Tech Brew Ride Home

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: C...

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? S...

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, pe...

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! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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/go GetSunday.com/ride Links: Elon Musk says he has found a ne...

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/go Bloomberg.com/careers Links: Twitter's encrypted DMs are here — but only for verified users (Engadget)...

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/cic Grammarly.com/go Links: Google Photos to...

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/go Notion.com/ride Links: Coinbase CEO says SEC is on ‘lone crusade,’ dials back on suggestion exchange may reloca...

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/techmeme Grammarly.com/go Links: Google Plans to Make Search More ‘Personal’ with AI Chat and Video Clips ...

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 techmeme OregonState.edu/believe-it Links: Apple CEO Tim Cook says AI is "huge," but care is needed (Axios) Hu...

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/careers The Traceroute Podcast Links:...

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 ride OregonState.edu Links: You...

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.com Bloomberg.com/careers Links: Hollywood Writers Strik...

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/techmeme This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a tr...

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! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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...

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/careers Miro.com/podcast Links: New York City Subway Ends Twitter Service Alerts After Musk Raises Price (Bloomberg) Redd...

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/podcast...

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: techmeme Miro.com/podcast Links: UK Blocks Microsoft’s $69 Billion Activision Deal (Bloomberg) Mic...

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-it Miro.com/podcast Links: Coinbase Asks Court to Force SEC to Clarify Crypto...

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/podcast Links: Elon Caves, Gives Blue Checks Back to Twitter’s Biggest Celebs (...

Again, my Internet History Podcast interview with Chamath Palihapitiya of the All In podcast from 2016. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Again, this is a republishing of my Jason Calacanis interview from the Internet History Podcast. Sponsors: Bloomberg.com/careers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices