Joymode raises $14.4 million; SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket survives splash in Atlantic Ocean; and amid satellite TV drop, DirecTV Now streaming service hits 1.2 million subscribers.
Joymode raised a $14.4 million Series A round led by Naspers Ventures, reports TechCrunch. The startup allows consumers to rent consumer products such as camping gear, giant puzzles, and waffle presses for $99 a year.
SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Survives Splash in Atlantic Ocean
SpaceX launched its second Falcon 9 rocket of the year from Florida, but the company chose not to land the booster after takeoff and instead dropped it in the ocean, The Verge reports. The company was testing out a high-powered landing technique with the rocket and didn’t want to hurt its landing barge during its descent. The booster survived its splash in the Atlantic Ocean, however, and SpaceX will try to tow it back to shore.
Amid Satellite TV Drop, DirecTV Now Streaming Service Hits 1.2 Million Subscribers
DirecTV Now racked up nearly 1.2 million subscribers by the end of 2017, a little over a year after AT&T launched the internet TV service, Variety reports. Meanwhile, DirecTV’s traditional satellite service continued to slip: It lost a net 147,000 customers in the fourth quarter of 2017, the third straight quarter the sub base declined.
Technology reporter Garrett Reim can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @garrettreim for the latest in L.A. tech news.
