BMW Backtracks From Charging Subscriptions for Heated Seats
BMW AG has abandoned charging customers subscription fees for heated seats in an early indication there will be
2023-09-13 14:16
Twitter rival Bluesky hits new milestone
Bluesky has hit a new milestone as it has passed over one million registered users. The social media platform, created by Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey, has surged in popularity as an alternative to X after users sought to leave the Elon Musk-owned app. Under Mr Musk, Twitter has been rebranded as X. Bluesky hit the milestone on Tuesday, with Rose Wang, who works on strategy and operations at the platform, sharing a screenshot of the moment it gained over a million users. Bluesky still seems to be in its early stages, taking a careful approach and growing slowly as it caters to its cohort of initial adopters. Choosing this cautious approach, access to the app is extended via a waitlist and through invitations from existing users. The app was first announced by Mr Dorsey when he was still in charge of Twitter, tasking developers to build a “decentralised standard” for social media. “The biggest and long-term goal is to build a durable and open protocol for public conversation. That it not be owned by any one organisation but contributed by as many as possible. And that it is born and evolved on the internet with the same principles,” Mr Dorsey wrote on the app in 2020. Bluesky has seen upticks in requests for signups following Mr Musk’s takeover of X, as the Tesla titan brought about sweeping changes to his platform, including initiating mass layoffs, the removal of blue checkmarks for non-paying users and modifications to content rules. At one point in July, Bluesky had to halt sign-ups due to a huge surge in demand, following Mr Musk imposing limits on the number of tweets people could read on X – a move that was later reversed. Bluesky’s approach to carefully onboard users is also in contrast to Meta’s Threads platform, which has emerged as another one of Twitter’s competitors in recent times. Meta’s decision to cross-promote Threads to existing Instagram users led to the app racking up close to 30 million signups in less than 24 hours, and over 100 million users within the first five days. But even with the recent roll-out of a web app – a much-anticipated feature – Threads’ traffic appears to be on a worrying dip, with its number of daily active users much lower than during its heyday just after it launched. Read More Elon Musk’s Twitter slows down access to rival websites $44 billion and eight months later. It’s finally all over for Elon Musk Musk, Zuckerberg and the bitter battle for the future of social media Volcano discovery could power electric cars for decades, scientists say New invention will lead to ‘battery revolution’, scientists say Putin praises Musk days after report Tesla boss stopped Ukrainian attack
2023-09-13 13:29
In closed forum, tech titans to give senators advice on artificial intelligence
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has been talking for several months about accomplishing a potentially impossible task: Passing bipartisan legislation within the next year that both encourages the rapid development of artificial intelligence and also mitigates its biggest risks
2023-09-13 12:21
Binance US CEO Departs as Crypto Platform Cuts Third of Staff
Binance.US Chief Executive Officer Brian Shroder has left the crypto trading platform and been replaced on an interim
2023-09-13 11:59
‘Final Fantasy’ Maker’s 30% Plunge May Be Just the Beginning
Square Enix Holdings Co. has shed nearly $2 billion of its value since Final Fantasy XVI, the latest
2023-09-13 11:50
Fund Managers See Water Risk in Semiconductor Bets Being Mispriced
Investors in semiconductor stocks face a growing threat to industry valuations: a chronic shortage of water. For Abrdn
2023-09-13 11:45
Sydney Blanketed in Toxic Smoke for Days Following Planned Burns
Sydney ranked in the top five most polluted cities in the world for air quality on Wednesday, as
2023-09-13 11:19
BP Chief’s Surprise Exit Leaves Questions Over Green Strategy
The abrupt resignation of BP chief Bernard Looney marks the loss of an executive who pushed for a
2023-09-13 10:46
Welcome to the Crazy World of China’s Lithium Mine Auctions
Welcome to the world of China’s lithium auctions, where vast numbers of bids are placed, firms end up
2023-09-13 10:45
Apple’s iPhone Price Bump Is Part of Subtle Revenue-Boosting Strategy
Apple Inc. enacted its long-awaited iPhone price increase with as much subtlety as possible, part of an effort
2023-09-13 09:57
Binance.US CEO Shroder to leave, 100 positions to be cut
Binance.US Chief Executive Brian Shroder will leave the company and be replaced by general counsel Norman Reed on
2023-09-13 09:47
Crypto Firm Ripple Says Over 80% of Hiring This Year Outside US
Ripple Labs Inc. said more than 80% of its hiring this year will be outside the US, where
2023-09-13 09:29