Episodes

July 20, 2021

Tue. 07/20 – Apple Once More The Canary In The Covid Coal Mine?

Apple puts a pause on its return to the office plans. Rumors of a new iPad mini redesign. Product Hunt launches an investment fund. If you want a tool to see if you’ve been pwned by NSO’s Pegasus software, I’ve got you. And Bezos in space…
July 19, 2021

Mon. 07/19 – NSO Group (Allegedly) Pwning Everyone

The NSO Group is back in the headlines, and it’s maybe, the worst allegations of hacking for hire yet. The US and NATO blame China for the Exchange Server hacks. Does iOS now split the market with Android, at least in the US? And is Tesla charging customers for hardware they already paid for? Spon…
July 17, 2021

(TWTR SPC) Black Widow Math And Fleets Fade Away

Bloomberg's @Lucas_Shaw comes on to explain the math of that Black Widow stream release story from Monday. Then @alexeheath from the Verge explains the death of Fleets, the creator thirst at Facebook and then we all get into the questioning the real value/process of Twitter verification.
July 16, 2021

Fri. 07/16 – Can Intel Acquire Its Way Back Into Contention?

Intel is considering a major acquisition to leapfrog back into semi-conductor contention. Valve releases its long rumored hardware device. Why they were able to make a deep face of Anthony Bourdain’s voice. And of course, the weekend longread suggestions.
July 15, 2021

Thu. 07/15 – Oh Yeah. It Definitely Looks Like Netflix Is Getting Into Gaming.

Netflix hires a big name gaming executive. Twitter retires Fleets. Facebook wants to make it rain for creators. TSMC says the chip shortage is starting to ease. Amazon launches serialized storytelling. And one of the biggest unicorns in the world, just 6x’d in less than a year.
July 14, 2021

Wed. 07/14 – Did Apple Deep-Six 69? (NOT Nice!)

Bunch of Apple news. A new “buy now, pay later” service. A MagSafe battery pack. Is content moderation a hot new area for startups? Facebook groups can now get actual designated experts. REvil has suddenly gone dark. And why does iOS seemingly find 69 degrees Fahrenheit to be NOT nice! Sponsors:Aw…
July 13, 2021

Tue. 07/13 – Bribe Or Bot Your Way To Twitter Verification?

If Twitter verification is now run by humans, how did so many obvious bot accounts get verified? Why you might start seeing brand logos in your emails, and why that’s actually a good thing. Biden's non-compete clause executive order is a big deal for Big Tech. And a look at the absurdity of the rig…
July 12, 2021

Mon. 07/12 – Is InfoSec The New Fintech?

Is InfoSec the new Fintech when it comes to investor hotness? Did ByteDance make the right move by putting its IPO on ice? Why Amazon looks like it’s going heavy into the sleep gadget game. Why the EU is postponing its digital tax initiative. And why Black Widow’s release this weekend is giving Hol…
July 8, 2021

Thu. 07/08 – The States Go After Google First

State Attorneys General file an antitrust suit against Google. But why them, first? Visa wants you to spend crypto via their platform. Fintech leads a record first half of the year for VC raises. And if payment for order flow were nixed by the SEC, what would that do to Robinhood?
July 7, 2021

Wed. 07/07 – Pentagon, RE: The JEDI Contract: Jkjkjkjkjk

The Pentagon wants a do-over for that JEDI contract. YC wants to do Tinder but for founder matchmaking. Amazon open sources its gaming engine. How about NFT’s but for the stock market? And if you think China is cracking down on tech companies, wait till you hear how they want to regulate when and h…
July 6, 2021

Tue. 07/06 – New Nintendo Switch (Finally/Kinda)

Nintendo finally announces the new Switch, but how new is it really? What the heck is happening with Didi and China? REvil strikes again, and what that might mean for the hacking situation going forward. And on a day of big geopolitical news, might big tech platforms be chased out of India and Hong…
July 3, 2021

(SPC CST) The Facebook Antitrust Blowup With @Kantrowitz

Alex Kantrowitz of the Big Technology newsletter comes on to try to help us work out what happened with that Facebook Antitrust case blowup. Also, what does this mean for regulating other companies.
Guest: Alex Kantrowitz
July 2, 2021

Fri. 07/02 – Robinhood’s IPO Success Depends On Doge?

Robinhood files for its long-awaited IPO. The Chinese government took the shine off of Didi’s recent IPO. More new features from Twitter. Is Apple the first to take advantage of 3nm chips? And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.
July 1, 2021

Thu. 07/01 – Instagram Is “No Longer A Photo-Sharing App”

Instagram and TikTok are on a collision course. Instagram wants to be more like TikTok, while TikTok hopes to move the goalposts first. Amazon wants Lina Khan to recuse herself. Big tech is not only taking over advertising, it’s consolidating it. And anyone can get their hands on Starlink next mont…
June 30, 2021

Wed. 06/30 – Facebook’s Substack Clone

Facebook launches its Substack clone. Emphasis on clone. Shopify joins the platform tax wars by going to zero. A truce between Microsoft and Google has just lapsed. A big raise in the drone space. And would you pay to get actual search results instead of ads?
June 29, 2021

Tue. 06/29 – Facebook Beats The Rap

A judge has completely thrown out the FTC’s antitrust lawsuit against Facebook and sent them back to the drawing board. Microsoft and OpenAI and Github have a tool that will suggest code to you as you code. And Sam Altman, as I understand this, wants to do Universal Basic Income on the blockchain. …
June 28, 2021

Mon. 06/28 – Binance Runs Into Trouble Around The Globe

The UK orders a halt to regulated activities by Binance, joining everybody, all the sudden. Qualcomm unveils the Snapdragon 888 Plus. Lenovo unveils an Android tablet that works as a portable monitor. And meet the activists perfecting the craft of anti-surveillance.
June 26, 2021

(SPC CST) a16z's Future Plans And Audio Spaces With @smc90 and @kyurieff

We have two special guests this week! The first is Sonal Chokshi, Editor in Chief of a16z and showrunner of a16z podcasts. We’ll be getting her perspective on the launch of FUTURE, which we discussed last week. ​Second, as the major social platforms (save for YouTube!) have launched their social…
Guests: Sonal Chokshi , Kaya Yurieff
June 25, 2021

Fri. 06/25 – Some Western Digital NAS Devices Are Getting Ill (matic?)

Some Western Digital NAS devices are getting ill (matic). A breakdown of the 5 or 6 big tech antitrust bills that just passed House committees. Windows 11 is free, but what if your device can’t run it? Also, more on Microsoft’s anti-Apple posturing. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.
June 24, 2021

Thu. 06/24 – New Windows!

The new Windows is Windows 11. Google delays the Adpodcalypse. BuzzFeed finally to go public. Comcast is having issues with Peacock. Google and Jio’s cheap smartphone is announced. Is the biggest ever crypto crime story evolving right now in South Africa? And RIP John McAfee.
June 23, 2021

Wed. 06/23 – Microsoft Joins The $2T Club

Ticketed Space and Super Follows begin to roll out, and depending on how you slice it, folks stand to make a ton of money… or a ton of money for the app stores. Speaking of, Apple launches a PR campaign defending the App Store on security grounds. Microsoft becomes the second company to reach the $…
June 22, 2021

Tue. 06/22 – More EU Trouble For Google

Another antitrust investigation formally opened against Google in Europe. Facebook’s Oculus ad partner thinks better of the experiment. Stephen Spielberg decides that Netflix’s money is as green as anybody’s. Ransomware gangs are abandoning bitcoin. And Amazon, at least, still believes in autonomou…
June 21, 2021

Mon. 06/21 – Can Facebook Win Audio?

Facebook’s Clubhouse clone rolls out. Here’s how it works. China really does seem to be cracking down on Bitcoin mining. Here’s why that could be important. Some power companies in Texas are remotely adjusting the smart thermostats of users. Here’s why that’s likely the future of things. And had yo…
June 18, 2021

Fri. 06/18 – Cell Networks Security Deliberately Nerfed?

Were some of the base encryption algorithms on cell networks deliberately nerfed? The first ever mass arrest of a ransomware gang? Proof that Google is working on a FindMy network rival? And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.