Apple’s first foray into VR is coming next year, says Mark Gurman, but the real game is in AR and that’s a ways down the road. Amazon wants to help roll out the vaccines. Are laptops getting taller? One chat app to unify them all? And everybody wants a dark mode, even the White House. Sponsors: NewYorker.com/techmeme promocode: techmeme Tovala.com/ride Links: Apple’s First Headset to Be Niche Precursor to Eventual AR Glasses (Bloomberg) LG considers exiting smartphones in 2021 (The Verge) Amazon...
Jan 21, 2021•20 min
Is Andreessen Horowitz about to spin up its own media platform? Anthony Levandowski gets a pardon and Jack Ma resurfaces. Netflix is about to start printing money, and they’re about to give you a “shuffle play” button. And why Ben Thompson thinks Intel is in even more trouble than everybody thinks. Sponsors: Grammarly.com/techmeme Tovala.com/ride Links: Andreessen Horowitz Looks to Launch Opinion Publication as Its Media Ambition Grows (The Information) The Unauthorized Story of Andreessen Horow...
Jan 20, 2021•17 min
Qualcomm unveils the Snapdragon 870. Cruise, Microsoft and GM all get together in a beautiful marriage that is just as much about cloud computing as it is self-driving. Has the policy controversy endangered WhatsApp in India? And why the whole Smart Home and Internet of Things industry might be taking a breather. Sponsors: Fundrise.com/techmeme MintMobile.com/ride Links: Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 870 reheats the Snapdragon 865 for 2021 phones (The Verge) Microsoft invests in Cruise in new $2 bil...
Jan 19, 2021•18 min
The first ever interesting raise omnibus episode! Links: Hipcamp, ‘Airbnb of the Outdoors,’ Raises $57 Million (The Information) Local news app News Break raises $115M (TechCrunch) Perfect Corp., developer of virtual beauty app YouCam Makeup, closes $50 million Series C led by Goldman Sachs (TechCrunch) Veo raises $25M for AI-based cameras that record and analyze football and other team sports (TechCrunch) Graphcore raises $222M for its ultrafast AI chips (SiliconAngle) AI chipmaker Graphcore ra...
Jan 16, 2021•25 min
Is Apple finally throwing in the towel and giving us the sort of laptops we actually want? With these IPO first-day pops, forget banks screwing startups, are VC’s also undervaluing companies right now in a way that is unfair? Amazon wants to do in cars what it’s done successfully in homes. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Oracle For Startups - oracle.com/goto/ride Metalab.co Links: Kuo details 2021 MacBook Pro: new design with squared-off sides, MagSafe connector and ...
Jan 15, 2021•21 min
All the news from the Galaxy Unpacked event. The tech stock IPO first day pop bubble continues. Asus persists with that dual screen laptop thing. BMW has a new way to unlock your car with your phone. And Google absolutely swears it won’t use your fitbit data against you. Swears. Sponsors: Metalab.co TinyCapital.com Links: SAMSUNG GALAXY S21, S21 PLUS, AND S21 ULTRA FIRST LOOK: POLISHED DESIGN (AND PRICES) (The Verge) The Galaxy S21 Ultra packs two telephoto lenses and supports the S Pen (Engadge...
Jan 14, 2021•21 min
The Visa/Plaid merger is called off, and I’ll tell you why I think this is a sign of the current situation for tech. More tectonic shifts in the chip industry including Qualcomm acquiring a startup and Intel losing its CEO. More smoke around the fire story of an Apple Car. And Facebook has noticed you downloaded Signal. Sponsors: Netgear.com/bestwifi Metalab.co Links: Visa Abandons Planned Acquisition of Plaid After DOJ Challenge (WSJ) Qualcomm eyes challenge to Apple, Intel with $1.4 billion de...
Jan 13, 2021•20 min
Intel’s new flagship chips are here. Lenovo’s new laptop lineup is here. Walmart wants in on the fintech startup game. GM is spinning off a new electric delivery truck startup. And I know foldable phones haven’t exactly taken over the world, but could I interest you in a rollable phone? Sponsors: NewYorker.com/techmeme BuyRaycon.com/tech Links: Intel Previews 11th Gen Core Rocket Lake: Core i9-11900K and Z590, Coming Q1 (AnandTech) Lenovo’s new ThinkPad X1 Titanium Yoga is less than half an inch...
Jan 12, 2021•18 min
Once again, did some things happen since we last spoke? A run-down of, especially, the Parler situation. And it’s the first day of CES. Here’s what we’re missing in terms of gadget announcements, cool gadgets we’d love to get hands-on time with and the weird gadgets that make CES so fun. Sponsors: KiwiCo.com promocode: ride ExpressVPN.com/techmeme Links: Amazon Is Booting Parler Off Of Its Web Hosting Service (Buzzfeed) Parler CEO Says Service Dropped By “Every Vendor” And Could End His Business...
Jan 11, 2021•20 min
Interesting new Apple Car rumors, including how they’ve basically raided Tesla for talent, apparently. Alex Stamos and Chris Krebs have formed the security Avengers. People do seem to be jumping ship from WhatsApp. Why Roku is maybe the dark horse of the Streaming Wars. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: TinyCapital.com DoubleUp.agency Links: Hyundai Motor says it’s in early talks with Apple to develop a car, sends shares soaring 19% (CNBC) SolarWinds hires former Trump...
Jan 08, 2021•19 min
Some stuff happened yesterday at the US Capital, and there’s a tech angle to it. Is SolarWinds just the beginning of the supply chain compromises? There’s new wi-fi coming that is faster and broader. Did the Georgia runoff mean the floodgates are now open for tech antitrust? And what the final segment pre-supposes is: putting a 55 inch display inside a car is a good idea. Sponsors: TinyCapital.com Liftoff.to Links: Twitter and Facebook Lock Trump’s Accounts After Violence on Capitol Hill (NYTime...
Jan 07, 2021•19 min
There are two new GPT-3 models and now the robots have come for the graphic artists. Trump continues his tech cold war against China, but the question is, will Biden? WhatsApp is further absorbed into the Facebook mothership. Eve Online players broke the game by playing it so hard. And Cameo wants you to know there’s money in the banana stand—I mean... paying Tom Arnold to record a video for you. Sponsors: Audible.com/techmeme or text techmeme to 500-500 for a free 30-day trial Links: This avoca...
Jan 06, 2021•20 min
The OCC clears US banks to run crypto nodes and issue stablecoins. Microsoft wants to make One Outlook to rule all your email and calendar apps. Looks like Haven couldn’t solve healthcare. Why haven’t we seen Jack Ma in public for going on two months now? And Singapore says SYKE on that whole, not using Covid tracking data to keep track of citizens. Sponsors: SmartAsset.com/techmeme Links: US regulator: Federally chartered banks can facilitate stablecoin payments, issue their own (The Block) Twi...
Jan 05, 2021•19 min
Google/Alphabet workers launch an official union drive. We’ve got a date for the Galaxy Unpacked event. Microsoft wants to give Windows a good scrubbing this year. Everyone wants a piece of ShareChat. Gazelle is getting out of the trade-in business. And LG doesn’t want to give up on tv screens you can hide away when not in use. Sponsors: Fundrise.com/techmeme LinkedIn.com/ride Links: Google, Alphabet employees seek to form a union (TechCrunch) Samsung officially confirms Galaxy S21 event for Jan...
Jan 04, 2021•16 min
Apple loses an interesting copyright law case. Get ready to see TikToks in your Google searches. Amazon’s “other” business unit is becoming a monster. The tech consumers did, and did not AS MUCH partake in over the holidays. And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. For the final time in 2020, here’s what you missed in the world of tech. Sponsors: Tovala.com/ride DoubleUp.Agency Links: Apple loses copyright battle against security start-up Corellium (Washington Post) Google pilots a sear...
Dec 30, 2020•21 min
Coinbase is suspending trading of XRP. Ant Group tries to appease the CCP. Will we soon see immunity passports on our phones? We now know the identity of the first tech IPO of the new year. And why, if you’re doing to do some dirt, you might want to know that your car is probably going to bust your alibi. Sponsors: CalderaLab.com code: TECHMEME (all caps, one word) Tovala.com/ride Links: Coinbase to Suspend XRP Trading Following SEC Suit Against Ripple (CoinDesk) Ant Considers Holding Company Wi...
Dec 29, 2020•18 min
The Chinese Communist Party is throwing serious cold water on its entire tech sector by continuing to target Jack Ma. Did Elon Musk once try to sell Tesla to Apple? Drones are getting digital license plates, of a sort. And a look at the generation of search engine startups hoping to, you know, maybe strike at Google while the antitrust iron is hot. Sponsors: Tovala.com/ride GetRoman.com/techmeme Links: Beijing launches antitrust investigation into Alibaba (Financial Times) China Tells Ant to Ret...
Dec 28, 2020•19 min
The SEC does indeed sue Ripple, and that could be a bigger deal than I thought. Twitter won’t hand over the @Potus Twitter followers to Biden. What Zoom wants to do for its next act beyond video. Controlling your AirPods with your teeth. And, special for this week, a Long Holiday Weekend edition of the Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Hawthorne.co , promocode: techmeme Tovala.com/ride Links: SEC Sues Ripple Over 7-Year, $1.3B ‘Ongoing’ XRP Sale (CoinDesk) Biden @POTUS Account Reset to Zero With ...
Dec 23, 2020•20 min
See… I had a feeling. Reuters says Apple really is revealing an Apple Car in the coming years. More details on that suit charging Facebook and Google allegedly agreed to divvy up the ad market. The third biggest cryptocurrency says the SEC is coming after it. And the crazy story behind those sexy butt-flap pajama ads you’ve seen all over the internet. Sponsors: CalderaLab.com , promocode TECHMEME (all caps, one word) at checkout for 20% off. Hawthorne.co promocode: techmeme Links: Exclusive: App...
Dec 22, 2020•19 min
Huge day for Real Estate tech with Opendoor going public to a soaring valuation and RealPage getting bought for a ton of money. Microsoft might design its own custom silicon, cause, why not (to quote Vincent Hanna)? Is the first under the display selfie camera basically a fail? And could we actually see the Apple Car debut as soon as next year? Sponsors: GetArmorLock.com Hawthorne.co promocode: techmeme Links: Opendoor Rides SPAC Deal to Lofty $18 Billion Valuation at Market Debut (The Informati...
Dec 21, 2020•18 min
Drone maker DJI is blacklisted by the commerce department. Group video comes to Echo devices. Twitter launches Spaces. Sony offers refunds for Cyberpunk 2077. Coinbase files to go public. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Masterworks.io , promocode RIDE to skip the waitlist Calderalab.com use code TECHMEME (all one word, all caps) at checkout Links: US government adds DJI to Commerce blacklist over ties to Chinese government (The Verge) Amazon launches group video and ...
Dec 18, 2020•21 min
Mommy and Daddy are fighting. This time it’s Apple and Facebook and it’s getting pretty heated. The EU okays Google’s acquisition of Fitbit. Substack has resurrected Google Reader, in spirit at least. And why the new antitrust lawsuit against Google is maybe the most serious yet, because we’re talking about actual felonies here. Potentially. Allegedly. Sponsors: OurCrowd.com/ride JoinFightCamp.com/techmeme Links: Apple’s seismic change to the mobile ad industry is drawing near, and it’s rocking ...
Dec 17, 2020•17 min
Day three of the SolarWinds hack fallout sees major investors unloading stock at a suspicious time. M1 chip support comes to some major apps. Periscope joins the Deadpool. Bitcoin crosses $20k. An AirPods Max review. And what if you could make a digital platform for board games? Sponsors: OurCrowd.com/ride VistaPrint.com/techmeme Links: Stadia comes to the iPhone and iPad with new iOS beta (The Verge) Investors in breached software firm SolarWinds traded $280 million in stock days before hack wa...
Dec 16, 2020•20 min
Europe’s big new regulatory regime for big tech. More fallout from what looks like the biggest hack our government has ever seen. The FTC asks basically everyone in tech how they get their data. A ‘faraday fabric’ that can serve as an invisibility cloak for radio waves. An interesting raise to make exoskeletons. And a review of the new all electric Ford Mustang. Sponsors: Grammarly.com/techmeme VistaPrint.com/techmeme Links: Tech Giants Face New Rules in Europe, Backed by Huge Fines (WSJ) FTC or...
Dec 15, 2020•18 min
Hackers attack the US Treasury in an attack so severe one person called it a 10 out of 10. Pornhub has removed millions of videos. Amazon’s Zoox has a robo electric taxi. Are the recent IPO pops sign of a bubble? And could Jony Ive’s next job be as the head of luxury automaker Ferrari? Sponsors: GetArmorLock.com Amazon.com/ridehome Links: Suspected Russian hackers spied on U.S. Treasury emails - sources (Reuters) U.S. Agencies Hacked in Foreign Cyber Espionage Campaign Linked to Russia (WSJ) Por...
Dec 14, 2020•17 min
Connie Chan, from Andreessen Horowitz, talking about: Live, Social, and Shoppable: The Future of Video Sponsors: VistaPrint.com/techmeme TinyCapital.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices...
Dec 12, 2020•34 min
Disney+ is about to get a bit more expensive, but you’re also gonna get a lot more stuff to watch. Are we in a tech IPO bubble? X64 emulation comes to Windows. Apple whispers that it will likely be dropping Qualcomm like it dropped Intel. And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Amazon.com/ridehome Tinycapital.com Links: Disney Plus is increasing its price to $8 a month starting in March 2021 (The Verge) ‘Star Wars,’ ‘Pinocchio’ and More as Disney Leans Sharply Into Streaming ...
Dec 11, 2020•19 min
I try to give you the outlines of the Facebook antitrust thing, and what it might mean for tech. Airbnb makes its market debut. Crunchyroll finds a safe home away from AT&T. I bet folks at HBO are jealous. Boston Dynamics finds a new guardian as well, that hopefully can find something useful for it to do. And it really is, finally, the end of the road for Flash. Sponsors: Amazon.com/ridehome Tinycapital.com Links: The FTC is suing Facebook to unwind its acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp...
Dec 10, 2020•18 min
FireEye says it got hacked by a nation state. Microsoft’s cloud gaming is coming to iOS in the spring. Samsung’s unpacked event is coming in about a month, and we already got plenty of leaks about the phones we expect to see. Is Apple’s self-driving project still on track? And if you feel like you’ve been getting more spam calls this year, while rents in San Francisco have been plummeting, I’m here to tell you, neither of those trends seem to be imaginary. Sponsors: MasterWorks.io to skip the wa...
Dec 09, 2020•20 min
Say hello to AirPods Max. Cloudflare and Apple have developed a new internet privacy protocol. Google’s Stadia is finally flipping the switch on one of its biggest selling points. Uber is exiting the self-driving sweepstakes, but what does that mean for its future? And more fallout from that Warner Media streaming decision. Sponsors: Amazon.com/ridehome Wipers123.com promocode: ride Links: Apple introduces AirPods Max, the magic of AirPods in a stunning over-ear design (Apple Newsroom) Cloudflar...
Dec 08, 2020•18 min
