CrowdStrike’s replace fail causes international outages and journey chaos

This week noticed one of many most widespread IT disruptions lately linked to a defective software program replace from standard cybersecurity agency CrowdStrike. Companies the world over reported IT outages, together with Home windows “blue display screen of loss of life” errors on their computer systems, impacting airways, banks, retailers, brokerage homes, media corporations and railway networks.

OpenAI launched GPT-4o mini, a pared down model of its newest flagship mannequin. In accordance with the corporate, the brand new mannequin is meant to be greater than 60% cheaper than GPT 3.5 Turbo and can be helpful for easy, high-volume duties. GPT-4o has begun rolling out to builders and shoppers by way of the ChatGPT net and cellular apps, with enterprise customers anticipated to realize entry subsequent week. 

The USPS was caught sharing the postal addresses of its on-line prospects with Meta, LinkedIn and Snap. TechCrunch discovered that prospects’ data was shared by means of hidden data-collecting code used throughout its web site, together with the addresses of logged-in Knowledgeable Supply prospects. The USPS stated it addressed the problem and stopped the apply, claiming that it was “unaware” of it.


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Information

PartnerOne pays a fraction for HeadSpin: The Canadian non-public fairness agency paid $28.2 million for HeadSpin, a fraction of its $1.1 billion valuation, paperwork seen by TechCrunch reveal. In April, HeadSpin’s founder was sentenced to 18 months in jail for fraud. Learn extra

Alphabet could be shopping for Wiz: Alphabet is reportedly in superior talks to amass cloud safety service Wiz for round $23 billion. If the deal goes by way of, it’s going to mark the corporate’s largest acquisition up to now. Learn extra

People spent large on Prime Day: Amazon’s Prime Day occasion resulted in file gross sales this yr, with U.S. shoppers spending $14.2 billion throughout July 16 and 17, in response to Adobe Analytics. Learn extra

Wordle for studying chess: Echo Chunk created an AI-powered day by day sport known as Echo Chess that can assist you enhance your chess abilities — and it simply raised $1.4 million. Learn extra

Kaspersky shuts down within the U.S.: The Russian cybersecurity big will lay off dozens of employees and depart the U.S. market following a authorities order banning the sale of the corporate’s software program as a consequence of alleged safety dangers. Learn extra

Elon Musk doubles down on Texas: Musk is vowing to maneuver SpaceX and X to Texas, calling the passage of a California invoice that prohibits faculties from disclosing college students’ sexuality or gender identification with out their consent “the ultimate straw.” Learn extra

Would you’re taking a robotaxi to the airport? Waymo is ramping up efforts to get approval to facilitate robotaxi pickups and drop-offs on the San Francisco Worldwide Airport, in response to emails considered by TechCrunch. Learn extra

Watch The Weeknd on the Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional: Apple is teasing new content material for the Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional, together with a brief movie in regards to the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend sport in Indianapolis and an immersive live performance by The Weeknd. Learn extra

Moon cave! Scientists have recognized what they consider is an accessible tunnel or cave on the moon. If actual, such a characteristic may outline years of growth by startups, governments and area corporations aiming to create an enduring lunar colony. Learn extra

Cool new headphones simply dropped: Dyson’s new retro-looking OnTrac headphones are nearly infinitely customizable — and so they tout a powerful battery lifetime of 55 hours with ANC turned on. Learn extra

Evaluation

Hank Inexperienced reckons with the creator economic system: Hank Inexperienced began making YouTube movies in 2007 together with his brother, novelist John Inexperienced, at a time when Myspace was nonetheless related and Instagram didn’t exist. Seventeen years later, posting movies on the web is now not only a pastime, but in addition a $250 billion business. In a wide-ranging dialog, Amanda Silberling spoke with Inexperienced about creator solidarity, loneliness on social media, and the companies behind all of it. Learn extra

Are female-founded startups getting left behind? To this point this yr, corporations with all-women founding groups have raised 2.2% of the enterprise capital allotted for the yr. Information reveals that all-women founding groups have by no means raised greater than 3% in VC funding since not less than 2014 and that for the previous 4 years, all-women founding groups have raised nearly 2% in VC funding. Dominic-Madori Davis explores how this disparity exists when the quantity of capital allotted to U.S. startups has hit file heights. Learn extra