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Perplexity AI launched its new Voice Assistant for IOS that beats Siri

Author

Arun Sagar
April 25, 2025

Happy Friday! 👋 Did you know that two students have built a startup, and they’re being suspended by the University for that. What happened is that two students from Columbia University have built a startup for cheating. The startup was for cheating on Leetcode problems at first. But later, it pivoted to cheat on everything and surpassed $3 million in ARR earlier this month. Columbia University has taken disciplinary actions against the two students, and later, both of them dropped out of the University. The cheating tool is Cluely. Read More

TECH

Perplexity launched its new IOS Voice Assistant, and it’s better than Siri

Perplexity Assistant is a new but promising player in the AI assistant space, launched in early 2025 for Android and recently for iOS. While it may not come from a tech giant, its advanced knowledge engine and features like Deep Research and Spaces have quickly set it apart. It offers detailed, sourced answers and intelligent follow-up suggestions, functioning more like a research companion than a basic chatbot. It’s capable of handling real-world tasks with ease, from playing music on Apple Music to finding local recommendations, even outperforming Siri in accuracy and speed.

What makes Perplexity stand out is its ability to interact seamlessly with both Apple and third-party apps. It can open YouTube videos in-app, book rides through Uber, schedule events in Calendar, compose emails in Mail, and pull up directions in Maps—all with accurate voice recognition and minimal user input. Unlike Siri, which often redirects tasks or falls short on complex queries, Perplexity provides clear, reliable responses with visible sources. For users looking for a smarter, more responsive assistant, it’s quickly becoming a compelling alternative. Read More

BUSINESS

California overtakes Japan to become the world’s fourth-largest economy

California has officially become the world’s fourth-largest economy, surpassing Japan with a $4.1 trillion GDP in 2024, according to preliminary federal data. Governor Gavin Newsom credited the state's innovation, sustainability efforts, and investment in people for its strong 6% growth last year, outpacing even the U.S., China, and Germany.

“California isn’t just keeping up — we’re leading,” Newsom said.

However, he warned that recent federal tariff policies are threatening this progress. The state has filed a lawsuit challenging former President Trump’s use of emergency powers to impose broad global tariffs, which Newsom says have hurt California’s economy by disrupting trade and raising costs for families and businesses. With 40 million residents and nearly $675 billion in trade last year, California remains a major global economic force — and, according to Newsom, one that deserves protection from harmful federal overreach. Read More

BUSINESS

Jersey Mike’s got a new CEO, the first time in 50 years

Peter Cancro, founder and CEO of Jersey Mike’s Subs, is stepping down after nearly 50 years, following the chain’s $8 billion sale to private equity firm Blackstone. Cancro, who started at the original New Jersey shop as a teenager and bought it at just 17, grew Jersey Mike’s into a 3,000-location powerhouse and will stay on as chairman and a significant minority shareholder. Taking over as CEO on April 28 is Charlie Morrison, former Wingstop CEO, who led that brand through major growth and a successful IPO. Cancro called Morrison the ideal successor to lead Jersey Mike’s into its next phase of expansion in the U.S. and abroad.

The Blackstone deal, which made Cancro a multibillionaire with an estimated net worth of $7.5 billion, marks one of the largest fast-food acquisitions since Subway’s $9.6 billion sale to Roark Capital. Jersey Mike’s now ranks as the second-largest sandwich chain behind Subway, with each location averaging $1.35 million in annual sales, nearly triple that of a typical Subway store. Read More

GOOD TO KNOW

On This Day: The Hubble Space Telescope, a sophisticated optical observatory built in the United States under the supervision of NASA, was placed into operation 25 April in 1990 by the crew of the space shuttle Discovery.

Fun Riddle: I have many teeth, but I can’t bite. I’m often used early but rarely at night. What am I? SOURCE

QUOTE

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A Strange Phrase Keeps Turning Up in Scientific Papers, But Why? Read

ANSWER TO RIDDLE

Question: I have many teeth, but I can’t bite. I’m often used early but rarely at night. What am I?

Answer: A comb đź“Ź

Have a great day đź‘‹ Bye!

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