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True crime has its grip on us all, and Lorenzo’s assessment of “Tracers within the Darkish” is fascinating. Within the ebook, the writer covers how cops go after cybercriminals, and it reveals that there’s hope in stopping drug sellers, darkish internet market kingpins and baby abusers. And it’s all due to the immutable, persistent nature of the Bitcoin blockchain, the right place to comply with the cash.
Our Black historical past month point out of the day is Ijeoma Oluo’s “So You Need to Discuss About Race,” which Haje learn final yr and which served as a little bit of an eye-opener to all of the issues he thought he knew however actually didn’t about how race reveals up, starting from police brutality and cultural appropriation to the mannequin minority delusion. For white folks, it’s 100% price a learn earlier than you begin asking dumb and embarrassing inquiries to your people-of-color associates.
The TechCrunch High 3
- First shut is one of the best shut: World enterprise capital agency Partech made a primary shut on its new fund of €245 million, which makes it the biggest Africa-focused fund. Tage writes that “overwhelming curiosity from LPs meant Partech Africa II surpassed what was initially set for all the fund at first shut.”
- Bing, not Chanandler Bong: Frederic writes that Microsoft is celebrating “a brand new day of search” by launching the brand new Bing, full with ChatGPT.
- Seize this: Drone imagery agency DroneBase is now Zeitview. It additionally landed $55 million to proceed creating its air and floor knowledge seize expertise, Kyle stories.
Startups and VC
You watch for ages for a real-world utility of AI picture technology, after which out of the blue, two come alongside directly. Brian writes about how FRIDA’s robotic arm makes an attempt to deliver DALL-E-style AI artwork to real-world canvases, and Haje covers how 3D laser chopping firm Glowforge provides AI picture technology to its software program bundle.
Nearly a yr in the past to the day, the 50-year-old investing powerhouse Sequoia Capital introduced that it had reorganized itself round a singular, everlasting construction, Connie stories. Now, due to an SEC type filed on Friday, we all know how a lot is sitting within the Sequoia Capital Fund. And since we’re sneaky capitalists doing it for the clicks. In case you wanna understand how a lot, you gotta learn the article.
And we’ve 5 extra for you, full with a soundtrack that jackknifes between plenty of unlikely genres:
Cybersecurity groups, beware: The defender’s dilemma is a lie

Picture Credit: A. Martin UW Images (opens in a brand new window) / Getty Photographs
The Defender’s Dilemma is one in every of cybersecurity’s touchstones: “Defenders should be proper each time. Attackers solely should be proper as soon as.”
It might sound genuine, however David J. Bianco, a workers safety strategist at Splunk, says it’s really a false narrative that leaves techniques much less safe.
“Defenders rightly count on attackers to lie and cheat to realize their targets, however typically we overlook that mendacity and dishonest can work each methods.”
Three extra from the TC+ group:
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Large Tech Inc.
What’s your standing? Properly, for those who’re a WhatsApp person, now you can give a voice standing replace, Jagmeet writes. Every voice observe will be as much as 30 seconds after which set as your standing. So now folks have a voice to go along with your photograph.
In the present day was all in regards to the OnePlus smartphone: Brian provides you a rundown of the $699 OnePlus 11, which arrives February 16, and he additionally seems to be at a few of OnePlus’ extra merchandise like a pill and mechanical keyboard. Then Ivan writes in regards to the Buds Professional 2, which can run you a cool $179 however has improved sound and noise cancellation.
And we’ve 5 extra for you:
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