Nov 9, 2018 - Technology

Meet Lasso, Facebook's competitor to TikTok

Lasso app screenshot. Photo: Marisa Fernandez

Facebook has quietly launched an app, Lasso, that allows users to create short music videos, similar to the highly popular Chinese app TikTok, The Verge reports.

Why it matters: The social network has struggled to keep teens on their Facebook feeds in 2018, per Pew Research Center, and is trying to stay relevant with younger users. Facebook is famous for building its own version of products that are achieving success with other companies — dating forums, stories, Facebook Portal and now a trendy video app.

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Ina Fried, author of Login
26 mins ago - Technology

Amazon wants to flood America with Alexa cameras and microphones

Photo: Amazon

In a Thursday event unveiling a slew of new home devices ahead of the holidays, Amazon made clearer than ever its determination to flood America with cameras, microphones and the voice of Alexa, its AI assistant.

The big picture: Updating popular products and expanding its range to car alarms and in-home drones, Amazon extended its lead in smart home devices and moved into new areas including cloud gaming and car security. The new offerings will also fuel criticism that the tech giant is helping equip a society built around surveillance.

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Ben Geman, author of Generate
1 hour ago - Energy & Environment

Oil's turbulent long-term future

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

The oil sector is facing risks from all sides.

Why it matters: Risk in the industry is nothing new. But these are especially turbulent and uncertain times. The industry's market clout has waned, the future of demand is kind of a mystery, and future U.S. policy is too, just to name three.

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Ursula Perano
2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Meadows on Wray's voter fraud dismissal: "He has a hard time finding emails in his own FBI"

White House chief of staff Mark Meadows dismissed FBI Director Chris Wray's testimony that the U.S. has never historically seen evidence of widespread voter fraud, including by mail, during an appearance on "CBS This Morning" on Friday.

Why it matters: Meadows' statement highlights the Trump administration's strategy to sow doubt in November's election results by challenging the legitimacy of mail-in ballots, which are expected to skew heavily in Democrats' favor.

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