Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson - podcast cover

Sharp Tech with Ben Thompson

Ben Thompsonsharptech.fm
A podcast about understanding how tech works and the way it is changing the world. Hosted by Andrew Sharp with Ben Thompson.

Episodes

The First Week of New Twitter and Apple/Netflix/Taiwan Follow-Up

Reactions to $8/month for Twitter Blue, the fevered conversation around Musk’s ownership, whether Twitter should take even more risks as a private company, and answers to mailbag questions about Apple, Netflix and Ben’s personal calculus in Taiwan.

Nov 03, 202211 min

Google/Facebook/Snap Earnings and Another Dimension of Automation

Google's core business is sound but YouTube's numbers are murkier, the bull case for Meta as the market runs the other way, and a fair and balanced look at Snap. Then, a few mailbag questions about automation, Netflix abroad, and the psychology of a Red Bull fan.

Oct 27, 202211 min

Good News for Netflix Believers and the Latest TikTok Reporting

Netflix's Q3 response to all its Q1 critics, sorting through the threats elsewhere in the streaming landscape, what to look for as Netflix makes its foray into ads. Then, responses to a new report on TikTok that was published hours after last Friday's podcast.

Oct 24, 20221 hr

Questions, Concerns and Unknowns after the China Chip Ban

The narrow purpose of the latest US export controls, the broad attack the Chinese government will likely perceive, why heightened American attention to Taiwan could be dangerous, and a variety of unknowns as the world awaits the next steps.

Oct 18, 20221 hr

New Metaverse Dreams and Old Metaverse Questions

Reactions to Mark Zuckerberg’s keynote at Meta Connect 2022, why it makes sense for Meta to partner with Microsoft in the virtual reality space, the aspects of the VR pitch that still feel underwhelming, and whether Zuckerberg is the right person to lead this era of Facebook.

Oct 11, 202258 min

Cable Temperature Check and a Bundle Experiment

Why it may make sense to sell Netflix, Apple TV, Paramount Plus and other streamers as one product, why cable may (or may not) be the intermediary brokering the sale, questions for the future of live sports rights. Then, an answer to listeners who have questions about the new era of Stratechery.

Oct 04, 202259 min

Nvidia Backlash and the China Conundrum

Why the internet is upset after Nvidia's Ada Lovelace announcement, the perfect storm of the past 12 months, a bet on AI inside and outside of gaming. Then, the calculus for Apple and Nvidia as tensions rise between China and the U.S.

Sep 27, 20221 hr 1 min

Introducing Sharp Tech

Ben and Andrew discuss the origins of the podcast, their own backgrounds, and why they’re excited about making this show.

Sep 20, 202220 min

What AI Is Today and What It Might Be Tomorrow

New AI image generators hint at a decentralized future, newspapers vs. the internet as an analogy for what’s next, potential implications for white collar workers, and how Steve Ballmer can help Apple.

Sep 13, 202259 min

Google-as-Government and Netflix vs. HBO Max

A Google enforcement strategy gone awry, the pluses and minuses of horizontal integration, and the common thread among most big tech complaints. Then, the downsides of Netflix’s binge model.

Aug 24, 20221 hr 4 min

CHIPS History and Pelosi’s Taiwan Visit

A brief history of semiconductors in the US and Taiwan, what the CHIPS act can and can’t fix, and why the legislation is probably a good idea regardless. Then, reactions to Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan.

Aug 04, 20221 hr 1 min
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