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Matt Richtel / New York Times : Members of rehab groups like Alcoholics Anonymous say moving meetings online was helpful due to the convenience of virtual sessions, which feel more intimate   —  It began as a stopgap way to get through the pandemic, but both participants and providers say virtual sessions have some clear advantages … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3g5k7tv

Frederic Lardinois / TechCrunch : Amazon launches EC2 Mac instances bringing the Intel-based Mac mini to its cloud for $1.083 per hour billed by the second   —  AWS today opened its re:Invent conference with a surprise announcement: the company is bringing the Mac mini to its cloud.  These new EC2 Mac instances, as AWS calls them, are now available in preview. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/39t1EWa

Nickie Louise / TechStartups.com : Totum Labs, which is developing low earth orbit nanosatellites for global IoT connectivity, raises $13M Series A led by Heroic Ventures and Space Capital   —  Totum Labs, a San Diego, CA-based tech startup that is revolutionalizing wireless technology by enabling low-cost, global … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/36mDfzE

Lee Clifford / Fortune : Mursion, which offers VR training to practice human skills, such as emotional intelligence, in the workplace, announces $20M Series B led by Leeds Illuminate   —  Hugo is furious.  —  He's sitting across from me, arms crossed, face scowling, exuding bad energy.  Sitting next to him is Maia. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3fUiuP4

Wall Street Journal : S&P Global has agreed to acquire IHS Markit for about $44B in an all-stock deal, which would merge two of the largest providers of financial data and analysis   —  Landmark deal would combine two of the largest providers of data to Wall Street  —  S&P Global Inc. agreed to acquire IHS Markit Ltd … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/2VkXxTT

Ari Levy / CNBC : Sources: Gitlab is letting employees sell equity in a secondary share sale that values the company over $6B, up from a valuation of $2.7B in September 2019   —  - GitLab competes with GitHub, which Microsoft acquired in 2018 for $7.5 billion.  — The company had originally aimed to go public … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3mqpcih

Jim Waterson / The Guardian : Facebook to launch Facebook News in the UK in Jan. 2021, says it will pay publishers for news not already on its platform; most big UK publishers have signed up   —  Social network agrees deal with mainstream outlets in face of government crackdown on its dominance of advertising from Techmeme https://ift.tt/2VivnZB

Wall Street Journal : Sources: Facebook is nearing a deal to buy Kustomer, which specializes in customer service tools and chatbots, for $1B+; Kustomer was valued at $710M last year   —  The target is Kustomer, which specializes in customer-service platforms and chatbots  —  Facebook Inc. is nearing a deal to buy Kustomer … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3qfX1oo

Ron Miller / TechCrunch : Materialize, a SQL streaming database built atop the open source Timely Dataflow project, raises $32M Series B led by Kleiner Perkins   —  Materialize, the SQL streaming database startup built on top of the open source Timely Dataflow project, announced a $32 million Series B investment today led … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3qcUbAA

Kyle Wiggers / VentureBeat : Aurora Solar, which combines lidar sensors, computer vision, and computer-assisted design to streamline solar panel installations, raises $50M Series B   —  San Francisco-based Aurora Solar, which taps a combination of lidar sensor data, computer-assisted design, and computer vision … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/36kb30i

Zack Whittaker / TechCrunch : SCOTUS will hear arguments on Monday that could lead to changes to the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, signed in 1986, a law critics says is outdated and vague   —  The Supreme Court will hear arguments on Monday in a case that could lead to sweeping changes to America's controversial computer hacking laws … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/33s6tLy

Nikkei Asia : Japan says it will partner with India to let Japanese companies build 5G networks and submarine fiber-optic cables   —  Tokyo will receive cooperation in nurturing digital technology professionals  —  TOKYO — Japan and India will tie up in the field of information and communications … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/39sdwrr

Ingrid Lunden / TechCrunch : Cloud-based IT services company ServiceNow is acquiring Montreal-based Element AI, which helps companies use AI to improve operations   —  ServiceNow, the cloud-based IT services company, is making a significant acquisition today to fill out its longer-term strategy to be a big player … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/33qmodq

Michel Rose / Reuters : France says Google, Facebook, and Microsoft agreed to principles like paying their fair tax share; sources say Amazon declined and Apple is negotiating   —  PARIS (Reuters) - U.S. tech giants Amazon and Apple have not signed up to a new French initiative to get global tech companies … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3fQk9oD

Dylan Loh / Nikkei Asia : While OECD works on digital taxation framework with 130+ countries, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore implemented their own digital tax rules in 2020   —  E-commerce has boomed in Asia during pandemic but new levies challenge profits  —  SINGAPORE — Governments across the Association … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3moVDNQ

Lauren Feiner / CNBC : Sources: Salesforce's deal to buy Slack is expected to be announced on Tuesday after markets close; Salesforce reports Q3 earnings on Tuesday; Slack jumps 9%+   —  Salesforce's deal to buy Slack is expected to be announced Tuesday after markets close, sources told CNBC's David Faber. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/2VfaxdT

John D. McKinnon / Wall Street Journal : Sources: US federal and state authorities are preparing as many as four antitrust cases targeting Facebook and Google by the end of January 2021   —  Federal and state authorities, probing whether the tech giants abused their power in the internet economy, are preparing as many as four cases from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3mlOWMA

Tim Hardwick / MacRumors : Italy's antitrust watchdog fines Apple €10M for alleged misleading iPhone water resistance claims in its promotional messages   —  Apple has been slapped with a 10 million euro ($12 million) fine by Italy's antitrust watchdog for unfair commercial practices related to its iPhone marketing in the country. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/33uGOC7

Jessica Bursztynsky / CNBC : Filing: DoorDash is looking to raise up to $2.8B in its IPO, at a valuation of up to $30B, and plans to list shares at $75 to $85   —  - Food delivery app DoorDash is looking to raise up to $2.8 billion in its IPO, which would value the company at $30 billion on a fully diluted basis, the company revealed in a new filing Monday. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3lgLrpq

Bloomberg : Sources: in IPOs, Airbnb will target a valuation of $30B-$33B, up from the expected $30B, and DoorDash plans a range of ~$25B-$28B, more than the expected $25B   —  - Firms target valuation increases amid end of year listing rush  — Tech companies' fortunes diverged amid coronavirus pandemic from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3fQKXVT

Ingrid Lunden / TechCrunch : HungryPanda, which develops a Mandarin-language food delivery app for overseas Chinese consumers, raises $70M Series C led by Kinnevik   —  Food delivery apps have been a big deal this year both for consumers stuck at home and unable (or unwilling) to go to restaurants or grocery stores … from Techmeme https://ift.tt/39n2N1E

Ars Technica : Best 2020 Cyber Monday deals on gaming consoles, laptops, monitors, Apple, Sonos, and Amazon devices, smartphones, headphones, speakers, and more   —  We've sifted through the junk to pick out the tech deals most worth your time.  —  Cyber Monday has arrived. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3mhCPjH

Bill Bostock / Business Insider : A look at several clinically effective apps that treat mental illness directly with CBT and other therapy courses, as the FDA expedites the app approval process   —  - The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the US mental-health crisis, with apps like Calm and Headspace booming as people try to cope. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3q6RwZ8

Shakeel Hashim / Protocol : Q&A with CEO of Ocado Solutions on selling its grocery delivery tech to retailers like Kroger, the pandemic's impact on Ocado, plans for robotic pickers, more   —  The British grocery logistics company is expanding around the world and continues to invest in robotics, aiming to have robotic pickers within three years. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/3q6FVJA

Raphael Tsavkko Garcia / MIT Technology Review : A look at crowdsourced public safety apps growing amid rising violence in Brazil; Fogo Cruzado, which warns of shootings in Río and Recife, has 250K+ downloads   —  Shootouts are common in Brazil's cities.  Apps have sprung up to tell people about spots to avoid—and to put political pressure on authorities. from Techmeme https://ift.tt/39EkaLF