10 things in tech you need to know today

Jeff Bezos, founder of Blue Origin — Getty Images / Blue Origin

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1. You can soon buy tickets to space with Jeff Bezos' company Blue Origin. The company announced its plans to start selling rides on its New Shepard rocket, an experience that's predicted to cost around $250,000. A look at what we know so far.

2. A fleet of custom Tesla taxis are hitting New York City in May. Brooklyn startup Revel is launching 50 Tesla Model Y SUVs as part of the city's first all-electric ride-hailing service. See the Tesla taxis here.

3. Smaller cities are spending lavishly to lure tech and finance giants from the coasts. Cities like Raleigh, Nashville, and Austin are wooing companies with big payments, even as watchdogs say that might not be a good idea. How they're winning over companies like Oracle and Apple - and why that might be risky.

4. Mark Zuckerberg gave the backstory behind the photo of him surfing with a ridiculous amount of sunscreen on his face. The Facebook exec said he covered himself in sunscreen as a disguise to avoid paparazzi. He failed, and the photo went viral. His full explanation - and the photo - here.

5. AirTags are going to make it that much harder to quit Apple. Even though Samsung and Tile make similar products, Apple has a big advantage: AirTags can use nearby iPhones to find lost items when they're out of Bluetooth range. Here's how they turn other iPhones into a search party.

6. Lawmakers demand answers in the fatal Tesla crash after execs offer conflicting details. Elon Musk said autopilot wasn't on, but a top Tesla exec said adaptive cruise control, an autopilot feature, was. Here's what officials are saying about Musk's response.

7. Pixar staffers are frustrated by the decision to send movies straight to Disney Plus. There will be no Pixar films in theaters this summer, and staffers disappointed their work won't be seen on the big screen. We spoke with several Pixar employees, and this is what they said.

8. Amazon blew past expectations for Jeff Bezos' last quarter as CEO, posting revenue of $108.52 billion. Sales were up 44% year over year, and AWS gained 32% over the same quarter last year. More on the key numbers here.

9. Microsoft and Amazon worked with the FBI to determine how to fight the global ransomware crisis. They were part of a task force that released an 80-page report on ransomware, which makes recommendations for the Biden administration, companies, and law enforcement. These are some of the task force's findings.

10. Google's push to re-open offices in September is frustrating some employees. Some staff say they'll quit if they can't be remote forever, while others want more details on the new hybrid plans. A half-dozen Google employees gave us their take on going back to the office.

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Compiled by Jordan Erb. Tips/comments? Email jerb@insider.com or tweet @JordanParkerErb.

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