Posts

India’s ED summons Google and Meta in online betting, money laundering probe: Report

Image
India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) has reportedly summoned executives from Google and Meta to appear on July 21, 2025, as part of an ongoing investigation into online betting platforms and alleged money laundering. The agency is examining whether the two tech giants allowed illegal betting apps to advertise on their platforms and received payments that may have originated from unlawful activities, reports Reuters. The case is being investigated under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as several of these betting platforms (operating under names like VMoney, VM Trading, Standard Trades Ltd, iBull Capital Ltd, LotusBook, 11Starss, and GameBetLeague) are accused of laundering large sums of money by routing payments through unregulated channels. The investigative agency also believes that companies running these apps used Google and Meta to reach a wide audience in the country, despite existing government advisories against promoting gambling-related conte...
Post a Comment
Read more

Perplexity could have its ‘Comet’ AI browser pre-installed on some smartphones

Image
Perplexity, the Nvidia-backed AI search startup, is in discussions with major smartphone makers — aka OEMs — to pre-install its new mobile browser, Comet , on upcoming devices. The company aims to either have Comet set as the default browser or offer it as an optional built-in app, reports Reuters.  This latest strategy mirrors the one that helped Google dominate the mobile internet. Chrome comes pre-installed on nearly all Android devices, and similarly, Safari is deeply integrated into Apple’s iPhones. Together, these two browsers control around 94% of the global mobile browser market. And now, Perplexity is trying to make a place for itself in the highly competitive browser market by offering something different. Notably, as per the AI startup, Comet is not a traditional browser. It is designed to act like a personal assistant that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help users do more than just browse the web. Built on the Chromium engine (the same one used by Chrome and ot...
Post a Comment
Read more

Crypto market cap breaches $4 trillion mark as US passes stablecoin bill

Image
The collective valuation of crypto-assets pushed past the $4 trillion mark for the first time this week, a development primarily influenced by a rally in various alternative digital currencies and legislative momentum emanating from the US. Data from CoinGecko indicated the total crypto market capitalization reached approximately $4.003 trillion on Thursday. Bitcoin, the leading cryptocurrency , currently accounts for nearly 60% of this total market value. Market participants are increasing their positions in options contracts. Fadi Aboualfa, head of research at Copper, commented on Bitcoin’s trajectory, stating that its ascent to $150,000 appears “increasingly inevitable.” Aboualfa further suggested that if current capital inflows persist, even during the typically quieter summer months, Bitcoin could reach $140,000 by September and potentially advance towards $150,000 in early October. Data from Deribit indicates elevated open interest in Bitcoin options at the $130,000 strike pric...
Post a Comment
Read more

Perplexity overtakes ChatGPT to become most downloaded iOS app in India after Airtel deal

Image
Perplexity has become the most downloaded app on the iOS App Store in India, overtaking ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and other major apps. The sudden rise in downloads follows a recent partnership with Bharti Airtel, through which Airtel is offering its customers a free one-year subscription to Perplexity Pro. The subscription, normally priced at $20 (~ ₹1,700) per month, is available to all Airtel users (including prepaid, postpaid, broadband, and DTH customers). It can be claimed through the Airtel Thanks app and is valid until January 17, 2026. Notably, Perplexity’s Pro version offers expanded features beyond the basic version, including access to advanced AI models like GPT-4.1, Claude, Grok 4, and the company’s own Sonar model. It also provides faster response times, the ability to analyse files and images, and support for more complex queries. Pro users can try experimental tools through Perplexity Labs , which include early versions of AI features designed for tasks like building ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Netflix revenue rises by 16% in Q2 2025, raises full-year revenue

Image
Netflix reported a decent performance for the second quarter of the year – in its report, the streaming service giant revealed that it has clocked a 16% increase in revenue. The streaming service revised its full-year revenue outlook upward, now projecting a range between $44.8 billion and $45.2 billion. This updated forecast surpasses the prior guidance of $43.5 billion to $44.5 billion. The streaming service added that its members accumulated over 95 billion hours of content viewing during the first half of the year, marking a 1% increase from the prior year. For the three-month period concluding in June, Netflix reported diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $7.19, a figure that exceeded the $7.08 consensus estimate from analysts compiled by LSEG. Overall, the total revenue for the period amounted to $11.08 billion, barely moving past analyst estimates of $11.07 billion. Net income during this timeframe was $3.1 billion, equivalent to $7.19 per share. This represents a considerable...
Post a Comment
Read more

Amazon lays off hundreds of employees from cloud unit AWS amid restructuring: Report

Image
Amazon has reportedly laid off several hundred employees from its cloud computing division, Amazon Web Services (AWS), as part of a restructuring effort. The layoffs primarily impacted specialist teams that help customers design and implement AWS services, reports Reuters. Employees affected by the layoffs were notified on Thursday (July 17) morning. Several reported being locked out of company systems shortly after receiving email notifications, with little warning in advance. This round of layoffs reflects a wider trend across Amazon under CEO Andy Jassy . In recent years, Jassy has pushed to make the company leaner and more efficient, with a particular emphasis on removing unnecessary layers of management. Even he recently spoke about the growing role of generative AI within Amazon. Jassy stated that AI would gradually replace some corporate roles to improve efficiency. However, the statement drew backlash from employees who were concerned about potential job losses. According ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Uber invests $300Mn in EV maker ‘Lucid’, teams up with ‘Nuro’ to launch a massive robotaxi fleet

Image
Uber has announced a $300 million investment in electric vehicle company Lucid Motors as part of a major plan to launch a new fleet of self-driving electric taxis (aka robotaxis). The partnership also includes Nuro, a California-based tech company that specializes in autonomous driving systems. Under the agreement, the ride-hailing giant will also purchase at least 20,000 of Lucid’s upcoming Gravity SUVs, which will be equipped with Nuro’s self-driving technology and used as robotaxis through Uber’s app. The first batch of the Uber-Lucid-Nuro robotaxi fleet is expected to hit the streets in 2026. Uber plans to deploy the fleet initially in at least one major US city, although the specific cities under consideration have not yet been announced. The robotaxis will be powered by Level 4 autonomous driving systems, which means they will be able to operate without a human driver under specific conditions. Lucid will manufacture the vehicles at its factory in Arizona, where they will be b...
Post a Comment
Read more