Brian Heater
TechCrunch
New York, United States
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Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
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Recent articles by Brian:
Apple will donate 10M face masks to healthcare workers –
By way of a working from home Twitter message, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that the company has sourced and will be donating 10 million face masks. The number is sizable increase over the two million reported last week and a hefty bump over the nine million figure Vice President Mike Pence announced during last […] → Read More
Tencent launches $100M fund to fight COVID-19 –
Tencent this week announced the launch of the Global Anti-Pandemic Fund, a $100 million effort designed to help curb the devastating spread of COVID-19. The news follows the launch of $100 million funds from fellow tech giants, Netflix and Facebook. In the case of the Shenzhen-based corporation, initial funding will go to practical and vitally […] → Read More
Amazon issues COVID-19 guidelines, as cases are reported in multiple US fulfillment centers –
For many across the world, online retail services like Amazon have become a lifeline, as the COVID-19 pandemic forces self- and government-imposed isolation. Warehouse employees and gig workers have become a key frontline in the effort to socially distance, all while risking their health to do so. At last count, workers at at least six […] → Read More
Google Podcasts is finally available on iOS –
Just in time for our collective house arrests, Google has unveiled a redesigned version of Podcasts. The revamped version of the app is centered around discovery, broken up into three primary tabs. There’s Home, which features your current feeds; Explore, which offers up popular and curated shows; and Activity, which offers a deeper dive into […] → Read More
Sennheiser’s Momentum True Wireless 2 are a great-sounding pair of $300 earbuds –
They’re doing construction in my apartment building right now. I live on the first floor and can hear the distinct sound of jackhammering on concrete coming from the basement below. There’s also the sound of a generator and a far higher-pitched drilling noise. It’s all happening with the perfect combination of frequency and randomness completely […] → Read More
Anchor expands Record With Friends to make remote podcasting easier across devices –
Admit it, even if you’ve never thought about starting a podcast in your life, these last few weeks of isolation have made you consider the possibility. One of the least harmful knock on effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is undoubtedly going to be the launch of A LOT of podcasts. People are bored, stuck at […] → Read More
Computex delayed until late-September over continued COVID-19 concerns –
Scheduled for early-June in Taipei, Computex has been one of the world’s largest technology trade shows for decades now. It was also among the last big hold outs as events all over the world have been canceled on postponed over the growing COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this week, a number of manufactures sent out public flares, […] → Read More
Musicians pulled in $4.3M after Bandcamp waived revenue shares for 24 hours –
Last week, popular music platform Bandcamp announced that it would be waiving its revenue shares from all sales for 24 hours, starting Friday morning. The move was an effort to help boost income for the innumerable artists who have been struggling to make ends meet as live performances have been canceled for the foreseeable future […] → Read More
Carriers introduce plans to keep consumers connected during COVID-19 pandemic –
Earlier this month, the FCC issued a new measure aimed at easing some of the burdens on consumers as COVID-19 continues to have an increasingly profound impact on nearly every aspect of life. Most or all major internet and wireless providers in the U.S. signed up for the pledge, agreeing to take actions like waiving […] → Read More
IOC’s Dick Pound confirms plans to delay Tokyo Olympics –
In an interview with USA Today, International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound confirmed suggestions that the 2020 Summer Olympic Games will be delayed. The IOC committee veteran didn’t lay out specifics, but suggested that the on-going COVID-19 pandemic could delay the games until 2021. “We will postpone this and begin to deal with all the […] → Read More
How I (remotely) podcast –
Over the last five-plus years of my podcast, I’ve turned down a number of interview offers with artists who weren’t able to meet face to face. I know a lot of folks who do great podcasts remotely, and I’ve even done a few (relatively okay) ones myself. But there’s really no replacement for being able […] → Read More
A few things to consider before pitching a COVID-19 story –
In recent weeks, the novel coronavirus has permeated nearly every aspect of our lives, from the work we do, to the food we buy, to the simple things we’ve tended to take for granted, like leaving our homes and socializing. Even the stories I write that are ostensibly not about the virus are always — […] → Read More
Tinder waves Passport fee to help users connect virtually around the world –
Dating may be proving next to impossible for many during this era of mass social distancing, but Tinder’s hoping to leverage an existing feature to help bring people closer together. Virtually, at least. The dating app is waving fees for Passport, a feature designed to let premium users connect with people outside of their dating […] → Read More
New York Governor announces ‘100% workforce reduction’ for non-essential services –
In a press conference today, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo announced orders for residents to stay at home amid rising COVID-19 concerns. The Governor was careful to avoid terms like “quarantine” and “shelter in place” during the otherwise typically blunt presser, but noted a “100% Workforce Reduction,” with the exclusive of services deemed essential. […] → Read More
Amazon follows Netflix’s lead, reducing streaming quality in Europe –
Following moves by Netflix and YouTube, Amazon announced today that it, too, will be throttling streaming bitrates in Europe in an effort to conserve bandwidth. The online giant confirmed the move in a statement to TechCrunch, writing, We support the need for careful management of telecom services to ensure they can handle the increased internet […] → Read More
Apple MacBook Air review –
Let’s address the elephant in the room. There’s an undeniable irony reviewing an ultraportable laptop when you’re not allowed to leave your house. Of course, Apple didn’t see this coming. None of us did, with the possible exception of Bill Gates, I suppose. I bring this up not as a reminder of everything that’s wrong […] → Read More
Here’s how TechCrunch is keeping our brains busy while we’re stuck at home –
This is a difficult time. Whoever and wherever you are, your life is likely already changing in ways you never could have anticipated as the world grapples with the fast-spreading global outbreak of a virus we don’t yet fully understand. It’s weird and hard and we’re feeling it too. Now more than ever, diving into […] → Read More
Workers sent home after Amazon warehouse employee tests positive for COVID-19 –
It was, it seems, only a matter of time before something like this happened. As we noted in yesterday’s FreshDirect story, not everyone has the ability of being able to shelter in place during the spread of COVID-19. In fact, the more of us who stay put, the more strain we’re going to put on […] → Read More
FreshDirect says worker who tested positive for COVID-19 not involved in food prep or delivery –
Popular online grocer FreshDirect sent an email today notifying consumers that a warehouse worker has tested positive for COVID-19. CEO David McInerney stressed that the worker had not been present in the facility since reporting feeling unwell. Nor were they involved in either the food preparation or delivery aspects of FreshDirect’s service. The news is […] → Read More
The 20 best startups from Y Combinator’s W20 Demo Day –
With world events overtaking the tech world’s preferences to meet for coffees and convene at events, Y Combinator skipped its famous two-day live Demo event and went for a radical experiment: no demos at all, but instead a long list of the nearly 200 startups in its Winter 2020 batch, with links to their sites […] → Read More