Reuters Technology Report: December 14, 2016

Click to View in Browser Wednesday, December 14, 2016 Google extends conservative outreach as Trump calls tech meeting SAN FRANCISCO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Alphabet's Google is racing to hire more conservatives for its lobbying and policy arm, trying to get a foothold in President-elect Donald Trump's Washington after enjoying a uniquely close relationship with the administration of President Barack Obama. U.S. proposes requiring vehicles to 'talk' to each other to avoid crashes WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Transportation Department on Tuesday proposed requiring all new cars and trucks to be able to "talk" to one another using short-range wireless technology to potentially avoid tens of thousands of crashes annually. Meet Waymo, Google's self-driving car company SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's Google self-driving car project recast itself as Waymo on Tuesday, an independent entity within the technology giant, as executives suggested the company is close to bringing its autonomous driving to the public. HSBC launches special lending facility for start-ups in China's Pearl River Delta HONG KONG (Reuters) - HSBC has launched a $290 million lending facility aimed at technology start-ups and other new industries in China's Pearl River Delta region, intensifying the battle for a slice of a business that is growing despite a slowing economy. Apple AirPod headphones available for sale after two-month delay (Reuters) - Apple Inc said on Tuesday its wireless AirPod headphones were now available through its website, two months after the company delayed their launch for unexplained reasons. Silicon Valley VCs are growing wary of on-demand delivery (Reuters) - Michael Moritz - chairman of Sequoia Capital and one of the most successful venture capitalists in history - says a simple vision led him to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in on-demand delivery startups. IBM promises to hire Americans as tech executives set to meet Trump (Reuters) - IBM Chief Executive Ginni Rometty pledged to hire and train workers in the United States as she and other technology executives prepared to meet on Wednesday with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. Head of Facebook's Oculus steps down to lead new PC VR unit (Reuters) - The chief executive of Oculus, Facebook Inc's virtual reality business, said on Tuesday he would step down to head a newly created personal computer-focused VR division within Oculus. WhatsApp, Skype face tighter constraints under new EU privacy rules - draft BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Messaging services such as Microsoft's Skype and Facebook's WhatsApp face stricter rules on the way they handle customer data under new privacy laws due to be proposed by the European Union, according to a draft document seen by Reuters. HMD launches its first new Nokia phones HELSINKI (Reuters) - HMD Global, the Finnish company that owns the rights to use the Nokia brand on mobile phones, announced its first new products on Tuesday - two basic handsets without internet access priced at $26 before local taxes and subsidies. Related Video All terrain wheelchair made from bike parts offers more than just mobility UK scientists search for life on Mars evidence Mediafile How about Hightail-ing it? On Twitter, dubious health claims from e-cigarette bots A daily digest of breaking business news, coverage of the US economy, major corporate news and the financial markets. Register Today A quick-fix on the day's news delivered when you want it. Register Today » » MORE NEWSLETTERS - 3 Times Square New York, NY 10036 USA © Copyright 2016 Thomson Reuters Ensure delivery of Reuters Newsmails, add newsletters@email.reuters.com to your address book. Subscribe to other Reuters newsletters. Unsubscribe from this newsletter. Follow us on Twitter Friend us on Facebook