Carbon removal startup Terradot acquired its competitor Eion, according to TechCrunch, driven by the need to handle large contracts for investors. Meanwhile, Amazon's Alexa app redesign has frustrated users, and The Washington Post, owned by Jeff Bezos, has seen significant job losses and subscription cancellations. Additionally, Roblox implemented age checks on its platform, and Elon Musk merged SpaceX and xAI, potentially reshaping Silicon Valley's power structure.
Terradot's acquisition of Eion was announced recently, as reported by TechCrunch. The sale was primarily motivated by large investors, including sovereign wealth funds, seeking companies capable of managing substantial contracts. Eion CEO Anastasia Pavlovic Hans told The Wall Street Journal that Eion was too small to meet these demands. Both Terradot and Eion utilize enhanced rock weathering (EWR), a process of spreading pulverized rocks on farm fields to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This method, while potentially low-cost, requires large-scale operations. However, a survey by CDR.fyi indicated a wide gap between what EWR companies aim to charge and what buyers are willing to pay.
Roblox introduced mandatory facial verification for accessing chats on its platform. As of January 31, 45 of its daily active users had undergone age checks, according to TechCrunch. This move followed lawsuits from several state attorneys general, including those of Texas, Kentucky, and Louisiana, due to concerns about child safety and exposure to inappropriate content. Users must use the Roblox app, grant camera access, and follow on-screen instructions for facial verification. Roblox stated that it deletes user images and videos after processing, with the verification handled by a third-party vendor, Persona.
Amazon's recent redesign of its Alexa app has led to user dissatisfaction. Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, a senior reviewer, reported in The Verge that the updated user interface has made the shopping list feature difficult to use, prompting her to switch to Apple's Reminders app.
The Washington Post, owned by Jeff Bezos since 2013, has faced significant challenges. According to The Verge, over 300 journalists have lost their jobs, and more than 300,000 subscribers have canceled their subscriptions. The article questioned the motivations behind Bezos's actions, suggesting a negative impact on the publication's reputation.
In other tech news, Elon Musk merged SpaceX and xAI, potentially creating a new power structure in Silicon Valley. TechCrunch noted that with Musk's substantial net worth, the question is how far he will take his personal conglomerate.
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