SpaceX VP meets Yunus; says Starlink technical launch by May

Lauren Dreyer, Vice President for Global Engagement at SpaceX, met with Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on the sidelines of the Earthna Summit in Doha, Qatar on Wednesday. Their discussion centred on the final stages of the collaboration that is set to bring SpaceX's Starlink satellite services to Bangladesh.

OpenAI is interested in buying Google Chrome

Could OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, soon own Google Chrome? That possibility emerged during Google’s high-stakes antitrust trial in Washington, where an OpenAI executive testified that the AI firm would be interested in acquiring Chrome if regulators force Google to sell the browser as part of efforts to restore competition in online search.

Intel to fire over 21,000 employees: report  

Intel is planning to cut over 20% of its workforce, amounting to over 21,000 employees, this week as part of a drastic restructuring effort under new CEO Lip-Bu Tan, according to a recent Bloomberg report citing sources familiar with the matter.

Kicked from Columbia, backed by VCs: AI cheating tool raises $5.3 mln

A controversial artificial intelligence (AI) startup that began as a tool for cheating in job interviews has secured $5.3 million in seed funding, despite its founders being suspended from Columbia University over its creation.

Microsoft enforces stricter rules for underperforming employees

Microsoft has rolled out stricter performance management policies that could make it harder for low-scoring employees to remain with or return to the company, according to a recent report by Business Insider. In an internal email, Chief People Officer Amy Coleman outlined new measures designed to streamline accountability, including a two-year rehire ban for employees who exit due to poor performance.

Shahir Chowdhury on how ed-tech could transform Bangladesh

Ed-tech—education technology—is more than digitised classrooms; it’s a comprehensive reimagining of teaching and learning at scale. ed-tech democratises education, making top-quality teachers, resources, and tools accessible regardless of geography or income.

Vibe coding: what is it?

If you’ve been browsing tech news or developer forums lately, you might’ve come across a curious term: 'vibe coding'. At first glance, it sounds simple—maybe even a bit mysterious—but it’s gaining traction among beginners and seasoned developers alike. But what is it, and why are so many developers embracing the vibe? Let's take a look.

WhatsApp is rolling out in-app translation services

WhatsApp has announced that it is introducing a new in-app translation feature that enables users to translate messages and channel updates directly within the app, using entirely on-device processing to maintain privacy and preserve end-to-end encryption. 

Saying ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’ to ChatGPT is costing millions in electricity: OpenAI CEO

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has suggested that users’ politeness toward AI may be having a tangible financial impact, revealing that simple expressions such as "please" and "thank you" could be contributing to electricity costs amounting to tens of millions of dollars.

Chrome on trial: Google faces historic antitrust showdown

Google is set to face a historic antitrust trial in Washington this week, as the US Department of Justice (DOJ) moves to compel the tech giant to divest its Chrome browser in order to reintroduce competition into the online search market.

You can soon buy the MDR Dasher keyboard from 'Severance'

Atomic Keyboard, a keyboard studio, has opened an exclusive preorder waitlist for its MDR Dasher keyboard replica, a modern recreation of the Data General 'Dasher' terminal keyboard featured in Apple TV Plus’s series 'Severance'.

LATEST

LATEST

Press Release / Taptap send launches ‘Wallet’ feature

Taptap Send, an international money transfer platform, has introduced a new feature called the Taptap Send Wallet on April 21.

Cyberscam ‘cancer’ is going global, UN warns

Governments around the world are struggling to contain the rapid spread of a multibillion‑dollar cyber scam industry that emerged in Southeast Asian countries like Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar, has now taken root in South America, Africa and Eastern Europe, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) recently said, according to a recent Reuters report.

This bionic hand can operate even when detached

Open Bionics, a UK-based startup, has revealed a wireless bionic hand that is capable of operating even when detached from the wearer’s body. Called the Hero Pro model, the company says this prosthetic hand will provide amputees with interchangeable attachments and real-time muscle control.

PUBG Mobile to launch local server for Bangladesh

Krafton’s Player Unknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) Mobile has announced plans to launch a dedicated local server for Bangladesh on April 20. The local server is expected to go live in the coming months.

Global smartphone shipments increased 1.5% in Q1 2025

Global smartphone shipments rose modestly by 1.5 percent year-over-year (YoY) in the first quarter of 2025, reaching 304.9 million units, according to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker published on April 14.

Press Release / Huawei opens registration for Seeds for the Future Bangladesh 2025

Huawei has officially announced the registration opening for the 2025 edition of ‘Seeds for the Future’, the company’s flagship ICT talent development initiative, at a launching event held at the Huawei Bangladesh Academy on April, 19.

STARTUPS

STARTUPS

Bangladeshi founders raise $2.6M to launch world’s first self-driving AI CRM

Bangladeshi-led startup Octolane secures $2.6M to launch the world’s first self-driving AI CRM, transforming how sales teams engage with customers.

Former OpenAI leaders join ex-CTO Mira Murati's AI startup

Two former OpenAI researchers have joined Thinking Machines Lab, the new artificial intelligence venture launched by ex-OpenAI CTO Mira Murati. Bob McGrew, OpenAI's former chief research officer, and Alec Radford, a key researcher behind the GPT technology, are now advising the startup, as per the company's official website.

Bangladesh Investment Summit 2025 / Bangladesh Bank announces Tk 800 crore equity fund for startups

Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Ahsan H. Mansur today announced two major funds to support the country’s startup ecosystem during the ongoing Bangladesh Investment Summit 2025.

10 biggest tech acquisitions of the decade

The tech world has seen some jaw-dropping deals over the past decade, with companies shelling out billions to dominate markets, expand their ecosystems, and stay ahead of the competition. Here’s a look at the largest tech deals that have reshaped the industry in the last decade.

Chip startup Celestial AI raises $250 million

Celestial AI, a Silicon Valley startup developing technology to speed up artificial intelligence (AI) systems, has recently raised an additional $250 million in venture capital, bringing the company’s total funding to $515 million.

Grubhub to fire 500 employees

Grubhub, the US-based food delivery company, has announced plans to lay off approximately 500 employees, representing more than 20% of its workforce, according to an official letter by Grubhub CEO Howard Migdal.

GP accelerator gala celebrates 20 startups

Grameenphone (GP) hosted the gala event for its GP Accelerator initiative, ‘Jelay Jelay Smart Uddyokta’, in Dhaka, celebrating the achievements of 20 startups. 

APPS

APPS

Android will auto-reboot your phone if locked for three days: report

Android is rolling out a new optional security feature that automatically reboots devices if they remain locked for three consecutive days, according to a report by 9to5Google. The update, delivered via the upcoming Google Play services version 25.14, aims to enhance security by forcing devices into a 'Before First Unlock (BFU)' state, requiring a PIN or pattern instead of biometrics to regain access.

OpenAI making its own X-like social media platform: report

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI is developing its own social media platform, according to sources familiar with internal discussions reported by The Verge. While still in the early prototyping stages, the experimental project reportedly features a social feed integrated with ChatGPT's image generation capabilities—potentially positioning OpenAI against rivals like Elon Musk's X and Meta.

OpenAI releases GPT-4.1 models with improved coding capabilities

OpenAI has recently launched its latest AI models, GPT-4.1, GPT-4.1 mini, and GPT-4.1 nano, which the company claims to offer improvements in coding, instruction following, and long-context comprehension. These models are currently only available through OpenAI's API (Application Programming Interface). 

Meta releases latest multimodal AI models, Llama 4

Meta has just released Llama 4, its newest set of artificial intelligence models, designed to process and generate text, images, audio, and video. The first two publicly available versions—Llama 4 Scout and Llama 4 Maverick—are now open for download, while a more advanced model, Llama 4 Behemoth, remains in development.

How Netflix’s UGC is a masterclass in brand loyalty

Netflix has long been at the forefront of digital entertainment, leading the shift from DVD rentals to streaming dominance. But its latest move—integrating user-generated content (UGC) into its platform—is perhaps one of its most ingenious strategies so far.

Signal: The encrypted app that hosted Trump aides' war plans

When top aides to US President Donald Trump recently discussed military strikes against Yemen’s Houthi militants, they turned to Signal—a messaging app prized for its secrecy. Launched in 2014, Signal is a free, open-source app that promises ironclad privacy. It uses 'end-to-end encryption', meaning only the sender and recipient can read messages—not even Signal itself.

Relying on ChatGPT a lot? Study says you’re lonely

Imagine confiding in a chatbot about your bad day, only to end up feeling more alone. New research from OpenAI and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) suggests that while most people use ChatGPT for practical tasks, a small group of heavy users might be trading quick comfort for creeping loneliness—or even emotional dependency.

GADGETS

GADGETS

Hands-on review / Redmi Note 14 4G: Big battery, bright display, and bang for your buck

Let’s be real—buying a phone under BDT 25,000 these days feels like trying to get decent biryani for under 100 bucks. Expectations are high, budgets are tight, and compromises are inevitable. Enter the Xiaomi Redmi Note 14 4G, a phone that doesn’t promise the world—but gives you a pretty good piece of it anyway.

Vivo launches V50 Lite in Bangladesh

Vivo has officially launched the V50 Lite smartphone in Bangladesh.

Press Release / Realme launches C75x in Bangladesh

Realme has officially launched the realme C75x in Bangladesh. 

Press Release / Tecno introduces Camon 40 and Camon 40 Pro

Tecno has recently introduced the Camon 40 and Camon 40 Pro smartphones in the Bangladesh market. 

Press Release / Infinix launches Note 50 Series in Bangladesh

Smartphone manufacturer Infinix has launched its new Note 50 series in Bangladesh, featuring a combination of AI-enabled tools, AMOLED displays, and a national 0% EMI instalment offer. The series includes three models: the Note 50, Note 50 Pro, and Note 50 Pro+.

Apple Watch alerts save New Zealand woman from rare cancer

NZ psychiatrist Amanda Faulkner credits her Apple Watch for saving her life after its heart rate alerts revealed rare blood cancer. The persistent warnings from her Series 10 model caught what she'd dismissed as fatigue, leading to an emergency leukemia diagnosis.

GUIDES

GUIDES

You can get up to $100,000 for hacking Starlink's network

Want to get paid big bucks for hacking satellites? Elon Musk's Starlink is offering security researchers and ethical hackers up to $100,000 if they can crack its global satellite internet network - legally. As of February 11, 2025, the company's bug bounty program on Bugcrowd has already paid out for 118 vulnerabilities, with an average reward of $1,466.66 per bug over the last three months.

10 prompt engineering tips to get better AI responses

Ever wondered why some people get brilliant results from AI tools like Gemini, while others receive gibberish? The secret lies in prompt engineering, the craft of designing clear, practical instructions for AI systems. Here are 10 essential prompt engineering tips to dramatically improve your AI interactions.  

A beginner’s guide to buying graphics cards

For those seeking higher frame rates and better visual quality, upgrading the graphics card is often the most effective way to improve performance.

Five essential gears to begin your astrophotography journey

From capturing stunning shots of the Milky Way to photographing rare cosmic events, Bangladesh’s astrophotography community is growing, fuelled by curiosity and creativity. Here are five essential pieces of gear to help you embark on your own astrophotography journey.

How to save your Facebook Live videos before they are deleted

Starting February 19, Facebook will automatically delete live broadcast videos from Pages and profiles after 30 days, according to a recent announcement by the popular social media platform. Users who want to keep their live videos must download or transfer them before they expire. Here's how you do so.

How to save space on your phone

Running out of space on your phone can be frustrating, especially when you want to take a photo or download something important. Whether you're using an Android or iPhone, here are seven practical tips to help you reclaim storage and keep your phone running smoothly.

How to backup everything on your Google account

Our Google accounts hold a significant amount of data, from cherished photos and important documents to critical emails and contacts. Here are some ways in which you can backup valuable information and files from various Google apps.

Videos and Podcasts

Videos and Podcasts

Starlink: Yunus asks Musk to come over, launch it within 90 days

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus has extended an invitation to billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk to visit Bangladesh and oversee the launch of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service in the country within the next 90 working days.

1m ago

Will DeepSeek become a major competitor to OpenAI?

The competition in the world of artificial intelligence, or AI, is getting more intense day by day. Along with powerful models like OpenAI's ChatGPT, China's DeepSeeK AI is also gaining popularity. How is this new AI startup surprising the whole world? Let's find out in today's Star Explains.

2m ago

Apple Intelligence on iPhone in 5 minutes

After months of speculation, Apple officially introduced its Apple Intelligence platform during the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2024 in June.

7m ago

Introducing iPhone 16

Apple has officially unveiled the iPhone 16, the latest version of its flagship smartphone.

7m ago

Youngsters who showed the world what our robots can do

Competing against 451 teams from 77 countries, the Bangladeshi robotics team "Robonium Bangladesh" clinched the 5th position in the World Robot Olympiad 2023 in the "Future Innovators (Senior)" category, held in Panama

12m ago

Apple iphone Event in 12 Minutes

The essentials from tonight's Apple Event

1y ago

Developing Games in Bangladesh

Game development in Asia has largely been taking place in East Asia since the creation of video games. Is this about to change ? We talked to Mehnaz Irtika from The Daily Star, who told us about the challenges Bangladesh's game industry faces if it wants to compete with the big dogs.

1y ago

Augmenting Schools - AR Learning

We explore the use of Augmented Reality in education. With us to discuss how deployment of AR could affect Bangladesh's education and consumer sector is Md. Ridwan Sakib Anjum, an in-house contributor for the Tech and Startup section of The Daily Star.

1y ago

SpaceX VP meets Yunus; says Starlink technical launch by May

Lauren Dreyer, Vice President for Global Engagement at SpaceX, met with Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on the sidelines of the Earthna Summit in Doha, Qatar on Wednesday. Their discussion centred on the final stages of the collaboration that is set to bring SpaceX's Starlink satellite services to Bangladesh.

17h ago

OpenAI is interested in buying Google Chrome

Could OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, soon own Google Chrome? That possibility emerged during Google’s high-stakes antitrust trial in Washington, where an OpenAI executive testified that the AI firm would be interested in acquiring Chrome if regulators force Google to sell the browser as part of efforts to restore competition in online search.

20h ago

Intel to fire over 21,000 employees: report  

Intel is planning to cut over 20% of its workforce, amounting to over 21,000 employees, this week as part of a drastic restructuring effort under new CEO Lip-Bu Tan, according to a recent Bloomberg report citing sources familiar with the matter.

20h ago

Kicked from Columbia, backed by VCs: AI cheating tool raises $5.3 mln

A controversial artificial intelligence (AI) startup that began as a tool for cheating in job interviews has secured $5.3 million in seed funding, despite its founders being suspended from Columbia University over its creation.

1d ago

Microsoft enforces stricter rules for underperforming employees

Microsoft has rolled out stricter performance management policies that could make it harder for low-scoring employees to remain with or return to the company, according to a recent report by Business Insider. In an internal email, Chief People Officer Amy Coleman outlined new measures designed to streamline accountability, including a two-year rehire ban for employees who exit due to poor performance.

1d ago

Shahir Chowdhury on how ed-tech could transform Bangladesh

Ed-tech—education technology—is more than digitised classrooms; it’s a comprehensive reimagining of teaching and learning at scale. ed-tech democratises education, making top-quality teachers, resources, and tools accessible regardless of geography or income.

1d ago

Vibe coding: what is it?

If you’ve been browsing tech news or developer forums lately, you might’ve come across a curious term: 'vibe coding'. At first glance, it sounds simple—maybe even a bit mysterious—but it’s gaining traction among beginners and seasoned developers alike. But what is it, and why are so many developers embracing the vibe? Let's take a look.

1d ago

WhatsApp is rolling out in-app translation services

WhatsApp has announced that it is introducing a new in-app translation feature that enables users to translate messages and channel updates directly within the app, using entirely on-device processing to maintain privacy and preserve end-to-end encryption. 

1d ago

Saying ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’ to ChatGPT is costing millions in electricity: OpenAI CEO

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has suggested that users’ politeness toward AI may be having a tangible financial impact, revealing that simple expressions such as "please" and "thank you" could be contributing to electricity costs amounting to tens of millions of dollars.

2d ago

Chrome on trial: Google faces historic antitrust showdown

Google is set to face a historic antitrust trial in Washington this week, as the US Department of Justice (DOJ) moves to compel the tech giant to divest its Chrome browser in order to reintroduce competition into the online search market.

2d ago