Skip to main content

Daily Tech News Roundup - 2025-12-20

1. Sequoia partner spreads debunked Brown shooting theory, testing new leadership
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/19/sequoia-partner-spreads-debunked-brown-shooting-theory-testing-new-leadership/
Summary: The newest episode raises questions about whether Sequoia's new leadership -- managing partners Alfred Lin and Pat Grady, who took over last month -- can or will rein in Maguire's social media activity.

2. Want to link from Google’s app store to your app? That’ll be $2–4 per install
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/848540/google-app-fees-external-link-downloads-alternative-payments
Summary: Today was the deadline for Google to reveal how it's complying with Judge James Donato's order to crack open Android for third-party app stores, stop illegally tying its Google Play Billing system to its app store, and let developers link to ways to download their apps outside the Play Store in the US. But Google […]

3. Ex-Splunk execs’ startup Resolve AI hits $1 billion valuation with Series A
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/19/ex-splunk-execs-startup-resolve-ai-hits-1-billion-valuation-with-series-a/
Summary: The round was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, according to people familiar with the deal.

4. Google is part of Movies Anywhere again
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/848548/google-youtube-movies-anywhere-back-return
Summary: Google is once again part of Movies Anywhere, meaning that movies you've purchased from Google Play and YouTube will now show up as part of your Movies Anywhere collection. Films from Google Play and YouTube became unavailable on Movies Anywhere on October 31st, but now they should sync to your account again. "Support for Google […]

5. Rocket Lab wins another defense-related space contract
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/19/rocket-lab-wins-another-defense-related-space-contract/
Summary: The $816 million contract follows a separate $515 million — both awarded by the U.S. Space Development Agency.

6. Building venture-backable companies in heavily regulated spaces
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/12/19/building-venture-backable-companies-in-heavily-regulated-spaces/
Summary: This week on Build Mode, Startup Battlefield editor Isabelle Johannessen spoke to two founders who are working to make progress in industries ripe for disruption, despite the regulatory headaches that might have deterred many other people.

7. Did a publisher’s slip-up reveal smaller Switch 2 cartridges?
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/848462/nintendo-switch-2-smaller-cartridges-inin-games
Summary: On Friday, retro and arcade game publisher ININ Games surprisingly announced it's been able to "recalculate production" on offering a physical version of R-Type Dimensions III for the Switch 2 because "Two days ago Nintendo announced two new smaller cartridge sizes for Nintendo Switch 2." Physical games on the Switch 2 have been something of […]

8. Gemini isn’t replacing Google Assistant on Android just yet
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/848455/google-assistant-gemini-upgrade-2026
Summary: Google isn't quite ready to replace Assistant with Gemini on Android devices. The company said on Friday that it will "continue our work to upgrade Assistant users to Gemini on mobile devices into 2026," instead of its original plans to make the switch by the end of 2025. "We're adjusting our previously announced timeline to […]

Automated post via TechCognita Automation Framework

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Stripe vs Razorpay: Which Is Better for Indian Devs?

In the booming Indian startup and freelancer economy , online payments are the fuel that keeps projects running. Two names dominate this space for developers building SaaS products , client dashboards , or mobile apps: Stripe and Razorpay . But which one is better for Indian developers in 2025? Let’s break it down based on features, ease of use, integration, pricing, and local support. 💳 1. Onboarding & KYC Stripe: Offers international-level onboarding. But Stripe India requires you to be a registered business (no individual freelancers allowed). Razorpay: Allows both individuals and companies to sign up. Faster KYC for Indian users. 🏆 Winner: Razorpay (more accessible for freelancers & students) 🧑‍💻 2. Developer Experience Stripe: World-class documentation, SDKs for every language ( Node.js , Python , Flutter , etc.), sandbox testing, CLI tools . Razorpay: Good documentation, JS SDK , mobile SDKs available, but slightly less matu...

Google Summer of Code (GSoC) 2026 – Your Complete Guide to Getting Started

🎯 Introduction If you’re a coder with ambition—whether you’re a student, a self-taught developer, or early in your career—then the Google Summer of Code (GSoC) offers a powerful launchpad. Since its inception in 2005, GSoC has enabled thousands of developers from around the globe to contribute to open-source software , work with real mentors, and build impressive portfolio projects. As we look ahead to GSoC 2026 , there’s no better time to prepare deliberately—with strategy, clarity, and precision. This blog will give you the full scope: what GSoC is, why you should participate, how to position yourself for success, and actionable steps to get ahead. 💡 What Is GSoC? At its core, GSoC is a global, remote program where open-source organizations partner with contributors to complete meaningful projects during the summer. Key highlights: You’ll collaborate with open-source organizations and real mentors. You’ll work on live codebases impacting real users. The entire prog...

Stop Undervaluing Your Work: Why ₹3000 for a Website Is an Insult, Not a Deal

In the ever-growing world of freelancing and digital agencies , one challenge continues to plague developers, designers, and IT professionals alike — clients who treat our industry like a vegetable market. We recently experienced this firsthand at TechCognita . The Incident: From ₹10K to ₹3K? Seriously? A potential client reached out, asking for a static website with modern design, responsive layout , SEO optimization , and fast performance. We quoted them a fair price of ₹10,000 for a 4-5 page site built using React.js and Tailwind CSS — one-time cost. Their response? “Someone is doing it in ₹5,000…” We remained calm and explained the difference: Custom UI design Responsive performance Deployed on the client’s server SEO-friendly structure Long-term value They nodded along — until they dropped this line: “Another person will do it for ₹3,000.” Wait… what? From ₹10,000 to ₹3,000 — is this really a negotiation, or a...