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Avast CEO on why it’s just spent $1.4BN to absorb security rival AVG
Security firm Avast has today confirmed the completion of a $1.4 billion acquisition of fellow Czech-based antivirus company AVG. The deal will see Avast’s customer base nearly double — swelling from 230 million to more than 400 million in total, 160M of whom are mobile users. Read More
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Volvo to target luxury buyers with self-driving car coming in 5 years
High-end vehicle, chauffeur included? You can see why it makes sense that Volvo would target the luxury end of the market with its upcoming self-driving car. Volvo announced plans to field a vehicle by 2021, thanks in part to a $300 million deal with Volvo that will let it leverage some of their work, but now we have some more details, including the vehicle’s high-end approach. Volvo… Read More
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HP issues non-apology for blocking third-party ink cartridges
HP was recently caught in the act using a “security update” to prevent its printers from operating with a number of recycled and third-party ink cartridges. After much outcry the company has relented and is issuing a rollback option — but they’ll be damned if they admit any wrongdoing. Read More
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Qualcomm reportedly in acquisition talks with NXP Semiconductors
Mobile chipmaker Qualcomm is looking to shrink the silicon space a bit further with a potential acquisition of Netherlands-based NXP Semiconductors, in a deal that could be worth over $30 billion according to a new report from the Wall Street Journal. The deal could be finalized in as few as two months from now, according to the report. If it goes through, it could signal a big move for… Read More
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Arduino unleashes a serious Internet of Things system for hardware hackers
Back in the old days hardware manufacturers felt safe in the knowledge that no mere hardware hacker could attempt to recreate their inventions. From Sony to Philips to LG to Samsung, the consumer electronics industry was locked up and no one could crack the case. Until those meddling Arduino kids came along… Now anyone can make cool hardware and, thanks to Arduino, it is easier than ever… Read More
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A robot learns to cope with the loss of an eye in an experiment carried out on the ISS
Humans are pretty good at ballparking distances, even with one eye closed — but it turns out computer vision systems have a hard time with it. Researchers hope to fix that, or at least make robots a little more robust, by teaching them to navigate a space without the benefit of stereo vision — in zero gravity, to boot. Read More
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Where Pokémon Go is going, and Tesla’s trajectory: Listen to TCBC Episode 4 with Greg Kumparak
On this week’s episode of TCBC, after a brief Disrupt-induced hiatus, longtime TechCruncher Greg Kumparak dishes on Pokémon Go – what made it so appealing at launch, what’s going on with product development, and where he’d like to see it go in the future. Greg and I are both big Pokémon fans, so it’s a subject about which we have no shortage of things to say. Read More
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Musk says under 5 percent of SpaceX is working on Mars mission, 2024 launch is ‘optimistic’
Elon Musk has a plan to colonize Mars, but he’s not rushing it. In a conference call following the SpaceX CEO’s presentation today at the International Astronautical Conference, Musk noted that the project is still essentially a hobby at the company, drawing only a fraction of its efforts. Read More
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Nissan’s autonomous chair is your line waiting buddy
Nissan’s ProPILOT tech might mostly be used to help provide its cars with autonomous driving features, but a new project puts it into a chair. Yes, a chair. The chair propels itself, detecting the chair ahead of it and keeping a fixed distance between itself and its neighbor, as it moves along a predefined path. It’s less flexible than the chairs in Wall-E (kudos to Megan for… Read More
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MB&F unveils the racing-inspired Horological Machine 8
Long dedicated to space, spiders, and robots, MB&F has finally come back to earth with the Horological Machine 8, a new watch inspired by the silhouette of Can-Am race cars. This watch is part of the “Horological Machine” series, a set of handmade watches that look like a cross between something that belongs on a Jules Verne submarine and a piece of expensive chocolate. This… Read More
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Kano moves beyond Pi with code-your-own device kits for kids
It’s been 16 months since Kano took to the stage at TC Disrupt New York 2015 to announce a $15M Series A, and to talk up its big ambition to build a creative computing brand. And 10 months since, flush with VC cash, it started work on its next big product reveal… Today it’s ready to show what it’s been working on. Read More
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Mattel’s ThingMaker, the 3D printer that let kids make their own toys, delayed until next year
Remember ThingMaker? Mattel’s $300 3D printer that would let kids print out their own toys? Its ship date – which was supposed to be this month – just got pushed back another year, according to a report from Engadget. The toy maker says it needs the extra time to “enhance the digital functionality” in order to deliver the “most engaging” experience… Read More
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The EFF calls on HP to remove DRM from its printers
The Electronic Frontier Foundation has called on HP to restore customer’s ability to use third-party ink cartridges in its Office Jet printers. It is also urging consumers to sign a petition, which as of this posts’s publication, has nearly 7,500 signatures. In an open letter to HP Inc. President and CEO, Dion Weisler, activist Cory Doctorow calls on the company to take five… Read More
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Waylens Horizon action camera for cars captures the thrill of driving
At a glance 157 degree wide-angle f/2.4 aperture 1/1.8″ image sensor 1080p 30/60pfs, 720p 120/60fps Pros Camera design itself is top-notch Built-in OLED touchscreen Cons Included mounting hardware for cable not great Expensive at $499 Connecting the car The Waylens Horizon is essentially a conical, dense metal camera replete with optics, onboard processing power and battery. Read More
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Pearl’s RearVision is a backup camera for those who want the best rear view
At a glance Wireless, solar-powered design Dual HD cameras with 1/3″ CMOS sensors 175-degree field of view Pros Incredibly easy to set up Image quality, both day and night Cons Must be turned on manually Expensive Quick and painless The out-of-box experience for Pearl’s RearVision is really well designed. Even packaging is done right, with a folding two-sided box that… Read More
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Xiaomi’s newest phones include dual-lens camera and under-glass fingerprint reader
Hot on the heels of the launch of the iPhone 7 Plus, Apple’s first smartphone with dual reverse-facing cameras, China’s Xiaomi has joined the double camera club with Mi 5s Plus announced today. Read More
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