Matt Mullenweg returns as Automattic CEO two days after getting booted
Matt Mullenweg returns as Automattic CEO two days after getting booted

Two days after being placed on a paid leave of absence, Matt Mullenweg says he has been reinstated as CEO of Automattic, according to a Slack message seen by TechCrunch. WordPress Executive Director Mary Hubbard confirmed Mullenweg’s return to the CEO role in a Friday post on X, which the official WordPress account shared and […]

Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg placed on leave
Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg placed on leave

Matt Mullenweg, the CEO of WordPress.com owner Automattic, has been placed on a paid leave of absence, as reported earlier by 404 Media. In an internal message by the outlet, Mullenweg claims Automattic chief financial officer Mark Davies “conspired” with board members to place him on leave. “They voted to put me on a paid […]

Mozilla launches ad blocking for Firefox on iOS
Mozilla launches ad blocking for Firefox on iOS

Mozilla is officially launching ad blocking for Firefox on iOS today, after testing the feature over the past few weeks. The new built-in option will block most third-party ads and trackers before they load on an iPhone, reducing bandwidth use and decluttering mobile websites. Mozilla is using Apple’s WebKit Content Blocker technology and the EasyList […]

Chess.com launched a poker site, and it’s planning even more classic games
Chess.com launched a poker site, and it’s planning even more classic games

Chess.com has done one thing, and one thing very well, for almost 20 years, but now it’s going beyond its domain name. The biggest name in online chess quietly launched its first companion site in beta back in May: Gambit, a free online poker website where players can learn the game without risking any real […]

Vicariously hike the Appalachian in the gorgeous A Trail Tale
Vicariously hike the Appalachian in the gorgeous A Trail Tale

I used to be an avid hiker and would try to go backpacking a few times a year. I always dreamed of thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, but life kind of got in the way. (Turns out jobs, wives, and children aren’t thrilled with the idea of you disappearing for three months.) But I’ve been longing […]

How GoFundMe became America’s backup plan
How GoFundMe became America’s backup plan

Today on Decoder, I’m talking with Tim Cadogan, the CEO of GoFundMe. You know GoFundMe — it’s a major fundraising platform where you can donate to help people with everything from medical expenses to Little League uniforms to starting a new business. Tim took over as CEO in March 2020 — a fascinating and chaotic […]

Doodle generative compositions in your browser with Musical Spirograph
Doodle generative compositions in your browser with Musical Spirograph

I remember having a Spirograph as a kid and being obsessed with it. Its geometric patterns are hypnotic and gorgeous. I also love generative music composition. So bringing those two things together in a browser tab, I’m hooked. Musical Spirograph is a relatively simple concept. A set of points dash around the screen according to […]

Firefox’s Smart Window promises a better AI browser
Firefox’s Smart Window promises a better AI browser

Starting today, AI chats in Firefox’s Smart Window AI browsing mode can pull from current web info and show source links in chat responses through a partnership with Exa. Smart Window can also now automatically suggest tab groups and show visual previews of pages you previously visited when you search your browsing history using natural […]

Microsoft Edge is about to lock out older ad blockers, just like Chrome did
Microsoft Edge is about to lock out older ad blockers, just like Chrome did

Microsoft Edge is ending support for the Manifest V2 extensions platform, which will cut off the uBlock Origin adblocker and others like it, just like Google Chrome did earlier this year. According to Microsoft, there are only 58 extensions on the Edge Add-On Store “with any meaningful usage” that still use MV2, and only three […]

Patreon is laying off 20 percent of workers
Patreon is laying off 20 percent of workers

Patreon is laying off 20 percent of its workers, or around 93 employees, as reported earlier by 404 Media. In a memo to employees, Patreon CEO Jack Conte writes that the company isn’t making these changes “because we believe AI replaces humans,” but says AI has “fundamentally transformed the tech industry, including how we work, […]