Latest from Lauren Forristal
Upchieve, the free, 24/7 online tutoring and college counseling app for low-income students, announced Thursday it’s giving teachers in Title 1 middle schools and high schools a new tool to…
The main attraction of YouTube’s Made On YouTube event on Wednesday morning was, you guessed it, artificial intelligence. The company announced that it is integrating Google DeepMind’s AI video generation…
Parents understand the challenge of keeping young kids engaged in online learning. Nurture is a new app designed for children aged 4 to 7 that features interactive content and games…
It’s been three years since Life360’s $205 million acquisition of AirTag competitor Tile. The company announced Monday its new lineup of lost-item Bluetooth trackers, featuring a sleeker redesign in new…
At the MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) on Wednesday night, new technology allowed fans to shop their favorite artists’ styles as they appeared on the screen. Though the drama from…
Humanz, a marketing platform for content creators and brands, has entered the U.S. market, the company announced on Thursday. Having launched in Israel in 2017, Humanz has gained strong traction…
Media & Entertainment
Media talent app HUSSLUP shuts down as workers in Hollywood continue to face job slowdown
HUSSLUP, the job search and networking app for the entertainment industry, goes on an indefinite hiatus starting Friday.
Bumble is increasing its investments in AI and branching out with new features to stay relevant amid a generational shift in dating behavior among younger users. During Goldman Sachs’ annual technology…
Drybaby is the newest dating app designed for singles who are sober or interested in reducing their alcohol consumption. The app arrives as 41% of Americans are cutting back on…
iOS 18 will be available in the fall as a free software update.
Google announced Thursday that it expanded its generative AI-powered virtual try-on tool to support dresses, allowing users to virtually wear thousands of dresses from hundreds of brands, including Boden, Maje,…
Over a year ago, former Session M exec Eben Pingree received the news that his mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Two days later, his father-in-law was given the same diagnosis. …
Maybe a lack of AI characters is what Quibi got wrong. At least, that’s what one startup appears to believe. My Drama is a new short series app with more…
For the college students who are satisfied with dating apps, which may not be many, Tinder announced Wednesday a series of updates to Tinder U, its in-app feature that caters…
Android introduced five updates on Tuesday as part of its latest release of the mobile operating system. Available for smartphones, tablets and Wear OS watches, the new features include audio…
Instagram’s latest feature aims to boost user interaction within Stories. The social media platform now allows followers to comment on each other’s Stories, making the experience more community-focused, akin to…
Spotter, the startup that provides financial solutions to content creators, announced Tuesday the launch of its new AI-powered creative suite. Dubbed Spotter Studio, the solution aims to support YouTubers throughout the…
Jam & Tea Studios is the latest gaming startup implementing generative AI to transform the way players interact with non-playable characters (NPCs) in video games. Traditionally, video game NPCs are…
Ahead of the NFL and college football (NCAAF) seasons, Apple announced updates for its sports-focused app, including Live Activities for all leagues, a new “dynamic drive tracker” that visualizes where…
Meta is now letting preteens with parent-managed accounts explore different experiences in its online virtual reality (VR) platform, Horizon Worlds, with certain restrictions in place. The company announced that parents…
In an effort to improve its security measures, Lyft announced Tuesday a new rider verification pilot program to help drivers verify riders’ identities and ensure that they are indeed who they say…
Coined as the “Everyday Influencer” platform, Mavely is a social commerce app that enables users to earn commissions by sharing and recommending products from more than 1,250 brands, including Adidas,…
Startups
Travly lets travelers submit videos for a chance to earn a 5% commission from hotel bookings
Travly is a new social-first discovery and hotel booking platform designed to cater to the growing number of travelers who rely on short-form video content for trip ideas. The platform…
A nod to the Myspace era, Instagram just launched a new feature that allows you to add music to your profile. The feature is in collaboration with singer Sabrina Carpenter,…
Connecting Threads more closely to Meta’s larger app ecosystem and its billions of users could also help boost Threads’ app — which recently surpassed 200 million active users — even…
Ring announced on Wednesday the next generation of its Battery Doorbell. For $100, customers get extended battery life, color night vision, a head-to-toe view of visitors and a new push-pin…
Startups
The Rounds scoops up $24M to bring its ‘household restocking’ delivery service to more markets
The Rounds, the startup that delivers recurring grocery and household essentials in reusable packaging, announced on Monday its $24 million Series B funding round. The new capital will go toward…
Apple Podcasts can now be streamed from the web. Apple announced on Monday that its Apple Podcasts app is now available on all major web browsers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and…
Franki is a social discovery and video-based review app where users can interact with a community of foodies, discover local dining spots and create their own videos showing off their…
Link-in-bio platform Linktree announced Thursday that it has acquired social media scheduling tool Plann for an undisclosed amount. While Sydney, Australia-headquartered Plann will continue to operate as usual for now,…
