Google bought part of HTC’s XR business for $250 million
Google has agreed to acquire part of HTC's extended reality (XR) business for $250 million, expanding its push into virtual and augmented reality hardware after the recent launch of the Android XR platform. The deal includes moving some of HTC VIVE's engineering staff to Google and giving it non-exclusive intellectual property rights, according to the Taiwanese company. HTC will...
Some a16z-backed Divvy Homes shareholders may not see a dime from the $1B sale
The $1 billion acquisition of startup Divvy Homes, announced Wednesday, is expected to leave some shareholders unpaid, according to sources familiar with the deal. The term — and Divvy's journey from busy startup to acquisition target — epitomizes the rollercoaster ride the proptech industry has been on over the past decade. The San Francisco-based startup, founded in 2016, has...
This Company Wants to Build a Space Station That Has Artificial Gravity
California-based Vast Space has big ambitions. The company aims to launch a commercial space station, Haven-2, into low-Earth orbit in 2028, which will allow astronauts to remain in space after the International Space Station (ISS) is decommissioned in 2030. trying to implement NASA's plan to develop a commercial low-orbit space station with partner organizations—but the most ambitious is Vast...
Likee Singapore is a TikTok Ban Winner
Panic over the US ban on TikTok has boosted use and downloads of alternative social media apps, including Texas-based Clapper, China-owned RedNote, and Likee, a little-known platform from Singapore with AI-powered video feeds similar to TikTok, according to new market research. People in the US were unable to access TikTok for about 14 hours from Saturday to Sunday following...
eBay Sellers Are Hawking Used Phones With TikTok Installed for Thousands of Dollars
Used phones with TikTok installed are being listed on eBay for thousands of dollars. And it looks like some people might be buying it. Despite US president Donald Trump signing an executive order on Monday, delaying a potential ban on the social media app for 75 days, TikTok remains absent from all US app stores—with Apple and Google giving...
Elon Musk Plays DOGE Ball—and Hits America’s Geek Squad
Dealing with a single executive order from Donald Trump's first-day edict is like saying one bullet in a burst from an AK-47. But one of them hit me in the gut. It is "Define and Implement the Presidential Department of Government Efficiency." The acronym for the name is DOGE (named after the memecoin), and it is an effort led...
Mexico Rushes to Help Stranded Migrants After Trump Kills CBP One App
The Mexican government has announced the Mexico Embraces You program, which includes economic and social services for Mexicans deported from the United States. This step is in response to the strict immigration policy that President Donald Trump announced on January 20, and which has already started with the closure of the CBP One application. In 2023, the Biden administration...
US Has Bird Flu Vaccine. Here’s Why You Can’t Get One
As avian influenza spreads through birds and dairy cattle across the United States, Georgia has become the latest state to detect the virus in commercial poultry, and on Friday, it halted all poultry sales to slow the spread of the disease. Nationally, the price of eggs is on the rise—if you can find them all at your local grocery...
11 Best Android Phones of 2025, Tested and Reviewed
Other Phones to Consider Google Pixel 9. Photo: Julian ChokkattuWe test a lot of Android phones. We like the ones below, but you'll be better off using one of the options above. If you haven't already, check out our Best Cheap Phones and Best Foldable Phones guides for more. 8A and the Pixel 9 Pro series, struggling to stand...
Samsung Says Galaxy S25 Is ‘Qi2 Ready.’ Here’s What It Really Means
This is important because, when we MagSafe lovers have done with MagSafe Android phone cases a few years ago, there is always a caveat that this case may not work with all MagSafe products. With a Qi2 Ready case, you can easily know that it will work with any Qi2 charger. It should be noted that OnePlus' latest flagship...
