Gadgets
Popl tops $2.7M in sales for its technology that replaces business cards
If you’ve spent any time on TikTok lately, then you’ve probably seen a number of Popl’s ads. The startup has been successfully leveraging social media to get its modern-day business
Willo launches its tooth-brushing robot for kids
Are you 100% sure that your children are brushing their teeth properly? A New York-based startup called Willo has been working for several years on a device that should transform the tooth-brushing ex
Grover raises $71M to grow its consumer electronics subscription business
A startup tapping into the concept of the circular economy, where people don’t buy items outright but pay an incremental amount to use them temporarily, has raised some funding to scale its busi
Google denies Pixel 5a 5G cancelation, confirming it’s coming this year
Sometimes you’ve just got to confirm an unannounced product to put the rumors to bed, I guess. That was Google’s strategy this afternoon, following earlier rumors from Android Central that a chip
Chinese hardware makers turn to crowdfunding as they look to go global
China’s tech giants have had a rough time in Western markets over the last few years. Huawei and DJI have been hit by trade restrictions, while TikTok and WeChat are threatened with their apps b
Sonos delivers a near-perfect portable speaker with the new Sonos Roam
Sonos has a new speaker that starts shipping later this month, and it’s a significant departure from the company’s usual offerings in a number of ways. The all-new Sonos Roam is a compact,
Cryptocurrency wallet and blockchain tech startup imToken raises $30 million Series B
ImToken, the blockchain tech startup and crypto wallet developer, announced today it has raised $30 million in Series B funding led by Qiming Venture Partners. Participants included returning investor
Australian lidar maker Baraja collects $31M B round to illuminate the future of autonomy
Lidar companies across the planet are going SPAC, but Baraja isn’t in a hurry to go public. The Australian lidar maker has raised a $31 million B round to continue the deployment and development
H3X rethinks the electric motor to power the next phase of mobility
It’s plain to see that electric vehicles are the future, but there’s more to making that change happen than swapping out a gas motor for a battery-powered one — especially in aircraft. H
Quest for prosthetic retinas progresses toward human trials, with a VR assist
An artificial retina would be an enormous boon to the many people with visual impairments, and the possibility is creeping closer to reality year by year. One of the latest advancements takes a differ
Apple to invest $1.2 billion in silicon design center in Germany
Apple has announced that it plans to increase its corporate spendings in Germany. In particular, the company wants to set up a new facility in Munich, Germany. Called the European Silicon Design Cente
SkyMul’s drones secure rebar on the fly to speed up construction
There are many jobs in the construction industry that fall under the “dull, dirty, and dangerous” category said to be ripe for automation — but only a few can actually be taken on with t
Tonal triples its physical stores with Nordstrom partnership
Tonal, maker of the smart home fitness trainer, announced it is more than tripling the number of physical locations it sells devices in through a new partnership with Nordstrom. Starting this month, T
The keyboards of TechCrunch’s editorial staff
Few things are more personal than a keyboard, and yet they are often overlooked by Work From Home guides. Why use the standard-issue keyboard when there are so many options available? This is a sampli
Orca wants to give boating navigation its ‘iPhone moment’
Boating is a hobby steeped in history and tradition — and so is the industry and those that support it. With worldwide connectivity, electric boats, and other technological changes dragging the sect
Stoke Space aims to take reusable rockets to new heights with $9M seed
Many launch providers think reusability is the best way to lower the cost and delay involved in getting to space. SpaceX and Rocket Lab have shown reusable first stages, which take a payload to the ed
Xiaomi further localizes India supply chain via BYD, DBG partnerships
China’s Xiaomi had dominated the Indian smartphone market for three consecutive years until recently losing the top spot to Samsung. It has played by the Indian government’s rulebook to su
Rode’s Wireless Go II delivers key upgrades to the best mobile mic for creators
Rode Microphones has a new and improved version of its much-loved Go portable mic, the Wireless Go II, which uses the same form factor as the original but adds a list of new and improved features. Mos
Hasselblad X1D II 50C: out of the studio and into the streets
We crawled into an abandoned school bus, trespassed through dilapidated hallways, dodged fleeting thunderstorms, and wandered the empty streets of Chinatown late into the evening. For two summery week
Metalenz reimagines the camera in 2D and raises $10M to ship it
As impressive as the cameras in our smartphones are, they’re fundamentally limited by the physical necessities of lenses and sensors. Metalenz skips over that part with a camera made of a single