Might want to doublecheck if your LastPass master password is safe. Apple has issued stock to try to retain a bunch of their key talent. Google is dangling investments in front of startups to try to win their cloud business. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: DTCnewsletter.co enterprise.spectrum.com/techmeme Links: LastPass users warned their master passwords are compromised (BleepingComputer) Apple Aims to Prevent Defections to Meta With Rare $180,000 Bonuses for...
Dec 29, 2021•17 min
China is pissed at Elon Musk cause of his Starlink satellites. Xiaomi’s new smartphones. The delivery robots taking over college campuses. The three fund companies that made fully 12% of all venture investments this year. And why cybersecurity companies are the hot startup sector as we head into the new year. Sponsors: Coinbase.com/techmeme Schwab.com/plan Links: China berates US after ‘close encounters’ with Elon Musk satellites (The Guardian) Xiaomi 12 and 12 Pro debut with Snapdragon 8 ...
Dec 28, 2021•18 min
Gibraltar wants to add crypto to its stock exchange. The complicated truth about how successful Alexa has been as a product for Amazon. It was a big year for decentralized exchanges, but an even bigger one for centralized ones. And the story behind that SOS token drop that happened on Christmas Day. Sponsors: RadPowerBikes.com DTCNewsletter.co Links: ‘Blockchain Rock’: Gibraltar moves to become world’s first cryptocurrency hub (The Guardian) Amazon’s Alexa Stalled With Users as Interest Fa...
Dec 27, 2021•17 min
First we talk to the Spatial folks about pivoting in Web3. Then, the top tech stories of the year, as picked by you. Sponsors: Dataiku.com FindYourFidelity.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Dec 23, 2021•1 hr 39 min
Some big names pull out of CES at the last minute. TikTok is now the most popular destination in all the Internet. Justin Kan’s new NFT platform got hacked before even launching. Why my beloved Arsenal is in trouble for offering tokens. And Elon Musk comes out swinging against Web3 and the Metaverse. Sponsors: DTCNewsletter.co Streak.com/techmeme Links: Amazon, Meta Scrap CES Plans in Las Vegas After Covid Surge (Bloomberg) In 2021, the Internet went for TikTok, space and beyond (Clo...
Dec 22, 2021•16 min
I do my best to give you all the angles on the cold tech civil war concerning Web3 that has been bubbling under the surface for a while now but burst out in the open overnight. Interesting raises in the crypto space and interesting data on investment in the space. An interesting CEO departure and a CEO who maybe never really stepped down. And a look at satellite internet speeds. Sponsors: Schwab.com/plan Directtoconsumer.co Links: Jack Dorsey Stirs Uproar by Dismissing Web3 as a Venture Capitali...
Dec 21, 2021•19 min
Could a new 5G system lead the FCC to ground flights around some major metropolitan areas? Chipmakers are busting a gut to try to build out capacity. To what degree is Siri holding back Apple? A longtime Metaverse startup you should maybe have your eyes on. And is Microsoft best positioned to realize the Metaverse? Sponsors: RadPowerBikes.com Coinbase.com/techmeme Links: Airlines Brace for Flight Restrictions in 5G Standoff (WSJ) Semi CapEx to Hit $152 Billion in 2021 (AnandTech) A p...
Dec 20, 2021•18 min
Apple really is going to try to make all its gadget components itself, isn’t it? The deeper reason why the Biden administration doesn’t want you investing in Chinese tech. More on the brewing war between the gamers and the NFTers. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: VPLS.com/goit Streak.com/techmeme Links: Apple Builds New Team in Southern California to Bring More Wireless Chips In-House (Bloomberg) Biden administration concerned about U.S. investments in Chinese t...
Dec 17, 2021•20 min
Reddit finally files to go public. Is Apple once again the canary in the coal mine, this time for Omicron? HR Block sues Square cause Square is now Block. Get it? The biggest investing star of Web3 is starting her own fund. And a look at the battery technology breakthrough the could transform all our lives. Sponsors: HeyLaika.com/techmeme Dataiku.com Links: Reddit Files Confidentially for IPO (WSJ) Apple Scraps Office-Return Deadline Without Setting New Date (Bloomberg) H&R Block...
Dec 16, 2021•17 min
Is Google the first Silicon Valley company to adopt a vaccine mandate? A new foldable phone from Oppo. Why the US might ban you from investing in DJI. Twitter gets auto captions. And a look at the up and coming Chinese ecommerce giant that you might have already heard of, but definitely need to be aware of going forward. Sponsors: Masterworks.io/ride Findyourfidelity.com Links: Google tells employees they’ll lose pay and will eventually be fired if they don’t follow vaccination rules (CNBC...
Dec 15, 2021•18 min
More fallout from what is now being called potentially the worst bug of all time. Apple helps Android users discover if they’re being tracked by AirTags. A new entrant into the AR and VR product category that I guess we’re going to be covering going forward. Amazon is coming for DoorDash and Instacart. And how much did Meta have to pay to become Meta? Sponsors: Tovala.com/ride FirstRepublic.com Links: CISA warns 'most serious' Log4j vulnerability likely to affect hundreds of millions of devices ...
Dec 14, 2021•18 min
A huge bug in Apache servers is causing chaos around the Internet. What to expect, and what we’re still waiting on from iOS 15.2. Why did Instagram steal the @metaverse handle from a woman in Australia, and the story of the fat finger fire sale of a Board Ape Yacht Club NFT. Sponsors: Grammarly.com/techmeme Tovala.com/ride Links: Zero-day in ubiquitous Log4j tool poses a grave threat to the Internet (ArsTechnica) The Internet’s biggest players are all affected by critical Log4Shell 0-day &...
Dec 13, 2021•18 min
The great Andrew Chen of a16z joins us to discuss his new book: The Cold Start Problem: How to Start and Scale Network Effects . This an indispensable guide to get that "rocket-ship" action going for whatever product or company you're working with. Sponsors: RadPowerBikes.com AltoIra.com/techmeme See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Dec 11, 2021•28 min
Google Play games are coming to Windows, while Microsoft was apparently willing to bend over backwards if Apple had let xCloud games into the iOS app store. Meta’s first tangible foray into the Metaverse. The English Football punters buying into NFTs. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Tovala.com/ride My First Million Podcast Links: Google is bringing Android games to Windows in 2022 (The Verge) MICROSOFT QUIETLY TOLD APPLE IT WAS WILLING TO TURN BIG XBOX-EXCLUSIV...
Dec 10, 2021•18 min
Instagram is going to bring back a version of its chronological feed, sort of. The congressional hearings about Instagram, but also crypto. I was wrong: we are seeing Novi in the wild as WhatsApp starts testing it in the US. Deep Mind unveils its language model, and say goodbye to… checks notes… Alexa? Sponsors: Schwab.com/plan Dataiku.com Links: Instagram Chief and Lawmakers Clash Over App’s Real World Harms (Bloomberg) Instagram will bring back a chronological feed in 2022 (Engadge...
Dec 09, 2021•16 min
That AWS outage yesterday disrupted Amazon’s own delivery efforts. When we might see the AirPods Pro 2. More specific details on the Apple AR thingy. Ubisoft is the first major player to bring NFTs to games. And a look at the records being set in the African startup investment scene. Sponsors: WealthFront.com/techmeme FindYourFidelity.com Links: An Amazon server outage caused problems for Alexa, Ring, Disney Plus, and deliveries (The Verge) AWS Outage Grinds Amazon Warehouses and Deliverie...
Dec 08, 2021•16 min
The Information has a story about a secret deal Apple struck that really solidifies Tim Cook as the China whisperer. Intel proves itself to be an astute investor as it weighs a public spinoff of Mobileye. European tech startups raise all-time record amounts. Quantifying this year’s emerging NFT market. And the first ever marketable quantum computing product? Sponsors: Detectify.com/techmeme ARM Viewpoints Podcast Links: Facing Hostile Chinese Authorities, Apple CEO Signed $275 Billion Deal With ...
Dec 07, 2021•17 min
DoorDash tests a wildly new business model: employees! Apple launches a Winter War in Russia. Two stories of US telecom companies doing what US telecom companies do: act shady. And Buzzfeed finally hits the public markets. Sponsors: FirstRepublic.com Enterprise.Spectrum.com Links: DoorDash breaks gig worker model to hire couriers as employees in New York trial (Financial Times) Apple Attempts to Stop Developers Promoting Alternative Payment Options for In-App Purchases in Russia (Mac...
Dec 06, 2021•16 min
Mulling over the whole legacy of Jack Dorsey and name changes for tech companies in general. The weird way gaming is changing right now (see: Halo Infinite). And are foldable phones ready for the big time? With Bloomberg's @vladsavov Sponsors: AltoIra.com/techmeme RadPowerBikes.com See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Dec 04, 2021•1 hr 21 min
Another tech deal goes on a deathwatch, but this time it’s Nvidia and Arm, and this time I think it’s for real. Google is probably working on its own smartwatch. Didi is the first Chinese stock to delist in the west. Instagram is ENCOURAGING you to create a Finsta. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: MasterWorks.io/ride Links: FTC Challenges Nvidia’s Deal for Arm Holdings (WSJ) EXCLUSIVE: Google readies 'Pixel Watch' for 2022 launch as it renews ambitions in wearab...
Dec 03, 2021•19 min
Square changes its name to Block. Apple is hinting at unexpectedly weak iPhone demand. TikTok adds monetization tools. How many people have never used the Internet? And the story behind that whole Spotify Unwrapped thing. Sponsors: FindYourFidelity.com Dataiku.com Links: Jack Dorsey’s Square changes corporate name to Block (CNBC) Apple Tells Suppliers iPhone Demand Has Slowed as Holidays Near (Bloomberg) Instacart Plans 15-Minute Delivery Trial as Rival Startups Grow (The Infor...
Dec 02, 2021•18 min
Twitter bans “private” sharing, but there’s some confusion about what that actually means. A big executive departure throws more doubt on Meta’s crypto ambitions. There’s a new Snapdragon flagship chip and I’ve got the specs. And we get some raw data to answer the question: are foldable phones actually a thing or not? Sponsors: BoxOfAwesome.com , code techmeme for 20% off your first box FirstRepublic.com Links: Twitter bans sharing 'private' images and videos without consent (Engadget) Met...
Dec 01, 2021•17 min
Tue. 11/30 – Meta Might Do The Giphy Deal Anyway The UK quashes the Giphy acquisition, but is it actually dead? Maybe not. Was Cyber Monday a bit of a disappointment this year? Why your Pixel phone might reject your cheap charging cable. AWS’s new tools to help you build robots. And a profile of Twitter’s new CEO. Sponsors: FirstRepublic.com Detectify.com/techmeme Links: Meta ordered to sell Giphy by UK regulator (The Verge) Finland Battles ‘Exceptional’ Malware Attack Spread by Phones &nb...
Nov 30, 2021•17 min
Jack Dorsey is reportedly about to be a one company CEO if he steps down from Twitter. The acquisition of Giphy is on life support. Folks remember Microsoft could be an antitrust target too. Will Apple’s AR headset not need to be tethered to an iPhone? And a look at just how much Amazon has increased its delivery capacity. Sponsors: Napjitsu.com/techmeme OurCrowd.com/ride Links: Twitter CTO Parag Agrawal will replace Jack Dorsey as CEO (CNBC) Twitter CTO Parag Agrawal replaces Jack Dorsey ...
Nov 29, 2021•16 min
The legendary tech analyst and general deep-thinker @benedictevans comes on to discuss this essay about the state of the Metaverse right now. Then, several members of the ConstitutionDAO team come on to tell us the behind the scenes of all that historic event at Sotheby's all went down last week. Featuring: @sadlyoddisfying , @youfoundanisha , @julianweisser , @RobbieHeeger , @ciaomack , @kyle_billings Sponsors: FindYourFidelity.com ARM...
Nov 24, 2021•1 hr 11 min
Italy has fined Amazon and Apple for alleged collusion. Tile taps out by getting acquired. Niantic is an interesting metaverse raise. Walmart is testing Twitter live shopping. And the story of the guy who automated his job so completely, he didn’t work for five years, but still got paid. Sponsors: MasterWorks.io/ride Detectify.com/techmeme Links: Amazon and Apple handed $225 million in Italian antitrust fines (Reuters) Samsung to Choose Taylor, Texas, for $17 Billion Chip-Making Factory &n...
Nov 23, 2021•14 min
When Adele says jump, Spotify apparently says how high? Is Apple Watch slipping in market share? All the crypto miners who fled China have landed in Russia, Kazakhstan and… Texas? And an explanation for why buying bots will either ruin, or save your holiday gift buying. Sponsors: Betterhelp.com/ridehome Dataiku.com Links: Adele gets Spotify to take shuffle button off all album pages (BBC News) Meta delays encrypted messages on Facebook and Instagram to 2023 (The Guardian) Wear OS Sha...
Nov 22, 2021•15 min
ConstitutionDAO lost the auction for the Constitution. But it was really about the friends we made along the way, right? More Apple Car rumors. Xbox and PlayStation have harsh words for Activision Blizzard. Everyone wants in on crypto exchanges. And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Tovala.com/ride FindYourFidelity.com Links: Crypto Investors Lose Out In $43.2 Million Sale Of Rare Copy Of U.S. Constitution (Forbes) Apple Accelerates Work on Car Project, Aiming for Ful...
Nov 19, 2021•19 min
Paytm has a rough IPO. Nvidia has another in a long line of crushed earnings reports. Grammarly is an interesting raise. Twitter wants to take the pulse of the stock market. And if ConstitutionDAO wins its auction today, there are some practical questions to answer like, who actually goes and picks it up? Sponsors: Tovala.com/ride Dataiku.com Links: Paytm falls 27% on first trading day after India’s largest IPO (TechCrunch) Nvidia easily beats earnings expectations on strong gaming and dat...
Nov 18, 2021•17 min
Hell freezes slightly over. Apple is gonna let you repair your own devices, at home, yourself. The Staples Center goes crypto. Meta wants to bring touch to VR. Netflix now WANTS you to know which shows have been watched the most. And Miramax is suing Quentin Tarantino over NFT’s. Sponsors: Wealthfront.com/techmeme Tovala.com/ride Links: Beginning next year, Apple will send you parts and tools to fix your iPhone and Mac at home (TechCrunch) Activision CEO Bobby Kotick Knew for Years A...
Nov 17, 2021•15 min
