Sarah Perez
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Technical interview platform Byteboard spins out of Google’s Area 120, takes on new funding
Byteboard, a service designed to replace the pre-onsite technical interview part of a company’s hiring process with a web-based alternative, will be spinning out of Google, TechCrunch learned an
Instagram ditches the IGTV brand, combines everything but Reels into an ‘Instagram Video’ format
Instagram head Adam Mosseri recently said was “no longer a photo-sharing app,” noting the company was prioritizing a shift into video amid significant competition from TikTok and YouTube.
Mark Cuban-backed live entertainment app Fireside launches to creators
Amid a deluge of new creator platforms, a startup called Fireside is launching today with what it believes will be a compelling proposition for professional creators in need of a more robust set of to
Stories as a service: Storyteller lets anyone add Stories to their own apps or website
Pioneered by Snapchat and cloned by Instagram, the “Stories” feature has become a staple for modern-day mobile apps, from Google search to Pinterest to streaming apps and more. And while t
Netflix brings its shuffle mode feature, ‘Play Something,’ to Android users worldwide
Netflix is today officially launching a new feature for its Android users that will make it easier to find something to watch when you can’t make a decision. The feature, called “Play Some
Amazon will allow US Prime members to send gifts using only an email or phone number
In preparation for the holiday shopping season, Amazon today announced a convenient new way to send gifts through its mobile app. Instead of entering the recipient’s mailing address — a pi
This Week in Apps: TikTok shops for advertisers, Microsoft makes app store changes, Apple’s apps get reviews
Welcome back to This Week in Apps, the weekly TechCrunch series that recaps the latest in mobile OS news, mobile applications and the overall app economy. The app industry continues to grow, with a
TikTok’s new ad products invite users to interact with taps, swipes, likes and more
TikTok this week presented its new plan to ramp up advertiser investment in its video platform with the expansion of e-commerce, a new promise of “brand safety” and the launch of several n
TikTok Shopping expands with more partnerships, LIVE Shopping, new ads and more
TikTok is expanding its investment in e-commerce. Earlier this year, the video platform began piloting TikTok Shopping in the U.S., U.K. and Canada, in partnership with Shopify. The deal allowed Shopi
Google adds new ways to shop, like turning a website’s photos into shoppable products
Google today introduced new ways to shop through its platform, including both online and via its Google Search mobile app. In an update coming soon to the Google Search app for iPhone, the company wil
Google Search update will provide more context about websites, including descriptions and what others say
Google is making a change to its search results with the goal of improving the media literacy of online users. The company is expanding the capabilities of its “About this Result” feature,
Google is redesigning Search using AI technologies and new features
Google announced today it will be applying AI advancements, including a new technology called Multitask Unified Model (MUM) to improve Google Search. At the company’s Search On event, the compan
Google introduces a new way to search that combines images and text into one query
Earlier this year, at Google’s I/O annual developer conference, the company introduced a new AI milestone called Multitask Unified Model, or MUM. This technology can simultaneously understand in
Facebook Reels exits beta in the US with offers to pay creators for well-performing videos
After launching into beta tests just last month, Facebook today is rolling out Reels to all Facebook users in the U.S. on both iOS and Android. The feature, Facebook’s response to TikTok, allows
Amazon launches an elder care subscription service, ‘Alexa Together’
Amazon today announced a new subscription service called “Alexa Together,” designed for families with aging family members who are still living independently, but who may need extra suppor
Alexa’s new features will let users personalize the AI to their own needs
Amazon is preparing to roll out a trio of new features that will allow consumers to further personalize their Alexa experience by helping train the Alexa AI using simple tools. In a few months’
Amazon introduces Amazon Glow, an interactive, video calling device for kids and families
Amazon today introduced Amazon Glow, a new, interactive device aimed at families that allows kids to interact with family members and other remote loved ones over video calls. While something of a com
Disney and Amazon partner on a custom voice assistant, ‘Hey, Disney!’ and Echo rollout to Walt Disney World Resort hotels
Amazon, for the first time, is making another voice assistant available on Echo devices. The company at its fall event today announced a new voice assistant, “Hey, Disney,” developed by Di
Netflix launches new mobile games in Poland, Italy and Spain as a members-only perk
Netflix is expanding its mobile gaming push with the launch of three more gaming titles which will become exclusively available to Netflix members in select European markets. The company today is intr
Apple Maps rolls out 3D view to London, LA, New York and San Francisco
Apple is bringing its 3D maps to more cities within the Apple Maps app, including London, LA, New York and San Francisco. The experience, launching with iOS 15, follows several years of investment in