Meta Reveals Oakley Smart Glasses - Week in Review

This Week in Tech: A Recap

Greetings and welcome to this week’s technology news summary! This edition features updates on Wix’s recent acquisition, Meta’s innovative smart glasses, a preview of the redesigned Digg platform, and additional noteworthy developments. We wish you a pleasant weekend.

New Developments in Smart Eyewear

Innovative eyewear: Meta has collaborated with Oakley to produce a new generation of smart glasses. These glasses are capable of capturing 3K video, streaming audio, managing phone calls, and processing commands through Meta AI.

These devices are priced starting at $399 and offer twice the battery performance of Meta’s Ray-Ban models. A special limited-edition version, the Oakley Meta HSTN, will be available from July 11th at a cost of $499.

Wix Acquires Promising Startup

Startup acquisition: Wix has completed the acquisition of Base44, a six-month-old startup, for $80 million in cash. Base44 rapidly established itself as a leading no-code AI platform for web application development.

Founded by a single individual, Base44 was already generating profit. Its swift growth and success made it an attractive acquisition target for Wix.

Finland’s Innovative Energy Storage Solution

Sand battery technology: Finland has recently activated the world’s largest sand battery. This unique system utilizes sand to store thermal energy, contributing to the heating needs of the town of Pornainen and reducing carbon emissions.

Constructed from recycled fireplace soapstone and housed within a large silo, the system can retain heat for several weeks. This demonstrates that effective climate change solutions don't always require complex lithium-based technologies; a substantial quantity of heated rocks can be equally effective.

TechCrunch’s Week in Review

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News

A revival is underway: VanMoof has emerged from bankruptcy with the S6, representing its first e-bike since the financial difficulties. The company is maintaining its distinctive, customized design approach, despite this being a contributing factor to its earlier struggles.

Supported by technology from McLaren and an enhanced repair infrastructure, the new VanMoof model aims to deliver a more refined riding experience, intelligent functionalities, and, crucially, reduced instances of cyclists being left stranded.

Power from above: Baiju Bhatt, previously recognized as a co-founder of Robinhood, is currently focused on developing laser technology for space-based applications. His new venture, Aetherflux, has secured $60 million in funding to demonstrate the feasibility of transmitting solar energy from orbit.

A demonstration satellite is scheduled for launch in the coming year, and the project has received initial support from the Department of Defense.

Setback for Starship: A recent test of a SpaceX Starship rocket in Texas resulted in an explosion, likely causing a delay in the vehicle’s next planned launch, which was tentatively scheduled for June 29th.

SpaceX has stated that the incident, attributed to a failure in a pressurized tank, did not result in any injuries. However, it represents another challenge for the company’s ambitious mega-rocket program.

Lossless audio on the horizon?: While Spotify’s lossless audio tier has yet to be released, recent discoveries within the app’s code indicate ongoing development. This suggests a potential launch is approaching.

Despite years of postponements and the absence of a confirmed release date, enthusiasts are advised to remain cautiously optimistic until Spotify provides official confirmation.

Digg’s resurgence: Digg’s latest iteration has entered the alpha testing phase with a new iOS application. The goal is to establish itself as a Reddit alternative in the age of AI.

The app features a streamlined, user-friendly interface, curated communities, AI-driven article summaries, and gamified elements such as “Gems” and daily leaderboards.

Navy seeks innovation: The U.S. Navy is accelerating its collaboration with startups, streamlining processes and prioritizing tangible benefits like time savings and improved personnel morale.

Justin Fanelli, the Department of the Navy CTO, emphasizes a problem-focused approach, actively seeking groundbreaking technologies in areas like AI, GPS, and system enhancements. The Navy is increasingly attracting attention from Silicon Valley innovators.

Money isn't everything: Mark Zuckerberg is reportedly offering substantial financial incentives—potentially up to $100 million—to attract leading AI professionals from OpenAI and DeepMind.

However, OpenAI’s Sam Altman asserts that none of his key personnel have been swayed by the offers, highlighting their commitment to the company’s mission over monetary gain. OpenAI continues to advance its AI models and is even considering the launch of an AI-powered social application.

Recent Developments

A noteworthy event unfolded in San Francisco concerning a new company. Cluely’s celebratory gathering following YC’s AI Startup School gained significant attention on Twitter, attracting an unexpected 2,000 uninvited guests.

Despite the buzz generated by founder Roy Lee’s promotional efforts, the event ultimately became known as “the most legendary party that never happened.” Law enforcement officials intervened, halting the festivities before any beverages could be served.

The anticipated celebration may be postponed. It is possible that conditions will be more favorable when the temperature rises.