Talk about rock solid – tech giants join forces to create global standard for… concrete?

The Open Compute Project Foundation (OCP) has announced a new collaboration with leading technology companies, including AWS, Google, Meta, and Microsoft, to test and promote the use of low-embodied carbon concrete, also known as “green concrete,” in data center construction.This initiative is part of a broader effort to drive the adoption of environmentally responsible building materials, with the project aiming to significantly reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with data center construction by developing concrete mixtures that lower carbon impact by more than 50% per cubic yard.The project reportedly includes the testing of four different concrete mixtures with varying levels of global warming potential, the lowest of which achieved the targeted 50% reduction in carbon emissions compared to standard concrete. The formulas use alternative cements and supplementary materials that are commercially available but have not yet been widely adopted due to perceived risks and implementation challenges.Sustainable building practicesThe announcement was made during a demonstration event held on August 8 at the Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE) facility in Northbrook, Illinois. The event was attended by senior representatives from AWS, Google, Meta, and Microsoft, as well as members of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the US Department of Energy, and other governmental and environmental organizations.Through this open source approach, the project aims to build confidence in new concrete technologies and create a market force that will accelerate the industry’s transition to more sustainable practices.The move is seen as a crucial step in reducing the carbon footprint of data center construction and promoting sustainable building practices across the industry. The findings will be compiled into a whitepaper and made publicly available to encourage the broader adoption of low-embodied carbon concrete. The comprehensive testing plan includes both laboratory and field assessments to evaluate the performance of these new mixtures, with the results informing future industry practices.Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed!More from TechRadar Pro

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The Port of Seattle, Sea-Tac Airport and the Seattle Airport have been affected by a ‘possible hacking attack’

The Port of Seattle, which also operates the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, said it was hit with a “possible cyberattack” that appeared to affect websites and phone systems.

The port first noted the outages via social media on Saturday morning, with the airport then posting that it had “experienced certain system outages indicating a possible cyberattack.”

Late Saturday evening, the airport said it was still experiencing outages: “There is not an estimated time for return and Port teams continue to work to restore full service.” It also encouraged travelers to use airline apps to get their boarding passes and bag tags, and to allow extra time to reach their gates.

The Port of Seattle, including SEA Airport, continues to see system outages. There is not an estimated time for return and Port teams continue to work to restore full service. (Cont.)— Seattle-Tacoma Intl. Airport (@flySEA) August 25, 2024

As of Sunday morning Pacific time, the Port of Seattle’s public-facing web infrastructure, including its website, still appeared to be largely offline, per a TechCrunch review of its DNS records.

A TSA spokesperson told GeekWire that there was no impact on security operations. Earlier this year, the Biden Administration announced an executive order aimed at improving cybersecurity in ports.

This comes less than a month after a CrowdStrike software update caused a global IT meltdown that included flight cancellations and delays.

Additional reporting by Zack Whittaker

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Samsung is working on a double-foldable device and a rollable device

Samsung has two new foldable phones on the market in the form of the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and the Galaxy Z Flip 6 – but it would seem there are even more form factors on the way, according to Samsung exec Chung Yi.Speaking at the the iMid 2024 conference (via PhoneArena), Yi said that “various form factor products, such as double-folding multi-foldables and rollables” are currently in development at Samsung.While no timetable was put on the launch of these devices, considering Samsung has been pioneering the foldable phone form factor, it’s likely that it’s also going to be one of the first to market with these other designs too.However, it would seem that Huawei will be the first to release a double-foldable (or triple-foldable, depending on whether you count the hinges or the screen panels): it has a handset that’s apparently coming out next month.A long time comingSamsung has already shown off rollable screens (Image credit: Samsung Display)This news will actually be no surprise to seasoned Samsung followers, not least because the company has a strong history of trying innovations and ideas before they become adopted by the mainstream – foldable phones being one example.We’ve already seen rollable displays demoed by Samsung Display, so we know the tech is in development. The question is how quickly it can be got ready for mass production at a price that isn’t going to be exorbitant.Previous rumors have suggested we might see a rollable phone as early as 2025, and while that might seem a bit optimistic as we approach the last third of 2024, these displays have now been in the works for several years.Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.Meanwhile, some other phone makers are still yet to commit to the idea of foldables. While rumors of a folding iPhone continue to appear now and again, it doesn’t look as though Apple will move away from the standard phone form factor for a while yet.You might also like

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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 features user-generated content that provides authentic reviews of hotels instead of generic information and often outdated images. Creators who submit videos of hotels have the chance to earn a 5% commission from bookings.

Co-founded by travel enthusiasts Zak Longo (CEO) and Mayur Patil (COO), Travly initially began as a travel network on Instagram and TikTok. In the summer of 2022, the duo acquired @Travel, building a social community of millions of followers across Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. Longo and Patil run 45 channels in total, including @Cruises, @Hotels, @Resorts, and @Vacation on Instagram and TikTok. Collectively, the pages reach over 1 billion monthly views, they say. Travly also has an ambassador group of about 1,000 creators who help out with brand deals on its host of social media accounts. 

The company recently branched out to develop its own trip discovery product, using its insights to launch a video-focused booking platform and mobile app. Travly integrated with Booking.com to power its search capability, which features millions of hotels worldwide. 

Image Credits: Travly

“We were always like, ‘Okay, we need a product to go with this,’” Longo told TechCrunch. “So we put our heads together, and we were thinking, ‘Why don’t we do a booking platform?’ Because nowadays, we feel like the newer generation of travelers are using social media as a search tool … we could bridge the gap with our network and help people book the stuff they’re seeing on social media.” 

The platform is currently accepting video submissions, offering anyone with high-quality videos of hotels a 5% commission from all bookings done through the platform for that hotel. Travly only accepts one video per hotel and may replace it if it performs poorly. 

“We’re going to analyze whether a video doesn’t perform optimally for a hotel. We want to be fair to the hotel in that regard,” Longo said, explaining that Travly will consider factors like the average duration of the view or click-through rate. It may also swap out new and up-to-date videos if, for example, hotels offer new amenities they want to promote. 

Travly touts around 2,000 sign-ups and 500 video submissions so far.

Image Credits: Travly

Another way Travly stands out is its Destination Dupes feature. A playful spin on a makeup “dupe,” or close duplicate of a product, Travly compares luxurious travel destinations to more affordable ones that are similar in feel. This feature helps users not only save money but also discover hidden gems that offer a similar experience. For instance, it highlights the price difference between a hotel in London (~$325 per night) and one in Krakow, Poland (~$75 per night), offering a similar charm at a lower cost. Although it’s not a global cultural and financial capital like London, Krakow is known for its culture, cobblestone streets, and historic landmarks.

If users are still unsure where to travel next, they can click on the “Discover new directions” button to answer a series of questions and get a curated selection of ideas. For instance, if they want a lazy, low-budget holiday, Travly’s AI assistant pulls up hotels that fit the description.

In the future, Travly is set to expand its offerings, aiming to integrate more experiences into the platform. These include offering trip packages, restaurant reservations, and concert tickets, providing a comprehensive travel planning experience. In terms of additional revenue, the company is considering having ads on the platform as well.

With the creator economy estimated to be a $250 billion industry and the market expected to nearly double in size to $480 billion by 2027, other startups in the booking space are also tapping into the travel influencer trend. Plannin, a new travel booking platform founded by former Priceline executives, enables creators to monetize their hotel recommendations.

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Star Wars: Ahsoka season 2: Disney Plus release date prediction, likely cast, and more news and rumors

Ahsoka season 2: key information- Announced in January 2024- No release date announced- Will stream exclusively on Disney Plus- Main cast expected to return- No official plot details or footage revealed yet- Building up to a “climactic story event” that will merge its storyline with those in The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba FettAhsoka season 2 will continue the story of Anakin Skywalker’s former Padawan whose story, alongside her Mandalorian apprentice Sabine Wren’s, clearly isn’t done yet. Indeed, with Lucasfilm and parent company Disney announcing that Star Wars: Ahsoka will get at least another season, the duo will be back for more adventures on the small screen at some point.So, what do we know about the Disney Plus show’s second chapter ahead of its eventual debut? In this guide, we’ve rounded up every big piece of news, plus the occasional rumor or 10, on Ahsoka’s next installment. That includes our thoughts on when it’ll be released, its likely cast, potential plot threads, and more.Full spoilers follow for Star Wars: Ahsoka season 1, as well as other TV series tha take place in the post-Return of Jedi timeline, including The Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett.Star Wars: Ahsoka season 2 release date predictionSeason 1 reunited former Star Wars: Rebels heroes Ezra Bridger and Sabine Wren (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney Plus)Although StarWars.com confirmed – in January 2024 – that the series is returning, an Ahsoka season 2 release date hasn’t been announced. We don’t even know whether it’ll start filming before many other new Star Wars movies and TV shows, either, although creator, showrunner and Lucasfilm chief creative officer Dave Filoni told the Happy Sad Confused podcast (in June 2024) that “right now, my focus is very clearly on [Ahsoka] season 2.”So, what could that mean in terms of its launch date? Currently, there aren’t many other big Star Wars projects in active development. One that’ll surely impact Ahsoka season 2’s development, though, is The Mandalorian & Grogu movie, which Filoni – alongside frequent Star Wars collaborator Jon Favreau – is also working on. Din Djarin and Baby Yoda’s eagerly anticipated big-screen debut is due to go into production this year, before The Mandalorian and Grogu lands in theaters in May 2026.If the first Star Wars film – since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker – takes precedence from a principal photography perspective, it’s possible Ahsoka’s next season will take a developmental backseat. If it does, its own shooting schedule might not start until mid- to late 2025, which means we wouldn’t expect to see it arrive on Disney Plus, aka one of the world’s best streaming services, until late 2026 at the very earliest.Star Wars: Ahsoka season 2 cast: likely and rumoredMary Elizabeth Winstead is sure to return as General Hera Syndulla from season 1 (Image credit: Lucasfilm)Major spoilers follow for Star Wars: Ahsoka season 1.Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.Lucasfilm and Disney are yet to confirm who’s coming back, but we’d bet a sizeable number of galactic credits on these actors returning for Ahsoka season 2 :Rosario Dawson as Ahsoka TanoNatasha Liu Bordizzo as Sabine WrenMary Elizabeth Winstead as Hera SyndullaLars Mikkelsen as Grand Admiral ThrawnEman Esfandi as Ezra BridgerIvanna Sakhno as Shin HatiHayden Christensen as Anakin SkywalkerDavid Tennant as HuyangWes Chatham as Captain EnochGenevieve O’Reilly as Mon MothmaEvan Whitten as Jacen SyndullaClaudia Black as KlothowJeryl Prescott Gallien as AktropawJane Edwina Seymour as LakesisChopper as himselfSadly, there is one significant absentee from season 1. Ray Stevenson, whose fallen Jedi Baylan Skoll was one of the show’s standout characters, passed away in May 2023. Star Wars doesn’t traditionally recast roles, but Ahsoka’s season 1 finale hinted that Baylan still had a significant part to play. A more recent story on ComicBookMovie.com reports that Lucasfilm is seeking a “white man in his 50s/60s”, a casting call that would fit Skoll’s description, so maybe the studio wil recast Skoll.Despite being the focus of three (prequel) episodes of animated series Tales of the Empire, Diana Lee Inosanto is not expected to return as Nightsister Morgan Elsbeth, seeing as the character died in the Ahsoka season 1 finale.There could, however, be cameos from other familiar faces, as pretty much every Rebel who survived Return of the Jedi is still active at this point in the Star Wars timeline. Anthony Daniels had a brief appearance as C-3PO in season 1, but the most likely returnee is surely Zeb Orrelios. Having served on the Ghost alongside Sabine, Hera, Ezra, surly droid Chopper, and late Jedi Kanan Jarrus throughout Star Wars: Rebels, the Lasat is overdue an appearance in Ahsoka. Expect Steve Blum to reprise his voice role as he did in The Mandalorian season 3.Star Wars: Ahsoka season 2 story speculationThe story of Baylan Skoll (pictured) is tied to the Mortis gods and the origins of the Force (Image credit: Lucasfilm Ltd)Full spoilers follow for Ahsoka’s first season.Official plot details for Ahsoka season 2 are thin on the ground, but we’ve got some idea of what could transpire, based on how its forebear ended. For a round-up of everything that happened, read our Ahsoka season 1 ending explained article.For those who don’t want to click on the aforementioned link, though, here are some key story details: Ahsoka Tano, Sabine Wren, and Jedi support droid Huyang are currently trapped on the world of Peridea in a distant galaxy, so their first order of business is likely to be getting home. Whether that involves enlisting the help of the resident Noti (a cute, snail-like species native to Peridea), hitching a ride with the Purrgil space whales (as Ahsoka did in season 1), or something more magical, though, is unclear.Speaking of magic, no live-action Star Wars project has explored the mythology of the Force in as much detail as Ahsoka. Season 2 is primed to continue that deep dive, especially after Baylan Skoll’s search for answers led him to a pair of statues carved into the cliffs of Peridea. They represent the Father and (we think) the Son, two of “the Ones” (essentially, they represent god-like beings in this universe) from the planet Mortis. Anakin encountered them in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and they have a crucial role to play in maintaining the balance of the Force. Morai, the owl-like convor who appears to Ahsoka in season 1 episode 7, is a manifestation of the Daughter, who represents the Light Side of the Force. The Son is her Dark Side counterpart.Anakin Skywalker has graduated to Force ghost/mentor status (Image credit: Lucasfilm Ltd)Anyway, Tano, Wren, and Skoll aren’t the only beings marooned on Peridea. Skoll’s Dark Side apprentice Shin Hati, who he has little use for now, is also still knocking about. She was last seen riding alone into the wilderness of Peridea, but it’s unlikely we’ve seen the last of her.We can also expect Ahsoka’s old Jedi master Anakin Skywalker to guide her – Obi-Wan Kenobi-style – from a more spiritual plane across this mysterious worl. In season 1, he communed with his former Padawan via the mysterious World Between Worlds, before showing up as a Force ghost in the finale.”My feeling about Anakin is that George [Lucas] resolved everything about Anakin,” Filoni told Vanity Fair in November 2023. “I don’t think I have anything to do there. I’m not trying to add anything to that. Everything Anakin’s involved with is about [Ahsoka]. It’s about her point of view on Anakin. It’s about what Anakin taught her. He’s there in more of an Obi-Wan role that we saw in the old movies.”Will New Republic Chancellor Mon Mothma finally do something about the resurgent Empire? (Image credit: Lucasfilm Ltd)While Ahsoka and Sabine are stuck in another galaxy, Imperial warlord Grand Admiral Thrawn has made the return journey after being exiled to parts unknown in Star Wars: Rebels. Thrawn’s Star Destroyer – the Chimaera – was last seen heading for Dathomir, the base of the Nightsisters. A trio of these Force-sensitive witches – Klothow, Aktropaw, and Lakesis – aided his long-prophesised comeback, and he’s likely to call on their services again in his pursuit of power.He won’t be short of help, either. When the so-called Shadow Council met in The Mandalorian season 3, the leaders of the Imperial Remnant were already anticipating Thrawn’s return. He’s long been seen as the “heir to the Empire”, a figure capable of pulling disparate factions together, and Filoni is positioning the Chiss officer as the Big Bad at this point on the timeline.”When Timothy Zahn wrote Heir to the Empire [a 1991, no-longer-canon novel], Thrawn became this very iconic villain, because he was different than anything we’d seen before,” Filoni told Empire magazine in April 2023. “He wasn’t another helmet-wearing, lightsaber-wielding bad guy, you know? There’s a lot of pull to make characters that are like Vader, because it is so iconic. But the boldness that Tim had was to make somebody that wasn’t like that, that didn’t have those abilities, but could fight in a different way. In the words ‘Star Wars’, the ‘war’ part of it – him being a Grand Admiral, a leader, a military strategist, a Moriarty archetype, someone that will out-think you, out-strategise you – that really resonated. He’s a critical player in this time period.”The Shadow Council were already planning for Thrawn’s return in The Mandalorian season 3 (Image credit: Lucasfilm/Disney)Up to now, the New Republic’s government has been strangely complacent about the rise of the Imperial Remnant, with only the likes of General Hera Syndulla and X-Wing pilot/Outer Rim cop Carson Teva alert to the danger. Now that wannabe Jedi Ezra Bridger has returned from his own extended stay on Peridea (and been reunited with Hera, his former commander on the Ghost), though, he’s in a strong position to warn everyone about the clear and present danger posed by Thrawn.We’re expecting this to be a major aspect of the Ahsoka season 2 story. That said, after key plot points from The Mandalorian season 2 were resolved in episodes of The Book of Boba Fett, there’s every chance Thrawn and Ezra’s story will continue in the The Mandalorian & Grogu – or even Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, which releases in December – before Ahsoka rematerializes.Ahsoka season 2 trailer: is there one?There won’t be a season 2 trailer for a long time. (Image credit: Disney/Lucasfilm)It’s currently way too early for an Ahsoka: season 2 trailer. Going on past Star Wars form, we’d expect the first footage to appear four to six months ahead of release. We’ll update this section once one is revealed.Where to watch Star Wars movies and TV showsTales of the Jedi looks back on Anakin and Ahsoka’s master/apprentice relationship (Image credit: Disney/Lucasfilm)If you want to watch or revisit previous Star Wars adventures ahead of Ahsoka season 2, every movie and TV show in the official canon is available on Disney Plus.Long-running animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars (set between Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith) is a good place to start, as it details Ahsoka Tano’s formative years in the Jedi Order as Anakin Skywalker’s Padawan. Ahsoka subsequently cameos in animated form in Star Wars: Rebels (set in the run-up to Star Wars: Episode IV: A New Hope), and in live-action in episodes of The Mandalorian and the Book of Boba Fett. Her backstory is also the subject of three standalone episodes in anthology series Tales of the Jedi.For more details on when and where Ahsoka and company appear, read our guide on how to watch the Star Wars movies in order.Where does the Star Wars universe go after Ahsoka season 2?Grand Admiral Thrawn is being positioned as the primary villain of the post-Return of the Jedi era (Image credit: Lucasfilm Ltd)Whatever form the big cinematic event – involving characters from Ahsoka, The Mandalorian, and more – takes, we can expect it to be epic. “To me, a theatrical experience has to have a big idea,” Filoni told Empire magazine. “[It has to be] a monumental moment in the time period that changes what’s happening. What Tony [Gilroy, Andor showrunner] has done and what we did in Rebels, everything then changes when Luke blows up the Death Star. You’re looking for those moments that define an era, and that’s what the films really should be about – whether it’s characters coming together or a defining moment.”The interweaving plots, then, are all building up to what’s been described by Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy as a “climactic story event”. The culmination of the post-Return of the Jedi era of storytelling will be a theatrical movie directed by Filoni. It’s widely expected to pull various plotlines together, laying the groundwork for the rise of the First Order, the events of The Force Awakens, and beyond.Telling Vanity Fair about his plans for Ahsoka season 2 and his as-yet-untitled film, Filoni said: “I’m setting up what seems to be a larger conflict with the Imperial Remnant. That conflict can’t just mirror what we’ve seen before. It has to take on a different shape. It can’t just be the Empire versus what looks like the Rebellion, or even the Republic. It has to be visually different”. Here’s hoping it’s worth the wait.For more Star Wars coverage, see which Lucasfilm series made it onto our best Disney Plus shows list. Alternatively, see why Star Wars should learn from Andor and stop making Disney Plus shows that are so obsessed with the Jedi or why Star Wars: Skeleton Crew has already got a lot of convincing to do.

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Stephen Wolfram thinks we need philosophers working on big questions around AI

Mathematician and scientist Stephen Wolfram grew up in a household where his mother was a philosophy professor at Oxford University. As such, his younger self didn’t want anything to do with the subject, but an older and perhaps wiser Wolfram sees value in thinking deeply about things. Now he wants to bring some of that deep philosophical rigor to AI research to help us better understand the issues we encounter as AI becomes more capable.

Wolfram was something of a child prodigy, publishing his first scientific paper at 15 and graduating from Caltech with a doctorate at 20. His impressive body of work crosses science, math and computing: He developed Mathematica, Wolfram Alpha and the Wolfram Language, a powerful computational programming language.

“My main life work, along with basic science, has been building our Wolfram language computational language for the purpose of having a way to express things computationally that’s useful to both humans and computers,” Wolfram told TechCrunch.

As AI developers and others start to think more deeply about how computers and people intersect, Wolfram says it is becoming much more of a philosophical exercise, involving thinking in the pure sense about the implications this kind of technology may have on humanity. That kind of complex thinking is linked to classical philosophy.

“The question is what do you think about, and that’s a different kind of question, and it’s a question that’s found more in traditional philosophy than it is in the traditional STEM,” he said.

For example, when you start talking about how to put guardrails on AI, these are essentially philosophical questions. “Sometimes in the tech industry, when people talk about how we should set up this or that thing with AI, some may say, ‘Well, let’s just get AI to do the right thing.’ And that leads to, ‘Well, what is the right thing?’” And determining moral choices is a philosophical exercise.

He says he has had “horrifying discussions” with companies that are putting AI out into the world, clearly without thinking about this. “The attempted Socratic discussion about how you think about these kinds of issues, you would be shocked at the extent to which people are not thinking clearly about these issues. Now, I don’t know how to resolve these issues. That’s the challenge, but it’s a place where these kinds of philosophical questions, I think, are of current importance.”

He says scientists in general have a hard time thinking about things in philosophical terms. “One thing I’ve noticed that’s really kind of striking is that when you talk to scientists, and you talk about big, new ideas, they find that kind of disorienting because in science, that is not typically what happens,” he said. “Science is an incremental field where you’re not expecting that you’re going to be confronted with a major different way of thinking about things.”

If the main work of philosophy is to answer big existential questions, he sees us coming into a golden age of philosophy due to the growing influence of AI and all of the questions that it’s raising. In his view, a lot of the questions that we’re now being confronted with by AI are actually at their core of traditional philosophical questions.

“I find that the groups of philosophers that I talk to are actually much more agile when they think paradigmatically about different kinds of things,” he said.

One such meeting on his journey was with a group of masters’ philosophy students at Ralston College in Savannah, Georgia. Wolfram spoke to students there about the coming collision of liberal arts and philosophy with technology. In fact, Wolfram says he has reread Plato’s “Republic” because he wants to return to the roots of Western philosophy in his own thinking.

“And this question of ‘if the AIs run the world, how do we want them to do that? How do we think about that process? What’s the kind of modernization of political philosophy in the time of AI?’ These kinds of things, this goes right back to foundational questions that Plato talked about,” he told students.

Rumi Allbert, a student in the Ralston program, who has spent his career working in data science and also participated in Wolfram Summer School, an annual program designed to help students understand Wolfram’s approach to applying science to business ideas, was fascinated with Wolfram’s thinking.

“It’s very, very interesting that a guy like Dr. Wolfram has such an interest in philosophy, and I think that speaks to the volume of importance of philosophy and the humanistic approach to life. Because it seems to me, he has gotten so developed in his own field, [it has evolved] to more of a philosophical question,” Allbert said.

That Wolfram, who has been involved on the forefront of computer science for a half century, is seeing the connections between philosophy and technology, could be a signal that it’s time to start addressing these questions around AI usage in a much broader way than purely as a math problem. And perhaps bringing philosophers into the discussion is a good way to achieve that.

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The 12 biggest take-private PE acquisitions so far this year in tech

The private equity realm has been pretty active so far in 2024, serving as a powerful “alternative” source of liquidity for technology startups and scale-ups in search of an exit. Just this month, TechCrunch reported that EQT had picked up a majority stake in cybersecurity firm Acronis at a valuation of around $4 billion, following in the footsteps of another exit, in which EQT snapped up enterprise middleware company WSO2 for $600 million.

However, private equity has also been busy in the public markets, with some big deals going down to transform underperforming companies with strong growth prospects. According to PitchBook, there were 136 take-private deals led by private equity firms in 2023, up 15% on the previous year. New data provided to TechCrunch by PitchBook indicates that so far in 2024, there have been 97 such deals, meaning we’re roughly on course to match last year’s figure (give or take) if the current trajectory holds.

Of the take-private deals that have closed so far in 2024, 46 belong to the technology sector. TechCrunch has filtered through these transactions to identify deals specifically focused on product-centric companies (rather than IT consultancies or services firms), and pulled out all the acquisitions valued at $1 billion or more.

We’ve included transactions that have either already closed in 2024 or are set to close in 2024; this includes deals first announced last year.

Adevinta: $13 billion

Adevinta chair Orla Noonan and CEO Rolv Erik Ryssdal, with executive management, opening trading on April 10, 2019.Image Credits: Adevinta (opens in a new window)

Norwegian media group Schibsted spun out classifieds platform Adevinta as a stand-alone business in 2019. With existing online marketplaces in France, Spain, Brazil, and the U.K., Adevinta went on to acquire eBay’s classifieds business for $9.2 billion in 2020.

During the original spinout in 2019, Schibsted listed Adevinta on the Oslo Stock Exchange at a $6 billion valuation. In late 2023, news emerged that private equity firms Permira and Blackstone were leading a consortium to take Adevinta private in a deal worth 141 billion Norwegian crowns ($13 billion). That deal finally closed in May.

Squarespace: $6.9 billion

Squarespace IPO (2021).Image Credits: NYSE (opens in a new window)

U.K.-based private equity firm Permira announced plans to acquire website builder Squarespace in May, in an all-cash deal valued at $6.9 billion.

Squarespace filed to go public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2021, shortly after raising $300 million at a $10 billion valuation. The company went on to reach a market cap high of $8 billion in mid-2021, but its stock went into free fall, dropping to a low of $2 billion in 2022. The company was already on the rebound this year, with its market cap soaring past $5 billion off the back of strong earnings, sparking Permira into action.

The proposed take-private deal is expected to close in Q4 2024.

Nuvei: $6.3 billion

Nuvei’s opening day on the Nasdaq in 2021.Image Credits: Nasdaq (opens in a new window)

Canadian fintech Nuvei, which provides companies with a range of services spanning payments processing, risk management, currency conversion, and more, entered into an agreement in April to be taken private by Advent International in a deal worth $6.3 billion.

The Ryan Reynolds-backed company originally filed to go public in 2020 on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX), followed by the Nasdaq in the U.S. a year later. The company hit a peak valuation of more than $24 billion in 2021 before hitting a low of $2.6 billion in October, 2023.

The deal is expected to close in late 2024 or early 2025 at the latest.

PowerSchool: $5.6 billion

Hardeep Gulati, chief executive officer of PowerSchool, center right, rings the opening bell during the company’s IPO in 2021. Image Credits: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg / Getty Images

K-12 education software provider PowerSchool is in the middle of being taken private by Bain Capital, in a transaction that values the Folsom, California-based company at $5.6 billion.

PowerSchool was originally acquired by Apple in 2001 for $62 million in an all-stock deal, with Apple selling PowerSchool to Pearson five years later. Pearson then sold it on to Vista Equity Partners in 2015, with Onex Partners joining as investor three years later.

PowerSchool went public in 2021, with the NYSE listing giving the company an initial valuation of around $3.5 billion. It later surged to $5.5 billion in late 2021, before falling to $1.8 billion within a year and then hovering at around the $3.5 billion mark for the past couple of years.

The take-private transaction is expected to conclude in the second half of 2024.

Darktrace: $5.3 billion

Darktrace on the London Stock Exchange.Image Credits: London Stock Exchange (opens in a new window)

U.K. cybersecurity giant Darktrace is set to go private in a $5.3 billion deal spearheaded by an entity called Luke Bidco Ltd., formed by private equity giant Thoma Bravo.

Founded in 2013, Darktrace raised some $230 million in VC funding and reached a private valuation of $1.65 billion, before going public on the London Stock Exchange in 2021 with an opening-day valuation of $2.4 billion. The full valuation based on Thoma Bravo’s offer amounts to $5.4 billion on a fully diluted basis, with the corresponding enterprise value sitting at $4.99 billion.

The deal is expected to close by the end of 2024.

Instructure: $4.8 billion

Instructure’s opening day listing on the NYSE (2021).Image Credits: NYSE (opens in a new window)

Educational technology company Instructure first went public in 2015, but it was taken private by Thoma Bravo in a $2 billion transaction four years later.

In 2021, the private equity giant spun Instructure out once more as a public company on the NYSE, but its valuation generally hovered around the $3.5 billion mark. But KKR swooped in with a $4.8 billion bid in July, with plans to take the company private once more.

The deal is expected to close in late 2024.

Alteryx: $4.4 billion

Alteryx NYSE IPO on March 24, 2017.Image Credits: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Data analytics software provider Alteryx was taken private in a $4.4 billion deal.

Alteryx went public on the NYSE in 2017, with its shares soaring past the $12 billion mark in the intervening years. However, its market cap had been in free fall since 2021, hitting a low of $2 billion before Clearlake Capital Group and Insight Partners came in with their offer last December.

The take-private transaction closed in March this year.

EngageSmart: $4 billion

EngageSmart.Image Credits: EngageSmart

First announced in October 2023, Vista Equity Partners bid $4 billion to take customer engagement software provider EngageSmart private in a deal valued at $4 billion. EngageSmart went public on the NYSE in 2021, with its market cap hovering around the $2 billion to $3 billion mark until Vista Equity Partners tabled its $4 billion offer.

The transaction closed in January, with the EngageSmart brand now in the process of being discontinued and replaced by two separate companies: InvoiceCloud and SimplePractice.

Rover: $2.3 billion

The front lobby of Rover.com in Seattle.Image Credits: John Moore/Getty Images

Pet-sitting marketplace Rover went public on the Nasdaq via a SPAC in 2021. At the tail end of 2023, Blackstone announced its intentions to acquire the company for $2.3 billion.

That all-cash transaction finally closed in February, with Rover now a private company once more.

Everbridge: $1.8 billion

Everbridge goes public in 2016.Image Credits: Everbridge (opens in a new window)

Thoma Bravo first announced its intentions to acquire Everbridge, a critical event management software company, for $1.5 billion in early February. Following further negotiations, Thoma Bravo bumped that price up to $1.8 billion.

Founded in 2002, Everbridge went public on the Nasdaq in 2016, with its shares peaking at $6.4 billion in 2021 before falling below the $1 billion mark ahead of Thoma Bravo entering the the mix.

The transaction closed in July.

Kahoot: $1.7 billion

Kahoot on the Oslo Børs.Image Credits: Kahoot (opens in a new window)

Way back in July 2023, a consortium of buyers led by Goldman Sachs Asset Management announced it was acquiring gamified e-learning platform Kahoot in a deal worth $1.7 billion.

The announcement came a little over two years after Kahoot went public on the Oslo Stock Exchange, with the sale price representing a 53.1% premium on the last trading day before its investors’ specific shareholdings were publicly disclosed in May.

The transaction finally closed in January this year, with Kahoot delisting from the Oslo Børs stock exchange.

Model N: $1.25 billion

Model N goes public in 2013.Image Credits: NYSE (opens in a new window)

Model N, a platform that helps companies automate decisions related to pricing, incentives and compliance, went private in a $1.25 billion deal spearheaded by Vista Equity Partners.

Founded in 1999, Model N went public on the NYSE in 2013, though its valuation rarely ventured further north than $1.5 billion — a figure that fell to below $1 billion in the six months leading to Vista Equity Partners stepping into the fray.

The transaction concluded in June 2024, with Model N now a private company.

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Google

You’ll see from our full Google Pixel 9 review that we’re mostly very impressed with Google’s flagship phone, but we’re still discovering new features that the handset has to offer – including Adaptive Touch technology on the display.As spotted by Android Authority, if you dive into the Display section of Settings, there’s a new adaptive touch entry in the Touch sensitivity menu. When the feature is enabled, the touchscreen sensitivity “will automatically adjust to your environment, activities and screen protector” according to the official blurb.And that pretty much sums it up: Adaptive Touch makes it easier to use the display if you’ve got wet fingers, or if there’s a screen protector on top, or if you’re wearing gloves for example. It looks like the feature is enabled by default on the Pixel 9, the Pixel 9 Pro, and the Pixel 9 Pro XL.All the way back in March there was a rumor that Adaptive Touch was on the way for the Pixel 9 handsets, because of code hidden away in a beta version of Android 14. Now it appears that the code is live and enabled.More to followThe Pixel 9 Pro (Image credit: Philip Berne / Future)Google hasn’t said anything officially about Adaptive Touch, but that’s perhaps not surprising: it had an awful lot of information to pack into its Made by Google 2024 event a couple of weeks ago, where the Pixel 9 range was unveiled.It would seem that the feature requires hardware support of some kind, as there’s no sign of Adaptive Touch on the older Google Pixel 8 phones. If this is something you think you’re going to find useful, then you’ll have to consider upgrading to the 2024 phones – the Pixel 9 starts at $799 / £799 / AU$1,349.This isn’t the first discovery of an unannounced feature on these devices either. We previously noticed that the Pixel 9 phones have improved the upgrade process (something Google has now commented on), and the new Pixel 9 Pro Fold also comes with an important upgrade in terms of hardware security.Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.While these improvements weren’t announced formally at the Pixel 9 launch, they add to the appeal of the phones – and of course Google has spent plenty of time talking about other new features, including a bunch of AI tricks.You might also like

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This $2,350 weight bench is prettier than anything in my living room

My partner and I have very different approaches to interior design. While she (a style-savvy art director) makes the house look good with tasteful additions, I (a fitness writer) clutter it up with bulky exercise equipment. But I’ve recently been introduced to something which could satisfy both camps. The Technogym Bench is designed to deliver “maximum exercise variety with minimum footprint”, neatly slotting dumbbells, knuckle weights, resistance bands and a yoga mat into a compact weight bench. As you’d expect from the notoriously luxe Italian brand, it looks pretty smart too. It’s in our Money No Object franchise for a reason  – at $2,350 in the US and £1,450 in the UK (around $AU3,500), it’s hardly a shrewd purchase. But my champagne tastes (if not my beer pockets) couldn’t help but want one, especially after I gave it a go. (Image credit: Future / Harry Bullmore)The Technogym Bench: What is it? The Technogym team describes its eponymous bench as “the innovative training solution for your home; infinite training opportunities in just one station”. Within the hollowed out interior of the weight bench you’ll find five pairs of dumbbells (5lbs / 2.5kg, 7.5lbs / 3.5kg, 10lbs / 5kg, 15lbs / 7.5kg and 20lbs / 10kg), three sets of knuckle weights (1lb / 0.45kg, 1.8lbs / 0.8kg and 2.6lbs / 1.20kg), light, medium and heavy resistance bands, and an exercise mat. Each piece of equipment has its place, whether that’s a peg, rack or compartment, and there are wheels on one end to make the bench easier to move – handy when the whole thing weighs just shy of 220lb / 100kg. (Image credit: Future / Harry Bullmore)The Technogym Bench: What makes it special? This is the big question: Why does the Technogym Bench warrant its lofty price tag?  Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.Out of interest, I raided Amazon and found I could pick up a flat weight bench with all the requisite ingredients for $316.61 – the Amazon Basics range did a lot of the heavy lifting. But this wouldn’t solve my clutter problem – if anything, it would add to it – and the gear wasn’t of the same quality either. When I tried the Technogym Bench, the Batman-esque black and gray color scheme looked great, and every element felt incredibly sturdy. This stylish aesthetic and premium feel are arguably the Technogym Bench’s biggest selling points. The brand recently launched the Design To Move project, which challenged 40 renowned designers such as Kelly Hoppen and Antonio Citterio to create their own variation of Technogym’s most decorated product (a member of the brand’s team told me this product had scooped more awards than any other on its roster). The results were displayed at Milan Design Week 2024, and you can see some of the designs below. Image

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Here’s how you can get a limited edition Apple Watch award today

While it’s not the International Day of Yoga – after all, that only comes once a year on June 21, 2024 – today, August 25, 2024, is a day that Apple Watch workout aficionados should be excited about. Why? You can earn a limited edition award for completing a workout, and all types are eligible as long as it is for 20 minutes. The occasion is to celebrate natural parks at home or visit one in the United States. That might be for a relaxing meditation or yoga workout on a hill, a hike, or even kayaking. Similarly, it could be a HIIT workout at home. (Image credit: Apple)While Apple has been celebrating National Parks in the United States’ 108th birthday and has been a longstanding partner, anyone who wears an Apple Watch worldwide can complete a workout for 20 minutes today to score the limited-edition award. Plus, you’ll unlock exclusive stickers for iMessage that celebrate the parks.The included stickers are really fun, including someone paddling on a kayak through water, a lovely bee pollinating some flowers, and even an animated version of the limited-edition award. To get it, you simply complete a workout of at least 20 minutes today, August 25, 2024. To do so, on your Apple Watch, you’ll open the Workouts app – you can push the Digital Crown to find it, hit the Action Button on an Apple Watch Ultra if you’ve set that up, or even ask Siri to open Workouts. You can select from the long list of workout types from there and are ready to begin. Once you end the workout, along with your stats – think heart rate and calories burned – you’ll see the award with a fun animation. It’s as simple as that, and the sticker set will also be unlocked for use.(Image credit: Apple)Beyond this workout award, all purchases made on Apple.com in the United States or at an Apple Store in America using Apple Pay by the end of the day on August 25th, 2024, will result in Apple making a $10 donation to the National Park Foundation. Additionally, as part of iOS 18 and watchOS 10 this fall (think September through November 2024), Apple Maps will expand details on hiking trails for National Parks in the United States.Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.If you’re already running the iOS 18 Public Beta, you can try those out now and read all about a secret feature here.You Might Also Like

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