10 things in tech you need to know today
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1. Embattled Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes is about to go on trial for fraud. Holmes is accused of defrauding investors, doctors, and patients - and former employees are speaking out about her alleged paranoia, a "tone deaf" Christmas gift and demands for utter devotion. Here's everything you need to know about Theranos' downfall.
2. China put a three-hour weekly time limit on kids' video gaming. Kids under 18 years old in China will now only be allowed one hour of gaming, from 8 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. More on that decision, which the government hopes will curb gaming addiction.
3. Tiger Global is beating other VCs, say founders who took its deals. Entrepreneurs who chose Tiger as an investor see its unorthodox approach as a much-welcome change of pace from other VC firms. We spoke with six founders backed by the firm to see what sets Tiger apart.
4. Amazon's future is in flux under new CEO Andy Jassy. A slew of executive reshuffles and departures followed Jassy's rise to power, and AWS, the main profit engine, is seeing the most turmoil. We have a comprehensive rundown of the biggest Amazon news so far this year.
5. SpaceX launched a rocket capsule carrying avocados, ants, shrimp, and a robotic arm. In a shipment to the International Space Station, SpaceX sent supplies for astronauts (avocados and ice cream) and items for experiments (ants and shrimp). See how each of the seemingly random supplies will be used.
6. The digital-fitness industry is showing no signs of slowing down. Increasing vaccination rates have jump-started local economies and allowed gyms to reopen, but at-home exercise is likely to become routine with brands like Peloton, Tonal, and Mirror leading the charge. Get the latest on the digital-fitness craze.
7. Apple may have snuck a new, notch-less iPhone into the latest episode of "Ted Lasso." Apple's upcoming iPhone 13 may have appeared in the show's recent episode. Oh, and in other "Ted Lasso" news: watch one of the stars describe meeting Tim Cook without realizing who he was.
8. A popular tech reviewer highlighted the downsides of Tesla's new steering yoke. Tesla has started shipping updated Model S sedans with its unique steering yoke (it's like a steering wheel, but rectangular). One tech reviewer outlined the cons of the unconventional steerer.
9. Microsoft lost a handful of key execs this year - and gained others. The company lost eight top executives in 2021, but also acquired major power players like Amazon cloud exec Charlie Bell. We've kept tabs on the executive shakeup at Microsoft, and profiled the most important people who've come and gone this year.
10. Marc Benioff built a dream team to run Salesforce when he leaves - but few insiders think he's going anywhere. As he spends more time away from Salesforce, the CEO has been assembling a team that can take charge once he's gone. What Salesforce might look like without Benioff.
Compiled by Jordan Erb. Tips/comments? Email jerb@insider.com or tweet @JordanParkerErb.
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