tech:

taffy

Virtual reality, RFID, partnership with Facebook: Macy’s goes high tech

Macy’s is enlisting the help of technology to enhance its omnichannel customer experience, the company said in a statement on Monday.

New features the retail giant is launching ahead of the holiday season include both virtual reality and augmented reality furniture and beauty experiences, and a partnership with Facebook.

In a statement, Macy’s said the company has made technological enhancements to several non-customer facing features, including the Beauty Playground training program.

Macy’s is partnering with Facebook, which will bring in nearly 150 e-commerce brands to The Market @ Macy’s across nine stores during the holiday season, says the company.  Each Market brings a rotating selection of offerings in apparel, accessories, beauty, etc.

Macy’s has developed virtual and augmented reality furniture shopping experiences in partnership with Marxent. By early November the company says it expects to have completed the launch of VR for Furniture in 69 Macy’s stores across the country.

Macy’s in-store virtual mirror technology digitally showcases more than 250 trend beauty products on an in-store kiosk for instant makeup try-ons. These virtual mirrors are currently available at approximately 50 stores nationwide. Macy’s is also testing a similar beauty feature on its mobile app, says the company.

Macy’s is testing hands free RFID data capture capabilities including robotics, fixed infrastructure and other mobile device solutions to enhance the data collection that will have a broad impact on the replenishment, ordering and quick product availability, says the company.

[Image courtesy: Macy’s]

Just in

Tembo raises $14M

Cincinnati, Ohio-based Tembo, a Postgres managed service provider, has raised $14 million in a Series A funding round.

Raspberry Pi is now a public company — TC

Raspberry Pi priced its IPO on the London Stock Exchange on Tuesday morning at £2.80 per share, valuing it at £542 million, or $690 million at today’s exchange rate, writes Romain Dillet. 

AlphaSense raises $650M

AlphaSense, a market intelligence and search platform, has raised $650 million in funding, co-led by Viking Global Investors and BDT & MSD Partners.

Elon Musk’s xAI raises $6B to take on OpenAI — VentureBeat

Confirming reports from April, the series B investment comes from the participation of multiple known venture capital firms and investors, including Valor Equity Partners, Vy Capital, Andreessen Horowitz (A16z), Sequoia Capital, Fidelity Management & Research Company, Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal and Kingdom Holding, writes Shubham Sharma. 

Capgemini partners with DARPA to explore quantum computing for carbon capture

Capgemini Government Solutions has launched a new initiative with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to investigate quantum computing's potential in carbon capture.