We take a comprehensive look at the announcements in search, AI, and hardware and how it's all coming together at Google I/O. We also take another look at the ecosystem approaches of Google versus Meta, including both companies' pitches on design and value. Join Shawn DuBravac of Avrio Institute and Ross Rubin of Reticle Research as they dig deep into tech news in every episode of Techspansive !...
May 23, 2022•31 min•Season 7Ep. 132
131. As we await the role of advertising in post-Musk Twitter , we talk about the implications of TikTok matchmaking advertisers and stars and sharing ad revenue with TikTok Pulse. Meanwhile, pandemic breakout Cameo is cutting back. Next, Microsoft and Epic Games are teaming up to bring Fortnite back to iOS and other major platforms via a free tier of Game Pass. We discuss the implications for cloud gaming and the free-to-play model. Finally, we look at how T-Mobile is putting 5G to the test wit...
May 12, 2022•26 min•Season 7Ep. 131
As Elon Musk moves closer to acquiring Twitter , we discuss the role that it could play in his portfolio and how it may compete for his heavily divided attention. Next, we zoom out to the big picture of Snap 's new Pixy drone and whether it can take off where the selfie stick left off. Finally, we check out how I nstacart is responding to the post-pandemic drop-off and growing competition by taking a page from Amazon 's book and becoming an infrastructure vendor. Join Shawn DuBravac of Avrio Ins...
May 05, 2022•26 min•Season 7Ep. 130
As Elon Musk was gearing up to purchase Twitter , we discussed some of the changes we might see as the pioneering social network joins his impressive portfolio of companies. Plus, we look at what the streaming video shakeout means in light of Netflix 's subscriber loss and the axing of CNN+ by Warner Bros. Discovery Finally, as Amazon extends Prime's original shipping benefit to third parties with Buy With Prime, we look at what the new program and Amazon's supply chain investments mean for its ...
Apr 27, 2022•28 min•Season 7Ep. 129
In this episode, we dive deep into the contrast between how Apple and Google have responded to regulatory pressure as Google experiments with letting Spotify use alternative payment schemes for its apps. Plus, we discuss why Apple and Google have shuffled their apps for acquiring video content. Finally, as Zoom embraces avatars, we look at the bevy of announcements from collaboration vendors such as Cisco 's Webex and Microsoft Teams as the realities of hybrid work set in. Join Shawn DuBravac of...
Apr 01, 2022•27 min•Season 7Ep. 128
With Amazon finalizing its acquisition of MGM Studios, we dive into what the studio assets can do for the retail and cloud giant, why the acquisition evaded regulatory challenges, and how the content fits into adjacent Amazon moves in content, advertising, and devices. Plus, a look at moves by the FIDO Alliance to use our ordinary devices as trusted identification sources as one of several initiatives moving us toward the passwordless future. Finally, we look at Mark Zuckerberg's announcement th...
Mar 22, 2022•29 min•Season 7Ep. 127
Apple 's Peek Performance event featured a new iPhone, iPad, and a surprising new Mac, but it was Apple's silicon prowess that was at center stage. We talk about how Apple continues to set the industry agenda with the M1 as the Mac Pro and M2 wait in the wings. Plus, we discuss President Biden's executive order establishing a cross-government effort to examine the impact of cryptocurrency and the potential of a digital dollar. Finally, we look at a significant update to Android and key Google ap...
Mar 12, 2022•26 min•Season 7Ep. 126
The Russian invasion of Ukraine has set off reactions from tech companies that range from misinformation blocking campaigns to pulling out as suppliers. We look at the impact of the response in terms of its impact both on the industry and their target. Plus, Amazon shutters some of its first retail stores as it pushes deeper into groceries with the first Whole Foods stores featuring its cashierless tech. We look at what it means for Amazon Go as well as look at how its Luna gaming service fits i...
Mar 07, 2022•32 min•Season 7Ep. 125
With AT&T becoming the first of the major U.S. carriers to start shutting down its 3G network, we look back at the advances that the network gave rise to and how its capabilities compared to the shifts of 4G and 5G. Plus, Spotify releases its first device: Car Thing, a thin touchscreen designed to ease access to its phone-based service in the car. We offer our take on its goals and potential. Finally, Meta continues its string of tantalizing demos with its mashup of VR and AI. We look at the...
Mar 02, 2022•34 min•Season 7Ep. 124
We check in on nVidia 's earnings and progress in gaming and data center applications and other sources of growth and discuss announcements from Intel 's Investor Day, where the CPU giant announced its intent for a stronger push into automotive. Plus, we look at Chrome OS Flex as the latest incursion of Google onto the PC as both it and Microsoft bring Android apps to Windows. Finally, we check out the new Uber feature that allows you to break down your ratings and find that we've been model rid...
Feb 26, 2022•26 min•Season 7Ep. 123
Closing the loop on Apple Pay, Apple announces that it will enable the iPhone to take contactless credit card payments. We look at who could benefit as progress against the pandemic continues. Plus, the company adds to its measures to prevent AirTags-based stalking. Next, we look at the CEO transitions following the financial fortunes at Peloton and Arm' s breakup with Nvidia , discussing the path forward for those companies. Finally, we look at Microsoft doubling down on its disruptive app stor...
Feb 15, 2022•33 min•Season 7Ep. 122
As Meta points us toward the future, investors slapped the company for its ad revenue shortfall and discouraging forecast, particularly in light of strong quarters from Alphabet and Snap , as the company again turns to Instagram to battle a challenger in TikTok . We discuss why the metaverse is so important to Meta as Amazon builds on its own commerce site to become the #3 digital advertising platform. Finally, we offer a few reasons why The New York Times purchase of Wordle might not result in ...
Feb 06, 2022•31 min•Season 7Ep. 121
As the gift-giving season is upon us, Amazon 's device group is going big... and small. We share thoughts on the significance of the Echo Show 15 as well as the Halo wearable. Plus, we took at why the Reddit community has concerns about the company's filing to go public and how Google 's easy storefront play Qaya allows the company to squeeze into bios on Instagram , TikTok , and, of course, its own YouTube . Join Shawn DuBravac of Avrio Institute and Ross Rubin of Reticle Research as they dig d...
Dec 21, 2021•31 min•Season 6Ep. 120
At Qualcomm 's Snapdragon Summit, the chip giant announced a collaboration with Razer to launch a new category by merging high-end smartphone gaming with physical game controls. The resulting reference design is designed to inspire a new category to steal thunder from the Nintendo Switch and shave off a slice of the hardcore mobile gaming market. We analyze whether the move rekindles the convergence vs. standalone device debate. Meanwhile, in another kind of merging, Samsung is bringing together...
Dec 11, 2021•25 min•Season 6Ep. 119
Coming on the heels of Meta and Microsoft announcing competing visions for the metaverse, the two Big Tech companies have announced plans to collaborate. We discuss why the collaboration makes sense, at least for now. Plus, we weigh in on how Netflix 's new mobile games and TikTok -like kids programming is better leveraging its evolving IP for mobile, a platform Amazon is also targeting with a new video-sharing feature. Finally, Twitter Blue hits the U.S. at last. We discuss its value and what w...
Nov 16, 2021•32 min•Season 6Ep. 118
We discuss Apple's take on why the perpetually exposed iPhone must remain closed to sideloaded apps while the Mac is open to them. P us, at Microsoft Ignite, the software giant shoots back at just-minted Meta with its own plans to deliver the metaverse to businesses and consumers. We discuss the implications of Microsoft's metaverse play as well as its new app, Microsoft Loop, which takes on Google Workspace with a dynamic collaboration layer in Teams. Finally, we look at the latest American com...
Nov 08, 2021•33 min•Season 6Ep. 117
Meta represents more than a new name for Facebook. We discuss the vision behind Facebook's future direction as well as how effectively the company can capitalize on it. Plus, while big cloud services continued to drive revenue, we look at how supply chain challenges and some demand softening has led to some high-profile estimate misses. Finally, we look at the $87 Jio Next, a highly optimized Android smartphone from Google designed to entice Indian consumers to upgrade from 2G phones. Join Shawn...
Oct 30, 2021•36 min•Season 6Ep. 116
Apple 's new MacBook Pros take full advantage of the company's new M1 Pro chips. We dig into how the company presented the performance as well as how the company is coming is reaching key price points with various models. Plus, Google also played up its Tensor chip in giving its Pixel 6 phones some impressive new capabilities. We discuss whether it's enough to translate into higher sales and where else the company's custom silicon might show up. Finally, we look at the updated version of nVidia ...
Oct 23, 2021•34 min•Season 6Ep. 115
We take a detailed look at Microsoft' s new Surface offerings, including the Surface Laptop Studio that replaces the Surface Book, and the Surface Duo 2, the beefed-up cameras of which are poised to make the dual-screened phone competitive with flagships. Plus, social media networks TikTok and Facebook are hoping to improve search results by doing a deal with Google . Finally, Shawn weighs in on what China's crypto ban means for the country and other economies. Join Shawn DuBravac of Avrio Insti...
Oct 01, 2021•35 min•Season 6Ep. 114
We look at Apple 's recent media event where the iPhone 13 failed to reach for the skies as Apple beefed up the Apple Watch and iPad mini. Next, we check out the progress in Walmart 's shopping subscription service and look at how much of a threat it is to Amazon Prime. Finally, we discuss how Discord has bridged gaming and NFT investing, and why Facebook is loving the competition. Join Shawn DuBravac of Avrio Institute and Ross Rubin of Reticle Research as they dig deep into tech news in every ...
Sep 20, 2021•32 min•Season 6Ep. 113
It's September, which means the start to a flurry of holiday-ready products against a backdrop of other tech company moves. In this episode, we start out assessing Facebook 's stylish but functionally modest smart glasses developed with Ray-Ban . Next, we look at Amazon 's many recent moves, including expanding Amazon Care, equipping more Whole Foods for cashierless checkout, offering college tuition for its 750,000 hourly workers, releasing new smart TVs, and updating its Luna streaming game se...
Sep 11, 2021•29 min•Season 6Ep. 112
In this episode, we assess the significance at Apple' s latest app store concession, allowing developers of "reader" apps to link to websites for account setup and management. Plus, why Apple may be going for a hybrid approach that relies on the iPhone as it launches its first augmented reality glasses. Finally, we look at the prospects for an Amazon -branded smart TV. Join Shawn DuBravac of Avrio Institute and Ross Rubin of Reticle Research as they dig deep into tech news in every episode of Te...
Sep 04, 2021•26 min•Season 5Ep. 111
In this episode, we dig deep on Apple's token trade-off as it settles its class-action lawsuit brought by U.S. app developers, what it means for other legal and regulatory threats to the company, and what the implications could be for future Apple platform. Finally, we look at app evolution against the backdrop of how the web and Apple have changed since the early days of the App Store. Join Shawn DuBravac of Avrio Institute and Ross Rubin of Reticle Research as they dig deep into tech news in e...
Aug 30, 2021•29 min•Season 5Ep. 110
The government is back in Facebook 's face. We discuss the dynamics of the new category battleground as well as how its Horizon VR Workrooms advance its metaverse ambitions. Next, a look at whether Google 's tactics in keeping its app store on top crossed a line. Finally, we discuss the potential of Tesla 's humanoid robot. Join Shawn DuBravac of Avrio Institute and Ross Rubin of Reticle Research as they dig deep into tech news in every episode of Techspansive !...
Aug 21, 2021•36 min•Season 5Ep. 109
In this episode, we look at Google 's decision to leave the Qualcomm fold as the maker of struggling Pixel phones hopes to boost its fortunes by boosting AI capabilities with custom silicon even as Qualcomm-loyal Xiaomi reaches new heights of success. Plus, how Match Group adding group video to its dating sites marks the latest in social app functional crossover. Finally, as Sony shows us that millions of people have somehoe procured a PlayStation 5, we discuss how Nintendo has become an early v...
Aug 08, 2021•34 min•Season 5Ep. 108
This week's Alexa Live event was filled with announcements about Amazon 's agent, including a push beyond voice and a way for developers to sell skills and products. We discuss why it could be the most significant change for Alexa yet. Plus, Zoom takes on its first vertical in a big customer service vendor acquisition, and Netflix will start its push beyond video with mobile games; we discuss the tradeoffs. Join Shawn DuBravac of Avrio Institute and Ross Rubin of Reticle Research as they dig dee...
Jul 23, 2021•27 min•Season 5Ep. 107
We discuss what impact Microsoft easing cloud access to Windows could have on security and the PC market. Meanwhile, Netflix ' huge app installed base could provide an advantage as it jumps into the streaming game market. Finally, we look at why Twitter ended its experiment with ephemeral content via fleets. Join Shawn DuBravac of Avrio Institute and Ross Rubin of Reticle Research as they dig deep into tech news in every episode of Techspansive !...
Jul 16, 2021•30 min•Season 5Ep. 106
China's taking a different approach to reeling in its biggest tech successes than the U.S. Meanwhile, TikTok continues continues to stretch its service into new realms with video resumes. And Qualcomm partners with ASUS to launch a phone for a technology showcase. Is it the start of a successor to Google 's failed Nexus program? Join Shawn DuBravac of Avrio Institute and Ross Rubin of Reticle Research as they dig deep into tech news in every episode of Techspansive !...
Jul 12, 2021•38 min•Season 5Ep. 105
As Facebook 's court win against the FTC dredges up limitaitons of antitrust laws, Instagram chases TikTok , which is chasing YouTube . Meanwhile, in less entertaining applications, Salesforce , now armed with Slack , may be driving an alliance with Amazon and Dropbox to take on rival Microsoft as Windows 11 integrates Teams. Join Shawn DuBravac of Avrio Institute and Ross Rubin of Reticle Research as they dig deep into tech news in every episode of Techspansive !...
Jul 02, 2021•37 min•Season 6Ep. 104
Windows 11 goes beyond a makeover to challenge Apple . Meanwhile, Mozilla and others are providing new options for privacy choices as Google tries to bake up a new post-cookie future. Join Shawn DuBravac of Avrio Institute and Ross Rubin of Reticle Research as they dig deep into tech news in every episode of Techspansive !...
Jun 26, 2021•29 min•Season 5Ep. 103
