Hey folks, welcome to Week in Review (WiR), toptecheasy.com’s regular roundup of the past week in tech. Too busy to check the headlines this week? Do not worry. That’s why WiR exists – we’ll get you started.
This edition of WiR features pieces about a mock AI-generated “South Park” episode; the soaring downloads of Threads, an app with the same name as Meta’s Twitter competitor; and Tesla’s first Cybertruck build. We also summarize the resignation of OnlyFans’ CEO; Wix’s new tool that can create websites in a jiffy using generative AI; and Plex’s free Winamp-inspired music player.
That’s a lot to cover, so let’s get started. Oh, and if you haven’t already, sign up here to get WiR delivered to your inbox every Saturday.
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Bad Timing for AI Generated TV: AI startup Fable Studios demoed its platform this week, using it to create a full-blown “South Park” fake episode in which Cartman tries to apply deepfake technology to the media industry. The technique was impressive, Devin writes, but – in addition to the ongoing strike by creatives in TV and film – the stunt came across as a bit artless.
Not a good look for Microsoft security: Microsoft still doesn’t know — or won’t share — how China-backed hackers stole a key that allowed them to stealthily break into dozens of email inboxes, including those of several government agencies. The company first disclosed the incident last Tuesday, attributing the month-long activity to a newly discovered spy group it calls Storm-0558, which it believes has strong ties to China.
The other Threads soars to new heights: Instagram’s Twitter clone Threads had a fairly fruitful first week, passing 30 million users in its first 24 hours. But it had the unintended effect of spotlighting Threads, an unrelated app first pitched as a Slack alternative. Threads (the Slack alternative) reportedly racked up more than 880,000 downloads on iOS between July 6 and July 12, after Meta’s Threads launched, with few downloads to date.
Telsa unveils the first Cybertruck build: Tesla said over the weekend that its first, much-anticipated Cybertruck came off the production line in Texas. The debut of the long-delayed, futuristic-looking pickup comes ahead of Tesla’s Q2 2023 earnings call.
OnlyFans CEO steps down: After about two and a half years at the helm, Ami Gan is leaving OnlyFans. Chief Strategy and Operations Officer Kelly Blair will take over as CEO. As Amanda writes, OnlyFans is perhaps the most well-known creator platform that supports adult content; according to Gan, the company paid creators $10 billion while she was CEO.
New sites, generated by AI: Wix, a longtime fixture in the web building space, is betting that today’s customers don’t really care about spending time customizing every aspect of their site’s appearance. The company’s new AI Site Generator tool, announced this week, allows Wix users to describe their intent and generate a website complete with a homepage, interior pages, and text and images – as well as company-specific sections for events, bookings, and more.
Plex makes its Winamp-inspired player free: Plexamp, the music player originally developed by the Labs division of media company Plex, is now free. The project first launched in 2017 as a subscription-based twist on the classic Winamp media player app, featuring visualizations to accompany your tunes, tools for programming mixes, and more recently a ChatGPT-powered “Sonic Sage” feature that builds unique playlists from users’ music libraries.
VanMoof e-bikes, saved: Ever since struggling e-bike startup VanMoof confirmed it has filed for bankruptcy in the Netherlands, there has been a question about the VanMoof bikes out in the wild. Running to the rescue is somewhat unlikely Cowboy, VanMoof’s cross-border e-bike competitor in Belgium. Cowboys “Bicycle” The app allows VanMoof drivers to generate their unique digital key and keep driving, Mike writes.
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toptecheasy.com’s list of podcasts is, as the kids say, to give. Tune in to great new content this week.
On EquityPitchBook venture guru Kyle Stanford came riffing with the crew on venture capital in the second quarter of 2023: the good, the bad, and the late stage.
The latest episode of Found it, meanwhile, highlighted Catherine Tabor, the founder and CEO of Sparkfly, a company that helps brands with marketing and customer engagement. Tabor talked about building a business nimble enough to adapt to the changing technology trends of the past decade and how she was fired by venture capitalists despite landing notable clients.
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TC+ subscribers get access to in-depth commentary, analysis and surveys – which you’ll know if you’re already a subscriber. If you’re not, consider signing up. Here are a few highlights from this week:
Electric companies drive customers to startups: Of all the companies eager to embrace the electric transition, electric utilities seem to be at the top of the list. Yet they also seem to be some of the most hesitant. Startups are taking advantage of the situation, Tim writes.
Mixed-gender founding teams raise over $1 billion: U.S. startups with mixed-gender Founding Teams — meaning they have at least one female founder — raised $24.1 billion in the first half of 2023, equating to $17.2 billion in Q1 and $6.9 billion in Q2, according to the latest PitchBook data. That’s a big deal, but it’s important to note that startups with all women Founding teams are still struggling to raise funds this year.
Ripple’s XRP case and lack of regulatory clarity: Last week, the crypto community celebrated a US federal lawsuit ruling that Ripple’s XRP token is not an illegal securities sale, but only in some cases. While many celebrated the ruling, it’s not a true victory for crypto — Jacquelyn explains why.
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