Author: IQ TIMES MEDIA

Vanessa Larco, partner at Premise and former partner at NEA, thinks 2026 will finally be the year of consumer AI.  Larco, who’s been investing in consumer and prosumer for years, thinks we’re about to see a shift in how consumers spend time online, with AI powering “concierge-like” services. The question is, will legacy consumer products like WebMD and TripAdvisor continue to exist as standalone apps, or will they just get absorbed into ChatGPT or Meta AI? And where can startups carve out an AI-powered niche for themselves?  Today on TechCrunch’s Equity podcast, Rebecca Bellan sat down with Larco to talk…

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Former President Jair Bolsonaro was granted a brief leave Wednesday from his 27-year prison sentence for a coup attempt so that he could undergo medical tests at a hospital in the capital after he fell from his bed.Police escorted the 70-year-old Bolsonaro from the federal police’s headquarters in Brasilia to the nearby DF Star hospital where he arrived at around midday for three brain tests.At around 4:30 p.m. local time (1930 GMT), Bolsonaro’s wife Michelle said on Instagram that the exams had been carried out and that they were awaiting results. Her husband went back…

Amazon has a new question for its corporate workforce: What did you get done last year?As part of this year’s performance review process, known internally as Forte, Amazon is asking corporate employees to submit three to five “accomplishments” that best reflect their work, according to people familiar with the matter and an internal guideline obtained by Business Insider.Employees are required to provide “specific examples” of what they delivered, along with actions they plan to take to continue growing at the company, the guideline added.”Accomplishments are specific projects, goals, initiatives, or process improvements that show the impact of your work,” the…

Anthropic is gearing up to raise a fresh $10 billion at a $350 billion valuation, according to The Wall Street Journal. TechCrunch has confirmed the raise and valuation, according to a person familiar with the matter. The Claude maker last raised a $13 billion Series F round at a $183 billion valuation three months ago, so this raise nearly doubles the AI firm’s value. In March, Anthropic secured $3.5 billion at a $61.5 billion valuation.  Coatue Management and GIC, Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund, will lead the new round, per the WSJ, which cited sources familiar with the deal. Anthropic is expected…

Skylight may have started as a digital picture frame, but today, the company is more focused on helping families stay organized with shared calendars, lists, meal planning tools, and more. At CES 2026, the company debuted its latest product: the Skylight Calendar 2, which offers a sleeker design than the original 15-inch calendar but smaller than the 27-inch wall-mounted Calendar Max. Like its larger counterpart, the new digital calendar app and family organizer also lets you swap out the frame for different colors to better match your home’s decor. The biggest selling point isn’t the digital screen itself, but the…

Google has introduced a new way to grab the attention of students who are avid podcast listeners. Now available in Google Classroom, teachers can use a new Gemini-powered tool that generates podcast-style audio lessons, meant to promote deeper comprehension of educational material.  To begin, educators simply go to the Gemini tab within Google Classroom. There, they can select different customization options, such as selecting the appropriate grade level, defining topics, and setting clear learning objectives. They can then further personalize the audio experience by choosing the number of speakers or selecting different conversational styles, such as interviews, roundtable discussions, or…

Flu is surging across most of the U.S. But, amid an early, harsh season, there is a glimmer of promising news: The flu shot may be more effective than experts predicted.Early evidence shows that this season’s vaccine can indeed protect against the H3N2 subclade K strain that’s spreading nationwide. The strain emerged last summer, too late for it to be included in the 2025-2026 vaccine.“This is unexpected good news,” said Scott Hensley, professor of microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania. “Although it’s not a complete match with what’s circulating, this vaccine appears to have the capacity to produce antibodies that…

As they age, it’s not uncommon for many people to let out a muted groan when getting out of bed in the morning.But if you “oof” every time you get in a car or “aargh” while bending over to pick up something, it may be time to prioritize exercises that target your mobility.Dr. Miho Tanaka, a sports medicine surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, said good mobility is increasingly recognized as an important part of overall health. She pointed to research showing that high mobility has long-term effects in reducing rates of cancer, cardiovascular disease, dementia and…

Jason Calacanis will pay you $25,000 if you can find him an authentic Theranos device On Tuesday, at CES, All-In podcast host and investor Jason Calacanis, along with McKinsey’s Bob Sternfels and General Catalyst’s Hemant Taneja, discussed the impact of AI on the workforce. As the three talked, I zoned out a little, if I’m being honest (it’s after hours here on the East Coast). Then Calacanis pulled out a box of outdated gadgets for show-and-tell. He grabbed my attention back when he showed off his miniature replica of a Theranos device — it looked like the miniLab, a product…

The Trump administration has unveiled new dietary guidelines for Americans that call for “prioritizing high-quality protein, healthy fats, fruits, vegetables and whole grains” while avoiding highly processed foods and refined carbohydrates.”As secretary of Health and Human Services, my message is clear: Eat real food,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said at a White House briefing announcing the changes alongside Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and other health officials. Kennedy called it “the most significant reset of federal nutrition policy in history.”A White House official told CBS News the new guidelines are “science-driven.” In a fact sheet, the administration said the…