The article then moves on to discuss various government actions related to technology. The Chinese government is upset over a U.S. ban on funding for semiconductors, microelectronics, quantum computing, and AI. In India, the government's plan to restrict laptops, tablets, and other personal computers to boost local manufacturers was met with backlash and has been delayed. The EU is also scrutinizing TikTok's new "For You" feed and Adobe's $20 billion acquisition of Figma. The article concludes with a roundup of popular stories on TechCrunch, including the shutdown of spyware maker LetMeSpy, speculation over the sale of the domain AI.com, and Lyft's plan to eliminate surge pricing.
Key takeaways:
- The internet recently buzzed with the possibility of room-temperature superconductors after a team of researchers in South Korea claimed to have developed one. However, the material they claimed to have used, lead apatite, is not known to be a superconductor or even conductive at all.
- Bitcoin is back to nearly $30,000 and the web3 is maturing, allowing for more serious conversations about blockchains without focusing on pyramid schemes. However, venture funding for the sector has declined for the seventh straight quarter.
- Several governments are trying to regulate technology, with mixed results. The Chinese government is upset about a U.S. funding ban on certain technologies, while the Indian government has faced backlash for trying to restrict personal computers to boost local manufacturers.
- Some of the most popular articles on TechCrunch this week included a story about spyware maker LetMeSpy shutting down after a hacker deleted server data, speculation about the sale of the domain AI.com, and news that Lyft wants to eliminate surge pricing.