Why Flipboard just bought a two-person startup

Flipboard, the news magazine app that has pivoted hard toward the open social web, announced Wednesday that it’s acquiring Graze, a Portland-based startup that lets people build, customize, and monetize feeds on Bluesky.

It’s a small deal — Graze raised just $1 million at the start of 2025 and has only two employees. But the acquisition says a lot about where Flipboard CEO Mike McCue thinks the social internet is heading.

Graze has been live for 21 months. In that time, its feeds have pushed out over 41 billion posts to roughly 12 million users, according to the company. Today, more than 7,000 feeds run on its platform, and about 60% of that traffic is monetized.

How Graze makes money without tracking you

The core idea is simple: curators build feeds around a topic or community, and brands buy ad placements in those feeds. The curator gets to approve which ads run. The revenue is split 70/30 in favor of the feed creator.

What makes this different from the ads you see on Facebook or Google is the absence of cross-site tracking. No following users around the web. No surveillance-style profiling.

Instead, ads are contextual. A brand that wants to reach game developers buys a spot in a feed run by game developers. The audience is the context.

McCue told TechCrunch that the adtech “doesn’t have to surveil anybody, and it doesn’t have to violate people’s privacy.” He added: “The key thing is that all the economics aren’t just going to one player. The ad revenue is being shared with the feed builder.”

From Surf app collaboration to full acquisition

Flipboard had already been using Graze’s technology inside its new app, Surf, which is designed as a browser for the open social web. That collaboration revealed something: the two companies were building toward the same vision, but duplicating each other’s work.

Graze co-founder and CEO Devin Gaffney realized his startup could move faster with a partner that already had the advertising infrastructure — and the brand relationships — that Graze lacked.

Post-acquisition, Flipboard will keep using Graze’s tech and let users build their own feeds. That capability will expand beyond Bluesky to everything running on the AT Protocol, including Flipboard’s own app.

What is the AT Protocol, anyway?

The AT Protocol is an open technical standard that lets different apps share the same underlying social network. Think of it as a common language for social platforms. Bluesky is built on it, and so is Surf. The idea is that you shouldn’t be locked into one company’s app to access your social graph.

The human side of feed curation

McCue made an interesting point in the interview about how users actually think about these feeds.

“They don’t think of it as, like, ‘I’m joining Bluesky’ or ‘I’m joining the social web, the open social web.’ They just think I’m joining The Tea because ‘I care about women’s sports,'” he said, referencing a Surf community feed called Bet on Her.

That’s the bet Flipboard is making: people will follow interests, not platforms. And if that’s true, then the people who curate those interest-based feeds deserve a cut of the ad money.

What this means for the open social web

The acquisition is another signal that the open social web is moving from a niche experiment to something with real economic structure. Flipboard has been investing heavily in this space, and Graze gives it a proven monetization layer.

For feed creators, the deal means more tools and, potentially, more revenue opportunities. For brands, it offers an alternative to the surveillance-based ad model that has dominated digital advertising for two decades.

Whether that alternative scales remains to be seen. But with Flipboard’s infrastructure behind it, Graze’s approach to contextual ads on open social web feeds just got a much bigger stage.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Your VXE R1 SE+ suddenly stops responding when plugged in, and no amount of cable jiggling or port switching seems to wake it up. You’re not alone. A growing number of users are reporting the same frustrating symptom: the mouse appears stuck in sleep mode, and the wired connection simply dies without warning. The culprit, as it turns out, isn’t the cable or the mouse hardware—it’s a firmware bug that’s quietly affecting many units.

This article breaks down the real debug step to confirm your hardware is fine, then walks you through the ATK Hub firmware fix that actually pulls the mouse out of its slumber. By the end, you’ll know exactly how to restore a stable wired connection and prevent this from recurring.

Why Does the VXE R1 SE+ Stop Connecting via Cable?

The VXE R1 SE+ is a budget-friendly wireless mouse that’s gained a loyal following for its performance and low latency. However, several owners have discovered a quirk: after a period of inactivity, the mouse enters a deep sleep state that the standard wake-up routine can’t break. When you plug in the USB cable, the mouse may charge but remain unresponsive to input, and the computer often doesn’t recognize it as a connected device.

This isn’t a hardware defect. In fact, the debug step shown in the video confirms that the cable and the mouse’s internal components are fully functional. The issue lies in the firmware’s power management logic, which occasionally fails to exit sleep mode correctly. The result is a device that looks dead but is actually just trapped in a low-power limbo.

Step 1: Confirm Your Cable and Mouse Are Functioning

Before you dive into any firmware updates, it’s crucial to verify that your physical connection is sound. The video demonstrates a simple but effective debug method: plug the mouse into a different USB port, ideally one directly on your motherboard, and check if the system recognizes it as a USB device. You can also test the cable with another device to rule out a faulty wire.

If the cable works elsewhere and the mouse still doesn’t respond, the problem is almost certainly firmware-related. This diagnostic step saves you from unnecessary replacements and ensures you’re targeting the right fix.

Step 2: The ATK Hub Firmware Fix That Resolves Sleep Mode

Once you’ve confirmed the hardware is healthy, the next move is to update the mouse’s firmware using the official ATK Hub software. ATK Hub is the companion app for VXE and ATK peripherals, and it’s where you’ll find the latest firmware patches. The video walks through downloading the correct firmware version and flashing it to the mouse.

The process is straightforward: install ATK Hub, connect your mouse via cable, and navigate to the firmware section. If a new version is available, the software will prompt you to update. After the update completes, the mouse should exit sleep mode immediately and maintain a stable wired connection. This fix has worked for many users who were previously stuck with an unresponsive device.

Step 3: Prevent Future Connection Drops with Regular Updates

Building on this fix, the best way to avoid future VXE R1 SE+ not connecting issues is to keep your firmware up to date. ATK Hub notifies you of new releases, so make it a habit to check for updates periodically. Additionally, adjusting the mouse’s sleep timer settings within the software can reduce the likelihood of it entering that problematic deep sleep state.

As a result, you’ll enjoy a more reliable wired experience, whether you’re gaming or working. Remember, the cable connection isn’t just for charging—it’s a full data link that ensures low-latency input and battery management.

Watch the Full Walkthrough for a Step-by-Step Guide

If you’re still facing the issue after trying the steps above, the video provides a visual, click-by-click guide that leaves no room for guesswork. From the initial debug to the final firmware flash, every action is explained clearly. The creator also pins the firmware download link and the ATK Hub link in the description, so you have direct access to the necessary tools.

Don’t let a firmware bug ruin your experience with an otherwise excellent mouse. Follow the instructions, and you’ll have your VXE R1 SE+ back in action in minutes. If the fix works for you—or if you hit a snag—drop a comment on the video; the creator is actively helping viewers troubleshoot.

Your mouse isn’t broken. It just needs the right push to wake up. Watch the video, apply the fix, and get back to seamless clicking.

Imagine this: You power on your Dell laptop, ready to work, but instead of a smooth boot, an ominous alert flashes—”TPM device is not detected.” You dive into the BIOS, hunting for the TPM 2.0 security option, only to find it’s gone. Frustrating, right? This is a common headache for many Dell users, especially when Windows 11 requires TPM 2.0 for installation. But here’s the good news: there’s a surprisingly simple fix that doesn’t involve complex hardware changes or risky BIOS flashing. In this guide, we’ll walk you through a proven method to restore TPM 2.0 visibility in your Dell BIOS, saving you time and potential repair costs.

Why Does TPM 2.0 Disappear from BIOS?

Before jumping into the solution, it’s worth understanding why this happens. TPM (Trusted Platform Module) is a security chip that handles encryption keys and ensures your system is secure. On many Dell laptops, the TPM is integrated into the motherboard, but it can sometimes become temporarily unresponsive. This often occurs after a sudden power loss, a system crash, or even a Windows update that interferes with firmware settings. The result? The BIOS fails to detect the TPM, rendering the TPM 2.0 security option invisible.

Another culprit is residual electrical charge in the motherboard’s capacitors. This charge can keep certain hardware components in a low-power state, preventing proper detection during startup. It’s a bit like a computer’s version of a hiccup—annoying but easily resolved with a simple reset.

The Simple Power Drain Fix for TPM 2.0 Not Showing

The solution demonstrated in the video is straightforward and requires no special tools. Here’s what you need to do:

1. **Shut down your laptop completely** – Ensure it’s off, not in sleep or hibernate mode.
2. **Unplug the charger** – Disconnect the AC adapter from your laptop and the wall outlet.
3. **Press and hold the power button for 15–20 seconds** – This drains any residual power from the motherboard capacitors, effectively resetting the hardware state.
4. **Release the power button** – Wait a few seconds, then reconnect the charger.
5. **Power on your laptop** – Enter the BIOS by pressing F2 repeatedly during startup.

Once in BIOS, navigate to the Security or TPM section. You should now see the TPM 2.0 option, ready to be enabled. This method works because it forces a full hardware reset, clearing the glitch that was hiding the TPM from the BIOS.

Why This Works: The Science Behind the Power Drain

You might wonder how holding a power button can fix a BIOS detection issue. It comes down to residual electricity. Even when a laptop is off, small amounts of charge linger in the motherboard’s capacitors. This charge can keep certain components in a standby state, confusing the BIOS during its initial hardware scan. By holding the power button, you discharge these capacitors completely, ensuring a clean slate when the system boots next. It’s a technique often used by technicians to resolve a variety of hardware detection problems, not just TPM issues.

As a result, this method is not only effective for TPM 2.0 not showing, but also for other peripheral detection glitches, like missing Wi-Fi adapters or Bluetooth devices. It’s a low-risk, high-reward troubleshooting step that every laptop user should know.

Additional Tips for Dell Laptop TPM Issues

If the power drain doesn’t solve the problem, don’t panic. Here are a few more steps to consider:

– **Update your BIOS**: Visit Dell’s support website and download the latest BIOS update for your specific model. Sometimes, Dell releases patches that improve TPM detection.
– **Check BIOS settings**: Ensure that the TPM is not disabled in the BIOS under ‘Security’ or ‘Advanced’. Look for options like ‘Intel PTT’ or ‘AMD PSP’—these are firmware-based TPM solutions.
– **Reset BIOS to defaults**: Load the default settings in BIOS, which can help restore any misconfigured options.
– **Contact Dell support**: If all else fails, the TPM chip might be faulty, and you may need professional assistance.

Watch the Video for a Step-by-Step Demo

This fix is incredibly easy to perform, but seeing it in action can boost your confidence. The video walks you through the exact process, showing the alert screen and the BIOS menu, so you know exactly what to look for. Whether you’re a tech novice or a seasoned user, the visual guide ensures you don’t miss a step.

Therefore, if you’re facing the “TPM device is not detected” alert on your Dell laptop, give this power drain method a try. It’s free, quick, and might just save you a trip to the repair shop. Watch the video below to see the fix in action, and you’ll be back to a secure, TPM-enabled system in minutes.