On the first day of Y Combinators winter 2024 session right after orientation and a photo in front of the YC sign the founders of PearAI got canceled, as founder Nang Ang described it to TechCrunch,receiving an outpouring of online hate.But they survived and graduated the YCs winter 2024 cohort earlier this month with a modified idea and a new initial product. Now theyve also made their goal of $1 million in seed funding, Ang tells TechCrunch, raising a total of $1.25 million, including YCs standard deal of $375,000.To recap: On that Saturday in September, Ang and his co-founder, Duke Pan, released a proof-of-concept, minimal viable product version of their AI code editor on GitHub. They launched with a chest-pounding tweet and an influencer-style YouTube video (the founders are YouTubers).Within hours, someone accused their project of basically being a copy of another open source code editor, Continue, with very few changes. (The PairAI founders were even accused of doing a mass search-and-replace to remove Continues name and add theirs in.)Worse than that, they released their product under a funky, made-up license written with ChatGPT. The surest way to piss off the open source community is to mess with licensing.We definitely did have a lot of mistakes with licensing, Ang told TechCrunch, insisting that licensing has since been fixed.Pans bravado tweet discussing how he quit his high-paying Coinbase job to do this startup and boasting that the product was already better than Copilot further fanned the outrage.Continue another YC company got involved to criticize them, while YC CEO Garry Tan defended them.By Sunday, the young founders had apologized, moved to a standard open source license, and better documented the open source work that underpinned theirs, among other concessions.But they were also left with the obvious feedback that there may not be room for yet another code editor.We love coding, and we want to see it be done better, Ang said.So they took lemons and made AI coding lemonade, using the feedback in the hate to modify their product idea. Instead of an editor itself, they are now buildinga framework that will curate AI coding tools, allowing programmers to use multiple tools. In the back end, it allows the tools to communicate and actually work well together, Ang said. The front end will standardize the user interface so that it seems like Im using one product instead of 10, he said. The tool will integrate with many AI coding tools, including Continue.While there are some public skeptics, PearAI has also gotten kudos a starkly different experience to the last time it launched.Seed round investors include Goodwater Capital, Multimodal Ventures, Orange Fund, ExitFund, and some unnamed angel investors, Ang says.

In BriefPosted:12:20 PM PST December 20, 2024Image Credits:Getty ImagesThird member of LockBit ransomware gang has been arrestedU.S. prosecutors in New Jersey on Friday publicly announced charges against Rostislav Panev, 51, a dual Russian-Israeli national accused of being a key developer in the LockBit ransomware gang. Panev is currently in Israeli custody and faces extradition to the United States.LockBit is one of the most prolific ransomware gangs, accused of launching crippling data-stealing cyberattacks at thousands of companies around the world, including the U.S., and thought to be responsible for at least $500 million in ransom payments alone. Authorities identified and seized LockBits infrastructure in a February takedown operation, but LockBit briefly bounced back as its leader, named by U.K. and U.S. authorities as Dmitry Khoroshev, remains at large.Thats three for three, per prosecutors, after nabbing LockBit affiliates Mikhail Vasiliev in Canada in 2022, then Ruslan Astamirov in the U.S. in 2023, and now Panev, out of a total of seven LockBit members indicted to date.Topics

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Friday proposed a new national framework that could make it easier for companies to deploy at scale autonomous vehicles without traditional manual driving controls like steering wheels, pedals, and sideview mirrors.The guidelines also require AV companies to share a whole lot more safety data with the agency.The AV industry has been anticipating NHTSAs proposal since last year, when the agency first proposed the ADS-Equipped Vehicle Safety, Transparency and Evaluation Program, known as AV STEP. The programs goal, among other things, was to allow NHTSA to greenlight the sale and commercialization of autonomous vehicles that are not compliant with federal safety standards due to a lack of manual controls.Today, autonomous vehicles that have all their manual parts are allowed to operate on public roads without oversight from NHTSA. But any AVs that cant be taken over by a human driver have to get an exemption from the agency.Unless, of course, theyre Zoox. The Amazon-owned company has maintained that it doesnt need an exemption from NHTSA because it has self-certified the safety of its vehicles a claim that the agency is actively investigating.Zoox, which recently started rolling out its toaster-like vehicles in San Francisco, isnt the only AV company looking to lose the steering wheel and pedals. Cruise, before it went under, planned to deploy the Origin, its purpose-built robotaxi, at scale. Electric and autonomous trucking company Einride intends to commercialize an AV freight pod that doesnt even have a cab for a driver, let alone pedals. And Tesla unveiled its two-door robotaxi prototype in October, which it plans to start production on in 2025 or 2026, according to CEO Elon Musk.NHTSAs proposed program is a voluntary one that would give participants an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to transparency for their vehicles and operations by providing regular reporting on safety.The AV STEP program has two tiers one for vehicles built with human controls, with fallback designs that can be managed by humans; and another for vehicles built without such controls. As more of the latter begin to flood public streets, NHTSA hopes the program and data reporting would make the agency better equipped to address emerging risks associated with their deployment.To qualify for the program, companies will need to submit data related to the safety of the design, development, and operations of their AVs. Once admitted, participants will be required to submit both periodic and event-triggered reports, like crash reports, to NHTSA all of which the agency would be at liberty to publish in the name of transparency.NHTSAs call for more data comes as President-elect Donald Trumps transition team has signaled a desire to quash a Biden-era requirement for car-crash reporting that Musk and Tesla oppose. Tesla has the largest market share of vehicles with automated driving features in the U.S., and as such, the majority of the total reported crashes come from Teslas. Tesla has been targeted in several NHTSA investigations, some of which stemmed from the roughly 1,500 crashes the automaker reported to federal safety regulators.Its too soon to tell whether crash reporting for AVs will be eliminated under Trumps regime, but NHTSA says it wants to collect such data so it can keep up with the fast-moving industry in anticipation of one day establishing minimum standards for AV performance.Some industry advocates say the proposed framework is premature. Cathy Chase, president of Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, pointed out that the proposal was released shortly after NHTSA issued a set of studies touting the effect of federal safety standards in saving over 860,000 lives from 1968 to 2019.Expanding the deployment of ADS and without the safety protections provided by FMVSSs at this time seems premature and lacks independent research and data to support the action, Chase said in a statement.

One of several late 19th-century industrial buildings in the North End, the Waitt & Bond Building stands on Endicott Street, looking over the scar on the landscape that is I-93. This six-story building was constructed in 1891 and is the oldest extant building in Boston associated with cigar manufacturers Henry Waitt (1842-1902) and Charles H. Bond (1846-1908), who started business in 1870. The business relocated from Saugus to Boston in 1873 and moved into this building upon its completion. Waitt & Bond produced handmade cigars with each employee hand-rolling over 300-a-day. The architect, Ernest N. Boyden, designed the building in the Panel-Brick and Romanesque styles with decorative brick panels, cornice, and arched detailing. Rooftop billboard signage (blight) was first added to the building in 1956, with increased visibility via the elevated John Fitzgerald Expressway (the Central Artery). By the early 1960s, Joseph Castignetti moved his mens clothing store, Castignetti Brothers, to this location. In 2001, the building was converted into 28 loft-style condos, an early sign of the gentrification to come to the North End.

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REYKJAVIK, ICELAND - MAY 24: In this aerial view, the Mammoth carbon removal plant, considered the ... [+] largest direct-air capture plant in the world is seen on May 24, 2024 in Reykjavik, Iceland. The Swiss start-up Climeworks and Icelandic partner Carbfix collaborated on the Mammoth project, utilizing Climeworks' Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology to extract CO2 directly from the air using fans and special filters. Powered by clean geothermal energy, the CO2 is then pumped deep into Iceland's bedrock, locking it away permanently. Mammoth's annual capture of 36,000 tons of CO2 is seen as a significant step in fighting climate change. (Photo by John Moore/Getty Images)Getty ImagesAs the world grapples with the accelerating impacts of climate change, 2024 emerged as another landmark year for the carbon dioxide removal (CDR) industry. Advances in technology, increased financial backing, and regulatory momentum have pushed the sector closer to becoming an essential cornerstone of global climate strategy.But despite mounting enthusiasm, valid questions about scalability, cost, and regulatory frameworks remain. Pre-purchases are essential, but the industry must start delivering carbon removal credits in order to grow. For example, CDR.fyi reports that despite 12 million tons of CO2 being sold, only 4% of purchases have been delivered.Below are the top five developments that defined the space this year.1. Expansion of Direct Air Capture Plants WorldwideDirect air capture (DAC) technology took a major leap forward in 2024 with the opening of new facilities and the expansion of existing ones. Climeworks inaugurated its Mammoth facility in Iceland, capable of capturing 36,000 tons of CO annually. Powered by geothermal energy, it represents a significant upgrade from Climeworks' earlier Orca plant. Meanwhile, Canada saw the establishment of the Deep Sky Alpha facility, a 3,000 ton per year DAC pilot testing and innovation center funded by a $40 million grant from Breakthrough Energy. These developments underscore the increasing feasibility of scaling DAC solutions, with global capacity for planned and announced projects surpassing 1 million tons annually for the first time.2. Governments Increase Policy SupportGovernment support for carbon removal technologies reached new heights in 2024. In the United States, the Department of Energy announced $1.8 billion in new funding for DAC testing platforms, pilots, and commercial projects providing a significant boost to scalable CDR solutions. At COP29, governments agreed to rules on how countries can create, trade and register carbon removal credits, creating more certainty in the market. Canada made waves with its carbon removal procurement commitment, pledging to directly purchase at least $10 million in carbon removal credits to offset government emissions to reach net-zero goals.MORE FOR YOU3. Record-Breaking Capital RaisesThe CDR industry saw continued and increasing levels of private investment in 2024. Heirloom raised $150 million in Series B funding to scale its innovative DAC technology that uses robotics and rocks to capture CO2 from the air. CarbonCapture Inc. secured $80 million in Series A financing, with backing from Amazon's Climate Pledge Fund and Aramco Ventures. Vaulted Deep closed a $32.3 million Series A round to expand its biomass carbon removal and storage operations. These investments highlight the growing confidence in the industry's potential to achieve meaningful climate impact.4. Landmark Purchase Agreements From Private BuyersCorporate commitments to carbon removal ramped up significantly in 2024, with long-term purchase agreements marking a key trend. Morgan Stanley signed a deal with Climeworks to purchase 40,000 tons of CO removals by 2037, supporting the expansion of DAC facilities like Climeworks Project Cypress in Louisiana. Google announced a landmark deal with startup Holocene to forward purchase 100,000 tons of CO2 removal at a record low price of $100 per ton by the early 2030s. Similarly, Microsoft and Royal Bank of Canada partnered with Deep Sky to pre-purchase 10,000 tons of carbon removal credits over 10 years, with an option for an additional 1 million tons. According to CDR.fyi, carbon removal credits passed 2.1 million tons sold for the first time. These agreements not only provide critical funding for new projects but also reflect increasing corporate accountability for carbon emissions.5. Challenges in Delivery RemainDespite these successes, the CDR industry continues to grapple with a significant delivery gap. According to CDR.fyi, only 4% of the 12 million tons of CO removal credits sold worldwide have been delivered. This shortfall highlights the challenges of scaling operations, ensuring permanence, and meeting the growing demand for verified carbon removal. For example, CarbonCapture Inc. paused the development of its Project Bison in Wyoming because of increasing competition for renewable power driven by AI data centers. Bridging this gap will require innovations in project deployment and stricter quality assurance measures.Looking AheadThe developments of 2024 represent both progress and potential for the CDR industry. While challenges remain, the rapid expansion of direct air capture plants, robust policy support, record-breaking investments, and high-profile purchase agreements signal that carbon removal is on the cusp of transformative growth. As stakeholders work to address delivery gaps and improve scalability, CDR is poised to become a cornerstone of global climate strategy in the years to come.Disclaimer: Phil De Luna is the Chief Carbon Scientist and Head of Engineering at Deep Sky

Find the links between the words to win today's game of Connections.gettyLooking for Fridays Connections hints and answers instead? You can find them here:Hey, folks! Welcome to the penultimate weekend of the year. Its a time for holiday parties, catching up on sleep, seeing friends and loved ones and preparing for more over the same over the next couple of weeks. Ill still be with you every day, of course, but I hope you have a wonderful, enjoyable, restful holiday period.Before we get started, Ive started a discussion group for Connections and this column on Discord. You can chat about each game (and other topics) with me and other folks. Im always interested to find out how other people approach the game, so join us! Its fun.Its also the best way to give me any feedback about the column, especially on the rare(!) occasions that I mess something up.Todays NYT Connections hints and answers for Saturday, December 21, are coming right up.MORE FOR YOUHow To Play ConnectionsConnections is a free, popular New York Times daily word game. You get a new puzzle at midnight every day. You can play on the NYT website or Games app.Youre presented with a grid of 16 words. Your task is to arrange them into four groups of four by figuring out the links between them. The groups could be things like items you can click, names for research study participants or words preceded by a body part.Theres only one solution for each puzzle, and youll need to be careful when it comes to words that might fit into more than one category. You can shuffle the words to perhaps help you see links between them.Each group is color coded. The yellow group is usually the easiest to figure out, blue and green fall in the middle, and the purple group is usually the most difficult one. The purple group often involves wordplay.Select four words you think go together and press Submit. If you make a guess and youre incorrect, youll lose a life. If youre close to having a correct group, you might see a message telling you that youre one word away from getting it right, but youll still need to figure out which one to swap.If you make four mistakes, its game over. Lets make sure that doesnt happen with the help of some hints, and, if youre really struggling, todays Connections answers. As with Wordle and other similar games, its easy to share results with your friends on social media and group chats.If you have an NYT All Access or Games subscription, you can access the publications Connections archive. This includes every previous game of Connections, so you can go back and play any of those that you have missed.Aside from the first 60 games or so, you should be able to find my hints for each grid via Google if you need them! Just click here and add the date of the game for which you need clues or the answers to the search query.What Are Todays Connections Hints?Scroll slowly! Just after the hints for each of todays Connections groups, Ill reveal what the groups are without immediately telling you which words go into them.Todays 16 words are...BANDSLEIGHBALONEYPANBUNKGROUCHCIRCLECANOPYCROCKOSTATUETTEPOTRINGMURPHYCASSEROLEHOOPAnd the hints for todays Connections groups are:Yellow group like a tire or the upside-down part of a rollercoasterGreen group kitchen toolsBlue group lay your weary head, perhapsPurple group linked by a forenameWhat Are Todays Connections Groups?Need some extra help?Be warned: were starting to get into spoiler territory.Todays Connections groups are...Yellow group loopGreen group cooking vesselsBlue group kinds of bedsPurple group things called OscarWhat Are Todays Connections Answers?Spoiler alert! Dont scroll any further down the page until youre ready to find out todays Connections answers.This is your final warning!Todays Connections answers are...Yellow group loop (BAND, CIRCLE, HOOP, RING)Green group cooking vessels (CASSEROLE, CROCK, PAN, POT)Blue group kinds of beds (BUNK, CANOPY, MURPHY, SLEIGH)Purple group things called Oscar (BALONEY, GROUCH, O, STATUETTE)No perfect game today, but thats back-to-back wins for me. Here's how I fared:The red herring of CROCK, BALONEY and BUNK almost got me. But I found the greens first.I made a mistake with CIRCLE, O, RING and HOOP, which left me one away from a group. BAND must fit into there instead, I thought.I opted to change strategy since I figured that I had the blues. I wasnt extremely sure about including SLEIGH, but I took a risk and it worked out.That didnt really help with the group of round things, but including BAND instead of O meant that I had the yellows.I didnt figure out the purple connection, but I probably should have between GROUCH and STATUETTE. After all, the first thing that came to mind when I saw the former on the grid was Oscar the Grouch.In the NATO alphabet, OSCAR means O. Meanwhile, Oscar Mayer produces BALONEY. As for STATUETTE, that refers to an Academy Award, aka an Oscar.Thats all there is to it for todays Connections clues and answers. Be sure to check my blog tomorrow for hints and the solution for Sundays game if you need them.P.S. Im not a huge Muse fan, but I really like some of their songs. One I particularly enjoy is Knights of Cydonia. I think its the bands magnum opus. Its a rollicking, operatic rock song that factors in thematic elements of the Wild West. As it happens, I was there for the first-ever live performance of the song, and it blew me away at the time:Have a great day! Call someone you love!If youre so inclined, please do follow my blog for more coverage of Connections and other word games and even some video game news, insights and analysis. It helps me out a lot! Also, follow me on Bluesky! Its fun there.

Cool stuff: A British startup has developed a watch geared at NASA super geeks (you know who you are). The timepiece takes the concept of the calculator watch, which was highly popular in the 1980s, and raises it to the next level. It looks like an Apollo Guidance Computer shrunk to the size of a smartwatch. Apollo Instruments has introduced the DSKY Moonwatch. Standing for display and keyboard, the DSKY Moonwatch resembles the guidance computers used in the Apollo missions, including the world-famous Apollo 11 moon landing that put Neil Armstong and Buzz Aldrin on the lunar surface.However, it's not just a static replica. The Moonwatch has a fully functional keyboard and can operate as a calculator. While this feature is cool and nostalgic, the Moonwatch is far more innovative than that. It may be even smarter than your current smartwatch.While it only has a calculator app for now, if you have experience with Arduino or Python, you can program the watch via a micro-USB port. Apollo Instruments says it will also push out in-house and community-developed program modules in future updates. For now, users can simply enjoy the multifunctional watch for its aesthetic.The Moonwatch can also attach to other devices, including breadboard interfaces, development enclosures, and robotic systems through a proprietary eight-channel I/O port. These devices are currently under development. The company noted that one of its upcoming projects replicates the form and function of the original Apollo guidance computer's main chassis.Original DSKY AGC. (Image credit: Henristosch)The Moonwatch is about the size of a typical smartwatch and comes with the choice of a brown or black leather band. It has a classic green-on-black monochrome display, giving it a nostalgic feel while making it clear and easy to read. The keys are small but appear larger than the old (and new) classic calculator watches.The light-up panel and the OLED digital dispaly are close to, but not the same as, the original computer. Overall, it's a nice-looking watch with a ceramic-coated stainless steel chassis that contrasts nicely with the band. It is a bit geeky, but no more so than your typical calculator watches, which are making a comeback.The watch's only real drawback is its price. Apollo Instruments wants 649 (about $812 US) for the DSKY Moonwatch. That's more than an Apple Watch Ultra 2. At that price point, it might only attract the hardcore Apollo fan. Pre-orders have started for customers willing to pay a 240 ($300) deposit. The remainder is due at shipping. The company expects to begin delivering units in the first quarter of 2025. // Related StoriesThere are some slight incentives for US customers, but they come with a few caveats. For $300 down, you can pre-order the watch, and Apollo Instruments will discount the sales tax cost in your state. This discount is limited to 200 orders per state on average. That would amount to about 10,000 units sold in the US. However, those living in Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, and Oregon can't get the discount since they have no sales tax.