Lots has happened this past week in the tech world! With Reddit down for thousands of users this week, Microsoft launching a new Windows 365 link, The Exploration Company raising $160 million for future space missions, and more, there’s much to catch up on. So, let’s get started!
Reddit Down For Thousands of Users
Reddit experienced a major outage on Thursday, impacting thousands of users, according to the outage monitoring site Downdetector. This disruption occurred just one day after the platform implemented a fix for a software bug that had previously blocked access for tens of thousands of users.
Downdetector, which gathers outage reports from multiple sources, including user feedback, recorded over 70,000 reports of issues.
Microsoft Launches Windows 365 Link
Microsoft has introduced the Windows 365 Link, a compact, fanless device designed to connect corporate users to their cloud-based programs and files. Currently in preview in the U.S., Canada, and select other countries, the device is slated for general availability in April 2025 at a price of $349.
This move represents Microsoft’s latest effort to innovate within the tech hardware sector, following its Surface product line. In the second quarter of fiscal year 2024, Microsoft reported a 9% decline in devices revenue, totaling $1.2 billion, despite an overall 2% increase in global PC shipments during the same period.
The Exploration Company Raises $160 Million
The Exploration Company (TEC) announced on Monday that it has secured $160 million in funding to advance the development of its Nyx capsule, designed to transport astronauts and cargo to space stations.
The funding round was led by venture capital firms Balderton Capital and Plural, with participation from the French government-backed French Tech Souveraineté and Germany’s DeepTech & Climate Fonds.
Nyx, TEC’s flagship product, is a reusable space capsule capable of being launched via rockets to carry payloads and passengers into orbit. After delivering its cargo, Nyx can re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and be prepared for subsequent missions, highlighting its cost-efficiency and sustainability in space operations.
Qualcomm Predicts High PC Chip Sales
Qualcomm announced on Tuesday that it anticipates generating an additional $22 billion annually by 2029 through its expansion into new markets.
The tech company projects that approximately $4 billion of this revenue will come from its PC chip business. Earlier this year, Qualcomm introduced its Snapdragon X processors for Windows devices, marking its entry into the PC market.
DOJ Urges Google to Divest Chrome Browser
The Department of Justice (DOJ) is urging Google to divest its Chrome browser, following an August ruling that determined the company holds a monopoly in the search market.
Launched in 2008, Chrome serves as a key tech tool for Google to collect user data, which it leverages for targeted advertising. In a filing on Wednesday, the DOJ argued that separating Chrome from Google would foster a more level playing field for competing search engines.
