December 3, 2025

The Download: AI and coding, and Waymo’s aggressive driverless cars

This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. Everything you need to know about AI and coding AI has already transformed how code is written, but a new wave of autonomous systems promise to make the process even smoother and less…

Technology

The best e-bikes for every type of rider and where Chinese EV makers are headed

July 9, 2023

Welcome back to The Station, your central hub for all past, present and future means of moving people and packages from Point A to Point B. Reporter Rebecca Bellan is back in the driver’s seat the next couple of weeks as I stash my laptop and head out for some adventures (planes, ferries and bikes […]

The best e-bikes for every type of rider and where Chinese EV makers are headed by Kirsten Korosec originally published on TechCrunch

Meta’s vision for Threads is more mega-mall than public square

July 7, 2023

In the latest sign that Meta’s new Twitter lookalike Threads is unlikely to capture the essence of its predecessor, the company is apparently actively disinterested in cultivating its new app into useful hub of breaking news and world events. In a reply to a question from The Verge’s Alex Heath, Instagram head Adam Mosseri, currently […]

Meta’s vision for Threads is more mega-mall than public square by Taylor Hatmaker originally published on TechCrunch

If you don’t buy Jony Ive’s $60,000 turntable, are you really a music fan?

July 7, 2023

You enjoyed his iMacs, his iPhones, his iPads. You thrilled at the way he said “aluminium” [sic]. You admired the typeface. Are you ready for the $60,000 turntable? Better make up your mind fast, because Linn is only producing 250 of these handmade bad boys. A record player doesn’t seem like a logical extension of […]

If you don’t buy Jony Ive’s $60,000 turntable, are you really a music fan? by Brian Heater originally published on TechCrunch

Pulsar Fusion wants to use nuclear fusion to make interstellar space travel a reality

July 7, 2023

Space propulsion company Pulsar Fusion has started construction on a large nuclear fusion chamber in England, as it races to become the first firm to fire a nuclear fusion-powered propulsion system in space. Nuclear fusion propulsion tech, arguably a golden goose of the space industry, could reduce the travel time to Mars by half and […]

Pulsar Fusion wants to use nuclear fusion to make interstellar space travel a reality by Aria Alamalhodaei originally published on TechCrunch

Martin Lewis warns over ‘first’ deepfake video scam ad circulating on Facebook

July 7, 2023

For a glimpse of the AI-generated misery fast accelerating onto our screens thanks to developments in synthetic media that are powering ever more sophisticated forms of deception, check out this clip of UK consumer finance champion Martin Lewis apparently shilling an investment opportunity backed by Elon Musk. Except of course the footage (also embedded in […]

Martin Lewis warns over ‘first’ deepfake video scam ad circulating on Facebook by Natasha Lomas originally published on TechCrunch

The Download: tricking AI text-detectors, and covid’s unanswered questions

July 7, 2023
This is today’s edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what’s going on in the world of technology. AI-text detection tools are really easy to fool The news: As soon as ChatGPT launched, there were fears that students would use the chatbot to churn out passable essays. In response, startups started…

AI-text detection tools are really easy to fool

July 7, 2023
Within weeks of ChatGPT’s launch, there were fears that students would be using the chatbot to spin up passable essays in seconds. In response to those fears, startups started making products that promise to spot whether text was written by a human or a machine.  The problem is that it’s relatively simple to trick these…

Indonesian aquaculture startup eFishery nets $200M at unicorn valuation

July 7, 2023

After reports that it is raising new funding, Indonesian aquaculture startup eFishery announced today that it has netted $200 million in a Series D. The company, which makes a smart feeding system for fisheries, says this makes it the first startup in the global aquaculture industry to pass a $1 billion valuation. It’s goal is […]

Indonesian aquaculture startup eFishery nets $200M at unicorn valuation by Catherine Shu originally published on TechCrunch