Episodes

Feb. 22, 2024

Thu. 02/22 – Nvidia’s Earnings Are Epic

The most important tech company in the world right now reported earnings yesterday, and they were historic. Stability AI is previewing Stable Diffusion 3.0. Google has to fix some if its AI image generation details. Amazon is getting aggressive about bringing sports to streaming. And has a startup …
Feb. 21, 2024

Wed. 02/21 – Apple Has Quantum Encrypted iMessage

Signal finally rolls out usernames, but Apple goes one better security-wise, by quantum encrypting iMessage. Weirdly, Apple also launched a standalone sports scores app. Gemma is an open-source flavor of Gemini from Google. And Reddit wants to reserve some IPO shares for its users.
Feb. 20, 2024

Tue. 02/20 – LockBit Ransomware Gang Taken Down

Perhaps the biggest law enforcement action against a ransomware gang ever. Once again, you could view other people’s cameras on your Wyze camera. How Anthropic is raising to do battle with OpenAI. Are the VCs flocking back to San Francisco? And comprehensive proof that defense tech is the new VC ho…
Feb. 19, 2024

(Bonus) BlueSky CEO Jay Graber

An interview with Bluesky CEO Jay Graber about the future of social media.
Feb. 16, 2024

Fri. 02/16 – Sora Brings Text To Video AI To Life

Huge watershed reveal of OpenAI’s Sora, its first text-to-video model, which can create up to a minute of 1080p video. We used to have a Today In Elon segment. We’re close to needing a Today In Sam Altman one. Increasing signs the Crypto winter is ending. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Sugge…
Feb. 15, 2024

Thu. 02/15 – We Already Have Gemini 1.5!

Google’s moving fast. They’ve already launched Gemini 1.5. An EU court rules breaking encryption violates human rights. Why social media is flooded with posts of users returning their Apple Vision Pros. And more proof that the AI moment is making Nvidia one of the most powerful tech companies in th…
Feb. 14, 2024

Wed. 02/14 – Zuck Has His Own Social Media Post About The Vision Pro

Even Mark Zuckerberg is posting about the Apple Vision Pro. In short: he’s not impressed. Walmart might buy a smart TV maker for the ads. Y Combinator has a new list of the type of startups it wants to see. Maybe don’t give all your secrets to those AI “girlfriend” bots. And why you might have a ha…
Feb. 13, 2024

Tue. 02/13 – Why Microsoft’s Xbox Strategy Shift Is A Big Deal

Threads gets “today’s topics.” iMessage and Bing dodge EU DMA regulation. Why Temu bought a bunch of SuperBowl ads. Nvidia’s Chat with RTX lets you run your own ChatGPT right on your Windows machine. And why Microsoft’s forthcoming Xbox strategy shift is potentially such a big deal.
Feb. 12, 2024

Mon. 02/12 – Luddite Riots?

Is actual neo-ludditeism going to become a thing, as some people have predicted? Google reveals the strength of its subscription businesses. A review of Google’s Gemini. Bluesky is open and doing some interesting things. And what about the strategic position Snap suddenly finds itself in?
Feb. 9, 2024

Fri. 02/09 – Sam Altman Wants To Raise $5 Trillion Dollars. With a T.

Sam Altman wants to raise more money for his chip ambitions than the entire semiconductor industry. The Feds might put the breaks on Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision… again. Is Ring raising its subscription doorbell prices too much? And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.
Feb. 8, 2024

Thu. 02/08 – Google Releases Gemini Ultra 1.0

Google has released Gemini Ultra 1.0, renamed Bard as Gemini and looks to be replacing Google Assistant with Gemini. Disney has invested in a big stake of Epic Games to get at Fortnite IP. Leaked images of the Pixel Fold 2. And what if OpenAI is facing the same strategic dilemma that Mark Zuckerber…
Feb. 7, 2024

Wed. 02/07 – AI Watermarks And New Apple AI Models

OpenAI is adding watermarks to Dall-E 3 images. A new AI model from Apple. A new open source model that is king of the LLM hill. More rumors of a foldable iPhone. A new streaming service that will be like Hulu but for sports. And the specific words and phrases that will get your college application…
Feb. 6, 2024

Tue. 02/06 – Don’t Forget Your Vision Pro Password!

Don’t forget your Vision Pro password, or else you’re going to have to return it to the Apple Store to use it again. Why are the gaming platforms willing to play nice all of the sudden. The AI that can spit out fake IDs in seconds. Does Google owe you yet more money? And more signs the tech recessi…
Feb. 5, 2024

Mon. 02/05 – The Most Shocking Deepfake Scam Of The AI Era

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 …
Feb. 3, 2024

(Bonus) a16z's Chris Dixon On His New Book And Web3

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!
Feb. 2, 2024

Fri. 02/02 – Facebook’s Golden Age Is Now

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.
Feb. 1, 2024

Thu. 02/01 – A Tech Regulation Tipping Point?

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.
Jan. 31, 2024

Wed. 01/31 – Tech Execs Back Before Congress

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.
Jan. 30, 2024

Tue. 01/30 – The Vision Pro Reviews Are Here

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.
Jan. 29, 2024

Mon. 01/29 – Is Arc Search The Future Of Search I Was Talking About?

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.
Jan. 27, 2024

(Bonus) Baratunde Thurston On The Apple Vision Pro

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.
Jan. 26, 2024

Fri. 01/26 – CRACK! The App Store Opens Up. Or Does It?

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…
Jan. 25, 2024

Thu. 01/25 – Will Nintendo Try To Shut Down Palworld?

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…
Jan. 24, 2024

Wed. 01/24 – Netflix’s Cheapest Ad-Free Plan Is Going Away

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 ca…