Spotify Releases “Car Thing” and Neon Launches an NFT Vending Machine in This Week’s Business and Crypto Roundup
While Cordae chatted with HYPEBEAST about his new NFT project titled “INDENTITY.”
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Many brands are starting to see a recovery despite the challenges initially brought on by the pandemic. Some businesses, especially ones that focused efforts on expanding e-commerce ventures, have even seen profits rise even higher than before.
HYPEBEAST has rounded up the top business and crypto stories of the week so you can stay in the know about trends across industries.
Business
1. LVMH is reportedly in talks to acquire Ralph Lauren
The French holding corporation had “exploratory discussions” with Ralph Lauren Corporation, sources told Axios. The talks are said to have taken place over the last two years.
2. New Guards Group has announced a long-term partnership with Reebok
Authentic Brands Group (ABG) has launched a strategic partnership with New Guards Group to grow the Reebok brand. ABG announced it was acquiring Reebok for $2.5 billion USD late last year.
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3. Meta is planning to build a universal speech translator
The system would allow people around the world to communicate using different languages.“The ability to communicate with anyone in any language, that’s a superpower people have dreamed of forever, and AI is going to deliver that within our lifetimes,” said CEO Mark Zuckerberg.
4. Spotify launched its “Car Thing” music player
“Car Thing” provides a way for users to listen to Spotify on the road without looking down at their phones. The device connects to phones through Bluetooth and to car stereos with an external cable such as a USB or AUX cord.
Today, we’re excited to announce our newest exploration: the limited release of Car Thing, a new smart player that fills your car with music, news, entertainment, talk and more. Get the details 🚗 https://t.co/TfMBRUMRcm
— Spotify News (@SpotifyNews) April 13, 2021
5. Clubhouse has added a text chat function
In a new blog post detailing the update, the social media platform says that the new feature will give a voice to those who wish to participate silently. “We know not everyone in the community wants to raise their hands and jump on stage to participate,” it reads.
Crypto
1. Neon introduced a Solana NFT vending machine
Neon, a Solana blockchain-based NFT marketplace and gallery, launched its NFT vending machine in Manhattan. The NFT vending machine accepts both debit and credit cards.
Like this tweet if you have stopped by our #nftatm in Manhattan! Retweet if you want to check out the coolest NFT experience in the world pic.twitter.com/MdApYVlRso
— Neon (@neon_gallery) February 23, 2022
2. A Bored Ape Yacht Club NFT owner sued OpenSea
A man who unknowingly sold his Bored Ape NFT for 0.01 ETH (about $26 USD) is suing OpenSea, claiming that the platform was aware of a bug that allowed hackers to buy NFTs at a fraction of the market price. Timothy McKimmy filed the complaint in a Texas court, alleging that he is the owner of Bored Ape #3475 and that the NFT was never listed for sale.
3. Sotheby’s canceled its “Punk It!” sale after the seller pulled out last minute
Comprised of 104 unique CryptoPunks, the “Punk It!” sale was estimated to reel in roughly $20-30 million USD. The event would have marked the first exclusively crypto sale in history.
nvm, decided to hodl https://t.co/WdQ5H7I0fl
— 0x650d (@0x650d) February 24, 2022
4. Pussy Riot is raising money for Ukrainian aid through NFTs
Pussy Riot’s co-founder Nadya Tolokonnikova is working with Trippy Labs and members of PleasrDAO to raise funds for various Ukrainian civilian organizations. The newly formed digital entity, known as Ukraine DAO, aims to sell 10,000 NFTs prominently featuring Ukraine’s flag.
5. Cordae chatted with HYPEBEAST about his new NFT project titled “INDENTITY”
A self-described “futurist,” the 23-year-old breakout rapper told HYPEBEAST that he is drawn to anything new and innovative – and for the time being, that means pivoting from music to explore NFTs. Read the full interview here.
