M&A Episodes

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.

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.

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.com 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.

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?

Take-Two takes out Zynga for $12.7 billion dollars. The SEC wants private unicorn companies to report more financial details. The open source developer who borked a bunch of projects to protest working for the man, I guess. And the weekend Web3 debate between Moxie Marlinspike and Vitalic Buterin.

Another tech deal goes on a deathwatch, but this time it’s Nvidia and Arm, and this time I think it’s for real. Google is probably working on its own smartwatch. Didi is the first Chinese stock to delist in the west. Instagram is ENCOURAGING you to create a Finsta. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.

The UK quashes the Giphy acquisition, but is it actually dead? Maybe not. Was Cyber Monday a bit of a disappointment this year? Why your Pixel phone might reject your cheep charging cable. AWS’s new tools to help you build robots. And a profile of Twitter’s new CEO.

PayPal wants to buy Pinterest and everybody is trying to figure out why. Devs, you can now begin testing Android apps on Windows 11. Gamers, you can now do some powerful gaming for the low, low price of $100 a month. Some, just, spectacularly monster raises in the crypto space. And I get talked out of the Microsoft Surface Duo again.

Automattic acquires the popular iOS and iPad OS journaling app, Day One. Everybody wants a piece of Stripe. Stripe wants to be the “Stripe for Identity” all by itself. With HBO vanquished, now Netflix wants to become Disney faster than Disney can become Netflix. And could I interest you in an NFT of the entire World Wide Web?

Microsoft acquires the biggest name in speech tech. Apple is maybe developing some home gadgets I feel like they should have done years ago. Might we see new iPads by the end of the month? Google wants to stop you from walking and texting. And a review of the new Mercedes-Benz entrant into the EV wars.  Sponsors:Skiff.org/ride Netgear.com/bestwifi and promocode:tech10  Links:Microsoft buys speech recognition firm Nuance in a $16 billion deal (CNBC)Apple Working on Combined TV Box, Speaker to Revive Home Efforts (Bloomberg)Apple Facing Supply Shortage of Upcoming High-End iPad Displays (Bloomberg)Ant to Be Financial Holding Firm in Overhaul Forced by China (Bloomberg)Alibaba’s rivals on alert after China’s regulators hand out record fine (FT)Google starts rolling out “Heads Up” in Digital Wellbeing to stop distracted walking (XDA Developers)THE 2022 MERCEDES-BENZ EQS IS A DECLARATION OF MAXIMUM ELECTRIC LUXURY (The Verge)

The Visa/Plaid merger is called off, and I’ll tell you why I think this is a sign of the current situation for tech. More tectonic shifts in the chip industry including Qualcomm acquiring a startup and Intel losing its CEO. More smoke around the fire story of an Apple Car. And Facebook has noticed you downloaded Signal. Sponsors:Netgear.com/bestwifiMetalab.co Links: Visa Abandons Planned Acquisition of Plaid After DOJ Challenge (WSJ)Qualcomm eyes challenge to Apple, Intel with $1.4 billion deal for chip startup (Reuters) Intel CEO Bob Swan to step down, VMware CEO Pat Gelsinger to replace him (CNBC) AMD CEO Dr. Lisa Su: Interview on 2021 Demand, Supply, Tariffs, Xilinix and EPYC (AnandTech) Every Deleted Parler Post, Many With Users' Location Data, Has Been Archived (Gizmodo) Parler Users Breached Deep Inside U.S. Capitol Building, GPS Data Shows (Gizmodo) Exclusive: Apple held talks with EV startup Canoo in 2020 (The Verge) WhatsApp clarifies it’s not giving all your data to Faceb…

A full analysis of the huge Salesforce/Slack deal. What HPE leaving Silicon Valley means, even if only symbolically. Qualcomm’s new flagship Snapdragon chip. All the announcements from AWS re:Invent. A smartwatch with a 9 day battery life and putting holograms right on your mantle might finally be getting practical. Sponsors: ImPartner.com/ridehomedemo GetRoman.com/techmeme Links: Salesforce buys Slack in a $27.7B megadeal (TechCrunch) Why Salesforce bought Slack (Divinations) Hewlett Packar...

AMD does indeed buy Xilinx for $35 billion dollars. The UK bans locked phones. Tinder rolls out video dating. Zoom finally rolls out encryption. A major breakthrough in OLED technology has major implications for VR and for porn. And why the no-code movement might actually usher in the true computing revolution we were promised all along. Sponsors: MailmanHQ.com Monday.com/ride Links: AMD Acquiring Xilinx In Bold, $35B Semiconductor Mega-Deal (Forbes) UK announces ban on sale of network-locked...

Has TikTok found its buyer? Lenovo launches its flagship laptop. Netflix is offering free access to some of its originals. Amazon can officially start drone delivery. But drug cartels are already using drones for assassinations. And the billion dollar black market for stolen video game accounts for games like Fortnite and Roblox. Sponsors: Metalab.co BlueNile.com code RIDE GetSideQuest.app/ride Links: TikTok deal to sell U.S. business could be announced as soon as Tuesday (CNBC) The Yoga 9i i...

Ok, if things couldn’t get any weirder, what if I told you Walmart really wants to buy TikTok. Has anyone noticed that Facebook is actively working to keep the App Store controversies in the news? I say thumbs down to a sidekick inspired smartphone, but thumbs up to completely under the screen selfie cameras. And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: TinyCapital.com Masterworks.io, select PODCAST, then enter: RIDE GetSideQuest.app/ride Links: Walmart wanted to be majority own...

Sources say Nvidia is in talks to buy Arm. Music Videos are coming to Facebook in a bigger way. The iPhone is delayed a tiny bit. A run-down of the earnings reports: TLDR: Apple made a ton of money when people thought they wouldn’t but Alphabet shrunk for the first time ever. And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Metalab.co JoinFightCamp.com/techmeme Links: Nvidia in talks to buy Arm from SoftBank for more than $32bn (Financial Times) Facebook Is Set to Finally Get the R...

Softbank looks like it might want to unload Arm, so let me blow your mind for a second: what if Apple bought Arm? The UK has completely flip flopped on Huawei, now going the full ban route. Is Google the next to line up an investment in Reliance Jio? And Amazon has unveiled a cashier negating shopping cart. Sponsors: TinyCapital.com KiwiCo.com/ride Links: SoftBank Explores Sale or IPO for Chip Designer Arm Holdings (WSJ) SoftBank hires Goldman Sachs to explore sale options for chip designer A...

SiriusXM looks like it is stepping up to be the big competitor to Spotify in the podcasting space by lining up Podcasting’s biggest ever acquisition. More worrying signs if you’re a regular user of TikTok. Again, everyone wants a piece of Reliance Jio and a piece of the Indian market. And why Apple is warning people about covering the camera on your laptop. Sponsors: TinyCapital.com BuyRaycon.com/tech Links: SiriusXM Is Buying Stitcher in Deal Worth Up to $325 Million (Variety) Amazon says it...

Uber buys Postmates for $2.65 billion dollars. There’s an Xbox Series X event coming later this month. An algorithm that could PREDICT Covid-19 outbreaks. Florida becomes the first to enact a DNA privacy law. And Sony’s new, wearable air conditioner, the Reon Pocket. Sponsors: Grammarly.com/techmeme Wipers123.com offer code RIDE Links: Uber agrees to buy food-delivery service Postmates for $2.65 billion in stock (CNBC) Uber acquires meal delivery service Postmates for $2.65 billion (The Verge...

Amazon is officially in the self-driving car game. Microsoft is officially keeping its retail stores closed… forever. Verizon had joined the Facebook ad boycott. And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Links: TinyCapital.com Tovala.com/ride Links: Amazon to buy self-driving technology company Zoox (CNBC) Microsoft is permanently closing its retail stores (CNBC) Verizon is pulling advertising from Facebook and Instagram (CNBC) TikTok says it will stop accessing clipboard content on...

The US strikes at Huawei again. Apple acquires a VR startup and there’s conflicting rumors on those AR glasses. Is Silicon Valley really about to become a ghost town? And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: TinyCapital.com Classified Ad: IbisWritingAcademy.com Links: U.S. moves to cut Huawei off from global chip suppliers as China eyes retaliation (Reuters) Scoop: Facebook to buy Giphy for $400 million (Axios) Apple Acquires Startup NextVR that Broadcasts VR Content (Blo...

The video conferencing space is so hot, we’re getting steamy M&A action now. Apple wants to get stylish with over the ear headphones. Robinhood bucks a couple of trends with a new round. And is Facebook’s Libra just gonna drop like a stone? Sponsors:Kiwico.com/rideDoubleUp.agency Links: Verizon Buys Zoom Conferencing Rival BlueJeans (The Verge) Apple Developing High-End Headphones With Interchangeable Parts (Bloomberg) Sony Plans Limited PlayStation 5 Output in First Year (Bloomberg) Robinhood...

Snapchat launches its Stories syndication program. Fitbit has a powerful new fitness tracker. Microsoft and Spotify release some family friendly features and apps. It’s time for Zoom to come under the spotlight for privacy concerns. And a court has ruled that simply breaking a site's terms of service does not constitute criminal hacking. Sponsors: F5.com/ride TinyCaptial.com Links: Apple purchases hyperlocal weather app Dark Sky, ending API and killing Android apps (9to5Mac) Snapchat preempts ...