tech news

01 Media keeps a finger on the pulse of the latest and greatest in tech trends; technology news coming from large corporations and startups around the world.

ChatGPT Goes Free Without Text Limits as OpenAI Expands Access to GPT-5.6 Luna
OpenAI is loosening the restrictions on free ChatGPT users, giving them significantly more freedom to interact with its latest artificial intelligence models. The move comes as the company continues to expand ChatGPT's global reach and intensifies its efforts to make advanced AI tools accessible to a broader audience.
By Sahby Mehallaabout a month ago in 01
Hark Handoff: The $6 Billion Bet on an AI That Can Actually Use Your Browser
Hark, a startup that raised $700 million in Series A funding in May at a staggering $6 billion valuation, today launched its agent Hark Handoff, which can use a browser efficiently to complete tasks.
By Mark Lim about a month ago in 01
Eight Australian Startups Ready to Battle for Glory at Stripe Tour Sydney
The applications are in. The TechCrunch Startup Battlefield team made their decisions. Eight Australian startups have earned their spot on the Startup Battlefield stage at Stripe Tour Sydney on August 19, and they're ready to pitch for $15,000 in Stripe fee credits, investor attention, and a spot in Startup Battlefield 200 at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco.
By Mark Lim about a month ago in 01
AI Search Wreaks Havoc on Publishing, but It's Shopify's Secret Weapon
E-commerce software maker Shopify seems to be benefiting handily from people using AI to search. On the company's second-quarter earnings call, Shopify President Harley Finkelstein said AI has become a "complement to search, rather than a substitute for it," and has particularly benefited the long tail of e-commerce, including the smaller merchants that make up the majority of its customer base. Indeed, the company credited its earnings beat and soaring revenue to AI search, at least partly.
By Mark Lim about a month ago in 01
Tinder Pivots to Real-World Connection: In-Person Events Expand Globally as Gen Z Rethinks Digital Dating
As Generation Z increasingly questions the efficacy and emotional toll of algorithmic matchmaking, Tinder is attempting a strategic reinvention that bridges the digital and physical worlds. During Match Group’s second-quarter earnings call on Tuesday, CEO Spencer Rascoff announced an aggressive expansion of Tinder’s in-person events program to dozens of new cities by September 2026, a direct response to internal data showing nearly half of singles aged 18 to 29 now prefer shared real-world experiences over endless swiping. The move comes as the company grapples with persistent user declines but remains cautiously optimistic about a turnaround rooted in authenticity rather than optimization.
By Mark Lim about a month ago in 01
Tesla and SpaceX Unveil $16.8B “Terafab” Chip Factory in Texas, Promising World’s Largest Building Amid Local Concerns
Tesla and SpaceX announced Thursday that their jointly developed advanced semiconductor factory, dubbed “Terafab,” will be constructed in Grimes County, Texas, just outside Houston, with an initial investment of $16.8 billion. Elon Musk, CEO of both companies, declared on social media that the facility will be “the largest and most valuable building on Earth by far,” with plans calling for more than 100 million square feet of manufacturing space. The project is positioned as a critical infrastructure play to close the gap between current global chip production and the exponential compute demands of Musk’s envisioned future, one populated by millions of humanoid robots, autonomous robotaxis, and space-based AI data centers.
By Mark Lim about a month ago in 01
A New Chapter for MNRB Holdings: Divesting Takaful to Focus on Core Reinsurance
In a move that signals a significant strategic realignment in Malaysia's Islamic financial services landscape, MNRB Holdings Bhd has agreed to divest its two wholly-owned takaful subsidiaries to a unit of Bank Kerjasama Rakyat Malaysia Bhd (Bank Rakyat) for RM1.64 billion in cash. The transaction, which involves the sale of Takaful Ikhlas Family Bhd and Takaful Ikhlas General Bhd, represents a pivotal moment for both MNRB and Bank Rakyat as they seek to sharpen their respective focuses in an increasingly competitive market.
By Mark Lim about a month ago in 01
How to Fix Android Auto’s “Communication Error 21” Without Sacrificing Your VPN
You’re about to embark on a long drive. You slide into the driver’s seat, start the car, and expect Android Auto to connect automatically so you can access navigation and music, only to be greeted by a red error screen: “Communication error 21: Being connected to a VPN may prevent Android Auto from starting.” For privacy-conscious users who keep a VPN active as standard practice, this is a frustrating and all-too-common roadblock. Fortunately, the solution doesn’t require choosing between security and convenience. With a feature called split tunneling, you can maintain encrypted browsing while allowing Android Auto to function normally.
By Mark Lim about a month ago in 01
The 9 Best International SEO Experts Listed
International SEO looks different from country to country, but a small group of consultants keep showing up regardless of market. The nine professionals on this list have built their reputations across borders, working with clients, speaking at conferences and educating audiences well beyond a single country or market. Here's who leads the field in international SEO right now.
By Solution Boxesabout a month ago in 01
5 Cybersecurity Blind Spots Small and Mid-Sized Businesses Still Overlook in 2026
Cybersecurity budgets have grown across nearly every industry over the past few years, yet breaches involving small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) continue to rise. The reason isn't usually a lack of investment - it's that the investment is often pointed in the wrong direction. Companies buy firewalls, endpoint tools, and employee training programs, but a handful of quieter, less glamorous risks keep slipping through the cracks.
By Solution Boxesabout a month ago in 01
How to Prevent Your Phone from Overheating in the Car: A Complete Guide to Thermal Safety
Few things are more alarming than reaching for your phone after a long summer drive and finding it too hot to touch. While often dismissed as a minor inconvenience, an overheating smartphone in a vehicle is a legitimate safety and hardware concern. At best, excessive heat degrades internal components, weakens adhesives (leading to screen or backplate separation), and accelerates battery aging. At worst, it can trigger thermal runaway, a catastrophic failure where the battery enters an uncontrolled exothermic reaction, potentially causing swelling (“spicy pillows”), fire, or explosion. Cars, essentially metal boxes exposed to direct solar radiation, create ideal conditions for such failures. Understanding how phones generate and dissipate heat is key to preventing disaster. Effective prevention falls into two categories: managing the external environment and reducing internal heat generation.
By Mark Lim about a month ago in 01
Why Your Car’s USB Port Won’t Charge Your Laptop (And What to Use Instead)
It seems logical: your laptop charges via USB-C, and your car has a USB port. But in practice, connecting the two often leads to disappointment. Most automotive USB ports are engineered for low-power tasks like syncing music or topping up a smartphone, not sustaining the high-wattage demands of modern laptops. Attempting to charge a computer through them typically yields only a marginal trickle charge, if any at all. Understanding why this happens and what alternatives actually work is essential for anyone who relies on their laptop while traveling.
By Mark Lim about a month ago in 01