Technology

by Richard Trenholm on March 26, 2019 at 8:18 am

Commentary: Apple's new streaming service is packed with stars, but none look like must-see TV. […]

by Theodore Schleifer on March 26, 2019 at 7:08 am

What is Uber? It’s an amalgamation of a bunch of Ubers of other countries. In a startup’s final weeks as a private company, there is a strong incentive to play it safe: no major executive departures, no last-minute strategy shifts, and no billion-dollar acquisitions. Be still, applecart. Uber isn’t hewing to that conservatism. The company on Tuesday announced a $3.1 billion deal to buy Careem, Uber’s principal competitor in the Middle East, which is expected to close early next year. The acquisition has leaked out over several months so it’s not a terrific surprise, but that it would announce such a deal so close to the IPO speaks to a way in which possible public market investors should evaluate Uber when they have the chance to buy or short the stock in a few weeks. To bet on Uber — as is increasingly clear with this Careem purchase — is to bet not on Uber but on a global ride-hailing spoke model in which San Francisco-based Uber Technologies, Inc is merely the hub. To believe in Uber is to believe in the Uber of the Middle East, Careem, 100 percent of which is now owned by Uber. It is to believe in the Uber of Russia, Yandex, 37 percent of which was owned by Uber. It is to believe in the Uber of Southeast Asia, Grab, 28 percent of which was owned by Uber. And it is to believe in the Uber of China, Didi Chuxing, 20 percent of which was owned by Uber. Those companies, like Uber, match drivers with riders and take a cut of the booking as revenue. Not all of these ownership positions reflect Uber’s intentionality or came from a position of strength, for what it’s worth. Its stakes in Yandex, Grab, and Didi came after bleeding billions of dollars in a battle for market share only to sell their overseas operations and retreat back to the United States. Uber has also reportedly had talks to sell its India operation to Ola (you guessed it, the Uber of India). Uber’s market value — pitched by bankers as high as $120 billion — obviously would not be as high without its valuable stakes in those rival companies. But will those ride-hailing juggernauts fare well as standalone companies when they go public themselves? That’s a question that public market investors will be asking themselves in the next few weeks. If not, there’s always Lyft — with a limited international footprint, no overseas stakes, and its own IPO later this week. […]

on March 26, 2019 at 7:01 am

Ryan Browne / CNBC:Uber to acquire Middle East rival Careem in a $3.1B deal with $1.7B in convertible notes and $1.4B in cash  —  - Uber's $3.1 billion agreement to buy Careem consists of $1.7 billion in convertible notes and $1.4 billion in cash.  — Dubai-based Careem claims more than 30 million registered users […]

on March 26, 2019 at 6:59 am

Global ride-hailing firm Uber Technologies Inc will spend $3.1 billion to acquire Middle East rival Careem, buying dominance in a competitive region ahead of a hotly anticipated initial public offering. […]

on March 26, 2019 at 6:59 am

Saudi Technology Ventures (STV) said on Tuesday Uber's deal with Careem will help the Middle East ride hailing firm expand its customer base even further and continue to develop the regional economy. […]

on March 26, 2019 at 6:54 am

Video-streaming firm iQIYI Inc, backed by search engine giant Baidu, is looking to raise $1.05 billion in convertible bonds in what is likely to be one of the largest ever such sales by a U.S.-listed Chinese company. […]

by KATE CONGER on March 26, 2019 at 6:45 am

The $3.1 billion deal, a break from Uber’s approach in some other regions, will give the ride-hailing company a strong foothold in the area ahead of its expected public offering. […]

by NICHOLAS ST. FLEUR on March 26, 2019 at 6:30 am

You've probably never seen water do this. […]

on March 26, 2019 at 5:45 am

Wolfie Zhao / CoinDesk:Cryptocurrency mining equipment maker Bitmain's application for an IPO on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange has now officially expired  —  Cryptocurrency mining equipment maker Bitmain's application for an initial public offering (IPO) on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) has officially lapsed […]

on March 26, 2019 at 5:30 am

One of the main groups representing Muslims in France said on Monday it was suing Facebook and YouTube, accusing them of inciting violence by allowing the streaming of footage of the Christchurch massacre on their platforms. […]

by Scott Stein on March 26, 2019 at 4:12 am

The Vive Focus Plus arrives April 15, for $799. […]

by BEN DOOLEY on March 26, 2019 at 3:36 am

Weaker demand for smartphones in China and elsewhere has put increasing pressure on the gadget industry. […]

on March 26, 2019 at 3:25 am

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said on Tuesday first-quarter profit would likely miss market expectations due to falls in chip prices and slowing demand for display panels, in an unprecedented statement ahead of its earnings guidance. […]

on March 26, 2019 at 2:40 am

Dean Takahashi / VentureBeat:HTC's Vive Focus Plus standalone VR headset, aimed at enterprises, will go on sale for $800 starting April 15 in 25 global markets and will support 19 languages  —  HTC announced today that it will sell its Vive Focus Plus standalone virtual reality headset for $800 starting April 15. […]

on March 26, 2019 at 2:25 am

Chance Miller / 9to5Mac:Report: Apple News+ will surface WSJ stories of general interest; subscribers will have access to 3 days worth of business and financial news in WSJ's archives  —  Apple News+ was officially announced earlier today, allowing users to pay $9.99 per month for access to 300 magazines and select newspapers. […]

by Nicolas Towner on March 26, 2019 at 2:19 am

CNET Asks: Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox solidifies its position as the largest traditional media company in the world, but is this good for consumers? […]

by JACEY FORTIN and KAREN ZRAICK on March 26, 2019 at 2:05 am

The astronauts, Anne McClain and Christina Koch, will both walk in space — just not together, because only one medium-size torso component is available. […]

on March 26, 2019 at 1:40 am

Anthony Ha / TechCrunch:McDonald's is acquiring Dynamic Yield, which uses machine learning to personalize online shopping such as recommending products; source says deal worth $300M+  —  McDonald's is announcing an agreement to acquire personalization company Dynamic Yield.  —  The announcement does not include a price […]

by Gael Fashingbauer Cooper on March 26, 2019 at 1:35 am

Plan to skip the gallon-sized Icee if you don't want to miss a Marvel-ous minute. […]

by Geek Staff on March 26, 2019 at 1:30 am

Want a GoPro action cam but would rather not spend hundreds of dollars on one? Then try this affordable alternative instead. It offers similar features, comes with all the mounting hardware you’ll need, […] The post Get This GoPro Alternative for Less Than $35 appeared first on Geek.com. […]

on March 26, 2019 at 1:30 am

A federal judge in San Francisco dismissed for the second time a securities fraud lawsuit brought by Tesla Inc shareholders alleging that the company made misleading comments about the production status of its Model 3. […]

by DAISUKE WAKABAYASHI and JOHN KOBLIN on March 26, 2019 at 1:05 am

The iPhone maker is partnering with Hollywood heavyweights and publishers to provide broad new services to its users. […]

by Gael Fashingbauer Cooper on March 26, 2019 at 12:55 am

Kevin Feige, Marvel Studios president says, "We're gonna release the movie at the exact right running time." […]

on March 26, 2019 at 12:40 am

Joshua Benton / Nieman Lab:Apple News+ is a fine way to read magazines, but its UX's roots in Texture makes finding content from newspapers and digital news outlets difficult  —  Few entities have the potential to help improve news production and consumption more than Apple.  This falls short of hopes. […]

by Jackson Ryan on March 26, 2019 at 12:30 am

Look at this absolute unit. […]