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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 revealing the economics and motivation of tech media. Sponsors: ShipStation.com/ride code: ride Links: Finance worker pays out $25 million after video call with deepfake ‘chief financial officer’ (CNN) Vision Pro Teardown—Why Those Fake Eyes Look So Weird (iFixIt) Google Search’s cache links are officially being retired (The Verge) TECHCRUNCH+ TERMINATION ("Securities") YouTube Video Of Vision Pro Demos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

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. Sponsors: Nutrafol.com/men code: RIDEHOME Links: Amazon debuts ‘Rufus,’ an AI shopping assistant in its mobile app (TechCrunch) Cloudflare hacked using auth tokens stolen in Okta attack (BleepingComputer) The Browser Company Announces Act II for Arc: ‘The Browser That Browses For You’ (MacStories) The Arc browser is getting better bookmarks and search results, all thanks to AI (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: AI Can Speed Drug Discovery. But Is It Really Better Than a Human? (Bloomberg) The scariest sound on TikTok (The Verge) The 150 Greatest Science Fiction Movies of All Time (Rolling Stone) LATE BLOOMER (Vanity Fair) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Sponsors: Kolide.com/ride Links: Microsoft, X throw their weight behind KOSA, the controversial kids online safety bill (TechCrunch) Americans’ Social Media Use (Pew Research Center) Celsius to Distribute $3B Crypto to Creditors as Firm Emerges From Bankruptcy (CoinDesk) Google launches an AI-powered image generator (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Sponsors: Kolide.com/ride Links: Social media chiefs on defensive at US online child protection hearing (FT) TikTok CEO Pledges $2 Billion to Protect 170 Million US Users (Bloomberg) Child Safety Hearing (NYTimes) Universal Music Group Warns It Will Pull Songs From TikTok After Deal Expiration (Variety) 23andMe’s Fall From $6 Billion to Nearly $0 (WSJ) Humanoid Robot Startup Figure AI in Funding Talks With Microsoft, OpenAI (Bloomberg) Figure AI in talks with Microsoft and OpenAI for funding (ReadWrite) Figure-01: AI learns how to make coffee like a human (ReadWrite) Microsoft and OpenAI are in talks to inject $500 million into humanoid robotics startup Figure AI, report says (Business Insider) Hottest Job in Corporate America? The Executive in Charge of A.I. (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Sponsors: Notion.com/ride Links: Elon Musk’s Neuralink implants brain tech in human patient for the first time (CNBC) Microsoft Closes Loophole That Created AI Porn of Taylor Swift (404 Media) Meta releases ‘Code Llama 70B’, an open-source behemoth to rival private AI development (VentureBeat) Apple Vision Pro review: magic, until it’s not (The Verge) Apple Vision Pro review: A revolution in progress (Tom's Guide) Apple Vision Pro Review: The Best Headset Yet Is Just a Glimpse of the Future (WSJ) Apple’s Vision Pro is nearly here. But what can you do with it? (Washington Post) Apple Vision Pro Review: A Mind-Blowing Look at an Unfinished Future (CNET) YouTube Video Of My Interview With Chris Dixon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Links: Amazon Drops $1.4 Billion iRobot Deal; Vacuum Maker Cuts Jobs (Bloomberg) Arc Search combines browser, search engine, and AI into something new and different (The Verge) Arc’s new iPhone browser wants to be your search companion (TechCrunch) X Halts Taylor Swift Searches After Explicit AI Images Spread (WSJ) Chinese AR Glasses Maker Raises $60 Million to Compete With Apple (Bloomberg) Amazon Is Now Charging Prime Members Extra for Ad-Free Streaming. For Some, That’s a Deal Breaker. (WSJ) Games are helping the New York Times thrive amid media chaos (Axios) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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

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 is Cruise in trouble with the Feds? Links: iOS 17.4 Introduces Alternative App Marketplaces With No Commission in EU (MacRumors) Apple will prompt users to set default browsers and allow third-party web engines on iPhone in the EU (9to5Mac) Apple opens App Store to game streaming services (The Verge) Apple's EU Core Technology Fee Could Bankrupt Freemium App Developers (MacRumors) OpenAI drops prices and fixes ‘lazy’ GPT-4 that refused to work (TechCrunch) DOJ and SEC investigate GM-owned self-driving car company Cruise (WashingtonPost) Baratrunde Thurston Bonus Episode Video On YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 services are fueling a resurgence in piracy. Links: Inquiries Regarding Other Companies’ Games (The Pokemon Company) Microsoft lays off 1,900 Activision Blizzard and Xbox employees (The Verge) Google’s latest AI video generator can render cute animals in implausible situations (ArsTechnica) Pixel facing new storage issue, likely tied to January Google Play system update (9to5Google) Microsoft Teams now supports 3D and VR meetings (The Verge) Microsoft Closes at Record, Ends Just Shy of $3 Trillion Value (Bloomberg) Streaming Pirates Are Hollywood’s New Villains (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 car plans. And an interesting raise to help you pay your rent. Sponsors: Notion.com/ride Links: Netflix is going to take away its cheapest ad-free plan (The Verge) The secret to Netflix's total dominance (Business Insider) Spotify plans to launch in-app purchases, if Apple gets out of the way (The Verge) [Exclusive] Pixel 9 Pro 5K Renders and 360 Degree Video Provide First Look At Google’s Flagship Ahead of Launch (MySmartPrice) EBay to eliminate about 1,000 jobs, or 9% of full-time workforce (CNBC) Apple Dials Back Car’s Self-Driving Features and Delays Launch to 2028 (Bloomberg) Apple boosts plans to bring generative AI to iPhones (FT) Bilt Nabs $3.1 Billion Valuation, Ken Chenault Joins as Chairman (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Netflix is getting into the live event business in a big way by buying the rights to WWE wrestling. We have the first political ad incident of the AI era. Who’s really doing all the buying on apps like Shein and Temu? OpenAI struggles to fend of an army of girlfriend bots. And let me introduce you to Palworld. Sponsors: Notion.com/ride TryFum.com/ride and code ride Links: Netflix Pays $5 Billion for ‘Raw’ in Bet on Live Events (Bloomberg) Fake Joe Biden robocall tells New Hampshire Democrats not to vote Tuesday (NBCNews) iOS 17.3 is out, adding Stolen Device Protection for your iPhone (The Verge) Temu’s Most Loyal Shoppers Are Actually Boomers and Gen Xers (Bloomberg) OPENAI STRUGGLING TO DESTROY ONSLAUGHT OF AI GIRLFRIENDS (The Byte) AI girlfriend bots are already flooding OpenAI’s GPT store (QZ) The Rise of Palworld: How ‘Pokémon With Guns’ Became an Overnight Hit (Wired) Palworld is a hit, and it’s easy to see why (The Verge) Video of me flirting with an AI "girlfriend" bot YouTube of Saturday's Bonus Episode with Baratunde Thurston Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just what the title says. How many Vision Pros do we think Apple sold this weekend? And Mark Gurman has some ideas for why developers are so lukewarm on the product. Eleven Labs is an interesting raise. Sam Altman seems serious about making his own AI chips. And the breakthrough in VR from Disney Imagineers that would allow you to literally walk through the Metaverse. Sponsors: FactorMeals.com/ride50 and code ride50 for 50% off MindBloom.com/techmeme and code techmeme for $100 off Links: Vision Pro sales estimated at 160k to 180k over first three days (9to5Mac) Apple’s Testy Developer Relationships Threaten to Hamper Vision Pro (Bloomberg) Meta will let EU users unlink their Instagram, Facebook, and Messenger info ahead of DMA (The Verge) Voice cloning startup ElevenLabs lands $80M, achieves unicorn status (TechCrunch) Altman Seeks to Raise Billions for Network of AI Chip Factories (Bloomberg) Nightshade, the free tool that ‘poisons’ AI models, is now available for artists to use (VentureBeat) YouTube Video Of The Holotiles From Disney Imagineering Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Preorders for the Vision Pro begin, but huge new questions about partner support have arisen. Zuckerberg says he wants to open source AGI. You’re going to have to pay for those Galaxy AI features. Perplexity will power the rabbit r1. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Nutrafol.com/men and promocode Ridehome Links: YouTube and Spotify Won’t Launch Apple Vision Pro Apps, Joining Netflix (Bloomberg) A Survey of Popular Apps Currently Compatible With Apple Vision Pro (MacStories) Mark Zuckerberg’s new goal is creating artificial general intelligence (The Verge) EU Commission Intends to Block Amazon’s iRobot Acquisition (WSJ) Samsung says Galaxy AI features will only be free ‘until the end of 2025’ (9to5Google) The rabbit r1 will use Perplexity AI’s tech to answer your queries (TechCrunch) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: How Twitch lost its way (Fast Company) Astronomers spotted something perplexing near the beginning of time (Vox) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Google signals more layoffs are in the mail, but what’s interesting is what that says about Google specifically. Reddit is probably going to IPO in a few months. How did tying itself to ChatGPT work out for Bing? Why is Netflix not on the Vision Pro? And the fun parlor game that suggests AI spam is a human centipede situation. Sponsors: Robinhood.com/ride Notion.com/ride Links: Google CEO tells employees to expect more job cuts this year (The Verge) YouTube is restructuring creator management teams (TubeFilter) Exclusive: Reddit seeks to launch IPO in March (Reuters) Microsoft’s Bing Market Share Barely Budged With ChatGPT Add-On (Bloomberg) Apple's Vision Pro Won't Launch With Netflix App (Bloomberg) Startup Investors Have Fled The Metaverse (CrunchBaseNews) I’m sorry, but I cannot fulfill this request as it goes against OpenAI use policy (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All the headlines from the Galaxy Unpacked event earlier today. Apple revises its App Store rules but in a way that seems to a lot of people to be in “bad faith.” The big, and big-money talent war going on between Google and OpenAI. And Tesla and Uber are working together to make Uber completely emissions-free. Sponsors: ArcticWolf.com/techmeme Hims.com/ride Links: The Galaxy S24 Ultra is smarter, pricier, and just as big as ever (The Verge) Apple revises US App Store rules to let developers link to outside payment methods, but it will still charge a commission (9to5Mac) Apple allows devs to promote subscriptions on the web with a 27% cut (TechCrunch) Google updates Chrome Incognito disclaimer amid $5 billion lawsuit settlement (MSPowerUser) Google’s Defense Against OpenAI Talent Grab: Special Stock (The Information) Exclusive: Uber steps up efforts to get drivers into Teslas (Axios) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The app that was supposed to be TikTok but for news is shutting down. Apple tops global smartphone sales for the first time ever. Microsoft debuts Copilot Pro. How the Apple Vision Pro demos are actually going to work. And about that weekend streaming NFL playoff game. Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Ramp.com/techmeme Links: Instagram co-founders’ news aggregation startup Artifact to shut down (TechCrunch) Apple Grabs the Top Spot in the Smartphone Market in 2023 (IDC) Bringing the full power of Copilot to more people and businesses (Microsoft) Apple readies Apple Watch Series 9 ban workaround by disabling blood oxygen functionality [U] (9to5Mac) Apple Vision Pro’s Lengthy Sales Pitch Will Include 25-Minute Demo (Bloomberg) The NFL and Taylor Swift surprisingly aren’t enough to crash Peacock (The Verge) ‘Peacock Game’: The NFL’s Digital Buttfumble (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just what the title says. All my faves from CES this year. If you want to SEE what I'm talking about, here's the YouTube playlist. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Gruber joins Chris and I to talk about AI Hardware, Apple's AI strategy and Apple's Vision Pro launch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How did bitcoin do on its first day of ETF trading? Where are all these tech layoffs coming from? The weird case of eBay executives allegedly harassing people. A look at the AI company taking direct aim at Google Search. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Links: US bitcoin ETFs see $4.6 billion in volume in first day of trading (Reuters) Discord is laying off 17 percent of employees (The Verge) U.S. Criminally Charges EBay in Cyberstalking Case (NYTimes) This One-Year-Old Startup Is Hoping to be the Next Google—Can It Succeed? (The Information) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: How AI Replaced the Metaverse as Zuckerberg’s Top Priority (Bloomberg Businessweek) Avi Schiffmann’s Tab AI necklace has raised $1.9 million to replace God (Fast Company) How much detail is too much? Midjourney v6 attempts to find out (ArsTechnica) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Bitcoin ETFs are here. For real, this time. OpenAI’s GPT store is here. Surprising new layoffs at Google. Netflix continues to show signs that ads are working for them. The Rabbit R1 continues to be a shocking success. And say hello to an AI George Carlin. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Links: US SEC approves bitcoin ETFs in watershed for crypto market (Reuters) Gary Gensler's Begrudging Bitcoin ETF Concession: 'We Did Not Approve or Endorse Bitcoin' (CoinDesk) Google lays off hundreds working on its voice-activated assistant (Semafor) Google reorganizing Pixel hardware: Fitbit’s James Park leaving, layoffs hit AR team (9to5Google) Google Cuts Hundreds of Jobs in Engineering and Other Divisions (NYTimes) OpenAI Launches New Store For Users to Share Custom Chatbots (Bloomberg) Netflix’s Ad Tier Now Has More Than 23 Million Monthly Active Users, Advertising Chief Says (Variety) X removes support for NFT profile pictures (TechCrunch) AI-Generated ‘George Carlin’ Comedy Special Blasted by Comedian’s Daughter (RollingStone) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The SEC’s X account was compromised by somebody jumping the gun on that Bitcoin ETF thing. Layoffs are back, even at companies that are about to ship their first, high profile products. The hardware AI device at CES that everybody was talking about yesterday. And what AI could do for medical drug discovery, like, right now. Sponsors: Shipstation.com, Promocode: Ride Miro.com/podcast Links: SEC Has Not Approved Bitcoin ETFs, but Its Hacked X Account Briefly Said Otherwise (CoinDesk) Amazon’s Twitch to Cut 500 Employees, About 35% of Staff (Bloomberg) Humane lays off 4 percent of employees before releasing its AI Pin (The Verge) Rabbit’s Little Walkie-Talkie Learns Tasks That Stump Siri and Alexa (Wired) SAG-AFTRA Signs Deal With Voiceover Studio for AI Use in Video Games (Variety) Quora raised $75M from a16z to grow Poe, its AI chat bot platform (Quora) DeepMind spin-off aims to halve drug discovery times following Big Pharma deals (Financial Times) CES Videos YouTube Channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

OpenAI responds to the lawsuit from the NYTimes. Do you need ChatGPT in your car? VW thinks you do. Sony teases a “spatial” VR headset. Apple only wants you to call the Vision Pro “spatial computing.” And how you too can sign up to get a demo of the Vision Pro in a couple of weeks. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Links: OpenAI and journalism (OpenAI Blog) Amazon Debuts Video-Streaming Feature That Rivals Apple AirPlay (Bloomberg) Volkswagen says it’s putting ChatGPT in its cars for ‘enriching conversations’ (The Verge) Sony teased a ‘spatial’ VR headset with a smart control ring (The Verge) Instagram and Facebook Will Stop Treating Teens Like Adults (WSJ) Apple Vision Pro demos in retail stores will begin on February 2 (9to5Mac) Apple asks developers not to refer to their visionOS apps as ‘AR’ or ‘VR’ (9to5Mac) Luma raises $43M to build AI that crafts 3D models (TechCrunch) Hewlett Packard Enterprise Near Deal to Buy Juniper Networks (WSJ) CES Videos YouTube Channel Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We now know when the Vision Pro is coming. February 2nd. But you can pre-order on January 19. Xreal’s new Vision Pro competitor. New Wifi announcements from CES. That big Elon possibly using drugs story from the Journal this weekend. And for the first time ever, Netflix is cutting back on producing new shows. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Links: The Apple Vision Pro will launch in February (The Verge) Apple’s Biggest Challenges in 2024 Have Little to Do With the iPhone (Bloomberg) Wi-Fi’s next big upgrade is officially here (The Verge) Xreal’s new AR glasses are aimed at the Apple Vision Pro (The Verge) Elon Musk Has Used Illegal Drugs, Worrying Leaders at Tesla and SpaceX (WSJ) Netflix Cuts Over 100 Shows In Major Programming Shift (Bloomberg) The CES YouTube Playlist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another big Tesla recall, this time in China, this time, all of them. Every car they ever sold. BNPL is… not dead? Not if holiday shopping data is to be believed. That Blackberry-style iPhone keyboard case that everybody is talking about. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Links: Tesla Recalls 1.6 Million Cars in China Due to Autopilot Crash Risk (Bloomberg) Adobe: Online Holiday Sales Reached Record $222 Billion in 2023 (PMNTS) Amazon Captured 29% of Online Orders Before Christmas (Bloomberg) Netflix Considers Ways to Make Money From Videogames in Possible Pivot (WSJ) OpenAI Offers Publishers as Little as $1 Million a Year (The Information) Clicks is a BlackBerry-style iPhone keyboard case designed for creators (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: A New Kind of AI Copy Can Fully Replicate Famous People. The Law Is Powerless. (Politico) New Spin on a Revolving Door: Pentagon Officials Turned Venture Capitalists (NYTimes) Boy, 13, Is Believed to Be the First to ‘Beat’ Tetris (NYTimes) Full game of Tetris beaten for the first time by 13-year-old Willis Gibson AKA 'Blue Scuti' (YouTube) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your Windows keyboard is getting its first new key in 30 years. Elon might offer you a cellular plan someday. Is 23andMe blaming the victims of that big data breach? Roku is going high end. XPS laptops are getting bigger. And yes, 2023 was a bad year for all sides of the Venture Capital game. Sponsors: Kolide.com/ride Links: Microsoft’s new Copilot key is the first big change to Windows keyboards in 30 years (The Verge) SpaceX Launches First Cell Service Satellites With T-Mobile (Bloomberg) LastPass now requires 12-character master passwords for better security (BleepingComputer) 23andMe tells victims it’s their fault that their data was breached (TechCrunch) Roku Launches First High-End TVs in Search of Revenue Growth (Bloomberg) Dell’s XPS laptop lineup is about to look very different (The Verge) Silicon Valley Startups Had Their Worst Funding Year Since 2019 (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Facebook has a new feature, Link History, but why are they doing this and why now? I’m asking. A look at those jockeying to get ahead of a bitcoin ETF. The next Galaxy event is official. A look at the big AI player we seldom talk about. And a look at the AI influencers who are flooding social media. Links: Meet ‘Link History,’ Facebook’s New Way to Track the Websites You Visit (Gizmodo) Fidelity sets Bitcoin ETF fee at 0.39% ahead of expected SEC approvals (Fortune) Samsung Galaxy S24 Unpacked Event Set for Jan. 17 (PCMag) Can Midjourney’s CEO Stop a Storm of Fake Election Images? (Bloomberg) How AI-created fakes are taking business from online influencers (Financial Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Telegram has completely redesigned its app. Microsoft has brought Copilot to iOS. Camera makers are remaking their hardware for the age of AI. There’s the premium smartphone market, and then there’s the premium premium market segment, and those are the only parts of the smartphone market you want to be in. And will 2024 be the year the Internet gets weird again? Links: Telegram rolls out revamped voice and video calls, new delete animation on Android (9to5Google) Bitcoin climbs above $45,000 to 21-month peak as new year kicks off (Reuters) Global Premium Smartphone Market Continues to See Record Sales in 2023 (Counterpoint) Smartphone makers bet on foldables to revive lacklustre market (Financial Times) Nikon, Sony and Canon fight AI fakes with new camera tech (Nikkei Asia) Microsoft’s Copilot app is now available on iOS (The Verge) The Internet Is About to Get Weird Again (Rolling Stone) Link to the YouTube version of the smartphone segment Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Part three of our epic conversation with Stephan Paternot. Here's what happens when you've been through the wringer. When you've been to the top of the rollercoaster and also down to the bottom. Here's how you take stock of your life, how you reinvent yourself, re-find you entrepreneurial spirit... I feel like there are so many lessons in these three episodes. Lessons for entrepreneurs today. Lesson for... I dunno. People in the crypto space? My thanks to Stephan Paternot for an insanely great conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ok, part 2 of the Stephan Paternot mega-episode right now. This is where we get into the meat of it, the good stuff, the whole crazy roller coaster ride of being the hottest startup of the dotcom era. And I was going to make this the last episode, but as I was editing this, I realized that after we get done with this story, Stephan talks a lot about what happens after... what happens after you've been on a crazy ride like this. How you have to reinvent yourself, and your life, and your career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The story of the quintessential dotcom company. Also, if you squint, you can see the birth of social media. I said in the book, I think TheGlobe.com was the quintessential dot-com company. We spoke to one of the cofounders previously, Todd Krizelman. Todd was great, but he was time constrained and he didn’t quite get as personal about the story as I would have hoped. Well, I finally got to talk to the other founder of TheGlobe, Stephan Paternot. And Stephan was… AMAZING. He shared the whole story, the whole wild ride, from a historical angle, from a business angle, from an entrepreneurial angle and also, from a very personal angle. THIS the dot-com era story I’ve been looking for for years. It’s also the story of probably the most important pioneer of social media before there was even a term for such a thing. And by the way… that TV Show that just came out on NAT GEO, Valley of the Boom? THIS IS THAT STORY. Stephan just re-released his book, A Very Public Offering: The Story of theglobe.com and the First Internet Revolution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

OpenAI has been talking to everybody in media, it turns out. But how would a partnership turn out for media? Google settles another big lawsuit. The first of the gadget announces for CES season have begun. Can Xiaomi do with cars what it did with cellphones? And the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Robinhood.com/ride Links: Inside the News Industry’s Uneasy Negotiations With OpenAI (NYTimes) Google agrees to settle Chrome incognito mode class action lawsuit (ArsTechnica) LG’s new ultra-lightweight Gram laptops include some OLED screens and AI Boost (The Verge) EXCLUSIVE: Microsoft readies 'next-gen' AI-focused Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 6 with Arm chips and design upgrades for 2024 (Windows Central) Xiaomi Unveils Its First EV, With Ambition to Be China’s Porsche or Tesla (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The Most Secretive Longevity Lab Finally Opens Its Doors (Bloomberg Businessweek) Lab-grown diamonds go luxury — and rock the industry (Axios) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Researchers have found a gnarly zero-click, zero-day iMessage hack that has been exploited. Apple can sell watches again! What was the best performing tech stock of 2023? Will 2024 be the climax of the streaming wars? And will 2024 be the year Apple finally gets serious about gaming on the Mac? Links: 4-year campaign backdoored iPhones using possibly the most advanced exploit ever (ArsTechnica) Apple can temporarily sell smartwatches after US appeals court win (Reuters) The Late-Night Email to Tim Cook That Set the Apple Watch Saga in Motion (Bloomberg) Seattle’s Zulily will ‘wind down’ its business and liquidate its assets (Seattle Times) Affirm’s stock quintupled this year, beating all tech peers, on buy now, pay later boom (CNBC) ‘Shakeout has begun’ after $5bn streaming loss for Netflix rivals (FT) Inside Apple's Massive Push To Transform The Mac Into A Gaming Paradise (Inverse) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NYT has broken the seal and sued OpenAI and Microsoft. Ads are coming to Prime Video in mere days. More rumors about Jony Ive founding an AI hardware startup with Sam Altman. Anthropic seems to be provide OpenAI isn’t the only one that can make money in the AI space. And when chips go beyond the 1 kilowatt barrier, you need to liquid cool them. Sponsors: NakedWines.com/ride use code AND password ride Notion.com/ride Links: The Times Sues OpenAI and Microsoft Over A.I. Use of Copyrighted Work (NYTimes) Amazon Prime Video will start showing ads on January 29th (The Verge) Apple’s iPhone Design Chief Enlisted by Jony Ive, Sam Altman to Work on AI Devices (Bloomberg) Big Tech outspends venture capital firms in AI investment frenzy (Financial Times) Anthropic Projects At Least $850 Million in Annualized Revenue Rate Next Year (The Information) Microsoft’s game changer feature reinstalls Windows 11 directly via Windows Update (Windows Latest) GM stops Chevy Blazer EV sales after early software problems (TechCrunch) How thermal management is changing in the age of the kilowatt chip (The Register) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apple’s whole AI strategy has been coming into focus these last couple of weeks. Two stories on this, including Apple’s first announced LLM. OpenAI is fundraising again. Hackers are targeting gaming studios again. And as President Biden didn’t deliver the pardon, what is this patent case against the Apple Watch? I’ll explain. Links: Apple quietly released an open source multimodal LLM in October (VentureBeat) Apple Explores A.I. Deals With News Publishers (NYTimes) OpenAI Is in Talks to Raise New Funding at Valuation of $100 Billion or More (Bloomberg) Ubisoft says it's investigating reports of a new security breach (BleepingComputer) GTA 5 source code reportedly leaked online a year after RockStar hack (BleepingComputer) Puzzle game ‘Royal Match’ dethrones ‘Candy Crush’ from top of app store (Financial Times) Apple Watch battle heralds further patent wrangles (Financial Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This time we talk about the AOL/Time Warner Merger Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The first time I went on the Acquired Podcast, back in March of 2017. We talked about Yahoo's acquisition of Overture. I know you probably haven't heard of either of those names, but in a roundabout way, this is the story of how Google makes so much money. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Me on The Newsworthy Podcast talking the tech trends of 2023. Alliterative! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Hyperloop dream is dead. The attempt to bridge the iMessage divide is dead. China’s gaming industry isn’t dead, but it’s pretty wounded. The crazy story of that teenage hacker who leaked the GTA VI stuff. The weekend longreads suggestions, and at the very end, a unique look back at the evolution of the AI moment. Sponsors: Nutrafol.com/men code ridehome Links: The hyperloop is dead for real this time (The Verge) Beeper is giving up on its iMessage dream (The Verge) Apple’s Newest Headache: An App That Upended Its Control Over Messaging (NYTimes) Tencent Leads $80 Billion Rout as China Rekindles Crackdown Fear (Bloomberg) Lapsus$: GTA 6 hacker handed indefinite hospital order (BBC) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The Race to Fill Crypto’s FTX-Shaped Hole (Wired) As the AI era begins, Reddit is leaning into its humanity (Fast Company) Tolkien Estate Wins Court Order to Destroy Fan’s ‘Lord of the Rings’ Sequel (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Galaxy S24 lineup had a big spec leak. So what do the new phones have and what is Galaxy AI? Get ready cause the Apple Vision Pro hype tsunami is about to wash over us. A big merger might happen soon to confirm the consolidation phase of the Streaming Wars is upon us. Waymo has data that says its robot drivers are safer. And Apple doesn’t do the little things anymore? How about making a version of Car Play just for two specific car brands? Links: Leaked Samsung S24 spec sheet offers complete picture of the upcoming lineup (The Verge) Apple Ramps Up Vision Pro Production, Aiming for Launch by February (Bloomberg) Apple loses attempt to halt Apple Watch sales ban (The Verge) Scoop: Warner Bros. Discovery in talks to merge with Paramount Global (Axios) Waymo has 7.1 million driverless miles — how does its driving compare to humans? (The Verge) Aston Martin, Porsche Preview Bespoke Apple CarPlay Interfaces (Car And Driver) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rite Aid was apparently doing some crazy stuff with facial recognition software. Sony says the PS5 is killing it. ByteDance is definitely killing it. Microsoft CoPilot can now compose songs. And maybe the real reason OpenAI is making deals with publishers. Links: Rite Aid Banned From AI Facial Recognition by FTC After Misuse (Bloomberg) PlayStation sales and blockbuster games propel console market back to growth (FT) ByteDance’s Sales Break $110 Billion to Pass Tencent This Year (ByteDance) SSH protects the world’s most sensitive networks. It just got a lot weaker (ArsTechnica) Microsoft Copilot gets a music creation feature via Suno integration (TechCrunch) Scooter Company Bird Global Files Bankruptcy to Sell Itself (Bloomberg) What Do AI Companies Want With the Media? (NYMag) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Google has settled lawsuits from the states, has agreed to offer new billing tools, and may owe YOU some money as they’ve agreed to pay $700 million dollars in restitution. What happens to adobe and Figma now that they’ve got to go their own ways? Why do hackers love targeting game developers? And game preservationist have uncovered a gold mine. Sponsors: EarIn App (Enter code techmeme to give us credit) Links: Google to Pay $700 Million in Play Store Settlement (WSJ) 102 million people eligible for Google’s $630M lawsuit settlement (Washington Post) Figma Grew Fast Even as Executives Failed to Clinch Adobe Deal (The Information) Adobe Has $6 Billion for AI and Buybacks After Figma Deal Collapses (Bloomberg) TikTok rolls out an enhanced app experience for tablets and foldables (TickTok) Xfinity discloses data breach affecting over 35 million people (Bleeping Computer) OpenAI Says Board Can Overrule CEO on Safety of New AI Releases (Bloomberg) Game preservationists dig for lost apps in TestFlight ‘teraleak’ (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Big news Monday. Adobe and Figma have called off their wedding. Apple might stop selling its top-of-the-line Apple Watches, in the US, this week. I’ll tell you why. The EU has formally opened an investigation into X. And why are all of the Hollywood studios suddenly willing to sell their content to Netflix again? Sponsors: Shipstation.com, code ride Links: Adobe, Figma shelve $20 bln deal after hitting regulatory roadblocks (Reuters) Apple to halt Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 sales in the US this week (9to5Mac) EU opens formal DSA investigation into X in wake of Israel-Hamas war (The Verge) Adam Mosseri spells out Threads’ plans for the fediverse (The Verge) He’s Wanted for Wirecard’s Missing $2 Billion. He’s Now Suspected of Being a Russian Spy. (WSJ) In Search of Cash, Studios Send Old Shows Back to Netflix (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You can learn more about AdHawk Microsystems. But especially learn more about the MindLink Air. And the link to the YouTube version of this interview is here if you want to watch the demo. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did Google just kill geofence warrants? Intel wants you to know it’s in the AI game. Could we get a foldable iPad before we get a foldable iPhone? Soon, maybe your tv really will be spying on you to deliver ads. The AI stuffed toy that Grimes has partnered with. And, of course, The Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Planet Money Podcast Links: Is This the End of Geofence Warrants? (The EFF) Intel unveils new AI chip to compete with Nvidia and AMD (CNBC) Report: Apple has ‘no concrete timeline’ for a foldable iPad, focused on OLED displays instead (9to5Mac) Marketing Company Claims That It Actually Is Listening to Your Phone and Smart Speakers to Target Ads (404Media) Cruise slashes 24% of self-driving car workforce in sweeping layoffs (TechCrunch) Grimes is working on an interactive AI toy for kids. Meet Grok. (Washington Post) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: OpenAI’s Ilya Sutskever Has a Plan for Keeping Super-Intelligent AI in Check (Wired) Tesla Autopilot Recall Threatens Its Defense in Lawsuits Over Crashes (Bloomberg) Microsoft’s Digital Crime Unit Goes Deep on How It Disrupts Cybercrime (Wired) https://www.instagram.com/techmemeridehomepod/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The gates have been opened for Europeans on Threads, and it looks like Meta’s serious about tying Threads into to Fediverse. I argue that the release of a new charging case for the AirPods Pro is kinda a big deal. Wait until you hear this wild story about hackers versus a train. And maybe ChatGPT DIDN’T turn students into cheaters afterall. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Links: Meta starts testing Threads integration with ActivityPub (TechCrunch) Threads launches for nearly half a billion more users in Europe (The Verge) Apple now sells the AirPods Pro USB-C case by itself — for $99 (The Verge) Xbox Cloud Gaming is now available on Meta’s Quest VR headsets (The Verge) Etsy Cuts 11% of Headcount as Competition From Shein and Temu Mounts (The Information) Polish Hackers Repaired Trains the Manufacturer Artificially Bricked. Now The Train Company Is Threatening Them (404 Media) Cheating Fears Over Chatbots Were Overblown, New Research Suggests (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apple has a new tool to help you if your iPhone gets stolen. There’s a huge Tesla recall related to Autopilot. More AI tools from Google. How is X doing, you know, financially speaking? And Netflix’s first ever What We Watched report. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast Mindbloom.com/techmeme100 and code techmeme100 Links: Apple Makes Security Changes to Protect Users From iPhone Thefts (WSJ) Google Offers Enhanced Generative AI Features for Cloud Customers (Bloomberg) Tesla Recalls 2 Million Cars to Fix Autopilot Safety Flaws (Bloomberg) FCC issues final denial of $885M Starlink subsidy (TechCrunch) Musk’s X 2023 Ad Sales Projected to Slump to About $2.5 Billion (Bloomberg) EU Deal to Force Uber, Deliveroo Treat Some Drivers as Employees (Bloomberg) OpenAI to Pay Politico Parent Axel Springer for Using Its Content (WSJ) Netflix reveals how many hours we spent watching The Night Agent and Queen Charlotte (The Verge) Follow the podcast on TikTok: @techmemeridehomepodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Epic Games has won its case against Google’s app store, but why was this case different than the one they lost to Apple? The sort of big changes to Apple TV. BeReal is still around and still… being real. But E3 is not. It’s officially over as a conference. Sponsors: Shopify.com/ride Miro.com/podcast Links: Epic win: Jury decides Google has illegal monopoly in app store fight (The Verge) Google’s Epic Legal Defeat Threatens $200 Billion App Store Industry (Bloomberg) Exclusive: Apple offers to let rivals access tap-and-go tech in EU antitrust case (Reuters) Apple iTunes Will Now Redirect Users to Redesigned Apple TV App for Movies, Series (Variety) BeReal adds private groups and Live Photo-like features; Pew estimates 13% of US teens use app (TechCrunch) E3, once gaming’s biggest expo, is officially dead (Washington Post) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I told you the open-source AI startups were coming, and a big one is making waves today. Apple’s iPad lineup is hella confusing, but Mark Gurman says Apple is working to streamline that in the coming year. And let me give you the background on that whole Effective Accelerationist movement you might have been hearing about online. Sponsors: Miro.com/podcast CrashPlan.com/ridehome Links: Mistral, French A.I. Start-Up, Is Valued at $2 Billion in Funding Round (NYTimes) Nvidia Sees Vietnam as Potential Second Home, Reports Say (Bloomberg) Apple Is Working on Cleaning Up Its Confusing iPad Lineup (Bloomberg) China’s cyber army is invading critical U.S. services (Washington Post) This A.I. Subculture’s Motto: Go, Go, Go (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People across the Internet are accusing Google of faking that Gemini AI video demo that everyone was wowed by. Apple seems to be diversifying out of China for manufacturing at pace now. Might the UK’s CMA have an issue with Microsoft’s relationship with OpenAI? And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: ShopBeam.com/ride Links: Google’s Gemini Looks Remarkable, But It’s Still Behind OpenAI (Bloomberg) Early impressions of Google’s Gemini aren’t great (TechCrunch) Apple to move key iPad engineering resources to Vietnam (NikkeiAsia) Microsoft, OpenAI Are Facing a Potential Antitrust Probe in UK (Bloomberg) Google launches NotebookLM powered by Gemini Pro, drops waitlist (9to5Google) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The real research behind the wild rumors about OpenAI’s Q* project (ArsTechnica) AI and Mass Spying (Schneier On Security) The race to 5G is over — now it’s time to pay the bill (The Verge) In the Hall v. Oates legal feud, fans don’t want to play favorites (NBCNews) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices