The next big thing in retail comes with Chinese characteristics…“…Fitch, a ratings agency, thinks the market for live-stream retail neared 1trn yuan ($153bn) in 2020, double the prior year’s amount…” (Paywall: Economist)
5 ways brands are adapting to shifts in video viewership to drive results
Amazon offers Biden help to speed up vaccine distribution
Elon Musk is donating $100M to find the best carbon capture technology
Netflix Tops 200 Million Subscribers for the First Time…Streaming giant said it added a record 37 million subscribers in 2020 (Paywall: WSJ) “..With over 500 titles currently in post production or preparing to launch on our service and plans to release at least one new original film every week in 2021 with extraordinary talent, we’re confident we’ll continue to have a great content offering for our members…”
SpaceX anticipates reaching the milestone of 10 uses for at least one Falcon 9 first stage later this year.
Walmart’s e-commerce chief is leaving to build “a city of the future”…Marc Lore, the founder of Jet.com, helped Walmart become the No. 2 online shopping site after Amazon.
Virgin’s rocket reaches orbit for the first time, deploys satellites
Microsoft invests in Cruise in new $2 billion round
WeChat advances e-commerce goals with $250B in transactions
Spotify’s big bet on podcasts is failing, Citi says
Apple testing vapor chamber thermal tech for next-gen iPhone
Smartwatches can help detect COVID-19 days before symptoms appear
Facebook was going to compete with Google for some advertising sales but backed away from the plan after the companies cut a preferential deal, according to court documents.
How Volkswagen’s $50 Billion Plan to Beat Tesla Short-Circuited…”…What they didn’t consider: Electric vehicles are more about software than hardware…With the shift to electric, computing has become the heart of the vehicle, with a central processor managing the battery, running the electric motors, brakes, lights and other critical systems as well as additional features such as entertainment or heating in the seat..“
Google Closes Loon, Its Plan to Use Balloons for Web Access (paywall: WSJ)
USPS banking could help the at least 7 million American households that are unbanked
The DeLorean might be coming back as an electric car
Sequoia Holdings says employees can draw part of salary in cryptocurrencies
Augmented Reality Used in Knee-Replacement Surgery in a U.S. First…Data streamed through smart glasses allow for precise removal of bone and cartilage and accurate positioning of knee implants (Paywall: WSJ)
