Welcome back to Week in Review. This week, we’ll break down Bluesky’s surge in users, Elon Musk co-leading Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency,” and Mark Zuckerberg’s latest attempt at extreme wife-husband behavior. Let’s go.
Bluesky is seeing a huge surge. This is because X users who are dissatisfied with the platform’s latest policy decisions move to competitor social networks. The decentralized social media platform has grown to over 16 million users, including Swifties. If you’re making the transition, or at least want to make sure the grass is greener (or greener) on the other side, we’ve put together a guide on how to get started.
Tesla Cybertruck is facing its sixth recall. It affects 2,431 units per year. Tesla’s report found that the trucks were equipped with or were equipped with defective drive inverters. Unlike the Cybertruck recall in October, which could have been resolved with an OTA update, Tesla must physically replace the recalled drive inverters for this batch. The EV manufacturer announced that it would provide this for free.
Elon Musk will become President-elect Donald Trump’s co-chairman. The Department of Government Efficiency is an acronym for Musk’s favorite cryptocurrency. Musk will lead the department alongside biotech entrepreneur and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who will help the Trump administration “dismantle government bureaucracy, cut excessive regulation, cut wasteful spending, and reorganize federal agencies.” We will help you do it.
This is TechCrunch’s Week in Review, a recap of the week’s biggest news. Want a newsletter delivered to your inbox every Saturday? Sign up here.
tidings
Mark Zuckerberg 🤝 T-Pain: Mark Zuckerberg asked T-Pain to write and record an acoustic cover of Lil Jon and The East Side Boyz’s “Get Low.” As a gift for his wife Priscilla Chan. Note that he actually sings the infamous “to the window, to the wall” lyric. read more
Standing desks aren’t as healthy as you might think. Sorry to the standing desk users. But new research shows that standing for more than two hours a day does not protect against cardiovascular risk and actually increases an individual’s risk of circulatory problems. read more
Talk to a Tuah Dating Coach: Social media star Haliey Welch has launched Pookie Tools, an AI-powered dating advice app for Gen Z singles. The app’s chatbot helps you craft conversation starters, while another tool predicts whether potential matches match your keys. read more
The author earned $200 million. The generative AI startup has raised $200 million at a $1.9 billion valuation to expand its platform. CEO May Habib said the new cash will be used to develop products and “strengthen the company’s leadership in enterprise-generating AI.” read more
Amazon takes on Temu. To better compete with popular rivals Temu and Shein, Amazon has launched Amazon Haul stores, stores offering discounted and mass-produced items, many of which are shipped from China. read more
Just Eat sells Grubhub. that The Netherlands-based food delivery company sold Grubhub to Wonder Group in a deal valued at $650 million. This is 91% less than the $7.3 billion Just Eat Takeaway paid for the company just four years ago. read more
SBF is heading to the big screen. Lena Dunham is collaborating with Apple and A24 to adapt Michael Lewis’ book “Going Infinite,” which chronicles the life of Sam Bankman-Fried and the collapse of FTX. Now you’re wondering who will be cast as SBF… read more
Get ready to see more AI video slop: InVideo is launching a generative, AI-powered video creation feature that allows people to use prompts to create videos in a variety of styles, including live-action, animated, or animated. read more
Apple’s wall-mounted tablet: Apple reportedly plans to release a tablet that can be mounted on a wall, control smart home appliances, and make video calls as early as March 2025. Of course, the device will feature Apple Intelligence. read more
Your ads will appear on Perplexity: AI-powered search engines are experimenting with advertising. The site will display advertising in the United States from launch, appearing in the form of “sponsored follow-up questions” provided by partners such as Indeed, Whole Foods, Universal McCann and PMG . read more
Now you can play “Hot Cross Buns” on your phone. Artinoise’s latest product reinvents the classic plastic recorder. The portable device can be connected to a smartphone, tablet or PC with a USB-C port, effectively turning it into a musical instrument. read more
