Author: TechBrunch
Labubu, the ugly luxury toy of Chinese company Pop Mart, is turning into a massive business. Earning $1 billion this year is well underway, surpassing Barbie and Hot Wheels sales. And while Lovebus is not a digital object, it is a physical object, it symbolizes the over-the-top online aesthetic invasion into the offline world, which has been described as “IRL brain corruption” in recent New Yorker essays. In Friday's episode of the Equity Podcast, hosts Kirsten Korosec, Max Zeff and Anthony HA try to understand why Labubu has become so popular, and what it says about the disparity in the…
On Friday, Google announced that it is using new shortcut buttons for VIDS, Tech Giant's AI-powered video creation tool, to enhance its drive video editing experience. This new feature allows Workspace users to start video editing using VIDS directly from the Google Drive interface. Now while previewing the video on the drive, the user will see an “Open” button in the top right corner, opening the video in the VIDS app. VIDS automatically launches video files, allowing for further editing, such as trimming clips and incorporating music and text. Image credit: Google Activated by default, this new shortcut suggests that…
To reduce abuse and fake engagement, Elon Musk's X is removing access to two important features of the developer API for people with the free plan. Now, free users will no longer be able to use the API to post on their behalf, nor will they follow others. The company says these changes will help protect X's platform from “spam, bots and manipulation activities” that reduce the user experience. Developers of paid plans, such as the Basic, Pro, or Enterprise stage, will not be affected. These plans also include access to more features, higher rate limiting, and support for more…
The former software developer was sentenced to four years in prison for obstructing his former employer's network after leaving the company. Davis Lou, 55, was found guilty of installing a “kill switch” in his former employer's network by planting malicious code designed to crash servers if he was fired. The kill switch was activated when the company terminated Lu's employment and invalidated the eligibility, causing the Kill Switch, “isdlenabledinad.” The incident has blocked thousands of employees from accessing the company's systems. The Justice Department that charged the case said that LU's employer was not appointed, but was reportedly Eaton, a…
After New Delhi effectively banned the sector through a new law now in law, the top Indian startup in the real estate gaming sector has begun shutting down operations. On Thursday, the Indian Parliament Senator passed promotions and regulations on the 2025 online gaming bill. It proposed to ban real money games entirely, aiming to promote casual online games and esports. The vote came a day after the bill cleared the House and left only the president's consent before it became law. Shortly after the bill was passed in Parliament, Indian Unicorns began closing their real estate gaming business along…
Apple has increased the monthly price for its Apple TV+ streaming service to $12.99, showing a 30% increase from its previous $9.99 subscription price. The updated price will be effective for new customers starting on Thursday and will affect current subscribers 30 days after the next update date. It is worth noting that the annual subscription rate has not changed at $99.99. Apple has not changed the price of its Apple One service from $19.95 per month. Apple TV+, like other streaming services, is steadily increasing subscription prices. In 2023, Apple increased the price of its Apple TV+ monthly subscription…
YouTube celebrates the YouTube Music app for 10 years on Thursday, launching new features that will bring you closer to Rival Spotify and more. The app now includes the Taste Match playlist, a playlist that combines the overlapping interests of multiple users, similar to Spotify Blend. The app will also launch notifications to users of upcoming releases, marches and concerts, and partner with Bandsintown to help fans discover concerts when they watch videos and shorts on YouTube itself. This addition will help YouTube keep up with Spotify in some areas, but other areas, such as adding badges and supporting comments,…
Instagram has begun to allow creators to connect multiple reels in the series, the meta-owned social network told TechCrunch exclusively. New features already available in Tiktok make it easier for viewers to chase and discover related content. Now, if the creator tells the story in a series of videos or follow-ups, you can link them all together so that viewers don't have to scroll or search through different parts. For example, creators often instruct their followers to “come back to Part 2” or to check for updates. This new feature allows creators to organize related reels and make it easier…
Silicon Valley has a commonly accepted script. Identify startup ideas. Sell company chunks to source venture capital. We will sell. We will raise more venture capital and sell more. Repeat until the company is publicly available or acquired. But what if you didn't take part in the fundraising treadmill after getting your first round? What if, like many VC-backed companies, you can form your company through slower, sustainable growth rather than the other way around? This is a question that SecurityPal AI founder and CEO Pukar Hamal asked himself after raising a $21 million Series A round in 2021, and…
StrictlyVc returned to TechCrunch's chaos in October, bringing together insiders that shape the venture capital landscape. This time, we will focus on liquidity, the biggest challenge in the market. In an era of extended exit timelines, slower distribution, and increasingly selective LPS, conversations behind closed doors are more important than ever. Working with Cendana Capital, which has supported over 80 funds in its 15-year history, we are launching a new recording LP track that offers an unfiltered look, where capital flows, how LP priorities change, and that you need to know your GPS to survive and thrive in this environment.…