Flash, the payment management service that tracks all your online purchases, announced Tuesday its entry into the U.S. market, giving American customers the ability to manage all of their spending in one place while also earning rewards, such as gift cards and cash back. 

The U.S. is home to many big spenders, making it a strategic choice to launch the app here. The Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce estimates that online shopping in the U.S. brought in about $291.6 billion during the second quarter of 2024. It estimated that total retail sales amounted to roughly $1.8 trillion. Projections for the global e-commerce market are also promising, with estimates suggesting it will surpass $6 trillion this year. 

The app was previously only available to users in India. 

Flash, available now to download on both iOS and Android devices, lets you centralize all of your online purchases into one place, while also letting you track multiple shipments, receipts, and your entire order history for the year. By connecting your email to the app, it compiles all the messages sent from brands to create an overview of where you shop, how much you spend, and which brands you frequent the most. It also categorizes your spending into separate areas such as shopping, travel, food and groceries, and entertainment. The insights feature could help you budget more effectively and gain a clearer understanding of your spending habits. For instance, maybe refrain from all those sweet treats at Starbucks (it adds up!). 

Additionally, when you place new orders through various brands, such as Amazon, Booking.com, DoorDash, Instacart, Target, and Walmart, you’ll earn points that can be redeemed for $5-$100 gift cards. With the free version of the app, you earn 10 points for every order and 100 points for flights and hotels. If you opt for the paid plan, you can earn five times the number of points. 

The app is free to download; however, if you upgrade to the Flash Plus plan for $49/year, you’ll receive an email ID (@flash.co) to get a dedicated smart inbox that you can use for all shopping-related emails. The subscription also includes AI-powered spam protection, advanced tracking features, and other benefits. 

Founded by Flipkart’s former senior vice president, Ranjith Boyanapalli, the India-based startup got its start in 2022, when Boyanapalli realized how flooded his email inbox had become with promotional messages from brands.

“If you look at the genesis, it started by being a power shopper and realizing 60% of all my personal communication, the primary email that I use, is actually commerce related,” Boyanapalli told TechCrunch. “I find myself spending across 20 to 30 brands in a year minimum, across all these domains. For example, last year, I received about 12,500 [shopping-related] emails, of which probably 10,400 emails were promotional in nature… So that created the genesis that, ‘Hey, it’s probably time to have a separate shopping identity.’ And that’s how Flash got created.”

Since its launch, the platform has achieved success among users in India, with one million app downloads.

The company has always planned to expand into additional markets, with the U.S. being a clear choice. Boyanapalli noted that Flash’s U.S. app has been tested by around 200 beta users. Over the past year, these users collectively placed nearly 35,000 orders, totaling around $2 million across hundreds of different brands.

“We thought now is the right time for us to launch and scale up, especially given the holiday season kicking in,” Boyanapalli added.

The only difference between the two versions is the subscription offering, which is exclusively available in the U.S. Meanwhile, Flash opted for an advertising model in India. However, Boyanapalli noted that this could change.

Next on the roadmap is a global version of the app, which is set to launch in mid-June 2025. The company also plans to raise new capital to support its expansion in the U.S., which is set to take place in the first quarter of 2025. 

The story was updated to clarify that Flash doesn’t have any direct partnerships with brands as of yet.

Arizona resident Jacqueline McAferty is suing Elon Musk and his pro-Trump America PAC in a Texas federal court, alleging that the PAC’s $1 million-a-day lottery to registered voters in swing states was fraud. The proposed class-action lawsuit was filed a day after a Philadelphia judge denied the city’s request to order Musk to end the lottery — and seems to have been spurred by Musk’s legal defense in the Philadelphia case.

The complaint, filed in a federal court in Austin, alleges that Musk falsely claimed the PAC would choose sweepstakes winners randomly when the selections were, in fact, predetermined. The complaint cites comments made yesterday by Chris Gober, a Republican lawyer CNBC identified as America PAC’s former treasurer. 

“The $1 million recipients are not chosen by chance,” Gober said during the Monday hearing in the Philadelphia case. “We know exactly who will be announced as the $1 million recipient today and tomorrow.” Grober’s testimony contradicted Musk’s own claim that the funds were awarded “randomly,” as he said when he announced the contest at a political rally in Pennsylvania.

McAferty signed the petition on October 20th, the day Musk announced the contest, according to the complaint. Musk “made the false statements with the intention of inducing individuals to sign the America PAC petition,” which was a scheme to obtain users’ data, the complaint alleges. McAferty is accusing Musk of fraud and breach of contract.

To sign the petition, voters had to provide their first and last name, email address, mailing address, and cell phone number. “The America PAC petition places no limitations on America PAC’s use of or sale of the personal data it collects, nor does it provide any additional information about the planned use of data,” the complaint claims.

The suit also claims that Musk used the lottery to drive “significant traffic to Musk’s X platform.”

Global cybercrime is projected to escalate by 15% annually over the next five years, reaching a staggering $10.5 trillion per year by 2025. Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) systems are prime targets for cyber threat actors. A cyberattack on an OT system can halt production, resulting in significant downtime and financial losses potentially amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars. Consequently, IT leaders are tasked with fortifying their organization’s OT cybersecurity posture.

Historically, OT systems were not considered significant threats due to their perceived isolation from the Internet. Organizations relied on physical security measures, such as door locks, passcodes, and badge readers, to protect against hands-on access and disruption to physical operational processes. However, the advent of the 4th Industrial Revolution, or Industry 4.0, has introduced smart technologies and advanced software to optimize efficiency through automation and data analysis. This digital transformation has interconnected OT and IT systems, creating new attack vectors for adversaries to exploit and access sensitive data.

The nation’s goal of landing an Indian on the moon by 2040 “underscores our dedication to human space exploration and a powerful inspiration for the next generation,” said ISRO chief S. Somanath. He was talking at the third edition of the Indian Space Conclave, organised by the Indian Space Association (ISpA), which kicked off in Delhi on Tuesday.

A platform for the space economy in general and for encouraging the participation of private players, the event still grabbed headline-worthy statements with the larger government-ISRO targets, ranging from India launching space tourism as well as the next step in the nation’s ambitious sun mission.

Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (independent charge) for Science and Technology, Space, and Atomic Energy announced that India will be launching a satellite from the European Space Agency aimed at the Sun next month. India’s solar mission is already off the ground, with the Aditya L-1 reaching its intended halo orbit around the sun earlier this year.

Singh pointed out how India has transformed remarkably from being an observer to one of the potential leaders in the space sector. “Once perceived as a follower, we have now established ourselves as a front-line nation in scientific and technological achievements. This shift has been fuelled by a series of groundbreaking missions and innovative partnerships that have garnered international respect and collaboration.”

Singh added, “India is no longer waiting for technologies to be handed down to us; we are now innovators in our own right, developing solutions that are shaping global standards. The sense of confidence that permeates our space endeavours is a reflection of our commitment to excellence and our vision for a self-reliant India.”

ISRO chief Somanath said, “Realising our vision requires new players, inspired young talent, and a thriving startup ecosystem. With policies that enhance data accessibility, we’re enabling space-based applications to support sectors like agriculture and finance, aiming to create a robust, multifaceted space ecosystem,”

“India’s Vision 2047 marks a historic, long-term commitment to transforming our space programme and expanding our space economy…defining a future where space drives economic growth, national security, and technological innovation,” Somanath said, pointing out how India already has 450 private companies in the space sector, launching and building satellites.

Jayant Patil, Chairman, Indian Space Association (ISpA) said, “Every rupee invested in the space sector is returning over 2.5 times to our economy, and over $60 billion added to GDP in the last decade; this sector is driving significant technological advancement and job creation.”

Sony has announced it will discontinue the AirPeak S1 drone next year. The decision comes three years after the company started taking orders for the remotely controlled flying machine.

In a message on its Japanese website, the tech giant said it will stop selling the drone and most of its related products at the end of March 2025. However, battery packs for the AirPeak will continue to be available through March 2026, and repairs and software maintenance will be offered until the end of March 2030.

Sony put its decision down to “changes in the business environment,” which feels like company-speak for: “We weren’t selling enough of them.”

In what seemed like a brave move to take on drone giant DJI, Sony launched the AirPeak S1 in 2021, targeting professional filmmakers and photographers with a system that enabled the use of Sony’s high-end mirrorless cameras. In an even braver move, the company charged $9,000 for the aircraft, a hefty price that may well have been its undoing.

Sony unveiled the AirPeak S1 to great fanfare, trumpeting its top speed of 55 mph and its dual-operation mode that lets one person fly the drone while someone else focuses on controlling the camera. It also has the ability to stay steady in winds as strong as 44.7 mph, allowing filmmakers to capture smooth footage in challenging conditions.

But one early review of the machine was particularly damning. Photography specialist site PetaPixel criticized the AirPeak S1 for its complex set-up process, poor performance, camera feed issues, and app limitations. It titled its review: “A rare, utter flop for Sony.”

The company had been rolling out gradual improvements via software updates, but evidently they were not enough to save the machine. Sony has no other drones among its myriad of product offerings, and it looks likely to stay that way for the foreseeable future.

The Pixel 9 Pro arrived this year for users looking for a compact flagship. Previously, fans of the Pixel lineup had to turn to the less capable vanilla models if they wanted a phone with a smaller screen. Buyers of the device seem happy so far, with generally positive reviews. A new report claims that the Pixel 9 Pro’s cost of materials is just over $400.

After the release of new smartphones from big brands, the Bill of Materials (BOM) usually comes out, giving an idea of how much it costs to manufacture it. However, it is important to note that the bill of materials does not factor in several additional expenses associated with the commercialization of a device. This includes local/regional taxes, logistics, licensing, and more. You must also take into account the necessary margin for future discounts and offers.

It costs Google about $406 to make the Pixel 9 Pro, report claims

According to Nikkei, the cost of materials for the Pixel 9 Pro totals $406. For reference, the iPhone 16 Pro’s BOM is around $485, according to analysts. Additionally, the Pixel 9 Pro’s BOM is around 11% lower compared to the Pixel 8 Pro. However, the Pixel 8 generation did not feature a compact-sized Pro model. Components like the display and battery on the new-gen model are smaller, which can influence the cost. A more fair comparison for last year’s Pro model would be the BOM of the Pixel 9 Pro XL, which is not available yet.

According to the report, the new Tensor G4 chip costs Google around $80. This is significantly less than what other brands pay for the Snapdragon 8 Elite, which costs nearly $200. This is one of the advantages that brands that design their own chips have. The Samsung M14 display on the Pixel 9 Pro costs $75, the source claims. On the other hand, the camera hardware costs around $61.

Google optimizing production costs of Pixel devices

It would be nice to see the BOM of the Pixel 9 Pro XL emerge as well. This way, we could make a fairer comparison with the previous-generation Pixel 8 Pro. In any case, it appears that Google is also striving to optimize the production costs of its mobile devices. For instance, the camera hardware of the new model is reportedly cheaper than that of its predecessor.