Author: TechBrunch

Google on Tuesday announced the release of Android 15 and its source code ahead of its upcoming consumer release, bringing the new mobile operating system to supported Pixel devices in the coming weeks. The company also revealed that Android 15 will be released on select devices from Samsung, Honor, iQOO, Lenovo, Motorola, Nothing, OnePlus, Oppo, realme, Sharp, Sony, Tecno, vivo and Xiaomi in the coming months. The Android update adds new features such as Private Space, a feature that lets users isolate parts of the operating system for sensitive information. The software update also lets users save their favorite split-screen…

Social networking startup Bluesky continues to benefit from X's shutdown in Brazil, adding more than 2 million new users in the past four days, up from just 500,000 as of Friday. The rapid growth has led some users to occasionally encounter “insufficient resources” errors to process requests, and Bluesky engineers have scrambled to keep servers stable as the influx of new signups hit. As new users download the app, Bluesky leapfrogged Meta's X rival Instagram Threads over the weekend to become the No. 1 app in Brazil. According to app intelligence firm Appfigures, total downloads of Bluesky increased 10,584% over…

Microplastics are everywhere. They're everywhere. They are in our water, they are in our food, and they even cross the blood barrier and into our brains. Sarah Paige Yeo launched Blueland in 2019 to minimize the amount of microplastics consumers come into contact with every day. This meant creating special tablets that dissolve in water and can be used to make household essentials like hand soap, laundry detergent, and dish soap. Paige Yeo founded the company after becoming a parent. She tried to live a zero-waste lifestyle but found it quite difficult. “I had been trying my best to maintain…

Instagram's latest feature aims to increase user interaction within Stories: the social media platform now allows followers to comment on each other's Stories, creating a more community-focused experience similar to livestreaming where users can take part in larger discussions. Several users have already noticed the feature, including marketing strategist Taylor Lauren (@taylor.loren on Threads), and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg posted a screenshot to his company's channel (see below). Instagram said users can also disable the option to post comments on Stories if they wish. Image credit: Instagram The new feature appears to be inspired by user behavior: Instagram head Adam…

Curious to see how top venture capitalists are positioning themselves for the next wave of the cryptocurrency market? Haseeb Qureshi of Dragonfly Capital, Will Nuelle of Galaxy Ventures, and Morgan Beller of NFX will share their perspectives on the Fintech stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2024. It's a rare glimpse into the evolving strategies, general consensus, and expected trends of leading investors in the cryptocurrency space. With experience backing some of the most important protocols, exchanges, and decentralized applications, these three experts are perfectly positioned to discuss the future of blockchain and cryptocurrencies. Dig deep into the latest trends, including institutional…

Get ready for TechCrunch Disrupt 2024, our signature event for startups at all stages, taking place at Moscone West in San Francisco from October 28-30. This year, we expect to see a huge turnout of 10,000 leaders from the startup and VC communities. As part of the program, we are excited to announce the full agenda for the Builder Stage. This is the culmination of months of hard work and is just one of six stages that will feature at this year's event, with more announcements to come. About the Builder Stage The Builders Stage will serve as a hub…

Spotter, a startup that provides financial solutions to content creators, announced the release of a new AI-powered creative suite on Tuesday. Called Spotter Studio, the solution aims to support YouTubers throughout the entire creative process, including brainstorming video concepts, generating ideas for thumbnails and titles, planning projects, organizing tasks, and collaborating with their team. Most notably, it has the ability to analyze billions of public YouTube videos to get inspiration from similar creators. Spotter Studio competes with a range of AI tools designed for creators, including TubeBuddy and VidIQ, as well as YouTube's AI-powered inspiration tool, which suggests topics based…

PruVen Capital, a fintech and insurtech venture fund founded by former Benchmark and Citi Ventures venture capitalist Ramneek Gupta, has closed a new $378.5 million Fund II to invest in financial services and enterprise-focused startups. This second fund is significant because Gupta has expanded it from a corporate fund with one anchor LP, Prudential Financial, to a fund supported by a number of finance and insurance LPs. Prudential Financial is the lead investor, but the fund also includes TIAA, Lincoln Financial, Generali, Nippon Life Insurance, Omaha Mutual Insurance Company and Willis Towers Watson. Prudential was the sole LP in Prven's…

Energy giant Halliburton has confirmed that its systems were hacked following a cyber attack last week, with intruders “accessing and stealing information.” “Halliburton said in a brief filing with government regulators on Tuesday: [stolen] It explains “what information” should be handled and what data breach notifications must be given. Halliburton said last week that it had taken some systems offline after detecting a cyberattack and that the company was currently “working to determine the impact of the incident” on its ongoing oil and hydraulic fracturing operations. Reached on Tuesday, Halliburton spokeswoman Amina Rivera would not comment on whether the company…

Many airlines and shipping companies claim to be net-zero carbon by 2050, but there is currently no clear path to achieving that goal. While it's scientifically possible to eliminate fossil fuels from these industries, it's not economically possible — at least not yet, a new startup argues. Oxyrus Energy believes it holds the key to solving one side of the equation. The company spun out of Yale University's chemistry lab last year and has been working to improve the production of so-called green methanol. Currently, most methanol is made from fossil fuels and used to make petrochemicals, but it can…