February 5, 2025

XOi raises $230M, acquires Specifx to expand its tech for field service technicians

Field service engineers may not be the first group of customers that come to mind when you think about lucrative opportunities in B2B technology. But that same blind spot speaks of the opportunity in the space for those who are stepping up and targeting “the job site.” One of the players in that space, XOi  […]

© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Scout Motors sued over plan to sell EVs direct to consumers

February 5, 2025

Scout Motors’ plan to eschew traditional dealerships and sell EVs directly to consumers is running into legal trouble. A group of Volkswagen and Audi dealers filed a lawsuit this week against Scout Motors, the EV that spun out of Volkswagen. The lawsuit, which was first reported by Automotive News, seeks to block Scout’s direct-to-consumer sales […]

© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Bench burned through $135 million before shutting down

February 5, 2025

A clearer picture of Bench’s downfall is emerging thanks to new bankruptcy filings, which show the accounting startup burned $135 million before collapsing.

© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Muschenetz poetry citations

February 5, 2025
Detailed citations with source links for Jane Muschenetz’s poetry: 100% Mom CDC, https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/womens-health.htm, https://www.cdc.gov/hearher/pregnancy-related-deaths/index.html; Common Wealth Fund, https://www.commonwealthfund.org/blog/2022/us-maternal-mortality-crisis-continues-worsen-international-comparison; “The World’s Women 2020 Trends and Statistics,” United Nations https://www.un.org/en/desa/world’s-women-2020; Oxfam International Inequality Reports: 2020, 2021; “Hard Work Is Not Enough: Women in Low-Paid Jobs,” National Women’s Law Center, July 2023, https://nwlc.org/resource/when-hard-work-is-not-enough-women-in-low-paid-jobs/ Point Blank “Comprehensive Gun Violence-Related…

Google ditches DEI hiring goals

February 5, 2025

Google will no longer have diversity hiring targets and will review its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, according to an email sent to employees seen by the Wall Street Journal.  Google now joins other tech companies rolling back DEI practices, especially as DEI practices come under fire from conservative groups. Amazon and Meta have also […]

© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

The biggest breach of U.S. government data is under way

February 5, 2025

Elon Musk’s DOGE has taken control and accessed large swathes of Americans’ private information held by the U.S. federal government.

© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Amazon reportedly gears up to release next-gen Alexa

February 5, 2025

Amazon may be gearing up to release a next-gen, AI-powered Alexa experience, according to Reuters. Per the outlet’s report, Amazon plans to preview an upgraded version of Alexa, the company’s smart home assistant that runs on a number of first- and third-party devices, at an event on February 26. The revamped Alexa is said to […]

© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.

Why IQ is a poor test for AI

February 5, 2025

During a recent press appearance, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said that he’s observed the “IQ” of AI rapidly improve over the past several years. “Very roughly, it feels to me like — this is not scientifically accurate, this is just a vibe or spiritual answer — every year we move one standard deviation of IQ,” […]

© 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only.