Twitter Co-Founder Jack Dorsey Launches BitChat

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The co-founder of Twitter, now renamed X after Elon Musk bought it. Well, Jack Dorsey has unveiled BitChat, a new peer-to-peer messaging app that works well without the internet.

The iPhone only apply in testing phase is designed to send encrypted messages over Bluetooth low energy mesh networks without relying on servers or mobile networks. The privacy first tool could prove essential during network blackouts or in regions with restricted internet access.

https://bitchatapp.net/twitter-co-founder-jack-dorsey-launches-bitchat/

Bloomberg - A Fatal Tesla Crash Shows the Limits of Full Self-Driving

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“There is a reason why Superman could shoot lasers from his eyes, but also uses his eyes for seeing. You want redundancy,” Smith said. “It is shocking to many people that Tesla has such confidence in a single type of sensor.”

"Other automakers and autonomous-driving technology companies also use radar and lidar, which emit energy — in lidar’s case, laser pulses traveling at the speed of light — to detect the distance of surrounding objects. As active sensors that generate their own signals, they’re not affected by external lighting conditions and function better than cameras in direct sunlight."

"One advantage cameras have over both radar and lidar is cost. Analysts at BloombergNEF estimated in a report late last year that the sensor suite on a Tesla Model 3 costs just $400. The researcher said that the 40 sensors on the Jaguar I-Pace SUVs that Waymo had deployed in states including Arizona cost 32 times more: roughly $12,650 per vehicle."

https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2025-tesla-full-self-driving-crash/?embedded-checkout=true

RealSense Completes Spinout from Intel, Raises $50 Million to Accelerate AI-Powered Vision for Robotics and Biometrics

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RealSense, a pioneer in AI-powered computer vision, today announced its successful spinout from Intel Corporation and the close of a $50 million Series A funding round. With investment led by a renowned semiconductor private equity firm and participation from strategic investors, including Intel Capital and MediaTek Innovation Fund, RealSense now operates as an independent company focused on advancing innovation in AI, robotics, biometrics and computer vision. 

https://realsenseai.com/news-insights/news/realsense-completes-spin-out-from-intel-raises-50-million-to-accelerate-ai-powered-vision-for-robotics-and-biometrics/

TC - Rivian spinoff Also raises another $200M to build e-bikes and more

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“Also Inc., the micromobility startup spun out of Rivian earlier this year, has raised $200 million from Greenoaks Capital, according to a new report from Bloomberg News.

The funding round brings Also’s post-money valuation to $1 billion. The startup raised $105 million from Eclipse Ventures earlier this year when it was cleaved from Rivian.”

https://techcrunch.com/2025/07/08/rivian-spinoff-also-raises-another-200m-to-build-e-bikes-and-more/

WSJ - A Glucose Monitor for Someone Without Diabetes: Optimal or Overkill?

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The latest smart wearable got under my skin.

Two weeks ago, I used an applicator with an intimidating needle to lodge a tiny wire into the back of my arm. Since then, the sensor has sent my blood-sugar levels to my phone every 15 minutes.

The high-tech patch is a continuous glucose monitor—well-known by people with diabetes, but now available to others. Stelo by Dexcom DXCM -0.30%decrease; red down pointing triangle was the first over-the-counter monitor approved by the Food and Drug Administration last year. Abbott’s Lingo is another option. Both are for adults who don’t take insulin, and part of a growing slate of sensors for health-curious people.

https://www.wsj.com/tech/personal-tech/wearable-glucose-monitor-stelo-dexcom-6655e84d?mod=hp_listc_pos2

The Economist - Welcome to the AI trough of disillusionment

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“When the chief executive of a large tech firm based in San Francisco shares a drink with the bosses of his Fortune 500 clients, he often hears a similar message. “They’re frustrated and disappointed. They say: ‘I don’t know why it’s taking so long. I’ve spent money on this. It’s not happening’”.

For many companies, excitement over the promise of generative artificial intelligence (ai) has given way to vexation over the difficulty of making productive use of the technology. According to s&p Global, a data provider, the share of companies abandoning most of their generative-ai pilot projects has risen to 42%, up from 17% last year. The boss of Klarna, a Swedish buy-now, pay-later provider, recently admitted that he went too far in using the technology to slash customer-service jobs, and is now rehiring humans for the roles.”

https://www.economist.com/business/2025/05/21/welcome-to-the-ai-trough-of-disillusionment

NYT - I’m a LinkedIn Executive. I See the Bottom Rung of the Career Ladder Breaking.

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“There are growing signs that artificial intelligence poses a real threat to a substantial number of the entry-level jobs that normally serve as the first step for each new generation of young workers. Uncertainty around tariffs and global trade are only likely to accelerate that pressure, just as millions of 2025 graduates enter the work force.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/19/opinion/linkedin-ai-entry-level-jobs.html

NYTimes - China Has an Army of Robots on Its Side in the Tariff War

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China’s secret weapon in the trade war is an army of factory robots, powered by artificial intelligence, that have revolutionized manufacturing.

Factories are being automated across China at a breakneck pace. With engineers and electricians tending to fleets of robots, these operations are bringing down the cost of manufacturing while improving quality.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/23/business/china-tariffs-robots-automation.html

WIRED - Why It’s Impossible for Most Small Businesses to Manufacture in the US

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Dallas-based small business owner Allen Walton says he just sold out of one of his products, a surveillance camera used by law enforcement and private detectives. That would normally be great news for Walton’s electronics company, SpyGuy, which specializes in gadgets like GPS trackers and hidden camera detectors. But thanks to the Trump administration’s ever-shifting tariff policies, Walton says he doesn’t know if he should replenish his stock. His products are mostly manufactured in southern China, and the new additional 145 percent tariff on Chinese imports will completely change the economics of his business.

https://www.wired.com/story/tariffs-small-businesses-why-make-things-in-china/?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=aud-dev&utm_brand=wired&utm_social-type=owned&utm_content=linkedin-newsletter

Fast Company - The most innovative design companies of 2025

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Skip may very well sell you your first exoskeleton. After spinning out of Google X in 2023, the robotics company developed what it dubs an “e-bike for hiking” called Mo/Go (which is short for “mountain goat.”) It’s a pair of robotic bracers that move along with your stride, relieving half the effort of each step.

https://www.fastcompany.com/91269304/design-most-innovative-companies-2025

Undocumented commands found in Bluetooth chip used by a billion devices

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The ubiquitous ESP32 microchip made by Chinese manufacturer Espressif and used by over 1 billion units as of 2023 contains undocumented commands that could be leveraged for attacks.

The undocumented commands allow spoofing of trusted devices, unauthorized data access, pivoting to other devices on the network, and potentially establishing long-term persistence.

https://www-bleepingcomputer-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/undocumented-backdoor-found-in-bluetooth-chip-used-by-a-billion-devices/amp/

TechCrunch - Are your noise-canceling headphones messing with your head?

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We all know headphones can be bad for your hearing if you listen to sounds too loudly in close proximity to your ears. But a BBC report suggests that a new health scare could be emerging around the noise-canceling feature that’s hugely popular in modern earphones.

https://techcrunch.com/2025/02/17/are-your-noise-canceling-headphones-messing-with-your-head/

WSJ - How Trump’s Tariffs on China Changed U.S. Trade, in Charts

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China is no longer the main source for U.S. imports. Mexico took its place last year. 

That seismic shift started in 2018 after President Trump signed into law a round of tariffson many Chinese imports during his first term. And he has promised to impose another round of tariffs after he returns to the White House in January.

https://www.wsj.com/economy/trade/how-trumps-tariffs-on-china-changed-u-s-trade-in-charts-bb5b5d53?mod=hp_listb_pos1