Thomas Ricker

In the ongoing battle for control of the messaging platform that claims over 1 billion active users, Durov has been charged with facilitating terrorism by failing to remove information “actively used by Ukrainian special services, terrorist organizations and extremist organizations to prepare and coordinate sabotage and terrorist acts, mass killings and cyber fraud activities” in Russia, according to the New York Times. Durov responded like Durov.

Poor SK Hynix. Despite the memory-chip maker posting record net profit of about $64.64 billion, the stock fell by as much as 18 percent (down 9 percent at market close) when its revenue haul (also a record) failed to meet the lofty expectations set by the AI hype cycle. The results won’t help investors worried that the AI bubble’s about to pop.

The ultra-long range Airbus A350-1000ULR operated by Qantas took off from Melbourne, Australia and flew for 24 hours and 24 minutes, covering 23,075km (14,338 miles) before landing at the plane’s factory in Toulouse, France. The new aircraft will debut on the carrier’s nonstop Sydney-London route starting in 2027. ​

Last week, Uber said it would be cutting 10 percent of its customer service workforce to “embrace” AI. But things are much more dire than that according to Forrester analyst Kate Leggett, who estimates that “almost half of customer service roles will be impacted by 2030.”

LG’s Wide Hover Screen concept combines a 20-inch central console display and ultra-short-throw projector to create a large heads-up display on the windshield. It builds upon LG’s UltraView Windshield Display designed to help drivers keep their eyes on the road by minimizing unnecessary eye movement.

There are few things more Japanese than the kei minicar, which is now under threat from China. Starting today, BYD’s all-electric, five-door Racco is available to buy locally for less than ¥2 million (about $12,200) with a range of 210 kilometers (130 miles).

Starlink’s Direct-to-Cell service continues to evolve beyond basic SMS/messaging to provide light data connectivity in cellular dead zones. Telstra customers in Australia with compatible phones can now use it for apps like Apple Weather, Google Maps, AllTrails, and WhatsApp. T-Mobile users in the US have had similar app support since October.

The FCC application was submitted on Saturday. The low-Earth orbit satellites would communicate directly with unmodified mobile phones and IoT devices, and operate in concert with Amazon’s burgeoning Leo constellation (which requires a dish for connectivity) and the Globalstar system used by iPhones that Amazon is acquiring.

Chipmaker Changxin Technology Group is now the most valuable China-listed company after IPO’ing this morning, rising nearly 500 percent on speculation that RAMageddon will drive demand for its memory chips in a market dominated by Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron. Tim Cook’s said to have asked for an exception to use CXMT’s chips in Apple products sold in China to keep costs down.