David Vendrell

Stories

DJI Ends “Restricted Zone” Geofencing

Chinese tech company DJI — one of the biggest drone sellers in the world — announced that it was removing its “Restricted Zone” geofencing tech that automatically stopped drones from flying over sensitive or dangerous areas. Thousand-Foot View: Removing the geofencing amid drones hampering firefighting efforts in LA and causing mass hysteria in New Jersey may be the masterclass in poor timing. It’s technically […]

January 16, 2025

1 min Read

Media

TikTok Could Find an American Lifeline

With TikTok’s US expiration date approaching, there’s a mad rush to eulogize it, purchase it, find alternatives, or extend its American life. Why It Hits: The dust is far from settled on what TikTok’s fate will be. But whatever happens, social media is definitely entering a new era, which will once again reshape online life. Behind […]

January 15, 2025

1 min Read

Culture

Gen Z Goes Non-Alcoholic

Gen Zers are increasingly going sober or sober-curious as changing norms take the social pressure off of consuming alcohol to have fun. The Big Picture: Young people going sober are already having major ripple effects across the food and beverage industry, the sports economy, and nightlife scenes. Between the Beverages: Just how sober is Gen Z? Last Call: Why are […]

January 15, 2025

1 min Read

Media

New Social Platforms Decentralize Their Power

A decentralized movement is happening on the outskirts of social media: Mastodon’s CEO is transferring ownership of the social platform to a new nonprofit, and a new initiative aims to protect the infrastructure that Bluesky is built on from the whims of billionaire owners. The Big Picture: Amid X’s transformation under Elon Musk and existential changes happening […]

January 14, 2025

1 min Read

Culture

The Job Market is Plagued by Ghost Jobs

Ghost jobs — positions employers have no intention of filling — are plaguing employment platforms and making job searches even harder.  Why It Hurts: Despite job openings increasing per the Department of Labor, job seekers in several white-collar industries are sharing a different story — one where job searches stretch for months, prospective employers simply stop responding, and […]

January 14, 2025

1 min Read

Stories

Honda Unveils Talking Car

At CES 2025, Honda unveiled its new electric 0 Series, which, among other innovations, comes with an AI chatbot embedded in the vehicles. The Big Picture: Chatbots truly are all the rage these days. Putting the tech in personal vehicles could make cars truly hands-free, ease the transition to autonomous driving, and maybe give them some extra personality. Behind […]

January 13, 2025

1 min Read

Media

Supreme Court Leans Toward Upholding TikTok Ban

TikTok started making its case against the US government’s divest-or-ban law in front of the Supreme Court on Friday… and so far, it seems that the Justices are siding with upholding the law. That means TikTok could really be gone on January 19th when the law takes effect. Why It Hits: We don’t need to make the […]

January 13, 2025

2 min Read

Gaming

Sony PlayStation to Introduce Smellable Games

Sony PlayStation revealed a Smell-O-Vision for games at CES 2025 via a cutting-edge gaming booth called the “Future Immersive Entertainment Concept” (FIEC). The Big Picture: As game visuals reach their apex, developers are looking for fresh angles to immerse players and keep them hooked.  Between the Sniffs: Ever wonder what the world of your favorite game smells like? Well, […]

January 10, 2025

1 min Read

Stories

Watch Duty Tops the App Charts Amid LA Fires

The nonprofit fire-tracking app Watch Duty has become a lifeline for Angelenos monitoring the devastating Palisades and Eaton fires that have engulfed the city. Why It Hits: Receiving the freshest up-to-date information on a wildfire’s spread can be the difference between life and death. Considering the high-wind conditions that have plagued southern California, that’s never been more true. […]

January 10, 2025

1 min Read

Music

Spotify Streams Its First Concert Film with The Weeknd

Spotify released its first-ever concert film, Billions Club Live with The Weeknd: A Concert Film, directly on its platform. The Big Play: The film is a major step in the company becoming a video-streaming competitor that could compete against Netflix and Prime Video for music-driven projects and concert films. Considering its immense reach and engagement, it could already be viewed […]

January 9, 2025

1 min Read