10 things in tech you need to know today

OSTN Staff

Google Project Starline 3d virtual chat
Google’s Project Starline is a video booth that enables lifelike video calls.

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1. Google showed off what it’s describing as a “magic window” for lifelike video calls. At its annual I/O conference, Google unveiled Project Starline, a mix of hardware and software that uses 3D imaging and real-time compression to lend greater presence to video meetings. More on the emerging tech here.

2. Elon Musk is no longer the world’s second-richest person. Musk’s wealth took a tumble – he’s now the world’s third-richest person – after Tesla shares fell 24% since a spike in January. More on the Tesla CEO’s slide from the top two.

3. Former Amazon VPs share what practices companies should ditch post-pandemic. Colin Bryar and Bill Carr worked at Amazon for over a decade, and say “impressionistic” hiring and slide-driven meetings should come to an end. They explain why – and offer alternatives.

4. The WarnerMedia-Discovery merger will create one of the largest content libraries in the world. More than 100 brands – including TLC, Chip and Joanna Gaines’ Magnolia Network, and Animal Planet – will exist under one umbrella. These are some of the other brands included in the merger.

5. A spacecraft captured video of massive eruptions on the sun’s surface for the first time. The spacecraft, known as the Solar Orbiter, got footage of the kinds of explosions that can cause hazardous electrical storms on Earth. Check out the video.

6. Dave Portnoy invested $40,000 in cryptocurrency Safemoon – and said “I have no idea how this works.” The altcoin is soaring after the Barstool Sports founder’s admittedly uninformed investment. Read up on Portnoy’s blind allegiance to Safemoon.

7. Amazon wants to acquire MGM, the studio behind James Bond and Rocky, for about $9 billion. This kind of purchase could signal the tech company’s move to expand its Amazon Prime streaming inventory to include MGM’s library of big-name shows. Get the full scoop.

8. Lamborghini said it will make its first fully electric car after 2025. The company will also invest $1.83 billion in a hybrid transition over four years, the largest investment in its history. Plus, a recent study shows electric cars will cost the same as combustion vehicles by 2026.

9. Founders Fund VC Keith Rabois is living a new life in Miami. From instructing at Barry’s Bootcamp to coffee meetings, the investor took us through his daily routine as a self-proclaimed “city ambassador.” Take a look at a day in his life.

10. Serial entrepreneur Woodrow Levin turned a failed fantasy football bet into a unicorn startup. The startup, Extend, is backed by SoftBank and has raised $260 million in funding. Our exclusive report explains how he did it.


Compiled by Jordan Erb. Tips/comments? Email jerb@insider.com or tweet @JordanParkerErb.

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