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Saturday, November 23, 2019
Geek Trivia: The Term “Jaywalking” Derives Its Name From?
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A former Facebook employee who was embedded with the 2016 Trump campaign details how he leveraged Facebook's ad-targeting tools and products to help them win (Deepa Seetharaman/Wall Street Journal)
Deepa Seetharaman / Wall Street Journal:
A former Facebook employee who was embedded with the 2016 Trump campaign details how he leveraged Facebook's ad-targeting tools and products to help them win — James Barnes is now focused on using digital-ad strategies to try to get Trump out of office — After the 2016 presidential election …
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Inside Vumacam's plans to build a network of AI-powered CCTV cameras across South Africa in areas where people of color are already disproportionately targeted (Michael Kwet/VICE)
Michael Kwet / VICE:
Inside Vumacam's plans to build a network of AI-powered CCTV cameras across South Africa in areas where people of color are already disproportionately targeted — “Beggars” and “vagrants" are not welcome in Parkhurst, South Africa, a mostly white, middle-class suburb of about 5,000 on the outskirts of Johannesburg's inner city.
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Barbara Liskov, a Turing Award winner who invented some key principles of object-oriented programming, on what it takes a woman to get to the top of CS field (Susan D'Agostino/Quanta Magazine)
Susan D'Agostino / Quanta Magazine:
Barbara Liskov, a Turing Award winner who invented some key principles of object-oriented programming, on what it takes a woman to get to the top of CS field — Barbara Liskov pioneered the modern approach to writing code. She warns that the challenges facing computer science today can't be overcome with good design alone.
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Tesla Cybertruck reservations hit 146,000
Tesla has received 146,000 reservations to order the Tesla Cybertruck, pulling in some $14.6 million in deposits just two days after the company’s CEO Elon Musk unveiled the futuristic and angled vehicle.
Reservations require a $100 refundable deposit. How many of those deposits will convert to actual orders for the truck, which is currently priced between $39,900 and $69,900, is impossible to predict. And there will likely be plenty of speculation over the next two years. Production of the tri-motor variant of the cybertruck is expected to begin in late 2022, Tesla said.
Musk tweeted Saturday that 146,000 Cybertruck orders have been made so far. Of those, 41% picked the most expensive tri-motor option and 42% of future customers chose the dual motor version. The remaining 17% picked the cheapest single-motor model.
The Tesla Cybertruck, which Musk unveiled in dramatic fashion at the Tesla Design Center in Hawthorne, Calif., has been polarizing with skeptics heaping on the criticism and supporters pushing back in kind. Even Tesla fans at the Cybertruck event, which TechCrunch attended, seemed torn with some praising it and others wishing Musk had created something a bit more conventional.
The vehicle made of cold-rolled steel and features armored glass that cracked in one demonstration and an adaptive air suspension.
Tesla said it will offer three variants of the cybertruck. The cheapest version, a single motor and rear-wheel drive model, will cost $39,900, have a towing capacity of 7,500 pounds and more than 250 miles of range. The middle version will be a dual-motor all-wheel drive, have a towing capacity of more than 10,000 pounds and be able to travel more than 300 miles on a single charge. The dual motor AWD model is priced at $49,900.
The third version will have three electric motors and all-wheel drive, a towing capacity of 14,000 pounds and battery range of more than 500 miles. This version, known as “tri motor,” is priced at $69,900.
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Sources: authorities have arrested a man who was allegedly a member of The Chuckling Squad, the group that hacked Jack Dorsey's twitter account in August (Joseph Cox/VICE)
Joseph Cox / VICE:
Sources: authorities have arrested a man who was allegedly a member of The Chuckling Squad, the group that hacked Jack Dorsey's twitter account in August — \u003Cp\u003EAuthorities have arrested an individual who is allegedly part of The Chuckling Squad, a hacker group that in August \u003Ca href="https …
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Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturns a lower-court order that required the suspect in a child-porn case to turn over the password to his computer (Dan Goodin/Ars Technica)
Dan Goodin / Ars Technica:
Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturns a lower-court order that required the suspect in a child-porn case to turn over the password to his computer — Prosecutors say forced disclosure permitted by “foregone conclusion.” Justices disagree. — The Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution bars people …
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A look at the Legal Aid Society of New York City's efforts to close the tech gap between public defenders and law enforcement with respect to digital forensics (Kashmir Hill/New York Times)
Kashmir Hill / New York Times:
A look at the Legal Aid Society of New York City's efforts to close the tech gap between public defenders and law enforcement with respect to digital forensics — Public defenders lack access to gadgets and software that could keep their clients out of jail. — On April 27, a woman in eastern Brooklyn called the police.
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Source: Airbnb lost about $100M in Q2 2019, compared to the profit of $10M it made a year ago (Cory Weinberg/The Information)
Cory Weinberg / The Information:
Source: Airbnb lost about $100M in Q2 2019, compared to the profit of $10M it made a year ago — Airbnb lost about $100 million before interest and taxes in the second quarter this year, a big swing from the profit of $10 million it made in the year-earlier period, according to financial information viewed by The Information.
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China Roundup: Y Combinator’s short-lived China dream
Hello and welcome back to TechCrunch’s China Roundup, a digest of recent events shaping the Chinese tech landscape and what they mean to people in the rest of the world. Last week, we looked at how Alibaba and Tencent fared in the last quarter; the talk in Silicon Valley and Beijing this week is on Y Combinator’s sudden retreat from China. We will also discuss the enduring food delivery war in the country later.
Brief adventure in the East
The storied Silicon Valley accelerator Y Combinator announced the closure of its China unit just a little over a year after it entered the country. In a vague statement posted on its official blog, the organization said the decision came amid a change in leadership. Sam Altman, its former president who hired legendary artificial intelligence scientist Lu Qi to initiate the China operation, recently left his high-profile role to join research outfit OpenAI. With that, YC has since refocused its energy to support “local and international startups from our headquarters in Silicon Valley.”
What was untold is the insurmountable challenge that multinationals face in their attempt to win in a wildly different market. Lu Qi, who wore management hats at Baidu and Microsoft before joining YC, was clearly aware of the obstacles when he said in an interview (in Chinese) in May that “multinational corporations in China have almost been wiped out. They almost never successfully land in China.” The prescription, he believes, is to build a local team that’s given full autonomy to make decisions around products, operations, and the business.
A former executive at an American company’s China branch, who asked to remain anonymous, argued that Lu Qi’s one-man effort can’t be enough to beat the curse of multinationals’ path in China. “All I can say is: Lu has taken a detour. Going independent is the best decision. When it comes to whether Chinese startups are suited for mentorship, or whether incubators bring value to China, these are separate questions.”
What’s curious is that YC China seemed to have been given a meaningful level of freedom before the split. “Thanks to Sam Altman and the U.S. team, who agreed with my view and supported with much preparation, YC China is not only able to enjoy key resources from YC U.S. but can also operate at a completely independent capacity,” Lu said in the May interview.
Moving on, the old YC China team will join Lu Qi to fund new companies under a newly minted program, MiraclePlus, announced YC China via a Wechat post (in Chinese). The initiative has set up its own fund, team, entity and operational team. The deep ties that Lu has fostered with YC will continue to benefit his new portfolio, which will receive “support” from the YC headquarters, though neither party elaborated on what that means.
Alibaba’s food delivery nemesis
The food delivery war in China is still dragging on two years after the major consolidation that left the market with two major players. Meituan, the local services company backed by Tencent, has managed to attain an expanding share against Alibaba-owned Ele.me. According to third-party data (in Chinese) provided by Trustdata, Meituan accounted for 65.1% of China’s overall food delivery orders during the second quarter, steadily rising from just under 60% a year ago. Ele.me, on the other hand, has lost nearly 10% of the market, slumping to 27.4% from 36% a year ago.
In terms of monetization, Meituan generated 15.6 billion yuan ($2.2 billion) in revenue from its food delivery segment in the quarter ended September 30. That dwarfs Ele.me, which racked up 6.8 billion yuan ($970 million) during the same period. Both are growing north of 30% year-over-year.
Source: Meituan
This may not be all that surprising given Alibaba has arguably more imminent battles to fight. The e-commerce leader has been consumed by the rise of Pinduoduo, which has launched an assault on China’s low-tier cities with its ultra-cheap products and social-driven online shopping experience. Meituan, on the other hand, is fixated on beefing up its main turf of on-demand neighborhood services after divesting its costly bike-sharing endeavor.
When both contestants have the capital to burn through — as they have demonstrated through heavily subsidizing customers and restaurants — the race comes down to which has greater control of user traffic. Meituan holds a competitive edge thanks to its merger with Dianping, a leading restaurant review app akin to Yelp, back in 2015. Dianping today operates as a standalone brand but its food app is deeply integrated with Meituan’s delivery services. For example, hundreds of millions of users are able to place Meituan-powered food delivery orders straight from Dianping.
Alibaba and Meituan used to be on more friendly terms just a few years ago. In 2011, the e-commerce giant participated in Meituan’s $50 million Series B financing. Before long, the two clashed over control of the company. Alibaba is known to impose a heavy hand on its portfolio companies by taking up majority stakes and reshuffling the company with new executives. That’s because Alibaba believes that “only when you operate can you generate synergies and really create exponential value,” said vice chairman Joe Tsai in an interview. “Whereas if you just make a financial investment, you’re counting an internal rate of return. You’re not creating real value.”
Ele.me lived through that transformation. As of September, Alibaba has reportedly (in Chinese) completed replacing Ele.me’s management with its pool of appointed personnel. Ele.me’s founder Zhang Xuhao left the company with billions of yuan in cash and joined a venture capital firm (in Chinese).
Meituan’s founder Wang Xing had more unfettered pursuits. In a later financing round, he refused to accept Alibaba’s condition for portfolio companies to eschew Tencent investments, a strategy of the giant to hobble its archrival. That botched the partnership and Alibaba has since been gradually offloading its Meituan shares but still held onto small amounts, according to Wang in 2017, “to create trouble” for Meituan going forward.
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This Week in Apps: Honey’s $4B exit, a new plan for iOS 14, Apple’s new developer resource
Welcome back to This Week in Apps, the Extra Crunch series that recaps the latest OS news, the applications they support, and the money that flows through it all. What are developers talking about? What do app publishers and marketers need to know? How are politics impacting the App Store and app businesses? And which apps are everyone using?
This week, we’re looking at several major stories, including the whopping $4 billion PayPal just spent on browser extension and mobile app maker, Honey, as well as the release of the Apple Developer app, a new plan for iOS 14, Google Stadia’s launch, AR gaming’s next big hit (or flop?), e-commerce app trends, Microsoft’s exit from voice assistant mobile apps, and so much more.
Plus, did you hear the one about the developer who got kicked out from his developer account by Apple, leaving his apps abandoned?
Headlines
Apple to overhaul iOS development strategy after buggy iOS 13 launch
Apple’s iOS 13 release was one of its worst, in terms of bugs and glitches. Now Apple is making an internal change to how it approaches software development in an effort to address the problem. According to Bloomberg, Apple’s Software chief Craig Federighi and other execs announced its plans at an internal meeting. The new process will involve having unfinished and buggy features disabled by default in daily builds. Testers will then have to optionally enable the features in order to try them. While this change focuses on making internal builds of the OS more usable (or “livable”), Apple hopes that over time it will improve the overall quality of its software as it will give testers the ability to really understand what’s supposed to now be working, but isn’t. The testing changes will also apply to iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS, and macOS, the report said.
Apple launches the Apple Developer App
Apple rebranded and expanded its existing WWDC app to become a new Apple Developer app that can stay with its 23 million registered developers year-round. Instead of only including information about the developer event itself, the app will expand to include other relevant resources — like technical and design articles, developer news and updates, videos and more. It also will offer a way for developers to enroll in the Apple Developer program and maintain their membership. Apple says it found many developers were more inclined to open an app than an email, and by centralizing this information in one place, it could more efficiently and seamlessly deliver new information and other resources to its community.
PayPal buys Honey for $4 billion
PayPal has made its biggest-ever acquisition for browser extension and mobile app maker, Honey. TechCrunch exclusively broke the news of the nearly all-cash deal, noting that Honey currently has 17 million monthly actives. But PayPal was interested in more than the user base — it wanted the tech. The company plans to insert itself ahead of the checkout screen by getting involved with the online shopping and research process, where customers visit sites and look for deals. Honey’s offer-finding features from its mobile app will also become part of PayPal and Venmo’s apps in the future.
Cloud gaming expands with Google Stadia launch
Cloud-based gaming could benefit from the growing investment in 5G. Google Stadia, which launched this week, is a big bet on 5G in that regard. Though the early reviews were middling, Google believes the next generation of gaming will involve continuous, cross-device play, including on mobile devices. This trend was already apparent with the successes of cross-platform games like Fortnite, Minecraft, Roblox, and PUBG, for example. Meanwhile, console makers like Microsoft are working to build out their own cloud infrastructure to compete. (Microsoft’s xCloud launches in May 2020.) Google could have a head start, even if Stadia today feels more like a beta than a finished product. But one question that still arises is whether Google is serious about gaming, or only sees Stadia as a content engine for YouTube?
Microsoft kills Cortana mobile apps
Microsoft this week belatedly realized it can’t compete with the built-in advantages that Siri and Google Assistant offer users, like dedicated buttons, hands-free voice commands, workflow building and more. The company decided to shut down its Cortana mobile applications on iOS and Android in a number of markets, including Great Britain, Australia, Germany, Mexico, China, Spain, Canada, and India. Any bets on when the U.S. makes that list?
SF Symbols expands
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The Windows Run Commands Cheat Sheet
If you want a quick way to launch programs, documents, settings, utilities, and other resources on your Windows machine, look no further than the Run dialog.
You don’t need to learn anything complex to use this built-in feature. Memorizing a few useful commands will do. And you’ll find the best of these Run dialog commands (commonly called Run commands) in our cheat sheet below.
To use a particular command, summon the Run dialog with the shortcut Win + R, type in the command for a particular Windows item, and hit Enter to launch that item.
FREE DOWNLOAD: This cheat sheet is available as a downloadable PDF from our distribution partner, TradePub. You will have to complete a short form to access it for the first time only. Download Essential Run Commands for Windows.
Essential Run Commands for Windows
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Common Windows Tools | |
| explorer | Windows Explorer |
| c: | Open C: Drive |
| regedit | Registry Editor |
| services.msc | Windows Services (local) |
| taskmgr | Task Manager |
| msconfig | System Configuration Utility |
| mstsc | Remote Desktop (Microsoft Terminal Services Client) |
| logoff | Log Off Windows (without confirmation!) |
| shutdown | Shuts Down Windows (Save all your work first) |
| cmd | Command Prompt |
| notepad | Notepad |
| osk | On Screen keyboard |
| mailto: | Open Default Mail Application |
| Website address | Open entered URL in default browser |
| Other Windows Tools & Utilities | |
| calc | Calculator |
| chkdsk | Check Disk |
| charmap | Character Map |
| cleanmgr | Clean Manager - Disk Cleanup Utility |
| clipbrd | Clipboard Viewer (not available after Windows XP) |
| cmd | Command Prompt |
| comp | Compare Files |
| colorcpl | Color Management |
| cttune | ClearType Text tuner |
| dxdiag | Direct X Troubleshooter |
| eudcedit | Private Characters Editor |
| fonts | Fonts |
| fsquirt | Bluetooth Transfer Wizard |
| ftp | MS-DOS FTP |
| iexplore | Internet Explorer |
| joy.cpl | Game Controllers |
| label | Volume Serial Number for C: |
| magnify | Windows Magnifier |
| microsoft-edge:// | Edge |
| migwiz | Migration Wizard - Files and Settings Transfer Tool |
| mip | Math Input Panel |
| mrt | Malicious Software Removal Tool |
| msiexec | Windows Installer Details |
| msinfo32 | System Information |
| mspaint | Paint |
| narrator | Narrator |
| powershell | Powershell |
| shrpubw | Create a shared folder Wizard |
| sigverif | File Signature Verification Tool |
| sndvol | Volume Control |
| snippingtool | Snipping Tools |
| stikynot | Sticky Notes |
| utilman | Narrator Settings |
| verifier | Driver Verifier Utility |
| was | Contacts |
| wf.msc | Windows Firewall with Advanced Security |
| wfs | Windows Fax and Scan |
| wiaacmgr | Scanner |
| winver | Windows Version (Check your Windows version) |
| wmplayer | Windows Media Player |
| write | WordPad |
| xpsrchvw | XPS Viewer |
| winword | Word |
| Word /safe | Word Safe Mode |
| Control Panel Commands | |
| appwiz.cpl | Application Wizard (Program and Features) |
| control | Control Panel |
| control admintools | Administrative Tools |
| control color | Personalization - Color and Appearance |
| control desktop | Display Properties (Personalization) |
| control folders | Folders Properties |
| control keyboard | Keyboard Properties |
| control mouse | Mouse Properties |
| control netconnections | Network Properties |
| control printers | Printers Folders |
| control schedtasks | Scheduled Tasks |
| control update | Windows Update |
| control userpasswords | Manager current User Account |
| control userpasswords2 | Manager all User Accounts |
| desk.cpl | Display - Screen Resolution |
| devmgmt.msc | Device Manager |
| firewall.cpl | Windows Firewall |
| inetcpl.cpl | Internet Properties (Internet Control Panel) |
| intl.cpl | Regional Settings (International) |
| mmsys.cpl | Sound Properties (Multimedia System Settings) |
| ncpa.cpl | Network Properties |
| netplwiz | To create User Account |
| powercfg.cpl | Power Configuration |
| sysdm.cpl | System Properties |
| timedate.cpl | Date and Time Properties |
| utilman | Ease of Access Utility Manager |
| wscui.cpl | Security Center (Windows Security Center UI) |
| Windows Administrative Tools | |
| compmgmt.msc | Computer Management including System Tools, Storage, Services and Applications |
| defrag | Defrag Command |
| dcomcnfg | Component Services (Detailed Component Configuration) |
| devmgmt.msc | Device Management |
| diskmgmt.msc | Disk Partition Manager |
| diskpart | Diskpart Command |
| eventvwr.msc | Event Viewer |
| fsmgmt.msc | Shared Folders (File Sharing Management) |
| gpedit.msc | Group Policy Editor |
| lusrmgr.msc | Local User and Groups |
| perfmon.msc | Performance Monitor |
| rekeywiz | File Encryption |
| System File Checker Utility | |
| sfc /scannow | System File Checker Utility (Scan Immediately) |
| sfc /scanonce | System File Checker Utility (Scan Once At Next Boot) |
| sfc /scanboot | System File Checker Utility (Scan On Every Boot) |
| sfc /revert | System File Checker Utility (Return to Default Settings) |
| sfc /purgecache | System File Checker Utility (Purge File Cache) |
| sfc /cachesize=x | System File Checker Utility (Set Cache Size to Size x) |
| Common Environment Variables | |
| %AllUsersProfile% | Program Data |
| %ProgramFiles% | Program Files |
| %SystemDrive% | System Drive |
| %SystemRoot% | System Root |
| %Temp% | Temporary Folder |
| %UserProfile% | User Profile |
| %WinDir% | Windows Directory |
A Powerful, Underrated Windows Feature
Run commands are time saving and easy to use, and also a satisfying way to access Windows items using only the keyboard.
Don’t worry if you can’t remember certain useful commands you need. You can replace them with custom command names that are more memorable. We’ll show you how to do that in our Run Dialog primer.
And speaking of useful commands, it’s now time to discover some of the best Windows CMD commands.
Read the full article: The Windows Run Commands Cheat Sheet
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Get Office 2019 for Dummies FREE Today (Worth $30)
If you’re one of the 1.2 billion Microsoft Office users out there, this ebook (worth $30) is a must-have. And yes, for the next few days only, you can download it free of charge!
Whether you use Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, or Access, Office 2019 For Dummies will take you through all of the latest features so you can become a true expert at organizing your work and life with Microsoft Office.
Download This Ebook For Free
Inside, you will learn everything including:
- Typing, formatting, and designing documents with Word
- The basics of spreadsheets, formulas, charting, and data analysis with Excel
- Creating, formatting, and showing off a presentation with PowerPoint
- Managing email, contacts, calendars, and tasks with Outlook
- Using databases, querying data, and making reports with Access
- Plus plenty of additional tips to get more out of Office 2019.
Want in? Simply click here to download this free ebook from TradePub. You will have to complete a short form to access the ebook, but it’s well worth it!
This free offer is only available until 26 Nov 2019.
Read the full article: Get Office 2019 for Dummies FREE Today (Worth $30)
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How facial analysis software that classifies gender misidentifies trans and non-binary people, is inaccurate with people of color, and could harm these groups (Rachel Metz/CNN)
Rachel Metz / CNN:
How facial analysis software that classifies gender misidentifies trans and non-binary people, is inaccurate with people of color, and could harm these groups — San Francisco (CNN)Artificial intelligence doesn't know what to make of Os Keyes. — The 29-year-old graduate student is dark-haired …
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Experts say ITU's newly agreed 5G radio-frequency standards will interfere with weather satellite readings of water vapor, impacting weather forecasts worldwide (Alexandra Witze/Nature)
Alexandra Witze / Nature:
Experts say ITU's newly agreed 5G radio-frequency standards will interfere with weather satellite readings of water vapor, impacting weather forecasts worldwide — Meteorologists say international standards for wireless technology could degrade crucial satellite measurements of water vapour.
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Code and compete in the TC Hackathon at Disrupt Berlin
We’re in the home stretch to the TC Hackathon going down at Disrupt Berlin 2019 on 11-12 December. If you have what it takes to compete against some of the best hackers, developers, engineers and code poets, apply to the TechCrunch Hackathon now. We have fewer than 50 seats left, and they’ll be gone before you can say deep hack mode.
The Hackathon is free — no fee to apply or to compete. It’s a thrilling, fun and exhausting ride. Designing, creating and pitching a working product in roughly 24 hours will test your physical, mental and technical limits. It’s an adrenaline rush like no other.
What do you get for messing with your circadian rhythm? For starters, we’ll keep you fed, watered and caffeinated. And every participant receives a free Innovator pass to enjoy Disrupt Berlin. Then there’s the prize money associated with each sponsored contest and, on top of that, TechCrunch editors will award an additional $5,000 prize to the team they choose for creating the best overall hack.
When you and your team arrive on site, you’ll pick one of several sponsored contest hacks to tackle and complete. Arriving solo? No worries. We’ll help you find a team when you get here.
After the 24-hour hackathon clock runs out, sponsor representatives and TechCrunch editors will review all completed projects. They’ll select 10 teams to move on to the finals the following day. Each team gets two minutes to power pitch and present their products live on the Extra Crunch Stage.
After 10 sleep-deprived presentations, the judges announce the winners of the sponsor challenges and TechCrunch reveals the winner of best overall hack and awards them $5,000.
Curious about the types of challenges you’ll find on tap? We’ll announce this year’s sponsors and their specific contests before the month is out, but here’s an example of the type of challenges you can expect.
Last year at Disrupt SF, BYTON sponsored a contest challenging the Hackathon participants to create a product that addressed this question: What will people want to do in a car that has a 49-inch screen and drives autonomously? The $5,000 first prize went to CAR-O-KE, a karaoke app for autonomous vehicles. Check out the other sponsored contests, prizes and winners from DSF ’18.
TC Hackathon takes place during Disrupt Berlin 2019 on 11-12 December. Love to code? Love to compete? Love to win money and recognition? Then apply to the Hackathon today before the last remaining seats disappear.
Is your company interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at Disrupt Berlin 2019? Contact our sponsorship sales team by filling out this form.
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