Let me tell you the story of the most shocking AI deepfake scam we’ve heard yet, because it’s a warning to all of us going forward. An Apple Vision Pro teardown explains why EyeSight looks so blurry. Another sign that Google is losing interest in the web. And an interesting peek behind the curtain revealing the economics and motivation of tech media.Sponsors:ShipStation.com/ride code: rideLinks:Finance worker pays out $25 million after video call with deepfake ‘chief financial officer’ (CNN)Vision Pro Teardown—Why Those Fake Eyes Look So Weird (iFixIt)Google Search’s cache links are officially being retired (The Verge)TECHCRUNCH+ TERMINATION ("Securities")YouTube Video Of Vision Pro DemosSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our friend Chris Dixon is back to talk about his new book: Read Write Own! How Web3 and the blockchain can save the web as we know it!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A run down of some interesting details from Tech’s big earnings day yesterday. Rufus is Amazon’s AI-powered shopping assistant. The Browser Company continues to be the catalyst for me thinking about how AI is going to change the web. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:Nutrafol.com/men code: RIDEHOMELinks:Amazon debuts ‘Rufus,’ an AI shopping assistant in its mobile app (TechCrunch)Cloudflare hacked using auth tokens stolen in Okta attack (BleepingComputer)The Browser Company Announces Act II for Arc: ‘The Browser That Browses For You’ (MacStories)The Arc browser is getting better bookmarks and search results, all thanks to AI (The Verge)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:AI Can Speed Drug Discovery. But Is It Really Better Than a Human? (Bloomberg)The scariest sound on TikTok (The Verge)The 150 Greatest Science Fiction Movies of All Time (Rolling Stone)LATE BLOOMER (Vanity Fair)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why I think yesterday’s Congressional hearings might actually be a tipping point for tech regulation. What would a Kids Online Safety Act actually mean? More proof of YouTube’s dominance. Celsius and FTX customers are about to get some money back. And Google’s new text to image AI processor.Sponsors:Kolide.com/rideLinks:Microsoft, X throw their weight behind KOSA, the controversial kids online safety bill (TechCrunch)Americans’ Social Media Use (Pew Research Center)Celsius to Distribute $3B Crypto to Creditors as Firm Emerges From Bankruptcy (CoinDesk)Google launches an AI-powered image generator (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The tech execs have been called before Congress once again. Universal Music Group pulls its songs from TikTok. Is 23andMe in danger of going out of business? Figure is an AI robotics company that Microsoft and OpenAI might be about to invest in. And say hello to the Chief AI Officer job title.Sponsors:Kolide.com/rideLinks:Social media chiefs on defensive at US online child protection hearing (FT)TikTok CEO Pledges $2 Billion to Protect 170 Million US Users (Bloomberg)Child Safety Hearing (NYTimes)Universal Music Group Warns It Will Pull Songs From TikTok After Deal Expiration (Variety)23andMe’s Fall From $6 Billion to Nearly $0 (WSJ)Humanoid Robot Startup Figure AI in Funding Talks With Microsoft, OpenAI (Bloomberg)Figure AI in talks with Microsoft and OpenAI for funding (ReadWrite)Figure-01: AI learns how to make coffee like a human (ReadWrite)Microsoft and OpenAI are in talks to inject $500 million into humanoid robotics startup Figure AI, report says (Business Insider)Hottest Job in Corporate America? The Executive in Charge of A.I. (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Elon Musk says Neuralink implanted its device into a human for the first time. You can search for Taylor Swift X again, but was a Microsoft tool to blame for the deepfakes? Better AI coding from Meta. And I read all the Apple Vision Pro reviews so you don’t have to.Sponsors:Notion.com/rideLinks:Elon Musk’s Neuralink implants brain tech in human patient for the first time (CNBC)Microsoft Closes Loophole That Created AI Porn of Taylor Swift (404 Media)Meta releases ‘Code Llama 70B’, an open-source behemoth to rival private AI development (VentureBeat)Apple Vision Pro review: magic, until it’s not (The Verge)Apple Vision Pro review: A revolution in progress (Tom's Guide)Apple Vision Pro Review: The Best Headset Yet Is Just a Glimpse of the Future (WSJ)Apple’s Vision Pro is nearly here. But what can you do with it? (Washington Post)Apple Vision Pro Review: A Mind-Blowing Look at an Unfinished Future (CNET)YouTube Video Of My Interview With Chris DixonSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amazon calls off its iRobot acquisition. Is Arc Search the future of search we were talking to Baratunde about this weekend? Why you can’t search for Taylor Swift on X at the moment. How many ads will be in streaming? And who is quietly killing it in subscription gaming? The answer may surprise you.Links:Amazon Drops $1.4 Billion iRobot Deal; Vacuum Maker Cuts Jobs (Bloomberg)Arc Search combines browser, search engine, and AI into something new and different (The Verge)Arc’s new iPhone browser wants to be your search companion (TechCrunch)X Halts Taylor Swift Searches After Explicit AI Images Spread (WSJ)Chinese AR Glasses Maker Raises $60 Million to Compete With Apple (Bloomberg)Amazon Is Now Charging Prime Members Extra for Ad-Free Streaming. For Some, That’s a Deal Breaker. (WSJ)Games are helping the New York Times thrive amid media chaos (Axios)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The great Baratunde Thurston join Chris and Brian to talk about his hour-long in-person demo with the Apple Vision Pro. In the second half, we discuss the idea of whether or not Google Search (and maybe the web) is doomed in the era of AI.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple has announced major changes to the App Store. In the EU, alternative app marketplaces, but does the new Core Technology Fee mean it’s still a shell game? Also in Europe, alternative default browsers. And for everyone, game streaming apps are now permissible. Also, cheaper GPT from OpenAI. And is Cruise in trouble with the Feds?Links:iOS 17.4 Introduces Alternative App Marketplaces With No Commission in EU (MacRumors)Apple will prompt users to set default browsers and allow third-party web engines on iPhone in the EU (9to5Mac)Apple opens App Store to game streaming services (The Verge)Apple's EU Core Technology Fee Could Bankrupt Freemium App Developers (MacRumors)OpenAI drops prices and fixes ‘lazy’ GPT-4 that refused to work (TechCrunch)DOJ and SEC investigate GM-owned self-driving car company Cruise (WashingtonPost)Baratrunde Thurston Bonus Episode Video On YouTubeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As Palworld surpasses 8 million in sales, The Pokemon Company says it will “investigate and take appropriate measures” with regards to those IP infringement allegations. Layoffs at Activision Blizzard and Xbox. Google’s Lumiere is a text to video AI generator. And how the rising prices of streaming services are fueling a resurgence in piracy.Links:Inquiries Regarding Other Companies’ Games (The Pokemon Company)Microsoft lays off 1,900 Activision Blizzard and Xbox employees (The Verge)Google’s latest AI video generator can render cute animals in implausible situations (ArsTechnica)Pixel facing new storage issue, likely tied to January Google Play system update (9to5Google)Microsoft Teams now supports 3D and VR meetings (The Verge)Microsoft Closes at Record, Ends Just Shy of $3 Trillion Value (Bloomberg)Streaming Pirates Are Hollywood’s New Villains (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Netflix kicks off Tech Earnings Season, and suggests it’s taking it’s cheapest ad-free plan away. The one chart that shows why Netflix is winning the streaming wars. Spotify demos how it plans to break out of Apple’s App Store. Renders of the Pixel 9 have already leaked. Apple scales back its EV car plans. And an interesting raise to help you pay your rent.Sponsors:Notion.com/rideLinks:Netflix is going to take away its cheapest ad-free plan (The Verge)The secret to Netflix's total dominance (Business Insider)Spotify plans to launch in-app purchases, if Apple gets out of the way (The Verge)[Exclusive] Pixel 9 Pro 5K Renders and 360 Degree Video Provide First Look At Google’s Flagship Ahead of Launch (MySmartPrice)EBay to eliminate about 1,000 jobs, or 9% of full-time workforce (CNBC)Apple Dials Back Car’s Self-Driving Features and Delays Launch to 2028 (Bloomberg)Apple boosts plans to bring generative AI to iPhones (FT)Bilt Nabs $3.1 Billion Valuation, Ken Chenault Joins as Chairman (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Netflix is getting into the live event business in a big way by buying the rights to WWE wrestling. We have the first political ad incident of the AI era. Who’s really doing all the buying on apps like Shein and Temu? OpenAI struggles to fend of an army of girlfriend bots. And let me introduce you to Palworld.Sponsors:Notion.com/rideTryFum.com/ride and code rideLinks:Netflix Pays $5 Billion for ‘Raw’ in Bet on Live Events (Bloomberg)Fake Joe Biden robocall tells New Hampshire Democrats not to vote Tuesday (NBCNews)iOS 17.3 is out, adding Stolen Device Protection for your iPhone (The Verge)Temu’s Most Loyal Shoppers Are Actually Boomers and Gen Xers (Bloomberg)OPENAI STRUGGLING TO DESTROY ONSLAUGHT OF AI GIRLFRIENDS (The Byte)AI girlfriend bots are already flooding OpenAI’s GPT store (QZ)The Rise of Palworld: How ‘Pokémon With Guns’ Became an Overnight Hit (Wired)Palworld is a hit, and it’s easy to see why (The Verge)Video of me flirting with an AI "girlfriend" botYouTube of Saturday's Bonus Episode with Baratunde ThurstonSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Just what the title says. How many Vision Pros do we think Apple sold this weekend? And Mark Gurman has some ideas for why developers are so lukewarm on the product. Eleven Labs is an interesting raise. Sam Altman seems serious about making his own AI chips. And the breakthrough in VR from Disney Imagineers that would allow you to literally walk through the Metaverse.Sponsors:FactorMeals.com/ride50 and code ride50 for 50% offMindBloom.com/techmeme and code techmeme for $100 offLinks:Vision Pro sales estimated at 160k to 180k over first three days (9to5Mac)Apple’s Testy Developer Relationships Threaten to Hamper Vision Pro (Bloomberg)Meta will let EU users unlink their Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger info ahead of DMA (The Verge)Voice cloning startup ElevenLabs lands $80M, achieves unicorn status (TechCrunch)Altman Seeks to Raise Billions for Network of AI Chip Factories (Bloomberg)Nightshade, the free tool that ‘poisons’ AI models, is now available for artists to use (VentureBeat)YouTube Video Of The Holotiles From Disney ImagineeringSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Preorders for the Vision Pro begin, but huge new questions about partner support have arisen. Zuckerberg says he wants to open source AGI. You’re going to have to pay for those Galaxy AI features. Perplexity will power the rabbit r1. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:Nutrafol.com/men and promocode RidehomeLinks:YouTube and Spotify Won’t Launch Apple Vision Pro Apps, Joining Netflix (Bloomberg)A Survey of Popular Apps Currently Compatible With Apple Vision Pro (MacStories)Mark Zuckerberg’s new goal is creating artificial general intelligence (The Verge)EU Commission Intends to Block Amazon’s iRobot Acquisition (WSJ)Samsung says Galaxy AI features will only be free ‘until the end of 2025’ (9to5Google)The rabbit r1 will use Perplexity AI’s tech to answer your queries (TechCrunch)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:How Twitch lost its way (Fast Company)Astronomers spotted something perplexing near the beginning of time (Vox)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Google signals more layoffs are in the mail, but what’s interesting is what that says about Google specifically. Reddit is probably going to IPO in a few months. How did tying itself to ChatGPT work out for Bing? Why is Netflix not on the Vision Pro? And the fun parlor game that suggests AI spam is a human centipede situation.Sponsors:Robinhood.com/rideNotion.com/rideLinks:Google CEO tells employees to expect more job cuts this year (The Verge)YouTube is restructuring creator management teams (TubeFilter)Exclusive: Reddit seeks to launch IPO in March (Reuters)Microsoft’s Bing Market Share Barely Budged With ChatGPT Add-On (Bloomberg)Apple's Vision Pro Won't Launch With Netflix App (Bloomberg)Startup Investors Have Fled The Metaverse (CrunchBaseNews)I’m sorry, but I cannot fulfill this request as it goes against OpenAI use policy (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

All the headlines from the Galaxy Unpacked event earlier today. Apple revises its App Store rules but in a way that seems to a lot of people to be in “bad faith.” The big, and big-money talent war going on between Google and OpenAI. And Tesla and Uber are working together to make Uber completely emissions-free.Sponsors:ArcticWolf.com/techmemeHims.com/rideLinks:The Galaxy S24 Ultra is smarter, pricier, and just as big as ever (The Verge)Apple revises US App Store rules to let developers link to outside payment methods, but it will still charge a commission (9to5Mac)Apple allows devs to promote subscriptions on the web with a 27% cut (TechCrunch)Google updates Chrome Incognito disclaimer amid $5 billion lawsuit settlement (MSPowerUser)Google’s Defense Against OpenAI Talent Grab: Special Stock (The Information)Exclusive: Uber steps up efforts to get drivers into Teslas (Axios)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The app that was supposed to be TikTok but for news is shutting down. Apple tops global smartphone sales for the first time ever. Microsoft debuts Copilot Pro. How the Apple Vision Pro demos are actually going to work. And about that weekend streaming NFL playoff game.Sponsors:Shopify.com/rideRamp.com/techmemeLinks:Instagram co-founders’ news aggregation startup Artifact to shut down (TechCrunch)Apple Grabs the Top Spot in the Smartphone Market in 2023 (IDC)Bringing the full power of Copilot to more people and businesses (Microsoft)Apple readies Apple Watch Series 9 ban workaround by disabling blood oxygen functionality [U] (9to5Mac)Apple Vision Pro’s Lengthy Sales Pitch Will Include 25-Minute Demo (Bloomberg)The NFL and Taylor Swift surprisingly aren’t enough to crash Peacock (The Verge)‘Peacock Game’: The NFL’s Digital Buttfumble (WSJ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Just what the title says. All my faves from CES this year. If you want to SEE what I'm talking about, here's the YouTube playlist.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

John Gruber joins Chris and I to talk about AI Hardware, Apple's AI strategy and Apple's Vision Pro launch.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How did bitcoin do on its first day of ETF trading? Where are all these tech layoffs coming from? The weird case of eBay executives allegedly harassing people. A look at the AI company taking direct aim at Google Search. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastLinks:US bitcoin ETFs see $4.6 billion in volume in first day of trading (Reuters)Discord is laying off 17 percent of employees (The Verge)U.S. Criminally Charges EBay in Cyberstalking Case (NYTimes)This One-Year-Old Startup Is Hoping to be the Next Google—Can It Succeed? (The Information)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:How AI Replaced the Metaverse as Zuckerberg’s Top Priority (Bloomberg Businessweek)Avi Schiffmann’s Tab AI necklace has raised $1.9 million to replace God (Fast Company)How much detail is too much? Midjourney v6 attempts to find out (ArsTechnica)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Bitcoin ETFs are here. For real, this time. OpenAI’s GPT store is here. Surprising new layoffs at Google. Netflix continues to show signs that ads are working for them. The Rabbit R1 continues to be a shocking success. And say hello to an AI George Carlin.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastLinks:US SEC approves bitcoin ETFs in watershed for crypto market (Reuters)Gary Gensler's Begrudging Bitcoin ETF Concession: 'We Did Not Approve or Endorse Bitcoin' (CoinDesk)Google lays off hundreds working on its voice-activated assistant (Semafor)Google reorganizing Pixel hardware: Fitbit’s James Park leaving, layoffs hit AR team (9to5Google)Google Cuts Hundreds of Jobs in Engineering and Other Divisions (NYTimes)OpenAI Launches New Store For Users to Share Custom Chatbots (Bloomberg)Netflix’s Ad Tier Now Has More Than 23 Million Monthly Active Users, Advertising Chief Says (Variety)X removes support for NFT profile pictures (TechCrunch)AI-Generated ‘George Carlin’ Comedy Special Blasted by Comedian’s Daughter (RollingStone)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The SEC’s X account was compromised by somebody jumping the gun on that Bitcoin ETF thing. Layoffs are back, even at companies that are about to ship their first, high profile products. The hardware AI device at CES that everybody was talking about yesterday. And what AI could do for medical drug discovery, like, right now.Sponsors:Shipstation.com, Promocode: RideMiro.com/podcastLinks:SEC Has Not Approved Bitcoin ETFs, but Its Hacked X Account Briefly Said Otherwise (CoinDesk)Amazon’s Twitch to Cut 500 Employees, About 35% of Staff (Bloomberg)Humane lays off 4 percent of employees before releasing its AI Pin (The Verge)Rabbit’s Little Walkie-Talkie Learns Tasks That Stump Siri and Alexa (Wired)SAG-AFTRA Signs Deal With Voiceover Studio for AI Use in Video Games (Variety)Quora raised $75M from a16z to grow Poe, its AI chat bot platform (Quora)DeepMind spin-off aims to halve drug discovery times following Big Pharma deals (Financial Times)CES Videos YouTube ChannelSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

OpenAI responds to the lawsuit from the NYTimes. Do you need ChatGPT in your car? VW thinks you do. Sony teases a “spatial” VR headset. Apple only wants you to call the Vision Pro “spatial computing.” And how you too can sign up to get a demo of the Vision Pro in a couple of weeks.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastLinks:OpenAI and journalism (OpenAI Blog)Amazon Debuts Video-Streaming Feature That Rivals Apple AirPlay (Bloomberg)Volkswagen says it’s putting ChatGPT in its cars for ‘enriching conversations’ (The Verge)Sony teased a ‘spatial’ VR headset with a smart control ring (The Verge)Instagram and Facebook Will Stop Treating Teens Like Adults (WSJ)Apple Vision Pro demos in retail stores will begin on February 2 (9to5Mac)Apple asks developers not to refer to their visionOS apps as ‘AR’ or ‘VR’ (9to5Mac)Luma raises $43M to build AI that crafts 3D models (TechCrunch)Hewlett Packard Enterprise Near Deal to Buy Juniper Networks (WSJ)CES Videos YouTube ChannelSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We now know when the Vision Pro is coming. February 2nd. But you can pre-order on January 19. Xreal’s new Vision Pro competitor. New Wifi announcements from CES. That big Elon possibly using drugs story from the Journal this weekend. And for the first time ever, Netflix is cutting back on producing new shows.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastLinks:The Apple Vision Pro will launch in February (The Verge)Apple’s Biggest Challenges in 2024 Have Little to Do With the iPhone (Bloomberg)Wi-Fi’s next big upgrade is officially here (The Verge)Xreal’s new AR glasses are aimed at the Apple Vision Pro (The Verge)Elon Musk Has Used Illegal Drugs, Worrying Leaders at Tesla and SpaceX (WSJ)Netflix Cuts Over 100 Shows In Major Programming Shift (Bloomberg)The CES YouTube PlaylistSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Another big Tesla recall, this time in China, this time, all of them. Every car they ever sold. BNPL is… not dead? Not if holiday shopping data is to be believed. That Blackberry-style iPhone keyboard case that everybody is talking about. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Links:Tesla Recalls 1.6 Million Cars in China Due to Autopilot Crash Risk (Bloomberg)Adobe: Online Holiday Sales Reached Record $222 Billion in 2023 (PMNTS)Amazon Captured 29% of Online Orders Before Christmas (Bloomberg)Netflix Considers Ways to Make Money From Videogames in Possible Pivot (WSJ)OpenAI Offers Publishers as Little as $1 Million a Year (The Information)Clicks is a BlackBerry-style iPhone keyboard case designed for creators (The Verge)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:A New Kind of AI Copy Can Fully Replicate Famous People. The Law Is Powerless. (Politico)New Spin on a Revolving Door: Pentagon Officials Turned Venture Capitalists (NYTimes)Boy, 13, Is Believed to Be the First to ‘Beat’ Tetris (NYTimes)Full game of Tetris beaten for the first time by 13-year-old Willis Gibson AKA 'Blue Scuti' (YouTube)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Your Windows keyboard is getting its first new key in 30 years. Elon might offer you a cellular plan someday. Is 23andMe blaming the victims of that big data breach? Roku is going high end. XPS laptops are getting bigger. And yes, 2023 was a bad year for all sides of the Venture Capital game.Sponsors:Kolide.com/rideLinks:Microsoft’s new Copilot key is the first big change to Windows keyboards in 30 years (The Verge)SpaceX Launches First Cell Service Satellites With T-Mobile (Bloomberg)LastPass now requires 12-character master passwords for better security (BleepingComputer)23andMe tells victims it’s their fault that their data was breached (TechCrunch)Roku Launches First High-End TVs in Search of Revenue Growth (Bloomberg)Dell’s XPS laptop lineup is about to look very different (The Verge)Silicon Valley Startups Had Their Worst Funding Year Since 2019 (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Facebook has a new feature, Link History, but why are they doing this and why now? I’m asking. A look at those jockeying to get ahead of a bitcoin ETF. The next Galaxy event is official. A look at the big AI player we seldom talk about. And a look at the AI influencers who are flooding social media.Links:Meet ‘Link History,’ Facebook’s New Way to Track the Websites You Visit (Gizmodo)Fidelity sets Bitcoin ETF fee at 0.39% ahead of expected SEC approvals (Fortune)Samsung Galaxy S24 Unpacked Event Set for Jan. 17 (PCMag)Can Midjourney’s CEO Stop a Storm of Fake Election Images? (Bloomberg)How AI-created fakes are taking business from online influencers (Financial Times)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Telegram has completely redesigned its app. Microsoft has brought Copilot to iOS. Camera makers are remaking their hardware for the age of AI. There’s the premium smartphone market, and then there’s the premium premium market segment, and those are the only parts of the smartphone market you want to be in. And will 2024 be the year the Internet gets weird again?Links:Telegram rolls out revamped voice and video calls, new delete animation on Android (9to5Google)Bitcoin climbs above $45,000 to 21-month peak as new year kicks off (Reuters)Global Premium Smartphone Market Continues to See Record Sales in 2023 (Counterpoint)Smartphone makers bet on foldables to revive lacklustre market (Financial Times)Nikon, Sony and Canon fight AI fakes with new camera tech (Nikkei Asia)Microsoft’s Copilot app is now available on iOS (The Verge)The Internet Is About to Get Weird Again (Rolling Stone)Link to the YouTube version of the smartphone segmentSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Part three of our epic conversation with Stephan Paternot. Here's what happens when you've been through the wringer. When you've been to the top of the rollercoaster and also down to the bottom. Here's how you take stock of your life, how you reinvent yourself, re-find you entrepreneurial spirit... I feel like there are so many lessons in these three episodes. Lessons for entrepreneurs today. Lesson for... I dunno. People in the crypto space? My thanks to Stephan Paternot for an insanely great conversation. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ok, part 2 of the Stephan Paternot mega-episode right now. This is where we get into the meat of it, the good stuff, the whole crazy roller coaster ride of being the hottest startup of the dotcom era. And I was going to make this the last episode, but as I was editing this, I realized that after we get done with this story, Stephan talks a lot about what happens after... what happens after you've been on a crazy ride like this. How you have to reinvent yourself, and your life, and your career.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The story of the quintessential dotcom company. Also, if you squint, you can see the birth of social media. I said in the book, I think TheGlobe.com was the quintessential dot-com company. We spoke to one of the cofounders previously, Todd Krizelman. Todd was great, but he was time constrained and he didn’t quite get as personal about the story as I would have hoped. Well, I finally got to talk to the other founder of TheGlobe, Stephan Paternot. And Stephan was… AMAZING. He shared the whole story, the whole wild ride, from a historical angle, from a business angle, from an entrepreneurial angle and also, from a very personal angle. THIS the dot-com era story I’ve been looking for for years. It’s also the story of probably the most important pioneer of social media before there was even a term for such a thing. And by the way… that TV Show that just came out on NAT GEO, Valley of the Boom? THIS IS THAT STORY. Stephan just re-released his book, A Very Public Offering: The Story of theglobe.com and the First Internet Revolution.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

OpenAI has been talking to everybody in media, it turns out. But how would a partnership turn out for media? Google settles another big lawsuit. The first of the gadget announces for CES season have begun. Can Xiaomi do with cars what it did with cellphones? And the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:Robinhood.com/rideLinks:Inside the News Industry’s Uneasy Negotiations With OpenAI (NYTimes)Google agrees to settle Chrome incognito mode class action lawsuit (ArsTechnica)LG’s new ultra-lightweight Gram laptops include some OLED screens and AI Boost (The Verge)EXCLUSIVE: Microsoft readies 'next-gen' AI-focused Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 with Arm chips and design upgrades for 2024 (Windows Central)Xiaomi Unveils Its First EV, With Ambition to Be China’s Porsche or Tesla (Bloomberg)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:The Most Secretive Longevity Lab Finally Opens Its Doors (Bloomberg Businessweek)Lab-grown diamonds go luxury — and rock the industry (Axios)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Researchers have found a gnarly zero-click, zero-day iMessage hack that has been exploited. Apple can sell watches again! What was the best performing tech stock of 2023? Will 2024 be the climax of the streaming wars? And will 2024 be the year Apple finally gets serious about gaming on the Mac?Links:4-year campaign backdoored iPhones using possibly the most advanced exploit ever (ArsTechnica)Apple can temporarily sell smartwatches after US appeals court win (Reuters)The Late-Night Email to Tim Cook That Set the Apple Watch Saga in Motion (Bloomberg)Seattle’s Zulily will ‘wind down’ its business and liquidate its assets (Seattle Times)Affirm’s stock quintupled this year, beating all tech peers, on buy now, pay later boom (CNBC)‘Shakeout has begun’ after $5bn streaming loss for Netflix rivals (FT)Inside Apple's Massive Push To Transform The Mac Into A Gaming Paradise (Inverse)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The NYT has broken the seal and sued OpenAI and Microsoft. Ads are coming to Prime Video in mere days. More rumors about Jony Ive founding an AI hardware startup with Sam Altman. Anthropic seems to be provide OpenAI isn’t the only one that can make money in the AI space. And when chips go beyond the 1 kilowatt barrier, you need to liquid cool them.Sponsors:NakedWines.com/ride use code AND password rideNotion.com/rideLinks:The Times Sues OpenAI and Microsoft Over A.I. Use of Copyrighted Work (NYTimes)Amazon Prime Video will start showing ads on January 29th (The Verge)Apple’s iPhone Design Chief Enlisted by Jony Ive, Sam Altman to Work on AI Devices (Bloomberg)Big Tech outspends venture capital firms in AI investment frenzy (Financial Times)Anthropic Projects At Least $850 Million in Annualized Revenue Rate Next Year (The Information)Microsoft’s game changer feature reinstalls Windows 11 directly via Windows Update (Windows Latest)GM stops Chevy Blazer EV sales after early software problems (TechCrunch)How thermal management is changing in the age of the kilowatt chip (The Register)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple’s whole AI strategy has been coming into focus these last couple of weeks. Two stories on this, including Apple’s first announced LLM. OpenAI is fundraising again. Hackers are targeting gaming studios again. And as President Biden didn’t deliver the pardon, what is this patent case against the Apple Watch? I’ll explain.Links:Apple quietly released an open source multimodal LLM in October (VentureBeat)Apple Explores A.I. Deals With News Publishers (NYTimes)OpenAI Is in Talks to Raise New Funding at Valuation of $100 Billion or More (Bloomberg)Ubisoft says it's investigating reports of a new security breach (BleepingComputer)GTA 5 source code reportedly leaked online a year after RockStar hack (BleepingComputer)Puzzle game ‘Royal Match’ dethrones ‘Candy Crush’ from top of app store (Financial Times)Apple Watch battle heralds further patent wrangles (Financial Times)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This time we talk about the AOL/Time Warner MergerSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The first time I went on the Acquired Podcast, back in March of 2017. We talked about Yahoo's acquisition of Overture. I know you probably haven't heard of either of those names, but in a roundabout way, this is the story of how Google makes so much money.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Me on The Newsworthy Podcast talking the tech trends of 2023. Alliterative!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Hyperloop dream is dead. The attempt to bridge the iMessage divide is dead. China’s gaming industry isn’t dead, but it’s pretty wounded. The crazy story of that teenage hacker who leaked the GTA VI stuff. The weekend longreads suggestions, and at the very end, a unique look back at the evolution of the AI moment.Sponsors:Nutrafol.com/men code ridehomeLinks:The hyperloop is dead for real this time (The Verge)Beeper is giving up on its iMessage dream (The Verge)Apple’s Newest Headache: An App That Upended Its Control Over Messaging (NYTimes)Tencent Leads $80 Billion Rout as China Rekindles Crackdown Fear (Bloomberg)Lapsus$: GTA 6 hacker handed indefinite hospital order (BBC)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:The Race to Fill Crypto’s FTX-Shaped Hole (Wired)As the AI era begins, Reddit is leaning into its humanity (Fast Company)Tolkien Estate Wins Court Order to Destroy Fan’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ Sequel (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Galaxy S24 lineup had a big spec leak. So what do the new phones have and what is Galaxy AI? Get ready cause the Apple Vision Pro hype tsunami is about to wash over us. A big merger might happen soon to confirm the consolidation phase of the Streaming Wars is upon us. Waymo has data that says its robot drivers are safer. And Apple doesn’t do the little things anymore? How about making a version of Car Play just for two specific car brands?Links:Leaked Samsung S24 spec sheet offers complete picture of the upcoming lineup (The Verge)Apple Ramps Up Vision Pro Production, Aiming for Launch by February (Bloomberg)Apple loses attempt to halt Apple Watch sales ban (The Verge)Scoop: Warner Bros. Discovery in talks to merge with Paramount Global (Axios)Waymo has 7.1 million driverless miles — how does its driving compare to humans? (The Verge)Aston Martin, Porsche Preview Bespoke Apple CarPlay Interfaces (Car And Driver)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rite Aid was apparently doing some crazy stuff with facial recognition software. Sony says the PS5 is killing it. ByteDance is definitely killing it. Microsoft CoPilot can now compose songs. And maybe the real reason OpenAI is making deals with publishers.Links:Rite Aid Banned From AI Facial Recognition by FTC After Misuse (Bloomberg)PlayStation sales and blockbuster games propel console market back to growth (FT)ByteDance’s Sales Break $110 Billion to Pass Tencent This Year (ByteDance)SSH protects the world’s most sensitive networks. It just got a lot weaker (ArsTechnica)Microsoft Copilot gets a music creation feature via Suno integration (TechCrunch)Scooter Company Bird Global Files Bankruptcy to Sell Itself (Bloomberg)What Do AI Companies Want With the Media? (NYMag)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Google has settled lawsuits from the states, has agreed to offer new billing tools, and may owe YOU some money as they’ve agreed to pay $700 million dollars in restitution. What happens to adobe and Figma now that they’ve got to go their own ways? Why do hackers love targeting game developers? And game preservationist have uncovered a gold mine.Sponsors:EarIn App (Enter code techmeme to give us credit)Links:Google to Pay $700 Million in Play Store Settlement (WSJ)102 million people eligible for Google’s $630M lawsuit settlement (Washington Post)Figma Grew Fast Even as Executives Failed to Clinch Adobe Deal (The Information)Adobe Has $6 Billion for AI and Buybacks After Figma Deal Collapses (Bloomberg)TikTok rolls out an enhanced app experience for tablets and foldables (TickTok)Xfinity discloses data breach affecting over 35 million people (Bleeping Computer)OpenAI Says Board Can Overrule CEO on Safety of New AI Releases (Bloomberg)Game preservationists dig for lost apps in TestFlight ‘teraleak’ (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Big news Monday. Adobe and Figma have called off their wedding. Apple might stop selling its top-of-the-line Apple Watches, in the US, this week. I’ll tell you why. The EU has formally opened an investigation into X. And why are all of the Hollywood studios suddenly willing to sell their content to Netflix again?Sponsors:Shipstation.com, code rideLinks:Adobe, Figma shelve $20 bln deal after hitting regulatory roadblocks (Reuters)Apple to halt Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 sales in the US this week (9to5Mac)EU opens formal DSA investigation into X in wake of Israel-Hamas war (The Verge)Adam Mosseri spells out Threads’ plans for the fediverse (The Verge)He’s Wanted for Wirecard’s Missing $2 Billion. He’s Now Suspected of Being a Russian Spy. (WSJ)In Search of Cash, Studios Send Old Shows Back to Netflix (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You can learn more about AdHawk Microsystems.But especially learn more about the MindLink Air.And the link to the YouTube version of this interview is here if you want to watch the demo.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Did Google just kill geofence warrants? Intel wants you to know it’s in the AI game. Could we get a foldable iPad before we get a foldable iPhone? Soon, maybe your tv really will be spying on you to deliver ads. The AI stuffed toy that Grimes has partnered with. And, of course, The Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastPlanet Money PodcastLinks:Is This the End of Geofence Warrants? (The EFF)Intel unveils new AI chip to compete with Nvidia and AMD (CNBC)Report: Apple has ‘no concrete timeline’ for a foldable iPad, focused on OLED displays instead (9to5Mac)Marketing Company Claims That It Actually Is Listening to Your Phone and Smart Speakers to Target Ads (404Media)Cruise slashes 24% of self-driving car workforce in sweeping layoffs (TechCrunch)Grimes is working on an interactive AI toy for kids. Meet Grok. (Washington Post)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:OpenAI’s Ilya Sutskever Has a Plan for Keeping Super-Intelligent AI in Check (Wired)Tesla Autopilot Recall Threatens Its Defense in Lawsuits Over Crashes (Bloomberg)Microsoft’s Digital Crime Unit Goes Deep on How It Disrupts Cybercrime (Wired)https://www.instagram.com/techmemeridehomepod/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The gates have been opened for Europeans on Threads, and it looks like Meta’s serious about tying Threads into to Fediverse. I argue that the release of a new charging case for the AirPods Pro is kinda a big deal. Wait until you hear this wild story about hackers versus a train. And maybe ChatGPT DIDN’T turn students into cheaters afterall.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastLinks:Meta starts testing Threads integration with ActivityPub (TechCrunch)Threads launches for nearly half a billion more users in Europe (The Verge)Apple now sells the AirPods Pro USB-C case by itself — for $99 (The Verge)Xbox Cloud Gaming is now available on Meta’s Quest VR headsets (The Verge)Etsy Cuts 11% of Headcount as Competition From Shein and Temu Mounts (The Information)Polish Hackers Repaired Trains the Manufacturer Artificially Bricked. Now The Train Company Is Threatening Them (404 Media)Cheating Fears Over Chatbots Were Overblown, New Research Suggests (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple has a new tool to help you if your iPhone gets stolen. There’s a huge Tesla recall related to Autopilot. More AI tools from Google. How is X doing, you know, financially speaking? And Netflix’s first ever What We Watched report.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastMindbloom.com/techmeme100 and code techmeme100Links:Apple Makes Security Changes to Protect Users From iPhone Thefts (WSJ)Google Offers Enhanced Generative AI Features for Cloud Customers (Bloomberg)Tesla Recalls 2 Million Cars to Fix Autopilot Safety Flaws (Bloomberg)FCC issues final denial of $885M Starlink subsidy (TechCrunch)Musk’s X 2023 Ad Sales Projected to Slump to About $2.5 Billion (Bloomberg)EU Deal to Force Uber, Deliveroo Treat Some Drivers as Employees (Bloomberg)OpenAI to Pay Politico Parent Axel Springer for Using Its Content (WSJ)Netflix reveals how many hours we spent watching The Night Agent and Queen Charlotte (The Verge)Follow the podcast on TikTok: @techmemeridehomepodcastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Epic Games has won its case against Google’s app store, but why was this case different than the one they lost to Apple? The sort of big changes to Apple TV. BeReal is still around and still… being real. But E3 is not. It’s officially over as a conference.Sponsors:Shopify.com/rideMiro.com/podcastLinks:Epic win: Jury decides Google has illegal monopoly in app store fight (The Verge)Google’s Epic Legal Defeat Threatens $200 Billion App Store Industry (Bloomberg)Exclusive: Apple offers to let rivals access tap-and-go tech in EU antitrust case (Reuters)Apple iTunes Will Now Redirect Users to Redesigned Apple TV App for Movies, Series (Variety)BeReal adds private groups and Live Photo-like features; Pew estimates 13% of US teens use app (TechCrunch)E3, once gaming’s biggest expo, is officially dead (Washington Post)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I told you the open-source AI startups were coming, and a big one is making waves today. Apple’s iPad lineup is hella confusing, but Mark Gurman says Apple is working to streamline that in the coming year. And let me give you the background on that whole Effective Accelerationist movement you might have been hearing about online.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastCrashPlan.com/ridehomeLinks:Mistral, French A.I. Start-Up, Is Valued at $2 Billion in Funding Round (NYTimes)Nvidia Sees Vietnam as Potential Second Home, Reports Say (Bloomberg)Apple Is Working on Cleaning Up Its Confusing iPad Lineup (Bloomberg)China’s cyber army is invading critical U.S. services (Washington Post)This A.I. Subculture’s Motto: Go, Go, Go (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

People across the Internet are accusing Google of faking that Gemini AI video demo that everyone was wowed by. Apple seems to be diversifying out of China for manufacturing at pace now. Might the UK’s CMA have an issue with Microsoft’s relationship with OpenAI? And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:ShopBeam.com/rideLinks:Google’s Gemini Looks Remarkable, But It’s Still Behind OpenAI (Bloomberg)Early impressions of Google’s Gemini aren’t great (TechCrunch)Apple to move key iPad engineering resources to Vietnam (NikkeiAsia)Microsoft, OpenAI Are Facing a Potential Antitrust Probe in UK (Bloomberg)Google launches NotebookLM powered by Gemini Pro, drops waitlist (9to5Google)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:The real research behind the wild rumors about OpenAI’s Q* project (ArsTechnica)AI and Mass Spying (Schneier On Security)The race to 5G is over — now it’s time to pay the bill (The Verge)In the Hall v. Oates legal feud, fans don’t want to play favorites (NBCNews)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meta has kept a longstanding promise to encrypt Messenger by default. Apple is coming clean about the notifications spying thing. AMD’s answer to Nvidia. We know when the next major version of Windows is coming and, surprise, it’s got AI all over it. And Apple releases its first little AI hint.Sponsor:Dragonball LegendsLinks:Messenger is finally getting end-to-end encryption by default (The Verge)Federal government is using data from push notifications to track contacts (Washington Post)AMD unveils Instinct MI300X GPU and MI300A APU, claims up to 1.6X lead over Nvidia’s competing GPUs (Tom's Hardware)Meta launches a standalone AI-powered image generator (TechCrunch)PlayStation keeps reminding us why digital ownership sucks (The Verge)EXCLUSIVE: Microsoft readies 'groundbreaking' AI-focused Windows release as new leadership takes the helm (Windows Central)Apple launches MLX machine-learning framework for Apple Silicon (ComputerWorld)Is Elon's AI Copying Me?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Say hello to Gemini, Google’s new AI model designed to go head to head with OpenAI. Governments have been spying on your phone’s notifications, but Apple couldn’t tell you about that until now. Why is Twitch shutting down service in what is one of the biggest markets in the world for esports? And another way to hide your green bubbles in iMessage.Sponsors:CrashPlan.com/ridehomeThe Traceroute PodcastLinks:Meet Gemini, the AI That Google Says Is Way, Way Better Than ChatGPT (Gizmodo)Google’s Gemini AI model is coming to the Pixel 8 Pro — and eventually to Android (The Verge)Google announces the Cloud TPU v5p, its most powerful AI accelerator yet (TechCrunch)Governments spying on Apple, Google users through push notifications - US senator (Reuters)Twitch plans to shut down in South Korea on February 27, 2024 (VentureBeat)There’s a new iMessage for Android app — and it actually works (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Say hello to Gemini, Google’s new AI model designed to go head to head with OpenAI. Governments have been spying on your phone’s notifications, but Apple couldn’t tell you about that until now. Why is Twitch shutting down service in what is one of the biggest markets in the world for esports? And another way to hide your green bubbles in iMessage.Sponsors:CrashPlan.com/ridehomeThe Traceroute PodcastLinks:Meet Gemini, the AI That Google Says Is Way, Way Better Than ChatGPT (Gizmodo)Google’s Gemini AI model is coming to the Pixel 8 Pro — and eventually to Android (The Verge)Google announces the Cloud TPU v5p, its most powerful AI accelerator yet (TechCrunch)Governments spying on Apple, Google users through push notifications - US senator (Reuters)Twitch plans to shut down in South Korea on February 27, 2024 (VentureBeat)There’s a new iMessage for Android app — and it actually works (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The 23andMe hack just keeps getting worse. A new phone! The OnePlus 12. A new AI Alliance. New, upgraded spam filters. And all you need to know about the big Grand Theft Auto VI news.Sponsors:Notion.com/rideNuts.com/rideLinks:23andMe confirms hackers stole ancestry data on 6.9 million users (TechCrunch)A detailed look at the OnePlus 12 ahead of its global launch (The Verge)Instagram and Facebook Messenger chats are being disconnected this month (9to5Google)Meta, IBM Create Industrywide AI Alliance to Share Technology (Bloomberg)Amazon Fails To Renew Live UK Premier League Rights As Sky & TNT Maintain Grip On Games (Deadline)Gmail’s AI-powered spam detection is its biggest security upgrade in years (ArsTechnica)ChatGPT will no longer comply if you ask it to repeat a word 'forever'— after a recent prompt revealed training data and personal info (Business Insider)‘Grand Theft Auto VI’ Coming in 2025, Rockstar Says After Trailer Leak (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I guess Spotify missed the memo about the tech turnaround cause they had monster layoffs today. Google has delayed its big OpenAI competitor. Why does AI have a tendency to do evil unless you really tell it not to? And the band Kiss is retiring from touring, but Kiss the band has the potential to tour forever, thanks to digital avatars.Sponsors:Collective.com/rideKolide.com/rideLinks:Spotify cuts 17% jobs amid rising capital costs (TechCrunch)Google Postpones Big AI Launch as OpenAI Zooms Ahead (The Information)OpenAI Agreed to Buy $51 Million of AI Chips From a Startup Backed by CEO Sam Altman (Wired)The Robots Will Insider Trade (Bloomberg)Kiss say farewell to live touring, become first US band to go virtual and become digital avatars (AP)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Here is how it all went down with the Sam Altman saga, day by day, hour by hour. With @alexkonrad of Forbes.This is the story we talk about toward the end:A Secretive $10 Billion Firm Backed By WhatsApp Billionaire Jan Koum Is Quietly Building A Startup Portfolio (Forbes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The action button is coming to all the iPhones with increased functionality. Reconstituting the cable bundle example #972. Microsoft wants to create a mobile gaming app store sometime soon. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastNutrafol.com/men code ridehomeLinks:iPhone 16 to Include Action Button Across Entire Lineup (MacRumors)Apple and Paramount Discuss Bundling Their Streaming Services (WSJ)Apple fixes two new iOS zero-days in emergency updates (Bleeping Computer)US judge blocks Montana from banning TikTok use in state (Reuters)Tiger Global’s Biggest Venture Fund Has 18% Loss After Markdowns (Bloomberg)Xbox Talking to Partners for Mobile Store, CEO Spencer Says (Bloomberg)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:ChatGPT is winning the future — but what future is that? (The Verge)This Nvidia Cofounder Could Have Been Worth $70 Billion. Instead He Lives Off The Grid (Forbes)Anduril Builds a Tiny, Reusable Fighter Jet That Blows Up Drones (Bloomberg)The Real Story Behind Shane MacGowan’s ‘Boys of the N.Y.P.D. Choir’ (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sam Altman is officially back at work as OpenAI CEO. Meta is about to launch Threads in Europe, but their plan to offer ad free subscription tiers for their services has hit a speed bump. You can trick LLMs into revealing their training data. And I warned you before, but if you have any dormant Google accounts, better see to them toot suite.Sponsors:Crashplan.com/ridehomeMiro.com/podcastLinks:OpenAI Will Add Microsoft as Board Observer, Plans Governance Changes (Bloomberg)Interview: Sam Altman on being fired and rehired by OpenAI (The Verge)Meta’s Threads to Launch in Europe in App’s Biggest Expansion Since Debut (WSJ)Meta Platforms' ad-free service targeted in EU consumer complaint (Reuters)It’s not just electricity — Bitcoin mines burn through a lot of water, too (The Verge)ChatGPT's training data can be exposed via a "divergence attack" (StackDiary)Your Unused Gmail Account May Be Permanently Deleted Friday (WSJ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple and Goldman are ending their partnership, so what does that mean for the Apple Credit Card? Stability AI is so unstable, it might be looking to sell itself. GM is pumping the breaks on its Cruise rollout. All the headlines from the big AWS conference yesterday. And it’s that time of year: what won your Spotify Wrapped listening charts?Sponsors:DragonBall LegendsMiro.com/podcastLinks:Apple Pulls Plug on Goldman Credit-Card Partnership (WSJ)Unity Software with a ‘company reset’ walks away from film VFX and the Wētā Deal. (FXGuide)Stability AI Has Explored Sale as Investor Urges CEO to Resign (Bloomberg)G.M. to Cut Spending on Cruise Self-Driving Unit (NYTimes)Amazon Introduces Q, an A.I. Chatbot for Companies (NYTimes)Inside Spotify Wrapped, an Annual Song of Ourselves (WSJ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

AI foundation models are coming to more AWS products. Why are police departments scaremongering about that NameDrop feature on iPhones? Why is Google Drive losing peoples’ files? And Ikea’s new super cheap smart-home starter devices.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastTraceroute PodcastLinks:AWS enhances AI services with foundation model capabilities for improved performance (SiliconAngle)Amazon wants businesses to use its palm-scanning tech to let employees into the office (CNBC)US Thanksgiving weekend sales hit record on big discounts, online boost (Reuters)NameDrop is safe. The fearmongering about it is not. (Washington Post)Google investigating missing files on Drive, caused by desktop app (9to5Google)OpenAI Is Still an $86 Billion Nonprofit (Matt Levine/Bloomberg)Ikea debuts a trio of affordable smart home sensors (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A thin client from AWS. More bad news for gaming as ByteDance pulls back from its gaming ambitions in a major way. Governments have more new joint guidelines for AI development. And Amazon now delivers more packages than either FedEx OR UPS.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastNPR Planet MoneyLinks:AWS debuts Amazon WorkSpaces Thin Client device for virtual desktop access (SiliconAngle)Salesforce Inks Deal to Sell on Amazon Web Services’ Marketplace (Bloomberg)TikTok parent ByteDance to cut 1,000 gaming jobs in strategic shift (NikkeiAsia)US, Britain, other countries ink agreement to make AI 'secure by design' (Reuters)Instagram’s Algorithm Delivers Toxic Video Mix to Adults Who Follow Children (WSJ)The Biggest Delivery Business in the U.S. Is No Longer UPS or FedEx (WSJ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A lot of people give credit to Justin Hall for being, if not the first, then spiritually, at least, the “first” blogger. Since early 1994, first as Justin’s Homepage and at various points, as Justin’s Links from the Underground and Links.net, Justin Hall has been writing online and sharing online—especially, sharing himself online—longer than almost anyone else on the planet. Hear his story today, and watch his documentary at: http://overshare.links.net/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This about the man who invented the modern disc operating system (the OS) and the concept of the software platform. That man was Gary Kildall. And the question we examine in this episode is, why is Bill Gates the richest man in the world, and not Gary Kildall? Could things have turned out differently?In this episode we use audio from the following documentaries:Triumph of the NerdsandComputer ChroniclesSpecial thanks to Justin Schwinghamer for the original score and the voice acting.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This about the man who invented the modern disc operating system (the OS) and the concept of the software platform. That man was Gary Kildall. And the question we examine in this episode is, why is Bill Gates the richest man in the world, and not Gary Kildall? Could things have turned out differently?In this episode we use audio from the following documentaries:Triumph of the NerdsandComputer ChroniclesSpecial thanks to Justin Schwinghamer for the original score and the voice acting.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From the Internet History Podcast, the background, root causes and rough outline of the dotcom bubble. How it happened, why it happened... and why it's unlikely to happen again anytime soon.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Find out more at SFCompute.com. But also, to cut the line and get your hands on some time with some chips, email: ridehome@sfcompute.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Sam Altman thing is nowhere near resolved, and what does that mean, especially for Microsoft? Elon sues Media Matters. And if your YouTube videos have been behaving strangely of late, I think I can tell you why.Sponsors:Earin App (enter code techmeme)Traceroute PodcastLinks:Sam Altman is still trying to return as OpenAI CEO (The Verge)OpenAI’s Board Approached Anthropic About Merger (The Information)@eastdakota's Tweet Thread on Microsoft and OpenAIElon Musk Sues Media Matters for ‘Knowingly and Maliciously’ Misrepresenting Amount of Antisemitic Content on X (TheWrap)YouTube is reportedly slowing down videos for Firefox users (Update: Statement) (AndroidAuthority)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There’s really only one story today, the whole, Sam Altman got fired by OpenAI’s board but then they tried to get him back, but then Microsoft hired him, and now OpenAI employees are threatening to quit en masse, story. But also, the CEO of Cruise has stepped down. And Linda Yaccarino’s friends are suggesting she should step down as CEO of X.Sponsors:DraftKings code TechmemeDrinkTrade.com/rideLinks:Inside the Chaos at OpenAI (The Atlantic)Cruise co-founder and CEO Kyle Vogt resigns (TechCrunch)GM boss Mary Barra’s high-tech bet unraveling after Kyle Vogt departs as CEO of embattled Cruise robotaxi unit (Fortune)Yaccarino On Hot Seat As Ad Execs Urge Twitter CEO To Resign (Forbes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Find out more at Freeplay.ai.And find out more about the Ride Home Fund at RideHomeFund.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Links:"Securities" newsletter"Securities" podcastDanny's twitterSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Surprising almost everyone, Apple is adopting the Google-led RCS messaging standard. IBM suspends its advertising on X. Amazon is selling new cars on Amazon.com. A rebirth of Quibi? The surprising biggest mobile game of the year? And, of course, the Weekend Longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastNuts.com/rideLinks:Apple announces that RCS support is coming to iPhone next year (9to5Mac)What color bubbles will RCS messages be? Apple confirms the answer (9to5Mac)IBM pulls adverts from X after report finding they ran next to Nazi content (Financial Times)Hyundai to Be First Automaker to Sell New Cars on Amazon (WSJ)A Quibi-like app called ReelShort hit record downloads and revenue this month (TechCrunch)2023's Apparent Biggest Mobile Game Launch Is Not What You Expect (GameSpot)Weekend Longreads Suggestion:Inside Marques Brownlee’s tech review studio: The YouTube star on gadgets, growth, and staying chill (Fast Company)A Coder Considers the Waning Days of the Craft (New Yorker)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

All of the big announcements from Microsoft’s development conference yesterday, including the debut of their own AI chips. YouTube is bringing AI to Shorts. Threads is kinda doing hashtags, though Chris Messina has thoughts. And the new UPS warehouse where the robots way outnumber the humans.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastnotion.com/rideLinks:Microsoft rebrands Bing Chat to Copilot, to better compete with ChatGPT (The Verge)Microsoft officially launches Loop, its Notion competitor (The Verge)Microsoft Unveils Its First Custom-Designed AI, Cloud Chips (Bloomberg)YouTube Shorts Challenges TikTok With Music-Making AI for Creators (Wired)Threads starts testing hashtags…without the hash (TechCrunch)Robots to Outnumber People at UPS’s Massive New Warehouse (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nothing has come up with the first large scale way to send iMessages even if you’re on Android. Those new OpenAI products are so popular, they’re actually pausing your ability to use them. DeepMind has a model that can predict the weather more accurately than humans. And the Cadillac of web cameras has a new model.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastMindbloom.com/techmeme and code techmemeLinks:Coming soon: A fix for the Android green-bubble problem (Washington Post)Intel fixes high-severity CPU bug that causes “very strange behavior” (ArsTechnica)OpenAI Pauses New ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions Due To Surge In Demand (Search Engine Journal)Apple extends free period for iPhone 14 satellite features (9to5Mac)AI outperforms conventional weather forecasting methods for first time (Financial Times)Opal’s second camera is the Tadpole, a tiny webcam for laptops (The Verge)Ride Home AI Fund Syndicate Signup: https://venture.angellist.com/ride-home-ai-fund/syndicate?utm_campaign=syndicate_direct_linkRide Home Fund (Rolling Fund) Syndicate Signup: https://venture.angellist.com/ride-home-fund/syndicate?utm_campaign=syndicate_direct_linkSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Two different trials reveal some details of Google’s various deals with various platforms that they probably wish didn’t become public. Why aren’t the Fed’s arresting those casino hackers? Two interesting new initiatives from Uber. And OpenAI has an independent board that gets to decide when AGI has been achieved (and maybe x’s Microsoft out).Sponsors:Shopify.com/rideMiro.com/podcastLinks:Apple Gets 36% of Google Revenue in Search Deal, Expert Says (Bloomberg)For Google Play, Dominating Android World Was ‘Existential’ (Bloomberg)Amazon Lays Off 180 Employees In Its Games Division (Aftermath)FBI struggled to disrupt dangerous casino hacking gang, cyber responders say (Reuters)Uber to Test TaskRabbit-Like Service in Florida and Alberta (Bloomberg)Uber takes steps to combat unfair driver deactivations (TechCrunch)OpenAI’s six-member board will decide ‘when we’ve attained AGI’ (VentureBeat)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

OpenAI is probably going to raise a ton more money to attempt to stay at the top of the AI heap. You might get your money back if you get scammed on Zelle all of the sudden. Would you trust ex-FTX executives to launch a new crypto exchange? And why did Apple pause all OS development for a week recently?Sponsors:Collective.com/ride and tell them ride sent youMiro.com/podcastLinks:OpenAI chief seeks new Microsoft funds to build ‘superintelligence’ (Financial Times)Exclusive: Google in talks to invest in AI startup Character.AI (Reuters)Payments app Zelle begins refunds for imposter scams after Washington pressure (Reuters)Key Witness at Sam Bankman-Fried Trial to Launch New Crypto Exchange (WSJ)Apple Is Taking Extra Care With ‘Ambitious’ iOS 18 Update (Bloomberg)Sony PlayStation Portal Review (PCMag)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our first Ride Home AI Fund Portfolio Profile Episode: Automated DataSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our first Ride Home AI Fund Portfolio Profile Episode: Automated DataSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More details on that whole Humane Ai Pin device cause whatever you think about it, it’s the first radically new take on computing that we’ve seen since the smartphone. The first company to do carbon capture in the US is operational. I’ll tell you how it works. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Nutrafol.com/men and promocode ridehomeLinks:Humane’s Ai Pin is a $700 Smartphone Alternative You Wear All Day (Wired)Introducing Humane Ai Pin (The Humane Launch Video)In a U.S. First, a Commercial Plant Starts Pulling Carbon From the Air (NYTimes)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:AI is about to completely change how you use computers (GatesNotes)Elon Musk’s Brain Implant Startup Is Ready to Start Surgery (Bloomberg)Inside an OnlyFans empire: Sex, influence and the new American Dream (Washington Post)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’re getting our first look at the first ever AI hardware product from Humane today. Once Disney swallows Hulu it’s going to create one app to stream them all. Samsung joins the AI race. The Esports world continues to blow up. And a judge has ruled that your car can continue reading your text messages legally.Sponsors:Nutrisense.com/ride and code rideLinks:Exclusive leak: all the details about Humane’s AI Pin, which costs $699 and has OpenAI integration (The Verge)Disney+, Hulu Merged App to Launch Next Month for Bundle Subscribers, Bob Iger Says (Variety)No More Phone Number Swaps: Signal Messaging App Now Testing Usernames (PCMag)The Overwatch League is officially dead: Activision Blizzard is 'transitioning' away from its groundbreaking esports league as teams reportedly vote to withdraw (PC Gamer)Court rules automakers can record and intercept owner text messages (The Record)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Big tech platforms are preparing for the first big election of the AI era. Why even Microsoft is so desperate to get its hands on AI chips. Some incredibly bearish signs from crypto. But could we actually see a crypto IPO happen soon? Don’t sleep on Amazon’s healthcare ambitions. And never underestimate the power of timing nostalgia correctly.Links:Meta to Require Campaigns to Disclose AI-Altered Political Ads (WSJ)Microsoft Is Offering to Help US Politicians Crack Down on Deepfakes (Bloomberg)Bing Chat so hungry for GPUs, Microsoft will rent them from Oracle (The Register)Coatue Cuts Value of OpenSea Stake by 90% as Fund’s Returns Sag (The Information)Stablecoin Issuer Circle Internet Considering 2024 IPO (Bloomberg)Amazon links One Medical primary care to Prime memberships (Washington Post)Fortnite just had its biggest day ever, 6 years in (Polygon)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

OpenAI wants to open an App Store where everyone can build their own GPTs. There’s also a new GPT-4 that has gotten significantly cheaper. Did Cruise know its cars were underperforming even before the DMV shut them down? WeWork is officially dead, but are we seeing green shoots… evidence that the tech recession might be ending?Links:OpenAI Launches GPT-4 Turbo (TechCrunch)OpenAI is letting anyone create their own version of ChatGPT (The Verge)CRUISE KNEW ITS SELF-DRIVING CARS HAD PROBLEMS RECOGNIZING CHILDREN — AND KEPT THEM ON THE STREETS (The Intercept)WeWork, once valued at $47 billion, files for bankruptcy (CNBC)Shein Targets Up to $90 Billion Valuation in US IPO, Sources Say (Bloomberg)Klarna’s financial glow-up is my favorite story in tech right now (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Elon releases his AI model. The Chinese AI startup that has hit unicorn status in just 8 months by going the open source route. The reviews of the new Mac with M3 chips are out, and they’re generally good. But if you’ve been pining for a new 27 inch iMac, I’ve got some very bad news for you.Sponsors:Traceroute PodcastKolide.com/rideipn.ibotta.com/rideLinks:Elon Musk debuts ‘Grok’ AI bot to rival ChatGPT, others (CNBC)AI Pioneer Kai-Fu Lee Builds $1 Billion Startup in Eight Months (Bloomberg)Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd Steps Down (WSJ)Review: Apple’s 16-inch M3 Max MacBook Pro crams Ultra-level speed into a laptop (ArsTechnica)Apple has no plans to make a 27-inch iMac with Apple Silicon (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sam Bankman Fried has been found guilty. The FTC alleges Jeff Bezos ordered Amazon to boost junk ads. Elon Musk says Starlink is almost profitable. He also says he’s about to release his own AI model. And in the Weekend Longreads Suggestions, is Elon about to give Joe Rogan a new lily pad to take his podcast to?Sponsors:Traceroute PodcastShopBeam.com/ride and code ride for up to 40% offLinks:Sam Bankman-Fried found guilty of fraud (The Verge)Sam Bankman-Fried Was a Grown Up Criminal, Not an Impulsive Man-Child (NYTimes)Starlink achieves cash-flow breakeven, says SpaceX CEO Musk (Reuters)Musk's xAI set to launch first AI model to select group (Reuters)Amazon Boosted Junk Ads, Deleted Messages to Thwart Antitrust Probe, FTC Says (Bloomberg)Google AdSense moving to per-impression payments in 2024 (9to5Google)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:The EV transition trips over its own cord (The Verge)Joe Rogan’s big decision (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Looks like Disney is finally going to swallow Hulu. One more time we’re going to look at the AI regulation debate, this time noting that governments are regulating tech ahead of time for the first time in a while. You might want to tip your DoorDasher ahead of time. And can I coin a term? Arizona is becoming Silicon Mesa?Sponsors:Nutrisense.com/ride and code rideLinks:Disney Says It Will Take Full Control of Hulu (NYTimes)Joe Biden Wants US Government Algorithms Tested for Potential Harm Against Citizens (Wired)Attenuating Innovation (AI) (Stratechery)DoorDash now warns you that your food might get cold if you don’t tip (The Verge)‘Our secret weapon’: how a university bolstered Phoenix’s rise as US chip capital (Financial Times)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

LinkedIn has an AI job coach for you. Netflix’s ad tier is doing well. But is it doing well enough. You might have thought this already happened, but WeWork seems to be seriously circling the deadpool. A potentially big breakthrough for medicinal discovery via AI. And more on the evolving AI debate around open source and regulatory capture.Links:LinkedIn’s new AI chatbot wants to help you get a job (CNBC)Netflix, Pushing Into AVOD Fray, Plans New Ad Formats, ‘Crown’ Sponsorship Deals (Variety)WeWork Plans to File for Bankruptcy as Early as Next Week (WSJ)DeepMind’s latest AlphaFold model is more useful for drug discovery (TechCrunch)Google DeepMind boss hits back at Meta AI chief over ‘fearmongering’ claim (CNBC)What the executive order means for openness in AI (AI Snake Oil)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

All the headlines for last night’s Apple event, including interesting details about the new M3 chips. One year on from Elon purchasing it, what is X worth now? Is Nvidia gonna have to cancel all those chip orders from China? And are people crying chicken little about the threat of AI in order to do some regulatory capture?Links:Apple ‘Scary Fast’ Mac launch event: the 4 biggest announcements (The Verge)Apple officially unveils M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max: 3 nanometer, Dynamic Caching GPU, more (9to5Mac)Apple M3 Pro Chip Has 25% Less Memory Bandwidth Than M1/M2 Pro (MacRumors)Nvidia’s $5 Billion of China Orders in Limbo After Latest U.S. Curbs (WSJ)X Says It Is Worth $19 Billion, Down From $44 Billion Last Year (NYTimes)Artists Lose First Round of Copyright Infringement Case Against AI Art Generators (TRH)Google Brain cofounder says Big Tech companies are lying about the risks of AI wiping out humanity because they want to dominate the market (Insider)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Governments around the world announce guardrails for AI… or, at least, suggest some. OpenAI takes steps to keep you from going to plugins. Meta seems serious about offering a subscription option to Europeans. Your earbuds are about to get smarter. And how AI might finally give us useful robots.Sponsors:Collective.com/rideNPR's Planet MoneyLinks:Biden releases AI executive order directing agencies to develop safety guidelines (The Verge)Exclusive: G7 to agree AI code of conduct for companies (Reuters)New Version Of ChatGPT Gives Access To All GPT-4 Tools At Once (Search Engine Journal)Google Commits $2 Billion in Funding to AI Startup Anthropic (WSJ)Meta to Offer Ad-Free Facebook, Instagram Subscriptions in Europe (Bloomberg)Google can turn ANC earbuds into a heart rate monitor with no extra hardware (9to5Google)Stacking Boxes? Treating Cancer? AI Needs to Learn Physics First (WSJ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We started this year with layoffs and the whole "Tech Recession" narrative. So, as we wind up the year, did tech recover this year, and if so, how? Also, self-driving cars and speculation on Monday's Apple event.Check out Big Technology here!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amazon wraps up tech earnings week. Microsoft raises the alarm about a really sophisticate new hacking group. SBF actually takes the stand. OpenAI sets up a system to keep their AI from, you know, blowing up the world. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastShopBeam.com/ride and use code ride for 40% offLinks:Microsoft: Octo Tempest is one of the most dangerous financial hacking groups (BleepingComputer)FTX’s Sam Bankman-Fried previews legal defence at fraud trial (FT)Cruise pauses all driverless robotaxi operations to ‘rebuild public trust’ (TechCrunch)OpenAI forms team to study ‘catastrophic’ AI risks, including nuclear threats (TechCrunch)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:They Cracked the Code to a Locked USB Drive Worth $235 Million in Bitcoin. Then It Got Weird (Wired)“Math is hard” — if you are an LLM – and why that matters (Gary Marcus Blog)The poster’s guide to the internet of the future (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meta earnings from yesterday. Apple seems to be planning a complete revamp of the AirPods lineup. Spotify plans major changes to how it does royalties. X rolls out video and audio calls. And a look at how those new gesture controls work on the Apple Watch.Sponsors:Masterworks.art/techmemeMiro.com/podcastLinks:Zuckerberg says Threads has almost 100 million monthly users (The Verge)Apple Plans AirPods Overhaul With New Low- and High-End Models, USB-C Headphones (Bloomberg)Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and Apple News+ Receiving Price Increases (MacRumors)SPOTIFY IS CHANGING ITS ROYALTY MODEL TO CRUSH STREAMING FRAUD AND INTRODUCE A MINIMUM PAYMENT THRESHOLD. ITS PLAN? TO SHIFT $1 BILLION IN PAYOUTS TOWARDS ‘WORKING ARTISTS’ OVER THE NEXT 5 YEARS. (MusicBusinessWorldwide)X is officially rolling out audio and video calls (The Verge)The Apple Watch’s double tap gesture points at a new way to use wearables (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meta got sued by most the States. California has forced Cruise to stop its autonomous vehicle testing. Will earbuds be key in any AI future? Tech earnings season snuck up on me at least. And is Sam Bankman Fried going to have to take the stand in order to keep himself out of prison?Sponsors:Nuts.com/rideMiro.com/podcastLinks:Meta sued by 42 attorneys general alleging Facebook, Instagram features are addictive and target kids (CNBC)California DMV immediately suspends Cruise’s robotaxi permit (TechCrunch)Qualcomm turns to Wi-Fi to take wireless earbuds and headphones to the next level (The Verge)Controversial Chip in Huawei Phone Produced on ASML Machine (Bloomberg)Can Sam Bankman-Fried argue his way out of trouble? (FT)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nvidia wants to get into the ARM CPU game. Somebody is taking a run at some high value targets via Okta. A new version of maybe the most advanced smart glasses out there. Are you seeing ads when you press pause on streaming? And what is it like to have a robot lawnmower that actually works?Sponsors:Notion.com/rideMiro.com/podcastLinks:Exclusive: Nvidia to make Arm-based PC chips in major new challenge to Intel (Reuters)1Password detects “suspicious activity” in its internal Okta account (ArsTechnica)Xreal’s Air 2 glasses put a big screen on your face and ship in the US next month (The Verge)‘Pause Ads’ Creep Onto Hulu, Peacock and Max as Streamers Seek New Revenue (Variety)Matter 1.2 is a big move for the smart home standard (The Verge)I tested a $6,000 automower for four months. Here's why I'm fully invested (ZDNet)Life360 Sued for Selling Location Data (The Markup)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mark Gurman suggests Apple is scrambling to go all in on Generative AI. Also, will there be a mini Mac event by the end of this month? Okta had a breach. Worldcoin is dogfooding its own token. Would you let your family pick your Tinder matches? And do your kids like telling you where they are at all times?Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastLinks:Inside Apple’s Big Plan to Bring Generative AI to All Its Devices (Bloomberg)Okta shares fall 11% after company says client files were accessed by hackers via its support system (CNBC)Web Summit CEO Cosgrave Quits After Israel Controversy (Bloomberg)China launches investigation into iPhone maker Foxconn, says state media (Financial Times)Worldcoin to pay orb operators in WLD rather than USDC (The Block)Worldcoin to cease paying Orb operators in USDC as early as November (CoinTelegraph)Tinder now lets mom pick your next date (The Verge)Teens Want Parents to Track Their Phones and Monitor Their Every Move (WSJ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Remember, the order of the languages is Spanish, Arabic, Hindi, Chinese and German.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More on the crypto/terrorism allegations. The FCC is freeing up spectrum for use by AR and VR devices. They’re also laying the groundwork to bring net neutrality back. AMD’s latest chips designed to rival Nvidia. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:TryFum.com and code rideLinks:U.S. Treasury Seeks to Name Crypto Mixers as 'Money Laundering Concern' (CoinDesk)SEC Drops Charges Against Ripple CEO Garlinghouse, Chairman Larsen (CoinDesk)FCC greenlights superfast Wi-Fi tethering for AR and VR headsets (The Verge)FCC begins second quest for net neutrality (TechCrunch)AMD challenges Nvidia’s RTX 4080 with its new RX 7900M laptop GPU (PCWorld)FaZe Clan acquired by GameSquare (Digiday)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:An Industry Insider Drives an Open Alternative to Big Tech’s A.I. (NYTimes)‘Oof’: Sam Bankman-Fried’s Trial Reveals Inside Details of How FTX Died (NYTimes)Computers Are Learning to Smell (The Atlantic)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is crypto being used for terrorism in the current war? Netflix has good earnings and raises prices. Again. Again I ask why tech layoffs have returned. What does it mean if OpenAI had to completely scrap a new AI model? And if those FaceTime video reactions are annoying you, I’ll tell you how to turn them off.Sponsors:Nutrafol.com/men promocode: ridehomeLinks:Chainalysis says some reports might be overestimating crypto's role in terrorist financing (The Block)NY Attorney General sues Gemini, Genesis and DCG for allegedly defrauding crypto investors of over $1B (TechCrunch)WhatsApp will soon let you stay logged in to two accounts at once (The Verge)Netflix Plans Price Increase as Password-Sharing Crackdown Boosts Subscriber Growth (WSJ)Nokia to cut up to 14,000 jobs after 69% profit plunge (CNBC)Authors sue Meta, Microsoft, Bloomberg in latest AI copyright clash (Reuters)OpenAI Dropped Work on New ‘Arrakis’ AI Model in Rare Setback (The Information)How to turn off FaceTime video reactions in iOS 17 and macOS Sonoma (AppleInsider)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Elon has a fresh idea for fighting bots and maybe making some money. The IRS is finally moving ahead of cheap online tax filing. What are the odds Netflix can muscle its way into the gaming industry. And should I release this podcast in different languages?Sponsors:Earnin AppLinks:X will start charging new users in two countries $1 per year (The Verge)Xbox chief says Activision Blizzard games aren’t coming to Xbox Game Pass until 2024 (The Verge)IRS Will Offer Free (But Limited) Direct E-Filing Next Year (PCMag)Microsoft is preparing to bring on Amazon as a customer of its 365 cloud tools in a $1 billion megadeal, according to an internal document (Insider)Amazon says it has 10,000 Rivian electric vans in its delivery fleet (Reuters)‘Wait, Netflix Has Games?’ Streaming Giant Plans New Videogames Based on Its Hit Shows (WSJ)Tongue Twisted: Adams Taps AI to Make City Robocalls in Languages He Doesn’t Speak (The City)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A new “affordable” Apple Pencil. Several “fog of war” stories surrounding major tech players. Why are tech layoffs suddenly back? Are Meta’s Ray-Ban glasses good? And is LinkedIn actually the social network you should be investing more energy in?Sponsors:Hatch.co/rideMindbloom.com/techmeme, promocode TechmemeLinks:Apple unveils brand new 'affordable' Apple Pencil that costs $79 and has a USB-C port (iMore)Actively exploited Cisco 0-day with maximum 10 severity gives full network control (ArsTechnica)Social Media Users Accuse Facebook and Instagram of Suppressing Pro-Palestinian Posts (NyTimes)Israel orders freeze on crypto accounts in bid to block funding for Hamas (FinancialTimes)Web Summit derailed by founder’s public fight with those supporting Israel in Hamas war (TechCrunch)Microsoft-owned LinkedIn lays off nearly 700 employees — read the memo here (CNBC)Twitch launches stories for streamers (TechCrunch)Influencers and CEOs take their brands to LinkedIn (FT)Meta's $299 Ray-Ban smart glasses may be the most useful gadget I've tested all year (ZDNet)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mark Gurman already has details on a cheaper Vision Pro. Minecraft passes 300 million units sold. Why prompt injection is THE security issue of the AI era. And what if Nikola Tesla’s dream of sending electrical energy over distance without any wires is slowly becoming a thing?Sponsors:Collective.com/rideCrucibleMoments.comLinks:Apple Renews Top Ranks With Wave of Executive Promotions (Bloomberg)A New Protocol Vulnerability Will Haunt the Web for Years (Wired)Goldman Sachs Wants Out of Consumer Lending. Employees Say It Can’t Happen Fast Enough. (WSJ)Multi-modal prompt injection image attacks against GPT-4V (Simon Willison's Blog)Minecraft has sold over 300 million copies (The Verge)Microsoft’s Activision Buy Extends Nadella’s Decade of Deals (WSJ)I’m Charging My Toothbrush With Wireless Power Over Distance—and It’s a Trip (Wired)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If my reviews don't float your boat, here are some more detailed ones:Pixel 8 and 8 Pro review: in Google we trust? (The Verge)Google Pixel Watch 2 review: better battery, better watch (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Microsoft wins its big prize. The EU officially opens and X investigation. VC investment activity has reached its lowest level in years. Netflix dips its toe into the IRL experience business. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Links:Microsoft's purchase of Activision Blizzard for Xbox has been fully APPROVED by the UK regulator (Windows Central)EU opens probe into Elon Musk’s X over Israel-Hamas war misinformation (Financial Times)U.S. VC funding hit lowest level in 6 years in Q3 | A story told in charts (VentureBeat)Netflix to Open Stores Where Fans Can Play, Shop and Eat in 2025 (Bloomberg)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Adobe Is Focused on AI Rather Than Figma With Acquisition in Limbo (Bloomberg)Can EA’s FIFA-Free Soccer Game Win Fans? (Bloomberg)Has Bob Iger Lost the Magic? (Bloomberg)Why Dizziness Is Still a Mystery (The New Yorker)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

That thing where the IRS says you’ve underpaid your taxes to the tune of almost $30 billion dollars. Adam Mosseri says Threads is NOT coming for the breaking news crown. Those kids today, they love YouTube and they REALLY love iPhones. And forget social chat with your friends. How about social chat with your friends, and your AI bot, and their AI bots?Sponsors:DrinkTrade.com/rideLinks:IRS says Microsoft owes an additional $29 billion in back taxes (CNBC)Linda Yaccarino responds to EU: 700 Community Notes, 5K+ images shared on Israel-Hamas war, ‘thousands’ of pieces of content removed (TechCrunch)Instagram head says Threads is ‘not going to amplify news on the platform’ (TechCrunch)Google pays Apple $18B to $20B a year to keep its search in iPhone (The Register)PlayStation 5 cloud streaming launches this month (VGC)YouTube passes Netflix as top video source for teens (CNBC)iPhone Continues to Be Most Popular Smartphone Among Teens, Apple Watch Ownership Growing (MacRumors)Character.AI introduces group chats where people and multiple AIs can talk to each other (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The EU is warning Elon Musk over X content related to the Israel-Hamas war. The biggest DDoS attack of all time, by, like, 8x. New image models from Adobe. New PS5s from Sony. New rules from the FTC to help you avoid hidden fees. And checking in with the Sam Bankman Fried trial.Sponsors:Shopify.com/rideLinks:EU warns Elon Musk of ‘penalties’ for disinformation circulating on X amid Israel-Hamas war (CNN)New technique leads to largest DDoS attacks ever, Google and Amazon say (The Record)Adobe Firefly can now generate more realistic images (TechCrunch)Sony’s new PS5 with a removable disc drive launches in November (The Verge)The End of Junk Fees? FTC Proposes New Rule (The Hollywood Reporter)Caroline Ellison, Adviser to Sam Bankman-Fried, Says He ‘Directed’ Her to Commit Crimes (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

That whole bungled pricing thing has cost the Unity CEO his job. The big 23andMe breach is a different kind of hack. And it turns out if you fall victim to a scam, it’s probably because you were online. Can you charge enough to cover the costs of AI products? And is the Pixel brand finally having a moment.Sponsors:ipn.ibotta.com/rideTryFum.com code rideLinks:John Riccitiello steps down as CEO of Unity after pricing battle (GamesBeat)23andMe says private user data is up for sale after being scraped (ArsTechnica)Social media scams are costing Americans more than ever (TechRadar)Big Tech Struggles to Turn AI Hype Into Profits (WSJ)Google has shipped almost 40 million Pixel phones since 2016, 10 million last year (9to5Google)Elon Musk’s X Cut Disinformation-Fighting Tool Ahead of Israel-Hamas Conflict (The Information)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Holy crap! Anyone coming to the listener meetup tonight, I hope you see this! Turns out Johnny Foley's is closed on Mondays! We will instead try to meet at the Kan Pai lounge in the Hotel Nikko! It's on the 2nd floor. Go up the escalators! Sorry for my error and this late notice! 222 Mason St. Right across the st!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Find out more at Mimoto.aiSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Looks like Microsoft is inches away from getting the Activision acquisition over the line. Hardware ambitions are one thing, but OpenAI might also design its own silicon. Microsoft’s new version of Teams is finally not the most resource hungry piece of software on your computer. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Links:Microsoft eyes closing its giant Activision Blizzard deal next week (The Verge)Exclusive: ChatGPT-owner OpenAI is exploring making its own AI chips (Reuters)Microsoft’s faster and redesigned Teams app now available for Windows and Mac (The Verge)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:How Will A.I. Learn Next? (The New Yorker)How Bandcamp makes more money than Spotify (Fast Company)Long gone, DEC is still powering the world of computing (ArsTechnica)The Genius Behind Hollywood’s Most Indelible Sets (NYTimes Magazine)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A new front in the regulation battle is opening up for major cloud platforms. What is the point of removing article headlines in X posts? Amazon’s Project Kuiper is launching… literally. And is the new camera on the iPhone 15 Max the biggest smartphone camera upgrade ever?Sponsors:Netsuite.com/rideLinks:Microsoft and Amazon face UK regulator investigation over cloud services (The Verge)Elon Musk Starts Stripping Headlines From Links Shared to X (The Wrap)Galaxy SmartTag 2 launches next week for $30, still only works with Samsung devices (9to5Google)Android 14 is now available for Pixel phones (The Verge)Amazon Prepares to Challenge SpaceX’s Starlink With Maiden Satellite Launch (Gizmodo)Apple Considered, Rejected Switch to DuckDuckGo From Google (Bloomberg)iPhone 15 Pro Max Camera Review: Depth and Reach (Lux)Vera wants to use AI to cull generative models’ worst behaviors (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

All the headlines from the Made By Google event this morning. Samsung also announced their low end lineup of phones. Gmail is taking some big new steps to combat spam. And what if I told you Netflix is about to raise prices. Again.Sponsors:DomainMoney.comLinks:Google’s Pixel Watch 2 brings new sensors for improved health tracking (TechCrunch)Google’s Pixel 8 brings new camera tricks, better display and a thermometer (TechCrunch)The Pixel 8 Pro has better cameras, a brighter screen, and a lot of new AI tricks (The Verge)Google announces AI-powered photo-editing features for new Pixel phones (TechCrunch)The Galaxy S23 FE, Tab S9 FE, and Buds FE get you flagship specs at way lower prices (XDADevelopers)Google is making big changes to prevent Gmail spam (CNBC)Anthropic in Talks to Raise $2 Billion From Google and Others Just Days After Amazon Investment (The Information)Netflix Plans to Raise Prices After Actors Strike Ends (WSJ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Snapchat has led the way, but are we going to see everybody in social media offering subscription plans? An interesting raise for AI investing. Satya Nadella was on the stand yesterday at the Google trial. And what’s up with Threads? Has it missed its moment?Sponsors:Nutrisense.com/ride code rideLinks:Meta Plans to Charge $14 a Month for Ad-Free Instagram or Facebook (WSJ)TikTok Confirms It Is Testing an Ad-Free Subscription Tier (Variety)Frec steps out of stealth with $26M in funding, aiming to democratize sophisticated investing with AI (VentureBeat)Microsoft CEO Says Google’s Agreements With Apple Unfairly Harmed Bing (WSJ)US issues first ever fine for space junk to Dish Network (BBCNews)Instagram Looks for Ways to Revive Interest in Threads (The Information)The official podcast development partner! Uptech.team!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple says your iPhone might be heating up because of… Instagram? Rumors suggest Apple has a search engine in its back pocket if it ever wants one. Chromebook Plus is the moniker for high end Chromebooks. And we have our first glimpse of that Humane wearable AI device.Sponsors:Collective.com/rideKolide.com/rideLinks:Apple Says iPhone 15 Pro Overheating Due to iOS 17 Bug, Not Hardware Design (CNET)Apple Has What It Needs to Launch Its Own Google Replacement (Bloomberg)Chromebook Plus is Google’s new certification for premium Chromebooks (The Verge)The synthetic social network is coming (Platformer)Humane shows off its wearable AI pin at Paris Fashion Week (Apple Insider)The official podcast development partner! Uptech.team!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Check out what we came up with at ResumeWriting.com.And check out Uptech.team. They can help you with any project!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What if Apple had bought Bing and turned it into its own search engine? Why did France’s competition authority raid, we believe, Nvidia’s offices? Big layoffs and peel offs from Epic shows that the gaming industry is still hurting. And of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:EarnIn App, enter Techmeme under podcastNutrafol.com/men enter code ridehomeLinks:Microsoft Discussed Selling Bing to Apple as Google Replacement (Bloomberg)Google adds a switch for publishers to opt out of becoming AI training data (The Verge)Nvidia’s French Offices Raided in Cloud-Computing Antitrust Inquiry (WSJ)Epic Games cuts around 830 jobs (The Verge)Weekend Longreads SuggestionsThe new phone call etiquette: Text first and never leave a voice mail (Washington Post)Can FTX Be Revived—Without Sam Bankman-Fried? (Wired)Could ‘The Terminator’ really happen? Experts assess Hollywood’s visions of AI. (Washington Post)‘Nerfball’ introduces Nerf’s smartest foam yet — it detects dart impacts (The Verge)Netflix Prepares to Send Its Final Red Envelope (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Meta Connect keynote was yesterday and they announced a bunch of stuff including AI chatbots, a new Quest 3, and the continuation of those Ray-Ban smart glasses that are actually getting kind of interesting. Looks like OpenAI is serious about working with Jony Ive. A big new open-source LLM available to download now. And the new Raspberry Pi 5.Sponsors:ShopBeam.com/ride and code RIDE for up to 40% offTryFum.com and use code ride for 10% offLinks:Facebook and Instagram will soon get a slew of AI-powered creator tools (The Verge)Meta is putting AI chatbots everywhere (The Verge)Meta Rolls Out Higher-Priced Quest 3 Headset, Just Ahead of Apple’s Vision Pro (Bloomberg)Meta’s smart glasses can take calls, play music, and livestream from your face (The Verge)OpenAI and Jony Ive in talks to raise $1bn from SoftBank for AI device venture (FT)Mistral AI makes its first large language model free for everyone (TechCrunch)Elon Musk Wins US Space Force Contract for Starshield (Bloomberg)The Raspberry Pi 5 is finally here (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The big FTC-led lawsuit against Amazon is live. Is Jony Ive working with OpenAI to create an AI hardware product? OpenAI might soon be 3x-ing its private valuation. What the writers won from Hollywood. And what it’s actually like to ride in the only street-legal Level 3 autonomous car.Sponsors:Mindbloom.com/techmeme and promocode techmemeCrucibleMoments.comLinks:FTC and 17 states sue Amazon on antitrust charges (CNBC)Designer Jony Ive and OpenAI’s Sam Altman Discuss AI Hardware Project (The Information)OpenAI Seeks New Valuation of Up to $90 Billion in Sale of Existing Shares (WSJ)The iPhone 15 Pro series overheating issues are unrelated to TSMC’s advanced 3nm node / iPhone 15 Pro (Ming-Chi Kuo)The new WGA contract will change how Hollywood works (The Verge)Hollywood Studios Can Train AI Models on Writers’ Work Under Tentative Deal (WSJ)We put our blind faith in Mercedes-Benz’s first-of-its-kind autonomous Drive Pilot feature (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Spotify’s new Jam product is kind of the coolest new feature I’ve heard in a while. Looks like the FCC is bringing net neutrality back. Google discontinues some products. New drone reviews and a new drone that either will eliminate police chases… or bring on the panopticon.Sponsors:Skip the waitlist and invest in blue-chip art for the very first time by signing up for Masterworks: https://www.masterworks.art/techmeme .Purchase shares in great masterpieces from artists like Pablo Picasso, Banksy, Andy Warhol, and more. See important Masterworks disclosures: https://www.masterworks.com/cdHatch.co/rideLinks:Spotify launches Jam, a real-time collaborative playlist controlled by up to 32 people (TechCrunch)Coinbase Role in Crypto Firm Celsius’s Bankruptcy Plan Questioned by SEC (Bloomberg)FCC Aims to Reinstate Net Neutrality Rules After US Democrats Gain Control of Panel (Bloomberg)Google killing Basic HTML version of Gmail In January 2024 (The Register)Not just a Pixel thing: iPhone 15 series users are also reporting heating issues (Android Authority)DJI Mini 4 Pro review: The best lightweight drone gains more power and smarts (Engadget)This New Autonomous Drone for Cops Can Track You in the Dark (Wired)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amazon makes a big bet on Anthropic. A big DeFi hack. The US government is weighing a sort of “know your customer” rule for big cloud providers. OpenAI has rolled out some cool new ways to interact with their AI. And why the number of smartphone brands around the world has basically collapsed.Sponsored:NPR Planet MoneyZbiotics.com/ride and code: rideLinks:Amazon to invest up to $4bn in AI start-up Anthropic (Financial Times)Defi Project Mixin Network Suspends Services After $200 Million Crypto Hack (Bloomberg)Booking to appeal after EU vetoes $1.7 bln ETraveli deal (Reuters)White House could force cloud companies to disclose AI customers (Semafor)You can now prompt ChatGPT with pictures and voice commands (The Verge)WGA and the studios reach tentative deal to end writers’ strike (Los Angeles Times)Nearly 500 Brands Exited Smartphone Market During 2017-2023 (Counterpoint)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Find out more about Play at CreateWithPlay.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The UK CMA looks like it’s folding, so the Microsoft/Activision acquisition can go through now? YouTube unveils some cool AI tools. Amazon is adding ads to Prime Video and raising the price. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastNutrisense.com/ride and code rideLinks:Microsoft’s Activision Deal Set to Clear Final UK Hurdle (Bloomberg)Apple emergency updates fix 3 new zero-days exploited in attacks (BleepingComputer)YouTube to add AI creator tools to find music for videos, add dubs (TechCrunch)YouTube Shorts to gain a generative AI feature called Dream Screen (TechCrunch)Amazon to Run Ads on Prime Video in Key Markets Starting in 2024 (Bloomberg)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Amazon’s rumored home projector can turn anything into a screen (The Verge)The Physical Process That Powers a New Type of Generative AI (Quanta)Unraveling The AI-Generated Spiral Art Phenomenon (NFTNow)The Early Days of American English (Lapham's Quarterly)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

All the headlines from the Microsoft Fall event. The Amazon Fall event. OpenAI teasing DALL-E 3. And one more review of a recent Apple product, and for the first time in a long time, the consensus seems to be it’s hot garbage.Sponsors:Rocketcard.com/rideMiro.com/podcastLinks:Microsoft unveils unified Copilot that extends across Bing, Edge, and Windows (Windows Central)The Surface Laptop Go 3 starts at $799 and arrives on October 3 (Engadget)Microsoft announces the Surface Laptop Studio 2 with upgraded chips and ports (The Verge)The Surface Go 4 comes with a much-needed performance boost (The Verge)All the biggest announcements from Amazon’s September 2023 product launch event (The Verge)Amazon brings generative AI to Alexa (TechCrunch)OpenAI releases third version of DALL-E (The Verge)The new FineWoven iPhone cases are very bad (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The UK looks like it’s going to make that Online Safety Bill into law. Instacart closed up, but Arm has been trending down on the markets. Could Apple really have considered getting into the stock trading game? Is the iPad finally getting a WhatsApp app? And what if you could get AI to perform better simply by giving it gentle words of encouragement.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastLinks:UK opens new chapter in digital regulation as parliament passes Online Safety Bill (TechCrunch)Instacart closes up 12% in Nasdaq debut, after first-day rally sputters (CNBC)Apple and Goldman were planning stock-trading feature for iPhones until markets turned last year (CNBC)WhatsApp appears to be about to launch its long-overdue iPad app (The Verge)Musk's Neuralink to start human trial of brain implant for paralysis patients (Reuters)Telling AI model to “take a deep breath” causes math scores to soar in study (ArsTechnica)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bunch of internal Microsoft documents have leaked, so now we know the new Xbox that is coming next year, and their full gaming roadmap which includes “convergence” by 2028. Microsoft’s Chief Product Officer looks like he might take over Alexa. Google sets Bard loose on your Gmail. And what’s new in those new OS releases from Apple.Sponsors:IPN.Ibotta.com/rideMiro.com/podcastLinks:Microsoft's Xbox plans revealed in emails tied to FTC case (NBCNews)Microsoft’s next Xbox, coming 2028, envisions hybrid computing (The Verge)Amazon Is Poised to Hire Departing Microsoft Product Chief (Bloomberg)Google’s Bard chatbot can now find answers in your Gmail, Docs, Drive (The Verge)iOS 17 is a lot of little updates that make a big impact (The Verge)watchOS 10 preview: widgets all the way down (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Google won’t support screen repairs on your watch but will extend support of Chromebooks. How Spotify and other streamers have changed the way music sounds. And the software update coming to AirPods that might change the way you listen.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastCollective.com/rideLinks:Google won’t repair cracked Pixel Watch screens (The Verge)Google Extends Lifespan of Chromebooks With 10-Year Update Policy (WSJ)How the Lazarus Group is stepping up crypto hacks and changing its tactics (Elliptic)AI Startup Writer Raises $100 Million to Pen Corporate Content (Bloomberg)Streaming Is Changing the Sound of Music (WSJ)Apple’s AirPods Pro just got much better — no matter what port is on the case (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Big fine in Europe of TikTok. Apple thinks it can fix that iPhone radiation issue with a software update. The whole Unity controversy has gotten crazy. Maybe it’s a bad idea to have AI write obituaries. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Links:TikTok fined $379M in EU for failing to keep kids’ data safe (TechCrunch)Apple moves to defuse French iPhone 12 dispute as EU scrutiny steps up (Reuters)MGM hack followed failed bid to rig slot machines, ‘Scattered Spider’ group claims (Financial Times)Video-Game Company Unity Closes Offices Following Death Threat (Bloomberg)Microsoft Publishes Garbled AI Article Calling Tragically Deceased NBA Player "Useless" (Futurism)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Startup That Lets You Instantly Talk in Foreign Language Targets a Nasdaq IPO at $1 Billion Value (Bloomberg)From $1 Billion to Almost Worthless: FaZe Clan Runs Out of Hype (Bloomberg)The Pumpkin Spice Latte just turned 20. This is how we got here. (Washington Post)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Arm’s IPO is happening as I record these words. Vegas and the casino industry in general seem to be the target of some widescale cyberattacks. Unity acknowledges people’s ire about their proposed pricing change. And the wildest new laptop design you can buy, but you’re gonna need a bigger wallet.Links:Chip giant Arm raises nearly $5 billion in year's largest IPO (Axios)Inside The Ransomware Attack That Shut Down MGM Resorts (Forbes)Caesars Entertainment Paid Millions to Hackers in Attack (Bloomberg)Judge Allows Bankrupt FTX to Sell Its Crypto Holdings, Including BTC and SOL (CoinDesk)Unity Acknowledges 'Confusion and Frustration' Among Developers But Won't Walk Back Install Fee Plan (IGN)The HP Spectre Fold is the world’s thinnest 17-inch foldable PC (The Verge)HP's $5,000 Spectre Fold might be the best flexible-screen laptop yet (Engadget)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Unity has upset game developers across the world with new pricing changes. France has ordered Apple to stop selling the iPhone 12 over radiation concerns. Lots of extra drips and drabs from yesterday’s iPhone event. And Stability AI gets into the generative music generation game.Sponsors:Shopify.com/rideLinks:Unity has introduced new fees that could have dire effects on the entire game industry, from indies to Xbox Game Pass (UPDATE) (Windows Central)Sony has launched a major PlayStation 5 system update (VGC)Apple disputes French findings, says iPhone 12 meets radiation rules (Reuters)Apple’s iPhone 15 Pro Max Pushes Up the Price (WSJ)iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max hands-on (The Verge)Adobe’s Firefly generative AI models are now generally available, get pricing plans (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

All the headlines from the iPhone event today at Apple HQ. Why is Meta blocking some basic terms on their new Threads search feature? TikTok Shop is rolling out broadly. And the US Copyright Office keeps knocking down copyright claims for AI generated Art.Sponsors:TryNom.com/rideLinks:Apple Watch Series 9 Unveiled With S9 Chip, 'Double Tap' Gesture, and More (MacRumors)Apple announces new Apple Watch Ultra 2 (9to5Mac)Apple announces iPhone 15 with USB-C, a camera upgrade, and the Dynamic Island (The Verge)Apple iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max announced with titanium bodies and an Action Button (The Verge)Thunderbolt 5 offers up to 3x the speed over Thunderbolt 4 (VideoCardz)Threads blocks searches related to covid and vaccines as cases rise (Washington Post)TikTok Popularizes Products. Can It Sell Them, Too? (NYTimes)US Copyright Office denies protection for another AI-created image (Reuters)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Instacart IPO is coming with a helluva haircut. Meta is planning a big new LLM trained on its own stuff. Some eye-watering details on how much water ChatGPT uses. If you don’t do that AI tech, that doesn’t mean someone else won’t. And what tomorrow’s iPhone event says as about Apple’s high-end strategy.Sponsors:Collective.com/rideDraftKings Sportsbook with code TECHMEME for $200 in bonus betsLinks:Instacart targets up to $9.3 bln valuation for much-awaited US IPO (Reuters)Meta Is Developing a New, More Powerful AI System as Technology Race Escalates (WSJ)Roblox’s new AI chatbot will help you build virtual worlds (The Verge)Artificial intelligence technology behind ChatGPT was built in Iowa — with a lot of water (AP)The Technology Facebook and Google Didn’t Dare Release (NYTimes)Apple Renews Qualcomm Deal in Sign Its Own Modem Chip Isn’t Ready (Bloomberg)Apple Bets on Titanium and Cameras to Nudge Buyers Toward Pricier iPhones (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You really need to update your Apple devices. Today. Here come the AI generated misinformation campaigns. Microsoft will defend you from lawsuits if you use their AI. And in the Weekend Longreads Suggestions, might AI finally give us a real life Doctor Dolittle?Sponsors:CrucibleMoments.comNutrafol.com/men promocode: ridehomeLinks:Apple discloses zero-days linked to NSO Group spyware (The Record)Ex-FTX Executive Ryan Salame Could Forfeit $1.5B as Part of Guilty Plea (CoinDesk)China turns to AI in hopes of creating viral online propaganda, Microsoft researchers say (Cyberscoop)Microsoft Says It Will Protect Customers from AI Copyright Lawsuits (Bloomberg)Exclusive: ChatGPT traffic slips again for third month in a row (Reuters)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:The Decomposition of Rotten Tomatoes (Vulture)What OpenAI Really Wants (Wired)How artificial intelligence could help us talk to animals (ScienceNewsExplores)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chrome is getting a new coat of paint. China is increasingly banning iPhones. Are drones about to have a breakthrough moment just like self-driving cars? Apple is increasingly serious about AI. And in a way, are we seeing the first major musical artist of the AI era emerging?Sponsors:Netsuite.com/rideLinks:Chrome is about to look a bit different (The Verge)China Seeks to Broaden iPhone Ban to State Firms, Agencies (Bloomberg)FAA Clears Drones for Longer Flights, Opening Door to Deliveries (Bloomberg)Apple Boosts Spending to Develop Conversational AI (The Information)Vitalik Buterin co-authors paper on regulation-friendly Tornado Cash alternative (The Block)OpenAI to Host First Developer Conference in San Francisco (Bloomberg)Ghostwriter Returns With an A.I. Travis Scott Song, and Industry Allies (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The EU has listed 22 services falling under its Digital Markets Act. Britain pulls back from an encryption law. And if that’s not enough, the Google antitrust trial begins next week so the modern antitrust era is officially here. Which cars are spying on us? Maybe all of them. Who has all the money in crypto? And the new law here in NYC that could change Airbnb forever.Sponsors:Hatch.co/rideLinks:EU Challenges Apple, Microsoft in New Push to Rein in Big Tech Dominance (Bloomberg)UK pulls back from clash with Big Tech over private messaging (Financial Times)In Its First Monopoly Trial of Modern Internet Era, U.S. Sets Sights on Google (NYTimes)There are just six bitcoin billionaires in the world, new crypto super-rich report says (CNBC)If You’ve Got a New Car, It’s a Data Privacy Nightmare (Gizmodo)The End of Airbnb in New York (Wired)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Some more controversies surrounding Elon Musk and X. China looks like it is managing its chip situation better than the US might have hoped. Is Spotify’s podcasting bet officially a failure? Is Apple’s Lionel Messi bet already a winner? And will getting rid of Books 3 only help the AI incumbents?Sponsors:DraftKings.com code techmemeKolide.com/rideLinks:Elon Musk to sue ADL for accusing him, X of antisemitism (TechCrunch)Huawei Teardown Shows Chip Breakthrough in Blow to US Sanctions (Bloomberg)Meta Reportedly Partnering With LG For 2025 Quest Pro Successor (UploadVR)Exclusive: Arm signs up big tech firms for IPO at $50 billion-$55 billion valuation (Reuters)Spotify’s $1 Billion Podcast Bet Turns Into a Serial Drama (WSJ)Messi Drives Jump in Apple TV+ and MLS Subscriptions (WSJ)The Battle Over Books3 Could Change AI Forever (Wired)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Microsoft unbundles Teams to stay ahead of EU antitrust action. But is that actually good for European consumers? Elon wants to collect your biometric data. Can AI police online smack talking in games? Lessons from the grocery delivery bubble. And, surprise, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Links:Microsoft Fends Off EU Antitrust Probe With Teams Deal (Bloomberg)Microsoft is unbundling Teams from Office in Europe to address regulator concerns (The Verge)X Plans to Collect Biometric Data, Job and School History (Bloomberg)Call of Duty enlists AI to eavesdrop on voice chat and help ban toxic players starting today (PCGamer)Bonfire of the groceries (FT)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Despite Cheating Fears, Schools Repeal ChatGPT Bans (NYTimes)A Startup in the New Jersey Suburbs Is Battling the Giants of Silicon Valley (WSJ)Where do fonts come from? This one business, mostly (The Hustle)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The FBI took down a huge botnet. OpenAI is apparently ahead of schedule in terms of making a ton of revenue. Why Samsung wants to apply AI to your refrigerator. Why OnStar is doubling down on AI. And we officially have the deets on the iPhone event scheduled for next month.Links:Qakbot botnet dismantled after infecting over 700,000 computers (BleepingComputer)UAE launches Arabic large language model in Gulf push into generative AI (FT)OpenAI Passes $1 Billion Revenue Pace as Big Companies Boost AI Spending (The Information)Samsung debuts its own 'AI-powered' smart recipe app (Engadget)GM is using Google’s AI chatbot to handle simple OnStar calls (The Verge)Apple Announces 'Wonderlust' Event Expected to Feature iPhone 15, Apple Watch Series 9 and More (MacRumors)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Google’s Cloud Next conference drops a ton of AI announces. OpenAI releases a business-oriented version of ChatGPT. The regulators have come for NFTs and now the question is, are all NFTs securities, or just the ones they just fined? And let me introduce you to Twitch’s big new competitor. But are they really eating their lunch or just a front for gambling related streaming?Sponsors:Notion.com/rideLinks:Google to Add AI Models from Meta, Anthropic to Its Cloud Platform (Bloomberg)The new Google Chat borrows from Slack, Teams, Discord, and even ChatGPT (The Verge)Google Meet’s new AI will be able to go to meetings for you (The Verge)OpenAI launches a ChatGPT plan for enterprise customers (TechCrunch)Musk, tech CEOs to attend Schumer’s AI Senate forum (The Hill)SEC takes first action against an NFT project as an unregistered security (The Verge)Twitch competitor Kick is dividing the internet's top streamers (NBCNews)Robotaxis hit the accelerator in growing list of cities nationwide (Axios)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple looks to refresh the iPad to reinvigorate sales. Huge network crash is grounding planes in the UK. Some tentative sign that the Tech IPO window might be creaking open. Do you need a 100 year domain renewal? And the Silicon Valley bigwigs who are investing big money to build a new Bay Area city from scratch.Links:Apple Bets on Revamped iPad Pro to Reignite Sluggish Tablet Sales (Bloomberg)China’s BYD to Pay $2.2B to Expand Business With Apple (The Information)UK air traffic control hit by network-wide failure (The Guardian)Klaviyo files to go public in latest sign of life for IPO market (CNBC)WordPress Announces 100-Year Domain Name Registrations (Search Engine Journal)The Silicon Valley Elite Who Want to Build a City From Scratch (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amazon has apparently held talks with Disney about maybe teaming up for a streaming ESPN partnership. Dropbox ends its unlimited storage option. Shein takes over Forever21. A product release so star-crossed, it’s being recalled after just 3 months. And, of course, The Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Links:Amazon in Talks With Disney About ESPN Streaming Partnership (The Information)Dropbox Ends Unlimited Cloud Storage Following Google Change (Bloomberg)Shein Strikes Deal With Forever 21 (WSJ)Citizen Is Suspending Sales of Its New Wear OS Smartwatch (Wired)Threads on the web widely rolling out (9to5Google)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:What Happened to Wirecutter? (The Atlantic)Michael Mann Fulfills a 30-Year Journey Directing the Operatic, Thrilling ‘Ferrari’ — And Teases ‘Heat 2’: ‘I Don’t Think About Mortality. I’m Busy’ (Variety)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nvidia gives new meaning to the words “earnings beat.” Meta announces Code Llama. TikTok might start banning links to Amazon. SpaceX wants Starlink to be viable in cities too. And turning thoughts into speech via an AI interface becomes real.Links:Nvidia tops estimates and says sales will jump 170% this quarter, driven by demand for AI chips (CNBC)Meta launches own AI code-writing tool: Code Llama (The Verge)TikTok Shop on Track to Lose More Than $500 Million in U.S. This Year (The Information)Epic offers devs 100 percent of net revenue for six months of EGS exclusivity (Engadget)SpaceX Working with Cloudflare to Speed Up Starlink Service (The Information)Brain implants give a voice to people who cannot speak (FT)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sony announces the PlayStation Portal handheld device. IBM announces an AI model to translate code from one type to another. OpenAI lets anyone fine tune. Is LinkedIn the big winner in social media right now? And what happens when you 3d printer comes alive like a zombie in the middle of the night.Sponsors:Skip the waitlist and invest in blue-chip art for the very first time by signing up for Masterworks: https://www.masterworks.art/techmeme Purchase shares in great masterpieces from artists like Pablo Picasso, Banksy, Andy Warhol, and more. See important Masterworks disclosures: https://www.masterworks.com/cdLinks:Sony’s portable PlayStation Portal launches later this year for $199.99 (The Verge)PlayStation Portal: Hands On With Sony's New Remote Play Handheld (IGN)IBM taps AI to translate COBOL code to Java (TechCrunch)OpenAI brings fine-tuning to GPT-3.5 Turbo (TechCrunch)Sorry, But LinkedIn Is Cool Now (Bloomberg)Salesforce Leads Financing of AI Startup at More Than $4 Billion Valuation (The Information)Tiger Global Nears Deal to Sell Slice of Cohere Stake at $3 Billion Valuation (The Information)3D printers printing without consent is a cautionary tale on cloud reliance (ArsTechnica)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Microsoft tries to appease His Majesty’s Regulators. The Arm IPO is a go. Why Nvidia continues to be huge even in China. A new AI translation model from Meta. I continue to wonder if Elon is tanking things on purpose. And a new social media platform built on top of X?Links:Microsoft to sell off Activision cloud gaming rights to Ubisoft in bid for UK approval (The Verge)Arm files for Nasdaq listing, as SoftBank aims to sell shares in chip designer it bought for $32 billion (CNBC)Why China remains hungry for AI chips despite US restrictions (FT)Meta releases an AI model that can transcribe and translate close to 100 languages (TechCrunch)X is planning to hide headlines from news links for ‘improved aesthetics’ (TechCrunch)Social Platform Friend.tech Gains 100K Users in Days Even in Depths of a Bear Market (CoinDesk)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More X shenanigans over the weekend. Some solid evidence that some major LLMs have in fact been trained on copyrighted material. A ton of it, in fact. As Arm prepares to IPO, who might join them, depending on how things go? Bad news for Adyen is probably bad news for Stripe. And the rise of high tech sailing ships.Sponsors:Collective.com/rideTryNom.com/rideLinks:Twitter Deletes All User Photos And Links From 2011-2014 (Forbes)REVEALED: THE AUTHORS WHOSE PIRATED BOOKS ARE POWERING GENERATIVE AI (The Atlantic)Silicon Valley start-ups revive listing plans as Arm reignites IPO market (Financial Times)Europe’s Stripe rival Adyen saw $20 billion wiped off its value in a single day. Here’s what’s going on (CNBC)UK to spend £100m in global race to produce AI chips (The Guardian)A cargo ship that harnesses wind power has set sail on its maiden journey (Quartz)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More drips and drabs Threads feature releases. Meta is readying a “Code Llama.” Throwback Friday with Uber and Lyft threatening to leave a major municipality. Our first fall hardware event is on the calendar. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:Nutrafol.com/men code ridehomeLinks:Threads gets retweets — sorry, reposts — in the reverse-chronological feed (The Verge)Meta’s Next AI Attack on OpenAI: Free Code-Generating Software (The Information)Lyft and Uber say they will leave Minneapolis if the mayor signs a minimum wage bill for drivers (CNN)Microsoft to hold ‘special event’ in New York City on September 21st (The Verge)Spotify Looked to Ban White Noise Podcasts to Become More Profitable (Bloomberg)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:A Rare Look Into the Finances of Elon Musk’s Secretive SpaceX (WSJ)How the iMac saved Apple (The Verge)A Living History of The Humble Paper Airplane (Popular Mechanics)A New Role for Werner Herzog: The Voice of A.I. Poetry (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

OpenAI makes its first acquisition. Has AI really done anything for Bing marketshare? A really cool looking new gaming handheld. The most recent tally of tech industry layoff numbers. And Eric Schmidt says he wants to pull a Sam Altman.Sponsors:Zbiotics.com/ride code rideLinks:OpenAI acquires AI design studio Global Illumination (TechCrunch)Microsoft Struggles to Gain on Google Despite Its Head Start in AI Search (WSJ)Exclusive Images: This is the Lenovo Legion Go Gaming Handheld (WindowsReport)Cyber security researchers become target of criminal hackers (FT)Tech Firms Are Slowing Layoffs But Still Not Yet Resuming Hiring (Bloomberg)Ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt to launch AI-science moonshot (Semafor)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

By the time you hear these words, I guess I’ll be a blue subscriber cause I’m locked out of Tweetdeck otherwise. Coinbase gets regulatory approval from one agency, while another is suing them. Generative AI in Google search, while Google DeepMind is contemplating doing it for everything. And I guess we’ve entered the true first self-driving car test phase. Hold on to your hats.Sponsors:Shopify.com/rideMindbloom.com/techmeme code techmemeLinks:TweetDeck is officially becoming a paid service (The Verge)Elon Musk’s X is throttling traffic to websites he dislikes (The Washington Post)Coinbase obtains regulatory approval to offer crypto futures trading to eligible clients (The Block)Google’s AI search experience adds AI-powered summaries, definitions and coding improvements (TechCrunch)Google Tests an A.I. Assistant That Offers Life Advice (NYTimes)Robotaxis are driving on thin ice (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Very interesting executive departure at Amazon. A popular Mac service is gonna launch an alternative iOS app store. Now nation states are trying to stockpile Nvidia chips, not just tech companies. And what is the maximum capacity of your iPhone’s battery, and should you check on it?Links:Amazon’s Leader on Alexa, Echo and Other Devices Plans to Leave (WSJ)Scoop: X shuts down $100M promoted accounts ad business (Axios)Setapp plans to launch EU-only alternative iOS App Store (Apple Insider)Saudi Arabia and UAE race to buy Nvidia chips to power AI ambitions (FT)Linear TV Falls Below 50 Percent of Viewing for First Time (The Hollywood Reporter)iPhone 14 Pro users complain of major drops in battery health and capacity after less than a year (9to5Mac)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple is planning a huge revamp for the Apple Watch in honor of it’s 10th birthday. Amazon is using generative AI to summarize product reviews. It’s finally official. Paying for all the big streaming services is now more expensive than just paying for cable. And if that self driving car is rocking, maybe don’t go a-knocking.Sponsors:Hillsdale.edu/rideLinks:Apple Plans Major ‘Watch X’ Overhaul for Device’s 10-Year Anniversary (Bloomberg)Amazon taps generative AI to enhance product reviews (TechCrunch)Google-backed Anthropic raises $100 mln from South Korea's SK Telecom (Reuters)Hollywood calls time on golden era of cheap streaming (FT)Could a True Streaming Bundle Be Upon Us? (Vulture)San Franciscans Are Having Sex in Robotaxis, and Nobody Is Talking About It (The San Francisco Standard)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A major regulatory breakthrough is going to open the floodgates for self-driving taxis in California. Two different stories about dealing with the China restrictions, including one US company that is directly benefiting, and Meta’s AR ambitions, which are not. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Links:Robotaxis score a huge victory in California with approval to operate 24/7 (The Verge)Skydio closing consumer drone business (TechCrunch)Behind Meta’s ‘Made in USA’ AR Glasses: a Military-Grade Material (The Information)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Where have all the fitness bands gone? (The Verge)4 Actual Use Cases for Blockchain and AI That Are More Than Just Hype (CoinDesk)The Looming Catalog Crisis (Vulture)Paul F. Tompkins Is Getting Back Into It (Vulture)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Oh why not? Disney+ is raising prices too. A new executive order targeting Chinese tech. New features in Threads, but not the ones they need. Are the robot card shufflers in Vegas easily hackable? And we did the Flip. Now the Galaxy Z Fold 5 review.Links:Prices of Disney+, Hulu Premium Plans to Get Jacked Up but New Duo Bundle Will Offer Deep Discount (Variety)Biden Restricts U.S. Investment in China (WSJ)You can now verify your Threads profile on Mastodon (The Verge)Apple Can Keep App Store Rules for Now as Top Court Spurns Epic (Bloomberg)Hackers Rig Casino Card-Shuffling Machines for ‘Full Control’ Cheating (Wired)Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 review: a little better is just good enough (The Verge)Messina joins Ride Home Fund’s new $15M AI vehicle, backed by Andreessen, Dixon, Crowley (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Slack announces its biggest ever redesign. Sony signals that the smartphone recession is real and is not getting better anytime soon. Is WeWork circling the drain? Why a Gizmodo editor is suing Apple over Tetris. And guess what? The bots are better at solving CAPTCHAs than you are. Something something, Turing Test.Sponsors:Zbiotics.com/ride and code ride for 15% offLinks:Slack’s biggest redesign ever tries to tame the chaos of your workday (The Verge)Netflix launches a game controller app for playing games on your TV (TechCrunch)Sony Expects Smartphone Rebound Only in 2024 After China Fizzles (Bloomberg)WeWork Tumbles After Raising ‘Substantial Doubt’ About Future (Bloomberg)Apple's 'Tetris' movie ripped off tech writer's book, lawsuit says (Reuters)New ‘Downfall’ Flaw Exposes Valuable Data in Generations of Intel Chips (Wired)Bots are better than humans at cracking ‘Are you a robot?’ Captcha tests, study finds (The Independent)Podcast fantasy league: https://fantasy.premierleague.com/leagues/auto-join/9jpcofSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hackers accessed the UK Electoral Commission, so how worried should we be? Apple, Samsung and others can’t wait to buy Arm stock. OpenAI explains how its bot is crawling the web. More details on the new M3 chips Apple is testing. And Apple Music finally edges closer to the one thing Spotify still does so much better.Sponsors:Notion.com/rideLinks:Millions of UK voters’ data accessible in cyber-attack, says Electoral Commission (The Guardian)Apple, Samsung to invest in Arm as it eyes September IPO (NikkeiAsia)OpenAI Launches GPTBot With Details On How To Restrict Access (SearchEngineJournal)Zoom can now train its A.I. using some customer data, according to updated terms (CNBC)Even Zoom Is Making People Return to the Office (NYTimes)Apple Tests M3 Max Chip, Setting Stage for Most Powerful MacBook Pro Yet (Bloomberg)Apple Music debuts new algorithmic Discovery Station radio (AppleInsider)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In earnings last week, Apple was forced to admit softness in iPhone sales. But the big question is, will the iPhone 15 be enough to turn things around? A stablecoin from PayPal. What the world being flooded with cheap AI-produced content already means in the real world. And a review of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5.Sponsors:Kolide.com/rideCollective.com/rideLinks:Apple Admits There Is a Smartphone Slowdown Ahead of iPhone 15 Debut (Bloomberg)PayPal Launches a Stablecoin in Latest Crypto Payments Push (Bloomberg)New acoustic attack steals data from keystrokes with 95% accuracy (BleepingComputer)A New Frontier for Travel Scammers: A.I.-Generated Guidebooks (NyTimes)Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 review: the flip phone we’ve been waiting for (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Check out more about the Ride Home AI Fund at RideHomeFund.com.And subscribe to the Big Technology Podcast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple and Amazon earnings make me wonder if the law of large numbers is dead. Coinbase is willing to argue over what the definition of is is. Threads continues its precipitous decline. The Weekend Longreads Suggestions. And be sure to listen to the end of the show for some big, big show news. Biggest news in a while. Among other things, why haven’t there been bonus episodes for a while? Where has Chris been? Listen to the end! All will be revealed.Links:Apple reports third quarter results (BusinessWire)Amazon.com Announces Second Quarter Results (BusinessWire)Coinbase argues it doesn’t trade securities, so the SEC’s lawsuit should be dismissed (The Verge)Bitcoin launderer pleads guilty, admits to massive Bitfinex hack (CNBC)Threads user count falls to new lows, highlighting retention challenges (CNN)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:The Chip Titan Whose Life’s Work Is at the Center of a Tech Cold War (NYTimes)When AI Is Trained on AI-Generated Data, Strange Things Start to Happen (Futurism)How “windfall profits” from AI companies could fund a universal basic income (Vox)How Modelo became America’s new favorite beer (Vox)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Two stories today of startups who flew high during the pandemic, but have crashed down to earth in meaningful ways. NFT trading volumes might be sinking, but developers continue to flood into the space. And does Goldman Sachs want out of the whole Apple Card partnership?Links:Johnny Boufarhat steps down as CEO of Hopin (Sifted)‘A Nice Bike, When It Works’: Riders Fret After E-Bike Maker Goes Bust (NYTimes)IRS expects faster refunds in 2024 for people who stop using paper (Washington Post)NFT Trading Volume Is Sinking, But It’s Not Stopping Developers From Entering Web3 (Coindesk)Kenya suspends Worldcoin's crypto project over safety concerns (Reuters)Why are people lining up for Worldcoin eyeball scans? “Easy $50” (Rest of World)How the Partnership Between Apple and Goldman Sachs Soured (The Information)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Seems like I’ll have to be paying up for an X Blue subscription any day now. Meta releases a new AI music generator. We might actually be getting a big tech IPO in a matter of weeks. Amazon is readying an aggressive new push into groceries. And what happens when an online creator replaces themselves with an AI bot?Links:X, formerly Twitter, now lets paid users hide their checkmarks (TechCrunch)TweetDeck is now called ‘XPro’ (9to5Google)Meta’s AI music generator could be the new synthesizer — or just muzak (The Verge)SoftBank’s Arm Targets $60 Billion Value in September IPO (Bloomberg)Microsoft Teams adds spatial audio for more immersive conference calls (The Verge)Amazon Unveils Biggest Grocery Overhaul Since Buying Whole Foods (Bloomberg)One of Gaming’s Biggest YouTubers Wants to Replace Himself With AI (Wired)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Uber reports meaningful, not gimmicky profitability for the first time ever. Meta’s gonna give you AI chatbots with personality. Google is overhauling Assistant with AI stuff. Even Pierson is getting ahead of the whole, let AI tutor you on stuff, stuff. Nintendo is probably giving us a new console next year. And the prisoner’s dilemma that is fueling quantum computing development, but heck, let’s be honest, fueling AI development as well.Links:Uber Delivers First-Ever Operating Profit in Drive to Curb Losses (WSJ)Meta prepares chatbots with personas to try to retain users (FT)Scoop: Google Assistant to get an AI makeover (Axios)Amazon wants Alexa to bring AI into the home (Axios)Pearson Offers New AI Study Tools in Time for Back-to-School (Bloomberg)Sources: Nintendo targets 2024 with next-gen console (VCG)Quantum Tech Will Transform National Security. It’s Testing U.S. Alliances Now. (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Brian Armstrong strongly hints that US regulators believe only Bitcoin is legal. A deep dive into what we can expect from this year’s iPhones. Is the US crackdown on tech to China having a real impact? And the artist that tried to take his art out of Stable Diffusion, only to have the community pull him back in.Sponsors:TryNom.com/rideCalderaLab.com code ride for 20% offLinks:SEC asked Coinbase to halt trading in everything except bitcoin, CEO says (FT)The iPhone 15 Pro Will Have Thinner Bezels in Step Toward Apple’s Dream (Bloomberg)U.S. Hunts Chinese Malware That Could Disrupt American Military Operations (NYTimes)China’s Tech Distress Grows as U.S. Chip Sanctions Bite (WSJ)An Internet Veteran’s Guide to Not Being Scared of Technology (NYTimes)Greg Rutkowski Was Removed From Stable Diffusion, But AI Artists Brought Him Back (Decrypt)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The whole Threads saga has been a whirlwind. At the beginning of the month I asked if Threads had already won. At the end of the month, I’m wondering if the clock is ticking in terms of their chances of survival. Generative AI but for robots. Again. Real robots. Are VCs pulling back from the crypto space? And, of course, the Weekend Longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Nutrafol.com/men code ridehomeCrashplan.com code techmemeLinks:Meta plans retention 'hooks' for Threads as more than half of users leave app (Reuters)Aided by A.I. Language Models, Google’s Robots Are Getting Smart (NYTimes)App Store to require developers to describe why their apps use certain APIs (9to5Mac)Sequoia Capital Slashes Crypto Fund as It Downsizes Amid Startup Crunch (WSJ)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Large language models, explained with a minimum of math and jargon (UnderstandingAI.org)The making of ‘Acquired,’ the No. 1 tech podcast sensation (Fast Company)Internet cafes introduced Uganda to the internet (Rest of World)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meta’s earnings say, hey, let’s just forget the last two years even happened. Is the next iPhone about to get an “action” button? What does it mean if Waymo is basically hitting pause on self driving trucks? Checking in on SBF. And a super fast new version of 5G.Sponsors:Crashplan.com code techmemeLinks:Meta’s Improved Ad Sales Buy Time for Zuckerberg’s Metaverse (Bloomberg)Microsoft Faces European Antitrust Investigation Over Bundling of Teams Software (WSJ)iPhone 15 Pro Action Button Options Potentially Revealed in iOS 17 Code: Flashlight, Shortcuts, Voice Memos, and More (MacRumors)Alphabet’s Waymo Self-Driving Unit Slows Autonomous Trucking (Bloomberg)Sony has sold 40 million PS5s (The Verge)Prosecutors want Sam Bankman-Fried sent to jail after witness-tampering allegations. Judge issues gag order (CNN)T-Mobile says its ultrafast 5G capable of up to 3.3Gbps is rolling out now (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

All the headlines from the big Galaxy Unpacked event today. This was the foldable event, but there were interesting watch announces too. Quick earnings roundup. Threads gets a follower tab. And the group that wants to battle Apple and Google in maps dominance has released their first product.Sponsors:Crashplan.com code techmemeMindbloom.com/techmeme and promocode techmemeLinks:The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 gets a big little screen upgrade (The Verge)Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 hands-on: Is Samsung squandering its head start? (Engadget)The Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 series is all about the bezels (The Verge)Meta’s Threads app is rolling out a Following feed (TechCrunch)OpenAI Quietly Shuts Down Its AI Detection Tool (Decrypt)Meta, Microsoft and Amazon team up on maps project to crack Apple-Google duopoly (CNBC)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Big potential vulnerability in AMD chips. Fallout from the whole X re-branding continues. Now TikTok is cloning Twitter. The Arc Browser is now available for anyone to try out. And if you think Elon likes to have his hand in a lot of pies, a look at the increasing, and increasingly ambitious portfolio of Sam Altman-related companies.Links:AMD 'Zenbleed' Bug Leaks Data From Ryzen, EPYC CPUs: Most Patches Coming Q4 (Updated) (TomsHardware)Musk Explains Why He’s Axing Twitter Name, Iconic Bird Logo (Bloomberg)TikTok is adding support for text posts (TechCrunch)The excellent Arc browser is now available for anyone to download (The Verge)Spotify now has 220 million paying subscribers (The Verge)Sam Altman’s vision for AI puts him on collision course with regulators (Financial Times)Sam Altman explains why he’s helping to take nuclear microreactor company Oklo public via SPAC (CNBC)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Elon makes good on his promise to rebrand Twitter as… X. Moar price hikes in streaming! Worldcoin has officially rolled out its token, so long as you’ve scanned your eyeball. Let me introduce you to the Flipper Zero. And should it be titled: Hollywood Strike: Rise Of The TikTok Stars?Sponsors:Collective.com/ridestartups.tech/techmemeLinks:Twitter is being rebranded as X (The Verge)Twitter has officially changed its logo to ‘X’ (TechCrunch)It’s Spotify’s turn to increase prices (The Verge)Peer-to-Peer Crypto Exchanges Lose Ground in Shrunken Market (Bloomberg)Sam Altman’s Worldcoin crypto project begins international rollout (FT)The Flipper Zero is a Swiss Army knife of antennas (The Verge)The Flipper Zero has an app store now (The Verge)The creator economy was already exploding. Then Hollywood went on strike. (Washington Post)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Reddit is choosing violence with their biggest holdouts. More data on the ebbing of Threads usage. AI seems to be bringing Sergey Brin back into the office. Why you should be getting your paycheck quicker. And an Oppenheimer-themed Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:ZBiotics.com/ride and code ride for 15% offLinks:Reddit takes over one of the biggest protesting subreddits (The Verge)Threads Is Already Losing Its Allure for Users, Adding Urgency for New Features (WSJ)Meta, Google, and OpenAI promise the White House they’ll develop AI responsibly (The Verge)The Federal Reserve’s 24/7 payment system could deposit your paycheck instantly (The Verge)Sergey Brin Is Back in the Trenches at Google (WSJ)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:A $25,000 Prize Still Sits in the Maine Woods. Meteorite Hunters Aren’t Giving Up. (WSJ)Fable unveils Showrunner AI to create South Park-like TV shows with you as the star (VentureBeat)The Airstocracy: Six things to know about flying with the superrich. (NYMag)THE REAL LESSON FROM THE MAKING OF THE ATOMIC BOMB (The Atlantic)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rumors that Apple already has an LLM framework and their own generative chatbot. Google is shopping an AI bot that can write news stories to various journalism outlets. Has GPT-4 actually gotten dumber of late? More streaming price raises. And it’s the last chance saloon for Microsoft’s AR headset for the US Military.Sponsors:BirdDogs.com/ridenotion.com/rideLinks:Apple Tests ‘Apple GPT,’ Develops Generative AI Tools to Catch OpenAI (Bloomberg)Google Tests A.I. Tool That Is Able to Write News Articles (NYTimes)Study claims ChatGPT is losing capability, but some experts aren’t convinced (ArsTechnica)Meta open-sources Llama 2, but with strings attached (MoneyControl)Apple slams UK surveillance-bill proposals (BBC News)Google raising price of YouTube Premium to $13.99 per month (9to5Google)Microsoft Poised to Deliver Improved Combat Goggles, US Army Says (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Microsoft announced aggressive pricing for their AI products and got rewarded with an all-time high stock market valuation. More price aggression in the streaming wars. Meta released Llama 2. Google is asking for employees to voluntarily work on air gapped machines. And let me introduce you to the concept of “synthetic data” for LLMs.Links:Microsoft and Activision Blizzard extend merger agreement to October (The Verge)Microsoft will charge businesses $30 per user for its 365 AI Copilot (Engadget)Microsoft closes at record after revealing pricing for new A.I. subscription (CNBC)Netflix Shakes Up Pricing: ‘Basic’ Tier Axed in UK, US (Cord Busters)Meta launches Llama 2, an open source AI model that allows commercial applications (Ars Technica)Google restricting internet access to some employees to reduce cyberattack risk (CNBC)Why computer-made data is being used to train AI models (FT)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s been… two weeks. Let’s check in on how Threads is doing. Streaming players continue to raise prices. Microsoft still plans on fighting for its prize. Are the incumbents winning the AI race? And the interesting startup that wants to use light instead of electricity in computer chips.Sponsors:Notion.com/rideLinks:The spam bots have now found Threads, as company announces its own ‘rate limits’ (TechCrunch)Five reasons Threads could still go the distance (Platformer)Peacock to raise its subscription prices on August 17 (TechCrunch)Microsoft-Activision Deal Poised to Close Later Than Planned (Bloomberg)Wix’s new tool can create entire websites from prompts (TechCrunch)UK chip designer raises millions from Agnelli fund (FT)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sony and Microsoft have made nice. Bitcoin ETFs continue to look like a possibility. How the Vision Pro is shaking up Apple’s org structure in a meaningful way for the first time since the Steve Jobs Era. And why Netflix’s recent turnaround have rekindled those perpetual rumors that Apple is gonna end up buying Disney some day.Sponsors:CalderaLab.com code RIDE for 20% offHillsdale.edu/rideLinks:Sony agrees to 10-year Call of Duty deal with Microsoft (The Verge)SEC accepts BlackRock’s Bitcoin ETF application, signaling regulatory review (CoinTelegraph)The shady world of Brave selling copyrighted data for AI training (StackDiary)Hacker News Thread On The Brave ThingTypo leaks millions of US military emails to Mali web operator (Financial Times)Apple’s New Vision Group Reflects Shift Away From Steve Jobs Approach (Bloomberg)Bob Iger Shifts From Building an Empire to a Disney Yard Sale (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Elon has made good on his promise to share ad revenue with some big Tweeters. The fact that you can’t use Threads in Europe continues to be weird. Meta unveils a new AI image generator that they say is significantly smaller and better. Why AI is at the center of the Hollywood strike part eleven. And one choice Weekend Longreads Suggestion.Links:Twitter starts sharing ad revenue with verified creators (TechCrunch)Musk's Twitter sues four Texas entities for data scraping, seeks damages (Reuters)Meta confirms it is blocking EU-based users from accessing Threads via VPN (TechCrunch)Meta claims its new art-generating model is best-in-class (TechCrunch)Exclusive: AP strikes news-sharing and tech deal with OpenAI (Axios)Actors say Hollywood studios want their AI replicas — for free, forever (The Verge)Here’s the new default font for Microsoft Outlook and Word: Aptos (CNBC)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Apple, Lionel Messi and the $2.5bn question: What’s next? (The Athletic)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Elon has launched his own AI company with some pretty big names involved. The FTC will appeal! Roblox is coming to Zuckerberg’s metaverse. Meta does plan to commercialize LLaMA. And a cool new “do a napkin sketch and have AI turn it into an actual work of art” tool.Links:Musk Unveils xAI in New Bid to Rival Startup OpenAI (Bloomberg)FTC appeals its loss to Microsoft in Activision Blizzard case (The Verge)Ex-Celsius CEO Mashinsky Charged in Latest DOJ Crypto Case (Bloomberg)Roblox is coming to Meta’s Quest VR headsets (The Verge)macOS Sonoma Brings Apple Password Manager to Third-Party Browsers (MacRumors)Meta to release commercial AI model in effort to catch rivals (FT)Stability AI releases Stable Doodle, a sketch-to-image tool (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A big win for Microsoft leads critics of FTC chair Lina Khan to come out of the woodwork. Anthropic has released its Claude 2 chatbot. Say hello to the Nothing Phone (2). And while the market caps of the big players might have been boosted by AI, might the need for on premises AI lead to a unique opening for the likes of Dell and Hewlett Packard Enterprise?Links:Microsoft-Activision deal moves closer as judge denies FTC injunction request (CNBC)Microsoft and UK regulators agree to pause their Activision battle to negotiate (The Verge)FTC would face tough appeal of Microsoft-Activision order, experts say (Reuters)F.T.C.’s Court Loss Raises Fresh Questions About Its Chair’s Strategy (NYTimes)AI Startup Anthropic Releases a New Version of Its ChatGPT Rival, Claude (Bloomberg)Why SUSE is forking Red Hat Enterprise Linux (TechCrunch)Bigger, Brighter, More Expensive: Nothing Reveals the Phone (2) (Gizmodo)The AI Boom Is Here. The Cloud May Not Be Ready. (WSJ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Could Massachusetts pass the first meaningful anti-tracking law in the country? With social media in transition, what’s the lane for someone like Tumblr? Instagram is going after Twitter, but is someone coming for Instagram at the exact same time? And the sad state of affairs for video game history.Sponsors:https://www.birddogs.com/RIDESwissAmerica.com/rideLinks:Selling Your Cellphone Location Data Might Soon Be Banned in U.S. for First Time (WSJ)Tumblr says it’s going to ‘fix’ its ‘core experience’ to appeal to new users (The Verge)HCA Healthcare patient data stolen and for sale by hackers (CNBC)A New VC-Beloved Startup Rips a Page From Meta’s Playbook (The Information)THE GAME AVAILABILITY STUDY, EXPLAINED (Video Game History Foundation)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Time to get worried about your Evernote files. Looks like Meta won’t have to leave the EU. OpenAI has a new product that people are raving about. More analysis of if AI can be useful to doctors. And I’ll tell you the one simple reason Threads has hit 100 million users so fast. The answer is right in front of us.Sponsors:startups.tech/techmemeZocDoc.com/techmemeLinks:Bay Area tech company Evernote lays off most staff, relocating to Europe (SFGate)EU Seals New Transatlantic Data-Transfer Pact With US in Third Attempt (Bloomberg)Code Interpreter comes to all ChatGPT Plus users — ‘anyone can be a data analyst now’ (VentureBeat)Sarah Silverman is suing OpenAI and Meta for copyright infringement (The Verge)In Battle With Microsoft, Google Bets on Medical AI Program to Crack Healthcare Industry (WSJ)Snap’s Push to Tempt Creators Seems to Be Working (WSJ)Instagram’s Threads app reaches 100 million users within just five days (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s been my job for over a decade now to analyze the competitive landscape of the tech industry, and I’ve simply never seen anything like what Threads has achieved in less than 48 hours. Though, Elon is threatening to sue. Uber, DoorDash and GrubHub are suing NYC. Volkswagen is rolling out its self-driving cars. And, of course, The Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:Earnin App (type in Techmeme under PODCAST when you sign up)Links:Threads Becomes Most Rapidly Downloaded App, Raising Twitter’s Ire (NYTimes)Zuck's Threads halo (Axios)Twitter is threatening to sue Meta over Threads (Semafor)OpenAI makes GPT-4 generally available (TechCrunch)Food-Delivery Companies Sue New York City Over Minimum Pay Law (NYTimes)Volkswagen's Self-Driving Cars Begin Testing In Texas (Jalopnik)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:What Did People Do Before Smartphones? (The Atlantic)The Man Who Broke Bowling (GQ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There’s only one story today. Threads. Threads. Threads. Has Threads already won?Links:Meta launches Instagram Threads in a direct challenge to Twitter (CNBC)Threads profile can only be deleted by deleting Instagram account, Meta says (TechCrunch)Instagram Threads works, but it’s sterile, dull and worst of all – it’s still run by Mark Zuckerberg (iNews)Meta unspools Threads (Platformer)So where are we all supposed to go now? (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chaos at Twitter emphatically did NOT take the 4th of July weekend off. Instagram’s Twitter clone looks like it’s going to take advantage of this chaos to launch now. The Reddit app apocalypse has happened. Oh, and the mods for Reddit AMA’s have downed tools. And how drone technology is disrupting the traditional Fireworks industry.Sponsors:Kolide.com/rideNotion.com/rideLinks:Instagram’s Twitter competitor, Threads, briefly went live on the web (The Verge)The Reddit app-pocalyse is here: Apollo, Sync, and BaconReader go dark (The Verge)The Reddit moderators who coordinate many celebrity AMAs will no longer do so (The Verge)Fireworks Have a New Competitor: Drones (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Originally published April 2015It’s part two of our Amazon founding story. How did Amazon come to completely dominate e-commerce? How did Jeff Bezos’ “Get Big Fast” strategy evolve? How and why did Amazon become the quintessential “dot com” and dot-com-era stock? The answers are within. Bibliography: The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon The Playboy Interview: Moguls Amazon.com: Get Big Fast One Click: Jeff Bezos and the Rise of Amazon.com http://jimromenesko.com/2013/08/11/i-interviewed-jeff-bezos-when-amazon-was-an-insignificant-speck-in-the-book-selling-universe/#more-49306 http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/7.03/bezos_pr.html http://www.fastcompany.com/50541/inside-mind-jeff-bezos http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB832204437381952500 http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303339904576405922077032468 http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?p=irol-corporateTimeline_pf&c=176060 http://content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,992927-2,00.html http://www.vox.com/2015/1/4/7490013/ecommerce-shopping-mall http://mashable.com/2014/05/08/amazon-sales-chart/ http://www.statista.com/statistics/185283/total-and-e-commerce-us-retail-trade-sales-since-2000/ http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-01-07/amazon-surges-to-record-high-on-global-e-commerce-growth http://www.thewire.com/business/2014/05/amazon-has-basically-no-competition-among-online-booksellers/371917/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Originally published February 2015.Finally, the long-promised foray into e-commerce, starting with… not the first… but practically the first… player in the space… and ironically enough, the 800 pound gorilla in the space to this day. Amazon. Dot com. We examine Jeff Bezos, the man. We consider Amazon, the idea. We look at e-commerce, the concept. It’s interesting. It’s groundbreaking. It’s available with free 2-day shipping for Prime members. Just kidding.Bibliography: The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon The Playboy Interview: Moguls Amazon.com: Get Big Fast One Click: Jeff Bezos and the Rise of Amazon.com http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/7.03/bezos_pr.html http://archive.fortune.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1999/01/11/253770/index.htm http://partners.nytimes.com/library/tech/99/03/biztech/articles/14amazon.html http://www.retireat21.com/blog/10-companies-started-garages http://davidsheff.com/article/jeff-bezos/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Second time the charm for Apple to close above $3 trillion? Google says it will remove news links in Canada. Meta will allow you to download apps directly from Ads. Self driving cars are giving cops more surveillance tape. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Links:Apple’s market cap tops $3 trillion (CNBC)Canada’s ‘link tax’ law could break how the web works, says Google (Android Police)Meta is planning to let people in the EU download apps through Facebook (The Verge)Fidelity Joins Spot-Bitcoin ETF Race With Fresh SEC Filing (Bloomberg)Police Are Requesting Self-Driving Car Footage For Video Evidence (Bloomberg)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:When Will AI Generate a Hollywood Blockbuster? “Give It About Three Years.” (Inverse)These Tech Companies Think They Can ‘Solve’ the Wildfire Crisis (Motherboard)Who killed Google Reader? (The Verge)Mixtape Sites Like DatPiff Propelled Rap. Can They Be Preserved? (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Satya Nadella had his day in court. Looks like the FTC is finalizing its big case against Amazon. YouTube has advertisers asking for refunds. Big new interesting raises in the AI space. And ahead of the Fourth of July travel weekend, we may not have the autonomous driving we want, but maybe we can get the autonomous rental car delivery we deserve.Links:Microsoft and Activision Chiefs Testify Merger Will Benefit Consumers (NYTimes)Lina Khan Is Coming for Amazon, Armed With an FTC Antitrust Suit (Bloomberg)Advertising industry seeks refunds over YouTube skippable ads (FT)ChatGPT maker OpenAI faces a lawsuit over how it used people’s data (Washington Post)Inflection AI Raises $1 Billion (Forbes)Halo Car launches remotely piloted rental car deliveries in Las Vegas (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Even in bankruptcy, even FTX is like, maybe we’ll hold on to these AI investments. Could Windows itself become a fully cloud product? Has Google canceled its AR project? How AI is making even Billy Bean look like old school baseball. And who needs a Mac Pro when you’ve got a perfectly good Mac Studio or even Mac Book?Links:FTX Halts Sale of Its $500 Million Stake in AI Startup Anthropic (Bloomberg)AI Frenzy Draws Hordes to Private Markets in Industry Gold Rush (Bloomberg)Microsoft wants to move Windows fully to the cloud (The Verge)Google killed its Iris augmented-reality smart glasses as it shifts attention to building AR software (Insider)DoorDash launches hourly rates and location sharing for couriers (The Verge)Baseball Scouts Call In Artificial Intelligence Help From the Bullpen (WSJ)The Mac Pro’s biggest problem is the MacBook (The Verge)Eat Your Heart Out, Tesla. Mercedes-Benz May Have the Fastest EV Yet. (Barron's)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Checking in with the FTC vs. Microsoft case. Checking in with the effort to recover funds from FTX. What if OpenAI did its own Copilot? Would Microsoft be pissed? And reviews of the Pixel Fold include one reviewer’s unit dying after a mere few days.Sponsors:stpp.co/techmemeZocDoc.com/techmemeLinks:Microsoft exec was ready to ‘go spend Sony out of business’ to strengthen Xbox (The Verge)FTX Bankruptcy Team Says the Exchange Owed Customers $8.7B (CoinDesk)Thomson Reuters buys Casetext, an AI legal tech startup, for $650M in cash (TechCrunch)OpenAI Plans ChatGPT ‘Personal Assistant for Work,’ Setting Up Microsoft Rivalry (The Information)RIP to my Pixel Fold: Dead after four days (ArsTechnica)Google Pixel Fold review: closing the gap (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Well, this AI moment is only about 6 months old, but it looks like the mergers and acquisitions are beginning in earnest. Wait, we’re still worried about 5G interfering with airplanes? Amazon wants your local florist to deliver your packages. An Amazon/FTC kerfuffle we missed. And what are the OTHER Apple products we can expect in the next year or so?Sponsors:JoinDeleteMe.com/techmemeThe Traceroute PodcastLinks:Databricks Strikes $1.3 Billion Deal for Generative AI Startup MosaicML (WSJ)Pete Buttigieg Warns of Flight Delays as 5G Deadline Looms (WSJ)Exclusive: Amazon launches local business delivery network (Axios)FTC sues Amazon over ‘deceptive’ Prime sign-up and cancellation process (CNBC)Amazon, Friction, and the FTC (Stratechery)Apple Has Finally Unveiled the Vision Pro. Here’s What It’s Launching Next (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Find out more at ThePlayerslounge.ioSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Are Canadians about to lose their access to news on Instagram and maybe Google too? More details about what that Apple headset will actually be like to use. The newest claimant to the supercomputer crown is about to come online. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:Grammarly.com/goCollective.comLinks:Meta says it's blocking news on Facebook, Instagram after government passes online news bill (National Post)Apple Vision Pro has a speed limit, Travel Mode required for use on flights (9to5Mac)The Aurora Supercomputer Is Installed (AnandTech)Randomly received a smartwatch? Don’t turn it on, investigators warn. (ArmyTimes)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Dolby Atmos Wants You to Listen Up. (And Down. And Sideways.) (NYTimes)The hottest new perk in tech is freedom (Vox)This Bay Area woman is on a crusade to prove Yelp reviews can’t be trusted (SFGate)Meet the Vocal Coach Who’s Helping Timothée Chalamet Sound Like Bob Dylan (GQ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Well, I guess Elon and Zuck are gonna fight? Literally? New Stability AI. Xbox prices are going up. The visionOS SDK is out. A Motorola Razr Plus review. And why celebrities are racing to duplicate themselves using AI.Sponsors:JoinDeleteMe.com/techmemeGrammarly.com/goLinks:Mark Zuckerberg is ready to fight Elon Musk in a cage match (The Verge)Startup Stability Debuts a New AI Model For Stable Diffusion (Bloomberg)Microsoft is hiking the price of Xbox Series X and Xbox Game Pass (The Verge)Apple releases visionOS SDK for creating Vision Pro apps, dev kit applications opening soon (9to5Mac)Motorola Razr Plus review: the right moves (The Verge)Celebrities Use AI to Take Control of Their Own Images (WSJ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dropbox joins the AI bandwagon. Lots of news from Twitch. Netflix changes how it calculates its top 10. Mark your calendars for Prime Day. And what all the things Apple DIDN’T demo for their new headset might reveal about the directions in which the product could evolve.Sponsors:Grammarly.com/goNewtonX.com/techmemeLinks:Dropbox’s AI tools can help you find your stuff — from everywhere on the internet (The Verge)Twitch will require new labels for streams with sexual themes, gambling and M-rated games (TechCrunch)Netflix Tweaks Its Top 10 Rankings, Adds View Count (THR)Amazon will hold Prime Day 2023 on July 11-12, adding invite-only deals and ‘Buy with Prime’ sites (GeekWire)What Apple Didn’t Reveal About the Vision Pro (The Information)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Spotify is thinking of bucking the “max” and “ultra” naming convention and might introduce “supremium.” What if FTX, the exchange, makes a comeback? One of the hottest sectors in VC right now is defense. And the story of how Meta is playing catchup when it comes to AI.Sponsors:Grammarly.com/gogo.tech/tmLinks:Spotify Plans New Premium Tier, Expected to Include HiFi Audio (Bloomberg)FTX paid over $120 million in advisor fees between February 1 and April 30 (The Block)Masayoshi Son Ends Seven-Month Silence to Make Case for SoftBank’s Future (Bloomberg)Silicon Valley VCs rush into defence technology start-ups (FT)Mark Zuckerberg Was Early in AI. Now Meta Is Trying to Catch Up. (WSJ)When AI Overrules the Nurses Caring for You (WSJ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

No joke, this is one of my favorite episodes we've ever done. Eugene Wei was an early employee at Hulu, so we get some details on that company for the first time, and he also worked at Flipboard and Oculus, so we get some important context especially on the future of VR and the like. But the most fascinating stories you'll hear will be about Amazon, where Eugene was the first analyst in the strategic planning department. As you'll hear, Eugene had a unique perspective on Amazon's early strategy and business structure, almost a historically unique perspective... he could see month to month, how Amazon was built, what Amazon was trying to do, and why. This is such an amazing perspective on such an important company.Sponsors:Grammarly.com/goHillsdale.edu/rideSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Google does it again. For like the 10th time just since I’ve been doing this podcast. What is “it?” You’ll hear in a second. The whole Reddit thing is simultaneously seeming to calm down, AND heat up, largely thanks to Reddit’s CEO. Will we finally get a bitcoin ETF this time? And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:TryNom.com/rideCrashPlan.comLinks:Alphabet Selling Google Domains Assets to Squarespace (Bloomberg)Reddit says it won’t force subreddits back open (but will it?) (The Verge)Reddit CEO slams protest leaders, saying he'll change rules that favor ‘landed gentry’ (NCBNews)AI and media companies negotiate landmark deals over news content (Financial Times)BlackRock files for bitcoin ETF in push into crypto (Reuters)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Microsoft’s Sudden AI Dominance Is Scrambling Silicon Valley’s Power Structure (Bloomberg Businessweek)How Nvidia Became ChatGPT’s Brain and Joined the $1 Trillion Club (Bloomberg Businessweek)How MrBeast Became the Willy Wonka of YouTube (NYTimes Magazine)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The every platform can be an ad platform too march continues. This time, it’s Uber. Intel drops the “I.” Google lens can check your skin condition. Another breakthrough in quantum computing. And why Apple bringing back the answering machine is a feature lots of folks, including me, are actually happy about.Sponsors:CrashPlan.comLinks:Video Ads Are Coming to All Your Uber Apps (The Wall Street Journal)Intel To Launch New Core Processor Branding: Drop the i, Add Ultra Tier (AnandTech)Google Lens can now identify rashes and other skin conditions (9to5Google)Mechanical Turk workers are using AI to automate being human (TechCrunch)Fake zero-day PoC exploits on GitHub push Windows, Linux malware (BleepingComputer)Quantum Computing Advance Begins New Era, IBM Says (NYTimes)iOS 17 Live Voicemail will return the glory of the answering machine to your iPhone (TechRadar)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The European Commission might have just taken the first steps toward separating Google from its cash cow. Reddit’s CEO keeps saying not so soothing things. New Open AI and Meta releases for… AI stuff. Cybersecurity premiums are skyrocketing. Spotify has fully shifted its podcast strategy. And a look at the tech job market as AI takes over.Sponsors:NewtonX.com/techmemeCrashPlan.comLinks:EU suggests breaking up Google’s ad business in preliminary antitrust ruling (The Verge)Reddit CEO tells employees that subreddit blackout ‘will pass' (The Verge)Google is getting a lot worse because of the Reddit blackouts (The Verge)OpenAI intros new generative text features while reducing pricing (TechCrunch)Cyber Insurance Premiums Surge by 50% as Ransomware Attacks Increase (Bloomberg)Spotify Takes a Sharp Turn With Its $1 Billion Podcast Division (Bloomberg)Meta AI researchers unveil I-JEPA, a computer vision model that learns more like humans do (SiliconAngle)Layoffs and AI Are Changing Tech’s Once-Invincible Job Market (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The FTC has filed an injunction to block the Microsoft/Activision tie-up. Netflix is dipping its toe into live sports. Why Larry Ellison is thankful AI showed up on the scene. The whole Reddit situation came to a head partially cause of AI. And one guess why we’re about to get a new Beatles song.Sponsors:CrashPlan.comnotion.com/rideLinks:FTC files to block Microsoft-Activision as deadline approaches (CNBC)Netflix to Enter Live-Streamed Sports With Celebrity Golf Event (WSJ)Reddit goes dark (Platformer)Larry Ellison Rides AI Boom to Highest Wealth Ranking Ever (Bloomberg)\Sir Paul McCartney says artificial intelligence has enabled a 'final' Beatles song (BBC)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why your favorite subreddit might be going dark. Why a16z opened an office in the UK. Why AI seems to be recycling the same few dozen jokes when you ask it to be funny. A new AI music generation tool. And the first reviews of the 15-inch Macbook Air.Sponsors:CrashPlan.comgo.tech/tmLinks:Thousands of subreddits pledge to go dark after the Reddit CEO’s recent remarks (The Verge)Andreessen Horowitz believes that crypto's future may be in the U.K. (Axios)Meta's open source AI MusicGen turns text and melody into new songs (The Decoder)Researchers discover that ChatGPT prefers repeating 25 jokes over and over (ArsTechnica)How AI art killed an indie book cover contest (The Verge)Apple MacBook Air 15-inch review: exactly what was asked for (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kevin Scott is the current Chief Technology Officer of Microsoft. We talk about his entire career, how being an academic seemed to be his path before he transformed the ads system at Google. Then he revolutionized the entire advertising industry at AdMob; is credited by some people by saving LinkedIn from technical rot; and now, today, oversees Microsoft's efforts in AI, VR/AR all the future things. Fantastic conversation.Kevin's podcast is: Behind the TechOriginally Aired: May 2019See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Lots of juicy nuggets from a recent all hands over at Meta. Binance.US looks like it’s on the road to shutting down. The first trials of AI tutors for kids are happening. The self-driving revolution I’ve been waiting for seems to be happening. And the Weekend Longreads are happening. As always.Links:Here’s what Mark Zuckerberg thinks about Apple’s Vision Pro (The Verge)This is what Instagram’s upcoming Twitter competitor looks like (The Verge)Meta plans to put AI everywhere on its platforms (Axios)Binance.US Set to Be Cut Off From Banking System After SEC Lawsuit (Bloomberg)Spotify says it’s testing an ‘offline mix’ for when your connection’s patchy (The Verge)New A.I. Chatbot Tutors Could Upend Student Learning (NYTimes)Netflix Subscriptions Jump as U.S. Password-Sharing Crackdown Begins (WSJ)Mercedes first to sell vehicles in California with hands-free, eyes-off automated driving (TechCrunch)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:The Binge Purge TV’s streaming model is broken. It’s also not going away. For Hollywood, figuring that out will be a horror show. (Vulture)The Simpsons Is Good Again After 34 seasons, 750 episodes, and a decades-long funk, the show innovated its way back to popularity and relevance. (Vulture)First Impressions of Vision Pro and VisionOS (Daring Fireball)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

So, the Binance case is already getting testy with some wild accusations flying in both directions. Twitch walks back some ad guidelines after only two days. WhatsApp is adding channels. Prime Video is probably about to add ads. Adobe will protect you from lawsuits if you use their AI tools. And how AI might have just extended Moore’s Law a bit.Sponsors:EarnIn App (type in techmeme under PODCAST when you sign up)Links:Binance lawyers allege SEC Chair Gensler offered to serve as advisor to crypto company in 2019 (CNBC)SEC says Binance and US affiliate redirected billions in customer assets to Zhao's funds (The Block)Twitch walks back controversial ad rules policy (The Verge)WhatsApp’s new Channels feature brings social media to your messaging app (The Verge)Amazon Plans Ad Tier for Prime Video Streaming Service (WSJ)Adobe is so confident its Firefly generative AI won’t breach copyright that it’ll cover your legal bills (Fast Company)Google claims that Bard is improving at math and programming (TechCrunch)Google DeepMind’s game-playing AI just found another way to make code faster (MIT Technology Review)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Maybe I was wrong. Maybe Apple does want to get serious about gaming on the Mac after all. Maybe I was right. Sequoia splitting in three IS about China after all. Samsung is holding an event at home for the first time in forever. And Matt Levine answers my questions about what now for Coinbase? Back to just trading bitcoin and ether?Sponsors:NewtonX.com/techmemeLinks:macOS Sonoma lets developers port Windows games to the Mac; here’s how it works (9to5Mac)Apple makes iOS 17 developer beta free for registered developers (9to5Mac)Sequoia’s Split Sends Warning to US Companies Doing Business in China (Bloomberg)Samsung officially confirms first Unpacked event in Korea for new foldables (9to5Google)The SEC Comes for Crypto (Matt Levine/Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The SEC has officially sued Coinbase. Sequoia plans to split into 3 separate VC firms. Why did Apple announce a bunch of AI features yesterday but shy away from name dropping AI? And all anyone really cares about right now: two different hands on experiences with the Apple Vision Pro. What is this thing like to actually use?Sponsors:Collective.comLinks:US Crypto Crackdown Reaches Fever Pitch as SEC Sues Coinbase (Bloomberg)Sequoia Is Splitting Into Three VC Firms (Forbes)Apple avoids “AI” hype at WWDC keynote by baking ML into products (ArsTechnica)First impressions: Yes, Apple Vision Pro works and yes, it’s good (TechCrunch)I wore the Apple Vision Pro. It’s the best headset demo ever. (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Apple headset is called the Apple Vision Pro. It’s more expensive than people thought, but it was maybe more impressive than I expected. Oh, also, a new 15-inch MacBook Air. New OS versions and features. And the SEC is officially suing CZ and Binance.Sponsors:Ramp.com/techmemeLinks:Apple Vision Pro is Apple’s new $3,499 AR headset (The Verge)The Apple Vision Pro features an M2 chip, a ton of sensors and a new R1 chip (TechCrunch)Apple announces visionOS, the operating system for its Vision Pro headset (The Verge)Apple announces iOS 17 with Journal, Standby, FaceTime voicemail, more (9to5Mac)Apple Announces iOS 17 With 'Standby' View, Journal App, Siri Changes, and More (MacRumors)Apple unveils new Mac Studio and brings Apple silicon to Mac Pro (Apple Newsroom)Apple’s new 15-inch MacBook Air is the ‘world’s thinnest’ (The Verge)Mac Studio gets its first hardware update with M2 Max and the new M2 Ultra chip (9to5Mac)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Originally published August 2014Jan Brandt is a legend in the world of marketing. She singlehandedly led the famous AOL "carpet-bombing" campaign that put millions of AOL trial discs and CDs in everything from magazines to popcorn boxes to banks. AOL was able to leap to the front of the online pack, over competitors like CompuServe and Prodigy largely on the success of this campaign. Jan tells us how this strategy developed, the thinking that went into it and goes into great detail about what worked and what didn't. But she was also a very early AOL executive, so she is able to give us some fantastic background about AOL the company: its culture, its people and its visionaries–people like Steve Case. She takes us from AOL's beginnings, through its considerable growing pains (remember "America On Hold?") its rise to dominance in the dot-com era, and even gives us her perspective on the legacy of the AOL/Time Warner merger.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A check-in with Elon and Twitter sees things pretty much as they’ve been for about a year now. Is Amazon about to release a low-cost cell phone plan for Prime members? Airbnb is suing New York City over a new law it sees as an existential threat. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:The Traceroute PodcastLinks:Twitter's head of trust and safety says she has resigned (Reuters)Elon 'The Dogefather' Musk Accused of Insider Trading (Gizmodo)Russia accuses US of hacking thousands of Apple devices to spy on diplomats (The Record)Amazon Is in Talks to Offer Free Mobile Service to US Prime Members (Bloomberg)Airbnb sues NYC over new rules requiring hosts to register their homes as short-term rentals (Gothamist)Planned Layoffs Have Quadrupled So Far This Year in the US (Bloomberg)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:How a $13 Billion Fintech That Angered Jamie Dimon Won Over Banks (Bloomberg)A Week With the Wild Children of the A.I. Boom (NYTimes Magazine)China Is Drilling a 10,000-Meter-Deep Hole Into the Earth (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Zuck tried to front-run the Apple headset announcement this morning. Amazon pays some fines. Apple is testing two new high-end Macs. Microsoft actually seems to be struggling when it comes to game development. And what happens to your crypto project, if you can’t get in touch with the one person in the project who has control of the keys?Sponsors:SwissAmerica.com/rideLinks:Zuck's Meta Quest 3 AnnounceAmazon to Pay $25 Million to Settle Children’s Privacy Charges (NYTimes)Amazon to Pay $30.8 Million to Settle FTC Privacy Claims (Bloomberg)Apple Tests New High-End Macs With M2 Max and M2 Ultra Chips Ahead of WWDC (Bloomberg)Instagram tests new user control for recommended posts, transparency tool for creators (TechCrunch)Inside the Making of Redfall, Xbox’s Latest Misfire (Bloomberg)Multichain team says it can't contact CEO amid protocol problems (The Block)Wall Street Banks Are Using AI to Rewire the World of Finance (Bloomberg)Apple touts $1.1 trillion in App Store commerce in 2022, with $104B in digital sales (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Big names in the AI industry are basically begging governments to regulate AI. But some people are wondering about their motives. The considerations the Biden administration is taking into account vis-à-vis AI regulation. New Garmin smartwatches. And why the Lovecraftian Shoggoth is the meme of the AI moment.Sponsors:NewtonX.com/techmemeLinks:A.I. Poses ‘Risk of Extinction,’ Industry Leaders Warn (NYTimes)ChatGPT Risks Divide Biden Administration Over EU’s AI Rules (Bloomberg)Garmin’s Epix 2 and Fenix 7 lineups go ‘Pro’ (The Verge)The Race to Make A.I. Smaller (and Smarter) (NYTimes)Why an Octopus-like Creature Has Come to Symbolize the State of A.I. (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As Nvidia joins the rarified trillion dollar market cap club, their recent announcements highlight why they’re truly the center of the current AI moment. ARM transitions to a comprehensive 64-bit platform. Hands-on with Meta's Quest 3 prototype. And those weird new CAPTCHA’s you’ve been seeing? Yes, AI is responsible.Sponsors:SwissAmerica.com/rideBloomberg.com/careersLinks:How Nvidia created the chip powering the generative AI boom (Financial Times)World’s Most Valuable Chipmaker Nvidia Unveils More AI Products After $184 Billion Rally (Bloomberg)Video of the NPC character demoArm Unveils 2023 Mobile CPU Core Designs (AnandTech)A First Look at the Headset That Could Be Apple’s Biggest Competition (Bloomberg)Captcha Is Asking Users to Identify Objects That Don't Exist (Motherboard)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

(Originally aired February 2017)Gary Flake has been involved with search technology ever since he got turned on to this particular field in college. In this wide-ranging discussion, Gary lays out for us, basically, the history of search technology before Google, the impact of Google, and then, since he lived it, the notion of competing with Google. The reason why Gary can talk so in depth about all of this is that he was Yahoo’s Chief Science Officer in the early 2000s, when Yahoo, via the infamous project Panama, and other initiatives, attempted to keep Google from taking over the entire search market. And because, prior to that, Gary was at Goto/Overture, he gives us basically the entire story of the birth of paid search as an industry. The story of Google is about two miracles. The first miracle is the Google algorithm that essentially solved search. And the second miracle is paid search… AdWords, AdSense, all of that… which is essentially the greatest advertising machine ever invented. But, not a lot of people remember: paid search was actually invented, not by Google, but by Goto/Overture.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When Larry and Sergey first met, they didn’t like each other much...(Originally aired April 2017 in two parts)BIBLIOGRAPHY:In The Plex: How Google Thinks, Works, and Shapes Our Lives The Google Story How Google Works The Search: How Google and Its Rivals Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed Our Culture Googled: The End of the World As We Know It The Google Guys: Inside the Brilliant Minds of Google Founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin I’m Feeling Lucky: The Confessions of Google Employee Number 59 http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2000/05/29/search-and-deploy http://archive.fortune.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1999/11/08/268521/index.htmSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

(Originally published 01/04/2015)So, I ran across this quote from Star Trek television producer Rick Berman. He said, “Without porn and Star Trek, there would be no Internet.” That’s a notion that I have to say really kind of rang true to me, in a tonge and cheek sort of way. I mean, it’s something you hear all the time. The idea that pornography leads the way with any new technological innovation. That Porn is some x-large percentage of the overall internet Do you ever wonder how much of the internet is actually porn? If it’s such a large amount then wouldn’t it be worth investigating how porn has shaped the web and the internet generally? That’s sort of the thinking that led me to begin thinking about this episode.Bibliography: The Erotic Engine: How Pornography has Powered Mass Communication, from Gutenberg to Google Obscene Profits: The Entrepreneurs of Pornography in the Cyber Age EroticaBiz: How Sex Shaped the Internet The Unsexpected Story http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_Relay_Chat https://tidbits.com/article/5833 http://internetlaw.uslegal.com/pornography/ http://www.internetworldstats.com/emarketing.htm http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm http://www.itworld.com/article/2729780/enterprise-software/10-fascinating-facts-about-internet-porn.html http://blog.cytalk.com/2010/01/web-porn-revenue/ http://metro.co.uk/2013/07/21/david-cameron-online-porn-will-be-blocked-by-default-3891620/ http://nymag.com/news/features/70985/ http://kernelmag.dailydot.com/issue-sections/features-issue-sections/10471/siri-piracy-pay-for-your-porn/ http://www.thewrap.com/media/article/internet-piracy-killing-porns-profits-1394/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We get our first look at how Google is integrating AI into search. You heard me warn you, but the most concrete example yet that Crypto VCs might be turning their attention to AI. WhatsApp is probably moving to usernames. The Weekend Longreads Suggestions. And, for this long weekend, Brian’s Book Recommendations.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastBloomberg.com/careersLinks:Google starts rolling out Search Generative Experience (SGE) in preview (9to5Google)Paradigm broadening crypto-only focus to areas including AI (The Block)WhatsApp beta for Android 2.23.11.15: what’s new? (WABetaInfo)The FDA will apparently let Elon Musk put a computer in a human’s brain (The Verge)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Meta's ‘Efficiency’ Layoffs Take a Toll on Employee Productivity (Bloomberg)Sergey Brin Has a Secret Plan to Put Airships Back in the Skies (BusinessWeek)Some Neural Networks Learn Language Like Humans (QuantaMagazine)A husband hid $500,000 in bitcoin during a divorce — and got busted by a crypto hunter (CNBC)Going for a walk with Shift’s Moonwalker electric shoe-skates (TechCrunch)Brian's Summer Book Recommendations:The Making of the Atomic Bomb: 25th Anniversary EditionPostwar: A History of Europe Since 1945Americana: A 400-Year History of American CapitalismSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The whole Twitter Space presidential announce did not go well. Microsoft says Chinese hackers have burrowed into critical US infrastructure. Sony has a handheld gaming device, but a true descendent of the PlayStation Vita it is not. Quite. Has AI allowed a paralyzed man to walk again? And the world’s newest unicorn is maybe the most delightful interesting raise of the year.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastLinks:Twitter glitches plague Ron DeSantis’ much-hyped presidential announcement with Elon Musk (CNBC)Microsoft warns that China hackers attacked U.S. infrastructure (CNBC)Chinese Malware Hits Systems on Guam. Is Taiwan the Real Target? (NYTimes)OpenAI warns over split with Europe as regulation advances (Financial Times)Sony’s new Q handheld is official: 8-inch screen, streams PS5 games (The Verge)Apple Plans to Turn Locked iPhones Into Smart Displays With iOS 17 (Bloomberg)A Paralyzed Man Can Walk Naturally Again With Brain and Spine Implants (NYTimes)Indonesian agritech firm eFishery hits unicorn status with $108m series D (TechInAsia)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

All the headlines from yesterday’s Build conference. The big Netflix password crackdown has begun. Did Elon buy Twitter to dethrone Fox News? Is an Uber/Waymo partnership the start of a beautiful relationship? And is Final Cut Pro on the iPad actually what everyone wanted?Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastOregonState.eduLinks:Microsoft’s Azure AI Studio lets developers build their own AI ‘copilots’ (TechCrunch)Microsoft’s Copilot and Bing AI plug-ins will be interoperable with ChatGPT (The Verge)Netflix’s password-sharing crackdown is here — and it costs $7.99 per month (The Verge)Elon Musk’s right-wing media venture scores another big win (WashingtonPost)Uber teams up with Waymo to add robotaxis to its app (The Verge)PSVR2’s early sales beat the original, Sony claims (VideoGamesChronicle)That podcast ad you're listening to may soon be AI. Spotify is reportedly developing bots to mimic your favorite hosts. (Insider)Final Cut Pro for the iPad is slick but limited (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple continues to play nice with Broadcom despite hoping to drop them someday. The thing people warned about with these bluechecks happened yesterday. HBOMax isn’t cool. You know what is cool, according to David Zaslov? Max. And how Shareit became the world’s favorite file sharing app.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastZocDoc.com/techmemeLinks:Apple expands US investment with new multibillion-dollar Broadcom deal for 5G tech (9to5Mac)Verified Twitter Accounts Spread AI-Generated Hoax of Pentagon Explosion (Motherboard)Following UK antitrust order, Meta sells Giphy to Shutterstock for $53M after buying it for $400M (TechCrunch)Max will stream over 1,000 movies and TV episodes in 4K at launch (The Verge)Meta’s new AI models can recognize and produce speech for more than 1,000 languages (MIT Technology Review)Adobe is adding AI image generator Firefly to Photoshop (The Verge)Anthropic raises $450M to build next-gen AI assistants (TechCrunch)How China’s ShareIt became the world’s go-to file-transfer app (Rest of World)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meta got hit by the biggest ever GDPR fine in Europe. A crypto project got taken over by hackers who voted themselves into power. The startup that wanted to dethrone Google is shutting down. The E-sports bubble seems to be popping. And what is it actually like to try to use Google’s new AI tools?Sponsors:Nutrafol.com/men promocode rideMiro.com/podcastLinks:Meta Fined $1.3 Billion Over Data Transfers to U.S. (WSJ)Sanctioned Crypto Mixer Tornado Cash Hijacked by Hackers (Bloomberg)Neeva, the would-be Google competitor, is shutting down its search engine (The Verge)The E-Sports World Is Starting to Teeter (NYTimes)Facebook parent in talks with Magic Leap over augmented reality deal (Financial Times)We Put Google’s New AI Writing Assistant to the Test (Wired)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Re-releasing this one, hopefully with improved sound quality!The earliest days of Amazon with its earliest hire: Shel Kaphan.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I didn't know the whole story of Sam Bankman-Fried. This book will do that for you. From our very good friend of the show Brady Dale: SBF: How the FTX Bankruptcy Unwound Crypto's Very Bad Good Guy See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

OpenAI has launched an official ChatGPT app for iPhones and iPads. Android coming soon. The Supreme Court actually propped up Section 230, allowing it to live another day. Apple as an example of why companies are looking to keep the AI in house. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Mimecast.comTryNom.com/rideLinks:AI in your pocket: ChatGPT officially comes to iPhone with new app (ArsTechnica)Link to the official ChatGPT App in the App StoreSupreme Court shields Twitter from liability for terror-related content and leaves Section 230 untouched (CNN)Supreme Court Leaves 230 Alone For Now, But Justice Thomas Gives A Pretty Good Explanation For Why It Exists In The First Place (TechDirt)Apple Restricts Employee Use of ChatGPT, Joining Other Companies Wary of Leaks (WSJ)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:In Battle Over A.I., Meta Decides to Give Away Its Crown Jewels (NYTimes)This Is Catfishing on an Industrial Scale (Wired)Cheesier, Saucier, and Drowning in Caviar; How TikTok took over the menu. (GrubStreet)Japan’s sleepy tech scene is ready for a comeback (Rest of World)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The first official ban of TikTok by a US state is here. Unskippable tv-like ads are coming to YouTube when you’re watching on your TV. How much can be recovered when a crypto project blows up? Why is Amazon so far behind in drone delivery? And how Apple’s forthcoming headset got developed.Sponsors:Traceroute PodcastBloomberg.com/careersLinks:TikTok Ban Signed in Montana, Paving Way for First Amendment Legal Battle (WSJ)YouTube 2023 Upfront: Platform to Launch Unskippable 30-Second Ads on TVs, Roger Goodell on Hand to Tout NFL Sunday Ticket Pact (Variety)Netflix Advertising Tier Now Has “Nearly Five Million” Monthly Active Users (The Hollywood Reporter)Bankrupt crypto lender Voyager Digital predicts 35% customer payout (Reuters)Amazon’s 100 drone deliveries puts Prime Air far behind Alphabet’s Wing and Walmart partner Zipline (CNBC)Apple’s New Headset Meets Reality (Bloomberg Businessweek)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you’ve been letting some of your Google accounts sit fallow, you better look into that cause Google is gonna start deleting things. Why some new top level domains have people concerned. Why tech companies are racing to put generative AI on your phone. And part two of the open source vs. centralized AI debate.Sponsors:OregonState.eduLinks:Google will delete accounts, including Gmail & Photos, that haven’t logged on in 2 years (9to5Google)New ZIP domains spark debate among cybersecurity experts (BleepingComputer)StableStudio is Stability AI’s latest commitment to open-source AI (The Verge)The race to bring generative AI to mobile devices (Financial Times)Google I/O and the Coming AI Battles (Stratechery)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The EU actually approved the Microsoft Activision acquisition so… what now? The IRS might finally allow us to file our taxes online for free. The EU passes the first crypto regulatory regime, but questions are being asked of their forthcoming digital Euro experiment. And an interesting raise allows us to take our first look at the Open Source vs. Centralized debate when it comes to AI.Sponsors:Collective.comLinks:E.U. Approves Microsoft’s $69 Billion Deal for Activision (NYTimes)IRS tests free e-filing system that could compete with tax-prep giants (Washington Post)Windows 11 users can now link their iPhones and use iMessage from a PC (The Verge)Ransomware gang steals data of 5.8 million PharMerica patients (BleepingComputer)Twitter makes its first acquisition with a recruiting startup (Axios)EU’s Crypto Legal Framework Inches Towards Law With Finance Ministers’ Sign-Off (CoinDesk)The digital euro: a solution seeking a problem? (Financial Times)AI startup Together raises funding for open-source AI and cloud platform (VentureBeat)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After some news about Apple testing M3 chips, it’s media day on the podcast. Wither Motherboard, as Vice declares bankruptcy. Netflix is cutting spending on its originals. Is the pivot to ads going to define the next stage of the streaming wars. And ad supported television is one thing, but what if we took that literally? Would you want a tv that has a second screen to show you ads all the time?Sponsors:Ramp.com/techmemego.tech/tmLinks:Apple Begins Testing Speedy M3 Chips as It Pursues Mac Comeback (Bloomberg)Vice Media files for bankruptcy as ad business suffers (Reuters)Netflix Plans to Cut Spending by $300 Million in 2023 (WSJ)A Growing Number of Streaming Video Customers Watch Ads (Bloomberg)Telly’s wild idea: Free TVs with inescapable ads (Fast Company)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Marc Tarpenning, along with Martin Eberhard, was the cofounder of Tesla Motors back in 2003. But before that, Tarpenning and Eberhard were also the cofounders of NuvoMedia, which produced one of the world's first ebook devices, the rocket eBook. So, for the first part of the episode, Mark recounts the story of NuvoMedia and then about 25 minutes in we begin the founding of Tesla, in my opinion, perhaps the most amazing startup story of the last 20 years.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Yes, the Apple II is maybe more historically important than the Macintosh, at least for Apple as a company. I agree with the argument my friend Laine Nooney makes in their book: The Apple II Age: How the Computer Became Personal. Enjoy this deep dive into early Apple and PC history and then, BUY THE BOOK!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Elon says he’s hired a new CEO for Twitter, and folks think they know who this person will be. The Claude chatbot has expanded so much you can now write entire novels with it. Seeing what Meta is doing with AI in ads makes me wonder about the future of all media. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Grammarly.com/goGetSunday.com/rideLinks:Elon Musk says he has found a new CEO for Twitter (TechCrunch)Linda Yaccarino Leaves NBCUniversal Amid Talks to Become Twitter CEO (WSJ)Anthropic’s latest model can take ‘The Great Gatsby’ as input (TechCrunch)Meta announces generative AI features for advertisers (TechCrunch)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:End of the Billable Hour? Law Firms Get On Board With Artificial Intelligence (WSJ)“We Were Always Playing An Entirely Different Game”: The Ultimate Oral History Of BuzzFeed News (BuzzFeed News)Taiwan Is Running Low on a Strategic Asset: Engineers (NYTimes)The Plot to Steal the Other Secret Inside a Can of Coca-Cola (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Twitter finally rolled out encrypted DMs… or did they? More drips and drabs from yesterday’s Google event including an AI music generating tool that sounds pretty wild. Even the crypto miners are pivoting to AI. And why tech has warmed up to the concept of nearshoring.Sponsors:Grammarly.com/goBloomberg.com/careersLinks:Twitter's encrypted DMs are here — but only for verified users (Engadget)Join the waitlist for Google's generative AI tools, including search, Project Tailwind, & MusicLM (XDA Developers)Google makes its text-to-music AI public (TechCrunch)Google Cloud announces new A3 supercomputer VMs built to power LLMs (TechCrunch)AI Needs Specialized Processors. Crypto Miners Say They Have Them (Bloomberg)‘Nearshoring’ Push Is Fueling Tech Job Demand in Latin America (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I’m writing this this morning before Google’s I/O, so I’m assuming that’s going to be the entirety of this episode. But who knows. Maybe I’ll be able to squeeze something non-Google stuff at the end. Join me in the time machine, won’t you, and find out. In the meantime, here’s what Sundar had to share with us today.Sponsors:Leadership.OregonState.edu/cicGrammarly.com/goLinks:Google Photos to gain a new ‘Magic Editor’ feature powered by generative AI (TechCrunch)Google launches PaLM 2, its next-gen large language model (TechCrunch)Google rebrands AI tools for Docs and Gmail as Duet AI — its answer to Microsoft’s Copilot (The Verge)The AI takeover of Google Search starts now (The Verge)Review: Pixel 7a affordably delivers on every promise of the Pixel series (9to5Google)Pixel Tablet Hands-On: Google's Return of the Tablet and More (CNET)Google Pixel Fold hands-on: Finally, a real rival for Samsung’s foldables (Engadget)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More roiling questions about crypto and regulator enforcement. Nintendo’s Switch is getting long in the tooth. AI’s are coming to the Wendy’s drive through lane. An AI startup to protect against AI. And more of what we can expect from Google’s big day tomorrow.Sponsors:Grammarly.com/goNotion.com/rideLinks:Coinbase CEO says SEC is on ‘lone crusade,’ dials back on suggestion exchange may relocate (CNBC)Ripple will have spent $200 million fighting SEC lawsuit, CEO says (CNBC)U.S. Crypto Exchange Bittrex Files for Bankruptcy in Delaware (CoinDesk)Nintendo Warns of Big Slowdown in Switch Console Sales (Bloomberg)Apple announces Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro coming to iPad (9to5Mac)Wendy’s, Google Train Next-Generation Order Taker: an AI Chatbot (WSJ)GPTZero App Seeks to Thwart AI Plagiarism in Schools, Online Media (Bloomberg)Alphabet to unveil A.I. updates at Google I/O, showing off creative writing and coding capabilities (CNBC)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What to expect from Google IO. The big discord username switch. Sam Altman’s side hustle is launching a thing. But also a look at the regulatory issues his OpenAI is facing in Europe. And what if I told you an Ikea chair can short out your monitor. It’s weird, but it can.Sponsors:ZocDoc.com/techmemeGrammarly.com/goLinks:Google Plans to Make Search More ‘Personal’ with AI Chat and Video Clips (WSJ)Discord’s username change is causing discord (The Verge)Sam Altman’s Worldcoin rolls out app as token launch looms (The Block)OpenAI’s regulatory troubles are only just beginning (The Verge)Popular IKEA Chair Turns Computer Monitor Off, Baffling Everyone (Motherboard)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is the crossover episode of when I went on the Big Technology podcast on Friday. We ask where the moat is in AI? And we celebrate Ed Sheeran if you can believe it.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is the book I've been dying for someone to write! This is how digital media happened for 20 years! Traffic: Genius, Rivalry, and Delusion in the Billion-Dollar Race to Go Viral. Yay to finally having Ben Smith on the pod!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple earnings recap. A new, free code generating AI tool. Which, actually, lots of people are starting to ask the question: will open source AI actually come out on top in the AI revolution? And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Mindbloom.com/techmeme and promocode techmemeOregonState.edu/believe-itLinks:Apple CEO Tim Cook says AI is "huge," but care is needed (Axios)Hugging Face and ServiceNow release a free code-generating model (TechCrunch)Google Is Falling Behind in AI Arms Race, Senior Engineer Warns (Bloomberg)OpenAI’s Losses Doubled to $540 Million as It Developed ChatGPT (The Information)Weekend Longreads SuggestionsAI Singers Are Unnervingly Good and Already Ubiquitous (Vulture)Is the Federal Government Trying to Kill Off Crypto? (Intelligencer/NYMag)Why Chatbots Are Not the Future (Amelia Wattenberger)ESPN’s Jimmy Pitaro Will Decide the Fate of Cable Television (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The regulators have not been sleeping on the AI revolution. Everybody wants to get in on the blue checkmark game. But this time, with actual utility. Airbnb now offers to rent out single rooms. Can ChatGPT out invest professional money managers? And the return of the flip phone. No, not a foldable phone. The flip phone from your youth.Sponsors:Bloomberg.com/careersThe Traceroute PodcastLinks:“We must regulate AI,” FTC Chair Khan says (ArsTechnica)UK competition watchdog launches review of AI market (Financial Times)Microsoft’s Bing chatbot gets smarter with restaurant bookings, image results, and more (The Verge)Gmail is adding a blue checkmark to better verify senders (9to5Google)Airbnb Revamps Site to Ease Tensions Between Guests, Hosts (Bloomberg)ChatGPT ‘portfolio’ outperforms leading UK funds (Financial Times)Gen Zers Are Snapping Up Flip Phones. They Might Be Onto Something. (WSJ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Google releases a new feature to put another nail in the password coffin. Malware merchants are using generative AI. A deep dive into what Bluesky is like right now. The best explainer of quantum computing I’ve ever seen. And how a Pixies song is breaking Google assistant and making people miss their wakeup alarms in the morning.Sponsors:Nutrafol.com/men promocode rideOregonState.eduLinks:You no longer need a password to sign in to your Google account (The Verge)Twitter restores free API access for emergency, weather and transportation alerts (Engadget)TSMC Plans for First German Chip Fab With Cost Up to €10 Billion (Bloomberg)Meta Is Trying to Push Attackers to the Brink (Wired)Bluesky showed everyone’s ass (The Verge)Quantum computing could break the internet. This is how (Financial Times)You can blame this Pixies song for Assistant canceling your alarm (AndroidPolice)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Looks like that Hollywood strike inspired by AI fears is a go. Apple and Google want to set a new standard to prevent modern digital stalking. Pornhub is boycotting Utah. Mastodon is trying to make it less confusing to give them a try. And what is one of the biggest reasons companies are wary of giving generative AI a try?Sponsors:Mimecast.comBloomberg.com/careersLinks:Hollywood Writers Strike Over Pay Disputes with Streaming Giants and AI Concerns (Gizmodo)Apple and Google team up to stop unwanted AirTag tracking (CNBC)Apple uses iOS and macOS Rapid Security Response feature for the first time (ArsTechnica)Pornhub Blocks All of Utah From Its Site (Motherboard)It’s getting easier to make an account on Mastodon (The Verge)WordPress drops Twitter social sharing due to API price hike (Mashable)BeReal's latest feature is a curated timeline of high-profile users (Engadget)Scared of Leaking Data to ChatGPT? Microsoft Tests a Private Alternative (The Information)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Gurman says the big Apple Watch OS overhaul is nigh. I can already tell you what the biggest tech IPO of 2023 is going to be. Are there signs tech earnings have turned or a corner, or, at least, have bottomed out? And why the AI revolution is behind the potential of a major labor strike in Hollywood.Sponsors:Ramp.com/techmemeThis episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/techmeme and get on your way to being your best self.Links:Apple to Upgrade Its Watch Operating System With New Focus on Widgets (Bloomberg)SoftBank's Arm registers for blockbuster U.S. IPO (Reuters)Microsoft makes its AI-powered Designer tool available in preview (TechCrunch)Big Tech Earnings Spark Hope That Worst Is Over (WSJ)ChatGPT Will See You Now: Doctors Using AI to Answer Patient Questions (WSJ)Will a Chatbot Write the Next ‘Succession’? (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Another bonus episode from the Internet History Podcast. As promised, Mike Slade is back to tell stories from the period 1998 through 2004, when he was Special Assistant to Steve Jobs. Background details on the iMac, the iPod and the iPhone and more!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Another bonus episode from the Internet History Podcast. I originally wanted to talk to Mike Slade about Starwave, the innovative company that launched some major names onto the web, including ESPN.com, ABCNews.com, MrShowbiz.com, and after an eventual sale to Disney, put together the pieces that eventually became the Go.com portal play. But Mike is one of those guys who has had such a varied and interesting career, I couldn't help but go into other eras of his career. The dude worked at Microsoft in the early 1980s. He worked at NeXT in the early 90s. And from 1998 through 2004 he was Special Assistant to Steve Jobs as he saved Apple as a company, launched the iPod and kicked into motion the modern gadget era.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More signs that vital communications infrastructure is abandoning Twitter. Reddit is testing Discord-like chat channels. Big layoffs at Clubhouse. Microsoft exits the peripherals business after 40 years. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Bloomberg.com/careersMiro.com/podcastLinks:New York City Subway Ends Twitter Service Alerts After Musk Raises Price (Bloomberg)Reddit is testing Discord-like channels for community chat (TechCrunch)Once-Hot Chat Startup Clubhouse Is Cutting Half of Staff (Bloomberg)Pinterest announces multiyear ads partnership with Amazon alongside earnings beat (TechCrunch)Microsoft’s mice, keyboards, and webcams are being discontinued in favor of Surface accessories (The Verge)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Apple’s Siri Chief Struggles With Turf Wars as New AI Era Begins (The Information)ASML, Europe’s Most Valuable Tech Firm, Is at the Heart of the US-China Chip War (Bloomberg)The Unexpected Reason Apple Is Dominating the U.S. Smartphone Market (WSJ)35 Ways Real People Are Using A.I. Right Now (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meta reported earnings that surprised investors in the good way. But that doesn’t mean they’re backing off the Metaverse. Global smartphone shipments continue to plummet. Might congress ban children from social media? Amazon gets out of the health tracker business. And the interesting way that rejection of the Microsoft Activision deal is using a somewhat novel argument.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastShopify.com/rideLinks:Facebook Parent Meta Platforms Sees First Sales Increase in Nearly a Year (WSJ)Meta beats revenue expectations, remains committed to metaverse (TechCrunch)Smartphone Market woes continue with 14.6% Drop in first quarter this year, According to IDC Tracker (IDC)Senators unveil bipartisan legislation to ban kids under 13 from joining social media platforms (CNN Business)Amazon shuts down Halo division and discontinues all devices (The Verge)Google on why Authenticator sync isn’t E2E encrypted, but option coming later (9to5Google)Microsoft’s $69 Billion Deal Tripped Up by Niche Gaming Market (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The UK is blocking Microsoft’s Activision Acquisition. A quick rundown of Microsoft and Alphabet earnings. The new Mavic drone is a beast. Cruise has actually expanded its self-driving taxi service. And a look at the mounting pressure on Binance and CZ.Sponsors:Mindbloom.com/techmeme and promocode: techmemeMiro.com/podcastLinks:UK Blocks Microsoft’s $69 Billion Activision Deal (Bloomberg)Microsoft Q3 2023: Windows, devices, and Xbox down again (The Verge)Google’s cloud business turns profitable for the first time on record (CNBC)Apple Plans AI-Powered Health Coaching Service, Mood Tracker and iPad Health App (Bloomberg)DJI’s latest Mavic drone is a beast (TechCrunch)Cruise continues to burn GM’s cash as robotaxis expand to daylight hours (The Verge)OpenAI Offers New Privacy Options for ChatGPT (Bloomberg)Binance Faces Mounting Pressure as U.S. Crypto Crackdown Intensifies (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Methinks Coinbase is orchestrating laying the groundwork for a showdown with US regulators. Slack rolls out Canvas, which seems pretty cool. AI Guardrails from Nvidia. A browser built for AI tools from Opera. And I delve into the whole story about that AI generated Drake song that has gone viral.OregonState.edu/believe-itMiro.com/podcastLinks:Coinbase Asks Court to Force SEC to Clarify Crypto Regulations (Decrypt)Slack launches Canvas, a docs app that lives inside your chat app (The Verge)Google Authenticator now syncs 2FA with your Google Account, gets new icon (9to5Google)Nvidia releases a toolkit to make text-generating AI ‘safer’ (TechCrunch)Opera One is a browser designed for generative AI features (Engadget)An A.I. Hit of Fake ‘Drake’ and ‘The Weeknd’ Rattles the Music World (NYTimes)Grimes Tells Fans To Deepfake Her Music, Will Split 50% Royalties With AI (Forbes)Sol Reader E Ink headset for hands-free e-reading makes CES debut (GoodEReader)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Would you believe me if I told you there was more Twitter chaos over the weekend. More details on the Apple headset. Is ARM about to abandon its Switzerland strategy? Interesting data about how Netflix dominates TV watching. And sad data about the down rounds we can expect for the foreseeable future.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastLinks:Elon Caves, Gives Blue Checks Back to Twitter’s Biggest Celebs (Daily Beast)Apple Will Take Scattershot Approach to Pitching AR/VR Headset (Bloomberg)Chip designer Arm makes its own advanced prototype semiconductor (Financial Times)These Are The Most Popular TV Shows on the Internet (Bloomberg)Silicon Valley Startups Brace for a Summer of Pain (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Again, my Internet History Podcast interview with Chamath Palihapitiya of the All In podcast from 2016.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Again, this is a republishing of my Jason Calacanis interview from the Internet History Podcast.Sponsors:Bloomberg.com/careersSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More… I dunno… Twitter things are happening. Google is consolidating its AI efforts. We now have a hint about what that startup Humane might be creating. The US wants to get a jump start on 6G technology. And pour one out for BuzzFeed News.Sponsors:Grammarly.com/techmemeHeadspace.com/ride30dayLinks:Twitter seemingly now requires all advertisers to have a verified checkmark (TechCrunch)Google Looks to Turbocharge AI Efforts With Combined Brain, DeepMind Unit (WSJ)Google gives Bard the ability to generate and debug code (Engadget)Watch the first demo of buzzy startup Humane’s wearable AI assistant in leaked clips (The Verge)U.S. Begins Planning for 6G Wireless Communications (WSJ)The Internet of the 2010s Ended Today (The Atlantic)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Are Elon and Microsoft fully at war at this point? Does Coinbase already have one foot out the country at this point? Is OpenAI careening toward a run-in with GDPR? And, Stability AI’s big play to compete with Chat GPT.Sponsors:Leadership.OregonState.edu/cicGrammarly.com/techmemeLinks:Microsoft drops Twitter from its advertising platform (Mashable)Elon Musk Threatens to Sue Microsoft After it Drops Twitter From Ad Platform (PCMag)Coinbase gets Bermuda license, plans to launch offshore exchange in coming weeks (FortuneCrypto)First EU-Wide Crypto Regulations Clear Final Parliament Vote (Bloomberg)OpenAI’s hunger for data is coming back to bite it (MIT Technology Review)Google to deploy generative AI to create sophisticated ad campaigns (Financial Times)Stability AI releases ChatGPT-like language models (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

That Netflix ad tier seems to be paying off. But it’s also the end of the road for those famous red envelopes. We’re about to see a foldable Pixel phone. More layoffs from Meta. More links in bio for Instagram. And forget data being the new oil. What if data was the new fertile farmland to be rented out to LLMs for harvesting?Sponsors:Grammarly.com/techmemeleadership.oregonstate.edu/cicLinks:Netflix Adds 1.75 Million Customers in Q1 2023; Grows to 232.5M Globally (The Streamable)Netflix Gains 1.75 Million Subscribers, Axes DVD-Rental Business (WSJ)Google to launch its first foldable phone, the ‘Pixel Fold,’ in June (CNBC)Meta has started its latest round of layoffs, focusing on technical employees (CNBC)Instagram takes on Linktree and others with support for up to 5 ‘links in bio’ (TechCrunch)Reddit Wants to Get Paid for Helping to Teach Big A.I. Systems (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is the AI revolution going to kick of a silicon revolution with a whole new generation of chips? Coinbase would consider leaving the US if it can’t get clarity from regulators. Is the Apple savings account the savings account for you? A look at Twitter competitor Bluesky. And what happens if you take GPT-4 and feed it back on itself?Sponsors:Notion.com/rideGrammarly.com/techmemeLinks:Microsoft Readies AI Chip as Machine Learning Costs Surge (The Information)Coinbase Could Move Away From U.S. if No Regulatory Clarity: CEO Brian Armstrong (CoinDesk)Major Photography Prize Winner Reveals Image Is AI-Generated, Rejects Award (Motherboard)Apple finally launches high-yield Apple Savings account (Apple Insider)Bluesky’s CEO wants to build a Musk-proof, decentralized version of Twitter (The Verge)Hype grows over “autonomous” AI agents that loop GPT-4 outputs (ArsTechnica)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hey everybody, back from Ireland, and man, the universe dumped all the news on me this morning. Google is rushing to add AI to search because they’re afraid Samsung is about to jump ship to Bing. More chaos at Twitter. Meta has to make nice with advertisers. Spotify seems to be abandoning it’s paywall podcast strategy. And is Apple’s Watch OS about to get its biggest overhaul ever?Sponsors:Grammarly.com/techmemeGetSunday.com/rideLinks:Google Devising Radical Search Changes to Beat Back A.I. Rivals (NYTimes)Sega to acquire Angry Birds maker Rovio for $776 million (CNBC)U.S. House Committee Publishes Draft Stablecoin Bill (CoinDesk)Elon Musk just shut down automation for important public safety accounts (Mashable)Is Twitter finally dying? (Vox)Meta Tries to Lure Advertisers With Reels Discounts, AI Tools (The Information)Spotify will drop paywall for Gimlet podcasts (Semafor)Apple Plans to Launch More Than Just Its New Headset at WWDC (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

AWS has begun offering customers access to LLMs made by Anthropic, Stability AI, and AI21 Labs, as they look to be a neutral platform for generative AI features. WhatsApp is rolling out new verification and protection features, including defenses against SIM jacking and social engineering attacks. Twitter has just increased the character limit to 10,000 for Blue subscribers. And your weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Ramp.com/techmemeBloomberg.com/careersLinks:Amazon Joins Microsoft, Google in AI Race Spurred by ChatGPT (Wall Street Journal)Amazon Is Joining the Generative AI Race (WIRED)WhatsApp makes it harder for scammers to steal your account (Engadget)Key transparency explainer (Matthew Green, Twitter)Twitter Blue’s new 10,000 character limit turns tweets into essays (The Verge)Dril Is Everyone. More Specifically, He’s a Guy Named Paul. (The Ringer)With a wave of new LLMs, open-source AI is having a moment — and a red-hot debate (VentureBeat)Is ‘The Economist’ Making the Best News Podcasts Right Now? (Vulture)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The stocks of Apple suppliers Cirrus Logic and AAC are down after reporting that iPhone 15 Pro models won’t have solid-state buttons after all. IBM is reportedly looking into selling The Weather Company, for quite a bit less than they paid for it in 2015. LinkedIn has new identity verification via the airport and stadium security service CLEAR. Ethereum has successfully completed its Shanghai, or Shapella, upgrade, letting users withdraw staked ether. And Warner Bros. Discovery has officially renamed HBO Max to just… Max.Sponsors:Nutrafol.com/men, promo code RIDE Links:Apple reportedly nixes iPhone 15 button upgrade, sending supplier stock down 12% (CNBC)iPhone 15 Pro may not have new solid-state volume buttons after all (9to5 Mac)IBM Explores Sale of Weather Business (Wall Street Journal)IBM Mulling Sale of Weather Technology Assets (The Information)LinkedIn rolls out ways to verify your identity and employment, without a price tag (TechCrunch)LinkedIn Verification Now Lets You Verify Your Job and Account (WIRED)Ethereum’s (ETH) Shanghai, Shapella Upgrade Looks ‘Stable,’ Developer Beiko Says (Bloomberg)Ethereum Unstaking Requests Pile Up After Shanghai Upgrade, Now at 2-Week Wait (CoinDesk)'The Penguin' Trailer: Colin Farrell Returns to Gotham as 'The Batman' Spinoff Series Confirms 2024 Release (Variety)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Elon Musk did a big spontaneous interview with the BBC last night on Twitter Spaces, but here’s two things that didn’t make the interview: Twitter appears to be working on generative AI for reasons yet unknown and Twitter Inc. doesn’t exist as a company anymore. Global VC funding for crypto startups fell to $2.4 billion in the first quarter of 2023, down 80% from an all-time high in 2022. Video game illustrators in China say AI image generators are causing them to lose their jobs. And Reddit moderators saying AI-generated spam is rapidly mounting as they brace themselves for a spam apocalypse.Links:Elon Musk is moving forward with a new generative-AI project at Twitter after purchasing thousands of GPUs (Insider)Twitter Inc. has been merged with X Corp. and “no longer exists,” Elon Musk’s company says in a court filing. (Slate)Six things we learned from Elon Musk interview (BBC)Crypto VC Funding Plunges by 80% in Dire Quarter for Startups (Bloomberg)AI is already taking video game illustrators' jobs in China (Rest of World)Reddit Moderators Brace for a ChatGPT Spam Apocalypse (VICE)NPR to Suspend Twitter Use After ‘Government-Funded’ Label (NY Times)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alibaba revealed its ChatGPT-style bot, and mere hours later the Cyberspace Administration of China announced plans to require security reviews of generative AI tools before they’re released. The Winklevoss twins made a $100 million loan to their crypto exchange, Gemini Trust, after it failed to raise enough from outside investors. The FBI has warned against using any public USB charging ports. And YouTube has announced new Premium features and also announced the pricing for their NFL Sunday Ticket packagers and they’re not cheap.Sponsors:Bloomberg.com/careersgo.tech/tmLinks:China slaps security reviews on AI products as Alibaba unveils ChatGPT challenger (Ars Technica)China proposes measures to manage generative AI services (Reuters)Winklevoss Twins Lend $100 Million to Their Gemini Crypto Platform (Bloomberg)Juice jacking rising, FBI says don't use airport USB outlets (Android Authority)YouTube Premium adds more perks with SharePlay support, higher quality video and more (TechCrunch) NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube starts at $249 for the 2023 season (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Twitter has stopped throttling tweets with Substack links in them, but only after Elon Musk denied they were ever blocked. About 270 US Apple Stores have held staff meetings about unionization risks in the past two weeks. A New York Times article about the environmental and economic impact of bitcoin mines has some crypto proponents up in arms. And the 2023 Dell XPS 13 is… fine. Just fine.Sponsors:OregonState.eduLinks:Twitter stops throttling tweets with Substack links (Engadget)Elon Musk Denies Substack Links Are Blocked On Twitter, A Claim That’s Very Misleading (Forbes)Apple (AAPL) Continues Efforts to Keep Retail Stores From Unionizing (Bloomberg)The Real-World Costs of the Digital Race for Bitcoin (NY Times) Crypto enthusiasts go after New York Times for its BTC mining report (Cryptopolitan)Rebuttal to the NYT article (Daniel Batten, Twitter)Dell XPS 13 review: Dell is coasting (and that’s fine) (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Check out David Auerbach's books:Meganets: How Digital Forces Beyond Our Control Commandeer Our Daily Lives and Inner RealitiesBitwise: A Life in CodeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Shenanigans from some Elon companies. Twitter looks like it’s blocking Substack. Not just links to Substack but even mentioning the name, the word Substack, in some cases. Oh, and Tesla employees apparently liked to view videos from your car and share them with each other internally. Last quarter was epically bad when it came to venture investing. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Links:Twitter now disables likes, replies, and retweets if a tweet has Substack links (The Verge)Special Report: Tesla workers shared sensitive images recorded by customer cars (Reuters)A third of organizations admit to covering up data breaches (VentureBeat)Global VC Funding Falls Dramatically Across All Stages In Rocky Q1, Despite Massive OpenAI And Stripe Deals (CrunchBase News)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Behind the curtain: what it feels like to work in AI right now (Democratizing Automation)Think of language models like ChatGPT as a “calculator for words” (Simon Willison's Blog)Anthropic’s $5B, 4-year plan to take on OpenAI (TechCrunch)Blockbuster pushed HBO to start investing in original content, cable giant’s ex-chief says (CNBC)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More examples of chatbots hallucinating might lead to the first lawsuits. Did you know that you have a copy of the bitcoin white paper on your Mac right now? You don’t know it, but you do. I’ll tell you why. Substack is the latest to launch a Twitter clone. And why E3 had to die. It’s called direct to consumer, or, I guess, gamer.Sponsors:Mimecast.comOregonState.eduLinks:ChatGPT invented a sexual harassment scandal and named a real law prof as the accused (Washington Post)The Bitcoin Whitepaper Is Hidden in Every Modern Copy of macOS (Waxy.org)Google CEO Sundar Pichai Says Search to Include Chat AI (WSJ)Google to prohibit personal loan apps from accessing user photos, contacts (TechCrunch)Substack’s new short-form ‘Notes’ feed looks a lot like Twitter (TechCrunch)Streaming Killed E3 (Wired)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sony might be developing a sort of PS Vita mark 2. Sad news of the death of a well-known silicon valley luminary. Meta says its not going to be left behind in the AI race. What happens if the kids aren’t keen on the Metaverse. And I sketch out an example of our grand theory of AI varietals.Sponsors:Bloomberg.com/careersLinks:EXCLUSIVE – SONY’S NEXT PLAYSTATION HANDHELD (Insider Gaming)Bob Lee, creator of Cash App and former CTO of Square, stabbed to death (TechCrunch)Google says its AI supercomputer is faster, greener than Nvidia A100 chip (Reuters)Meta to debut ad-creating generative AI this year, CTO says (NikkeiAsia)American teens aren’t excited about virtual reality, with only 4% using it daily (CNBC)What if ChatGPT was trained on decades of financial news and data? BloombergGPT aims to be a domain-specific AI for business news (NeimanLab)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We’ve said before that Elon owns Twitter, so if he decides to change the logo to a Shiba Inu, you know, why not? Apple kinda sorta bites the bullet on layoffs. What’s going on with the Apple Weather app? Do we want universities to call the use of ChatGPT plagiarism? And data on the corporate takeover of AI development.Sponsors:OregonState.eduZocDoc.com/techmemeLinks:Twitter’s new dog icon is sending dogecoin — sigh — to the moon (TechCrunch)Spotify shuts down its Clubhouse-style audio app Spotify Live (Musically)Google to cut down on employee laptops, services and staplers for ‘multi-year’ savings (CNBC)Apple to Cut Jobs in Some Corporate Retail Teams in First Known Layoffs (Bloomberg)Apple Weather forecasts suffer rare outage (AppleInsider)Universities express doubt over tool to detect AI-powered plagiarism (Financial Times)AI is entering an era of corporate control (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The blue checks went away on Twitter over the weekend. Or did they? More interesting details on those Pinduoduo app allegations. In a headline from 2019, Paris says no to e-scooters. And what does the recent move by GM say about the relationship between the car companies and the tech platforms?Sponsors:Ramp.com/techmemeThis episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/techmeme and get on your way to being your best self.”Links:Twitter had a very messy weekend (The Verge)Twitter’s blue check mark was loved and loathed. Now it’s pay for play. (Washington Post)‘I’ve never seen anything like this:’ One of China’s most popular apps has the ability to spy on its users, say experts (CNN Business)Paris votes overwhelmingly to ban shared e-scooters (TechCrunch)GM is cutting off access to Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for its future EVs (The Verge)The rest of the auto industry still loves CarPlay and Android Auto (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I can tell you E3 is officially cancelled this year, but I’m kinda thinking it might be dead for good. Bunch of stuff about Twitter and checkmarks. Italy has temporarily banned ChatGPT. Some of the signatories of that AI letter are having second thoughts. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastLInks:E3 Has Been Canceled (IGN)Elon Musk Tried to Meet With F.T.C. Chair About Twitter but Was Rebuffed (NYTimes)Japan restricts chipmaking equipment exports as it aligns with US China curbs (Reuters)Italian privacy regulator bans ChatGPT (Politico)The Open Letter to Stop 'Dangerous' AI Race Is a Huge Mess (Motherboard)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Fitbit’s attempt to disappear the button proved why they matter (The Verge)The influencers getting rich by teaching you how to get rich (Vox)“I’LL WALK AWAY FROM ANYTHING”: KARA SWISHER CALLS THE SHOTS (Vanity Fair)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wait, are we NOT going to see the new Apple headset at WWDC? Twitter’s new API tiers? Ads are coming to Bing Chat. Is Elon Musk guilty of laundering his grudge against OpenAI through AI concern trolling? And is TikTok creating more one hit wonders?Sponsors:Shopify.com/rideMiro.com/podcastLinks:Kuo: Apple Mixed-Reality Headset May Not Appear at WWDC as Mass Production Pushed Back Yet Again (MacRumors)Twitter announces new API pricing, including a limited free tier for bots (Engadget)Microsoft’s Bing chatbot is getting more ads (The Verge)Alphabet’s Google and DeepMind Pause Grudges, Join Forces to Chase OpenAI (The Information)Elon Musk's AI History May Be Behind His Call To Pause Development (Forbes)Is TikTok Actually Creating More One-Hit Wonders? (Billboard)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Over 1,000 big names sign a petition urging a pause on AI development. What analysts think AI could to for or to the economy. North Korean hackers allegedly have a new trick. And did you know ByteDance has an Instagram rival? Well, it looks like they’re putting the pedal to the metal on that.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastgo.tech/tmLinks:Elon Musk and top AI researchers call for pause on ‘giant AI experiments’ (The Verge)Generative AI set to affect 300mn jobs across major economies (Financial Times)North Korea Is Now Mining Crypto to Launder Its Stolen Loot (Wired)Google Search is adding new ‘Perspectives’ and ‘About this author’ features to help users verify info (TechCrunch)TikTok ban backup plan? ByteDance-owned Instagram rival Lemon8 hits the US App Store’s Top 10 (TechCrunch)Cerebras releases seven large language models for generative AI, trained on its specialized hardware (SiliconAngle)Google Partners with AI Startup Replit to Take on Microsoft’s GitHub (Bloomberg)Microsoft Security Copilot is a new GPT-4 AI assistant for cybersecurity (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I titled an episode last week “Twilight Of The Blue Checks.” Well, today is the sequel, “Rise Of The Blue Checks” cause starting April 15, you’ll have to be a blue check to appear on Twitter’s For You tab. Also: the feds go after Binance. Disney cuts its entire metaverse unit. And the UK cancels its NFT.Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastNotion.com/rideLinks:Elon Musk says Twitter’s For You page will only recommend verified accounts (The Verge)The secret list of Twitter VIPs getting boosted over everyone else (Platformer)Binance and founder Changpeng Zhao violated compliance rules to attract U.S. users, CFTC alleges (CNBC)Disney Eliminates Its Metaverse Division as Part of Company’s Layoffs Plan (WSJ)NFT: Plans for Royal Mint produced token dropped (BBC News)Lyft CEO and president to step down, former Amazon exec David Risher named as replacement (CNBC)Amazon just opened up its Sidewalk network for anyone to build connected gadgets on (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Looks like the short, sharp, SVB saga has reached the beginning of a conclusion. Twitter source code has been leaked. The doubts inside Apple about the upcoming mixed reality headset. Why has no one presented any evidence for why TikTok might need to be banned? And, again, will generative AI lead to a physical robot revolution?Sponsors:Miro.com/podcastGetSunday.com/ride for 20% offLinks:First Citizens to Buy SVB After Biggest Failure Since 2008 (Bloomberg)Twitter Says Parts of Its Source Code Were Leaked Online (NYTimes)Apple’s Best Hope for New Headset: a Smartwatch-Like Trajectory (Bloomberg)France bans all recreational apps – including TikTok – from government devices (The Register)Pinduoduo App Malware Detailed by Cybersecurity Researchers (Bloomberg)Tech’s AI Armies Are Huge, Yet Struggling to Innovate (Bloomberg)For Smarter Robots, Just Add Humans (Wired)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Robert from Rownd shares his most recent investor update live and in real time, so you can hear how these things go.Also, want to learn more about Rownd? From Robert:Demo site: https://demo.rownd.com. Try out Rownd! We put Rownd into a webflow site to show how easy it works! Sign in with google or email, add biometrics (if you choose), create a wallet, and get an NFT!  Do you have a mobile app or eCommerce company? Reach out at robert@rownd.io or sign up at https://app.rownd.io. We offer all podcast listeners 2 months free + 50% off for a year! Just email me!Have some feedback? Grab some time with Rob:  https://calendly.com/rob-rownd/mutant-podcast-army.Try a few Rownd customer sites to see the experience! https://stardust.app (mobile experience)https://masrefund.com (web + mobile)https://nextbigideaclub.com (e-commerce + web + mobile)https://spouse-ly.com (e-commerce)SMS Fraud link: https://interactive.twilio.com/sms-traffic-pumping-calculatorSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Twitter is finally sunsetting its legacy verified program. OpenAI rolls out ChatGPT plugins. Do Kwan has been detained and is facing formal charges here in the US. The FTC’s “click to cancel” proposal. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Headspace.com/RIDE30DAYLinks:Twitter to Revoke ‘Legacy’ Verified Badges in April, Leaving Only Paying Subscribers With Blue Check-Marks (Variety)OpenAI is massively expanding ChatGPT’s capabilities to let it browse the web and more (The Verge)Do Kwon Charged With Fraud by US Prosecutors in New York (Bloomberg)The FTC wants to ban those tough-to-cancel gym and cable subscriptions (The Verge)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Cheating is All You Need (Sourcegraph Blog)The Age of AI has begun (GatesNotes/Bill Gates)The secret history of Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and OpenAI (Semafor)The case for slowing down AI (Vox)Epic’s new motion-capture animation tech has to be seen to be believed (ArsTechnica)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coinbase got a Wells Notice, which is not good. Hindenburg research has a new note out and is making short run on Block, which is not good. Apple might expand its sports streaming and release more things in actual theaters. And the space startup that 3d prints its own rockets.Sponsors:Thuma.co/techmeme for a $25 creditLinks:Coinbase warned by SEC of potential securities charges (CNBC)SEC charges Tron founder Justin Sun, celebrities Lindsay Lohan, Jake Paul with crypto violations (CNBC)Jack Dorsey’s Block Falls After Hindenburg Says It’s Short the Stock (Bloomberg)Hindenburg takes aim at Dorsey's payments firm Block; shares plunge (Reuters)Apple Considers Bidding for English Football Streaming Rights (Bloomberg)Apple to Spend $1 Billion a Year on Films to Break Into Cinemas (Bloomberg)Canva Launches ‘Magic’ AI Tools For Its Design Software’s 125 Million Users (Forbes)Chatbot Start-Up Character.AI Valued at $1 Billion in New Funding Round (NYTimes)Relativity Space’s first launch fails to reach orbit, but proves its 3D-printing rocket tech works (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Well, we’ve got Google Bard. We’ve got a new Copilot from GitHub. Bing Image Creator is rolling out. Mozilla AI launches. The low hanging fruit that is plugging AI into NPCs to make games more realistic. And at the very end, some actual non AI news!Links:Google opens early access to its ChatGPT rival Bard — here are our first impressions (The Verge)Microsoft’s GitHub to Add OpenAI Chat Functions to Coding Tool (Bloomberg)Microsoft brings OpenAI’s DALL-E image creator to the new Bing (TechCrunch)Mozilla launches a new startup focused on ‘trustworthy’ AI (TechCrunch)Ubisoft’s new AI tool automatically generates dialogue for non-playable game characters (TechCrunch)GPT-4 and professional benchmarks: the wrong answer to the wrong question (AI Snake Oil)Amazon is flooding the zone with new TVs as it crosses 200 million Fire TV devices sold (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ahead of a major showdown in Congress this week, TikTok wants the US to know exactly how popular it is. Why ChatGPT was shut down for a while yesterday. Why Google is suspending PinDuoDuo from the play store. The AI powered doctor’s office of the future. And is Andy Jassy the David Moyes of Amazon? If you get that reference, congratulations.Down Round Podcast (Listener Ad!)Links:TikTok says it now has 150m monthly active users in the US (MusicAlly)TikTok bans deepfakes of nonpublic figures and fake endorsements in rule refresh (The Verge)Google flags apps made by popular Chinese e-commerce giant as malware (TechCrunch)OpenAI Shut Down ChatGPT to Fix Bug Exposing User Chat Titles (Bloomberg)Amazon’s post-Bezos experiment hasn’t gone exactly as planned (CNBC)OpenAI-powered app from Microsoft will instantly transcribe patient notes during doctor visits (CNBC)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

New bots to make video from text prompts. Fending off the bots from biting your style. Falling in love with the bots. In the streaming wars, the ad supported experiments are working, and pricing power is a thing. And the startup that says it’s about to introduce humanoid bots. Real, definitional robots.Sponsors:Dot Tech Domains: Go.tech/tmLinks:Generative AI’s Next Frontier Is Video (Bloomberg)Glaze protects art from prying AIs (TechCrunch)AI love: What happens when your chatbot stops loving you back (Reuters)Netflix’s Ad Tier Hits 1 Million Users. Is That Good or Bad? (Bloomberg)Disney+ Users Paid Up When the Price Rose (WSJ)Humanoid robots are coming (Axios)Figure Promises First General-Purpose Humanoid Robot (IEEE Spectrum)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amazon Kindle gets out of the magazine business. An ironically named PE firm is buying Porn Hub. Midjourney v5 is really mind blowing. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:RelationshipHero.com/techmemeLinks:Amazon will discontinue newspaper and magazine subscriptions in September (GoodEReader)SVB Financial files for Ch. 11 bankruptcy protection, says it has $2.2B in liquidity (TechCrunch)Pornhub owner sold to Canadian private equity firm Ethical Capital (Financial Times)AI-imager Midjourney v5 stuns with photorealistic images—and 5-fingered hands (ArsTechnica)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:The Guardians (Meteor)The Future Smartphone: More Folds, Less Phone, a Whole Lot of AI (Wired)LinkedIn turns 20: An oral history of an unlikely champion (Fast Company)‘It changed the world’: 50 years on, the story of Pong's Bay Area origins (SFGate)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For the first time ever, I had to delay producing this show so I could watch and cover and AI product announcement. Let me tell you about how Microsoft is bringing GPT-4, to basically all their most famous apps with Copilot. Looks like the potential for a TikTok ban is getting really real. And why folks are suddenly turning on OpenAI.Sponsors:Overtired PodcastLinks:Introducing Microsoft 365 Copilot — your copilot for work (Microsoft)Microsoft 365 gets a host of new AI-powered features (TechCrunch)U.S. Threatens Ban if TikTok’s Chinese Owners Don’t Sell Stakes (WSJ)OpenAI co-founder on company’s past approach to openly sharing research: ‘We were wrong’ (TheVerge)Payments giant Stripe raises $6.5 billion at a $50 billion valuation (Axios)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

GPT-4 is unveiled and it’s multimodal, and man, is everybody rushing to make use of this stuff. Alleged renders of Google's Pixel 8 Pro appear to show a mysterious new sensor. The state of the music industry in the streaming era. And Deadpool sells his phone company to another phone company.Links:OpenAI unveils GPT-4 with multimodal input and more creative and complex capabilities (Windows Central)10 Ways GPT-4 Is Impressive but Still Flawed (NYTimes)With Evals, OpenAI hopes to crowdsource AI model testing (TechCrunch)Duolingo launches new subscription tier with access to AI tutor powered by GPT-4 (TechCrunch)GPT-4’s new capabilities power a ‘virtual volunteer’ for the visually impaired (TechCrunch)TikTok Considers Splitting From ByteDance If Deal With US Fails (Bloomberg)Google Pixel 8 Pro adds a mysterious new sensor, flat display in first leaked renders (9to5Google)Apple Music boosts streaming music revenue to record $13.3 billion in 2022; vinyl outpaces CDs for first since 1987 (9to5Mac)Ryan Reynolds-Backed Mint Is Bought by T-Mobile for $1.35 Billion (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Those expected layoffs have come to Meta. AI tools come to Google Workspace and an API for Google’s PaLM language model. Seems like things have generally worked out with this Silicon Valley Bank aftermath. Microsoft laid off its AI risk team. Layoffs at Y Combinator. And a look at the standard that’s trying to keep over the air broadcast television relevant.Sponsors:Notion.com/rideLinks:Meta to cut another 10,000 jobs and cancel ‘low priority projects’ (TechCrunch)Google announces AI features in Gmail, Docs, and more to rival Microsoft (The Verge)Google opens up its AI language model PaLM to challenge OpenAI and GPT-3 (The Verge)FDIC Planning Another Silicon Valley Bank Auction (WSJ)Venture capitalists weigh Silicon Valley Bank salvage operation (FT)Microsoft just laid off one of its responsible AI teams (Platformer)Y Combinator to End Late-Stage Startup Fund, Lays Off Staff (The Information)The future of TV is up in the air (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Unless it affected you, you might have missed a huge tech story this weekend. But now that depositors to Silicon Valley Bank are being made whole, is the whole crisis averted? Tim Cook is pressing ahead with the Apple headset over the objections of Apple’s design team. And the varied and complex dilemmas of this new AI reality in two, somewhat oppositional segments.Sponsors:RelationshipHero.com/techmemeZocDoc.com/techmemeLinks:SVB’s tech failings were a problem long before the bank run that led to its demise, critics say (CNBC)SVB provided for tech when everyone else ignored us (FT)Regulators close crypto-focused Signature Bank, citing systemic risk (CNBC)Tim Cook bets on Apple’s mixed-reality headset to secure his legacy (FT)Microsoft Strung Together Tens of Thousands of Chips in a Pricey Supercomputer for OpenAI (Bloomberg)Large language models are having their Stable Diffusion moment (Simon Willison's Blog)Self Radicalization with open sourced AI-Systems (Good Internet)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cadre.com is revolutionizing commercial real estate investing.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There’s really only one story right now. The troubles at Silicon Valley Bank and how it has literally everyone in the startup ecosystem worried right now. It’s a classic bank run, people. Plus, Meta is developing a Twitter clone. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Links:This just broke, FYI: Silicon Valley Bank is shut down by regulators, FDIC to protect insured deposits (CNBC)Meta is building a decentralized, text-based social network (Platformer)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:In AI, is bigger always better? (Nature)Can Xerox reinvent itself for another 100 years? (The Verge)Why Are So Many Guys Obsessed With Master and Commander? (GQ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Silvergate Capital is shutting down, so the crypto winter just got colder. Microsoft says the new Bing has crossed 100 million daily active users. Why TikTok is responsible for the new Spotify redesign. Can police grab your Ring camera footage without your permission, even if you’re not the target of an investigation? And looks like Stripe won’t be going public this year after all.Sponsors:Thuma.co/techmemeLinks:Silvergate will liquidate bank, wind down operations (The Block)Microsoft details how it could get Call of Duty: Warzone running on Switch (The Verge)Microsoft’s AI-Powered Bing Search Engine Surpasses 100 Million Daily Active Users (Gizmodo)Spotify’s new design is part TikTok, part Instagram, and part YouTube (The Verge)The privacy loophole in your doorbell (Politico)SCOOP: Stripe Is Raising $6 Billion to Resolve Taxes & Expiring Employee Shares, Delaying Public Listing (Newcomer)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, you might have heard about the latest Elon controversy where he criticized an employee, and then walked it all back. We’ll get into that. DuckDuckGo melds two AI tools together. A Large Visual Language Model that will help robots move around in the real world. I explain why I’m telling you about every new Generative AI advance seemingly every single day. And with Google officially announcing the date for I/O, is their headlong rush to release AI products the waking of a sleeping giant, or the second coming of Google+?Sponsors:RelationshipHero.com/techmemeLinks:FTC Twitter Investigation Sought Elon Musk’s Internal Communications, Journalist Names (WSJ)Twitter just let its privacy- and security-protecting Tor service expire (The Verge)Elon Musk apologizes after mocking disabled Twitter employee (AP)DuckDuckGo Releases Its Own ChatGPT-Powered Search Engine, DuckAssist (Gizmodo)Google’s PaLM-E is a generalist robot brain that takes commands (ArsTechnica)Google’s Plan to Catch ChatGPT Is to Stuff AI Into Everything (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

TikTok launches a paywall, but it’s all about the creators. Salesforce has its own generative AI product. More layoffs coming for Meta. Another autonomous driving startup bites the dust. Why Twitter broke yesterday, and new speakers from Sonos.Sponsors:This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/techmeme and get on your way to being your best self.Links:TikTok Launches ‘Series’ Feature, Which Lets Creators Sell Premium Episodes Up to 20 Minutes Each (Variety)Apple reveals a yellow iPhone 14 and 14 Plus (The Verge)Salesforce follows Microsoft in launching A.I. tools for salespeople with help from OpenAI (CNBC)Meta Plans Thousands More Layoffs as Soon as This Week (Bloomberg)Embark Trucks lays off workers, explores liquidation of self-driving truck assets (TechCrunch)How a single engineer brought down Twitter on Monday (Platformer)Apple First to Capture 8 Spots in List for Global Top 10 Smartphones (Counterpoint)Sonos Era 300 and Era 100 first look: you’re gonna want to hear these speakers (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As Microsoft begins to integrate AI into its core enterprise and productivity products, are we ready for the scamming that AI is going to be able to produce? Details on forthcoming new iMacs. A checkin on Twitter. And why does Meta seem hellbent on ignoring what most people use VR for in the first place?Sponsors:ZocDoc.com/techmemeRelationshipHero.com/techmemeLinks:Microsoft’s Latest AI Assistant Is Meant for Marketers, Customer Reps and Work Apps (Bloomberg)They thought loved ones were calling for help. It was an AI scam. (WashingtonPost)OpenAI Rival Stable Diffusion Maker Seeks to Raise Funds at $4 Billion Valuation (Bloomberg)Multicoin Capital’s Hedge Fund Lost 91.4% Last Year, Investor Letter Reveals (CoinDesk)Apple Readies Its Next Range of Macs, Including — Finally — a New iMac (Bloomberg)Musk Delayed Paying Twitter’s Amazon Cloud Bill, Sparking Ad Threat (The Information)Twitter’s Revenue, Adjusted Earnings Fell About 40% in Month of December (WSJ)I don’t think Meta knows it’s a game company (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Checking in on the state of the tech job market with Grupa.io.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Everyone in crypto stops doing business with Silvergate. Brave search launches an AI summarizer. A look at TikTok's AI Bold Glamour filter. Maybe the Activision acquisition is going to skate through the regulators. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:RelationshipHero.com/TechmemeLinks:Silvergate Stock Drops Over 50% as Crypto Clients Flee Beleaguered Bank (CoinDesk)Brave Search launches an AI-powered summarization feature (TechCrunch)Why won’t TikTok confirm the Bold Glamour filter is AI? (The Verge)Microsoft’s Activision deal likely to be approved by EU regulators, says Reuters (The Verge)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Alexa, what happened? (Margins)The Satellite Hack Everyone Is Finally Talking About (Bloomberg)The next big threat to AI might already be lurking on the web (ZDNet)50 YEARS LATER, WE’RE STILL LIVING IN THE XEROX ALTO’S WORLD (IEEE Spectrum)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A ChatGPT API for business is here. Microsoft gives Bing those nobs and dials that I’ve been talking about. What are multimodal LLMs? New turmoil in crypto, this time around one of the big crypto friendly banks. How is it going in terms of social platforms diversifying into subscription revenue? And why the FDA has rejected Neuralink’s applications to begin human testing of brain implants.Links:OpenAI launches an API for ChatGPT, plus dedicated capacity for enterprise customers (TechCrunch)Microsoft now lets you change Bing’s chatbot personality to be more entertaining (The Verge)Microsoft unveils AI model that understands image content, solves visual puzzles (ArsTechnica)Apple Blocks Update of ChatGPT-Powered App, as Concerns Grow Over AI’s Potential Harm (WSJ)Coinbase is no longer accepting, initiating payments with Silvergate (The Block)Snapchat will now let you pause your Snap Streaks (TechCrunch)TikTok Earned $205 Million More Than Facebook, Twitter, Snap And Instagram Combined On In-App Purchases In 2023 (Forbes)U.S. regulators rejected Elon Musk’s bid to test brain chips in humans, citing safety risks (Reuters)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Decentralized social network Bluesky launches in the iOS App Store. TikTok adds wellbeing feature for families and kids. You know about eSIMs but say hello to iSIMs. Meta's entire four-year AR/VR roadmap. And I’m still banging the drum on laptops and smartphones where you can unroll the screen for more real estate.Sponsors:RelationshipHero.com/techmemeLinks:Jack Dorsey-backed Twitter alternative Bluesky hits the App Store as an invite-only app (TechCrunch)Republican Bill That Gives Biden Power to Completely Ban TikTok Passes House Committee Super Fast (Gizmodo)TikTok rolls out new screen time controls, adds new default settings for teens and expands Family Pairing (TechCrunch)Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 phones are the first to support built-in 'iSIMs' (Engadget)This is Meta’s AR/VR hardware roadmap for the next four years (The Verge)Lenovo’s rollable laptop and smartphone are a compelling, unfinished pitch for the future (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

AI-powered Bing is now integrated into Windows. Elon wants to compete with OpenAI, a company he co-founded. Major financial institutions continue to back away from crypto while NFTs on the bitcoin blockchain are on the rise. The iPhone SE might not be dead. And how the LastPass debacle happened.Links:Microsoft brings its new AI-powered Bing to the Windows 11 taskbar (The Verge)Fighting ‘Woke AI,’ Musk Recruits Team to Develop OpenAI Rival (The Information)Meta revamps AI unit to get generative tech into products (Axios)Visa, Mastercard pause crypto push in wake of industry meltdown - sources (Reuters)Kuo: New iPhone SE With 6.1-Inch OLED Display and Apple's 5G Chip Planned (MacRumors)Bored Ape Yacht Club Creator Yuga Labs Reveals First Bitcoin NFT Project (Decrypt)LastPass: DevOps engineer hacked to steal password vault data in 2022 breach (BleepingComputer)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Snap wants to go the route of the movie Her, with a personified chatbot inside of Snapchat. Interesting layoffs at Twitter. Yes. More. Inside Apple's Exploratory Design Group. The best AR glasses we’ve seen yet. And, right on schedule, here come the prompt engineers.Sponsors:This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/techmeme and get on your way to being your best self.Links:Snapchat is releasing its own AI chatbot powered by ChatGPT (The Verge)Twitter Blue head Esther Crawford is out at Twitter (The Verge)Google announces new features for Android and Wear OS (TechCrunch)Apple’s Secret ‘XDG’ Team Is Working on More Than Just a Glucose Monitor (Bloomberg)Exclusive: These are Xiaomi's new Wireless AR Smart Glasses, and they look like they're from the future (XDA Developers)Tech’s hottest new job: AI whisperer. No coding required. (Washington Post)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Find out more and see demos at Nanome.aiSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is the DOJ about to sue to stop of Adobe’s acquisition of Figma? Confirmation of the lower end mixed reality headset from Apple due next year. A reporter used an AI-generated replica of a voice to bypass the voice verification system of a major bank. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:HelloFresh.com/techmeme65 and code techmeme65 for 65% offLinks:DOJ Preps Antitrust Suit to Block Adobe’s $20 Billion Figma Deal (Bloomberg)Kuo: Apple to Launch High-End and Low-End Versions of Second-Generation Headset in 2025 (MacRumors)How I Broke Into a Bank Account With an AI-Generated Voice (Motherboard)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:What Is ChatGPT Doing … and Why Does It Work? (Stephen Wolfram)Getting My ChatGPT Plus Subscription Is an Inflection Point (HackerNoon)Why China Didn’t Invent ChatGPT (NYTimes)Meet the $10,000 Nvidia chip powering the race for A.I. (CNBC)Inside Meta’s Push to Solve the Noisy Office (WSJ)Are bioinspired drones the next big thing in unmanned flight? (TNW)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Coinbase wants to let a thousand Web3 flowers bloom by launching its own Layer 2 network. The new iPhone specs have leaked. Apple might have made a breakthrough in blood glucose monitoring. Satellite telephony continues to be a busy space, weirdly enough. And reviews of the Galaxy S23 lineup.Links:Coinbase Launches Layer 2 Blockchain Base to Provide On-Ramp for Ethereum, Solana and Others (CoinDesk)Exclusive: iPhone 15 CADs reveal larger 6.2-inch display, Dynamic Island, and more (9to5Mac)Apple Makes Major Progress on No-Prick Blood Glucose Tracking for Its Watch (Bloomberg)AI-created images lose U.S. copyrights in test for new technology (Reuters)Spotify Is Testing Token-Enabled Music Playlists (CoinDesk)Samsung is readying its own smartphone-to-satellite communication platform (Engadget)Samsung S23 and S23 Plus review: say ‘yes’ to the S (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This chatbot AI revolution has hit a major roadblock in China. What does it mean if science fiction publications are up in arms about AI generated content? Spotify has a new AI powered DJ. Uber has a redesigned version of its App. And why is Microsoft showing you ads for its products on other people’s websites?Links:China tells big tech companies not to offer ChatGPT services (NikkeiAsia)ChatGPT launches boom in AI-written e-books on Amazon (Reuters)Sci-Fi Mag Pauses Submissions Amid Flood of AI-Generated Short Stories (PCMag)Spotify launches ‘DJ,’ a new feature offering personalized music with AI-powered commentary (TechCrunch)Uber redesigns app for simpler, more personalized experience (TechCrunch)Microsoft aggressively trying to keep Chrome downloaders using Edge (9to5Google)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Microsoft tries again to convince people it won’t hoard Call of Duty as an Xbox exclusive. Linux now plays nice with Apple Silicon. Chrome swears it will play nicer with your battery life. Verified everything is officially now a trend. And does Apple have a strangle hold on Gen Z?Links:Microsoft inks binding contract with Nintendo for ‘Call of Duty’ as it defends Activision deal (GeekWire)Linux 6.2: The first mainstream Linux kernel for Apple M1 chips arrives (ZDNet)Google Chrome rolls out long awaited battery saving features (AndroidPolice)Facebook and Instagram are testing selling you blue checks for $12 a month (The Verge)Official: Twitter will now charge for SMS two-factor authentication (The Verge)Almost-unbeatable AI comes to Gran Turismo 7 (ArsTechnica)How Apple captured Gen Z in the US — and changed their social circles (Financial Times)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The US is suing Terraform Labs and Do Kwon. The UK is investigating rumors that Google paid Apple NOT to spin up its own search engine. Susan Wojcicki stepping down as YouTube CEO is a major end of an era. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Links:SEC Sues Over TerraUSD Stablecoin That Rocked Crypto (Bloomberg)What Brit watchdog redacted: Google gives Apple cut of Chrome iOS search revenue (The Register)TikTok is launching a $500,000 live trivia contest (The Verge)YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki is stepping down (Vox)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:It’s Always Sunny Inside a Generative AI Conference (Wired)Billionaire Kuok Family-Backed Music App BandLab Taps Into AI For TikTok’s Breakout Stars (Forbes)PlayStation VR2 is exciting, exhausting and a new standard for VR (Launcher)How Rust went from a side project to the world’s most-loved programming language (MIT Technology Review)I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream (Wikipedia)Roko's basilisk (Wikipedia)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Microsoft is revealing what it’s learned from us poking around on the new Bing. It seems that once developers begin using generative AI to code, they DO keep using it. Apple has postponed its headset announce to WWDC. Banks are shying away from crypto exposure. And after 16 years, border control is finally making use of NFC technology in passports.Sponsors:ZocDoc.com/techmemeLinks:Microsoft explains Bing's bizarre AI chat behavior (Engadget)GitHub Copilot update stops AI model from revealing secrets (BleepingComputer)SEC Proposal Could Bar Investment Advisers From Keeping Assets at Crypto Firms (CoinDesk)Banks Are Breaking Up With Crypto During Regulatory Crackdown (WSJ)Apple Pushes Back Mixed-Reality Headset Debut Two Months to June (Bloomberg)Whatever happened to the metaverse? (FT)US Border Patrol Is Finally Able to Check E-Passport Data (Wired)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More signs the chat bots are maybe a little undercooked, and whooo doggy. Wait until you hear what I mean. Some datapoints suggesting the faddish nature of these new tools. And wait until you hear the possible reason you’re seeing Elon’s tweets all of the sudden. This is maybe the pinnacle story of the whole Elon/Twitter saga.Sponsors:Podcast Guru App (Listener Ad!)Links:Microsoft’s new ChatGPT AI starts sending ‘unhinged’ messages to people (The Independent)The AI photo app trend has already fizzled, new data shows (TechCrunch)GitHub’s Copilot for Business is now generally available (TechCrunch)Adobe’s $20 Billion Figma Deal Faces EU Antitrust Probe (Bloomberg)Yes, Elon Musk created a special system for showing you all his tweets first (Platformer)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

People are saying Elon is showing you his tweets whether you asked to see them or not. More fodder for the charge that these chat bots are being rolled out quick and dirty. More fodder for the charge that US regulators are fencing in crypto. TikTok is trying to court the olds. And Amazon’s autonomous shuttle service his hit real world roads.Sponsors:RelationshipHero.com/techmemeLinks:Twitter is just showing everyone all of Elon Musk’s tweets now (The Verge)Twitter delays new paid API launch by 'a few more days' (AppleInsider)Microsoft’s Bing AI, like Google’s, also made dumb mistakes during first demo (The Verge)US Crackdown Seeks to Push Crypto Back to the Fringes of Finance (Bloomberg)TikTok Turns to New Tactics to Spur Growth as Boom Times End (The Information)Amazon chief vows to ‘go big’ on physical stores (FT)TikTok’s Parent Takes On Meta in Battle for Virtual-Reality Market (WSJ)Amazon’s Self-Driving Car Shuttles People on Public Roads for the First Time (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Binance’s stablecoin seems to be dead, but with regulatory questions swirling around Paxos, I’m wondering if all stablecoins might about to see a rug pull. Tons of uncertainty swirling around the metaverse all the sudden. Can the metaverse still happen if all of its funding get pulled? And are all of these AI tools being rushed to market in embarrassing ways?Sponsors:MeetFabric.com/rideRelationshipHero.com/techmemeLinks:Regulator Orders Crypto Firm Paxos to Stop Issuing Binance Stablecoin (WSJ)PayPal Pauses Stablecoin Work Amid Regulatory Scrutiny of Crypto (Bloomberg)Meta delays setting team budgets as it plans fresh round of job cuts (FT)Microsoft Kills Its Industrial Metaverse Team After 4 Months (The Information)AI-powered Bing Chat spills its secrets via prompt injection attack (ArsTechnica)Apple Reportedly Planning to Limit iPhone 15's USB-C Port in the Same Way as Lightning (MacRumors)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More job cuts at Microsoft make me wonder if the HoloLens is still a thing. But also, we have data to explain why Apple hasn’t done layoffs yet. More AI chatbot announces coming fast and furious. But the other kind of bots, actual mechanical robots had their biggest year ever last year. And of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:RelationshipHero.com/techmemeLinks:Apple Avoids Job Cuts Because It Didn’t Overhire Like Google and Amazon (Bloomberg)Microsoft to demo its new ChatGPT-like AI in Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook soon (The Verge)Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com to launch ChatGPT-style product (CNBC)North American companies notch another record year for robot orders (Reuters)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:‘Disrespectful to the Craft:’ Actors Say They’re Being Asked to Sign Away Their Voice to AI (Motherboard)ChatGPT Can Be Broken by Entering These Strange Words, And Nobody Is Sure Why (Motherboard)ChatGPT Is a Blurry JPEG of the Web (The New Yorker)The Inference Cost Of Search Disruption – Large Language Model Cost Analysis (SemiAnalysis)Stripe Can’t Lose (Every)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Feel free to tweet your manifestos now as Twitter Blue subscribers can tweet up to 4,000 characters. Is the Fediverse failing or doing just fine, thank you very much? Is the SEC about to put the kibosh on crypto staking? Forget eggs, the real inflation is in triple A video game titles. And if the whole web becomes bot content, what do we train the bots on?Sponsors:Podcast Guru App (Listener Ad!)Links:Now Twitter Blue subscribers can write 4,000-character tweets (The Verge)Watch out, TweetDeck users—Elon Musk is about to ruin your Twitter experience (TechRadar)Lazy Reporters Claiming Fediverse Is ‘Slumping,’ Despite Massive Increase In Usage (TechDirt)Coinbase CEO Armstrong Decries Rumors of Possible US SEC Ban on Crypto Staking (Bloomberg)Meta Completes Acquisition of VR Fitness Company Within (CNET)Nintendo’s Zelda Price Hike Opens Door for More Expensive Games (Bloomberg)Google Stadia had less than 10% market share among cloud gaming services (9to5Google)Google confirms AI-generated content isn’t against Search guidelines (9to5Google)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Microsoft unveils a new Bing search that basically moves the yardsticks down the field in terms of what chat can do. But Google continues to drip-feed new tools as well. Also, some more traditional but useful additions to Google Maps. The UK might force the divestiture of Call of Duty to allow Microsoft to buy Activision. And if the Bank of England does a digital pound, it signals it might not do it on the blockchain.Sponsors:The Business of Tech (Listener ad!)Links:Microsoft announces new Bing and Edge browser powered by upgraded ChatGPT AI (The Verge)I Tried Microsoft’s New AI-Powered Bing. Search Will Never Be the Same. (WSJ)Google is still drip-feeding AI into search, Maps, and Translate (The Verge)Google Maps launches Immersive View in five cities, will roll out ‘glanceable directions’ soon (TechCrunch)Microsoft’s $69 Billion Activision Deal Could Harm UK Gamers, Watchdog Finds (Bloomberg)Digital Pound Holdings Could Be Limited to 10K, Central Bank Says (CoinDesk)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bored of phone and gadget launches, well prepare yourself for AI product launches, cause we’re getting a bunch of them starting now, this week. Meta is trying to revamp Horizon Worlds. Twitter is struggling to get people to pay up. But that doesn’t mean Mastadon is continuing to grow. And can you trick ChatGPT to do things it doesn’t want to do by threatening to kill it? Say hello to AI “jailbreaking.”Sponsors:RefundsPro.comLinks:Google announces ChatGPT rival Bard, with wider availability in ‘coming weeks’ (The Verge)Baidu Surges as Hope Mounts over Chinese Answer to ChatGPT (Bloomberg)Getty Images sues AI art generator Stable Diffusion in the US for copyright infringement (The Verge)Meta Targets Teen Users in Broader Horizon Metaverse App Revamp (WSJ)Musk’s Twitter Has Just 180,000 U.S. Subscribers, Two Months After Launch (The Information)The Mastodon Bump Is Now a Slump (Wired)ChatGPT’s ‘jailbreak’ tries to make the A.I. break its own rules, or die (CNBC)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is Apple considering launching an “Ultra” version of the iPhone as soon as this year? Have the good Twitter bots gotten a reprieve from Elon Musk? Is the Microsoft/Activision merger toast because global regulators are coordinating? And might regulators look askance at all these generative AI investments from the big cloud computing platforms?Sponsors:ZocDoc.com/techmemeBombas.com/techmemeLinks:Apple Talks Up High-End iPhones in Sign Ultra Model May Be Coming (Bloomberg)Elon Musk says Twitter will provide a free write-only API to bots providing ‘good’ content (TechCrunch)Microsoft’s Activision Deal Tests a New Global Alignment on Antitrust (NYTimes)Big Tech companies use cloud computing arms to pursue alliances with AI groups (FT)A16z votes against proposal to deploy latest Uniswap iteration on BNB Chain (The Block)Pre-order Brady Dale's SBF Book!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Earnings wrapups from Alphabet: investors just want to know when the AI is coming. From Apple: they’re still not planning any layoffs. From Amazon: Look, AWS is still a beast. And in the Weekend Longreads suggestions: the startup that wants to bring back the Dodo, Jurassic Park style.Links:AI will help Google parent Alphabet navigate a challenging macro environment, say analysts (MarketWatch)Google Shares Slip after Sales Miss as Advertising Demand Slows (Bloomberg)Apple Sales Shrink as Pandemic Rally Ends for iPhone Maker, Other Tech Giants (WSJ)Amazon stock falls as least profitable holiday quarter since 2014 leads to its worst annual loss on record (MarketWatch)Google invests $300mn in artificial intelligence start-up Anthropic (Financial Times)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:The generative AI revolution has begun—how did we get here? (ArsTechnica)Who will compete with ChatGPT? Meet the contenders | The AI Beat (VentureBeat)The Difference Between Speaking and Thinking (The Atlantic)A de-extinction company is trying to resurrect the dodo (MIT Technology Review)A Calculated Move: Calculators Now Emulated at Internet Archive (Internet Archive Blogs)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meta singlehandedly bucks the narrative that it’s the sick man of Silicon Valley. Twitter is cutting off free access to its API. ChatGPT launches a product, and is Bing search getting GPT4 in like, a matter of weeks? Discord is coming to Playstation and the wrapup of yesterday’s Samsung event.Sponsors:Upside App promocode ridehomeLinks:Meta stock perks up as the company promises a ‘year of efficiency’ (TechCrunch)2 reasons Meta stock is exploding 20% after a whopper earnings miss (Yahoo Finance)Twitter to end free access to its API in Elon Musk’s latest monetization push (TechCrunch)OpenAI launches ChatGPT Plus, starting at $20 per month (TechCrunch)ChatGPT is about to get even better and Microsoft's Bing could win big (Semafor)Discord arrives on PS5 for beta testers today (The Verge)Netflix hasn’t confirmed its plans to stop password sharing just yet (The Verge)Amazon’s No-Fly Zone: Drone Delivery Largely Grounded Despite Splashy Launch (The Information)The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is a minor update to a spec monster (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You think things are bad in your corner of the tech sector? Wait until I tell you about the memory chip industry. OpenAI releases a tool to let you check if something was created by OpenAI. Netflix might be going a tad overboard on this password sharing crackdown. Meta wins round one against the FTC. And the interesting new app from the founders of Instagram.Sponsors:Portant.co code techmeme (Listener!)Podcast Guru App (Listener!)Links:Hynix Posts Record Loss on Slump in Memory-Chip Prices (Bloomberg)Historic Crash for Memory Chips Threatens to Wipe Out Earnings (Bloomberg)OpenAI releases tool to detect machine-written text (Axios)Google is asking employees to test potential ChatGPT competitors, including a chatbot called ‘Apprentice Bard’ (CNBC)Confirmed: Netflix Unveils First Details of New Anti-Password Sharing Measures (The Streamable)Meta Wins Court Nod to Buy Virtual Reality Startup in Loss for Khan’s FTC (Bloomberg)Meta Plans to Shut Down One of Its Most Popular and Long-standing Multiplayer VR Games (Road To VR)Instagram's co-founders are mounting a comeback (Platformer)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today, some weird headlines from the world of gaming. Is VR gaming a big nothingburger for gamers themselves? Is E3 dead as a gaming industry event? Stripe is apparently raising a pretty significant down round. And the first Level 3 autonomous driving platform to receive regulatory approval belongs to Mercedes-Benz.Sponsors:Radial.llc/ride (Listener Ad!)Links:Sony Slashes PlayStation VR2 Headset Output After Pre-Orders Disappoint (Bloomberg)Exclusive: Xbox, Nintendo, and Sony Won't Be Part of E3 2023 (IGN)Showtime to Be Rebranded ‘Paramount+ with Showtime,’ Added to Paramount+ Premium Tier (The Streamable)Thrive Capital Said to Lead Potential Investment in Stripe (NYTimes)Twitter Makes First Interest Payment on Musk Buyout Debt (Bloomberg)Mercedes-Benz is the first to bring Level 3 automated driving to the US (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Après ChatGPT, prepare yourself for the generative AI deluge. Amazon says the free lunch for grocery delivery is over. More speculation about foldable iPads. San Francisco wants Waymo and Cruise to pump the breaks on their self-driving car experiments because the actual cars have been literally pumping the breaks too much. And my wager on whether or not 2023 will actually go down as the year that AI breaks through.Sponsors:The Business of Tech (Listener ad!)RelationshipHero.com/techmeme (Listener ad!)Links:Chinese Search Giant Baidu to Launch ChatGPT-Style Bot (Bloomberg)Amazon adding new fees for grocery delivery (GeekWire)Apple Supplier in India Begins Making Components for AirPods (Bloomberg)Foldable iPad could arrive as early as next year, claims noted Apple analyst (The Verge)Two companies race to deploy robotaxis in San Francisco. The city wants them to hit the brakes. (NBCNews)Scientists at Salesforce develop proteins with AI that can eat trash (NeoWin)AI has designed bacteria-killing proteins from scratch – and they work (New Scientist)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What can make Buzzfeed hit our headlines two days in a row? How about jumping on the ChatGPT bandwagon? Amazon is apparently launching a major NFT project, like it’s 2021 or something. Is Stripe going to be our big tech IPO savior? And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:NFTTallinn.com and code RIDE for 10% of all tickets (Listener ad!)Radial.llc/ride (Listener ad!)Links:BuzzFeed to Use ChatGPT Creator OpenAI to Help Create Quizzes and Other Content (WSJ)Amazon NFT Initiative Coming Soon: Exclusive (Blockworks)Stripe Sets One-Year Timetable to Decide on Going Public (WSJ)LongreadsThe ‘Enshittification’ of TikTok (Wired)The Chess World’s New Villain: A Cat Named Mittens (WSJ)Welcome to the Shoppy Shop (Grub Street)The Disappearance of the Ashtray (Clive Thompson)Why Not Mars (Idle Words)RSVP For The Listener MeetupTickets For The Comedy ShowSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I get all metaphysical about where the tech industry is going right now with a record slowdown in smartphone shipments, Masa Son seemingly misplacing his investing shoes, Meta and Buzzfeed joining forces to stave off irrelevancy, and universities offering degrees in AI for the first time. Oh, and are you SURE you want to spin up that Mastadon server?Sponsors:Instafloss.com (Listener!)RocketMoney.com/rideLinks:Smartphone Shipments Suffer the Largest-Ever Decline with 18.3% Drop in the Holiday Quarter and a 11.3% Decline in 2022, According to IDC Tracker (IDC)SoftBank Deals Hit Record Low, Sapping Funding for Startups (Bloomberg)Meta Pays BuzzFeed Millions to Generate Creator Content for Facebook and Instagram (WSJ)University of Texas Will Offer Large-Scale Online Master’s Degree in A.I. (NYTimes)We tried to run a social media site and it was awful (Financial Times)RSVP For The Listener Meetup!Buy Tickets for the Comedy Show!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I’m gonna tell you why I think the latest antitrust suit against Google might be the most important one in terms of the overall tech ecosystem. And maybe the biggest threat Google is facing. Twitter reverses another thing they shouldn’t have broken in the first place. Why aren’t folks paying ransomware ransom as much anymore? And why are consumers not keeping their smart clothes dryers connected?Sponsors:Upside App and use promocode ridehomeHow To Fix The Internet podcast eff.org/podcastLinks:US Sues Google to Break Up Ad Unit in Heated Antitrust Fight (Bloomberg)DOJ's new suit puts Google's ad business at risk (Axios)Google's most serious antitrust challenge to date (Platformer)Microsoft Cloud Strength Drives Second Quarter Results (Microsoft Investor Relations)Twitter for web will now stay on your preferred timeline (The Verge)Riot Games receives ‘ransom email’ for stolen source code following social engineering attack (The Record)Ransomware Revenue Down As More Victims Refuse to Pay (Chainalysis)LG, Whirlpool Target Customers Disconnected From ‘Smart’ Appliances (WSJ)After inking its OpenAI deal, Shutterstock rolls out a generative AI toolkit to create images based on text prompts (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alright. It’s on. Mark Gurman has literally all the details on Apple’s forthcoming mixed reality headset. The DOJ might already have sued Google by the time you hear this. Amazon adds subscription prescriptions as a service. And it turns out that AI CNET used was good at… plagiarizing.Sponsors:HopelessMope.com code: ridehome (Listener ad!)The Business Of Tech (Listener ad!)Links:How Apple’s Upcoming Mixed-Reality Headset Will Work (Bloomberg)DOJ Poised to Sue Google Over Digital Ad Market Dominance (Bloomberg)Amazon launches RxPass, a $5/month Prime add-on for all-you-need generic drugs covering 80 conditions (TechCrunch)CNET's AI Journalist Appears to Have Committed Extensive Plagiarism (Futurism.com)RSVP For The Listener Meetup This Saturday: https://lu.ma/tx4vez9xSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More tech layoffs, and why I’m suggesting we might only be in the early innings of this tech retrenchment. Big Wall Street banks are coming for PayPal and Apple Pay. TikTok might be putting it’s thumb on the scales to favor certain content. Would you pay $42 a month for a ChatGPT Pro plan? And how far has Apple Silicon come, exactly.Sponsors:Radial.llc/ride (Listener!)MeetFabric.com/rideLinks:Spotify to trim 6% of workforce in latest tech layoffs (Reuters)Elliott Management Takes Big Stake in Salesforce (WSJ)Banks Plan Payment Wallet to Compete With PayPal, Apple Pay (WSJ)TikTok’s Secret ‘Heating’ Button Can Make Anyone Go Viral (Forbes)ChatGPT users report $42 a month pricing for ‘pro’ access but no official announcement yet (The Verge)Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) review: the core count grows (The Verge)Buy tickets for the comedy show!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Now Alphabet has monster layoffs to announce. How much of it is about getting Google ready to battle OpenAI? More Twitter bans, but this time, the bans are for all 3rd party clients. The big executive shakeup at Netflix. Genesis officially files for bankruptcy, and in the Weekend Longreads Suggestions, the reasons why the humble pizza box is one of the worst designed products in existence.Sponsors:The Pegasus Investment Round! Email sam@thepegasus.app (Listener ad!)NFTTallinn.com and code RIDE for 10% of all tickets! (Listener ad!)Links:Google to Cut 12,000 Jobs in 6% Reduction of Global Workforce (Bloomberg)Twitter’s new developer terms ban third-party clients (Engadget)Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings to step down as chief executive (FT)Crypto Lender Genesis Files for Bankruptcy as Crisis Spreads (Bloomberg)Google Calls In Help From Larry Page and Sergey Brin for A.I. Fight (NYTimes)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:How Amazon Became Ordinary (Ritholtz.com)Who Owns the Generative AI Platform? (a16z)The Steam Deck wasn’t born ready, but it’s ready now (The Verge)A WIRED compendium (The Future, Now and Then)You Don’t Know How Bad the Pizza Box Is (The Atlantic)Brian's Episode on the Metacast podcast!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is Genesis finally on the verge of bankruptcy? Instagram wants you to take a break… from Instagram… and they’re even giving you tools to do so. Frowny-face for Amazon for shutting down the AmazonSmile program. Wikipedia gets a big redesign. Some numbers on where the investor dollars are going right now, and is San Francisco back, baby? Maybe cause I’m coming to visit.Sponsors:LayerDesks.com/ride, code ride for 10% off (listener sponsor!)Links:Genesis creditors negotiating prepackaged bankruptcy: Sources (The Block)Crypto Media Outlet CoinDesk Taps Bankers for Potential Sale (WSJ)Instagram’s new ‘Quiet Mode’ helps you take a break from the app (TechCrunch)Amazon to close charitable program AmazonSmile (The Hill)Wikipedia gets its first makeover in over a decade… and it’s fairly subtle (TechCrunch)Apple to Expand Smart-Home Lineup, Taking On Amazon and Google (Bloomberg)Web 3 Startup Funding Q4 Drop (Crunchbase)New AngelList Data Shows Startup Fundraising Pain in Second Half of 2022 (Newcomer)It looks like people are actually moving back to San Francisco (really) (Vox)Tweet on LA startup investment numbers (@emollick)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The original HomePod is basically back, even though it’s not the original cause it’s been updated. Apple’s AR/VR plans continue to be maddeningly confusing, at least to me. Microsoft has announced huge layoffs. Does even the AI revolution require human moderators working in boiler-room like conditions? And I guess we have all the specs for those new Galaxy phones about to be announced.Links:Apple announces revamped full-size HomePod two years after discontinuing original (The Verge)Apple Delays AR Glasses, Plans Cheaper Mixed-Reality Headset (Bloomberg)Full memo: Microsoft to cut 10k jobs, about 5% of workforce, and take $1.2B restructuring charge (GeekWire)Exclusive: OpenAI Used Kenyan Workers on Less Than $2 Per Hour to Make ChatGPT Less Toxic (Time)Galaxy S23 spec leak leaves few surprises ahead of February launch (The Verge)Twitter Manager: Daily Revenue Has Dropped 40%, 500 Top Advertisers Have Left (The Information)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

New Macs and New M2 chips from Santa Tim this morning. Microsoft has made its Azure OpenAI Service generally available. But will lawsuits slow down the AI revolution? Is Google about to reveal its own AirTag-like product? And the law of if it’s too good to be true, it probably is, continues to hold, at least when it comes to hard drives for sale on Amazon.Sponsors:ZocDoc.com/techmemeLinks:Apple Announces New MacBook Pros With M2 Pro and M2 Max Chips, Up to 96GB RAM, 8K HDMI, Wi-Fi 6E, and More (MacRumors)Apple Unveils M2 Pro and M2 Max Chips With 20% Faster CPU and More (MacRumors)Microsoft to Add ChatGPT to Azure Cloud Services ‘Soon’ (Bloomberg)Microsoft Plans to Build OpenAI Capabilities Into All Products (WSJ)Getty Images is suing the creators of AI art tool Stable Diffusion for scraping its content (The Verge)AI art tools Stable Diffusion and Midjourney targeted with copyright lawsuit (The Verge)Google reportedly working on AirTag-like location trackers (The Verge)Why the Heck Is Amazon Selling These Fake 16 Terabyte Portable SSD Drives? (ReviewGeek)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our big AI discussion with @ReamBraden and @swyx.Shawn just posted this new essay drawing on what we discussed here:Every Google vs OpenAI Argument, DissectedSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The SEC just officially labeled two crypto lending programs as unregistered securities? Is the regulatory tsunami beginning? Did Tim Cook actually ask Apple to cut his pay? Did the nascent industry of carbon capture just take its first steps? And in the longreads, I go in depth to explain that weird OpenAI/Microsoft deal. It’s complicated.Links:SEC charges Gemini and Genesis with unregistered securities offering (The Block)Apple’s Tim Cook Takes Rare CEO Pay Cut After Pushback (Bloomberg)Climate Startup Removes Carbon From Open Air in Industry First (WSJ)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Microsoft + OpenAI: Inside Tech’s Hottest Romance (The Information)Is Microsoft about to get the deal of the century? Or is Sam Altman unloading OpenAI at just the right time? (Gary Marcus)Robert Tinney’s Visions Of The Future (DocPop)Dungeons & Dragons content creators are fighting to protect their livelihoods (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is Apple finally ready to bring touchscreens to Macs? Sam Bankman Fried has a Substack. Apple Maps courts businesses. Is Twitter going to auction off user handles? And what tech publication that I quote from all the time has been using AI to write entire articles for months now?Links:Apple Is Working on Adding Touch Screens to Macs in Major Turnabout (Bloomberg)Sam Bankman-Fried sticks to his script (Axios)Apple Maps’ business listings are about to get more detailed with launch of ‘Apple Business Connect’ (TechCrunch)Twitter Said to Consider Selling User Names to Boost Revenue (NYTimes)Carta lays off 10% as CTO lawsuit looms (TechCrunch)CNET IS QUIETLY PUBLISHING ENTIRE ARTICLES GENERATED BY AI (The Byte/Futurism)OpenAI begins piloting ChatGPT Professional, a premium version of its viral chatbot (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Yet another software snafu with the airlines this morning. Apple’s about to do its own screens, its own modems, what is left? Twitter makes a change that they’ve tried to make several times before. Why all the interesting raises are in AI right now. And what to expect from the Surface Duo 3.Sponsors:Zocdoc.com/techmemeLinks:U.S. air travel rumbles back to life after FAA computer outage (Reuters)Apple to Begin Making In-House Screens in 2024 in Shift Away From Samsung (Bloomberg)Twitter defaults to a For You page now, just like TikTok (The Verge)DeepL, the AI-based language translator, raises over $100M at a $1B+ valuation (TechCrunch)Microsoft scraps plans for dual-screen Surface Duo 3, pivots to new foldable screen design (Windows Central)Samsung confirms February 1st Unpacked, its first in-person event in three years (The Verge)Tickets to the comedy show at SF SketchfestSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Well, now there’s VALL-E, a text to speech technology that could fully replace me as this podcast narrator. It looks like Microsoft wants to do everything just short of buying OpenAI entirely. More layoffs at Coinbase. Why the whole 5G interfering with airplanes thing still isn’t resolved. And not everything that says it’s ChatGPT, is really ChatGPT.Sponsors:RefundsPro.comLinks:Microsoft’s new AI can simulate anyone’s voice with 3 seconds of audio (ArsTechnica)Microsoft eyes $10 billion bet on ChatGPT (Semafor)Buy with Prime, which brings Prime to third-party sites, officially launches in U.S. on Jan. 31 (TechCrunch)Coinbase to slash 20% of workforce in second major round of job cuts (CNBC)FAA giving airlines another year to fix altimeters that can’t handle 5G signals (Ars Technica)Sketchy ChatGPT App Soars Up App Store Charts, Charges $7.99 Weekly Subscription (MacRumors)YouTube Experiment 1YouTube Experiment 2See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mark Gurman tells us when Apple’s “Reality Pro” headset will be announced, made available to developers, and made available to consumers. Valve’s Steam gaming platform is breaking records. John Deere will let you repair your hundred-thousand-dollar smart tractor. A literal ThinkPad for smartphones. And why one big buzzword was largely missing from CES this year.Sponsors:Bombas.com/techmeme, code techmeme at checkoutZocdoc.com/techmemeLinks:Apple Will Talk Up Its Mixed-Reality Headset in 2023 But Not Much Else (Bloomberg)Steam hits 10 million concurrent in-game players in record-breaking weekend (The Verge)Deere & Co. will allow farmers to repair their own equipment (Reuters)Insurer Beazley launches first catastrophe bond for cyber threats (FT)The Lenovo ThinkPhone by Motorola is a ThinkPad owner’s dream (The Verge)Where was 5G at CES? (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

OpenAI is raising more money. Apple’s headset launch might be delayed to the summer. But no worries, cause HTC unveiled their 099 Vive XR Elite headset to beat them to the punch. And that leads us into the CES wrapup for day two, including, the most interesting two laptops I’ve seen in a very long time. A true smarthome solution if you care about power. And the new electric trucks that have turned my head.Sponsors:RefundsPro.comLinks:ChatGPT Creator in Investor Talks at $29 Billion Valuation (WSJ)Kuo: Apple's Mixed-Reality Headset Likely to Debut at Spring Media Event or WWDC (MacRumors)HTC Vive XR Elite: Another Mixed-Reality Headset Arriving Ahead of Apple (CNET)Lenovo’s new Yoga Book 9i laptop has a second screen above its screen (The Verge)OLED plus E Ink: Lenovo’s ThinkBook Twist is halfway to my dream laptop (The Verge)Coming soon: smart homes where the electricity isn’t so dumb (The Verge)Ram 1500 Revolution brings muscle car energy — and tons of gimmicks — to EV truck race (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amazon’s layoffs are bigger than we thought. Meta’s new fines in Europe could be a way, way bigger deal than you might think. Apple is brining AI narrators to audiobooks. And a roundup of cool CES stuff. Sony and Honda have a new electric car brand. The first truly wireless TV. And a solar powered watch band means you might never need to charge it.Links:Amazon Layoffs to Hit Over 18,000 Workers, the Most in Recent Tech Wave (WSJ)€390M fine strikes blow to Meta’s ad-fueled business model (Politico)Death of the narrator? Apple unveils suite of AI-voiced audiobooks (The Guardian)Bankruptcy judge rules that Earn account assets belong to Celsius (Axios)CES Roundup:Sony and Honda just announced their new electric car brand, Afeela (The Verge)iOttie Velox Elite is an actively cooled MagSafe car charger to prevent overheating (Apple Insider)LG’s latest Signature OLED TV receives all of its audio and video wirelessly (The Verge)I'm thinking of ditching my Apple Watch for this solar and body heat-powered band (TechRadar)Shower pods are here to turn your bathroom into a spa (The Verge)Samsung Display’s latest foldable concept can both slide and fold (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is Microsoft gonna steal one on Google by bring ChatGPT to Bing search? What is Bonk, the new crypto coin posting monster gains this week? Is Apple bringing MagSafe charging to everyone, even Android users? Roku is launching its own TV sets. And how you could get a check in the mail from Tim Apple for those wonky keyboards.Sponsors:Upside App and promocode RIDEHOMELinks:Microsoft and OpenAI Working on ChatGPT-Powered Bing in Challenge to Google (The Information)Salesforce to cut 10% of workforce in latest tech layoffs (Reuters)Sam Bankman-Fried Pleads ‘Not Guilty’ to Fraud, Conspiracy Charges (CoinDesk)Shiba Inu-Themed BONK Tokens Are Yielding Nearly 1,000% for Solana Liquidity Providers (CoinDesk)Nvidia upgrades GeForce Now with RTX 4080 performance for premium users (TechCrunch)Wireless Power Consortium works with Apple on next generation ‘Qi2’ standard based on MagSafe (9to5Mac)Qi2: How Apple might finally harness MagSafe by giving it away (The Verge)Roku does the obvious thing and announces its own TV line (The Verge)MacBook owners have two months to claim up to $395 over butterfly keyboard woes (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CES kicks off with Intel detailing it’s new 13th gen chips for laptops. A big PyTorch warning. Why that whole Southwest Airlines mess happened. Layoffs are a problem for tech startups, but the number of tech workers is still growing in a healthy way. And pour one out for 3G technology.Sponsors:MeetFabric.com/rideRocketMoney.com/rideLinks:Intel’s 13th Gen mobile processors include the first 24-core laptop CPU (The Verge)PyTorch discloses malicious dependency chain compromise over holidays (BleepingComputer)Southwest Meltdown Shows Airlines Need Tighter Software Integration (WSJ)Gemini’s Cameron Winklevoss Slams Crypto Exec Barry Silbert Over Frozen Funds (Bloomberg)Tech Layoffs Are Happening Faster Than at Any Time During the Pandemic (WSJ)As Silicon Valley Retrenches, a Tech Talent Shift Accelerates (NYTimes)Startups End a Bruising 2022, Stare Down Another Challenging Year (WSJ)Farewell to 3G (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wait, why are Alameda-linked wallets coming back to life all of the sudden? If you do things with a DAO that are technically allowed by the DAO, can that still be market manipulation? What if Amazon or somebody else created an ESPN for the streaming era? The most successful publicly traded tech stock of this miserable year. And somebody tell Mark Zuckerberg about what you can really do with modern avatar technology.Links:Alameda Research wallets swap several crypto tokens for bitcoin (The Block)U.S. charges fraud in Mango crypto manipulation case (Reuters)Crypto Trader’s Fraud Charges Show DeFi Isn’t Outside the Law (Bloomberg)Amazon Has Discussed a Stand-Alone Sports App as Andy Jassy Doubles Down on Prime Video (The Information)Tech stocks got whacked in 2022 — but one server maker soared almost 90%, beating all its peers (CNBC)ABBA’s successful avatar show in London offers a glimpse at a daring new direction for live music (CNBC)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Not an exchange blowing up, but is one of the biggest crypto projects in recent years losing developers and maybe entering a death spiral? More supply chain worries for Apple in China. More concerns about the accuracy and efficacy of our new AI bot overlords. And heads up about the new tech hotness from China. Say hello to Temu. It might be responsible for some of the presents you unwrapped recently.Sponsors:Storyblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Solana’s Top NFT Projects DeGods and Y00ts to Migrate Chains (CoinDesk)Apple’s business under growing threat from China’s Covid wave (Financial Times)Study finds AI assistants help developers produce code that's more likely to be buggy (The Register)IRS Delays $600 Tax Reporting Rule for Venmo, Etsy Sellers (Bloomberg)American Bargain Hunters Flock to a New Online Platform Forged in China (WSJ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

SBF is in the US just in time to see two of his lieutenants have flipped on him to the Feds. Twitter rolls out Cashtags that are actually useful. ChatGPT lead to a “code red” at Google. Justice is coming for those expiring car warranty robo callers. And, surprise, the weekend longreads suggestions.Links:Two Bankman-Fried colleagues plead guilty to fraud (Washington Post)Twitter adds BTC and ETH price indexes to search function (CoinTelegraph)A New Chat Bot Is a ‘Code Red’ for Google’s Search Business (NYTimes)YouTube Paying Roughly $2 Billion a Year for NFL Sunday Ticket (WSJ)FCC proposes record $300 million fine against auto warranty robocall campaign (CyberScoop)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:How TikTok Became a Diplomatic Crisis (NYTimes)How the algorithm tipped the balance in Ukraine (Washington Post)Bob Gottlieb Is the Last of the Publishing Giants The 91-year-old editor waits for his 87-year-old star writer, Robert Caro, to turn in his book. (Vulture)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A new prediction for 2023, the sports streaming wars. What’s with all the weirdness going on with Anker’s security cameras? Is Apple going to cancel the iPhone SE? Is the Google/Facebook ad duopoly over? And an interesting raise for a deepfake startup.Sponsors:Storyblok.com/ridehomeInternetSociety.org/techmemeLinks:Google’s YouTube in Talks for Rights to NFL Sunday Ticket (WSJ)Anker’s Eufy breaks its silence on security cam security (The Verge)Kuo: Apple to Cancel or Postpone 2024 iPhone SE 4 (MacRumors)Slow fade for Google and Meta's ad dominance (Axios)OpenAI releases Point-E, an AI that generates 3D models (TechCrunch)‘South Park’ Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone Land $20 Million in Funding for Their Deepfake VFX Studio (Variety)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amazon settles two EU antitrust cases. An old crypto mystery resurfaces and dormant wallets spring back to life. TikTok will tell you why they recommended that video. Is growth at Mastadon a flood or a trickle? And Coinbase is now worth less than Doge.Sponsors:Storyblok.com/ridehomeMicrosoft's Worklab PodcastLinks:Amazon Agrees to Settle EU Antitrust Cases, Avoiding Fines (WSJ)Bitcoin Addresses Tied to Defunct Canadian Crypto Exchange QuadrigaCX Wake Up (CoinDesk)TikTok’s new feature will tell you why a particular video appeared in your For You feed (TechCrunch)Apple to start making MacBooks in Vietnam by mid-2023 (NikkeiAsia)Netflix’s Ad-Supported Tier Was Its Least Popular Plan, Analytics Firm Estimates (WSJ)More than two million users have flocked to Mastodon since Elon Musk took over Twitter (The Verge)Magna to Buy Veoneer Vehicle Safety Unit for $1.5 Billion (Bloomberg)Silicon Valley start-ups race for debt deals in funding crunch (FT)Coinbase’s Value Is $1 Billion Below ‘Joke’ Token Dogecoin’s (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I dunno. Is Elon not the head of Twitter anymore? He posted a poll, people voted for him to step down. Who knows? I’ll give you the tick tock of what went down this weekend. ? Apple has canceled work on an M2 “extreme” chip. Google goes all in on encrypting Gmail. Why is everyone all in on encryption all of the sudden? And don’t worry, Meta is still all in on the metaverse.Sponsors:Masterclass.com/rideZocDoc.com/techmemeLinks:Twitter abruptly bans all links to Instagram, Mastodon, and other competitors (The Verge)Google is letting businesses try out client-side encryption for Gmail (The Verge)Binance.US to Buy Voyager Assets in $1.022 Billion Deal (Bloomberg)Bankman-Fried is ready to ‘face the music,’ prison official says (Washington Post)Apple Scales Back High-End Mac Pro Plans, Weighs Production Move to Asia (Bloomberg)Facebook’s Meta Will Devote 20% of Costs to Metaverse Next Year (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Emergency bonus episode! Is this the moment for Twitter alternatives? T2.social is one of them and the founder of that project, @gabor, joins us to kick it all around. So does our friend Alex Kantrowitz from @BigTechnology.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Elon Musk has once again proven that the flesh is weak because there’s a new Twitter controversy and I can’t help but tell you about it. Is it a good look when the accounting firm writing reports to prove crypto companies are solvent says it will no longer work with crypto companies? Is Netflix’s ad-supported tier not signing up as many eyeballs as advertisers hoped? And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:InternetSociety.org/techmemeStoryblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Twitter suspends Mastodon’s account and bans links to Mastodon servers (TechCrunch)Twitter suspends journalists who have been covering Elon Musk and the company (NBCNews)Accountant That Vetted Binance Reserves Halts Crypto Work (Bloomberg)Netflix lets advertisers take their money back after missing viewership targets (Digiday)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Spotify’s grand plan to monetize developers via its open source Backstage project (TechCrunch)YouTube Stars Cash In Video Rights for Millions of Dollars (WSJ)ChatGPT and the Imagenet moment (Ben Evans)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I’ll get into the whole Twitter banning private jet tracking accounts thing, but use that to explain how and even if we’re going to cover this whole Elon/Twitter story going forward. Is mobile gaming the latest domino to fall in this year of “line also goes down?” A new consortium hopes to make mapping data better. And let me introduce you to the Battery Belt, every bit as important as the whole onshoring the chip industry trend.Links:Twitter Suspends the Accounts Tracking Musk’s Jet and The Man Behind It (Bloomberg)Twitter Suspends Over 25 Accounts That Track Billionaires’ Private Planes (NYTimes)Elon Musk offloads another $3.6bn of Tesla stock (FT)FTX Investor Impact: Timeline of Realized Cryptocurrency Gains and Losses Shows FTX Hit Investor Wallets Less Than Previous Crises (Chainalysis)2022 will go down as the worst year for U.S. IPOs since 1990. (Axios Pro Rata)Mobile games market to decline for first time in over a decade (FT)Creating the ultimate smart map with new map data initiative launched by Linux Foundation (VentureBeat)1 big thing: The "battery belt" widens (Axios)The electric car Battery Belt is reshaping America’s heartland (Axios)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple is going to allow third-party app stores, but only in Europe for now. Your Tesla is now a full-fledged gaming rig. Instagram is testing a full-fledged BeReal clone. Has Twitter stopped paying its bills? And there is now actual US legislation to ban TikTok.Sponsors:Storyblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Apple to Allow Outside App Stores in Overhaul Spurred by EU Laws (Bloomberg)Tesla’s latest update adds Steam games and Apple Music (The Verge)Musk Shakes Up Twitter’s Legal Team as He Looks to Cut More Costs (NYTimes)Twitter is considering forcing users to let the company sell their data and phone numbers to advertisers, in potential breach of Apple rules (Insider)Binance CEO Zhao Warns Bumpy Road Ahead in Message to His Staff (Bloomberg)Instagram Challenges BeReal and Adds Notes Short-Message Feature (WSJ)Lawmakers unveil bipartisan bill that aims to ban TikTok in the U.S. (CNBC)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

SBF is under arrest. The Feds have charged him. The SEC has charged him. The CFTC has charged him. CZ continues to try to reassure Binance users over withdrawals. I think it’s time I update you on the health I’m seeing of the Twitter platform. And what is “open source” intelligence and why is the US behind in this modern type of spycraft?Sponsors:InternetSociety.org/techmemeStoryblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Federal prosecutors, SEC unveil charges against Sam Bankman-Fried (Washington Post)FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried arrested in the Bahamas after U.S. files criminal charges (CNBC)Jim Edwards thread summarizing the SEC complaintBinance CEO addresses USDC outflows: 'feel free to withdraw any other stablecoin' (The Block)AI art apps are cluttering the App Store’s Top Charts following Lensa AI’s success (TechCrunch)Elon says Twitter will remove all legacy verifications ‘in a few months’ (TechCrunch)Radeon 7900 XTX and XT review: Faster, hotter, and cheaper than the RTX 4080 (ArsTechnica)Rise of Open-Source Intelligence Tests U.S. Spies (WSJ)Tickets to my comedy show at the end of January in San FranciscoSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Xiaomi has released its newest flagship smartphones. A bunch of worrying headlines surrounding Binance. Twitter Blue is back. Have scientists finally made a major breakthrough in fusion energy tech? And why Google is hesitant to release its answer to ChatGPT.Masterclass.com/rideLinks:The Xiaomi 13 series launches as true Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 darling (Android Police)Binance Is Trying to Calm Investors, but Its Finances Remain a Mystery (WSJ)'Abnormal' Altcoin Trading on Binance 'Just Market Behavior,' Says CEO (Decrypt)US Prosecutors Look to Charge Binance, Executives on Possible Money Laundering Violations: Reuters (Coindesk)Twitter Blue to Relaunch Monday, With Blue Check Mark, Higher iOS Price, Company Says (CNET)US Says Scientists Make Breakthrough in Nuclear Fusion Energy (Bloomberg)The New Chatbots Could Change the World. Can You Trust Them? (NYTimes)Why Google Missed ChatGPT (Big Technology)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What were the biggest stories of 2022? What will be the biggest tech stories of 2023?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This is going to make the situation in the gaming industry downright chaotic. The FTC has sued to block Microsoft's $69B Activision Blizzard acquisition. Sam Bankman Fried says he’s going to testify, under oath, before Congress. Why the salute emoji is hands down the symbol of the year 2022. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:InternetSociety.org/techmemeLinks:Twin complaints signal new FTC strategy to rein in tech industry (Washington Post)FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried agrees to testify at U.S. House hearing on Tuesday (CNBC)We Couldn’t Have Made It Through This Year Without the Saluting Emoji (Rolling Stone)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:How AI That Powers Chatbots and Search Queries Could Discover New Drugs (WSJ)The Hype Around Esports Is Fading as Investors and Sponsors Dry Up (Bloomberg)Programmable Ink (InkAndSwitch)How CoinDesk’s FTX scoop left a hole in its corporate overlord (The Verge)Enter the wind tunnel (Driving Conformity)36 Hours - Wellington, New Zealand (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple is going back all in on privacy in a big way with Advanced Data Protection. I’ll explain. Did Sam Bankman-Fried also kill Terra and Luna? A look at those magic avatars from Lensa that everyone is using for their profile picture all of the sudden. And the winner for the most post-pandemic product goes to Dyson.Sponsors:Cyborg.co/rideGet 90% off RexMD with our exclusive link -> RexMD.com/rideLinks:Apple Plans New Encryption System to Ward Off Hackers and Protect iCloud Data (WSJ)@matthew_d_green's twitter thread on Apple's new encryption pushFTX Founder Sam Bankman-Fried Is Said to Face Market Manipulation Inquiry (NYTimes)Coinbase CEO Sees Revenue Falling 50% or More on Crypto Rout (Bloomberg)AI selfies — and their critics — are taking the internet by storm (Washington Post)Ask these questions before you make your Lensa Magic Avatars (TechRadar)Dyson's Air Purifying Headphones Will Cost $949 (Gizmodo)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In an attempt to keep their acquisition of Activision… active, Microsoft wants to bring Call of Duty to the Nintendo Switch. That time SBF tried to give Taylor Swift $100M. She said no, apparently. You don’t have to give Telegram your phone number anymore. Mark Gurman rumor dump about the scaled back ambitions of the Apple Car. And yes. ChatGPT probably has Google over the classic innovator’s dilemma barrel.Sponsors:InternetSociety.org/techmemeStoryblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Microsoft says it will bring Call of Duty to Nintendo (Washington Post)FTX held talks with Taylor Swift over $100mn sponsorship deal (FT)Tim Cook says Apple will use chips built in the U.S. at Arizona factory (CNBC)Telegram drops SIM requirement for sign-ups, adds Global Auto-Delete timers (9to5Google)SpaceX unveils ‘Starshield,’ a military variation of Starlink satellites (CNBC)Twitter’s Rivals Try to Capitalize on Musk-Induced Chaos (NYTimes)Apple Scales Back Self-Driving Car and Delays Debut Until 2026 (Bloomberg)Google Faces a Serious Threat From ChatGPT (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is the government investigating Neuralink for animal cruelty? Why is Microsoft increasing prices for Xbox games? How much does it cost every time you ask ChatGPT a question? Is Meta really going to stop allowing you to post news links, or is this a bluff? And is that Arizona chip plant becoming a bigger deal every day?Sponsors:Masterworks.com/ride*Storyblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Elon Musk’s Neuralink is reportedly facing a federal probe on animal welfare grounds (The Verge)Exclusive: Musk’s Neuralink faces federal probe, employee backlash over animal tests (Reuters)Google Pixel 7 just got a bunch of exciting features — here’s what’s new (Tom's Guide)Microsoft Raising Prices on New, First-Party Games Built for Xbox Series X|S to $70 in 2023 (IGN)@sama's Tweets about ChatGPTGoogle Search brings continuous scrolling to desktop (The Verge)Facebook threatens to ban news from platform if U.S. bill passes (MarketWatch)TSMC triples Arizona chip investment to $40bn (FT)Our podcast TikTok account: techmeme_ride_home* “net returns” refers to the annualized internal rate of return net of all fees and costs, calculated from the offering closing date to the sale date. IRR may not be indicative of Masterworks paintings not yet sold and past performance is not indicative of future results. See important Reg A disclosures: Masterworks.com/cd Masterworks’ offerings are filed with the SEC, view all past and current offerings here: https://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?company=masterworks&match=&filenum=&State=&Country=&SIC=&myowner=exclude&action=getcompanySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Maybe put the breaks on an early release of that Apple AR/VR headset. And maybe pump the breaks on the AI excitement as Stack Overflow temporarily bans users from sharing responses generated by ChatGPT. A security issue at Rackspace. Are the Winkivii in trouble? And why has Sam Bankman Fried not been arrested yet?Sponsors:LetsTalkInTouch.comHover.com/ride for 10% offLinks:Kuo: Apple Headset Shipments Potentially Delayed Until Second Half of 2023 (MacRumors)Foxconn sees COVID-hit China plant back at full output in late Dec-early Jan -source (Reuters)Rackspace rocked by ‘security incident’ that has taken out hosted Exchange services (The Register)AI-generated answers temporarily banned on coding Q&A site Stack Overflow (The Verge)Crypto broker Genesis owes Winklevoss exchange’s customers $900mn (Financial Times)Why Hasn’t Sam Bankman-Fried Been Arrested Yet? (Intelligencer)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Mark Gurman has details on Apple ramping up development of its mixed-reality headset, targeting a launch next year. Elon has had to block his friend Ye from Twitter. Future is shutting down. Airplane mode might be a thing of the past soon. Is Nikola Tesla’s dream of wireless electrical transmission about to be a reality? And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:InternetSociety.org/techmemeStoryblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Apple Renames Mixed-Reality Software ‘xrOS’ in Sign Headset Is Approaching (Bloomberg)Kanye West isn’t buying Parler after all (TechCrunch)Andreessen Horowitz's buzzy tech publication Future is shutting down (Insider)Payments giant Stripe jumps into Web3 with tool that helps companies turn cash to crypto (Fortune Crypto)AWS launches Application Composer, a low-code tool for building serverless apps (TechCrunch)No more airplane mode? EU to allow calls on flights (BBC News)Silicon Valley startup beaming electricity wirelessly raises $30 million (Reuters)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Generative AI: autocomplete for everything (Noahpinion)Your Creativity Won’t Save Your Job From AI (The Atlantic)The Grown-Up Art of Andor (The New Republic)A French Village’s Radical Vision of a Good Life with Alzheimer’s (New Yorker)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A summary of last night’s Sam Bankman Fried show. Elon visits Tim Cook and maybe they buried the hatchet? Now OpenAI has released a chat bot. Neuralink says it’s going to start implanting into humans very soon. And Arizona is gonna get the good stuff when it comes to chips.Sponsors:Storyblok.com/ridehomeLinks:FTX Missing Billions Remain Mystery After Bankman-Fried Grilling (Bloomberg)Elon Musk Meets With Apple CEO Tim Cook Amid Claims of Twitter App Store Dispute [Updated] (MacRumors)Musk at Twitter has 'huge work' ahead to comply with EU rules, warns bloc (TechCrunch)While everyone waits for GPT-4, OpenAI is still fixing its predecessor (MIT Technology Review)Musk’s Neuralink Hopes to Implant Computer in Human Brain in Six Months (Bloomberg)Disney Made a Movie Quality AI Tool That Automatically Makes Actors Look Younger (or Older) (Gizmodo)TSMC Plans to Make More Advanced Chips in US at Urging of Apple (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Covid lockdown at that Foxconn factory has lifted. The surprising strength of the smartwatch sector. The surprising failure of the Kindle Scribe. Gorilla Glass Victus 2. And Sony has an actual new idea for the Metaverse.Sponsors:InternetSociety.org/techmemeLinks:China’s Zhengzhou, home to world’s largest iPhone factory, ends Covid lockdown. Other cities do the same (CNN Business)India Becomes Biggest Smartwatch Market in Q3 2022 (Counterpoint)Amazon Security Lake is a standards-based data lake for security data (TechCrunch)Amazon Kindle Scribe review: absolutely adequate (The Verge)Apple Music reveals top music in 2022 and listener charts (AP News)Gorilla Glass Victus 2 could save your big phone from disastrous falls on concrete (TechRadar)Sony is getting into the metaverse with a new motion-tracking system (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Elon says he’s willing to go to war with Apple. Why now? Is Apple really threatening Twitter’s status in the App Store, as he claims? Where, exactly, is the money for Binance’s crypto recovery fund coming from? Amazon wants kids to get in on the generative AI game. And with all the explosion of AI tools, why aren’t we seeing more adoption of AI for the very tangible and very important use case of medical imaging?Sponsors:ZenGo.com/ride and code: rideLinks:Elon Musk Claims Apple Has 'Mostly Stopped' Offering Ads on Twitter and Is Making Moderation Demands (MacRumors)Why some tech CEOs are rooting for Musk (Platformer)Twitter’s $5bn-a-year business hit as Elon Musk clashes with advertisers (Financial Times)Binance clarifies initial $1 billion recovery fund deposit came from own assets (The Block)Amazon’s Create With Alexa generates unique animated children’s stories on Echo Show (Engadget)Google partners with med tech company to develop AI breast cancer screening tools (The Verge)Special Series Part 3: AI Could Transform Medical Imaging — So Why Don’t We See It More? (Crunchbase News)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

All of the protests erupting in China have, not only a definite tech angle, but might have been triggered by those lockdowns at that Foxconn factory. BlockFi officially files for bankruptcy. Binance attempts to prove its reserves. How to message yourself on WhatsApp. And how Minecraft might have led to a major new breakthrough in AI.Sponsors:LetsTalkInTouch.comStoryblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Twitter grapples with Chinese spam obscuring news of protests (Washington Post)US Bans Huawei, ZTE Telecom Equipment on Data-Security Risk (Bloomberg)Crypto Lender BlockFi Filing for Bankruptcy and Conducting Major Layoffs as FTX Contagion Claims Another: Source (Decrypt)Binance releases proof-of-reserves system, starting with bitcoin (The Block)WhatsApp rolls out a feature that makes it easier to message yourself (WhatsApp)A bot that watched 70,000 hours of Minecraft could unlock AI’s next big thing (MIT Technology Review)Special Series Launch: The Promises And Perils Of A Decade Of AI Funding (Crunchbase News)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Check out the extensive paper on LEO satellites and Internet from space at InternetSociety.org/techmemeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Actual rioting happening at the major Foxconn factory that produces iPhones. Microsoft fully embraces Linux. Advertisers continue to flee from Twitter. What if your wifi router and mesh network was actually a fashionable home décor choice? And surprise! The weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:InternetSociety.org/techmemeStoryblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Violent Protests Erupt at Apple’s Main iPhone Plant in China (Bloomberg)Windows Subsystem for Linux generally available via Microsoft Store (BleepingComputer)Advertisers are dropping Twitter. Musk can’t afford to lose any more. (Washington Post)Nest Wifi Pro review: better, faster, shinier (The Verge)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:The Tiny and Nightmarishly Efficient Future of Drone Warfare (The Atlantic)Robert Iger Returns to Disney Facing Radically Different Streaming Landscape (WSJ)America has an earthquake early-warning system now — on your phone (Washington Post)The Weird-Looking, Fuel-Efficient Planes You Could Be Flying in One Day (WSJ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The contagion in crypto continues to teeter on a knife’s edge. Why were Sam Bankman Fried’s parents allegedly buying property in the Bahamas? Elon says Twitter is hiring again. Turns out the Alexa deathwatch is very real. And is Apple really the privacy company, or just like everybody else when it comes to ads?Sponsors:InternetSociety.org/techmemeRocketMoney.com/rideLinks:Crypto Brokerage Genesis Is Said to Warn of Bankruptcy Without Funding (Bloomberg)Hedge funds left with billions stranded on FTX (FT)Exclusive: Bankman-Fried's FTX, parents bought Bahamas property worth $121 million (Reuters)Elon Musk says Twitter is done with layoffs and ready to hire again (The Verge)Amazon is gutting its voice assistant, Alexa. Employees describe a division in crisis and huge losses on 'a wasted opportunity.' (Insider)Apple Says Your iPhone's Usage Data is Anonymous, but New Tests Say That's Not True (Gizmodo)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ruh roh. Storm clouds gathering in crypto land again. This time it’s DCG and Genesis. The shocking CEO revolving door over at Disney. The surprising return of SwiftKey. What you missed this weekend in Twitter. And you’ve heard of Stable Diffusion; let me introduce you to Unstable Diffusion. Stable Diffusion but for porn.Sponsors:LetsTalkInTouch.comMasterclass.com/rideZocDoc.com/techmemeLinks:Grayscale won’t share proof of reserves, citing ‘security concerns’ (The Block)Grayscale refuses to share proof of reserves due to ‘security concerns’ as shares trade at a 45% discount to bitcoin (CNBC)Disney Shocker: Bob Iger Returning as CEO, Bob Chapek Exits (The Hollywood Reporter)SwiftKey is unexpectedly back on iOS (The Verge)Twitter’s Broken Its Copyright Strike System, Users Are Uploading Full Movies (Forbes)Kite is saying farewell (Kite.com)Meet Unstable Diffusion, the group trying to monetize AI porn generators (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The great Anil Dash joined us to talk about... well, what do you think we talked about? But also, a broader discussion about the crazy year that the tech industry has had.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I’m here with you all as we wait for the end of Twitter together. Unless it doesn’t die. In which case, I dunno. Masa Son is actually personally in hock to the Vision Fund now that all its investments have gone pear shaped. A weird end of an era for Facebook. It’s not about status updates anymore. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:Storyblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Hundreds of employees say no to being part of Elon Musk’s ‘extremely hardcore’ Twitter (The Verge)Tweet thread on why @peterclowes left TwitterMasayoshi Son owes $4.7bn to SoftBank following tech rout (FT)End of an Era: Facebook Takes Sexuality, Religion, Address, and Politics Off of Your Profile (Gizmodo)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Tweet thread from @MosquitoCapital on the many ways Twitter could breakNvidia RTX 4080 review: performance, for a price (The Verge)1Password wants to ditch passwords without locking you in to one platform (Fast Company)Why Big Tech Is Throwing $1 Billion at Sucking CO2 From the Air (CNET)My Mastodon handle: @ridehome@toot.communitySign up for Post: https://post.news/?r=zXrzhSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The guy who handled the Enron bankruptcy says FTX is the worst he’s ever seen. Xbox gets full Discord integration. Apple’s plans for Major League Soccer are revealed. Evernote finds a forever home. A new Deepfake detector from Intel and supercomputing in the cloud from Microsoft and Nvidia.Sponsors:Storyblok.com/ridehomeMedcline.com/techmemeLinks:New FTX Boss Condemns Management of the Crypto Exchange During Sam Bankman-Fried's Tenure (CoinDesk)Built-in Discord voice chat is now rolling out to all Xbox users (Engadget)Apple Kicks Off Major League Soccer Plans With Pricing & Launch Details (Deadline)Bending Spoons acquires Evernote, marking the end of an era (TechCrunch)Google rolls out new features across Maps, Search and Shopping (TechCrunch)Intel unveils real-time deepfake detector, claims 96% accuracy rate (VentureBeat)Cloud computing: Microsoft and Nvidia are building a 'massive' AI supercomputer. Here's why (ZDNet)Microsoft and Nvidia team up to build massive cloud AI supercomputer (SiliconRepublic)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon chip. DuckDuckGo’s App Tracking blocker but for Android, the latest headlines from the two stories you know we have to hit, and what if I told you there’s a new startup that wants to do for home appliances, what Tesla did for automobiles?Sponsors:Akamai.com/techmemeKinsta.comLinks:Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 gives us a glimpse of 2023’s Android flagships (The Verge)DuckDuckGo’s App Tracking Protection beta is now available to all Android users (The Verge)Netflix's new feature lets subscribers kick devices off their accounts (TechCrunch)Musk issues ultimatum to staff: Commit to ‘hardcore’ Twitter or take severance (Washington Post)Induction cooking heats up with a $20M cash injection for Impulse (TechCrunch)Protocol, the tech-news focused website, will shutter and lay off its entire staff (CNN Business)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If you tell Elon he doesn’t know what he’s doing, you could get fired. Matt Levine looks into the abyss of the FTX balance sheet and finds the abyss staring back at him. Is the Alexa platform in danger? Nike still believes in NFTs. And what it’s actually like to use Apple’s Emergency SOS feature.Sponsors:Hover.com/ride for 10% offSplit.io/techmemeLinks:Musk Publicly Punishes Twitter Engineers Who Call Him Out Online (Bloomberg)Is Elon Musk’s Twitter about to fall out of the GDPR’s one-stop shop? (TechCrunch)FTX’s Balance Sheet Was Bad (Bloomberg)Amazon Is Said to Plan to Lay Off Thousands of Employees (NYTimes)Nike to Open Its Own Virtual Sneaker Store and Trading Platform (Bloomberg)Nike Launches Web3 Platform Offering Virtual Apparel and Other NFT-Based Products (CryptoNews)Here’s what it’s like to use Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Twitter still lives, at least at the time of this writing. But thousands more contractors have been laid off. CZ wants to start a fund to save crypto projects. Paging Jonah Hill to play SBF in the movie that Michael Lewis is shopping around Hollywood. Meta is exiting the Portal business. And a big review of the Meta Quest Pro is just downright befuddling.Sponsors:LadderLife.com/rideStoryblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Twitter reportedly cut thousands of contractors without warning (The Verge)SpaceX just bought a big ad campaign on Twitter for Starlink (CNBC)Binance Starts Recovery Fund for Crypto Projects Facing Liquidity Crisis (CoinDesk)Exclusive: Jeff Bezos says he will give most of his money to charity (CNN Business)Nearly half of Meta job cuts were in tech, reorg underway - execs say (Reuters)Meta Quest Pro review: get me out of here (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Just two big stories, as it’s been all week, but instead of ONLY giving you the latest, I want to try to sum up where I think we’re at as this week ends. What, I think, in the end, actually happened with FTX. And are we SURE Elon isn’t trying to tank Twitter on purpose? And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Storyblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Sam Bankman-Fried steps down as FTX CEO as his crypto exchange files for bankruptcy (CNBC)FTX US Warns of Trading Halt Hours After Bankman-Fried Says It's '100% Liquid' (CoinDesk)Crypto Lender BlockFi Pauses Withdrawals in Wake of FTX Collapse (CoinDesk)Does Twitter Have Any Employees Left Who Remember That The Company Is Under A Strict Consent Decree With The FTC? (TechDirt)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Basically everything on Amazon has become an ad (Vox)Can Crypto’s Richest Man Stand the Cold? (Bloomberg)Matter is here, but it’s still a long road to the simple smart home (The Verge)Twitter alternative: how Mastodon is designed to be “antiviral” (UXCollective)Unfollow? Block? And who gets custody of the WhatsApp groups? How to break up in the digital age (The Guardian)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More twists and turns in the FTX, SBF, CZ saga as the entire crypto sector continues to get rocked. I’d love to tell you what is going on with Twitter’s whole checkmark saga, but I don’t know, Elon doesn’t know, and frankly, by the time you hear this, it’s likely to have changed anyway. GitHub is getting into the voice assistant game. And Amazon becomes the first company to LOSE a Trillion dollars in valuation.Sponsors:Akamai.com/techmemeStoryblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Binance Walks Away From Deal to Rescue FTX (WSJ)SBF Tweet Storm This MorningFTX’s Collapse Spurs $10 Billion Drop in Decentralized Finance (Bloomberg)Twitter begins to roll out, then kills, grey checkmarks for high-profile accounts (TechCrunch)Apple will spend $450 million with Globalstar and others to enable emergency satellite texting (CNBC)‘Hey, GitHub!’ will let programmers code with just their voice (The Verge)Amazon Becomes World’s First Public Company to Lose $1 Trillion in Market Value (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Meta layoffs are here and they’re brutal. But rumors are, TikTok is cutting back also. What even is the new Twitter subscription product at this point? Does anybody know? And if you look at today’s show title, and it’s just a bunch of gibberish, hopefully I can explain the big crypto blowup from yesterday.Sources:Kinsta.comStoryblok.comLinks:Meta confirms 11,000 layoffs, amounting to 13% of its workforce (TechCrunch)TikTok slashes global revenue targets by at least $2bn (Financial Times)Twitter’s solution for ruining verification is another check mark (The Verge)Disney+ reaches 164.2M subscribers as it prepares for ad-supported tier launch (TechCrunch)The Story of Sam Bankman-Fried’s Backroom Deal With Binance’s CZ (CoinDesk)Lucas Nuzzi (Twitter Thread)FTX Venture Investors Fear Total Wipeout in Binance Rescue Deal (The Information)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why has FTX appeared to have halted withdrawals? Innocent explanation, or could we have another big crypto blowup brewing? What if Elon just says, screw it, and puts all of Twitter behind a paywall? What happens if NFT marketplaces stop honoring royalties? And why is Apple having a hard time with its design team?Sponsors:Masterworks.com/rideLinks:Binance to Sell Rest of FTX Token Holdings as Alameda CEO Defends Firm's Financial Condition (CoinDesk)Musk discusses putting all of Twitter behind a paywall (Platformer)Mysterious company with government ties plays key internet role (Washington Post)OpenSea Breaks Silence on NFT Royalties, But Creators Don't Like What They Hear (Decrypt)Apple’s Brain Drain Hinders Efforts to Pick Its Next Jony Ive (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Looks like those rumors of massive Meta layoffs might be coming true this week. Covid has led to brand new iPhone shortage worries. Is Apple about to make it easier to invoke Siri? Airbnb has made it easier to understand the true cost of a rental. And this weekend in the Twitter Clown Car.Sponsors:Storyblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Facebook Parent Meta Is Preparing to Notify Employees of Large-Scale Layoffs This Week (WSJ)Apple Issues iPhone 14 Pro Shipment Warning Ahead of Holiday Shopping Season (MacRumors)Apple’s Next Change for Siri: Dropping ‘Hey’ From ‘Hey Siri’ Trigger (Bloomberg)Airbnb to Make Cleaning Fees Clearer on Searches After Customer Complaints (WSJ)Elon Musk Appears To Threaten Advertisers Wary Of His Twitter Takeover (HuffingtonPost)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The layoffs have begun at Twitter. And while Twitter might shutter its Substack competitor, Substack has moved into Twitter’s turf by launching a sort of discussion platform. DALL-E API’s are now available for you to use. What it’s like to use Netflix’s new ad-supported tier. And, of course, The Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:hiddenheroes.netguru.comLinks:Elon Musk’s Twitter layoffs are starting (The Verge)Substack targets Twitter with launch of discussions feature, Substack Chat (TechCrunch)Amazon pauses hiring for corporate workforce (CNBC)DALL-E API released by OpenAI in public beta, potential boon for app builders (VentureBeat)With Netflix’s ads tier, you never know what you’re going to get (The Verge)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Bored Ape Yacht Club tell all: The untold story of the $4 billion crypto startup (FastCompany)The ‘Viral’ Secure Programming Language That’s Taking Over Tech (Wired)The Race to Be Figma for Devs: CodeSandbox vs. StackBlitz (TheNewStack)The Most Vulnerable Place on the Internet (Wired)Inside the weirdly competitive industry of robots writing letters in human handwriting (FastCompany)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is TikTok still in danger of running afoul of government bans? WhatsApp gets Groups. Gmail gets package tracking. Instagram gets NFT minting. Patreon gets video hosting. Layoffs come for Stripe. Yes, there was some Twitter news too. And is the Adobe/Figma deal in trouble?Sponsors:hiddenheroes.netguru.comSplit.io/techmemeLinks:TikTok tells European users its staff in China get access to their data (The Guardian)WhatsApp officially launches its new discussion group feature, Communities (TechCrunch)Gmail to add a new package tracking feature ahead of holiday shopping season (TechCrunch)Meta’s Instagram Plans NFT Minting, Trading Tools (Decrypt)Patreon’s long-awaited video hosting feature is finally rolling out to creators (The Verge)Elon Musk Aims to Start Charging for Twitter Verification Next Week (Bloomberg)Stripe Cuts Headcount by 14%, Prepares for ‘Leaner Times’ (Bloomberg)DOJ takes aim at Adobe's $20 billion deal (Politico)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We know when the PlayStation VR2 is coming, when you can pre-order it, and how much it’s gonna cost. What do you know? A bunch of news in the whole Twitter saga. The reality of the ransomware industrial complex. And an interesting new Mac app to help you remember everything you’ve ever done on your computer.Sponsors:Akamai.com/techmemeLinks:PlayStation VR2 launches on February 22nd for $549.99 (The Verge)Elon Musk to charge verified Twitter users to give ‘power to the people’ (SiliconRepublic)Elon Musk’s Twitter is working on paid-video feature with ‘high’ risk (Washington Post)Tumblr will now allow nudity but not explicit sex (The Verge)Twitch opens Guest Star up so anyone can run their own talk show not (TechCrunch)U.S. banks processed roughly $1.2 billion in ransomware payments in 2021, according to federal report (CNBC)Rewind wants to revamp how you remember, with millions from a16z (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Will charging for blue checks actually help Twitter monetarily or… frankly, any way, at all? Amazon has expanded ad-free Music. YouTube is bundling streaming services. Why Uber Eats is interesting inside of Uber earnings. And is it time to start worrying about Sony’s strategy with the Playstation?Sponsors:Medcline.com/techmemeLinks:Scoop: Musk team working to reboot Vine this year (Axios)Jack Dorsey just saved Elon Musk about $1 billion by rolling over his shares of Twitter into a stake in the new private company (Insider)YouTube’s Primetime Channels bring streaming movies and TV into the YouTube app (The Verge)Amazon Prime now comes with a full music catalog of 100 million songs and ad-free podcasts (TechCrunch)Uber Shares Jump as Strong Ridership Eases Inflation Worries (Bloomberg)PlayStation Plus has lost nearly 2 million subscribers since its revamp (VGC)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Just, massive wholesale changes at Twitter, including possibly making folks pay up for features. Pitty the poor tech billionaires who have collectively lost half a trillion in wealth this year. When the M2 MacBook Pros should be showing up. And what colors might you be blocked from using on Adobe products?Sponsors:RocketMoney.com/rideLinks:Elon Musk wastes no time changing Twitter (The Verge)Twitter is planning to start charging $20 per month for verification (The Verge)The 20 Richest Tech Billionaires Have Lost Nearly Half a Trillion Dollars This Year (WSJ)Apple Gears Up to Launch Its Next Crop of Macs Early Next Year (Bloomberg)India's Central Bank to Start Wholesale CBDC Pilot Nov. 1 (CoinDesk)You’re Going To Have To Pay To Use Some Fancy Colors In Photoshop Now (Kotaku)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Readocracy is restoring sanity to the world by making how you inform yourself count for something. Troll-free, bot-free, ad-free.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Area man completes acquisition of social media platform. And now the fun begins? Amazon had bad earnings, but Apple mostly didn’t. YouTube is trying to be like TikTok too, but they’re giving their users options. And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Wealthfront.com/techmemeLinks:How Twitter Will Change as a Private Company (NYTimes)Amazon stock sinks 13% on weak fourth-quarter guidance (CNBC)Apple reports strong quarter but expects sales slump (Silicon Republic)YouTube redesign gives long-form videos, Shorts and Live videos their own tabs on channel pages (TechCrunch)Weekend Longreads SuggestionsSmartphone Storage Space Is the New Turf War for Game Makers (Bloomberg)The First Minute of Every Phone Call Is Torture Now (The Atlantic)The Try Guys and the Prison of Online Fame (NYTimes Magazine)The Crypto Story (Matt Levine/Bloomberg Businessweek)Which AI Creates the Best (and Most Terrifying) Art? (PC Mag)The Fantasy of Instant Delivery Is Imploding (Bloomberg)The beginning of the monster Game of Thrones Twitter Thread (Ben Schwartz)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

(BOMB SOUND). That’s the sound of Meta’s disastrous earnings announcement yesterday. That’s the sort of insightful analysis you come to this podcast for. But also, Argo AI is shutting down. Google Cloud has a new blockchain tool for developers. And the Elon Twitter thing is happening. It’s really happening, people. Behave accordingly.Sponsors:ZocDoc.com/techmemeLinks:Meta Tumbles as Sales Forecast Shows Depth of Ad-Market Weakness (Bloomberg)Meta Plummets 25% as Zuckerberg’s Plea for ‘Patience’ Falls Flat (Bloomberg)It’s Official: Meta Is a Disaster (Intelligencer)Mark Zuckerberg Is Going To Kill His Company (Ed Zitron's Where's Your Ed At)Ford, VW-backed Argo AI is shutting down (TechCrunch)Samsung's Third-Quarter Profit Plunges Amid Chip Market Woes (CNET)Google's new service helps Web3 developers build for blockchain-based platforms (ZDNet)Elon Musk Is In Twitter’s Office and Will Address Staff Friday (Bloomberg)Elon Musk, on Eve of Twitter Deal Close, Promises Advertisers It Won’t Become a ‘Free-for-All Hellscape’ (Variety)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meta and Spotify both call Apple out on their recent App Store aggressiveness. Soft earnings from Microsoft and worrying earnings from Alphabet. Twitter seems to already be hemorrhaging its power users. LinkedIn fights its own bot war. And are unicorns back to becoming a rare thing?Sponsors:Akamai.comLinks:Apple’s new App Store tax on ads is a direct shot at Meta (The Verge)Spotify says Apple is ‘choking competition’ and ruining its audiobook store (The Verge)Spotify Boosts Subscribers and Revenue, Says 2023 Price Increases Likely (WSJ)Microsoft Plunges on Forecast for Lackluster Azure Growth (Bloomberg)Twitter Asks: Where Have All the Tweeters Gone? (Gizmodo)Alphabet misses on earnings as YouTube shrinks; company will cut headcount growth by half in Q4 (CNBC)Intel unit Mobileye prices IPO above range to raise $861 mln (Reuters)Developers Complain About Gambling Ads Appearing in Their App Store Listings (MacRumors)First on CNN: LinkedIn knows there are fake accounts on its site. Now it wants to help users spot them (CNN Business)The billion-dollar tech unicorn is becoming rare again (The Washington Post)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple tries to wedge the App Store vig into another market. Prices are going up for your favorite Apple services. Shutterstock is partnering with OpenAI cause if you can’t something them, join them! And what is the deal with Stage Manager on the iPad?Sponsors:Hover.com/ride for 10% offLinks:App Store guidelines updated with new rules for apps with NFT and ad managers (9to5Mac)Apple is raising the price of Apple Music, Apple TV+ and Apple One from today (9to5Mac)Project Volterra launches today as the 'Windows Dev Kit 2023' with 32GB RAM and costs less than a Mac mini (Windows Central)Meta shareholder writes critical open letter saying company needs to slash headcount and stop spending so much money on ‘metaverse’ (CNBC)Shutterstock will start selling AI-generated stock imagery with help from OpenAI (The Verge)Microsoft Surface Laptop 5 (13.5-inch) review: a few steps forward and one big step back (The Verge)Microsoft Surface Pro 9 (SQ3) review: Windows on Arm is not ready (The Verge)iPadOS 16’s Stage Manager is not the future of multitasking you were hoping for (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Did investing in Chinese tech become a fool’s errand over the weekend? A deep dive on how TSMC is caught in the middle of all the things. Is Elon’s Twitter deal presenting systemic risk to corporate finance? Are M2 Mac Pro and Macbook Pro’s still coming soon? And Bono tries to justify putting that U2 album on your iphone.Sponsors:Masterclass.com/ride for 15% offLinks:China Stocks Crater in US as Alibaba Leads $130 Billion Wipeout (Bloomberg)TSMC: the Taiwanese chipmaker caught up in the tech cold war (Financial Times)Elon Musk’s Twitter Takeover Debt to Be Held by Banks Amid Turbulent Markets (WSJ)These artists found out their work was used to train AI. Now they’re furious (CNN Business)The iPad Lineup Is Perplexing — Here’s How Apple Could Fix It (Bloomberg)Bono on the birth of U2, that iTunes album and Live Aid: ‘There’s only one thing I can see when I watch it: the mullet’ (The Guardian)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Talking this week's big week for AI, with Parker Thompson (@pt) plus@miguelisolano&@mignanoSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I said Elon’s name five times in front of a mirror and the whole Elon/Twitter headlines came flooding back into our lives. Forbes alleges that they’ve caught TikTok doing the thing that everybody fears. What if I told you there was a third huge AI raise story to round out this week? And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Links:Documents detail plans to gut Twitter’s workforce (Washington Post)Twitter Tumbles as US Weighs Security Reviews for Musk Deals (Bloomberg)TikTok Parent ByteDance Planned To Use TikTok To Monitor The Physical Location Of Specific American Citizens (Forbes)OpenAI, Valued at Nearly $20 Billion, in Advanced Talks with Microsoft For More Funding (The Information)Snap plunges more than 25% on third-quarter revenue miss (CNBC)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Technology that lets us “speak” to our dead relatives has arrived. Are we ready? (MIT Technology Review)How Gamers Beat NFTs (Bloomberg)The Hottest App Right Now? One Where Teens Have to Say Nice Things About Each Other (WSJ)I Turned My Home Into a Fortress of Surveillance (The Atlantic)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The big Solana challenger had a terrible first day of trading. Previews of the new Thunderbolt standard. Reviews of the new Raptor Lake chips. Uber takes a page out of the New York City taxi playbook. And the first hands-on, quasi-review of Meta’s high end VR headset.Sponsors:Zengo.com/ride and code rideSplit.io/techmemeLinks:Aptos Token Plummets 40% After APT Airdrop for 'Early Network Participants' (Decrypt)Android 13 (Go edition) announced with Material You, Google Play System Updates, and more (9to5Google)The next generation of Thunderbolt seems nice but less necessary than ever (The Verge)Intel Core i9-13900K review: an AMD Zen 4 beater (The Verge)Uber rolls out ad business to reach more riders (FT)I Tried the $1,500 Quest Pro and Saw the Best of the Metaverse (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Netflix actually beat on earnings and customer additions. Why their pivot to ads might actually be in line with their long-term strategy. Yesterday’s iPad releases were even more complicated, and stranger, frankly, than I told you. Bluesky is still plugging away on decentralized social media. And another monster interesting raise in the AI space.Links:Netflix adds more than 2.4 million subscribers, reveals details about password-sharing crackdown (CNBC)The New Netflix Age Has Arrived (Puck/Julia Alexander)The iPad’s erratic odyssey continues (Jason Snell/Six Colors)Jack Dorsey-Founded Bluesky Unveils Roadmap for Decentralized Social Networks (Decrypt)AI content platform Jasper raises $125M at a $1.5B valuation (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

New iPad Pros and new Apple TV 4ks. Meta walks away from the Giphy acquisition. Layoffs at Microsoft. High attrition at Amazon. Mobileye is probably going to IPO at a significant discount than people hoped? And why I’ve been telling you that the energy in Silicon Valley is switching to AI startups.Sponsors:Merge Conflict PodcastLinks:Apple introduces next-generation iPad Pro, supercharged by the M2 chip (Apple Newsroom)Apple announces new 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro with M2 chip, Apple Pencil hover feature (9to5Mac)Apple Announces 10th-Generation iPad With Complete Redesign, 10.9-Inch Display, USB-C, and More (MacRumors)Meta gets final order to sell Giphy from UK antitrust watchdog (TechCrunch)Microsoft becomes latest tech firm to cut staff (Axios)Exclusive: Amazon’s attrition costs $8 billion annually according to leaked documents. And it gets worse. (Engadget)Intel Eyes Significantly Lower Valuation in IPO of Mobileye Unit (WSJ)Stability AI Raises Seed Round at $1 Billion Value (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Looks like Ye, née Kanye West, is going to try to buy the social network Parler. A look at the Chinese export controls that could potentially force American executives to choose between their jobs and their American citizenship. Wait until you hear about the Mango Markets exploit. And what do you think is the global population of robots, right now? Today?Sponsors:RocketMoney.com/rideLinks:Kanye West is buying ‘free speech platform’ Parler (The Verge)Kanye West to buy social media app Parler (The Verge)Decentralized Solana-based trading platform Mango reportedly hit by $100 million exploit (Fortune)Biden declares economic war on the Chinese semiconductor industry (Noahpinion)With New Crackdown, Biden Wages Global Campaign on Chinese Technology (NYTimes)American Executives in Limbo at Chinese Chip Companies After U.S. Ban (WSJ)Meet the Army of Robots Coming to Fill In for Scarce Workers (WSJ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We now know how much Netflix with Ads will cost; we think we know how many ads they have to show us to make up for the lost revenue. What is unclear is if people will watch that many ads. It looks like Zuck lied to us about having legs in the Metaverse. Something something, eventually every company becomes a bank. I’m talking about the Apple savings account. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:See NordPass Business in action now with a 3-month free trial here nordpass.com/techmeme with code TECHMEMELinks:Netflix’s ad tier will cost $6.99 a month and launch in November (The Verge)Meta Avatar Legs Demo ‘Created By Motion Capture’, Not Live VR (UploadVR)Facebook's Legs Video Was A Lie (Kotaku)Apple Card to Offer Savings Account for Daily Cash (MacRumors)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:WhatsApp is now a spammers’ paradise in India (Rest of World)The GIF Is on Its Deathbed (The Atlantic)Can Kickstarter’s new CEO help the company get its mojo back? (Fast Company)The computer errors from outer space (BBC Future)How the Glengarry Glen Ross “Coffee Is for Closers” Scene Got Made (Vanity Fair)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Signal is phasing out SMS and MMS. Microsoft is sunsetting Microsoft Office branding. The SEC is poised to officially ban some Chinese hardware. Is AR not living up to its promise as a tool for soldiers on the battlefield? And would you ghostwrite tweets for prominent venture capitalists? There’s good money in it.Sponsors:Merge Conflict PodcastLinks:Signal will remove support for SMS text messages on Android (BleepingComputer)Microsoft Office will become Microsoft 365 in major brand overhaul (The Verge)FCC poised to ban all U.S. sales of new Huawei and ZTE equipment (Axios)Microsoft’s Army Goggles Left US Soldiers With Nausea, Headaches in Test (Bloomberg)TikTok Parent ByteDance Sets Sights on Spotify With Music-Streaming Expansion (WSJ)I made $200,000 last year ghostwriting tweets for superstar VCs. It takes me 5 hours a week. Here's how I found my clients and built a booming side hustle from scratch. (Insider)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Only two big stories really. We break down yesterday’s Meta VR event, including the new high end Quest Pro. But did Zuck show us anything that will get anyone excited about the Metaverse yet? And Microsoft’s Surface event had a lot of Surface refreshes, but was the big news actually their integration of DALL-E 2 with a new Designer app? The productivity space is hot…Sponsors:TED Tech PodcastLinks:The Meta Quest Pro costs $1,499 and ships October 25th (The Verge)What happened to the virtual reality gaming revolution? (Ars Technica)It’s painful how hellbent Mark Zuckerberg is on convincing us that VR is a thing (TechCrunch)Zuckerberg’s $1,499 Headsets Won’t Help Meta (Bloomberg)Surface Pro 9 lets you pick between Intel or Arm 5G and new color options (The Verge)Microsoft's (barely) refreshed Surface Laptop 5 starts at $1,000 (Engadget)Microsoft’s Surface Studio 2 Plus ships with an RTX 3060 for $4,299 (The Verge)Microsoft brings DALL-E 2 to the masses with Designer and Image Creator (TechCrunch)Microsoft’s Adaptive Accessories finally have a release date (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A whole bunch of things, including a major US bank getting into crypto custody, paying for Google cloud with crypto, Chromebooks made for gaming, the lack of anyone in the current slate of virtual worlds, the return of the cable bundle example 100, and did you know your Apple AirTags only last a year?Sponsors:Masterworks.com/rideMedcline.com/techmemeLinks:America’s Oldest Bank, BNY Mellon, Will Hold That Crypto Now (WSJ)Google selects Coinbase to take cloud payments with cryptocurrencies and will use its custody tool (CNBC)Chips, canvases, and chats: Google Workspace’s plan to crush Office (The Verge)Google is trying to make Chromebooks built for cloud gaming (Engadget)It's Lonely in the Metaverse: DappRadar Data Suggests Decentraland Has 38 ‘Daily Active’ Users in $1.3B Ecosystem (CoinDesk)You Hated Your Cable Package. Your Streaming Services Are Bringing It Back. (WSJ)‘The Owner of This iPhone Was in a Severe Car Crash’—or Just on a Roller Coaster (WSJ)How to change the AirTags battery (AppleInsider)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There’s another huge crypto hack and I’ll give you two guesses as to what folks think the culprit is. The Twitter/Elon trial is officially paused. Meta can’t get its own developers to use their metaverse products. Maybe my dream of Death Star style anklebots is over. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Wealthfront.com/techmemeLinks:Binance-linked blockchain hit by $570 million crypto hack (Reuters)The Elon Musk vs. Twitter trial is on hold until October 28th (The Verge)Meta’s flagship metaverse app is too buggy and employees are barely using it, says exec in charge (The Verge)Amazon Abandons Home Delivery Robot Tests in Latest Cost Cuts (Bloomberg)Samsung Details GDDR7 and 1,000-Layer V-NAND Plans (Tom's Hardware)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Even After $100 Billion, Self-Driving Cars Are Going Nowhere (Bloomberg)The Illustrated Stable Diffusion (Jay Alammar)Swiss Dropout Worth $14 Billion Moves Startup Away From Porn (Bloomberg)The Next Big Battle Between Google and Apple Is for the Soul of Your Car (WSJ)How To Download All of Wikipedia onto a USB Flash Drive in 2022 (Planet of the Paul)A Canticle for Leibowitz (Wikipedia)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

All the headlines from the Made By Google event. Elon sure wants to avoid being deposed. Why a guilty verdict for Uber’s former Chief Security Officer could have broader ramifications in the tech world. And the new text to video AI systems, this time, from Google.Sponsors:Titan.com/rideTed Tech PodcastLinks:Google unveils Pixel 7 Pro with Tensor G2 processor, 5x telephoto, starts at $899 (9to5Google)Google gets serious about wearables with the Pixel Watch (TechCrunch)Elon Musk’s deposition delayed as he wrangles with Twitter over deal (Financial Times)Former Uber Security Chief Found Guilty of Hiding Hack From Authorities (NYTimes)Former Uber security chief convicted of covering up 2016 data breach (Washington Post)Google answers Meta’s video-generating AI with its own, dubbed Imagen Video (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Yes, we’ll get into the whole Twitter/Elon thing. Seems he wants the original deal again… or does he? Tesla is removing more sensors from their cars. The hugely problematic launch of Overwatch 2. And the tech angle to that whole Chess cheating scandal.Links:Musk Revives $44 Billion Twitter Bid, Aiming to Avoid Trial (Bloomberg)Elon Musk says Twitter will eventually be part of ‘X, the everything app’ (MarketWatch)Musk offers to proceed with Twitter deal (Axios)Lawyers Lose Out on Millions in Twitter-Musk Legal Fees (Bloomberg)Tesla is now building Model 3 and Model Y vehicles without ultrasonic sensors (TechCrunch)DDoS attack on 'Overwatch 2' servers prevents fans from playing the game on launch day (Engadget)Chess Investigation Finds That U.S. Grandmaster ‘Likely Cheated’ More Than 100 Times (WSJ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The EU has made USB-C the charging port law of the land. Xiaomi’s new flagship smartphone with a 200MP camera. New Google Nest things. Is YouTube trying new ways to get you to pay up for Premium. And the big new robotics push in the world of… checks notes… retail pharmacy.Links:EU Passes Law to Switch iPhone to USB-C by End of 2024 (MacRumors)Xiaomi’s 12T Pro launches with high-resolution 200-megapixel camera (The Verge)Google debuts new Nest Doorbell Wired, Nest Wifi Pro and launches fully new Google Home app preview (ZDNet)YouTube is asking some users to purchase a Premium subscription to watch in 4K (TechCrunch)Meta launches AI software tools to ease switching between Nvidia, AMD chips (Reuters)Walgreens Turns to Prescription-Filling Robots to Free Up Pharmacists (WSJ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kim Kardashian has settled with the SEC over crypto promotion on social media. I continue to Wonder if, aside from TikTok, the biggest threat to Zuckerberg’s metaverse plans is actually Sony. The Supreme Court is gonna hear cases that could pierce the veil of Section 230. And the other social media law from Texas that Silicon Valley is fighting tooth and nail.Links:Kim Kardashian pays over $1 million to settle SEC charges linked to a crypto promo on her Instagram (CNBC)Celsius Network founder withdrew $10mn ahead of bankruptcy (FT)Sony Betting Big on Next VR Headset With Increased Production Plan (Bloomberg)Social Media Company Liability Draws Supreme Court Scrutiny (Bloomberg)Texas Social-Media Law on Web Censorship Upheld by Federal Appeals Court (Bloomberg)Tech companies are gaming out responses to the Texas social media law (Washington Post)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

NFT Struggles, Google Stadia And New Kindles with @aidanfitzryan and @ArtSabintsevSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but Google is abandoning a major project, maybe it’s biggest cancellation ever. More cutbacks at Meta. Though one tech company is gonna test the IPO waters soon. Be a fly on the wall as Elon talks to everyone in Silicon Valley about maybe buying Twitter. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Links:Google is shutting down Stadia (The Verge)Meta to Cut Headcount for First Time, Slash Budgets Across Teams (Bloomberg)TripActions reportedly files to go public at $12 billion valuation (TechCrunch)Jack Dorsey tried to get Elon Musk on Twitter’s board but directors were too ‘risk averse,’ texts reveal (CNBC)Elon Musk’s Text Exchanges Show Twitter Deal Going Off The Rails (Big Technology)How Elon Musk, Jack Dorsey, and Parag Agrawal cratered the Twitter deal, in texts (The Verge)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Google is trying to reinvent search — by being more than a search engine (The Verge)Twitter Is in This Mess Because Jack Dorsey Was Too Busy Being a Bitcoin Influencer (Bloomberg)Here's Why Movie Dialogue Has Gotten More Difficult To Understand (And Three Ways To Fix It) (SlashFilm)Someone is pretending to be me. (Connor Tumbleson)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meta takes down an app that tried to strip out the cruft from Instagram (but also the ads). Bunch of new Maps features from Google. All the headlines from yesterday’s Amazon event, including a Kindle you can write on. And text to image generators are cool. But you know what’s really cool, text to video generators.Sponsors:Titan.com/rideLinks:The OG App promised an ad-free Instagram feed then got pulled from App Store (TechCrunch)The 11 biggest announcements at Amazon’s hardware launch event (The Verge)Amazon’s Kindle Scribe is an E Ink tablet for reading and writing (The Verge)Here are all of the new features and updates coming to Google Maps (TechCrunch)SWIFT Partners With Crypto Data Provider Chainlink on Cross-Chain Protocol in TradFi Play (CoinDesk)Meta’s new text-to-video AI generator is like DALL-E for video (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On second thought, Apple is pulling back on iPhone production which suggests demand is not what they anticipated. Intel’s new 13th-Gen chips and new low-end GPU. Checking on the Elon/Twitter trial and the NFT market. And what to expect from this week’s Tesla AI event.Links:Apple Ditches iPhone Production Increase After Demand Falters (Bloomberg)The latest iPadOS 16 beta brings Stage Manager to older iPad Pro models (Engadget)Intel’s 13th Gen processors arrive October 20th with $589 flagship Core i9-13900K (The Verge)Intel Arc A770 graphics card to launch October 12 for $329 (PCGamer)NFT Trading Volumes Collapse 97% From January Peak (Bloomberg)Twitter says Elon Musk’s own data scientists did not back up bots claims (Financial Times)Turnstile is Cloudflare’s latest attempt to rid the web of CAPTCHAs (The Verge)How To Watch Tesla’s AI Day (Forbes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sam Bankman-Fried finally scoops up Voyager’s assets. Meta says Russia has launched the biggest disinformation campaign of the war. Nreal has finally brough the first real contender for the AR wars to American shores for the first time. And would you consider a Metaverse white paper from the sci-fi writer than inspired the very notion of a Metaverse?Sponsors:Online.UC.eduMasterworks.com/ride **Links:Crypto Exchange FTX Wins Bankrupt Firm Voyager’s Assets (Bloomberg)‘Smash and grab’: Meta uncovers Russia's ‘largest and most complex’ info op since the war began (Protocol)Meta makes it easier to switch between Facebook and Instagram accounts (CNBC)Nreal’s $379 AR glasses launch in the US today (The Verge)If you still miss Google Reader, Substack has a new web-based RSS client (The Verge)Walmart enters the metaverse with Roblox experiences aimed at younger shoppers (CNBC)Neal Stephenson’s Lamina1 drops white paper on building the open metaverse (GamesBeat)**Net est. returns for all realized and unrealized offerings is 15.3%, from inception through 6/30/22. See important Reg A and performance disclosures at masterworks.io/cdSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

UK police make an arrest many believe is related to those recent Uber and Rockstar hacks. Will the iPhone get a design overhaul next year? Cloudflare’s interesting new Zero Trust SIM. Maybe the first copyright for that new AI Art stuff? And why AI is allowing Darth Vader’s voice to live on forever.Sponsors:Medcline.com/techmemeZocDoc.com/techmemeLinks:UK Police arrests teen believed to be behind Uber, Rockstar hacks (BleepingComputer)One Week with the iPhone 14 Pro Max: Apple’s Not-So-Dynamic Island (Bloomberg)Cloudflare launches an eSIM to secure mobile devices (TechCrunch)TikTok Seen Moving Toward U.S. Security Deal, but Hurdles Remain (NYTimes)Artist receives first known US copyright registration for latent diffusion AI art (ArsTechnica)James Earl Jones Steps Back From Voicing Darth Vader, Signs Off on Using Archived Recordings to Recreate Voice With A.I. (Variety)Darth Vader’s Voice Emanated From War-Torn Ukraine (Variety)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Argyle is a BIM to Augmented Reality app for Heavy Construction. More at Argyle.BuildSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

If DAO’s are a modern, blockchain take on the corporation, I’ve got a big, worrying thing to tell you about them. Apple looks to cozy up to the NFL as Amazon seems to have found immediate success with Thursday Night Football. Fitbit takes a page out of the Oculus playbook, post-acquisition. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Links:CFTC Penalizes Blockchain Protocol $250K, Files Action Against Successor DAO (CoinDesk)Apple to Sponsor the Super Bowl Halftime Show (NYTimes)Amazon Scores Big With First ‘Thursday Night Football’ Game (The Hollywood Reporter)Fitbit will require a Google Account to use new devices and features from 2023 onward (9to5Google)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:The Sneaky Genius of Apple’s AirPods Empire (Bloomberg)How a Quebec Lithium Mine May Help Make Electric Cars Affordable (NYTimes)Unauthorized Shein boutiques are popping up across Mexico (Rest of World)College Dropout Turns Thiel Fellowship Into a $2 Billion Figma Fortune (Bloomberg)Why Do All These 20-Somethings Have Closed Captions Turned On? (WSJ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

More gaming hacks. Instagram wants to stop unsolicited sending of nudes. Layoffs come for Meta in all but name. The end-run Google wants to do around Dolby. Getty Images bans AI art. Larry Page’s flying car startup is shutting down. And a review of the new Apple Watch Ultra.Links:2K Games says hacked help desk targeted players with malware (BleepingComputer)Instagram’s finally working on protecting users from unsolicited nude photos (The Verge)Meta Quietly Reduces Staff in Cost-Cutting Push (WSJ)Google wants to take on Dolby with new open media formats (Protocol)Getty Images bans AI-generated content over fears of legal challenges (The Verge)TikTok’s BeReal clone app is gaining traction outside the US (The Verge)Google co-founder’s flying car startup is winding down (CNBC)Apple Watch Ultra review: an aspirational debut (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Twitch is the main character of the show today, for good and bad reasons. YouTube takes a serious swing at TikTok. Microsoft releases Windows 11's first major update. Nividia outlines its next gen GPUs. Can Helium make it as an MVNO? And Google does Google things!Sponsors:Split.io/techmemeLinks:Twitch to ban Stake.com streams and other unlicensed gambling content (The Verge)Child Predators Use Twitch to Systematically Track Kids Livestreaming (Bloomberg)YouTube will share ad revenue with Shorts creators (Engadget)Windows 11’s 2022 Update has something new for everyone (The Verge)Nvidia announces next-gen RTX 4090 and RTX 4080 GPUs (The Verge)Helium Founders, T-Mobile Launch Crypto-Powered 5G Mobile Service (Decrypt)Google is finally making its to-do list and reminder tools work together (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Now the hackers have come for the crypto market makers. Spotify gets into the Audiobooks game. Slack gets in on the whole productivity apps renaissance. Actual inflation is coming to the app store and 1 Euro apps will soon be no more. And the chat room that only opens its doors when your phone’s battery is about to die.Sponsors:Online.UC.eduLinks:Crypto market maker Wintermute hacked for $160 million (The Block)Uber links breach to Lapsus$ group, blames contractor for hack (BleepingComputer)Rockstar comments on GTA 6 leak and claims project won’t be delayed (VideoGameChronicle)Nasdaq is preparing to launch an institutional crypto custody service (The Block)Spotify Launches Audiobooks Business With A La Carte Pricing, No Discounts for Subscribers (The Hollywood Reporter)Slack’s new Canvas feature puts a document editor in your chat window (The Verge)Apple to raise App Store prices in multiple countries next month (9to5Mac)Apple says software update coming next week to fix iPhone 14 Pro camera shake issue (9to5Mac)This Chatroom Only Opens When Your Phone’s About to Die (Motherboard)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Did the same kid who allegedly hacked Uber allegedly leak GTA VI gameplay over the weekend? Interpol drops a red ball on Do Kwan. iPhone 14 Pro users report their cameras literally shake when they try to take pictures. Instacart wants to break the tech IPO hex. And the bull and bear case for the Figma acquisition.Links:GTA 6 gameplay leaks online in 90 videos (The Verge)South Korean prosecutors ask Interpol to issue red notice for Do Kwon (Financial Times)iPhone 14 Pro camera shaking and rattling in TikTok, Snapchat, and other apps (9to5Mac)'No One Is Profitable': GPU Mining Faces Dark Days After Ethereum Merge (PCMag)Instacart Plans to Focus IPO on Selling Employee Shares (WSJ)The Adobe-Figma deal is historic for tech startups — if it goes through (Protocol)Why Figma is Worth $20B And Other Observations From The Adobe Acquisition (Hunter Walk)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Building the fundamental assets for the metaverse, with Treasury. If you want to learn more, contact me, or check out Treasury.space.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Uber is investigating a breach of its systems that has caused it to take some of its most important systems offline. The White House has finally delivered that big “comprehensive framework” for crypto regulation. How did Amazon do with its NFL broadcast last night? And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Links:Uber Investigating Breach of Its Computer Systems (NYTimes)Uber suffers computer system breach, alerts authorities (Washington Post)White House Releases ‘Comprehensive Framework’ for Crypto Regulation and Development (Decrypt)The Amazon Experience Comes to the NFL (The Ringer)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:The AI Unbundling (Stratechery)Deere Invests Billions in Self-Driving Tractors, Smart Crop Sprayers (WSJ)The Collectors Who Save Video-Game History from Oblivion (The New Yorker)The Enduring Allure of Choose Your Own Adventure Books (The New Yorker)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Adobe plans to acquire Figma for the biggest ever private software company acquisition. Is this a sign of things to come in the productivity space? Happy The Merge Day for Ethereum. TikTok just copies and pastes a BeReal clone. And California launches the first lawsuit against Amazon that might have real consequences.Links:Adobe Tumbles After Agreeing to Buy Figma for About $20 Billion (Bloomberg)Canva moves beyond graphic design to launch a visual worksuite (TechCrunch)Zoom Readies Email and Calendar Products to Defend Itself Against Microsoft, Google (The Information)Ethereum activates The Merge as it shifts to proof of stake (The Block)TikTok just launched a BeReal clone called TikTok Now (TechCrunch)California Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against Amazon (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Arrest warrants for those behind LUNA and UST. Anti-cheating technology comes to video games. Apple is going all in on 3nm chips and soon. Mudge’s testimony before Congress yesterday. A first hands-on with the new Playstation VR thingy. And the reviews for the iPhone 14 are out.Sponsors:LadderLife.com/rideLinks:Terra Co-Founder Do Kwon Faces Arrest Warrant in South Korea (Bloomberg)U.S. Treasury Department releases Tornado Cash guidance (Axios)Google Suffers Setback in Court Fight to Topple Record EU Fine (Bloomberg)EA will debut new anti-cheat tech with 'FIFA 23' on PC (Engadget)Apple to use TSMC's next 3-nm chip tech in iPhones, Macs next year (NikkeiAsia)We finally got our hands and eyes on the PlayStation VR2 (The Verge)What we learned when Twitter whistleblower Mudge testified to Congress (TechCrunch)Apple iPhone 14 review: meet the iPhone 13S (The Verge)Apple iPhone 14 Pro review: early adopter island (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Google does what it does best. Kills a product line. As the Twitter whistleblower testifies before congress, did extreme heat in California almost bring Twitter down recently? Amazon has updated the entry-level Kindle. And a review of the recently released iOS 16.Sponsors:Masterworks.com/rideOnline.UC.eduLinks:Google canceled its next Pixelbook and shut down the team building it (The Verge)Twitter starts rolling out podcasts to Blue subscribers (Engadget)Extreme California heat knocks key Twitter data center offline (CNN)Splatoon 3 has smashed Switch launch records in Japan (VideoGamesChronicle)The Cheapest Kindle Is Now Less Cheap, but It’s Got a Better Screen (Gizmodo)Intel just leaked its 13th Gen processor specs (The Verge)iOS 16 review: unlocking the lock screen (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One of those new Meta Quest headsets just happens to have been found in the wild. New Roku gear. Starbucks announces an NFT project. A spinoff Google Moonshot that might be the next generation networking gear. And is TikTok in the crosshairs again, and this time, not just for the US government?Sponsors:Zengo.com/ride code: rideMedcline.com/techmemeLinks:‘Quest Pro’ video shows Meta’s next VR headset a month before its launch event (The Verge)New Linux malware combines unusual stealth with a full suite of capabilities (ArsTechnica)Starbucks details its blockchain-based loyalty platform and NFT community, Starbucks Odyssey (TechCrunch)Roku to Launch ‘The Buzz’ Short-Form Content Hub on Home Screen, Refreshes $30 Streaming Device (Variety)Google’s Loon Project Gets Resurrected. Without Google. Or Balloons (Bloomberg)TikTok’s Secret To Explosive Growth? ‘Billions And Billions Of Dollars’ Says Snap CEO Evan Spiegel (Forbes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is the US government about to legally curtail proof of work crypto projects? Intel’s big new GPU specs. Uber Eats signs a deal to get into the ankle bots business. What I believe is the oldest startup ever to be acquired by a tech giant. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:DataTribe.com, enter by Sept. 23Ramp.com/techmemeLinks:White House report proposes possible restrictions on proof-of-work crypto mining (The Block)Intel Reveals Specifications For Arc Alchemist Desktop GPUs (Tom's Hardware)Uber Eats and Nuro sign a 10-year deal to do robot food delivery in California and Texas (The Verge)Amazon is buying Cloostermans, a mechatronics specialist in Belgium, to ramp up its robotics operations (The Verge)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:With Stable Diffusion, you may never believe what you see online again (ArsTechnica)They built a Minecraft crypto empire. Then it all came crashing down (Rest of World)Inside the World's First No-Coiner Conference (Decrypt)Just a Few People Crowned Some of YouTube’s Earliest Hits (The Atlantic)The super-rich ‘preppers’ planning to save themselves from the apocalypse (The Guardian)Apple's features graveyard: Once heavily marketed, now gone (Apple Insider)The ‘deaditors’ of Wikipedia (HayKranen.nl)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Disney’s former CEO throws another lifeline to Elon Musk in his Twitter suit. Crypto folks are suing the US Treasury over an important crypto precedent. Why the current YC batch is still crypto heavy. A very interesting crypto raise. And a deeper look at the iPhone 14 Pro's Dynamic Island.Sponsors:Split.io/techmemeLinks:Why Disney didn’t buy Twitter (Vox)Coinbase employees and Ethereum backers sue U.S. Treasury over Tornado Cash sanctions (Fortune)Legendary China Bets Unwind as Buffett, SoftBank Sell (Bloomberg)Y Combinator is doubling down on crypto founders despite market volatility (TechCrunch)Mysten Labs, creator of the Sui blockchain, closes $300 million raise led by FTX Ventures (The Block)How the iPhone 14 Pro Transforms Blank Screen Space Into Something Actually Useful (CNET)Apple might have fixed the notch by putting it on an island (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

All the headlines from Apple’s Far Out iPhone event. Not to be outdone, details on the next Google Pixel event and Meta Quest Pro events. Ring brings end to end encryption to all its hardware. And for the first time in history, an alleged cyberattack has led to a severing of diplomatic ties.Sponsors:Go.Factor75.com/techmeme130 and code techmeme130 for $130 offCyberSecurityInside.com/rideLinks:The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus are official with satellite-based Emergency SOS (The Verge)iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max announced with animated notches and always-on displays (The Verge)The Apple Watch Ultra is finally here (The Verge)Apple’s new AirPods Pro can cancel twice as much noise (The Verge)Google confirms Pixel 7 series will run on new ‘Tensor G2’ chip (9to5Google)Meta Connect Is A One-Day Virtual Event On October 11th (UploadVR)Ring finally brings end-to-end encryption to its flagship video doorbells (The Verge)Albania cuts diplomatic ties with Iran over July cyberattack (APNews)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Pretty high priority zero-day to tell you about. Is Binance about to upend the stablecoin market with its muscle? When your electrical utility takes over your smart thermostat. And how that rumored always on iPhone display might work in practice.Sponsors:Online.UC.eduBabbel.com/rideLinks:Google Chrome emergency update fixes new zero-day used in attacks (BleepingComputer)Binance, Issuer of Third-Biggest Stablecoin, to Stop Supporting Larger Rival USDC (CoinDesk)CVS Makes $8 Billion Bet on the Return of the House Call (NYTimes)Thousands of Xcel customers locked out of thermostats during 'energy emergency' (Denver7)Ahead of iPhone 14 event, Brazil suspends iPhone sales without power brick and fines Apple (9to5Mac)iPhone 14 Pro's Always-On Display Behavior in iOS 16 Allegedly Revealed Days Ahead of Unveiling (MacRumors)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Talking the state of Snap, Substack, and the creator economy generally, with @kyurieff, @simonowens, @MattNavarra, @corinne_podger & @BullishStudio!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The iPhone install base has surpassed the Android install base in the US for the first time basically since Android began. Apple settled with a developer for the first time any of us can remember. Meta signs a VR chip deal with Qualcomm. The really good and really annoying bits of the new USB standard. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Links:Apple overtakes Android to pass 50% share of smartphones used in US (Financial Times)Apple settles lawsuit with developer over App Store rejections and scams (TechCrunch)Meta, Qualcomm sign pact on custom virtual reality chips (Reuters)Next-gen USB promises to be twice as fast, using cables you may already own (The Verge)More USB-C speed won't fix users' problems with cables (Apple Insider)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:An Apple Watch for Your 5-Year-Old? More Parents Say Yes. (NYTimes)Interview: Vitalik Buterin, creator of Ethereum (Noahpinion)Exploring 12 Million of the 2.3 Billion Images Used to Train Stable Diffusion’s Image Generator (Waxy.org)The Rise of Tech Blogs in the Mid-2000s (Nirit Weiss-Blatt)Kids Yell “Poop” At Alexa, And These Musicians Profit (BuzzFeed)AMAZON’S THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RINGS OF POWER IS SMALL-SCREEN HIGH FANTASY DONE RIGHT (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

At long last, an edit button has come to Twitter. Nvidia and AMD say the US has imposed restrictions on exporting chips for AI-related applications to Russia and China. How Apple is gonna handle its new holepunch configuration. Disney wants its own Prime. And an AI art-creation bot you can try, right now, for free.Links:Twitter starts testing an edit button, but you have to pay for it (The Verge)Nvidia, AMD warned of new US export restrictions on AI chips (Protocol)Source: iPhone 14 Pro display cutout to show camera plus microphone privacy indicators; redesigned Camera app also coming (9to5Mac)Disney Explores Membership Program Like Amazon Prime to Offer Discounts and Perks (WSJ)Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Fold Gen 2 is bigger, better, and way more powerful (XDA Developers)An AI-Generated Artwork Won First Place at a State Fair Fine Arts Competition, and Artists Are Pissed (Motherboard)Stable Diffusion is a really big deal (Simon Willison's Weblog)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Huge, huge layoffs at Snap. Say hello to Apple Xcode Cloud Subscriptions. Say hello to “can’t be evil” NFT licenses. Forget foldable phones, I have a very interesting foldable laptop to tell you about. And if your crypto exchange fat fingered you $10 million dollars as a mistake, what would you buy?Sponsors:Split.io/techmemeStoryblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Snap plans to lay off 20 percent of employees (The Verge)Xcode Cloud Subscriptions Now Available for Developers (MacRumors)A16z Wants to Standardize NFTs by Giving You a License for Your Token (CoinDesk)Ticketmaster taps the Flow blockchain to let event organizers issue NFTs tied to tickets (TechCrunch)Comcast and Charter face a grim new reality: actual competition (Fast Company)ASUS ZENBOOK 17 FOLD OLED REVIEW: THE BEST FOLDABLE YET (The Verge)Crypto.com Sues Woman After Sending Her $10 Million by Mistake: Report (Decrypt)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Elon looks like he’s grabbing onto the Twitter whistleblower as a new argumentative lifeline. The big new CPU lineup from AMD. Gopuff is borrowing money to buy some time. Why did Twitter shelve plans for an OnlyFans clone? And is AI about to unlock our ability to understand what animals are saying?Sponsors:TrueClassic.com code Ride for 25% offStoryblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Elon Musk Attacks Twitter Deal Over Whistle-Blower as Feud Escalates (Bloomberg)Musk Tries a New Way Out of Twitter (Matt Levine/Bloomberg)Twitter is launching its ‘Close Friends’ feature Circle globally (TechCrunch)HOW TWITTER’S CHILD PORN PROBLEM RUINED ITS PLANS FOR AN ONLYFANS COMPETITOR (The Verge)AMD Details Ryzen 7000 Launch (AnandTech)Gopuff Tries to Raise Money Again (WSJ)The Animal Translators (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Really, Apple? THAT is what you’re going to call your AR/VR glasses? I tell you what “that” is. A look at the passkeys Apple is bringing us soon. More deets on the Netflix ad-supported tier. WhatsApp’s super-app ambitions seem to be bearing fruit in India. And is it too late for Eminem and Snoop Dogg to save the NFT market?Sponsors:Kolide.com/rideLinks:Trademark Filings Suggest Apple May Be Securing ‘Reality’ Names for AR/VR Headset (Bloomberg)Apple says 95% of iCloud users already have 2FA enabled ahead of Passkeys launch (9to5Mac)Snapchat brings 'Dual Camera' recording to in-app camera (Engadget)Netflix Eyes $7-to-$9 Price for Its New Ad-Supported Plan (Bloomberg)Meta and Jio launch grocery shopping on WhatsApp in India (TechCrunch)WhatsApp’s super app ambitions are starting to come true in India (The Verge)MTV VMAs: Eminem and Snoop Dogg Perform as Bored Apes in the Metaverse (CNET)Looks bare: OpenSea turns into NFT ghost-town after volume plunges 99% in 90 days (CoinTelegraph)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

First up, we have @KevinTDugan to give us deeper insight into the whole Twitter whistleblower situation. And then, @KylanGibbs of @inworld_ai convinces me we are maybe closer to the Metaverse than I ever thought possible. TLDR: AI might really be at a tipping point.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Forget 5G, T-Mobile and SpaceX are teaming up to offer Zero-G Services. LastPass has gotten hacked, but we think your passwords are safe. When we can expect the new VR headset from Meta to be revealed. Twitter puts podcasts in your feed. And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Storyblok.com/ridehomeLinks:T-Mobile and SpaceX Starlink say your 5G phone will connect to satellites next year (The Verge)LastPass developer systems hacked to steal source code (BleepingComputer)Twilio hackers breached over 130 organizations during months-long hacking spree (TechCrunch)Meta to debut new VR headset in October, Mark Zuckerberg tells Joe Rogan (CNBC)Twitter is becoming a podcast app (The Verge)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:The Crypto World Can’t Wait for ‘the Merge’ (NYTimes)Ethereum Overhaul Risks Creating a New Class of Kingpins (Bloomberg)TikTok, Hospitals And Tutoring Apps: The Many Tentacles Of Chinese Tech Giant ByteDance (Forbes)After the Zodiac Killer's '340' Cipher Stumped the FBI, Three Amateurs Made a Breakthrough (Popular Mechanics)‘BlackBerry’: Story of Doomed Smartphone Company Casts Jay Baruchel & Glenn Howerton, XYZ Films Boards Sales for TIFF (EXCLUSIVE) (Variety)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Twitter Whistleblower is a big concern for Twitter, no matter what happens with the Elon stuff. Amazon zags slightly in its healthcare march. iPhone even official announcement. Ethereum merge dates officially solidified. Some new PCs from HP and what to expect from Nvidia’s next generation GPUs.Sponsors:Storyblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Twitter whistleblower to testify in Congress about security failures (Washington Post)Twitter executives face questions from employees after whistleblower claims (CNN Business)Internal memo: Amazon Care to shut down, ‘not a complete enough offering’ for corporate customers (GeekWire)What Apple's September Event Invite May Tell Us About the iPhone 14 (CNET)Ethereum Foundation confirms September dates for the Merge (The Block)Crypto’s massive marketing efforts have drawn few new investors (Washington Post)HP's new PCs include its first Dragonfly Folio and a 34-inch all-in-one (Engadget)Nvidia to announce next-gen GPU architecture in September amid RTX 4090 rumors (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A deep dive into that Twitter whistleblower, because the allegations are getting pretty interesting, and it turns out he’s a bigger deal than I knew. Apple is breaking it’s iPadOS release cadence. Fitbit has unveiled three new wearables. And why just deciding to bring the silicon industry back onshore is not as easy as just passing billions in subsidies.Sponsors:Split.io/techmemeLinks:India forced Twitter to put agent on payroll, whistleblower says (Reuters)Former security chief claims Twitter buried ‘egregious deficiencies’ (Washington Post)Twitter whistleblower won hacker acclaim for exposing software flaws (Washington Post)Apple delivers iPadOS 16.1 beta ahead of iOS 16 fall release (TechCrunch)Plex tells users to reset their passwords after potential data breach (Engadget)Fitbit Drops 3 New Fitness Trackers—and None Have Wear OS 3 (Wired)Wanted: 7,000 construction workers for Intel chip plants (AP)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The former head of security at Twitter has blown the whistle on the company saying it was… crap at security. Instagram wants to clone Be Real. More details on the new Sony VR headset. Some eth here, some eth there, eventually brands are making real money on NFTs. And get ready for the biggest leap in smartphone camera tech we’ve seen in a while.Sponsors:CyberSecurityInside.com/rideLinks:Former security chief claims Twitter buried ‘egregious deficiencies’ (Washington Post)Instagram's next feature might be a copy of BeReal (Engadget)Apple’s New iPhone 14 to Show India Closing Tech Gap With China (Bloomberg)Sony says the PlayStation VR2 is coming in early 2023 (The Verge)Microsoft is putting more ads in Outlook on iOS and Android (The Verge)NFTs Turn Out to Be a Great Channel of Revenue for Businesses, Ask Nike (NFT Gators)The high-resolution smartphone sensors are coming (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amazon continues to be serious about becoming your healthcare provider. Elon Musk is raising prices, I guess cause he can. Confirmation that Sam Bankman-Fried does indeed have a mountain of money. I continue to worry about stablecoins and contagion. And the kids are using FindMy as a new sort of social network.Sponsors:DraftKings Daily Fantasy App Promocode- TechmemeLinks:Amazon Among Bidders for Signify Health (WSJ)Elon Musk says Tesla will hike the price of FSD driver assistance software by 25% in September (CNBC)FTX grew revenue 1,000% during the crypto craze, leaked financials show (CNBC)Stablecoin issuers hold $80bn of short-dated US government debt (Financial Times)How the Find My App Became an Accidental Friendship Fixture (NYTimes)A Dad Took Photos of His Naked Toddler for the Doctor. Google Flagged Him as a Criminal. (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Looks like Evan Spiegel is retrenching in his dreams of making Snap primarily a camera company. Are we about to see the biggest Google Search algorithm change in years? Does TikTok effectively have a keystroke logger, and will this lead to more calls to crack down on them? And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Links:Snap Scraps Development on Flying Selfie Pixy Drone (WSJ)Google search updates will prioritize real reviews over clickbait (The Verge)New Google Helpful Content Update To Change SEO Much Like Panda Did (Search Engine Roundtable)TikTok’s in-app browser could be keylogging, privacy analysis warns (TechCrunch)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Browser Startups Take Aim at Google Chrome, Apple Safari (WSJ)The Crypto Geniuses Who Vaporized a Trillion Dollars (Intelligencer)Streaming Is Starting to Look A Lot Like Cable TV (Lucas Shaw/Bloomberg)Woman Pictured In The Viral 'Girl Explaining' Meme Explains The Origins And Her Reaction To Sudden Internet Fame (Know Your Meme News)How Nokia Ringtones Became The First Viral Earworms (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why the date of Apple’s iPhone event is interesting. Why Netflix will take away downloads for its ad-tier. Is the VPN built into iOS a lie? Streaming has finally slain linear television. Cameo will let you actually call celebrities. And does Mark Zuckerberg have no aesthetic taste?Sponsors:Zengo.com/ride code: rideSponsors:Apple Targets Sept. 7 for iPhone 14 Launch in Flurry of New Devices (Bloomberg)Netflix’s Ad-Supported Plan Will Block Downloads of Shows, Films (Bloomberg)VPNs on iOS are a scam (Michael Horowitz)U.S. Streaming Tops Cable TV Viewing for First Time, Nielsen Says (Variety)Windows 11’s widgets can now trigger notifications on your taskbar (The Verge)Cameo Now Lets You Have 10-Minute Calls With Celebs (Gizmodo)Does Mark Zuckerberg Not Understand How Bad His Metaverse Looks? (Forbes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Cracking down on house parties as a service. Apple makes moves to diversify the supply chain. Another worrying datapoint from the semiconductor industry. Have the banks been using WhatsApp to avoid scrutiny from regulators? And can large language models make our dreams of robot butlers a reality?Sponsors:KeeperSecurity.com/techmemeManscaped.com code RIDE for 20% offLinks:Exclusive: Airbnb rolls out new anti-party tech to prevent unapproved gatherings (Fast Company)MacBook design changes enable Vietnamese production for the first time; Apple Watch too (9to5Mac)Chipmakers Are Flashing More Warnings on the Global Economy (Bloomberg)Wall Street's Record Fines Over WhatsApp Use Were Years in the Making (Bloomberg)Amazon is raising seller fees for the holidays to manage through surging inflation (CNBC)Mid-year Crypto Crime Update: Illicit Activity Falls With Rest of Market, With Some Notable Exceptions (Chainalysis)Google invested a whopping $1.5B into blockchain companies since September (CoinTelegraph)Google’s New Robot Learned to Take Orders by Scraping the Web (Wired)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Was the Twilio breach really about hacking into Signal users? Apple’s serious about returning to the office. Tired: a global chip shortage. Wired: a global chip glut? Amazon says the FTC is harassing its executives. And how far can Uber go to raise prices?Sponsors:DraftKings Daily Fantasy App; Promocode: TechmemeStoryblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Signal says 1,900 users’ phone numbers exposed by Twilio breach (TechCrunch)Apple Sets Return-to-Office Deadline of Sept. 5 After Covid Delays (Bloomberg)Chipmakers’ Pandemic Boom Turns to Bust as Recession Looms (Bloomberg)Twitter Has to Give Musk Only One Bot Checker's Data: Its Ex-Product Head (Bloomberg)Amazon accuses FTC of harassing executives including Jeff Bezos and Andy Jassy (FT)Walmart+ members will soon get Paramount+ streaming as part of their subscription (Engadget)Uber Raises Prices by About 5% in London to Attract More Drivers (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Galaxy Digital shows Elon Musk real reasons to terminate an acquisition deal. a16z is making its biggest ever single investment. You’ll never guess with whom. Snap has more than a million paying subscribers. Cable Internet is losing subscribers for the first time ever. And that time Apple tried to talk Facebook into creating a subscription version of its services.Sponsors:Kolide.com/rideStoryblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Galaxy Digital terminates its acquisition of BitGo (The Block)Unity rejects AppLovin's takeover bid, to go ahead with ironSource buyout (Reuters)Adam Neumann Gets a New Backer (NYTimes/DealBook)Court Documents Confirm Xbox One Sold Less Than Half PS4 Numbers (GameLuster)Snapchat+ Tops 1 Million Paying Customers, Adds Four New Features (Variety)Cable Finally Loses Broadband Market Share in Q2 with First Negative Growth Quarter Ever (NextTV)The Secret Talks That Could Have Prevented the Apple vs. Facebook War (WSJ)The job openings at Sensel: https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Sensel/jobsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Smart money management for web3 organizations.Find out more at Mesha.club.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We speak today with Bloomberg Economics columnist Noah Smith. Are we in a recession? Are we in store for an actual shooting war with China? Is bitcoin due for one more big pump? Come for all of that, and stick around for Chris and I to hit some stories that fell through the cracks this week, like Google’s ad campaign against iMessage.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Dutch authorities have arrested a developer related to Tornado Cash. But is there a grey area here that is a bit messy? LinkedIn seems ready to go all in on the creator and influencer economy. Apple seems to have confidence that there’s not going to be a slowdown in iPhone sales. And of course, the weekend Longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Masterworks.com/rideLinks:Suspected Tornado Cash developer arrested in Amsterdam (The Block)LinkedIn rolls out new tools to give creators more ways to share visual content (TechCrunch)Apple Expects to Sustain iPhone Sales in 2022 as Market Slows (Bloomberg)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:How Did Two Unknown Latin Music Operators Make $23 Million From YouTube? The IRS Says They Stole It (Billboard)Tornado Cash Crackdown Shows Limits of Regulating Cryptocurrency Services (WSJ)Man who built ISP instead of paying Comcast $50K expands to hundreds of homes (ArsTechnica)New – AWS Private 5G – Build Your Own Private Mobile Network (AWS Blog)The High-Stakes Race to Engineer New Psychedelic Drugs (Wired)The End of Manual Transmission (The Atlantic)The job openings at Sensel: https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Sensel/jobsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Disney embraces inflation because it kind of has to. How Facebook and Instagram are sneakily still tracking you, even after Apple’s ATT changes. The FCC has rejected SpaceX for a big rural broadband deal. And where the teens are hanging out online, these days. You kind of know the answer, but the data is still interesting.Sponsors:MacGeekGab.comStoryblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Disney+ Ad Plan Price and Launch Date Set — Along With Fee Hikes for Disney+ Premium, Hulu (Variety)Cisco hacked by Yanluowang ransomware gang, 2.8GB allegedly stolen (BleepingComputer)CISA warns of Windows and UnRAR flaws exploited in the wild (BleepingComputer)iOS Privacy: Instagram and Facebook can track anything you do on any website in their in-app browser (Felix Krause)FCC denies Starlink’s application for $885M subsidy (TechCrunch)Ethereum's final proof-of-stake 'test merge' is live on Goerli (The Block)Teens, Social Media and Technology 2022 (PEW Research Center)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

All the headlines from this morning’s Galaxy Unpacked event. Walmart wants to ad video to keep up with Prime. Spotify quietly begins selling tickets. And if someone sends you some dirty ETH, and you can’t block receipt of it, are you in trouble?Sponsors:Storyblok.com/ridehomeLinks:The new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 is a little better and still too expensive (The Verge)Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 4 lets you do more while it's closed (Engadget)Samsung goes big on battery with the Galaxy Watch 5 series (The Verge)Walmart Ponders Streaming Deal With Paramount, Disney and Comcast (NYTimes)Spotify starts selling live music tickets to fans directly (TechCrunch)Someone Is Trolling Celebs by Sending ETH From Tornado Cash (CoinDesk)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

WhatsApp rolls out privacy features. The battery icon returns to the iPhone. China is growing restless over its silicon industry. HBOMax will stop getting Warner Movies automatically. The really rugged smartwatch from Garmin. And the real reason Amazon is buying One Medical and iRobot.Sponsors:Ramp.com/techmemeKeeperSecurity.com/techmemeLinks:WhatsApp’s new update makes it easier to avoid your friends (The Verge)WhatsApp now lets users delete messages up to two days after they were sent (9to5Mac)iOS 16 beta 5 finally adds the battery percentage to the status bar (9to5Mac)China Graft Probes Stem From Anger Over Failed Chip Plans (Bloomberg)Warner Bros. Movies Are No Longer Guaranteed To Arrive On HBO Max After A 45-Day Theatrical Window: Source (Decider)Garmin adds another bright spot to its line of multisport watches (Android Authority)What Amazon's Roomba and One Medical Deals Have in Common (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Masa Son takes another one on the chin, another record loss. The US Treasury is sanctioning a major crypto mixing service. Netflix Gaming is off to a good start or a terrible one, I can’t tell. One of the streaming services is biting the dust. And since we’re aware of the car industry data tracking issue, how much data is Tesla already tracking about your driving?Sponsors:Gusto.com/rideCyberSecurityInside.com/rideLinks:SoftBank plans Vision Fund job cuts after record net loss (Reuters)US Treasury sanctions cryptocurrency mixer Tornado Cash (The Block)Twilio hacked by phishing campaign targeting internet companies (TechCrunch)Nvidia warns on second-quarter revenue, shares dip (CNBC)Netflix is expanding its push into video games, but few subscribers are playing along (CNBC)HBO Max, Discovery+ to Merge Into Single Streaming Platform Starting in Summer 2023 (Variety)The Radical Scope of Tesla’s Data Hoard (IEEE Spectrum)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Stashpad is the developer notepad. Devs! Download the app at Stashpad.com and help us finalize everything before the big launch!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Our friend Alex Kantrowitz returns to my kitchen table for a crossover episode with Big Technology Podcast (subscribe here) to discuss whether or not Meta is going to see its promise land Metaverse? And are we in a recession or just a tech recession? Oh. And tips to survive plane travel.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amazon wants to acquire the company that makes the Roomba robot, or as it’s known in my family, Vrrrrooom. We finally know the legal arguments both sides are making in the Elon/Twitter case. Does crashing semiconductor demand prove we’re in a recession or not? And of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Links:Amazon is buying iRobot for $1.7B (TechCrunch)Twitter slams Elon Musk's response to its lawsuit (Axios)Cooling Semiconductor Sales Heighten Fears of a Global Recession (Bloomberg)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:The endless search for a crypto use case (Networked substack)It’s paintbrushes at dawn as artists feel the pressure of AI-generated art (TechCrunch)CNN Exclusive: FBI investigation determined Chinese-made Huawei equipment could disrupt US nuclear arsenal communications (CNN)THE UNSUNG INVENTOR WHO CHASED THE LED RAINBOW (ieee Spectrum)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple is delaying releasing iPadOS 16 just because it’s trying to make Stage Manager not suck. I wasn’t imagining it… the majority of the crypto hacks this year have been because of bridges. Would you pay $50k to be a guest on this show? The new OnePlus smartphone. And I’m gonna let you guess what Google did. Again.Sponsors:Storyblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Apple Plans to Delay Launch of iPadOS 16 Update by About a Month (Bloomberg)Solana Hack Blamed on Slope Mobile Wallet Exploit (Decrypt)Vulnerabilities in Cross-chain Bridge Protocols Emerge as Top Security Risk (Chainalysis)Twitter to revamp Spaces, tests themed stations and a daily digest (TechCrunch)Podcast Guests Are Paying Up to $50,000 to Appear on Popular Shows (Bloomberg)OnePlus 10T review: Speed above all (Engadget)Google Meet meets Duo Meet, with Meet in Duo but Duo isn’t going into Meet (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Now the hackers are stealing crypto from individual wallets at scale. Robinhood makes a massive layoff announcement. Y Combinator is shrinking its summer cohort. I’ve found an actual use case for NFT’s and it is college textbooks. And, you know, an actual flying car you could buy right now.Sponsors:Storyblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Solana, USDC Drained From Wallets in Attack (Decrypt)Robinhood Lays Off 23% of Staff as Retail Investors Fade From Platform (WSJ)Michael Saylor to step down as MicroStrategy CEO, shift to executive chairman role (The Block)Y Combinator narrows current cohort size by 40%, citing downturn and funding environment (TechCrunch)UK regulator makes U-turn on Avast-Norton cyber security deal (Financial Times)Pearson plans to sell its textbooks as NFTs (The Guardian)Samson Switchblade flying car is finally ready for takeoff (New Atlas)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Seriously, what is it with crypto bridges? Why are they seemingly so easy to hack? New York cracks down on Robinhood. A bunch of Silicon Valley boldfaced names are going to be swept up into the Twitter/Elon trial. And if Chromebooks and gaming are suffering post-Covid hangovers, is Uber a post-covid Phoenix?Sponsors:Babbel.com/ride for 60% offgo.factor75.com/techmeme130 and code techmeme130 to get $130 offLinks:Nomad token bridge drained of $190M in funds in security exploit (CoinTelegraph)Robinhood’s Crypto Unit Fined $30 Million by New York’s Top Financial Regulator (WSJ)Twitter is probing Elon Musk’s social circle in broad legal requests (Washington Post)As worldwide tablet shipments grow, Chromebooks face a different reality (ZDNet)Activision Blizzard Sales Fall on Weak Call of Duty Release (Bloomberg)The Morning After: Did Microsoft just neg Activision Blizzard? (Engadget)Uber reports another big loss but beats on revenue, shares pop 14% (CNBC)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple opens up Apple Pay a tiny bit. But again, from pressure from the Europeans. Meta is accused of abetting sectarian violence in another developing nation. A deep dive into the seeming demise of the entire e-scooter industry. How much good will the CHIPS Act actually do? And a review of the new Dell XPS 13 Plus.Sponsors:KeeperSecurity.com/techmemeLinks:Apple Pay may finally work on Chrome, Edge, and Firefox in iOS 16 (The Verge)Why dangerous content thrives on Facebook and TikTok in Kenya (Washington Post)Bolt Mobility has vanished, leaving e-bikes, unanswered calls behind in several US cities (TechCrunch)Japan, U.S. to launch R&D for 2-nm chip mass production (NikkeiAsia)Chipmakers battle for slice of US government support (Financial Times)DELL XPS 13 PLUS REVIEW: XPS PLUS, BATTERY MINUS (The Verge)Join the Mutant Podcast Army Fantasy League: https://fantasy.premierleague.com/leagues/auto-join/i8t2k1See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Check out Cognitive Talent Solutions here, or get in touch with me to put you in touch with them.And if you'd like to invest in CTS, subscribe and invest to the Ride Home Fund by August 30th here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Matthew Ball comes on to talk about his new book: The Metaverse: And How it Will Revolutionize Everything. Then, Jason Del Rey @DelRey talks to us about how Amazon has been faring in the post-Jeff Bezos era.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Even a weak earnings report from Apple can still break records. Instagram’s been in a stare down with the Kardashians, and Adam Mosseri just blinked. Congress just passed a ton of money to jump start domestic chip production. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:KeeperSecurity.com/techmemeKolide.com/rideLinks:Apple iPhone Sales Remain Resilient as Company Reports 11% Decline in Profit (WSJ)Instagram walks back its changes (Platformer)CHIPS Act clears Congress, ensuring $52 billion boost to US foundries (The Verge)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:The Buy Now, Pay Later Juggernaut Is About to Be Tested (Bloomberg)F.T.C. Chair Upends Antitrust Standards With Meta Lawsuit (NYTimes)Who Is Collecting Data from Your Car? (The Markup)TikTok and the Fall of the Social-Media Giants (The New Yorker)RollerCoaster Tycoon taught me to be a ruthless capitalist (Polygon)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meta has reported its first-ever YoY quarterly revenue decline. The FTC has moved to block a Meta acquisition, the first big regulatory move of the Lina Khan era. Google delays it’s cookie cleanup. Again. You’re not seeing things. There’s been a Gmail redesign. And DeepMind has solved one of the oldest problems in biology.Sponsors:StitchFix.com/ride for $20 offStoryblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Facebook Parent Meta Platforms Reports First Ever Revenue Drop (WSJ)F.T.C. Sues to Block Meta’s Virtual Reality Deal as It Confronts Big Tech (NYTimes)Jack Ma Plans to Cede Control of Ant Group (WSJ)Google delays when Chrome will phase out third-party cookies to 2024 (9to5Google)Gmail’s new look is now rolling out to everyone (The Verge)DeepMind's protein-folding AI cracks biology's biggest problem (NewScientist)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I’ll wrap up the earnings from Microsoft, Alphabet, Spotify and Shopify. Proof that the cost of a data breach for companies is skyrocketing. What ever happened to the legislative crackdown on Big Tech? Inflation comes to the Metaverse as Meta is jacking up the prices on Quest headsets. And a big update to Google Maps.Sponsors:Storyblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Techmeme headlines from this morning running down earnings (Techmeme, 8:25am eastern today)IBM Security report finds data breaches are costlier than ever before (SiliconAngle)Discovery of new UEFI rootkit exposes an ugly truth: The attacks are invisible to us (ArsTechnica)Senate’s Antitrust Crackdown Sputters as Schumer Signals Doubts (Bloomberg)Quest 2 Price Jumps To $399 As Meta Costs Rise (UploadVR)Google Maps rolls out location sharing notifications, immersive views and better bike navigation (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is the SEC about to crack down on Coinbase? Why is Kylie Jenner mad at Instagram? Why are all the big tech companies mad at the leap second, of all things? And a deep dive look at what Amazon probably wants to do with its big healthcare acquisition.Sponsors:Storyblok.com/ridehomeCybersecurityinside.com/RIDELinks:Coinbase Faces SEC Probe on Crypto Listings; Shares Tumble (Bloomberg)Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian tell Instagram to 'stop trying to be TikTok,' which could spell major trouble for the platform (Insider)Creators on Facebook can now earn money through videos that use licensed music (TechCrunch)Shopify to Lay Off 10% of Workers in Broad Shake-Up (WSJ)Why One Critical Second Can Wreak Havoc on the Internet (CNET)The Amazon + One Medical Post (Out Of Pocket)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

NFL+ arrives, and at the end of the show, we’ll take a deep dive into sports rights as the great free radical in the streaming wars and the evolution in sports in general. In between that, people accuse Sam Bankman-Fried of lowballing them. More details on the so-called Apple Watch Pro. And if I told you there’s a global shortage of fiber optic cable, would you be surprised?Sponsors:Ramp.com/techmemeZocDoc.com/techmemeLinks:NFL+ Enters Sports Streaming Wars As League Launches New Service (The Hollywood Reporter)Voyager Responds to FTX’s Offer, Calling It a ‘Low-Ball’ Bid (Bloomberg)Apple Begins to Show Rare Vulnerability Ahead of Economic Slowdown (Bloomberg)Intel bags deal to make chips for MediaTek, that other Android processor designer (The Register)Global shortage of fibre optic cable threatens digital growth (FT)Why Big Tech Is Making a Big Play for Live Sports (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Saoud Kalifah of FakeSpot.com joins us to discuss what I guess we could call, the fake review economy. Chris made a compelling case for the new Browser Company browser Arc. I try to find my way to a Brian’s Unified Theory of what makes new social networks succeed.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Well, things weren’t so rosy with Twitter earnings, and downright abysmal over at Snap. The Feds bring the first ever case for insider trading in the crypto space. Your next smart lock might draw its power from your phone as you use it. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Storyblok.com/ridehomeWork Check podcastLinks:Twitter misses earnings expectations, partially blames revenue drop on Elon Musk takeover bid (CNBC)Snap shares dive 35% following poor earnings report (CNBC)Ex-Coinbase Manager Arrested in US Crypto Insider-Trading Case (Bloomberg)Your next smart lock could ditch the battery by harvesting energy from your phone (The Verge)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Chiplets helped save AMD. They might also help save Moore’s law and head off an energy crisis. (Protocol)Meta’s next big bet: The ‘metaversity’ (Protocol)Amazon C.E.O. Andy Jassy Breaks From the Bezos Way (NYTimes)The Great Fiction of AI (The Verge)The Re-Reinvention of the Travel Agent (Skift)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amazon is acquiring actual doctors offices. Facebook splits the newsfeed to make it more TikTok-y. Minecraft foreswears NFTs. The big tech platforms are pausing hiring now too. Did Tesla cause the crypto crash? And DALL-E 2 is now more widely available.Sponsors:Storyblok.com/ridehomeKeeperSecurity.com/techmemeLinks:Amazon is buying primary care tech provider One Medical for $3.9B (TechCrunch)Facebook doubles down on algorithms in the main feed (The Verge)Minecraft team says NFTs and blockchain are, well, blocked (Polygon)Microsoft Cuts Many Open Job Listings in Weakening Economy (Bloomberg)Google Announces Hiring Pause (The Information)Elon Musk’s Tesla Has Sold 75% of Its Bitcoin Holdings (Decrypt)@CryptoKaleo TweetTextExpander, which lets users build shortcuts to speed up business communications, raises $41.4M, its first-ever funding (TechCrunch)OpenAI expands access to DALL-E 2, its powerful image-generating AI system (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Netflix reported earnings that weren’t as bad as even they had been telegraphing. So that’s something. The court case is already going against how Elon Musk hoped it would go. What’s up with everyone leaving Neuralink? And a deep-dive look at BeReal. Is it the next big thing or just the latest fad?Sponsors:Storyblok.com/ridehomeAthleticGreens.com/rideLinks:Netflix loses fewer subscribers than expected and says cheaper ad tier is coming in early 2023 (CNBC)Twitter-Musk trial on $44 billion deal set to begin in October after Musk loses effort to delay (CNBC)A Neuralink cofounder left Elon Musk's brain-chip company, leaving it with just 2 of its 8 founding members (Insider)Google Begins Publicly Testing Its AR Glasses (CNET)Fad or frenzy, BeReal is having a real moment right now (FastCompany)Why BeReal is breaking out (Platformer)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Amazon is stepping up its war against bogus product reviews. Netflix is testing more crackdowns on password sharing. Slack is raising prices. ESPN+ is raising prices. But one streaming service is actually LOWERING prices? And mark your calendars, cause the Fall product launch season is upon us.Sponsors:Storyblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Amazon sues admins from 10,000 Facebook groups over fake reviews (TechCrunch)Netflix Tests Another Way to Charge for Password Sharing (Bloomberg)Apple Sued Over Apple Pay, Accused of Antitrust Violations (Bloomberg)Slack is increasing prices and changing the way its free plan works (TechCrunch)ESPN+ Monthly Subscription to Rise $3 as Disney Strives for Streaming Profits (Variety)Crunchyroll is lowering monthly subscription fees in almost 100 regions (Engadget)Samsung confirms August 10th Unpacked event date with ‘cryptic’ puzzle (The Verge)WD begins shipping 22TB Red Pro, Purple Pro and Gold HDDs (Club386)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Everything we cover is in a full vibe shift of… pulling back. Coinbase sent some eyebrows up over the weekend, but insolvency is off the table. Right? Right? Adam Newmann’s crypto startup is hitting the pause button. All the rapid delivery startups that flooded New York City last year seem to be done. Poof. And is Silicon Valley itself definitively shrinking?Sponsors:Zapier.com/rideGusto.com/rideLinks:Snap launches Snapchat for Web to bring the app's core features to desktop (TechCrunch)Leaked emails: Crypto exchange Coinbase is 'temporarily shutting down' its US affiliate-marketing program (Insider)Coinbase stirs rumors of liquidity woes as it halts affiliate-marketing program (Insider Bitcoins)Crypto Crash Stalls WeWork Founder Adam Neumann’s Climate Venture (WSJ)The Speedy Downfall of Rapid Delivery Startups (Wired)Tiger Global-backed Missfresh faces fight for survival (FT)71 Cities and Towns Are Paying Tech Workers to Abandon Silicon Valley. It’s Working. (WSJ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ride Home Fund's latest investment: the smart ring/device controller ArcX! More at https://arcx.fit/Invest in ArcX via the Ride Home Fund here.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Now the haircuts have come for Stripe, but they took theirs voluntarily. Who’s responsible for the big hole on Celsius’ balance sheet? Twitter wants to let devs make their own timelines. Will Amazon voluntarily exit the white label business. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:Manscaped.com code RIDE for 20% offKolide.com/rideLinks:Stripe Cuts Internal Valuation by 28% (WSJ)Celsius Discloses $1.19 Billion Deficit in Bankruptcy Filing (Bloomberg)Twitter is testing custom timelines, and first one is about The Bachelorette (TechCrunch)Amazon Has Been Slashing Private-Label Selection Amid Weak Sales (WSJ)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:How Three Arrows Capital Blew Up and Set Off a Crypto Contagion (Bloomberg)The Standards Innovation Paradox (Michael Mignano Medium)Siberia or Japan? Expert Google Maps Players Can Tell at a Glimpse. (NYTimes)Advanced E.V. Batteries Move From Labs to Mass Production (NYTimes)How the Webb sends its hundred-megapixel images a million miles back to Earth (TechCrunch)The Webb Space Telescope’s Profound Data Challenges (iee Spectrum)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Celsius files for bankruptcy. Tesla loses a key Autopilot exec. Netflix chooses Microsoft for it’s ads partnership. Could TikTok be a long-term problem for Google Search? And the reviews are in for the new Macbook Airs with M2 chips.Sponsors:Ahead Of Its Time podcastWorkCheck PodcastLinks:Embattled crypto lender Celsius files for bankruptcy protection (CNBC)Inside Celsius: how one of crypto’s biggest lenders ground to a halt (Financial Times)Tesla AI leader Andrej Karpathy announces he’s leaving the company (CNBC)Netflix is partnering with Microsoft for its new ad-supported tier (The Verge)Google Cloud launches its first Arm-based VMs (TechCrunch)Google exec suggests Instagram and TikTok are eating into Google’s core products, Search and Maps (TechCrunch)APPLE’S NEW MACBOOK AIR M2 IS THE START OF A WHOLE NEW AIR-A (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Twitter officially sues Elon Musk and by the sound of things, has decided to go to the mattresses. Has Apple officially cut ties with Jony Ive? Here come the tech mergers and acquisitions. How streaming has officially killed traditional tv by at least one measure. And an interesting new gadget. Nothing. I’ll explain.Sponsors:StoryBlok.com/ridehomeKeeperSecurity.com/techmemeLinks:Twitter Sues Musk After He Tries Backing Out of $44 Billion Deal (NYTimes)15 Revelations in Twitter’s Suit Against Elon Musk (Intelligencer)Apple Ends Consulting Agreement With Jony Ive, Its Former Design Leader (NYTimes)Unity is merging with Ironsource in an all-stock deal valuing Ironsource at $4.4B in a big consolidation play for gaming (TechCrunch)Read the memo Google’s CEO sent employees about a hiring slowdown (The Verge)Nothing officially announces flashy Phone 1, starting at £399 (The Verge)HBO & HBO Max Smash Past Netflix In Total Emmy Nominations As Hulu & Apple Score Strong Showings (Deadline)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Liquidators say they can't find the Three Arrows Capital founders. The FTC will crack down on data-anonymization claims. Another smart home company decides to brick some of the hardware that people paid good money for. Hopin is the latest highflyer to fall to earth with layoffs. And what it’s like to work at Twitter right now.Sponsors:Storyblok.com/ridehomeLinks:Three Arrows Founders’ Whereabouts Unknown, Liquidators Say (Bloomberg)FTC to Crack Down on Sites That Claim Your Data Is 'Anonymized' When It's Not (PCMag)Hive’s abandoned smart home devices will cease operation starting in 2023 (The Verge)Live events startup Hopin, valued at $7.8 billion, is laying off 29% of staff in its second wave of job cuts in 2022 (Insider)Twitter Lawyers Call Musk’s Deal Termination ‘Wrongful’ (Bloomberg)As Elon Musk Walks, Twitter Workers Say No One’s in Charge (Wired)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The famous stock market player Bernard Baruch once said, paraphrasing: Whatever men attempt, they seem driven to overdo. When hopes are soaring, I always repeat to myself that two and two still make four. The main purpose of the market is to make fools of as many people as possible. Today, stories of this lesson being learned by both major VC firms and Elon Musk. Oh, and how North Korean hackers infiltrate companies.Sponsors:OurCrowd.com/rideCybersecurityinside.com/RIDELinks:Uber broke laws, duped police and secretly lobbied governments, leak reveals (The Guradian)Here’s how North Korean operatives are trying to infiltrate US crypto firms (CNN)Andreessen Horowitz, Thrive Go Bargain Hunting for Beaten-Down Tech Stocks (The Information)Elon’s Out (Matt Levine/Bloomberg)Tweet Storm #1Tweet Storm #2See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Part 2 of the eBay story from the Internet History podcast.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple has a new lockdown mode to triage a whole range of cyberattacks. Also, Mark Gurman has some details on that new, expected, “rugged” Apple Watch. Twitter is testing co-tweets. More details on the new version of Meta’s VR headset. And the weekend longreads suggestions. I’ll explain.Sponsors:StitchFix.com/ride for $20 offWork Check podcastLinks:Apple Announces New Lockdown Mode on iOS 16 With 'Extreme' Level of Security (MacRumors)Apple Plans Extreme Sports Watch With Larger Screen, Metal Case (Bloomberg)Heads of FBI, MI5 Issue Joint Warning on Chinese Spying (WSJ)Reddit is launching a new NFT avatar marketplace (TechCrunch)Twitter starts testing new CoTweets feature that lets two accounts co-author a tweet (The Verge)Meta Plans to Call New Virtual Reality Headset the ‘Quest Pro’ (Bloomberg)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Keeping Phones Running in Wartime Pushes Kyivstar to the Limit (Bloomberg)The Metaverse in 2040 (Pew Research Center)Not Just a Tennis Podcast, but Rather ‘The’ Tennis Podcast (NYTimes)Inside a Superfan's Secret Friendship With Eddie Van Halen (Rolling Stone)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Will regulators wreck the great gaming consolidation? Can the US bully it’s way to blocking China’s chip development? Are Dilithium crystals the key to saving crypto from quantum computing? And why the crypto crash has been a footnote for Wall Street. At least, so far.Sponsors:AthleticGreens.com/rideLinks:Microsoft’s $69 billion Activision takeover faces competition probe in the UK (CNBC)US Wants Dutch Supplier to Stop Selling Chipmaking Gear to China (Bloomberg)NIST unveils four algorithms that will underpin new ‘quantum-proof’ cryptography standards (SC Media)Amazon takes a Prime step back into restaurant delivery in the US with big Grubhub investment and partnership (TechCrunch)Voyager Seeks Bankruptcy Protection Amid Crypto Credit Crisis (CoinDesk)Crypto Mining Giant Dumped Most of Its Bitcoin Holdings in June (Bloomberg)How Wall Street Escaped the Crypto Meltdown (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Crypto Crash goes ever onward. Klarna is going on a realty tv show called, Now That’s what I Call A Haircut! The hackers have come for the Chinese surveillance state. The World Cup is going to have the robots call offsides. And Steve Jobs is getting the Presidential Medal of Freedom.Sponsors:StoryBlok.com/ridehomeKeeperSecurity.com/techmemeLinks:Crypto platform Vauld suspends withdrawls, trading and deposits amid financial challenges. (TechCrunch)Number Three (Entrepreneurs Handbook)Meta to Shut Down Novi Service in September in Crypto Winter (Bloomberg)Klarna in Talks to Raise Fresh Cash at Slashed $6.5 Billion Valuation (WSJ)Hackers Claim Theft of Police Info in China’s Largest Data Leak (Bloomberg)AI-powered technology will be used to speed up VAR offside calls at World Cup (The Guardian)Google patches new Chrome zero-day flaw exploited in attacks (Bleeping Computer)President Biden to award Steve Jobs with posthumous Medal of Freedom (9to5Mac)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From my original Internet History Podcast, the first of my two episodes outlining the story of eBay, in-depth, as I make the strong case that it was maybe the most important and overlooked startup of the Web 1.0 era. Part 2 of this story coming on Friday.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Time for some deep analysis of the podcast industry. Is Spotify gonna take over all of audio? Is the blockchain useful for podcasting? What is the great Michael Mignano doing next, after leaving Spotify and Anchor?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

While I'm away briefly for vacation, here's a talk I gave at Google in December 2018 around the time my book came out. Just a condensed dose of my entire thesis of the technology industry's history from 1994-2006. Nothing much new if you've read my book, but if you want the cliff's notes version, here it is.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One good thing about the crypto crash is you can get affordable graphics cards again. Layoffs come to the Metaverse. Samsung is producing the first 3nm chips. Apple wants you to pay for your gas without getting out of your car. Though, you’d still have to get out to pump, I suppose. And, bit of a surprise, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:Kolide.com/rideKeeperSecurity.com/techmemeLinks:Genesis Faces ‘Hundreds of Millions’ in Losses as 3AC Exposure Swamps Crypto Lenders: Sources (CoinDesk)Nvidia Game Card Prices Fall Along With Crypto Mining Demand (Bloomberg)Sources: Unity Laying Off Hundreds Of Staffers [Update] (Kotaku)Samsung Electronics starts 3-nanometer chip production ahead of TSMC (TechCrunch)Fuel Purchases Directly Within Apple CarPlay to Be Available This Fall (MacRumors)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Did Razzlekhan and Dutch Pull Off History’s Biggest Crypto Heist? (Bloomberg)Cyber Pirates Prowling Ship Controls Threaten Another Big Shock (Bloomberg)The Accidental Media Critics of YouTube (NYTimes Magazine)HOW ONE OF GAMING’S MOST INTIMIDATING GENRES SPAWNED A LEGION OF HITS (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I joke its Groundhog Day, but if you’re a crypto billionaire, you probably want the repetition to end as much as anyone. Wait, is TikTok suddenly in trouble with the US government again? A new line of chips from Arm. Sony wants to play to PC gamers. And why Netflix doling out Stranger Things in portions is one of the biggest experiments being run in Hollywood right now.Links:Crypto Crash Widens a Divide: ‘Those With Money Will End Up Being Fine’ (NYTimes)Crypto crash threatens North Korea's stolen funds as it ramps up weapons tests (Reuters)U.S. FCC commissioner wants Apple and Google to remove TikTok from their app stores (CNBC)Ray tracing and 64-bit only: What you should know about Arm's 2023 CPUs and GPUs (Android Authority)Sony targets PC gamers with new hardware brand, Inzone (Washington Post)Here’s why Netflix made you wait a month to watch the rest of Stranger Things (Recode)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why there’s a HUGE tech angle to the whole Roe V. Wade controversy. Google’s shutting down one of their chat apps, but even I can’t be bothered to figure out which one or why. Airbnb is permanently putting the kibosh on parties. And will StarlinkRV allow all of us to take off into the wild and still do our work?Sponsors:ZocDoc.com/techmemeLinks:Without Roe, data will become a company headache and a user nightmare (Axios)Period tracker Stardust surges following Roe reversal, but its privacy claims aren’t airtight (TechCrunch)Google Hangouts is shutting down in November (The Verge)Elon Musk Has Twitter’s Data, but Getting Answers on Spam Accounts May Be Tougher (WSJ)Amazon plans two Prime shopping events this year, with second one in Q4 (CNBC)Airbnb’s party ban is now permanent (The Verge)STARLINK RV REVIEW: THE DAWN OF SPACE INTERNET TO GO (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Are we in for the biggest deluge in new Apple products, maybe ever? Why, though, are the new MacBook Pros with M2 chips sporting slower SSD drives? Is your phone plan about to get more expensive? Is VC activity actually going down? How much should we worry about Tether? And something something, are DAO’s really that decentralized?Sponsors:KeeperSecurity.com/techmemeGusto.com/rideLinks:Apple Readies iPhone 14 and HomePod Upgrade in Flood of New Products (Bloomberg)Base 13-Inch MacBook Pro With M2 Chip Has Significantly Slower SSD Speeds (MacRumors)AT&T, Verizon Raise Prices and Test Consumer Budgets (WSJ)Venture Funding Set to Hit Lowest Level Since 2020 (Bloomberg)More Hedge Funds Are Betting Against Tether as Crypto Melts Down (WSJ)Dissecting the DAO: Web3 Ownership is Surprisingly Concentrated (Chainalysis)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

No guest this week (though the great @EvanKirstel does show up at one point) but we covered a wide range of topic, mostly ones that have been under-discussed lately on the show...See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The fire sale on tech companies has begun. More big important hacks to be aware of. Another crypto bridge has been compromised. Amazon wants you to know about their AI coding tool. TikTok turns on the money spigot. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Setapp Playlists on SpotifyKeeperSecurity.com/techmemeLinks:Zendesk to be acquired by investor group for $10.2 billion (CNBC)Google is notifying Android users targeted by Hermit government-grade spyware (TechCrunch)CISA, US Coast Guard warn of Log4Shell attacks after 130GB data breach in May (The Record)Breaking: Harmony’s Horizon Bridge hacked for $100M (CoinTelegraph)Amazon launches CodeWhisperer, a GitHub Copilot-like AI pair programming tool (TechCrunch)TikTok Turns On the Money Machine (Bloomberg)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Web3 Use Cases: Today (Not Boring)Where are all the crypto use cases? (Evan Conrad)How Russia’s vaunted cyber capabilities were frustrated in Ukraine (Washington Post)Self-Driving Big Rigs Are Coming. Is America Ready? (WSJ)How Townscaper Works: A Story Four Games in the Making (Game Developer)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Would you want my voice to be the voice of your Alexa? An interesting raise that can change people’s vocal accents in real time. Instagram rolls out a comprehensive system to check ages on their platform. And is that new Brave search engine becoming a contender?Sponsors:HubSpot.comWorkCheck PodcastLinks:Alexa will soon be able to read stories as your dead grandma (TechCrunch)That agent who sounds like they’re from Paris, Texas? Try Paris, France (TechCrunch)Cerebras Slays GPUs, Breaks Record for Largest AI Models Trained on a Single Device (Tom's Hardware)Instagram Tests Child Age Verification, but Falls Short of Full ID Checks (WSJ)Privacy-focused Brave Search grew by 5,000% in a year (Bleeping Computer)NBCUniversal, Google Compete to Help Netflix Develop Ad-Backed Tier (WSJ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

News is new again, after Google does a size-able redesign. Copilot AI is available on GitHub, but is it worth paying for? Amazon unveiled some new warehouse robots, but is this partially because they fear running out of workers? The new Twitter Notes feature and why it’s increasingly likely that you’ll buy your next car online, even if you don’t buy it from Telsa.Sponsors:Linkedin.com/rideAthleticgreens.com/rideLinks:Google News gets desktop redesign with focus on customization (9to5Google)GitHub’s AI-powered Copilot will help you write code for $10 a month (The Verge)Twitter to expand into long-form content with upcoming Twitter Notes feature (TechCrunch)Amazon announces its first fully autonomous mobile warehouse robot (The Verge)Leaked Amazon memo warns the company is running out of people to hire (Recode/Vox)Why You Might Buy Your Next Car Online (NYTimes)Announcing StackHawk’s $20.7 Million in Series B Funding to Drive Developer-First Security (StackHawk)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Did something happen while I was away? Sort of like everything crashing in crypto? Apple wants to kill the CAPTCHA for you. The first Apple Store has unionized. Is it fair that G Suite is no longer free? And is the Microsoft Surface Duo 2 actually… good now?Sponsors:Zapier.com/rideLinks:Crypto lender Babel Finance announces steps to improve its liquidity situation (The Block)New Solend vote invalidates governance decision to take over whale account (The Block)iOS 16 Will Let iPhone Users Bypass CAPTCHAs in Supported Apps and Websites (MacRumors)Apple Workers at Maryland Store Vote to Unionize, a First in the U.S. (NYTimes)Google Says It’s Time for Longtime Small-Business Users to Pay Up (NYTimes)MICROSOFT’S WEIRD SURFACE DUO 2 HAS SURPRISINGLY BECOME MY FAVORITE DEVICE OF THE YEAR (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Juna (heyjuna.com) replaces awkward lab visits with at-home STI testing and treatment. Another proud investment of the RideHomeFund. As ever, get in touch with Brian if you'd like to work with Juna directly.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Some thoughts on what startup workers can do with their stock options (in this economy!?). DALL·E blows our collective minds. Considering the legacy of Internet Explorer. Thanks to @adam_keesling and @jnack.What Should You Do With Your Options During a Downturn?manual.withcompound.comNew podcast: DALL•E & You & MeSponsors:LinkedIn.com/techmemeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Elon Musk speaks to his soon to be employees for the first time at Twitter. Snap is testing a new subscription Snapchat. Microsoft debuts Defender for Individuals. Klarna is thinking about raising a massively down round. And of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:StitchFix.com/ride for $20 offDragonballZ KakarotLinks:Elon Musk Tells Staff Twitter Should Allow ‘Pretty Outrageous’ Tweets (Bloomberg)SpaceX Said to Fire Employees Involved in Letter Rebuking Elon Musk (NYTimes)Snap is working on a paid subscription called Snapchat Plus (The Verge)Microsoft launches Defender for Individuals for Microsoft 365 Personal and Family subscribers (ZDNet)Fintech Giant Klarna Slashes Fundraising Ambition (WSJ)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:What Should You Do With Your Options During a Downturn? (Every)‘Wallets and eyeballs’: how eBay turned the internet into a marketplace (The Guardian)A Billion-Dollar Crypto Gaming Startup Promised Riches and Delivered Disaster (Bloomberg)Proton Is Trying to Become Google—Without Your Data (Wired)What Is Quantum Entanglement? Skip the heady and abstract physics lectures. Let’s talk about socks (IEEE Spectrum)The Best Sci Fi Books for Beginners (FiveBooks.com)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Google says YouTube Shorts is keeping pace with TikTok. Meta plans to make Facebook more like TikTok in order to keep pace themselves. That new Sonos Voice Control assistant sounds pretty good to me. Why a bunch of folks are going to string internet cables under the shrinking polar ice. And why the Japanese are freaked out about Internet Explorer going away.Sponsors:HubSpot.comKolide.com/rideLinks:YouTube Says It Is Gaining on TikTok in Short-Video Race (WSJ)FACEBOOK IS CHANGING ITS ALGORITHM TO TAKE ON TIKTOK, LEAKED MEMO REVEALS (The Verge)Samsung Wallet is back to organize your ID, keys, and crypto (The Verge)SONOS VOICE CONTROL REVIEW: A SPEEDY, PRIVATE, MUSIC-FOCUSED ASSISTANT (The Verge)A Warming Arctic Emerges as a Route for Subsea Cables (WSJ)Internet Explorer shutdown to cause Japan headaches 'for months' (NikkeiAsia)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is a major crypto hedge fund about to blow up? How the Celsius network got in such hot water. YouTube lets you make corrections. Why Apple’s deal for Major League Soccer is such a big deal. And pour one out, definitively, for Internet Explorer.Sponsors:LinkedIn.com/techmemeLCX.com/rideLinks:After facing hundreds of millions of dollars in liquidations, Three Arrows Capital's future is uncertain (The Block)Crypto Lender Celsius Hires Restructuring Lawyers After Account Freeze (WSJ)Celsius bid to rival Wall St with crypto lending scuppered by risky bets (FT)YouTube’s new corrections feature lets creators fix the record more easily (The Verge)Nothing reveals Phone 1 design a month early (The Verge)Exclusive: New entry-level iPad to pack A14 chip, 5G, and USB-C connectivity (9to5Mac)Apple, Major League Soccer Strike 10-Year Streaming Deal for All MLS Games (WSJ)Microsoft to retire Internet Explorer browser and redirect users to Edge (The Guardian)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Adobe and Photoshop are leaning into freemium. Massive and controversial layoffs at Coinbase. Firefox is blocking stuff by default now. Meta announces more tools to make the Metaverse safe from trolls and worse. And why those pro features in iPadOS are only for iPads with M1 chips and above.Sponsors:KeeperSecurity.com/techmemeLinks:Adobe plans to make Photoshop on the web free to everyone (The Verge)Coinbase is laying off 1,100 employees as Bitcoin prices continue to fall (The Verge)Firefox enables its anti-tracking feature by default (Engadget)Meta adds voice controls for Horizon Worlds, which defaults to live chat with strangers (TechCrunch)Apple Lets You Move WhatsApp Chats From Android to iPhone (CNET)Apple resized the iPad's workflow with Stage Manager (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

All the crypt is down bad. Is DeFi lending platform Celsius to blame? More importantly, are margin calls coming for big Bitcoin bag holders, including Tesla? Jack Dorsey’s plan to leapfrog to Web5. Leaked images of the Galaxy Z Flip 4. Is your smart TV committing ad fraud? And why I’m pretty sure that Google AI bot did NOT become sentient.Sponsors:Dragon Ball Z Kakarot!AltoIRA.com/techmemeLinks:Celsius Tanks 70% in 1 Hour After Company Pauses Withdrawals to 'Stabilize Liquidity' (Decrypt)Jack Dorsey's Bitcoin venture TBD unveils proposal for decentralized Web platform (The Block)Jack Dorsey’s TBD Announces Web 3 Competitor: Web 5 (CoinDesk)Galaxy Z Flip 4 leaks in real-life shots with much smaller display crease (9to5Google)Apple Goes Deeper Into Finance With Buy Now, Pay Later Offering (WSJ)Some Ads Play on Streaming Services Even When the TV Is Off, Study Finds (WSJ)The Google engineer who thinks the company’s AI has come to life (Washington Post)Nonsense on Stilts (Gary Marcus)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

WWDC wrap up, @chrismaddern on @floornfts, and Brian talks about his Mac Studio experience.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Time to refresh those Yao Ming and Verne Troyer Powerbook ads from the early ‘aughts. Could Meta not release its big metaverse hardware play for years? The NHTSA’s investigation into Tesla’s Autopilot seems to be getting serious. Speaking of Austin Powers actors, Seth Green ransomed his Ape. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:LCX.com/rideLinks:14-Inch iPad Pro With Mini-LED Display Rumored to Launch in Early 2023 (MacRumors)Apple Plans 15-Inch MacBook Air for 2023 and New 12-Inch Laptop (Bloomberg)Meta Scales Back AR Glasses Plan Amid Reality Labs Shakeup (The Information)AMD Zen Architecture Roadmap: Zen 5 in 2024 With All-New Microarchitecture (AnandTech)The federal government’s Tesla Autopilot investigation is moving into a new phase (The Verge)Seth Green's Stolen Bored Ape Is Back Home (BuzzFeed News)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:These Drones Could Bring You 5G Networking After a Hurricane (CNET)Facebook Made This 29-Year-Old Rich; War Made Him A Billionaire (Forbes)The Surreal Case of a C.I.A. Hacker’s Revenge (New Yorker)Nintendo's Big Piracy Case Is A Very Sad Story (Kotaku)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Who needs a gaming console? Not Xbox, not anymore. Twitter is gonna give Elon the firehose treatment. Dell unveils some new XPS goodness. Apple does its own banking. More signs of the NFT market cooling off. And a popular developer tool is riding off into the sunset.Sponsors:LCX.com/rideWork CheckLinks:Microsoft’s new Xbox TV app streams games without a console later this month (The Verge)The Xbox game streaming TV app feels almost like the real thing (The Verge)Xbox Project Moorcroft will bring early game demos to Xbox Game Pass (The Verge)In reversal, Twitter plans to comply with Musk’s demands for data (Washington Post)Dell unveils a slimmer XPS 13 and a detachable 2-in-1 (Engadget)Apple Will Handle Lending Itself With New Pay Later Service (Bloomberg)Ethereum’s Merge Upgrade Goes Live Today on Ropsten Testnet (Decrypt)ApeCoin Owners Vote Against Leaving the Ethereum Blockchain (Bloomberg)The NFT slump is real (TechCrunch)GitHub sunsets Atom, the software dev environment it launched in 2011 (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The crypto world’s greatest supervillain looks like he’s joining the crypto bandwagon. Salesforce… (Salesforce?!) has jumped on the NFT bandwagon. Could Netflix buy Roku? How many layoffs has Silicon Valley seen thusfar? And a look at Apple’s big push into the passwordless future.Sponsors:HubSpot.comAthleticGreens.com/rideLinks:Citadel Securities Is Building a Crypto Trading Marketplace With Virtu Financial: Sources (CoinDesk)Salesforce takes crypto plunge with new NFT cloud (TechCrunch)US: Chinese govt hackers breached telcos to snoop on network traffic (BleepingComputer)Tech Layoffs In 2022: The U.S. Companies That Have Cut Jobs (CrunchBase News)Inside Roku, talk is heating up about an acquisition by Netflix (Insider)Apple Just Killed the Password—for Real This Time (Wired)Classified:collaborate@axoncollective.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

TikTok now has avatars, to keep up with Bitmoji and Memoji. The SEC seems to be seriously probing Binance. The death of the lighting port really might be nigh. Bits and pieces that fell through the cracks from WWDC. And potentially a huge breakthrough in keeping your data encrypted and secure, but still usable and searchable.Sponsors:KeeperSecurity.com/techmemeLinks:TikTok’s new Bitmoji-like Avatars feature lets you record videos as an animated version of yourself (TechCrunch)US Probes Binance Over Token That Is Now World’s Fifth Largest (Bloomberg)USB-C will be mandatory for phones sold in the EU ‘by autumn 2024’ (The Verge)Security Fixes Won't Require Full iOS Update in iOS 16, Will Be Installed Automatically (MacRumors)Apple Announces M2 SoC: Apple Silicon for Macs Updated For 2022 (AnandTech)A Long-Awaited Defense Against Data Leaks May Have Just Arrived (Wired)Classified:collaborate@axoncollective.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

All the headlines from WWDC. All the new OS’s and a new MacBook Air with a new M2 chip, but I’ll save you the speculation. Nothing on the AR/VR front. More Bored Apes stolen. More posturing from Elon Musk that he might walk away from the Twitter deal. And is Netflix about to get into live sports?Sponsors:ConstantContact.comWWDC Links:Apple debuts iOS 16 with customizable lock screen, Messages updates, much more (9to5Mac)Apple brings ‘undo send’ to iMessage (TechCrunch)Live Activities is a new iOS 16 feature meant to improve notifications (The Verge)Apple announces in-camera translations and improves dictation (TechCrunch)Apple Pay Later lets you split up purchases into four payments at no interest (TechCrunch)Apple Maps to get multistop routing and more in iOS 16 (TechCrunch)watchOS 9 introduces new running metrics and medication reminders (The Verge)Apple Announces Multi-Display CarPlay With Integrated Speedometer, Climate Controls, and More (MacRumors)Apple announces new flagship M2 processor (The Verge)Apple unveils new MacBook Air: M2 chip, case redesign, new midnight blue color, display notch (MacBook Air)Apple slaps new M2 processor into 13-inch MacBook Pro (TechCrunch)Apple announces macOS 13 Ventura, the next major software update for the Mac (ArsTechnica)Apple unveils iPadOS 16 with beefed up multitasking features (TechCrunch)Apple Previews New 'Freeform' App to Work Collaboratively (MacRumors)Non-WWDC Links:Yuga Labs Confirms Discord Server Hack; 200 ETH Worth of NFTs Stolen (CoinDesk)Musk accuses Twitter of ‘resisting and thwarting’ his right to information on fake accounts (CNBC)Netflix, ESPN, NBCUniversal, and Amazon are racing to win US Formula 1 rights as the global auto sport booms in popularity (Insider)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s increasingly looking like we might be approaching a tipping point in terms of driverless ride hailing becoming a reality. Twitter will let you set alerts for your name, among other things. Did Elon Musk order everyone back to the office to encourage some people to quit? What to expect from Monday’s WWDC kickoff. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Links:Cruise can finally charge for driverless robotaxi rides in San Francisco (TechCrunch)Twitter is building a tool for keyword alerts, in case you need more Twitter notifications (The Verge)Elon Musk asks Tesla execs to ‘pause all hiring,’ cut 10% of staff, amid ‘super bad feeling about economy’ (Electrek)Apple Plans to Make the iPad More Like a Laptop and Less Like a Phone (Bloomberg)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Record Labels Dig Their Own Grave. And the Shovel is Called TikTok. (The Honest Broker)Columbus, Ohio is quickly becoming the Midwest’s tech hub (TechCrunch)The Internet Encyclopedia of Memes (Every.to)Looking Glass might have just invented the GIF’s 3D successor (The Verge)Does a Comedian Really Need an Audience? (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sheryl Sandberg is leaving Meta after 14 years. Who is Javier Olivan, who is replacing her as Meta’s COO? I’ll let you know. Why the feds cracking down on NFT fraud could have big implications. And Google’s doing that thing Google loves to do with its messaging apps. Again.Sponsors:ClickUp.com promocode ride for 15% offLinks:Facebook parent Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg is stepping down (CNBC)Sandberg’s Advertising Empire Leaves a Complicated Legacy (Bloomberg)Javier Olivan, who’s replacing Sheryl Sandberg at Meta, built his career on international expansion (CNBC)US Charges Ex-OpenSea Exec With NFT Insider Trading (CoinDesk)Google is combining Meet and Duo into a single app for voice and video calls (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Surface Laptop Go gets a refresh. The Supreme Court has blocked that Texas social media law. For now. Twitter is really gonna take TweetDeck away from us? Really? And the really interesting new Android phone that attempts to strip every Googly thing it can, out of the Android experience.Sponsors:Work Check PodcastLinks:Microsoft’s compact Surface Laptop Go updated with 11th Gen Intel processor (The Verge)High Court Halts Texas Law Targeting Social Media Platforms (2) (Bloomberg Law)Twitter shutting down TweetDeck for Mac on July 1, here are alternatives to the web (9to5Mac)TikTok is testing a ‘clear mode’ for a distraction-free scrolling experience (TechCrunch)Fidelity Slashes Reddit, Stripe Valuations After Tech Rout (Bloomberg)The Murena One shows exactly how hard it is to de-Google your smartphone (The Verge)Apple’s Safari browser now has more than 1 billion users (AtlasVPN)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The new fastest computer in the world sees the crown return to the US. Will we not see Sony’s next-gen VR rig until next year? Ride hailing fares are reaching record highs as the players attempt to pivot to profitability. A new ride hailing entrant that lets you haggle on price. And a look at how Paramount is trying to go it alone in the streaming wars.Sponsors:AltoIRA.com/techmemeLinks:AMD-Powered Frontier Supercomputer Breaks the Exascale Barrier, Now Fastest in the World (Tom's Hardware)Kuo: PlayStation VR2 Mass Production To Start H2 2022 (UploadVR)China Is Leading the Global Decline in Venture Capital Deals (Bloomberg)Uber and Lyft’s New Road: Fewer Drivers, Thrifty Riders and Jittery Investors (WSJ)Nothing could slow inDriver’s rise from Siberian startup to global Uber competitor. Then Russia invaded Ukraine (Rest Of World)Can Paramount Go It Alone? (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A checkin with Rownd about what it's like to close a round right now, and what actually being on stage at YC Demo Day is like.To book at meeting with Robert at Rownd: https://calendly.com/rob-rownd/mutant-podcast-armyRownd helps companies register and retain more users through frictionless sign-in across all of their websites and apps, with a simple code snippet. We let our customers choose how and where authentication happens, killing the static login page forever. Rownd link: https://rownd.ioSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Microsoft is creating an HDMI dongle to turn any tv or monitor into an Xbox gaming console. Now the lawsuits are popping off in the whole Elon/Twitter thing. If even high profile startups like Substack are having trouble raising rounds, what does that mean for run of the mill startups? And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:HubSpot.comMasterworks.io/rideLinks:Exclusive: Microsoft continues to iterate on an Xbox cloud streaming device codenamed 'Keystone' (Windows Central)Twitter shareholders sue Elon Musk and Twitter over chaotic deal (CNBC)Twitter director Egon Durban won’t leave the board after shareholders voted to boot him (CNBC)Substack Drops Fund-Raising Efforts as Market Sours (NYTimes)Weekend Longreads SuggestionsThe big new idea for making self-driving cars that can go anywhere (MIT Technology Review)In India’s Mobile-Payments Boom, Even Beggars Get QR Codes (WSJ)The Collison Brothers Built Stripe Into A $95 Billion Unicorn With Eye-Popping Financials. Inside Their Plan To Stay On Top (Forbes)THE UNSTOPPABLE MACHINES BEHIND THE GAME CONSOLE SHORTAGE (The Verge)Made to measure: why we can’t stop quantifying our lives (The Guardian)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple is attempting to fend off a unionization movement by… paying people more. That Broadcom/VMware deal is real. You can now pay close to $1000 for a Gucci Oura Ring. After a decade of declines, EV battery prices are going up. And the last payphone in New York City is gone.Sponsors:AltoIRA.com/techmemeSmith.ai promocode techmeme for $100 off signupLinks:Apple Boosting Pay Budget for Workers Amid Tight Labor Market (WSJ)Leaked Audio: Apple VP Gives Apple Store Workers Anti-Union Speech (Motherboard)Broadcom is acquiring VMware for $61 billion (The Verge)Oura collaborated with Gucci to make an 18 carat gold smart ring (Engadget)Apple to Keep iPhone Production Flat as Market Grows Tougher (Bloomberg)Snowflake stock falls as executives forecast a narrower margin than expected (CNBC)Twitter jumps after Musk increases commitment in takeover bid to $33.5 billion, in talks for other funding (CNBC)After a Decade of Declines, EV Battery Costs Are To Rise 14% This Year (The Electric/The Information)The Trouble With Lithium (Bloomberg)NYC's 'last' payphone will be displayed at the Museum of the City of New York (TimeOut New York)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Seth Green has lost a film role… for his Ape. Cause he lost his Ape to a fishing scam. a16z launches their biggest ever crypto fund. Headlines from Microsoft’s Build conference. The e-bike that helps Ukraine take out Russian tanks. And a desktop grade Windows PC you could put in your pocket.Sponsors:Linkedin.com/rideComposer.trade/rideLinks:Someone Stole Seth Green's Bored Ape, Which Was Supposed To Star In His New Show (Buzzfeed News)Andreessen Horowitz bets on crypto ‘golden era’ with new $4.5bn fund (FT)Microsoft’s Power Platform can now build websites and turn images into apps (XDA Developers)Microsoft brings support for Arm-based AI chips to Windows (TechCrunch)Microsoft Dev Box is a cloud-powered developer workstation (The Verge)DuckDuckGo browser allows Microsoft trackers due to search agreement (Bleeping Computer)Do Kwon's plan to rebirth the Terra blockchain gets approved (The Block)Terra Collapse Triggers $83 Billion Decentralized Finance Slump (Bloomberg)Ukraine Is Using Quiet Electric Bikes to Haul Anti-Tank Weapons (Motherboard/Vice)Zotac's minuscule Windows 11 Pro desktop PC is only slightly bigger than your phone (TechSpot)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Google Research says to Open AI: “Hold my beer.” They’ve announced a new AI-based text-to-image generator to rival DALL-E 2. Is the shocking earnings warning from Snap a result of Apple’s ATT changes or is this indicative of the broader tech slowdown? Google’s street view turns 15 with some new bells and whistles. And does Apple REALLY want you to repair your own iPhone, or no?Sponsors:CreditKarma.comWork Check PodcastLinks:OpenAI: Look at our awesome image generator! Google: Hold my Shiba Inu (TechCrunch)Zoom pops 16% on first-quarter earnings beat and strong guidance (CNBC)Snap plunges 30% after CEO warns company will miss revenue and earnings estimates, slow hiring (CNBC)Google is testing a smaller, modular Street View camera system (Engadget)APPLE SHIPPED ME A 79-POUND IPHONE REPAIR KIT TO FIX A 1.1-OUNCE BATTERY (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is a big mergers and acquisition wave about to hit the tech industry. I make the case from several different angles. AMD releases its next generation Ryzen chips. And a super interesting new startup in the Web 3 space. Is it game? Is it a fitness app? Can you earn money for moving? Yes.Sponsors:Zapier.com/rideLCX.com/rideLinks:Broadcom in Talks to Acquire Cloud Company VMware (Bloomberg)Report: EA Looking To Sell Or Merge (Kotaku)Big Tech Is Getting Clobbered on Wall Street. It’s a Good Time for Them. (NYTimes)AMD Ryzen 7000 Announced (AnandTech)'Move-to-earn' Solana app StepN is latest crypto gaming craze (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Friend of the show, Chris Dixon (@cdixon) of a16z's crypto and web3 investing initiatives comes on to talk about the recent report: 2022 State of Crypto. We got into all the things, using our favorite lens of tech history.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A new high end Snapdragon chip. The Apple AR/VR headset has been demoed, but only 9 people got to see it in action. A YC backed startup is facing lawsuits related to the whole UST blowup. The feds will no longer go after good faith, white hat hackers. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Composer.trade/rideAthleticGreens.com/rideLinks:Qualcomm announces Snapdragon 8 Plus Gen 1, for when flagship isn’t flagship enough (The Verge)Apple Shows AR/VR Headset to Board in Sign of Progress on Key Project (Bloomberg)Stablegains Faces Lawsuit After Losing $44M on UST (CryptoBriefing)Coinbase Slashes Costs, Freezes Hiring Amid Crypto Crash (The Information)A SpaceX flight attendant said Elon Musk exposed himself and propositioned her for sex, documents show. The company paid $250,000 for her silence. (Insider)Elon Musk’s Twitter Deal Is Proceeding, Not ‘On Hold,’ Executives Tell Staff (Bloomberg)DOJ Announces It Won’t Prosecute White Hat Security Researchers (Motherboard)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Cyber Insurers Raise Rates Amid a Surge in Costly Hacks (WSJ)The Decade of Cheap Rides Is Over (Slate)The ‘E-Pimps’ of OnlyFans (NYTimes Magazine)Where Do Space, Time and Gravity Come From? (Quanta)Star Wars: The Rebellion Will Be Televised (Vanity Fair)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A code red alert about vulnerabilities in VMware products. TikTok has a clever new program to crowdsource ad content from TikTok users. Oh, and they’re getting into games. FTX gets into regular old stock trading. The dreaded down rounds have arrived. And are there more Airbnb’s available in NYC right now, than there are apartments for rent?Sponsors:Policygenius.comSuperside.com/techmemeLinks:2 vulnerabilities with 9.8 severity ratings are under exploit. A 3rd looms (ArsTechnica)TikTok’s new ad product gives creators a chance to partner with marketers on branded content (TechCrunch)EXCLUSIVE TikTok plans big push into gaming, conducting tests in Vietnam -sources (Reuters)FTX US launching zero-commission stock trading (The Block)Defiant Chinese netizens skirt lockdown censorship using blockchain (Financial Times)SoftBank-Backed Fintech Giant Klarna Looks for New Funds at Lower Valuation (WSJ)New York Now Has More Airbnb Listings Than Apartments for Rent (Curbed)Link to tomorrow's twitter space with Chris DixonSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple is delaying its recent return to work policy indefinitely. If crypto mining is banned in China, how come it still the second biggest contributor to the global hashrate? Twitter’s board says it’s going to hold Elon’s feet to the fire. And the interesting raise for a startup looking to save encryption from quantum computing?Sponsors:LiveOuter.com/techmemeLCX.com/rideLinks:Apple Delays Plan to Have Staff in Office Three Days a Week (Bloomberg)Apple Executive Who Left Over Return-to-Office Policy Joins Google AI Unit (Bloomberg)China Makes a Comeback in Bitcoin Mining Despite Government Ban (Bloomberg)Netflix Hit By Layoffs; About 150 Mostly U.S.-Based Employees Affected (Deadline)Acer Just Revealed External Monitors With Stereoscopic 3D, and I'm Dying to Try Them (Gizmodo)As Musk Tweets, Advisers Labor to Keep Twitter Deal on Track (Bloomberg)Elon Musk Does Not Care About Spam Bots (Matt Levine/Bloomberg)Cornami raises $68M to support quantum encryption (VentureBeat)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Now Elon says he can’t move forward with the deal until he gets solid answers from Twitter about the bot issue, even though, we have the paperwork of his original offer and there were no contingencies about bot numbers, and he totally could have written that into the deal. Will Apple use E Ink on their foldable device? Coinbase is slowing hiring, while Microsoft is boosting pay. And a big test of driver assist systems says they’re still not as reliable as we all hope they are.Sponsors:LCX.com/rideLinks:Elon Musk Says Twitter Must Prove Bot Claims for $44 Billion Deal to Proceed (Bloomberg)Apple ‘testing’ foldable with secondary E Ink display, says analyst (The Verge)Apple Now Letting Developers Automatically Charge for Some Subscription Price Increases (MacRumors)Coinbase Expands Features, Allowing Some App Users to Access Ethereum-Based Dapps (CoinDesk)Coinbase slows hiring to help weather market downturn (The Block)Satya Nadella details Microsoft plan for ‘significant additional investment’ in employee compensation (GeekWire)Report spotlights vast scale of adtech's 'biggest data breach' (TechCrunch)Cars in driver-assist mode hit a third of cyclists, all oncoming cars in tests (The Register)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is Netflix about to experiment with actual live broadcasts? Where did all the bitcoin go in the whole Luna/UST backstop debacle? Spotify is testing NFTs. Uber Eats gets into the ankle robot delivery game. And the Texas law that has all of big social media platforms worried.Sponsors:AltoIRA.com/techmemeSuperside.com/techmemeLinks:Netflix Exploring Live Streaming For First Time; Plans To Roll Out For Unscripted Series & Stand-Up Specials (Deadline)LFG Reserves Dwindle to Just 313 Bitcoins From 80K After UST Crash (CoinDesk)Exclusive: Spotify tests letting artists promote NFTs on their profiles (MusicAlly)OpenSea is adding NFT copy detection and verification features (The Verge)Uber Eats pilots autonomous delivery with Serve Robotics, Motional (TechCrunch)Tech groups ask Supreme Court to block Texas social media law (Washington Post)Just How Incredibly Fucked Up Is Texas’ Social Media Content Moderation Law? (TechDirt)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Techpocalypse Now! W/ @EricNewcomer @loganbartlett & @alexrkonradHow bad is it? How bad can it get? How do we get out of this?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ok. Are you sitting down? Would you believe me if I told you Elon Musk is giving signals that the Twitter deal might be off? Could we fix the whole stablecoin mess if we just turn it off and turn it back on again? The refugees from Meta’s failed crypto project have a new startup to call home. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions™.Sponsors:Superside.com/techmemeMasterworks.io/rideSponsors:Elon Musk says Twitter deal ‘on hold’ after spam / fake account report (The Verge)Terraform Again Halts Blockchain Behind UST Stablecoin, Luna (Bloomberg)Ex-Meta crypto chief David Marcus launches Bitcoin payments startup backed by a16z and Paradigm (TechCrunch)Weekend Longreads Suggestions™:Terra: To the Moon and Back (Not Boring)Why financial engineering has gone full circle with Terra (The Blind Spot)Tech workers in Latin America want to make Spanish the primary language of programming (Rest of World)The Thing That Makes It Work Means It Doesn’t (Garbage Day)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Other algorithmic stablecoins are teetering. Meta is cutting back, even when it comes to the Metaverse. Could an Instacart IPO lead us out of this darkness? Disney’s streaming business is holding up. For now. And the AR demo that was the most exciting thing from the I/O keynote yesterday.Sponsors:Ortto.comLinks:Terra Crunch Shakes Foundations of Crypto Stablecoin Complex (Bloomberg)Exclusive: Facebook-owner Meta tells hardware staffers to prepare for cutbacks (Reuters)SoftBank Reports Its Biggest-Ever Full-Year Loss (WSJ)Instacart Files Confidentially for an IPO That Could Happen This Year (Bloomberg)Senate confirms Bedoya to FTC, establishing Democratic majority (The Verge)Disney+ Hits 137.7M Subscribers, Beating Wall Street Expectations in Streaming (The Hollywood Reporter)Google releases Android 13 beta 2 with finer privacy controls and improved Material You (Neowin)Google Glass’s successor teased at I/O (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

All the headlines from Google’s I/O keynote this afternoon. The stablecoin fiasco has gotten rapidly worse. More carnage in tech stocks. Is Apple shifting to USB C for the iPhone at long last? And pour one out for the iPod, the product and brand that very much kicked off our modern era of gadgetry.Sponsors:Superside.com/techmemeHubSpot.comLinks:Google Maps bringing a new ‘immersive view’ of select cities, Live View’s AR for other apps (9to5Google)Google’s new ‘multisearch’ features hint towards an AR glasses future (TechCrunch)Google will let you talk to Assistant on the Nest Hub Max just by looking at the screen (The Verge)Google announces Pixel 6a powered by Tensor processor for $449 (9to5Google)Google gives us our first glimpse of the Pixel 7 (Android Police)Google unveils the Pixel Buds Pro (9to5Google)Google previews the Pixel Watch, coming this fall with Pixel 7  (9to5Google)Google will release a Pixel Tablet… in 2023 (TechCrunch)As Luna holders watch the token slide, many won’t be able to cash out for weeks (The Block)Coinbase revenue drops 27% from a year ago, stock slides (CryptoWorld)Kuo: iPhone 15 to Switch From Lightning to USB-C in 2023 (MacRumors)The iPod is dead (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

A major algorithmic stablecoin has lost its peg to the dollar. More concerns of a slowdown as Tiger Global has racked up massive paper losses. Match Group sues Google. Has GDPR crushed the European app economy? Amazon engages mom and pop stores to deliver packages. And an interesting raise that is building the GitHub of machine learning.Sponsors:ConstantContact.comLinks:UST Stablecoin Loses Dollar Peg for Second Time in 48 Hours, LUNA Market Cap Falls Below UST's (CoinDesk)Crypto’s Audacious Algorithmic Stablecoin Experiment Crumbles (Bloomberg)Tiger Global hit by $17bn losses in tech rout (FT)Europe's GDPR coincides with dramatic drop in Android apps (The Register)Match Sues Google Over App Store Billing Rules (Bloomberg)Amazon’s surprising new delivery partners: Rural mom-and-pop shops (Recode)Hugging Face reaches $2 billion valuation to build the GitHub of machine learning (TechCrunch)Watch iconic Broadway theatre rise 30 feet above the ground (Borat voice: MY WIFE!)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Everything is down, not just tech stocks, but now crypto too. More signs of belt tightening and possible hiring freezes, this time from Uber. Twitter has avoided the overall market route thanks to Elon’s bid, but could the downturn effect that as well? Instagram launches an NFT pilot. And what to expect from Google’s I/O later this week.Sponsors:OurCrowd.com/rideLinks:Bitcoin’s Unraveling Hits 50% From Peak With Drop Below $33,000 (Bloomberg)Uber CEO tells staff company will cut down on costs, treat hiring as a ‘privilege’ (CNBC)Why Musk’s Twitter Bid Has Shaken Tesla Investors (NYTimes)Meta to start testing digital collectibles on Instagram (The Block)Costa Rica declares national emergency after Conti ransomware attacks (BleepingComputer)What to expect from Google I/O 2022 (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

With Apple, Google and Microsoft all signed up to offer FIDO Alliance technology, are we about to hear about some big passwordless tech at all the developers conferences this summer? China wants the whole country to turn in their foreign made laptops. Fortnite is available everywhere, including iOS, thanks to Microsoft. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:HubSpot.comOrtto.comLinks:Apple, Google, Microsoft Back 'FIDO' Tech to Dump Passwords on Websites and Apps (CNET)China Orders Government, State Firms to Dump Foreign PCs (Bloomberg)Epic's Fortnite Now Free to Play on Microsoft's Xbox Cloud Gaming for Mobile, Desktop, Console (CNET)Exclusive: Crypto.com passes the 50 million user mark (Axios)Weekend Longreads Suggestions ™Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control: Inside Shein’s Sudden Rise (Wired)Elon Musk’s Fixer Is Quietly Tending the World’s Biggest Fortune (Bloomberg)Russians plunder $5M farm vehicles from Ukraine – to find they’ve been remotely disabled (CNN)A VISIT TO THE HUMAN FACTORY (The Verge)The Endgame (Newcomer)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Elon gets some friends to join his Twitter deal. And does he expect to be Twitter CEO soon? A Google acquisition shows their metaverse aspirations. Sonos to launch a voice assistant. A hiring slowdown at Meta. How can there be need for layoffs at Cameo? And is anyone other than me and the US Government concerned about quantum computing breaking encryption?Sponsors:HubSpot.comLinks:Ellison, Binance and Sequoia back Musk’s $44bn bid for Twitter (FT)Google bought a MicroLED display company that could help make AR headsets better and cheaper (The Verge)Exclusive: Sonos is about to introduce its own voice assistant (The Verge)Facebook plans to reduce hiring as revenue growth slows and inflation concerns increase (CNBC)Cameo lays off close to 90, including senior executives (Protocol)Stripe flexes its fintech muscle with Financial Connections to pull banking data automatically (TechCrunch)White House wants nation to prepare for cryptography-breaking quantum computers (The Record)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Uber is seeing rider usage return to pre-Covid levels. New, better flash storage. Twitter tests the ability to only tweet to certain circles. An interesting laptop and an interesting raise. And Spotify wants you to hang out, in Roblox.Sponsors:AthleticGreens.com/rideLinks:Uber reports surging revenue as drivers return, but posts massive loss on investments (CNBC)NFT Sales Are Flatlining (WSJ)Samsung's UFS 4.0 flash storage is a major upgrade, especially for 5G phones (Android Authority)Twitter Testing New 'Twitter Circle' Feature for Sharing Tweets With a Smaller Number of People (MacRumors)Meta has built a massive new language AI—and it’s giving it away for free (MIT Technology Review)Razer’s Blade 15 is the first laptop with a 240Hz OLED display, but you’ll have to wait a while (The Verge)Larry Ellison leads $21.5 million Series A in cancer treatment startup Imagene AI (CTech)Spotify becomes first music streamer to launch on Roblox (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What do you know? Facebook got bored of something and left the market in a bit of a mess. The SEC seems to be staffing up to get serious about crypto. Apple accuses a rival of stealing trade secrets. And it seems like Meta wants to start getting those Metaverse enabling headsets in our hands sooner rather than later.Sponsors:Smith.ai promocode techmeme for $100 off signupCreditKarma.comLinks:Facebook Pulls the Plug on Podcast Business After a Year (Bloomberg)SEC to Hire More Crypto Cops to Fight Digital Frauds (WSJ)PayPal Helped Spur EU Antitrust Complaint Against Apple Payments (Bloomberg)UK ministers ditch plans to empower tech regulator (FT)Apple accuses engineers of stealing chip secrets with AirDrop and Time Machine (9to5Mac)Meta Plots Ambitious VR Release Schedule of Four Headsets by 2024 (The Information)Rocket Lab captures booster in mid-air with a helicopter for the first time (Engadget)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The expected EU hammer is coming down on Apple. Yuga Labs’ latest project didn’t bring down Ethereum, but made it hella expensive. Bots DID bring down Solana. Again. A new book looks at why Jony Ive left Apple. And what the heck is going on with Google and it’s AI researchers?Sponsors:Traceroute Podcast (Origins.dev for more info)Links:Apple charged by Brussels with abusing its market power in mobile payments (Financial Times)Bored Ape Metaverse Frenzy Raises Millions, Crashes Ethereum (Bloomberg)Bored Ape Yacht Club creator’s metaverse mint rocks the Ethereum blockchain (The Verge)Solana Goes Dark for 7 Hours as Bots Swarm ‘Candy Machine’ NFT Minting Tool (CoinDesk)Grindr User Data Has Been for Sale for Years (WSJ)How Technocrats Triumphed at Apple (NYTimes)Another Firing Among Google’s A.I. Brain Trust, and More Discord (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

(The audio has been fixed in this version)How was the web won and lost? If you had to do Web2.0 over again, what would you do differently? What is the future of Twitter under Elon Musk. All this and more from a huge crew of web 2.0 OGs. Check them out from 15 years ago on YouTube.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Snap’s Pixy, is a new sort of done/camera hybrid. We wrap up tech earnings week with Apple and Amazon. I continue to wonder if the one click checkout space is all it’s cracked up to be. And of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:Ortto.comMasterworks.io/rideLinks:Snap announces a mini drone called Pixy (TechCrunch)Snap Pixy Review: Don’t Call It a Drone or a Selfie Stick—Even Though It’s Both (WSJ)Apple Reports Second Quarter Results (BusinessWire)The Twitter Thread With The Charts On Amazon (@juokaz)Bolt, a Checkout Startup Worth $11 Billion, Lost Customers as Revenue Stalled (The Information)The Weekend Longreads Suggestions ™Elon's Giant Package (Margins Substack)Weather Prediction Startups Grow as More Volatile Storms Loom (Bloomberg)As Polaroid’s SX-70 turns 50, instant photography is booming (Fast Company)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Twitter reports earnings, for maybe the last time, publicly. Meta’s earnings weren’t THAT bad but that’s mostly because the set the table for it. Apple faces antitrust charges in the EU as soon as next week. Another country adopts bitcoin as currency. And would you like a dedicated metaverse room in your next house?Sponsors:Ortto.comComposer.trade/rideLinks:Twitter reports user bump, revenue miss for Q1, days after accepting Musk’s takeover bid (CNBC)Twitter miscounted its daily users for three years straight (The Verge)Meta's Bleak Q1; Spotify's Netflix Moment (The Information)Apple to face fresh antitrust charges in Brussels (FT)Google may now remove search results that dox you (The Verge)Bitcoin becomes official currency in Central African Republic (BBCNews)NSA Re-awards Secret $10 Billion Contract to Amazon (NextGov)How the pandemic is changing home design (Axios)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Quick summation of Alphabet and Microsoft earnings. DJI is trying to prevent its drones from being used in the Ukraine war. Google has released tools to make it easier to spin up your own YouTube. Apple wants you to repair your iPhone yourself. And a deep dive into why autocorrect can’t ducking get it right sometimes. Ducking. I said ducking, which is the iPhone autocorrect version of that word.Sponsors:HubSpot.comdiscover.upland.me/techmemeLinks:Alphabet Announces First Quarter 2022 Results (Alphabet)Earnings Release FY22 Q3 (Microsoft)Robinhood lays off nine percent of its full-time employees (Engadget)DJI Becomes Most Prominent Chinese Firm to Halt Russia Business (Bloomberg)Google launches Media CDN to compete on content delivery (TechCrunch)Apple Launches Do-It-Yourself Repairs For iPhone 13, iPhone 12 and iPhone SE (CNET)Apple’s Studio Display’s poor webcam quality is not a software bug after all (9to5Mac)Autocorrect Explained: Why Your iPhone Adds Annoying Typos While Fixing Others (WSJ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You did it, you crazy son of a bitch, you did it. You know what that’s referring to, of course. Fidelity lets you allocate some of your 401(k) to bitcoin. More Bored Apes got swiped. And with the F-150 Lightning actually shipping today, another glimpse at the precarious reality of the electric car revolution.Links:Twitter accepts Elon Musk’s buyout deal (CNBC)Elon Musk buys Twitter (Platformer/Casey Newton)From punchline to deal in under 2 weeks: how Elon Musk won his Twitter prize (Financial Times)Fidelity to Allow Retirement Savers to Put Bitcoin in 401(k) Accounts (WSJ)Bored Ape Instagram account hacked: NFTs worth $2.8 million stolen (The Block)SoftBank Cuts Back Spending, Leaving Startups Desperate for Cash (Bloomberg)THE F-150 LIGHTNING IS FINALLY SHIPPING — IS FORD READY? (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

By the time you hear these words, Elon Musk might already own Twitter. A big Java vulnerability. All of Mark Gurman’s expectations for the iPhone 14. Where and by how much, tech worker salaries are rising. And why the struggles at Netflix might lead to worse television across the board.Sponsors:HubSpot.comdiscover.upland.me/techmemeLinks:Twitter Eyes Deal With Musk as Soon as Monday (Bloomberg)Analysis: Musk tears up buyout playbook with $46.5 billion Twitter financing (Reuters)Major cryptography blunder in Java enables “psychic paper” forgeries (ArsTechnica)The iPhone 14 Is Less Than Six Months Away. Here’s What to Expect (Bloomberg)Tech Wage Inflation Puts Pressure on Companies (WSJ)Netflix and Facebook have given up most of the last few years’ gains since tech’s November peak (CNBC)The Netflix Nightmare: What Happens When an Industry Becomes a Squid Game (Vanity Fair)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Founder Alex Damianou tells us about OpenAxis, which tells stories with data. If a picture tells a thousand words, how many does a chart tell? Easily and beautifully visualize data with an accessible point-and-click, no-code, no-pivot-table tool.Learn more about the Ride Home Fund.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The great Julia Alexander (@loudmouthjulia) joins us to talk about Netflix's big earnings bomb, CNN+ biting the big one, and the state of the streaming wars.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

CNN+ only made it, what, 1/8th of a Quibi? There’s blood on the streaming wars dance floor. a16z’s new crypto research lab makes me feel like I have to start covering them like a startup or a conglomerate. More bad news for Meta: they’re way behind in the payments race in India. And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:discover.upland.me/techmemeLinks:CNN+ Streaming Service Will Shut Down Weeks After Its Start (NYTimes)a16z Crypto is launching an academic research lab focused on web3 (The Block)How Meta Platforms Fell Behind in Indian Mobile Payments (WSJ)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:ApeCoin & the death of staking (Cobie Substack)Cutting-Edge Crypto Coins Tout Stability. Critics Call Them Dangerous. (WSJ)Rivian CEO Warns of Looming Electric-Vehicle Battery Shortage (WSJ)Video Game Junkie Quietly Builds $3 Billion Payments Powerhouse (Bloomberg)The Sidekick Was the Best Smartphone Ever (Debugger)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ok. Funding actually secured, Elon? For real this time? A look at Tesla’s good earnings and monster margins. Unions are coming for big tech, it seems. A reckoning is coming for the lightning cable, it seems. And advertising in your console games is inevitable, it seems.Sponsors:Composer.trade/ridePolicygenius.comLinks:Twitter Has a Poison Pill Now (Matt Levine/Bloomberg)Elon Musk Says He Has Commitments for $46.5 Billion in Financing for Twitter Deal (WSJ)Elon Musk lays out funding for ambitious Twitter takeover (The Verge)Tesla record profit blows away estimates (CNN Business)Tesla reports $18.76 billion in revenue and record margins in Q1 (CNBC)Apple Store workers in Atlanta are the first to formally seek a union. (NYTimes)Amazon opens up Prime delivery service to other retailers in its latest move to compete with FedEx and UPS (CNBC)PlayStation Wants Ads In Its Games, Too (IGN)MEPs vote to expand scope of common charger rules (TechCrunch)Zoom’s thumbs-up and raise-hand gesture recognition now works in its desktop apps (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Netflix shares crater after earnings, and the company might be turning to ad-supported streaming to eke out some growth. Coinbase’s NFT marketplace is live. Why crypto stocks are uncoupled from the underlying crypto market. Why the surge in zero days might actually be good news. And the tech bubble that would never burst. So far.Sponsors:Linkedin.com/rideHapbee.com/techmemeLinks:Netflix Q1 net subscribers unexpectedly decline, revenue misses expectations (Yahoo!Finance)Netflix Plans to Launch Cheaper Ad-Supported Plans (The Hollywood Reporter)Just Eat Weighs Grubhub Sale in Tough Food Delivery Market (Bloomberg)Coinbase NFT marketplace goes live in beta for select customers (The Block)Crypto Stocks Perform Worse Than Cryptocurrencies (WSJ)Google: 2021 was a Banner Year for Exploited 0-Day Bugs (ThreatPost)Brave is bypassing Google AMP pages because they’re ‘harmful to users’ (The Verge)The Tech Bubble That Never Burst (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Courts have reaffirmed the right to scrape the public facing web. We have some hints about how the Twitter edit button might work. Updates on the whole Twitter/Elon situation. Microsoft wants to bring in-game ads to Xbox. And a new startup accelerator you’re gonna want to put on your radar.Sponsors:OurCrowd.com/rideLinks:Web scraping is legal, US appeals court reaffirms (TechCrunch)Twitter's in-development Edit button offers hints as to how the feature could work (TechCrunch)Apollo Global Considers Participating in a Bid for Twitter (WSJ)Insteon is down and may not be coming back (Stacey On IOT)Microsoft reportedly wants to bring ads to free-to-play Xbox games (The Verge)Andreessen Horowitz unveils piloted program for early-stage entrepreneurs (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Gergely Orosz of The Pragmatic Engineer helps us figure out the strategy and expectations of joining a high profile startup, vs. the expectations and reality of joining a FAANG company. Also: the perils and promise and best practices of joining a startup, vs. the perils and promise and best practices of joining a big tech company. Hopefully, if you are a tech worker, an engineer, a designer, what have you, there will be some valuable learnings for you. Oh, and Chris and I try our hand at Elon punditry.Sponsors:Composer.trade/rideSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Twitter’s board is contemplating a poison pill to ward off Elon Musk. The US said North Korean hackers were behind that big Axie Infinity theft. Mark Gurman lists the Macs that are in line to get the M2 chips. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:AltoIRA.com/techmemeLinks:Twitter Is Weighing a Poison Pill Defense to Thwart Elon Musk’s Takeover Bid (Bloomberg)Twitter Board Expected To Fight Musk Offer (The Information)US Officials Tie North Korea’s ‘Lazarus’ Hackers to $625M Crypto Theft (CoinDesk)Apple Readies Several New Macs With Next-Generation M2 Chips (Bloomberg)In latest gaming crackdown, China bans livestreaming of unauthorised titles (Reuters)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:The Talent Vortex: Mafias and Magnets (Investing 101)Musk Needs ‘Massive Loan’ or Big Tesla Sale to Buy Twitter (Bloomberg)Blind Ambition (Cybernaut/Every.to)Stablecoins Are in a War for Dominance and It’s Getting Ugly (Motherboard/Vice)How Chris Dixon’s Dive Down The Crypto Rabbit Hole Made Him The World’s Top Venture Capitalist (Forbes)AMONG EUROPE’S EX-ROYALS (The Atlantic)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Well, he went and did it. Elon Musk told Twitter’s board he wants to buy the whole company. The bids for a Jack Dorsey NFT are anemic. A warning from the US government about industrial cyber-attacks. Meta’s entire metaverse product roadmap. And say hello to the new hottest social network among the kids.Sponsors:CodeCademy.com promocode rideLiveOuter.com/techmemeLinks:Elon Musk Makes $43 Billion Unsolicited Bid to Take Twitter Private (Bloomberg)US agencies warn of custom-made hacking tools targeting energy sector systems (The Record)‘Jack Dorsey’s First Tweet’ NFT Went on Sale for $48M. It Ended With a Top Bid of Just $280 (CoinDesk)MARK ZUCKERBERG’S AUGMENTED REALITY (The Verge)Gen Z’s new favorite app (Axios)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

ESET and Microsoft helped Ukraine stop an attack on a power plant. Might CNN+ become a high profile casualty of the streaming wars? Elon Musk is facing a Twitter shareholder lawsuit. People aren’t happy that Meta’s metaverse vig is higher than even Apple dares charge. And, the new privacy-focused browser from Duck Duck Go.Sponsors:Smith.ai promocode techmeme for $100 off signupLinks:Researchers find new malware variant after stopping attack on Ukrainian energy provider (The Record)Former Ethereum Developer Virgil Griffith Sentenced to 5+ Years in Prison for North Korea Trip (CoinDesk)CNN+ struggles to lure viewers in its early days, drawing fewer than 10,000 daily users (CNBC)Big cuts coming for CNN+ after slow start (Axios)Elon Musk Sued Over Delay in Disclosing Twitter Stake (Bloomberg)Meta's New 47.5% Fee on Metaverse Items Has NFT Twitter Pissed (CNET)Meta: 124 Quest Apps Have Earned More Than $1M, 8 Have Earned More Than $20M (RoadToVR)DuckDuckGo’s Privacy Browser Finally Lands on Desktop (Wired)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meta rolls out a test to sell virtual items in Horizon Worlds. Ethereum takes a major step toward its proof-of-stake upgrade. Would you watch a Bored Ape movie? Apple has delayed a major feature for the Watch. Etsy sellers are on strike. And Netflix’s new two-thumbs-up button.Sponsors:CreditKarma.comLinks:Meta will let Horizon creators sell virtual items (The Verge)Ethereum Undergoes Another Stress Test Ahead of Software Change (Bloomberg)Bored Apes Go Hollywood With Coinbase-Produced Movie Trilogy (CoinDesk)Apple Targets Watch Blood-Pressure Tool for 2024 After Snags (Bloomberg)Over 14,000 Etsy sellers are going on strike to protest increased transaction fees (TechCrunch)Digital Ad Revenue Jumped 35% in the U.S. Last Year, Biggest Gain Since 2006 (WSJ)TikTok Ad Revenue Set To Triple in 2022 (The Information)How Netflix tests Netflix: The story behind the service’s new two-thumbs-up feature (Protocol)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

By declining a seat on Twitter’s board, does that mean Elon has chosen violence? Plenty of signs of a mixed reality headset in the code of the next version of iOS. Meta tried and failed to design its own chip. China has decided to let some new games launch. And even if drone delivery is moving forward, is Amazon being left behind?Sponsors:ConstantContact.comMasterWorks.ioLinks:Elon has decided not to join our board. I sent a brief note to the company, sharing with you all here. (Parag Agrawal)China Ends Game Freeze by Approving First Titles Since July (Bloomberg)Apple Sets the Date for Another Virtual WWDC—Here’s What to Expect (Bloomberg)Meta Platforms is Struggling to Develop Its Own Device Chips (The Information)Amazon Drone Crashes Hit Jeff Bezos' Delivery Dreams (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

MRGN.ai is all about intelligent budgeting for small businesses. Founder Yoni Rubin joins me to discuss the realities of founding a SaaS company in 2022, and much more. Another great company joining the Ride Home Fund portfolio!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Some folks at Twitter are nervous about Elon Musk’s arrival, so he’s going to do an AMA to rally the troops. Twitter is testing unmentioning. Robinhood is fully rolling out that promise wallet feature. The increasing lexicon of euphemisms people have to use to speak freely on sites like TikTok. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Smith.ai promocode techmeme for $100 off signupLinks:Elon Musk to address Twitter staff after internal outcry (Washington Post)Twitter test lets you 'unmention' yourself in tweets (Engadget)Robinhood widens user access for crypto wallet transfers, unveils plan to support Lightning payments for bitcoin (The Block)Gartner forecasts global tech spending to hit $4.4 trillion this year, up 4% (Silicon Angle)Internet ‘algospeak’ is changing our language in real time, from ‘nip nobs’ to ‘le dollar bean’ (Washington Post)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:The Scoop: Inside Fast’s Rapid Collapse (The Pragmatic Engineer)Millennial Billionaire Ryan Breslow Created Buzz, And Enemies, Attacking Stripe And Shopify. He’s Just Getting Started. (Forbes)SCOOP: Crypto Fund Paradigm's Assets Under Management Climb 343% to $13.2 Billion (Newcomer)The Metaverse Has Bosses Too. Meet the ‘Managers’ of Axie Infinity (Motherboard/Vice)This Startup Promised People Free Crypto If They Scanned Their Eyeballs. Now People Feel They've Been Scammed. (BuzzFeed)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The crypto dream might have died, but Meta still thinks the metaverse will need some for of currency. Maybe Zuck Bucks? OpenSea adds Solana NFTs. Shein is the world’s latest mega unicorn. Is Bolt pivoting from one-click checkouts to crypto payments instead? Legos in the metaverse. And DALL-E 2.Sponsors:Rocketlawyer.com/workconfidentlyLinks:Facebook owner Meta targets finance with ‘Zuck Bucks’ and creator coins (FT)Google Play will hide and block downloads for outdated apps starting later this year (TechCrunch)Solana NFTs Can Now Be Traded on OpenSea (Decrypt)Facebook won’t hold its F8 developer conference this year after pivoting to Meta (The Verge)Shein Valued at $100 Billion in Funding Round (WSJ)Crypto Startup Wyre Being Acquired by Payments Company Bolt for $1.5 Billion (WSJ)Lego and Epic Games partnership aims for a kid-friendly metaverse (Washington Post)OpenAI’s DALL-E AI image generator can now edit pictures, too (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I told you Elon had no intention of being a passive investor. Twitter says an edit button is probably coming soon. So, you know, that Elon, he gets things done. One-click checkout startup Fast is shutting down completely. A deep dive into how the new Unreal Engine 5 fits into Hollywood, fits into gaming, fits into the metaverse. And beware: “Will Smith” might come into your Elden Ring game and slap you.Sponsors:Witful.comLinks:Musk Refiles Twitter Disclosure to Show He’s an Active Investor (Bloomberg)Twitter is adding an edit button (The Verge)Sky Mavis raises $150 million to reimburse Ronin hack victims (The Block)Fast, the Troubled Fintech Startup, Is Shutting Down (The Information)MicroStrategy Funds Latest Purchase With Bitcoin-Backed Loan (Bloomberg)Inside Epic's Unreal Engine 5—and What It Means for the Future of Gaming, Movies, and the Metaverse (Time)How Epic Games is changing gaming—and maybe the metaverse (Fast Company)Elden Ring players called Will Smith keep invading and slapping people (TechRadar)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

So much for that “passive” stake. Twitter has appointed Elon Musk to its board of directors. Amazon is gunning for SpaceX in the race to deliver internet from space. Some datapoints around the whole question of wash trading in the NFT market. And what if I told you there was ANOTHER wildly popular thing from the creator of Wordle?Links:Elon Musk to join Twitter’s board of directors, teases ‘significant improvements’ (CNBC)Elon Musk Bought Some Twitter (Bloomberg/Matt Levine)Amazon’s Project Kuiper books up to 83 rockets to launch its internet-beaming satellites (The Verge)Microsoft brings Arm support to Azure virtual machines (ZDNet)Axie Infinity Was Losing Gamers Even Before Record Crypto Hack (Bloomberg)The Hottest NFT Marketplace is Mostly Users Selling to Themselves (Bloomberg)Hackers breach MailChimp's internal tools to target crypto customers (BleepingComputer)Internet communities are battling over pixels (The Washington Post)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

So, Elon Musk has taken a 9.2% stake in Twitter. I’d point out that the last time Twitter had an activist investor, it led to Jack Dorsey stepping down as CEO. Is drone delivery suddenly, and rapidly, becoming a reality? The nation of the United Kingdom is going to issue an NFT. And Mark Gurman’s math on how an Apple subscription would work.Sponsors:Grammarly.com/techmemeLinks:Elon Musk Takes 9.2% Stake in Twitter After Hinting at Shake-Up (Bloomberg)Alphabet's Wing will begin drone deliveries in Dallas-Fort Worth on April 7th (Engadget)AMD Returns to Deal Making with $1.9 Billion Purchase of Chip Specialist Pensando (WSJ)NFTs to be launched by the Treasury later this year in crypto push (City AM)It’s a big day at the State Department for U.S. cyberdiplomacy (Washington Post)Why Apple Is Preparing to Let You Subscribe to Your iPhone (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Justin Santamaria was once an Apple lead engineer on iPhone, where he created iMessage, FaceTime, the blue/green text bubbles and even unlocked emojis so people outside Japan could use them. Now, as cofounder of Future, he’s using text communication to pair people with a world-class trainer for unlimited coaching through their phone.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

E3 is officially cancelled this year, which is making people wonder if it’s officially dead and we just don’t know it yet. More signs of serious trouble in the food delivery space. Facebook has fixed a bug that let harmful content into the news feed for six months. And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Wealthfront.com/techmemeLinks:E3 2022 - Digital and Physical - Has Officially Been Canceled (IGN)Food Delivery Stocks Lose $24 Billion in Just Three Months (Bloomberg)A FACEBOOK BUG LED TO INCREASED VIEWS OF HARMFUL CONTENT OVER SIX MONTHS (The Verge)Apple emergency update fixes zero-days used to hack iPhones, Macs (BleepingComputer)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Online shopping in the middle of the ocean (RestOfWorld)Want to See the Weirdest of Wikipedia? Look No Further. (NYTimes)Why Moderating Content Actually Does More To Support The Principles Of Free Speech (TechDirt)A History of Hup, the Jump Sound of Shooting Games (Wired)In the Shadow of the Star Wars Kid (Waxy.org)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Another day of all the hacking news. Now the hackers are forging Emergency Data Requests. Apparently there have been vulnerabilities in Wyze security cameras that no one bothered to fix. TSMC warns of a tech slowdown. Masa Son orders his lieutenants to slow down investing just a bit. And yes, burrito delivery by drone, but probably more impressive is FedEx getting into the drone game.Sponsors:Linode.com/techmemeLinks:Apple and Meta Gave User Data to Hackers Who Used Forged Legal Requests (Bloomberg)Wyze Cam flaw lets hackers remotely access your saved videos (BleepingComputer)Google Search’s new highly cited label helps you get to the source of a story (The Verge)TSMC says demand for smartphones, PCs starting to slow (Nikkei Asia)SoftBank to slow investments following crash in tech holdings (FT)Look up: Your burrito is arriving by drone (Axios)FedEx will test autonomous cargo flights next year (Engadget)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I explain the (latest) biggest crypto hack of all time, this time affecting Axie Infinity. Meta is paying to dish dirt on TikTok. Changes to Google Calendar could kneecap a bunch of startups, while the DOJ is investigating Google Maps. And signs of difficulty in two red-hot startup sectors, the instant delivery sector, and the fast checkout sector.Sponsors:AltoIRA.com/techmemeLinks:Axie Infinity’s Ronin Network Suffers $625M Exploit (CoinDesk)Axie Infinity Owner ‘Fully Committed’ to Reimbursing Players After Hack (Bloomberg)Facebook paid GOP firm to malign TikTok (Washington Post)Messenger gets new shortcuts that let you send silent replies (The Verge)New Google Calendar feature takes the back-and-forth out of scheduling (Ars Technica)EXCLUSIVE-U.S. probe of Google Maps picks up speed -sources (Reuters)Gopuff Plans Hundreds of Layoffs to Cut $40 Million in Costs (The Information)Why Stripe’s ‘Fast’ Horse Is Losing the One-Click Checkout Race (The Information)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sony’s answer to Xbox Game Pass is here. Spotify wants to TikTok-up your podcast listening. Have you ever gotten a spam text from your own phone number? Okta still has some ‘splaining to do. And forget AppleTV+, Disney+, I dunno… BobRoss+, how about NFL+? Isn’t it inevitable?Sponsors:Linode.com/techmemeMasterworks.io/rideLinks:Sony merges PS Now and PS Plus to create three-tier subscription service (GamesIndustry.biz)Sony announces new PlayStation Plus subscriptions, its answer to Xbox Game Pass (The Verge)Spotify puts its Podz acquisition to use with test of new podcast discovery feature (TechCrunch)My own phone number is now spam texting me (The Verge)Leaked Details of the Lapsus$ Hack Make Okta’s Slow Response Look More Bizarre (Wired)NFL considers creating a streaming service of its own (The Athletic)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple wins a best picture Oscar. Bigger camaras mean bigger bumps in upcoming iPhones. Urgent Chrome update you need to be aware of. You probably guessed that that person bugging you on LinkedIn might be faked. And Fashion Week, but in the Metaverse.Sponsors:OurCrowd.com/ridePriceline.comLinks:Apple Is First Streamer to Win Best Picture Oscar for ‘CODA’ (Variety)Kuo: iPhone 14 Pro's Larger Camera Bump Due to New 48MP Camera System (MacRumors)Apple to cut iPhone, AirPods output amid Ukraine war uncertainty (NikkeiAsia)HP buys Poly for $3.3 billion to ride hybrid work boom (TechStartups)Emergency Google Chrome update fixes zero-day used in attacks (BleepingComputer)That smiling LinkedIn profile face might be a computer-generated fake (WNYC/NPR)NFT Collection Failures Begin to Mount in Flashback to ICO Bust (Bloomberg)Metaverse Fashion Week Draws Big Brands, Startups (WSJ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman comes on to dissuade us of our Apple delusions.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Listeners from Ukraine got in touch to tell us what it has been like for one particular tech startup in Ukraine these last few weeks. From the founder of the company: Lemon.io, Alekskandr Volodarsky, @volodarik these are the charities he recommends:https://bank.gov.ua/en/about/support-the-armed-forceshttps://www.1kproject.org/https://savelife.in.ua/en/donate/ (including crypto donations)https://koloua.com/https://novaukraine.org/donate/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Will the new EU Digital Markets Act mean that all messaging could soon become as interoperable as email? Some serious smoke around the whole grand unifying Apple subscription fire. Why Instacart is voluntarily lowing its valuation. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Codecademy.com promocode rideLinks:EU negotiators agree new rules to rein in tech giants (Politico)Apple Is Working on a Hardware Subscription Service for iPhones (Bloomberg)Lapsus$: Oxford teen accused of being multi-millionaire cyber-criminal (BBC News)Instacart Slashes Its Valuation by Almost 40% to $24 Billion (Bloomberg)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:LAPSUS$: How a Sloppy Extortion Gang Became One of the Most Prolific Hacking Groups (Motherboard/Vice)The Man Behind Ethereum Is Worried About Crypto's Future (Time)There's something off about ApeCoin (Platformer)Of Course We’re Living in a Simulation (Wired)Nicolas Cage Can Explain It All (GQ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Have we uncovered the hackers behind Lapsus$, that crazy new hacker group? Another crack in the App Store wall as Google unilaterally decides to test alternative payment systems? Uber is actually teaming up with the Taxi drivers here in New York City. And would you buy a 15 inch MacBook Air?Sponsors:Policygenius.comNewRelic.com/techmemeLinks:Teen Suspected by Cyber Researchers of Being Lapsus$ Mastermind (Bloomberg)A Closer Look at the LAPSUS$ Data Extortion Group (KrebsonSecurity)Google Play to pilot third-party billing option, starting with Spotify (TechCrunch)Twitter’s DM search will finally actually help you find conversations (The Verge)Uber Reaches Deal to List All New York City Taxis on Its App (WSJ)Report: Apple developing new 15-inch MacBook Air that could come in 2023 (9to5Mac)YouTube is taking on over-the-air TV with nearly 4,000 free episodes of TV (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Customers are getting frustrated with Okta over that potential Lapsus$ hack. Apple’s acquisition of an open banking startup is interesting. Yuga Labs is the (forgive me) 800lb gorilla of the NFT space. And why Zuckerberg’s personal remote work regimen might explain why he’s so obsessed with having meetings in VR.Links:Linkedin.com/rideLinks:The Third-Party Okta Hack Leaves Customers Scrambling (Wired)Apple acquires UK open banking startup Credit Kudos (The Block)Apple Buys UK Fintech Start-Up Credit Kudos (CNBC)El Salvador postpones bitcoin bond issue, expects better conditions (Reuters)Bored Ape Yacht Club creator raises $450 million to build an NFT metaverse (The Verge)Crypto investor Katie Haun raises $1.5 billion, the largest debut fund ever by a female VC (CNBC)Mark Zuckerberg and Meta’s Leadership Take Remote Work to the Extreme (WSJ)Zoom’s new virtual avatars let you show up to your next meeting as a dog (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

When it rains, it pours cybersecurity news. The White House warns that Russian hacks may be incoming. Lapsus$ has now allegedly hit Okta and Microsoft. A big alleged hack to HubSpot might hurt a bunch of crypto companies. And why does that Apple Studio display have 64GB of storage it’s (mostly) not using?Sponsors:RocketLawyer.com/workconfidentlyLinks:Statement by President Biden on our Nation’s Cybersecurity (WhiteHouse.gov)Is Russia exploring cyberattacks against U.S. in response to hacktivists? (VentureBeat)Okta hack puts thousands of businesses on high alert (The Verge)Lapsus$ hackers leak 37GB of Microsoft's alleged source code (BleepingComputer)Hacker Steals Customer Data From Circle, BlockFi, Other Big Crypto Firms (Decrypt)Alphabet’s quantum tech group Sandbox spins off into an independent company (CNBC)Apple Studio Display Contains 64GB of Storage, But Only 2GB Used (MacRumors)Roku OS 11 will let you set your own photos as a screensaver (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

An alternative title to today’s show could be Schrödinger’s Brazilian Telegram Ban. I’ll explain. Ukrainians say Elon Musk’s Starlink donation is proving quite useful. Toronto has become the third-largest tech hub in North America. Should Apple make routers again? And where will the advertising dollars go in 2022?Sponsors:Hapbee.com/techmemedo.co/trhLinks:Telegram forgot to check its email and now it’s banned in Brazil (The Verge)Brazil Lifts Its Ban on Telegram After Two Days (NYTimes)Elon Musk’s Starlink is keeping Ukrainians online when traditional Internet fails (Washington Post)Chipmakers face two-year shortage of critical equipment (FT)Toronto, the Quietly Booming Tech Town (NYTimes)Apple Should Make Home Wi-Fi Routers Again as Part of Mac Reboot (Bloomberg)TV, merchant media and the unbundling of advertising (Ben-Evans.com)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We talked to Nathan Baschez and Dan Shipper, the founders of the media startup Every.to. We talked to them about the realities of being two years in as a modern, from the ground up media company, the shifting landscape in the “creator economy” (remember that?) And a lot about Substack and its business model and philosophy. Around the hour mark, Chris and I have a lengthy conversation about the Mac Studio, my purchasing of one, my cancelling of my order for a Studio Display. And also, Chris has a very interesting 8 dimensional chess theory about where Apple is headed as a company.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Australia sues Meta for alleged cryptocurrency scam ads. Bored Apes Yacht Club had, what we might call a busted IPO, if that was term we were using. Amazon is now officially the proud owner of James Bond. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:GetVultr.com/techmeme or promocode 150OFFER30LiveOuter.com/techmemeLinks:Australian watchdog sues Facebook-owner Meta over scam advertisements (Reuters)Bored Ape Yacht Club Ethereum NFT Sales Surge as ApeCoin Price Pops, Then Drops (Decrypt)U.S. antitrust enforcers won't challenge Amazon's MGM deal, dashing hopes of monopoly critics (Politico)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Substack’s Ideology (Divinations)A Big Bet to Kill the Password for Good (Wired)Razzlekhan: The Untold Story Of How A YouTube Rapper Became A Suspect In A $4 Billion Bitcoin Fraud (Forbes)Six months in, El Salvador’s bitcoin gamble is crumbling (Rest Of World)The neon shortage is a bad sign (Recode)Beating Japan at Its Own (Video) Game: A Smash Hit From China (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Google kind of returns to an in person I/O but just a little bit. The harsh new British law that could put tech executives behind bars. Netflix says the free ride of password sharing is over. Though, the gravy train of subsidized 15 minute delivery seems to be back on. Oh, and the rave reviews of the new Mac Studio.Sponsors:Codecademy.com promocode ride for 15% off Codecademy ProWhat's Your Problem podcastLinks:Google I/O takes place May 11th and 12th, and it will be fully available online (The Verge)Tech Executives Threatened With Jail Time Under Proposed U.K. Law (The Information)Netflix Will Prompt Subscribers to Pay for Users Outside Their Households in New Test to Address Unauthorized Password Sharing (EXCLUSIVE) (Variety)Bored Apes NFT project gets official 'ApeCoin' token (TechCrunch)APPLE MAC STUDIO REVIEW: FINALLY (The Verge)Two ultra-fast delivery startups shut down in one week (CBS58)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meta has a new Family Center to keep kids monitored. Zuck says NFTs are coming to Instagram “soon.” Google’s Stadia strategy is coming into focus, and it’s interesting. Is Vimeo threatening longtime users to pay up? And a review of the latest iPad Air iteration.Sponsors:RocketLawyer.com/workconfidentlyIPVanish.com/techmeme and promocode techmeme for 70% savingsLinks:Instagram rolls out new safety tools for parents (TechCrunch)Mark Zuckerberg confirms NFTs are coming to Instagram (Engadget)Google casually announces Steam for Chrome OS is coming in alpha for select Chromebooks (9to5Google)Google Stadia is subtly reinventing itself to attract new games and gamers (The Verge)Microsoft says Windows 11 File Explorer ads were ‘not intended to be published externally’ (The Verge)Vimeo is telling creators to suddenly pay thousands of dollars — or leave the platform (The Verge)APPLE IPAD AIR (2022) REVIEW: IT’S THE NICE ONE (The Verge)FC Barcelona agree to sponsorship deal with Spotify, will rebrand stadium as 'Spotify Camp Nou' (CBS Sports)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Layoffs at Arm signal the IPO is nigh. Microsoft has brought that fast loading games technology from Xbox to Windows. Twitter heard you were made and has backed down. Crypto dodges another bullet in the EU. And some solid, tangible numbers to prove that streaming has taken over Hollywood.Sponsors:do.co/ridehome2022Priceline.comLinks:UK chipmaker Arm to cut up to 1,000 jobs after $40bn sale collapses (The Guardian)Get Ready for Faster Game Load Times With DirectStorage for Windows (PC Mag)Twitter rolls back its decision to force you into the out-of-order timeline (The Verge)iOS 15.4 now live as Universal Control comes to iPads and Macs (The Verge)Apple releases macOS 12.3 with Universal Control, new emoji, head tracking for Spatial Audio, more (9to5Mac)Proposal Limiting Proof-of-Work Is Rejected in EU Parliament Committee Vote (CoinDesk)HBO Max, Discovery+ to Combine for “Blowout” Product, CFO Says (The Hollywood Reporter)Streaming boom propels film industry's pandemic recovery (Axios)Global Entertainment Industry Revenue Rebounds From Pandemic, Thanks to Streaming Boom (Variety)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Well, what can I tell you? Foxconn is shutting factories in China again cause of the new Omicron outbreak there. Will Apple only give new chips it its pro phones going forward? Why people are mad at Twitter now. How people actually watch Netflix. And… checks notes... A robot goat.Sponsors:shop.SiempreTequila.com Promo Code RIDEThe Traceroute PodcastLinks:Foxconn Halts iPhone Shenzhen Site Due to Covid Lockdown (Bloomberg)Kuo: Only iPhone 14 Pro Models to Get 'A16' Chip, Standard Models to Retain A15 (MacRumors)Twitter makes it harder to choose the old reverse-chronological feed (The Verge)Using a New Cyber Tool, Westerners Have Been Texting Russians About the War in Ukraine (WSJ)These are Netflix's Most Popular Shows (According to Netflix) (Bloomberg)APPLE’S NEW IPHONE SE IS A MODERN PHONE STUCK IN YESTERDAY’S DESIGN (The Verge)Kawasaki's Rideable Robotic Goat Is the Electric Car for Wandering Cowpokes (Gizmodo)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As I said on Friday's show, I figured that since Chris Messina has been co-hosting with me for about a year, maybe it's time to republish the Internet History Podcast episode I did with him. After all, many of you might know him as the inventor of the hashtag, but did you know about all of the early Web 2.0 stuff he did? It might help you better understand the perspective Chris brings to our interview episodes.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Russia moves to ban Instagram and designate Meta as an “extremist organization.” The EU and UK open an antitrust probe into Google and Meta about ads collusion. Stripe now supports crypto. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:WealthFront.com/techmemeLinks:Russia Asks Court to Label Facebook, Instagram as ‘Extremist’ (Bloomberg)DuckDuckGo reverses course, will demote Russian propaganda in search results (Engadget)EU and UK open antitrust probe into Google and Meta over online ads (FT)Stripe launches payments support for crypto businesses, partners with FTX (The Block)The great NFT sell-off: has the digital collectibles craze hit its peak? (FT)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:The Great Tech Hub Exodus Didn't Quite Happen (Wired)Deep Learning Is Hitting a Wall (Nautilus)Will Transformers Take Over Artificial Intelligence? (Quanta Magazine)The rise of Canva, the $40 billion design juggernaut (Fast Company)AngelList: A Venture Constellation (The Generalist)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple hasn’t forgotten about the Mac Mini. Amazon’s first stock split since the dotcom era. Tinder leans into background checks as a service. Hands on with the new Magic Leap 2 AR glasses. And forget about delivery by drone, now imagine getting packages delivered to you from space. The wildest startup I’ve heard about in a while.Sponsors:Masterworks.io/rideWorkable.comLinks:Exclusive: Updated Mac mini to have versions with M2 and M2 Pro chip (9to5Mac)27-Inch 'Studio Display Pro' With Mini-LED and ProMotion Could Launch in June (MacRumors)Amazon announces 20-for-1 stock split, $10 billion buyback (CNBC)Tinder rolls out in-app access to background checks, powered by nonprofit Garbo (TechCrunch)Magic Leap 2 Hands-On: AR Glasses That Can Dim The Real World (CNET)Dreaming of Suitcases in Space (NYTimes)The a16z Episode With Myself And Chris DixonSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

That telegraphed Executive Order for Crypto is being signed, probably as we speak. Is Congress pressing criminal charges against Amazon? LimeWire is back, but for the NFT era. And a deep dive look at that mind boggling new M1 Ultra chip that Apple announced yesterday.Sponsors:Composer.tradeSmith.ai promocode techmeme for $100 off signupLinks:Biden Orders Study of Cryptocurrency Risk, Creation of U.S. Digital Currency (WSJ)Amazon Flagged to Justice Department for Possible Criminal Obstruction of Congress (WSJ)Twitter Launches Tor Onion Service Making Site Easier to Access in Russia (Motherboard)Lumen, a second major American Internet carrier, pulling out of Russia (Washington Post)EU Says Russia, Belarus Sanctions Extend to Crypto (CoinDesk)LimeWire Is Making a Comeback, But Not As You Know It (Bloomberg)Apple Announces M1 Ultra (AnandTech)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

All the news from the Spring Apple event this afternoon. Google is buying a cybersecurity company. A bunch of cybersecurity companies band together to protect critical infrastructure. Amazon launches an app to allow anyone to be a DJ. And the arrival of Android 12L.Sponsors:do.co/trhTraceroute Podcast Origins.devLinks:Apple’s Mac Studio is a new desktop for creative professionals (The Verge)Apple unveils the M1 Ultra, its most powerful chip yet (Engadget)Apple unveils iPhone SE 3 with A15 chip, same home button design (9to5Mac)Google is buying the cybersecurity company that uncovered the SolarWinds hack (The Verge)Cloudflare, CrowdStrike and Ping Identity to provide free cybersecurity to vulnerable industries (Silicon Angle)Amazon launches a ‘live radio’ app, Amp, which lets you play DJ with music and call-ins (TechCrunch)Android 12L will come to Samsung, Lenovo, and Microsoft devices (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The evolving hack story involving Nvidia has now hit Samsung as the same hackers apparently have some of their source code. Are the iMac updates I’m really hungry for getting pushed all the way back to next year? The real reason why brands are leaving Russia. And consumer beware: scams seem to be rampant on Zelle, and your bank might not be willing to help you.Sponsors:Grammarly.com/techmemeIPVanish.com/techmeme and promocode techmeme for 70% savingsLinks:Cybercriminals who breached Nvidia issue one of the most unusual demands ever (ArsTechnica)Malware now using NVIDIA's stolen code signing certificates (Bleeping Computer)Hackers leak 190GB of alleged Samsung data, source code (Bleeping Computer)Kuo: 27-inch Apple external display coming this year, new iMac Pro and Mac Pro in 2023 (9to5Mac)TikTok Suspends Livestreaming in Russia on ‘Fake News’ Law (Bloomberg)How are the Big Sanctions hurting Russia so far? (NoahPinion Substack)Fraud Is Flourishing on Zelle. The Banks Say It’s Not Their Problem. (NYTimes)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chris was in town again! So we asked the great Charlie O'Donnell of Brooklyn Bridge Ventures to come over to my kitchen to talk about the tech news of the week. But Charlie also gives us his analysis and history of the New York Tech scene, and the state of venture and tech generally, coming out of these Covid years.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Check out Rownd.io!Get involved yourself: rownd.io/techmeme Or book a time with the founder: https://calendly.com/rob-rownd/mutant-podcast-armySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Twitter’s return to the office is a real covid era milestone. Ok, how about Disney+ but with ads? Is crypto usage in Russia actually falling? Something something, wasn’t this the original use case for crypto? Are NFT prices falling? And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Links:Twitter to reopen offices March 15, though remote work remains an option (CNBC)Disney+ to launch cheaper ad-supported tier later this year (CNBC)Ethereum Companies Suddenly Ban Users In Certain Countries (Motherboard)SpaceX sent Starlink internet terminals to Ukraine. They could paint a ‘giant target’ on users’ backs, experts say (CNN Business)NFT Mania Show Signs of Cooling as Average Price and Sales Decline (Bloomberg)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:How shunning Russia could offer the U.S. tech giants an easy win (Politico)Tech Companies Are Reopening Their Offices, but Tech Work Has Changed Forever (WSJ)The Role Of Turkish Drones In Ukraine's War (NDTV)These women are staking their claim to Web3 and the metaverse (Fast Company)The ‘Incredible Treasure Chest’ of Homestar Runner (Vulture)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The story of the young Ukrainian Minister who has bent the conscience of western tech companies, and coordinated the reachout to crypto. Is regulation coming for NFTs? Epic Games acquired Bandcamp. Amazon pulls back from its IRL retail experiments. And a big update on the return to the office watch.Links:Ukraine cancels crypto airdrop, plans to sell NFTs instead (The Block)The Ukrainian leader who is pushing Silicon Valley to stand up to Russia (Washington Post)Crypto Powerhouse ConsenSys Faces Action by Former Employees (Bloomberg)SEC Scrutinizes NFT Market Over Illegal Crypto Token Offerings (Bloomberg)Epic Games Acquires Bandcamp as ‘Fortnite’ Maker Expands Into Music (Variety)Amazon is shutting 68 retail stores, ending Amazon Books, 4-star and Pop Up shops (CNBC)Apple Event Announced for March 8: 'Peek Performance' (MacRumors)Google tells employees in Bay Area and other U.S. locations to return to offices in April (CNBC)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As of right now, you can no longer buy an iPhone in Russia. Big recall from Fitbit because their smartwatches might burn you. Meta tries to be transparent in a very Meta way, by redacting a key detail from a transparency report. And could poker be the killer app the Metaverse has been waiting for?Sponsors:Workable.comLinks:Apple Halts All Sales From Online Store in Russia [Updated] (MacRumors)How the Russian Invasion of Ukraine Is Playing Out on English, Ukrainian, and Russian Wikipedia (Slate)Prominent tech companies that originated from Ukraine (Analytics India)Fitbit recall confirms its Ionic smartwatch could overheat and burn you (Engadget)New UCIe Chiplet Standard Supported by Intel, AMD, and Arm (Tom's Hardware)Meta Releases New 'Widely Viewed Content' Report for Facebook, Which Continues to be a Baffling Overview (SocialMediaToday)Netflix to buy mobile game developer Next Games to strengthen its games business (Money Control)The Metaverse Finally Has a Killer App: Poker (Bloomberg Businessweek)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Crypto exchanges stick to their crypto ethos over the Ukraine War situation. A new, super crazy alleged Chinese backdoor hack. Uber adds new ways to buy concert tickets and book restaurants in its app. Amazon launches its Luna game streaming service in the US. An a review of the Galaxy S22 and S22+Sponsors:do.co/ridehome2022Traceroute Podcast (more info at Origins.dev)Links:Netflix Won’t Add Russian Broadcasters to Service, Defying New Regulation (WSJ)Crypto Exchanges Refuse to Freeze All Russian Accounts (Motherboard)Chinese cyberspies target govts with their ‘most advanced’ backdoor (BleepingComputer)Uber adds new ways to buy concert tickets and book restaurants in its app (The Verge)Amazon Luna launches for anyone in the US, adds free games for Prime members and Twitch integration (The Verge)BitConnect’s Indicted Founder Kumbhani Vanished, SEC Says (Bloomberg)SAMSUNG’S GALAXY S22 AND S22 PLUS ARE THE DEFAULT ANDROID PHONES TO BUY (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I’ll try to run down everything I can about the tech world and the Ukraine situation. There is a ton to talk about. Qualcomm’s new 5G modem. TikTok’s new 10 minute videos. Lenovo’s new laptops. And should Apple release a $200 iPhone?Sponsors:Priceline.comLinks:Customers of banks targeted by Russia sanctions are unable to use Apple Pay or Google Pay (Insider)Google blocks RT, other Russian channels from earning ad dollars (Reuters)Meta to bar Russian state media from running ads, monetizing on platform (Reuters)Facebook, Twitter remove disinformation accounts targeting Ukrainians (NBCNews)Russia demands Google restore access to its media YouTube channels in Ukraine (Reuters)Crypto Donations to Ukraine Jump to $20M (CoinDesk)Computer chip industry begins halting deliveries to Russia in response to U.S. sanctions (Washington Post)Airbnb to Provide Housing for 100,000 Ukrainian Refugees (Bloomberg)Google Maps temporarily disables live traffic data in Ukraine (Axios)Facebook, Apple and Other Tech Giants Face Rising Pressure Over Ukraine (WSJ)TikTok is taking aim at YouTube with longer 10-minute video uploads (AndroidCentral)Qualcomm's X70 5G modem has an AI processor to improve signal strength (Engadget)Lenovo announces new IdeaPads and tablets with 12th-gen Intel CPUs (XDA Developers)Dutch App Store change complies with law, says Apple, as antitrust regulator rejects proposal (9to5Mac)Apple Has a Chance to Launch an iPhone Costing Just $199 (Bloomberg)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We check in with Rob Maurer who hosts the Tesla Daily podcast. All things Tesla and Elon on this episode!Check out the Tesla Daily podcastCheck out the Tesla Daily YouTube Channel.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ukraine is seeking to raise its own hacker army. New export controls affect tech products. Why mobile subscriptions being a growth industry is more bad news for the App Store status quo. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Masterworks.io/rideLinks:Social media platforms on the defensive as Russian-based disinformation about Ukraine spreads (Politico)Google Faces Sanctions Dilemma With Pro-Russia YouTube Channels (Bloomberg)Ukraine war flashes neon warning lights for chips (Reuters)Biden hits Russia with tough export curbs, slashing access to global tech (Reuters)Top subscription app revenue grew 41% in 2021 to reach $18.3 billion (TechCrunch)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:A moment of clarity (Noapinion Substack)Web3 Developers Have Found a Functioning Metaverse. It’s ‘Minecraft’. (Vice)CAN THE LAW KEEP UP WITH CRYPTO? (The Verge)Crypto Scammers’ New Target: Dating Apps (NYTimes)Amazon’s sprawling grocery business has become an ‘expensive hobby’ with a cloudy future (CNBC)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There actually IS a tech angle to what is going on in Ukraine, though for all of our sakes, let’s just hope there’s not TOO much of one. Stablecoins are where it’s at in crypto at the moment. Not one, but two new flagship phones to tell you about. And the interesting AI details behind Zuck’s latest Metaverse presentation.Sponsors:NewRelic.com/techmemeLinks:Ukrainian gov't sites disrupted by DDoS, wiper malware discovered (ZDNet)Stablecoins Soar in Value as Everything Else in Crypto Shrinks (Bloomberg)Oppo’s Find X5 Pro flagship is finally official (The Verge)The Motorola Edge Plus aims for full flagship status — with a price to match (The Verge)A Meta prototype lets you build virtual worlds by describing them (The Verge)Mark Zuckerberg wants to build a voice assistant that blows Alexa and Siri away (Recode)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Former President Trump’s new social network is number one on the app store, but has had a bunch of issues too. The politics leading to a surge in searches for DuckDuckGo. What ever happened to Amazon’s home robot? And Waymo successfully sues to keeps its failures secret.Sponsors:Napjitsu.com/techmemeLinkedin.com/rideLinks:Trump’s Truth Social’s disastrous launch raises doubts about its long-term viability (Washington Post)Fed Up With Google, Conspiracy Theorists Turn to DuckDuckGo (NYTimes)OpenSea NFT Heist Likely Triggers Drop in Activity (Bloomberg)Amazon sues two companies that allegedly help fill the site with fake reviews (CNBC)Amazon’s Astro Home Robot Remains Elusive Six Months After Debut (Bloomberg)Waymo to keep robotaxi safety details secret, court rules (TechCrunch)Gaming Company Backbone Reveals Series A Funding Backed by Ashton Kutcher, The Weeknd, Kevin Hart, Post Malone and More (The Hollywood Reporter)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Has the mystery of the original The DAO controversy been solved? We finally have Sony’s new PlayStation VR2 design. Crypto exchange FTX makes a big move into gaming. Datapoints suggesting remote work is here to stay. And a review of the Galaxy S22 Ultra.Sponsors:do.co/ridehome2022IPVanish.com/techmeme and promocode techmeme for 70% savingsLinks:Exclusive: Austrian Programmer And Ex Crypto CEO Likely Stole $11 Billion Of Ether (Forbes)Sony finally reveals the PlayStation VR2’s design (The Verge)FTX Enters Gaming as Backlash Grows Against Crypto’s Incursion (Bloomberg)Over 40% of West Coast Tech Job Listings Are Outside West Coast (Bloomberg)Spotify's Car Thing Is About to Face the Music (CNET)SAMSUNG GALAXY S22 ULTRA REVIEW: NOTABLY UNIQUE (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

OpenSea says 32 users had NFTs stolen when they were scammed into signing malicious smart contracts. Mark Gurman tells us every Mac he expects to be released this year. Is a new crackdown coming for Chinese tech? And Ford is revving up its attempts to unseat Tesla at the top of the EV mountain.Sponsors:Smith.ai promocode techmeme for $100 off signupLinks:OpenSea Investigating ‘Exploit Rumors’ as Users Complain of Missing NFTs (CoinDesk)$1.7 million in NFTs stolen in apparent phishing attack on OpenSea users (The Verge)Apple Readies New MacBooks and iMacs for Part Three of Overhaul (Bloomberg)The Apple M2 could launch alongside up to seven new Mac models this year (TechRadar)Gurman: Apple to Launch New Macs Next Month, With More to Come Around May or June (MacRumors)Tencent Leads China Tech Selloff Amid Fears of Further Crackdown (Bloomberg)PrimaryBid raises $190M to double down on making it easier for ordinary people to invest in IPOs and follow-on fundraises (TechCrunch)Ford Mustang Mach-E usurps Tesla Model 3 as Consumer Reports top EV pick of the year (The Verge)Vote for Grupa on Product Hunt!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Check out Grupa.io and look for their launch on Product Hunt this Monday! Upvote!And subscribe to the Ride Home Fund at RideHomeFund.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Windows 11 now requires a Microsoft account just to load. Intel’s roadmap comes into view. Is Meta’s metaverse play already getting traction? Next week might be the biggest regulatory week for Crypto ever. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:WealthFront.com/techmemeLinks:You’ll need a Microsoft account to set up future versions of Windows 11 Pro (ArsTechnica)Intel Discloses Multi-Generation Xeon Scalable Roadmap (AnandTech)Meta’s social VR platform Horizon hits 300,000 users (The Verge)Biden seen issuing crypto oversight exec order next week (Yahoo!Finance)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:The World Needs What Intel Makes. Can It Make a Comeback? (NYTimes)Free your mind: Meditation could be VR's next killer app (Protocol)No one cares about your redesign (Garbage Day)If Russia Invades Ukraine, TikTok Will See It Up Close (Wired)Francis Ford Coppola’s $100 Million Bet (GQ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Why a dumb agent string bug may break some big named websites soon. Is Circle about to become the biggest pure play crypto company to hit public markets? Spotify buys basically the only remaining pieces of the podcast puzzle missing from their toolbelt. And the interesting raise from a company buying up YouTube back catalogs.Sponsors:RealVision.com/techmemeLinks:Mozilla warns Chrome, Firefox ‘100’ user agents may break sites (BleepingComputer)Meta’s Clegg Promoted as Zuckerberg Steps Back From Policy (Bloomberg)Circle valued at $9 billion under revamped SPAC deal terms (The Block)Spotify is acquiring two major podcast tech platforms (The Verge)Sequoia Capital launches crypto token fund (Axios)Sequoia Capital is launching a $500-600 million crypto fund to invest in tokens (The Block)Spotter raises $200M to invest $1 billion into YouTubers’ back catalogs (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Forget how’s my driving, Uber lets you know how you’re riding. Meta workers are now formally known as Metamates. Is Paramount quietly doing better in the streaming wars than we thought? So much so, as to warrant a name change too? And what happens when your bionic eye implants are no longer supported by the manufacturer?Sponsors:shop.SiempreTequila.com Promo Code RIDELinks:Uber will now let you see how many one-star ratings you got from drivers (The Verge)Move fast, rename things: Facebook tries to boost morale with new slogans (Washington Post)Facebook rebrands News Feed after more than 15 years (The Verge)ViacomCBS rebrands to Paramount in focus on streaming (The Verge)Coalition of US crypto firms unveils travel rule compliance platform, TRUST (The Block)Google Plans Privacy Changes, but Promises to Not Be Disruptive (NYTimes)THEIR BIONIC EYES ARE NOW OBSOLETE AND UNSUPPORTED (IEEE Spectrum)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is the great Returning To The Office beginning with the Tech Industry? Really cool new way to use your Android apps on your Windows or Chromebook devices. Instagram lets you send private likes. The tech cold war between India and China claims another victim. And what did the NYTimes do to Wordle this morning?Sponsors:do.co/ridehome2022Links:Microsoft and Expedia announce next phases in office reopenings, finally emerging from pandemic (GeekWire)Exclusive: Pixel will be able to stream Android apps to your Chromebook/PC, here’s how it works [Video] (9to5Google)Intel to Buy Israel’s Tower Semiconductor for $5.4 Billion (Bloomberg)Instagram now lets you send private Story likes (Engadget)Sea’s $16 Billion Crash Signals Trouble Beyond India Shutout (Bloomberg)Texas Sues Meta Over Facebook’s Facial-Recognition Practices (WSJ)Google Messages, with RCS in tow, is now Samsung’s default messaging app in the US (9to5Google)The New York Times has changed Wordle’s solutions (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Turns out Super Bowl ads really do move the needle. Another day, another crypto bug, this one could have let you create unlimited ether from thin air. See what I did there? Could we see a digital Euro by the end of next year? A couple of super interesting raises. And the curious case of the missing Nvidia graphics card.Sponsors:MagicMind.co/ride and code ride at checkout for 20% offOurCrowd.com/rideLinks:Crypto apps soar in popularity after Super Bowl splurge (The Block)iOS jailbreak dev wins $2M bounty for finding critical Optimism bug (CoinTelegraph)HMRC seizes NFT for first time in £1.4m fraud case (BBCNews)Digital euro bill due early 2023 (Politico)Viam closes $30 Million Series A funding round (The Robot Report)Jio Platforms invests $200 million in Google-backed Glance (TechCrunch)Nvidia’s RTX 3090 Ti is still missing, and the company refuses to say what’s going on (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What is a DAO? How do they function? What is the history of this idea? Why have DAO's become so popular all of the sudden, and what are some examples of successful DAOs? The great Brady Dale from @DefiantNews joins Chris and Brian to explain.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Allegations of a new, widespread bulk surveillance program being run on American citizens by the CIA. Apple is planning AirTag updates to curb their use for stalking people. The first Android 13 developer preview is out. And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:Masterworks.ioRocketLawyer.com/workconfidentlyLinks:Secret CIA Bulk Surveillance Program Includes Some Americans’ Records, Senators Say (WSJ)Apple Announces AirTag Updates to Address Unwanted Tracking (MacRumors)The first developer preview of Android 13 has arrived (TechCrunch)Weekend Longreads SuggestionsFlexport Is Silicon Valley’s Solution To The Supply Chain Mess—Why Do Insiders Hope It Sinks? (Forbes)How Telegram Became the Anti-Facebook (Wired)Sony's AI Drives a Race Car Like a Champ (Wired)Russia’s drone army contains heaps of Western electronics. Can the U.S. cut them off? (Washington Post)The Little Streaming Comedy Platform That Couldn’t (Vulture)Amazon’s Lord of the Rings Series Rises: Inside The Rings of Power (Vanity Fair)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Not just rumors of an Apple AR headset, but actual code mentions of a “realityOS” are showing up now. Microsoft hopes to head off the regulators with some app store rules. Now Flash storage chips might be in for a supply crunch. And why static video memes are all over Instagram all of the sudden.Sponsors:Workable.comLinks:Is ‘realityOS’ Apple’s newest operating system? (The Verge)In a bid to appease regulators, Microsoft announces new app store principles (The Washington Post)Western Digital, Kioxia Lose 'At Least' 6.5 Exabytes of 3D NAND Due to Contamination (Updated) (Tom's Hardware)Why Static Video Memes Are All Over Instagram (The Information)Gopuff stocks its warehouses with items purchased from Instacart, spending tens of thousands per month on the service (Insider)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

All the headlines from the Samsung event, including the new S22 lineup and some massive new tablets. Can Meta’s stock crash so much that it would become immune to antitrust liability? And, look, the alleged Bonnie and Clyde for our times, the whole saga of that husband and wife arrested here in NYC yesterday, allegedly related to the big Bitfinex hack.Sponsors:IPVanish.com/techmeme and promocode: techmeme for 70% savingsSmith.ai promocode techmeme for $100 off signupLinks:SAMSUNG’S GALAXY S22 AND S22 PLUS PUT IMPROVED CAMERAS AND PERFORMANCE IN A SAMEY DESIGN (The Verge)SAMSUNG’S GALAXY S22 ULTRA IS A NOTE BY ANOTHER NAME (The Verge)Samsung’s new tablets go bigger than ever (The Verge)Facebook market cap falls below $600 billion — which could actually help it dodge new antitrust scrutiny (CNBC)Justice Department Says It Seized $3.6 Billion Worth of Bitcoin Stolen in 2016 Hack (WSJ)Woman Who Allegedly Laundered $1B in Bitcoin Was Cringe YouTube Rapper (Motherboard)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

It’s a day of retrenchment. Nvidia and Arm are off. Peter Thiel is leaving the Meta board. Peloton loses its CEO ahead of what is likely to be disastrous earnings. The IRS backs down from the whole facial recognition thing. And Tinder stops charging you more if you’re old.Sponsors:Do.co/trhLinks:SoftBank’s $66bn sale of chip group Arm to Nvidia collapses (THE (?) Financial Times)Peter Thiel to Exit Meta’s Board to Support Trump-Aligned Candidates (NYTimes)Peloton CEO John Foley to Step Down, Firm to Cut 2,800 Jobs (WSJ)I.R.S. to End Use of Facial Recognition for Identity Verification (NYTimes)Apple Buys Startup That Makes Music With Artificial Intelligence (Bloomberg)Apple announces new Tap to Pay feature that turns iPhones into contactless payment terminals (9to5Mac)Signal now allows you to keep messages and groups after changing phone numbers (ZDNet)Tinder will stop charging older users more for premium features (Engadget)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Rogangate rolls on. Why a controversy in the Ethereum Name Service community might be even more interesting, because of what it might teach us about the viability of DAOs. Twitter is, oddly, testing ways to make it easier for folks to DM you. And rumors of a new entry level MacBook Pro.Sponsors:Workable.comGrammarly.com/techmemeLinks:Spotify CEO Addresses Joe Rogan’s N-Word Use, Doubles Down on Keeping Podcaster on Platform (The Hollywood Reporter)Spotify CEO defends Joe Rogan deal in tense company town hall (The Verge)Ethereum Name Service Removes Core Team Member Brantly Millegan Over 2016 Tweet (CoinDesk)Twitter’s direct DM test is a terrible idea (The Verge)Gurman: New entry-level MacBook Pro with M2 chip coming this year, but no ProMotion (9to5Mac)Gurman: Apple Event on March 8, At Least Four M2 Macs to Launch Later This Year (MacRumors)Mapping the celebrity NFT complex (Read Max)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

That crack you felt in your spine was just the whiplash from the craziest 24 hours in tech earnings I’ve ever seen. Amazon has created a bigger advertising business than the entire newspaper industry. Apple once again shows it can adjust the App Store vig when it has to. And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:TodayInDigital.comLinks:Snap shares rocket as much as 62% on first-ever quarterly net profit (CNBC)Amazon Flexes Its Pricing Muscles (WSJ)Amazon Profit Shows Resilience Even as Labor, Supply Crunch Weigh on Results (WSJ)Apple will charge 27% commission for app purchases made using alternative payment systems in the Netherlands (9to5Mac)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:HOW ONE COMPANY TOOK OVER THE NFT TRADE (The Verge)The Unnerving Rise of Video Games that Spy on You (Wired)North Korea Hacked Him. So He Took Down Its Internet (Wired)Startup Investors Cut Valuations Amid Tech Stock Rout, Dismal IPOs (WSJ)How IBM’s Watson Went From the Future of Health Care to Sold Off for Parts (Slate)Don’t forget Microsoft (Luttig's Learnings)(TWTR SPC) The Tools Episode! Recommended Apps ListSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meta really steps in it with earnings that send the stock down fully 25%. The plague of hacks hitting crypto startups. The ransomware attack causing a snacks crisis in Britain. Bored Apes Yacht Club is an interesting raise. And why we might not see a HoloLens 3.Sponsors:TodayInDigital.comPriceline.comSmith.ai promocode techmeme for $100 off signupLinks:Meta estimates Apple's iOS changes will cost it $10B in 2022 (ZDNet)Facebook and Google’s Ad Addiction Can’t Last Forever (Bloomberg Opinion)Cryptocurrency platform Wormhole hacked for an estimated $322 million (The Record)KP Snacks giant hit by Conti ransomware, deliveries disrupted (BleepingComputer)Bored Ape start-up in investment talks with Andreessen Horowitz (FT)Inside Microsoft's mixed reality mess, where confusion, rivalries, and canceled projects have roiled the company's metaverse strategy (Insider)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alphabet gives a new meaning to the term blowout quarter. Cruise is getting ready to launch its robotaxi business in San Francisco. A GDPR issue that might have huge implications. Starlink has a new premium tier. And what happens if someone buys your house, your IRL house, but in the metaverse? I’m not kidding.Sponsors:TodayInDigital.comNapjitsu.com/techmemeDevry.edu/futureLinks:Google parent Alphabet announces 20-for-1 stock split (CNBC)Cruise, loaded with another $1.35B from SoftBank, opens up driverless ride-hailing to the public (TechCrunch)SpaceX’s new Starlink Premium tier promises up to 500Mbps for $500 a month (The Verge)European Ad Group Hit With Sanctions Over Privacy Lapses (Bloomberg)Who owns your address in AR? Probably not you. (Protocol)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The year of gaming consolidation is upon us, with Sony snapping up Bungie. Not EXACTLY related, but the NYTimes has acquired Wordle. Did the CEO of Bolt’s tweets lose him the top job at the company he founded? You can no longer roll through stop signs in your Tesla. And the best use of augmented reality I’ve heard in a while.Sponsors:Do.co/trhTodayInDigital.comLinks:Sony buying Bungie for $3.6 billion (GamesIndustry.biz)SONY’S BUNGIE ACQUISITION IS ALL ABOUT FORTNITE (The Verge)Microsoft Deal for Activision to Be Reviewed by FTC in U.S. (Bloomberg)Pinterest Adds Augmented Reality Feature for Home Decor (WSJ)Wordle has been bought by The New York Times, will ‘initially’ remain free for everyone to play (The Verge)Following his fiery Twitter tirades, Bolt founder Ryan Breslow is no longer CEO — and he says it’s his choice (TechCrunch)Tesla recall: ‘Full Self-Driving’ software runs stop signs (AP)Pinterest Adds Augmented Reality Feature for Home Decor (WSJ)World Cup of Entrepreneurs On YouTubeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Summing up the whole Joe Rogan brouhaha from over the weekend. Meta joins a crypto legal alliance and takes a page out of Alphabets book by planning to break out reporting of its metaverse business. And the dotcom bubble called and wants its headlines back: wash trading might be rampant on NFT marketplaces, and a look at the six startups trying to succeed, where Kozmo.com failed.Sponsors:Devry.edu/futureLinks:Spotify finally responds to Joe Rogan controversy with a plan to label podcasts that discuss COVID-19 (The Verge)Joe Rogan defends podcast and apologizes to Spotify for backlash (The Verge)Spotify’s big Rogan mistake (Protocol)Facebook parent Meta joins crypto group promoting open patents (The Block)Facebook's metaverse efforts are already generating close to $3 billion a year in revenue, analysts estimate. (Insider)LooksRare Has Reportedly Generated $8B in Ethereum NFT Wash Trading (Decrypt)Losses Mount for Startups Racing to Deliver Groceries Fast and Cheap (WSJ)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The great Katie Roof, Natasha Mascarenhas and Christine Hall come on to talk more about the craziness in the stock market and what it might mean for tech startups. Then Chris and I debate The Great Debate surrounding Web3. Shoutout to @randras_ for giving us context, even in the podcast space!Sponsors:Wix.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ho hum. Apple reports its most revenue and profit in history. You’ll soon be able to unlock your iPhone while masked, even without the Apple Watch. The White House is readying a huge executive order on Crypto. The new version of GPT-3 is less error-prone, and less prone to say bad stuff. And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:EditorX.comWealthfront.com/techmemeLinks:Apple CEO: ‘We Don’t Make Purely Financial Decisions’ About Apple TV Plus Content (Variety)iOS 15.4 Beta Lets You Use Face ID With a Mask On (MacRumors)White House reportedly preparing executive order on crypto (CoinTelegraph)The new version of GPT-3 is much better behaved (and should be less toxic) (Technology Review)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Line Goes Up – The Problem With NFTs (Folding Ideas on YouTube)Three things web3 should fix in 2022 (Platformer)The NFT Art World Wouldn’t Be the Same Without This Woman’s ‘Wide-Awake Hallucinations’ (RollingStone)Nothing Sacred: These Apps Reserve The Right To Sell Your Prayers (Buzzfeed News)Your Hotel Concierge Is Probably a Texting Robot. Srsly. (WSJ)Why Netflix Just Had Its Worst Day in A Decade (Bloomberg)Netflix stock market woe is warning to Hollywood (Financial Times)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple is coming for Block’s Square dongle with a new ability to accept payments just using your iPhone. The dilemma that is the Spotify/Neil Young situation. OpenAI is an interesting raise. Fireblocks is an interesting raise. And why has the r/antiwork subreddit suddenly gone private?Sponsors:Smith.ai promocode techmeme for $100 off signupLinkedin.com/rideLinks:Apple to Rival Square by Turning iPhones Into Payment Terminals (Bloomberg)Spotify Takes Down Neil Young’s Music After His Joe Rogan Ultimatum (WSJ)Facebook’s Cryptocurrency Venture to Wind Down, Sell Assets (WSJ)OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman ridicules start-up fundraising process (CNBC)Fireblocks raises $550 million in Series E funding, now valued at $8 billion (The Block)Anti-Work Subreddit Suddenly Goes Private to Clean Up After ‘Brigading’ (Bloomberg)Anti-work subreddit implodes after rough Fox News interview (Mashable)Valve will start selling the Steam Deck on February 25th (The Verge)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Is Mark Zuckerberg abandoning his crypto dreams and looking to sell off Diem? The IMF is subtly suggesting El Salvador abandon bitcoin. Microsoft is gonna play nice with Activision exclusives. For now. Mark your calendars for the next Samsung event. And has YouTube figured out how to beat TikTok at its own game?Sponsors:Masterworks.io/rideEditorX.comLinks:Mark Zuckerberg’s Stablecoin Ambitions Unravel With Diem Sale Talks (Bloomberg)Ditch Bitcoin: IMF Urges El Salvador to Rethink Crypto (Bloomberg)Activision’s Next Three Call of Duty Games Will Be on PlayStation and Xbox (Bloomberg)Samsung's first Unpacked of 2022 will take place February 9th (Engadget)Log4Shell: No Mass Abuse, But No Respite, What Happened? (Sophos News)YouTube Shorts Tops 5 Trillion Views to Date, Platform to Test Shopping and Branded Content for TikTok-Style Videos (Variety)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

That already fraught tie-up between Nvidia and Arm increasingly looks like it’s running out of time. Google kills its cookie-killer. Twitter is developing a close friends feature. Meta’s new Machine Learning supercomputer. And why the situation in Ukraine might be a black swan event that is nigh.Sponsors:Do.co/trhWix.comLinks:Nvidia Quietly Prepares to Abandon $40 Billion Arm Bid (Bloomberg)Google kills off FLoC, replaces it with Topics (TechCrunch)Twitter's new Flock feature takes aim at Instagram Close Friends (Input)Meta has built an AI supercomputer it says will be world’s fastest by end of 2022 (The Verge)Hactivists say they hacked Belarus rail system to stop Russian military buildup (ArsTechnica)DHS warns of Russian cyberattack on US if it responds to Ukraine invasion (ABCNews)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

States sue Google for data shenanigans. Europe passes a landmark ad targeting and data law. Apple’s 2022 lineup according to Mark Gurman. A look at the state of the crypto crash, and to what degree it is affecting NFTs. And all this talk of metaverses led to record VC investment in AR and VR startups, but what some folks are starting to ask is, even if we build it, do we have the infrastructure that will even allow the people to come?Sponsors:OurCrowd.com/rideEditorX.comLinks:Google deceived consumers about how it profits from their location data, attorneys general allege in lawsuits (Washington Post)MEPs adopt Digital Services Act with significant last-minute changes (Euractiv)European Parliament approves initial proposal to ban some targeted ads (The Verge)Apple Nears First Product Launch of 2022, With 5G iPhone SE and New iPad on Tap (Bloomberg)Solana Slides 17% to Lead Losses Amid Crypto Market Plunge (CoinDesk)Despite the Drop in Crypto Prices, Weekly NFT Sales Reach $4.7 Billion, Increasing 81% (Bitcoin.com)VR/AR Investments Increase Just As Metaverse Talk Heats Up—But That May Not Be The Only Reason (Crunchbase News)The titans of the metaverse have a bandwidth issue (Financial Times)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Weirdly, this turned into a sort of education on VC and startup investing episode? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯Sponsors:Wix.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The trend of re-onshoring silicon production domestically and Intel’s turnaround plans collide in a way that is very good for Ohio. Twitter will let you NFT-up your profile picture. Google’s doing the AR headset thing too. That Apple education discount has gotten harder to spoof. And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:DeVry.edu/engineeringEditorX.comLinks:Exclusive: Intel Reveals Plans for Massive New Ohio Factory, Fighting the Chip Shortage Stateside (Time)Twitter Embraces NFTs With New Profile-Picture Feature (WSJ)GOOGLE IS BUILDING AN AR HEADSET (The Verge)Netflix Falls Short of Q4 Subscriber Target, Stock Tumbles on Weak Forecast (Variety)We regret to inform you that Apple now verifies anyone asking for educational discounts (The Verge)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:How Did ID.me Get Between You and Your Identity? (Bloomberg Businessweek)The SPAC Ship Is Sinking. Investors Want Their Money Back. (WSJ)THE INSIDE STORY OF IBEER, THE UNDERDOG BEER APP THAT MADE MILLIONS (MelMagazine)The Rise of A.I. Fighter Pilots (The New Yorker)How Tumblr Became Popular for Being Obsolete (The New Yorker)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meta is working on NFTs for Instagram and Facebook while Google is starting a blockchain team. Instagram Subscriptions launches. Google Play Games launches on Windows. Amazon launches its first physical fashion store. And why, by this summer, you will only be able to pay the IRS your taxes online by doxing yourself?Sponsors:NewRelic.com/techmemeWix.comLinks:Facebook owner Meta dives into NFT digital collectibles craze (FT)Google Forms Blockchain Group Under Newly Appointed Executive (Bloomberg)Instagram launches early test of creator subscriptions in the US (TechCrunch)Google Play Games for PC starts limited beta for Android games on Windows, sharing system requirements (Android Police)Amazon to try another tech-infused retail concept with ‘Amazon Style,’ its first physical fashion store (GeekWire)Crypto.com Says Regulators Haven’t Reached Out After Hack (Bloomberg)Web3 ‘Proof of attendance’ startup raises $10M to mint shared memories as NFTs (TechCrunch)IRS Will Require Facial Recognition Scans to Access Your Taxes Online (Gizmodo)IRS Will Soon Require Selfies for Online Access (KrebsonSecurity)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today is the big day for the showdown between 5G and the airlines. Nobody’s blinked yet, but both sides have sort of blinked. An interesting raise in the NFT space. And I’ve heard of autonomous road cars, but autonomous rail cars? More fallout from the Activision/Microsoft tie-up, and how literally fallout from that undersea volcano may have knocked Tonga off the internet.Sponsors:EditorX.comdo.co/trhLinks:Airlines Cancel Some Flights Ahead of U.S. 5G Wireless Launch (WSJ)Major airlines cancel, change flights to US over 5G dispute (AP)Coinbase NFT Marketplace Will Enable Purchases With Mastercard (Decrypt)OpenSea confirms acquisition of Dharma, sets sights on fiat onramps (The Block)Michael Jordan, Multicoin Back Solana NFT Firm Metaplex in $46M Round (Decrypt)Former SpaceX engineers bring autonomous, electric rail vehicle startup out of stealth (TechCrunch)Activision Blizzard’s Workplace Problems Spurred $75 Billion Microsoft Deal (WSJ)Microsoft is buying one of the biggest names in games — if Washington lets it (Recode)Tonga’s volcano blast cut it off from the world. Here’s what it will take to get it reconnected. (MIT Technology Review)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Microsoft is buying Activision Blizzard in the biggest gaming acquisition of all time. Partially this is a metaverse play, but meanwhile, Meta is quietly locking down all the metaverse patents. Crypto.com halts withdrawals on its platform but insists it hasn’t been hacked. And why are countries encouraging their athletes to use burner phones when they attend the upcoming Olympics?Sponsors:Streak.com/techmemeEditorX.comLinks:Microsoft to buy Activision in $68.7 billion all-cash deal (CNBC)Activision Blizzard Games Will Come To Xbox Game Pass As Part Of Acquisition (PureXbox)Facebook patents reveal how it intends to cash in on metaverse (Financial Times)Crypto.com Suffers Hack for At Least $15M in Ethereum (Decrypt)Samsung begins mass production of Exynos 2200 smartphone processor (ZDNet)Cross-country Exposure - Analysis of the MY2022 Olympics app (Citizenlab.ca)Olympic burner phones? Athletes warned about bringing personal devices to China for 2022 Beijing Games (USAToday)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

... and I'm not just talking about the hosts! Myself, Chris, and about a dozen listeners kick around the latest apps, tools, platforms and other things we use to GTD.Sponsors:Wix.comSome of the books I mention at the end:A Short History Of Nearly EverythingThe Infinite Machine: How an Army of Crypto-hackers Is Building the Next Internet with EthereumRocket Billionaires: Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and the New Space RaceSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Russia has cracked down on REvil? Question-mark? Investing in crypto is so hot, FTX has launched its own monster venture fund. Why has the Android 12 rollout been such a disaster so far? How long is the Cybertruck going to be delayed? And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:EditorX.comNapjitsu.com/techmemeLinks:Russia takes down REvil hacking group at U.S. request - FSB (Reuters)Crypto Exchange FTX Sets Up $2 Billion Venture Fund (WSJ)"You Don't Own Web3": A Coinbase Curse and How VCs Sell Crypto to Retail (Startups And Econ)GOOGLE’S ANDROID 12 UPDATE HAS BEEN THE ROCKIEST IN YEARS (The Verge)Tesla delays Cybertruck to early 2023, says reportTesla delays Cybertruck to early 2023, says report (The Verge)Weekend Longreads Suggestions:Remembering VRML: The Metaverse of 1995 (How To Geek)After the Beanie Baby bubble burst (Vox)Crypto Firms Gear Up for Battles Over New Rules in Washington (Bloomberg)Xbox players are fed up with forced crossplay against PC gamers (The Verge)Academics want to preserve video games. The game industry is fighting them in court. (The Washington Post)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Apple indeed is removing Wordle clones, but PUBG sues them for NOT removing what they allege are clones of their game. Does Google Analytics run afoul of GDPR? China is going to do NFTs, NOT on the blockchain. And will the new Nuro bot bring me my burrito?Sponsors:RealVision.com/techmemeDeVry.edu/engineeringLinks:Apple Removes Wordle Apps Fueled by Confused Users (Bloomberg)Game maker says Apple, Google selling rip-offs in new lawsuit (Reuters)In bad news for US cloud services, Austrian website’s use of Google Analytics found to breach GDPR (TechCrunch)Canalys: Worldwide PC shipments soared in 2021 to 341 million units (TechCrunch)Instagram, still benefiting from TikTok’s ban in India, again became the top app by downloads in Q4 (TechCrunch)China to create own NFT industry based on state-backed blockchain infrastructure, main developer says (South China Morning Post)Nuro’s newest autonomous delivery bot is designed for the masses (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The FTC gets a second shot at Meta, after a judge okays their lawsuit edit. Samsung ghost on its own event. The state of the mobile app economy. Is cloning Wordle to release an app ok or not? And the new app at the top of the App Store that definitely comes from the, why didn’t I think of that file.Sponsors:EditorX.comLinks:‘Second time lucky?’ FTC’s case against Facebook can move forward, federal judge rules. (Washington Post)Samsung no-showed on its major Exynos 2200 launch [Update: Samsung speaks] (Ars Technica)Samsung Electronics to Unveil Exynos 2200 AP on Launch Day of Galaxy 22 (BusinessKorea)App Annie: Global app stores’ consumer spend up 19% to $170B in 2021, downloads grew 5% to 230B (TechCrunch)The Wordle clones have disappeared from the App Store (The Verge)Locket, an app for sharing photos to friends’ homescreens, hits the top of the App Store (TechCrunch)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.