Howdy, folks. Chevy just gave us a glimpse at a few much-anticipated electric vehicles, and a new word game has the internet enthralled.
Let's dive in.
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1. Chevrolet unveiled a handful of new electric vehicles. GM, which owns Chevy, is in the midst of a $35 billion push to phase out combustion vehicles by 2035, and zero-emission editions of some of its best-selling models are going to be key to that pursuit. Here's what we know so far:
- The Chevy Silverado EV will come in two versions to start: the Work Truck and the RST First Edition. A base version of the Work Truck will eventually cost $39,000, while the more luxurious RST will cost $105,000.
- Orders for the new trucks — which have a 400-mile range, a front trunk like Ford's F-150 Lightning, and can come with features like a touchscreen and a glass roof — opened yesterday. They're set to arrive in 2023.
- The automaker also unveiled two electric SUVs: the Equinox and the Blazer. The Equinox, expected to sell for $30,000 for a base model, is Chevy's cheapest electric model yet.
- The Equinox EV will launch in fall 2023, and the Blazer EV will be available in spring 2023.
Read up on the Chevy Silverado EV here, and its new electric SUVs here.
In other news:
2. Google's union kickstarted a year of unprecedented activism across Big Tech. One year later, some Googlers are mixed on whether it was a success. To help make sense of a landmark year for Silicon Valley activism, we asked insiders about the highs, lows, and what to expect in 2022. Here's what they told us.
3. Amazon could change how it distributes employee stock options. Insiders say that to quell an ongoing exodus of top talent, Amazon is considering increasing the frequency of stock vesting for high-performing employees. What we know about the potential compensation change.
4. Jurors discuss the Elizabeth Holmes trial. One member of the jury said they scored each witness on their trustworthiness — and the Theranos founder ranked the lowest. Another said it was tough to convict the former Theranos CEO because she was "so likable, with such a positive dream." Here's what else jurors said.
5. Travis Kalanick's food startup CloudKitchens has tripled its valuation to $15 billion. The company also tapped John Curran, a 12-year Amazon veteran, as its CFO — marking the latest milestones in Kalanick's comeback after being ousted from Uber in 2017. More on that here.
6. Google boosted base pay for four top execs to $1 million. Just weeks after refusing to raise employee pay in line with inflation, the search giant gave executives a pay raise and handed them up to $34 million in stock. Get the full rundown.
7. App Store experts share the top mobile trends to watch in 2022. Analysts from Sensor Tower, Apptopia, and App Annie told us what they're keeping an eye on this year, including crypto, the metaverse, "super apps," and Apple's regulatory hangover. See all their predictions here.
8. A tech exec resigned after sending an antisemitic email to CEOs and politicians. David Bateman, the founder of Entrata, stepped down hours after sending a conspiracy theory email about vaccines. What we know about the email.
9. Sony just revealed its own electric vehicle prototype. Jumping into the booming electric vehicle market, Sony unveiled its plans for a seven-seater electric SUV that lets you connect remotely to a PlayStation. Check out the prototype EV here.
10. "Wordle," explained: Wordle, the internet's latest obsession, is a surprisingly simple — yet wildly difficult — word puzzle. Launched in November, the game has soared in popularity and garnered hundreds of thousands of players. We explain what it is and how to play.
What we're watching today:
- CES continues in Las Vegas until Jan. 7.
Curated by Jordan Parker Erb in New York. (Feedback or tips? Email [email protected] or tweet @jordanparkererb.) Edited by Michael Cogley in London.
Editor's note: Yesterday's newsletter misstated an Insider report on Shopify's recent patent application. It should have stated that Shopify's application shows a growing interest in working with physical retail stores. Read our full report here.