Topic: pandemic impact
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Unlock the Power of Sound in Virtual Reality
High-quality audio is now essential for effective virtual communication, as poor audio forces listeners to expend extra mental energy and reduces engagement, making investment in audio setup critical. The shift to remote and hybrid work in 2020 accelerated industry-wide adoption of AI-driven nois...
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Clubhouse: The Meteoric Rise and Sudden Fall
Clubhouse rapidly rose to prominence as an audio-only social app, capitalizing on pandemic-era isolation and an exclusive, invite-only model to create a buzz around live, spontaneous conversations. Its growth stalled as pandemic restrictions eased, competition from integrated audio features on ma...
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Letterboxd’s Future: What’s Coming Next
Letterboxd grew from 1 million to over 26 million users since 2020, driven by pandemic-era streaming, and Tiny acquired 60% of the platform in 2023 for $50 million, promising to preserve its independence. Under Tiny's ownership, Letterboxd has introduced display advertising and a streaming rental...
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We’re talking less than ever, researchers find
A study found that the average number of words spoken daily dropped by nearly 28% between 2005 and 2019, from 16,632 to about 11,900, driven by increased app usage, texting, and online activity. Researchers warn this decline is eroding basic conversational skills like not interrupting, exacerbati...
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Video Games Losing Attention War to Gambling, Porn, Crypto
A new report indicates the video game industry is losing consumer attention and spending to competing digital sectors like social video platforms (e.g., TikTok), online gambling, cryptocurrency, and adult content. Key global markets show a post-pandemic decline in active players and reduced spend...
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Ditch the Car: Why an Electric Cargo Bike Is Your Next Ride
Electric cargo bikes are becoming a transformative alternative to cars for urban and suburban tasks, effectively serving as a primary mode of transport for errands and family travel. E-bikes are the fastest-growing segment in the cycling industry, with proven ability to replace car trips entirely...
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How Planet Money's TikTok Inspired a Brilliant Animated Movie
The animated film *Boys Go to Jupiter* follows a gig worker in Florida and critiques how the gig economy and capitalism distort human connections and value, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Director Julian Glander drew inspiration from pandemic-era "national hysteria" and Planet Money's J...
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How Netflix Popularized Korean Dramas Worldwide
Netflix has been the primary catalyst for the global rise of Korean dramas, with hits like "Bloodhounds" and the record-breaking "Squid Game" dominating its non-English charts and driving billions of viewing hours. The platform's success leveraged its global reach, algorithms, and dubbing to serv...
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Microsoft Retires Teams’ Together Mode Feature
Microsoft is retiring Teams' Together Mode, the pandemic-era feature that used AI to place participants in a shared virtual space to reduce background clutter. The phase-out will remove the Together Mode toggle, scenes, and seat assignments from the view menu. Microsoft cites reducing platform fr...
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Rad Power Bikes Could Shut Down in January Without Funding
Rad Power Bikes may permanently shut down in January if it fails to secure new funding or a buyer, as revealed in an internal email to employees. The company is struggling with a sharp decline in consumer demand, excess inventory, and financial pressures from tariffs and a tough macroeconomic env...
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upGrad to Acquire Unacademy in Edtech Merger
Rival Indian edtech platforms upGrad and Unacademy are merging in an all-stock deal, consolidating two major players as Unacademy's valuation has fallen sharply from its 2021 peak. The broader Indian edtech sector is facing challenges post-pandemic, with cooled demand forcing companies like Unaca...
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Tencent Shuts Down TiMi Montreal Studio
Tencent has closed its TiMi Montreal studio, a high-profile 2021 venture, without releasing a game, signaling a retreat from aggressive overseas expansion by major Chinese publishers. The studio was part of a strategy to create AAA console/PC games for Western audiences, leveraging top talent, bu...
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CPC Costs Are Rising: How to Manage Them
Widespread CPC inflation is occurring, with nearly 87% of sectors seeing year-over-year growth, driven by increased advertiser competition and evolving auction dynamics. The rollout of Google AI Overviews has reduced paid ad visibility for informational queries, tightening inventory and escalatin...
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Tap-to-Pay: The Future of Public Transit?
The transition to tap-to-pay systems using near-field communication technology is modernizing public transit, replacing older methods like magnetic-stripe cards and tokens for faster, more convenient access. Despite benefits, the shift raises equity concerns for low-income riders without bank acc...
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eBay Acquires Depop From Etsy in $1.2 Billion Deal
eBay is acquiring the fashion resale app Depop from Etsy for $1.2 billion, a strategic move to attract a younger demographic and a reversal of Etsy's 2021 purchase. Depop is a major social commerce platform popular with younger users, reporting about $1 billion in 2025 sales and a community where...
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Uber Acquires Getir's Delivery Business in Turkey
Uber has acquired Getir's food delivery operations for $335 million and taken a $100 million stake in its remaining grocery and retail business, marking a strategic expansion in Turkey. Getir, once valued at $12 billion, is retreating from global markets to focus on Turkey after pandemic-driven g...
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Court Filings Hint ChromeOS May Have an Expiration Date
Google plans to phase out ChromeOS, the operating system for Chromebooks, in favor of a new Android-based platform called Aluminium, as revealed in recent antitrust trial documents. The transition timeline indicates Aluminium devices could reach testers by late 2026, with a full retail release po...
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LiveKit Hits $1B Valuation After OpenAI Partnership
LiveKit secured a $100 million investment at a $1 billion valuation, reflecting high demand for infrastructure powering AI-driven voice and video applications. The company pivoted from an open-source project to a successful enterprise by offering a managed, cloud-hosted service to meet large corp...
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Fizz CEO Explains the Power of Anonymous Social Apps
Fizz is a new social media platform for university students that emphasizes authentic, everyday interactions over the curated perfection often seen on apps like Instagram and TikTok. The app fosters genuine connection through a model of user anonymity and hyperlocal, campus-specific networks, cre...
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Microsoft Dodges EU Fine Over Teams Bundling After Slack Complaint
Microsoft avoided EU antitrust penalties by agreeing to unbundle Teams from its Office suites and offer Teams-free versions at a lower price. The company must also ensure interoperability with rival communication tools and maintain these commitments for seven to ten years. The case, initiated by ...
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