Episodes

Nov. 1, 2019

Fri. 11/01 - Google Acquires Fitbit

Google acquires Fitbit, Apple TV+ officially launches, might the US Government be about to bring the hammer down on TikTok, and of course, the Weekend Longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Tiny Capital Leap.FidelityCareers.com Links: Google to acquire Fitbit, valuing the smartwatch maker at about $2.1 billion (CNBC) Maps Incognito is launching for Google Maps Android Users (Google Maps Help) Apple TV+ is now live in the TV app: Start watching Apple’s original TV shows and movies (9to5Mac) Exclusive: ...
Fri. 11/01 - Google Acquires Fitbit
Techmeme Ride Home
Fri. 11/01 - Google Acquires Fitbit
Oct. 31, 2019

Thu. 10/31 - Twitter Takes A Stand (And Subtweets Facebook)

Twitter says it will ban ALL political advertising, Cognizant says it is getting out of the content moderation business, Facebook earnings are good, Apple earnings are good… and evolving, and can the Chinese monitor SMS messages at the provider level, at scale? Sponsors: Tiny Capital Leap.FidelityCareers.com Links: Jack Dorsey's Twitter Thread Zuckerberg defends politician ads that will be 0.5% of 2020 revenue (TechCrunch) Aaron Sorkin: An Open Letter to Mark Zuckerberg (NYTimes) Facebook shares...
Thu. 10/31 - Twitter Takes A Stand (And Subtweets Facebook)
Techmeme Ride Home
Thu. 10/31 - Twitter Takes A Stand (And Subtweets Facebook)
Oct. 30, 2019

Wed. 10/30 - HBO Max Deets

WhatsApp sues the NSO Group about that crazy exploit, Uber is threating to sue Los Angeles about a crazy tracking program that I’m not sure about, we’ve got the full details surrounding HBO Max, an activist is taking Facebook’s political advertising policy to its logical conclusion, and how come none of you told me about Mario Kart Tour? Sponsors: Tiny Capital Pessimists Archive Podcast Links: Why WhatsApp is pushing back on NSO Group hacking (Washington Post) WhatsApp Says Israeli Firm Used Its...
Wed. 10/30 - HBO Max Deets
Techmeme Ride Home
Wed. 10/30 - HBO Max Deets
Oct. 29, 2019

Tue. 10/29 - Playstation Vue Goes To The Deadpool

Earnings from Alphabet and Shopify, hacking the Olympics, the Rise of the Rest rides again, Amazon is making grocery delivery free and letting you pay your electric bill via Alexa, and don’t update your HomePod, or you might brick it. Sponsors: Tiny Capital leap.fidelitycareers.com Links: Alphabet Earnings Dented by Spending on Cloud Business (Bloomberg) Shopify Shares Tumble After Surprise Loss on Spending Boost (Bloomberg) Microsoft: Russian hackers are targeting sporting organizations ahead o...
Tue. 10/29 - Playstation Vue Goes To The Deadpool
Techmeme Ride Home
Tue. 10/29 - Playstation Vue Goes To The Deadpool
Oct. 28, 2019

Mon. 10/28 - Who Needs An Event? The AirPods Pro Are Here!

AirPods Pro are here, new Nvidia streaming gadgets are here, Alphabet might be about to acquire Fitbit, the fallout from the Pentagon JEDI contract and what happens when your entire city orders from Amazon every single day. Sponsors: Tinycapital.com LinkedIn.com/ride Links: Apple reveals new AirPods Pro, available October 30 (Apple NewsRoom) Apple unveils new in-ear AirPods Pro coming October 30 for $249 (9to5Mac) Google parent Alphabet makes offer to buy Fitbit, sending stock soaring (CNBC) Nvi...
Mon. 10/28 - Who Needs An Event? The AirPods Pro Are Here!
Techmeme Ride Home
Mon. 10/28 - Who Needs An Event? The AirPods Pro Are Here!
Oct. 26, 2019

(Bonus) The Fate (And Legacy) Of Yahoo, With Harry McCracken

The news that Yahoo was shutting down Yahoo Groups, as I said, was another gut punch when you realize how much of the web’s history is so ephemeral. It also got me thinking that Yahoo as a company might be about to go down the memory hole, and that got me thinking about Yahoo’s legacy as perhaps the first great Internet company, and that got me talking to one of the deans of tech journalism, Harry McCracken. What IS Yahoo’s legacy? Why has it ended up the way it has? And also, why do we feel nos...
(Bonus) The Fate (And Legacy) Of Yahoo, With Harry McCracken
Techmeme Ride Home
(Bonus) The Fate (And Legacy) Of Yahoo, With Harry McCracken
Oct. 25, 2019

Fri. 10/25 - Introducing Facebook News

Introducing Facebook News. Did the major US Carriers do an end-run around Google out of spite? Amazon is back to making as little profit as it possibly can, HBO Max makes its aggressive pricing move, and, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions.Sponsors:MealimeLegalForce RAPC (650-390-6461 or raj@legalforcelaw.com)Links:Rupert Murdoch wanted Mark Zuckerberg to pay him for news stories — and now Facebook is going to do just that (Recode)[Update: Google responds] Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, a...
Fri. 10/25 - Introducing Facebook News
Techmeme Ride Home
Fri. 10/25 - Introducing Facebook News
Oct. 24, 2019

Thu. 10/24 - Is TikTok A “National Security Risk?”

Is TikTok a national security risk? Inquiring Senators want to know. Earnings running the gamut from bad to surprisingly good from Twitter, Amazon and Tesla. And to paraphrase an old saw: if a voicemail system goes down how would anyone even notice?Sponsors:MealimeLegalForce RAPC (650-390-6461 or raj@legalforcelaw.com)Links:TikTok raises national security concerns in Congress as Schumer, Cotton ask for federal review (The Washington Post)Music Video Upstart ‘Triller’ Says It’s Taking On Tik...
Thu. 10/24 - Is TikTok A “National Security Risk?”
Techmeme Ride Home
Thu. 10/24 - Is TikTok A “National Security Risk?”
Oct. 23, 2019

Wed. 10/23 - Google Says We've Achieved Quantum Supremacy!

Mr. Zuckerberg went back to Washington, Google claims “Quantum Supremacy,” Apple overtakes Starbucks, HireVue is a controversial AI hiring tool and is the influencer bubble on the wane?Sponsors:leap.Fidelitycareers.comMealime.comLinks:Zuckerberg, in Washington to Talk Cryptocurrency, Gets Grilled on Everything (NYTimes) Snapchat beats in Q3, adding 7M users & revenue up 50% (TechCrunch)Apple Pay Overtakes Starbucks as Top Mobile Payment App in the US (eMarketer)Google Claims a Quantum Break...
Wed. 10/23 - Google Says We've Achieved Quantum Supremacy!
Techmeme Ride Home
Wed. 10/23 - Google Says We've Achieved Quantum Supremacy!
Oct. 22, 2019

Tue. 10/22 - How Much Can Dark Mode Save Your Battery?

SoftBank is taking over WeWork in order to save it, Verizon will give you Disney+ for free, Surprise! Comcast’s “free” streaming box really isn’t, and how much does Dark Mode save in battery life? Quite a bit, it turns out… Sponsors: LegalForce RAPC (650-390-6461 or raj@legalforcelaw.com) Mealime.com Links: Neumann to Get Up to $1.7 Billion to Exit WeWork as SoftBank Takes Control (WSJ) Verizon Will Give One Year of Disney Plus for Free to All Unlimited Wireless Customers (Variety) Roku is buyin...
Tue. 10/22 - How Much Can Dark Mode Save Your Battery?
Techmeme Ride Home
Tue. 10/22 - How Much Can Dark Mode Save Your Battery?
Oct. 21, 2019

Mon. 10/21 - Review-A-Palooza

It’s review-a-palooza day with Surface reviews and Pixel 4 reviews. Also, Facebook announces new disinformation initiatives, and Microsoft announces a Secured-core PC initiative and Twitch wants in on the Watch Party action. Sponsors: Mealime Capterra.com/ride Links: Facebook disables Russian, Iranian networks, illustrating continued 2020 election threat (Washington Post) Helping to Protect the 2020 US Elections (Facebook Newsroom) Microsoft announces Secured-core PCs to counter firmware attacks...
Mon. 10/21 - Review-A-Palooza
Techmeme Ride Home
Mon. 10/21 - Review-A-Palooza
Oct. 18, 2019

Fri. 10/18 - Zuckerberg Says Free Speech Is Good! (Facebook, Also Good!)

Zuckerberg defends Facebook as a champion of free speech, will iPhone users have unlimited photo uploads to Google Photos while Pixel 4 owners will not, dial back your expectations for the Photoshop iPad app, the Vatican has a wearable prayer gadget, and, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions.Sponsors:WeWorkRemotely.comVistaprint.com promo code RideLinks:Samsung says fingerprint security fix is coming as early as next week (The Verge)Defiant Zuckerberg Says Facebook Won’t Police Poli...
Fri. 10/18 - Zuckerberg Says Free Speech Is Good! (Facebook, Also Good!)
Techmeme Ride Home
Fri. 10/18 - Zuckerberg Says Free Speech Is Good! (Facebook, Also Good!)
Oct. 17, 2019

Thu. 10/17 - Unlocking Tech on Phones Is Broken

Fingerprint sensors on the Galaxy S10 can be tricked by a phone case, the Pixel 4 face recognition system unlocks your phone even when you’re asleep, Netflix kicks off tech earnings season, Airbnb’s losses double, and Travis Kalanick is getting the Billion’s treatment. Paging Bobby Axelrod... Sponsors: WeWorkRemotely.com GetQuip.com/ride Links: Samsung to patch the Galaxy S10’s fingerprint sensor over screen protector concerns (The Verge) Netflix soars 8% after beating on earnings, despite miss ...
Thu. 10/17 - Unlocking Tech on Phones Is Broken
Techmeme Ride Home
Thu. 10/17 - Unlocking Tech on Phones Is Broken
Oct. 16, 2019

Wed. 10/16 - Twitter Gonna Twitter

Twitter explains how world leaders can break its rules but they’ll kinda, sorta crack down on them. LinkedIn launches Events, Giphy launches Giphy arcade, DoNotPay fascinates me, and a debrief on yesterday’s Google event. Sponsors: WeWorkRemotely.com Leap.FidelityCareers.com Links: Twitter says it will restrict users from retweeting world leaders who break its rules (TechCrunch) Huawei Reports Stronger Sales Growth (NYTimes) LinkedIn gets physical, debuts Events hub for people to plan in-person ...
Wed. 10/16 - Twitter Gonna Twitter
Techmeme Ride Home
Wed. 10/16 - Twitter Gonna Twitter
Oct. 15, 2019

Tue. 10/15 - The #MadeByGoogle Event

All the headlines from the Google hardware event, Apple butts in with new Beats, Libra loses another one, your movie theater wants to rent you movies, and Fortnite is back from the “black hole.” Sponsors: WeWorkRemotely Zapier.com/ride Links: PIXELBOOK GO: GOOGLE FINALLY MADE A REASONABLY PRICED CHROMEBOOK (The Verge) Google announces Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL (The Verge) BEATS ANNOUNCES SOLO PRO ON-EAR HEADPHONES WITH NOISE CANCELLATION (The Verge) Facebook's Libra announces board as support shrin...
Tue. 10/15 - The #MadeByGoogle Event
Techmeme Ride Home
Tue. 10/15 - The #MadeByGoogle Event
Oct. 14, 2019

Mon. 10/14 - Apple's Chinese Conundrum

More China related controversy for Apple, for gaming, for all of tech really… but why Apple suddenly finds itself in a unique bind. More iPhone SE 2 rumors, the latest installment of “Will We Actually Ever See Libra?” and why nobody can play Fortnite right now. Sponsors: WeWorkRemotely.com MintMobile.com/ride Links: How safe is Apple’s Safe Browsing? (Matthew Green) Chinese app on Xi’s ideology allows data access to users’ phones, report says (The Washington Post) Kuo: iPhone SE 2 Launching in Q...
Mon. 10/14 - Apple's Chinese Conundrum
Techmeme Ride Home
Mon. 10/14 - Apple's Chinese Conundrum
Oct. 11, 2019

Fri. 10/11 - Gruber Says Tim Cook's Email "Doesn't Add Up"

More on Apple’s China controversy, hands-on with Google’s Pixelbook Go laptop, Twitter returns to the Mac, Africa’s first homegrown smartphone, SpaceX and NASA kiss and make up, and of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Castro CognitoHQ.com Today In Digital Marketing Podcast Links: TIM COOK’S COMPANY-WIDE MEMO ON HKMAP.LIVE DOESN’T ADD UP (Daring Fireball) Exclusive: This is the Google Pixelbook Go [Gallery] (9to5Google) Twitter releases new Catalyst app for macOS Catalina (The...
Fri. 10/11 - Gruber Says Tim Cook's Email "Doesn't Add Up"
Techmeme Ride Home
Fri. 10/11 - Gruber Says Tim Cook's Email "Doesn't Add Up"
Oct. 10, 2019

Thu. 10/10 - Apple Removed the App Again...

Apple takes down the Hong Kong app that it reinstated after taking it down in the first place, Waymo will soon let real people into driverless cars, Grammarly is the newest unicorn, and why, if you live in the Bay Area, your house might be without power… but your work probably won’t be.Sponsors:CastroLegacybox.com/rideLinks:Apple Removes App That Helps Hong Kong Protesters Track the Police (NYTimes)APPLE REMOVES HKMAP.LIVE FROM APP STORE (Daring Fireball)Apple, Google Pull Hong Kong Protest...
Thu. 10/10 - Apple Removed the App Again...
Techmeme Ride Home
Thu. 10/10 - Apple Removed the App Again...
Oct. 9, 2019

Wed. 10/09 - Where Would We Be Without Lithium-Ion Batteries?

Twitter used your 2-Factor credentials to sell ads against you, the China/Hong Kong/tech controversies roll on, Mark Zuckerberg is going back to Washington, and the Nobel Prize for chemistry gives long overdue recognition to the most important technology innovation of our time. Sponsors: Today In Digital Marketing Podcast Castro Leap.FidelityCareers.com Links: Twitter says it unintentionally misused user data for advertising (Axios) Twitter says phone numbers users provided for security were ‘in...
Wed. 10/09 - Where Would We Be Without Lithium-Ion Batteries?
Techmeme Ride Home
Wed. 10/09 - Where Would We Be Without Lithium-Ion Batteries?
Oct. 8, 2019

Tue. 10/08 - The PlayStation 5 Is Coming!

The PlayStation 5 is coming in about a year and Wired has the details, Hulu finally lets you download video, a gamer is banned for voicing support for Hong Kong protesters, how the Galaxy Fold was “fixed,” and Robinhood takes another crack at Cash Management.Sponsors:CastroVistaprint.com promo code RideSponsors:Exclusive: A Deeper Look at the PlayStation 5 (Wired)Hulu finally launches support for downloads, initially to ad-free viewers (TechCrunch)Group Nine to Acquire PopSugar, Continuing ...
Tue. 10/08 - The PlayStation 5 Is Coming!
Techmeme Ride Home
Tue. 10/08 - The PlayStation 5 Is Coming!
Oct. 7, 2019

Mon. 10/07 - macOS Catalina is Here!

A Kindle Kids Edition is here, Sonos speakers via subscription is here, macOS Catalina is here, but the following tab is gone from Instagram, PayPal is ghosting Libra, and why investors think the time to jump into Quantum Computing is now. Sponsors: Castro Podcast App Today In Digital Marketing Podcast Links: Amazon debuts its first ever Kindle Kids Edition (CNET) New Sonos service lets you rent its speakers (The Verge) Instagram’s Following Activity Tab Is Going Away (BuzzFeed News) Music label...
Mon. 10/07 - macOS Catalina is Here!
Techmeme Ride Home
Mon. 10/07 - macOS Catalina is Here!
Oct. 5, 2019

(Bonus) Waymo's Head of Hardware, Satish Jeyachandran

Satish Jeyachandran is the Head of Hardware at Waymo. Before that he lead the self-driving team at Tesla, so he was in charge of the Autopilot team, and his job change lead to headlines at the time. Today Satish gives us a history lesson on Waymo, tells us what the future holds for self-driving tech generally, and most importantly for me, answers a question I’ve always wondered. Why go for full autonomy? If you can give me the ability to let the car drive itself on highways, why not give me that...
(Bonus) Waymo's Head of Hardware, Satish Jeyachandran
Techmeme Ride Home
(Bonus) Waymo's Head of Hardware, Satish Jeyachandran
Oct. 4, 2019

Fri. 10/04 - BAD Android Zero-Day Out There...

Really bad Android zero-day discovered, is the scooter space back? Apple makes an interesting acquisition, an exoskeleton allows a paralyzed man to walk again and of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: PixelUnion.net Election Ride Home podcast Links: Attackers exploit 0-day vulnerability that gives full control of Android phones (ArsTechnica) Bird raises $275 million Series D round at a $2.5 billion valuation (TechCrunch) Apple May Have Acquired Motion Capture Company IKinema [U...
Fri. 10/04 - BAD Android Zero-Day Out There...
Techmeme Ride Home
Fri. 10/04 - BAD Android Zero-Day Out There...
Oct. 3, 2019

Thu. 10/03 - These Two Content Recommendation Companies Merged… You Won’t Believe What Happened Next!

Instagram launches Threads, the iPhone SE might ride again, the biggest content recommendation players have merged, Vice Media and Refinery 29 have merged, and why has Apple banned an app for users in Hong Kong? Sponsors: PixelUnion.net Manscaped.com , code: "ride" Links: Instagram launches Threads, a Close Friends chat app with auto-status (TechCrunch) Facebook Can Be Forced to Delete Content Worldwide, E.U.’s Top Court Rules (NYTimes) Kuo: Apple to release ‘iPhone SE 2’ in Q1 2020 with iPhone ...
Thu. 10/03 - These Two Content Recommendation Companies Merged… You Won’t Believe What Happened Next!
Techmeme Ride Home
Thu. 10/03 - These Two Content Recommendation Companies Merged… You Won’t Believe What Happened Next!