Amazon Echo Show 10 Review

Tech News Recap: February 24, 2021

A review of Amazon's latest smart home innovation, updates from Airbnb regarding search functionality, and news of further funding for Hopin highlight today’s key developments. This is a summary of the Daily Crunch for February 24, 2021.

Amazon Echo Show 10 Review

Brian Heater recently evaluated Amazon’s new smart home device, with a specific focus on the rotating screen that adjusts to the user’s position. His assessment indicates the screen operates with both smoothness and silence, though he also suggests it feels somewhat “unnecessary” and can even be “downright unnerving,” particularly concerning privacy implications.

Ultimately, Brian’s conclusion is that the $249 device represents “a well-constructed, appealing addition to the Show lineup, and one that is easily moved in a traditional manner.”

Updates from Tech Giants

Airbnb is preparing for a shift in travel trends following the COVID-19 pandemic by introducing flexible search options – This new feature will enable users to search for lodging without specifying exact dates.

YouTube is introducing new parental control features designed for families with older children and teenagers – The platform announced a dedicated experience for users who have outgrown YouTube Kids but aren’t yet ready for unrestricted access to the full YouTube platform.

Google Cloud is streamlining its Kubernetes Engine with an autopilot feature – This new functionality delegates much of the daily management of container clusters to Google’s engineering teams and automated systems.

Startup Funding and Venture Capital

Investment firms are reportedly pursuing Hopin with a valuation potentially reaching $5-6 billion – Sources indicate the company is nearing the completion of a $400 million fundraising round.

Primary Venture Partners has secured $150 million for its third fund, dedicated to supporting startups in New York City – The firm’s previous investments include Jet.com (acquired by Walmart for $3.3 billion), Mirror (acquired by Lululemon for $500 million), and Latch (preparing for a public offering via SPAC).

Joby Aviation is entering the public market through a merger with a SPAC – The company has dedicated over a decade to developing a fully electric, vertical take-off and landing passenger aircraft.

Insights from Extra Crunch

Key principles of venture investing are explored – Alex Iskold of 2048 Ventures shares his observations.

Expert advice on immigration options for tech professionals – The latest installment of “Dear Sophie” addresses questions regarding immigration processes for individuals working in the technology sector.

The potential of solid-state batteries for the next generation of electric vehicles is examined – Developers have been promising safer, lighter, and more powerful solid-state battery systems for the past decade.

(Extra Crunch is a membership program designed to help founders and startup teams succeed. Sign up here.)

Additional News

Europe initiates efforts to establish a framework for improved gig work conditions – The European Union has begun a consultation process involving gig platforms and workers.

The Equity podcast is expanding its content – Expect more from Equity!

Techstars’ Neal Sáles-Griffin will be a speaker at TechCrunch Early Stage 2021, discussing accelerators – Neal brings a comprehensive perspective to the industry, having experience as an educator, advisor, investor, and repeat co-founder.

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