Fitbit to require a Google account to use its newest devices and features starting in 2023; current users can use non-Google accounts until at least early 2025 (Abner Li/9to5Google)

Kyle Wiggers / TechCrunch:
Versa Networks, which helps companies unify network and security tools into a single console, raised $120M in equity and debt, bringing its funding to $316M  —  Networking and cybersecurity firm Versa today announced that it raised $120 million in a mix of equity and debt led by BlackRock, with participation from Silicon Valley Bank.

Victoria Song / The Verge:
Google Fitbit Sense 2 review: good stress tracking and nice UI but no Google Assistant or third-party apps, pricey at $300, and can’t be called a smartwatch  —  The fitness tracker has industry-leading stress tracking, but pour one out for the future of Fitbit smartwatches … Its successor, the Sense 2?

Abner Li / 9to5Google:
Google rolls out support for signing in with passkeys on Android and Chrome to beta testers ahead of a wider launch in 2022  —  Apple, Google, Microsoft, and others in the industry want to replace website/app passwords with “passkeys” that just require you to unlock your device.

Tom Warren / The Verge:
Microsoft plans to sunset its Microsoft Office branding after more than 30 years, rebranding the apps to Microsoft 365; new logos will roll out in January 2023  —  Microsoft is making a major change to its Microsoft Office branding.  After more than 30 years, Microsoft Office is being renamed …

Abner Li / 9to5Google:
Google unveils search results with a “Discussions and forums” section, rolling out on mobile in the US, and with machine-translated news coverage, in early 2023  —  At Search On 2022, Google announced that “Discussions and forums” will be getting their own sections in results …

Abner Li / 9to5Google:
Intel says it will replace the Pentium and Celeron brands with Intel Processor, starting with notebooks in 2023  —  While there are more and more premium Chrome OS devices, the category very much excels at the cheaper end of the market.  When buying those Chromebooks next year …