Some automakers don’t like Apple CarPlay. They hate the idea of surrendering control of the in-car experience (and its data) to outside parties. Since its launch in 2014, however, CarPlay has become so important to iPhone owners that even Tesla appears poised to add it — despite the EV maker…
Qualcomm backs SpotDraft to scale on-device contract AI with valuation doubling toward $400M
As demand grows for privacy-first enterprise AI that can run without sending sensitive data to the cloud, SpotDraft has raised $8 million from Qualcomm Ventures in a strategic Series B extension to scale its on-device contract review tech for regulated legal workflows. The extension values SpotDraft at around $380 million,…
3 terrible things your old HDMI cable is doing to your TV
Modern cable standards are a confusing mess. Whether we’re talking about the exercise in frustration that is USB Type-C, or the headache-inducing realities of power delivery, multichannel setups, and theoretical bandwidth capacities, it’s all very nebulous and hard to decipher as a regular, everyday consumer. Then, there’s HDMI. While not…
Vinod Khosla publicly disavows Keith Rabois’ comments on ICE shooting
To understand the stance of an unwavering Trump loyalist after United States Custom and Enforcement shocked the nation this weekend by shooting another American citizen in Minneapolis, look no further than Khosla Ventures partner Keith Rabois. Rabois’ public support for ICE’s actions in the killing of Alex Pretti, made via…
A free Kindle feature just got locked behind a subscription paywall
Send to Kindle is arguably Amazon’s finest software addition to its line of e-readers. The feature stands as one of the only permitted gateways outside the company’s walled garden, allowing users to upload a wide variety of files to a portal that sends them right to their Kindle library. While…
Obvious Ventures lands fund five with a 360-degree view of planetary, human, economic health
Obvious Ventures, the firm co-founded by Twitter’s Evan Williams, has raised a fifth fund, and this one, just like its predecessors, comes with a “fun” number: $360,360,360. “We invest in the frontiers of math and science and physics, and we like to celebrate math in our fund numbers as well,”…
Update your Roku TV now for a free performance upgrade
Near the end of last year, Roku rolled out its big Roku OS 15 update, bringing a handful of changes and improvements to its streaming devices. This includes performance optimizations and better Dolby Vision and HDR10+ passthrough support. Now, to kick off 2026, Roku is rolling out its first major…
5 days left for TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 +1 passes at 50%
The clock is officially ticking. In just 5 days, the lowest ticket prices for TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 — plus the exclusive 50% off +1 pass for the first 500 registrations — will be gone. And with more than half of those first 500 already claimed, this window is closing fast. If Disrupt has been on your…
4 things I wish I knew before buying a receiver
Receivers are great to have around if you need to upgrade your audio. I mean, I have five of them myself, although they aren’t all plugged in at the moment. The point is, I’m a big fan of what receivers bring to the table, but I learned quite a bit…
Synthesia hits $4B valuation, lets employees cash out
British startup Synthesia, whose AI platform helps companies create interactive training videos, has raised a $200 million Series E round of funding that brings its valuation to $4 billion — up from $2.1 billion just a year ago. Unlike some other AI startups that are still a long way from…