Today’s top tech news: Kabosu, the Dogecoin meme Shiba Inu, dies at 18; Zimbabwe approves Musk’s Starlink internet service; NASA and Boeing clear Starliner’s crew flight.
Blockchain
1. Kabosu, the face of cryptocurrency Dogecoin, dies at 18, owner says
Kabosu, the Shiba Inu behind the Dogecoin meme, has died at 18. Her owner announced her peaceful passing. Kabosu’s image became central to Dogecoin, which surged in value after Elon Musk’s tweets in 2020. (Reuters)
IT infrastructure
2. Zimbabwe approves licensing of Musk’s Starlink internet service
Zimbabwe has approved licensing for Elon Musk’s Starlink, enabling high-speed, low-cost internet across the country, especially rural areas. Starlink, partnering with IMC Communications, aims to boost internet access from the current 34.8%. (Reuters)
3. NASA, Boeing clear two technical hurdles for Starliner’s debut crew flight
Boeing and NASA resolved two technical issues with the Starliner spacecraft, clearing it for its first crewed mission on June 1. A helium leak and a design vulnerability were addressed, ensuring safety for astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore. (Yahoo!Finance)
Tech trends
4. Airlines, hotels, retailers fear being left out in Google’s search changes
European lobbying groups for airlines, hotels, and retailers urge EU regulators to consider their interests under the Digital Markets Act. They fear Google’s compliance measures may inadvertently favour large online platforms. (Business Today)
5. Google to invest $350 mln in India’s Flipkart, valuing co at $37 bln, source says
Alphabet’s Google will invest $350 million in Walmart-backed Flipkart, valuing the Indian e-commerce firm at $37 billion. This investment, part of a funding round led by Walmart, aims to help Flipkart expand its business and modernise its digital infrastructure. (SEPE)
6. EU data protection board says ChatGPT still not meeting data accuracy standards
OpenAI’s efforts to reduce false outputs from ChatGPT fall short of EU data rules compliance, according to an EU privacy watchdog task force. Despite improved transparency, the task force cited ongoing issues with data accuracy, stressing the potential for biased or inaccurate outputs to be misinterpreted as facts by users. (Yahoo!Finance)
7. Google acquiring HubSpot would bolster bid to challenge Microsoft
Google’s potential $31 billion acquisition of HubSpot would enhance its ability to compete with Microsoft in cloud-based applications. This deal would expand Google’s business offerings and make it a stronger player in customer relationship management, a sector dominated by Microsoft’s Dynamics 365. (GDN Online)
8. Nokia unveils partnership with Baktelecom
Nokia announced that Baktelecom, Azerbaijan’s state-owned operator, is deploying its XGS-PON solution to provide gigabit services across Azerbaijan. Starting in Baku, the deployment began in March 2024, offering 10Gb/s broadband connections. (Trend)
9. Tesh Durvasula appointed CEO of AtlasEdge
AtlasEdge has appointed Tesh Durvasula as CEO, succeeding Giuliano Di Vitantonio, who becomes chairman. Durvasula, previously CEO of Africa Data Centres, will lead AtlasEdge’s next growth phase. (DCD)
AI
10. Elon Musk plans xAI supercomputer, The Information reports
Elon Musk’s AI startup xAI plans to build a supercomputer by fall 2025 to power the next version of its AI chatbot Grok, potentially partnering with Oracle. The supercomputer, utilising Nvidia’s H100 GPUs, will be four times larger than existing GPU clusters. (CNBC)
11. Dell hits record high amid rally in AI stocks
Dell Technologies shares hit a record high on Friday, boosted by optimism for generative AI applications. Following Nvidia’s strong results, Dell’s AI-oriented PCs and servers, developed with Nvidia, fueled investor confidence. (Aol.)
12. Intuit lifts annual forecasts on demand for AI-powered financial products
Intuit reported increased third-quarter revenue and raised its annual forecast, driven by strong demand for its AI-integrated products like TurboTax, Credit Karma, and QuickBooks. (Yahoo!Tech)
13. OpenAI and News Corp partnership marks ‘significant evolution’ for AI and news
News Corp and OpenAI have announced a multi-year agreement granting OpenAI access to News Corp’s content for use in AI responses and product enhancements. (News Corp)
AR/VR
14. CEO Barra backs GM’s push for autonomous vehicles
General Motors CEO Mary Barra reiterated the company’s commitment to autonomous vehicles, emphasising their potential to enhance road safety through AI and machine learning. (WION)
IoT
15. Rohde & Schwarz leads with verified NTN NB-IoT test cases at GCF meeting
At the recent Conformance Agreement Group (CAG) meeting #78 of the Global Certification Forum (GCF), Rohde & Schwarz verified NTN NB-IoT test cases for RF and RRM, meeting all approval criteria. (IoT Now)
16. Cellular IoT data traffic to reach 110.8 EB by 2028
According to Omdia’s latest research, cellular IoT data traffic is expected to reach 110.8 exabytes by 2028, driven by the automotive sector’s demand for infotainment and firmware updates. (IoT Now)
