch, Deel says that it is “not aware of any investigation. We will read more

    The Rippling/Deel corporate spying scandal may have taken another wild turn | TechCrunch
  • Thousands march through downtown Minnapolis protesting against ICE as state workers hold general strike

    6m ago 5-year-old taken into ICE custody has immigration case, preventing deportation The 5-year-old immigrant boytaken into custodyby Immigration and Customs Enforcementalongside his fatherin the Minneapolis area earlier this week has an active and pending case in immigration court and cannot be legally deported yet, according to government records reviewed by CBS News. The ICE read more

    Thousands march through downtown Minnapolis protesting against ICE as state workers hold general strike
  • TikTok Is Now Collecting Even More Data About Its Users. Here Are the 3 Biggest Changes

    When TikTok users in the US opened the app today, they were greeted with a pop-up asking them to agree to the social media platform’s new terms of service and privacy policy before they could resume scrolling. These changes are part of TikTok’s transition to new ownership. In order to continue operating in the US, read more

    TikTok Is Now Collecting Even More Data About Its Users. Here Are the 3 Biggest Changes
  • 2028 Olympics: Orlando Magics Desmond Bane keen on playing for Nigeria

    Nigeria’s hopes of Olympic basketball success could receive a boost, with Orlando Magic’s Desmond Bane saying he wants to “make something happen” and recruit fellow NBA stars to D’Tigers’ cause. Bane is officially listed as American by the NBA but has Nigerian heritage and is yet to represent any nation on the international stage. Having read more

    2028 Olympics: Orlando Magics Desmond Bane keen on playing for Nigeria