February 6, 2025

The Download: AI companion dangers, and supersonic planes

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. An AI chatbot told a user how to kill himself—but the company doesn’t want to “censor” it For the past five months, Al Nowatzki has been talking to an AI girlfriend, “Erin,” on…

Watch Duty was downloaded 2 million times during this week’s LA fires

January 12, 2025

Fire-tracking app Watch Duty has become a crucial source of information for Los Angeles residents threatened by wildfires.  As TechCrunch’s Maxwell Zeff explained, the app relies on a network of active and retired firefighters, first responders, official government reports, and volunteer reporters who monitor radio scanners to offer real-time updates on active wildfires. During this […]

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CES 2025: Self-driving cars were everywhere, plus other transportation tech trends

January 12, 2025

Even before CES 2025 kicked off a few trends began to emerge — or more accurately, some gaps appeared.  All U.S. and some European automakers that have helped turn CES into an auto show were absent. Several Chinese automakers filled that void, notably Zeekr, the EV brand owned by China’s Geely Holdings. Wey, a premium […]

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Here are the five best pieces of founder advice I learned as a host of Found

January 12, 2025

After more than two years — and nearly 100 episodes — as a host of TechCrunch’s recently ended Found podcast, I have learned a lot about how founders approach building their startups. I’ve heard stories about how founders know when it is the right time to expand from their core product, to how startups approach […]

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Apple may add an iPhone Air to its lineup

January 12, 2025

Apple’s next major iPhone upgrade will include a new model called the iPhone 17 Air, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. This seems like an obvious way to expand the lineup, given Apple’s success with the Air moniker for thinner MacBooks and iPads (I’m currently typing these words on my MacBook Air), and could be more […]

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How to turn off Apple Intelligence-powered notification summaries

January 12, 2025

With iOS 18, Apple rolled out Apple Intelligence, which includes an AI-powered feature for summarizing notifications. When you get a bunch of notifications from one app, the feature summarizes the content of all notifications in one card that appears on the lock screen. You can dismiss the stack after you have read the summary, or […]

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Open source licenses: Everything you need to know

January 12, 2025

Open source makes the technology world go ’round, forming as much as 90% of the modern software stack via frameworks; libraries; databases; operating systems; and countless standalone applications. The benefits of open source software are well understood, promising greater control and transparency. However, there’s a perennial struggle between the open source and proprietary realms, leading […]

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Apple board opposes proposal to abolish DEI programs

January 11, 2025

Apple’s board of directors has come out in opposition to a proposal seeking to end the company’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs.  In a proxy filing, the company said the National Center for Public Policy Research (a conservative think tank) is submitting a proposal for Apple to “consider abolishing its Inclusion & Diversity program, […]

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