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Meta rolls out a test to sell virtual items in Horizon Worlds. Ethereum takes a major step toward its proof-of-stake upgrade. Would you watch a Bored Ape movie? Apple has delayed a major feature for the Watch. Etsy sellers are on strike. And Netflix’s new two-thumbs-up button. Sponsors: CreditKarma.com Links: Meta will let Horizon creators sell virtual items (The Verge) Ethereum Undergoes Another Stress Test Ahead of Software Change (Bloomberg) Bored Apes Go Hollywood With Coinbase-Produced Movie Trilogy (CoinDesk) Apple Targets Watch Blood-Pressure Tool for 2024 After Snags (Bloomberg) Over 14,000 Etsy sellers are going on strike to protest increased transaction fees (TechCrunch) Digital Ad Revenue Jumped 35% in the U.S. Last Year, Biggest Gain Since 2006 (WSJ) TikTok Ad Revenue Set To Triple in 2022 (The Information) How Netflix tests Netflix: The story behind the service’s new two-thumbs-up feature (Protocol) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

By declining a seat on Twitter’s board, does that mean Elon has chosen violence? Plenty of signs of a mixed reality headset in the code of the next version of iOS. Meta tried and failed to design its own chip. China has decided to let some new games launch. And even if drone delivery is moving forward, is Amazon being left behind? Sponsors: ConstantContact.com MasterWorks.io Links: Elon has decided not to join our board. I sent a brief note to the company, sharing with you all here. (Parag Agrawal) China Ends Game Freeze by Approving First Titles Since July (Bloomberg) Apple Sets the Date for Another Virtual WWDC—Here’s What to Expect (Bloomberg) Meta Platforms is Struggling to Develop Its Own Device Chips (The Information) Amazon Drone Crashes Hit Jeff Bezos' Delivery Dreams (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MRGN.ai is all about intelligent budgeting for small businesses. Founder Yoni Rubin joins me to discuss the realities of founding a SaaS company in 2022, and much more. Another great company joining the Ride Home Fund portfolio! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some folks at Twitter are nervous about Elon Musk’s arrival, so he’s going to do an AMA to rally the troops. Twitter is testing unmentioning. Robinhood is fully rolling out that promise wallet feature. The increasing lexicon of euphemisms people have to use to speak freely on sites like TikTok. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Smith.ai promocode techmeme for $100 off signup Links: Elon Musk to address Twitter staff after internal outcry (Washington Post) Twitter test lets you 'unmention' yourself in tweets (Engadget) Robinhood widens user access for crypto wallet transfers, unveils plan to support Lightning payments for bitcoin (The Block) Gartner forecasts global tech spending to hit $4.4 trillion this year, up 4% (Silicon Angle) Internet ‘algospeak’ is changing our language in real time, from ‘nip nobs’ to ‘le dollar bean’ (Washington Post) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The Scoop: Inside Fast’s Rapid Collapse (The Pragmatic Engineer) Millennial Billionaire Ryan Breslow Created Buzz, And Enemies, Attacking Stripe And Shopify. He’s Just Getting Started. (Forbes) SCOOP: Crypto Fund Paradigm's Assets Under Management Climb 343% to $13.2 Billion (Newcomer) The Metaverse Has Bosses Too. Meet the ‘Managers’ of Axie Infinity (Motherboard/Vice) This Startup Promised People Free Crypto If They Scanned Their Eyeballs. Now People Feel They've Been Scammed. (BuzzFeed) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The crypto dream might have died, but Meta still thinks the metaverse will need some for of currency. Maybe Zuck Bucks? OpenSea adds Solana NFTs. Shein is the world’s latest mega unicorn. Is Bolt pivoting from one-click checkouts to crypto payments instead? Legos in the metaverse. And DALL-E 2. Sponsors: Rocketlawyer.com/workconfidently Links: Facebook owner Meta targets finance with ‘Zuck Bucks’ and creator coins (FT) Google Play will hide and block downloads for outdated apps starting later this year (TechCrunch) Solana NFTs Can Now Be Traded on OpenSea (Decrypt) Facebook won’t hold its F8 developer conference this year after pivoting to Meta (The Verge) Shein Valued at $100 Billion in Funding Round (WSJ) Crypto Startup Wyre Being Acquired by Payments Company Bolt for $1.5 Billion (WSJ) Lego and Epic Games partnership aims for a kid-friendly metaverse (Washington Post) OpenAI’s DALL-E AI image generator can now edit pictures, too (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I told you Elon had no intention of being a passive investor. Twitter says an edit button is probably coming soon. So, you know, that Elon, he gets things done. One-click checkout startup Fast is shutting down completely. A deep dive into how the new Unreal Engine 5 fits into Hollywood, fits into gaming, fits into the metaverse. And beware: “Will Smith” might come into your Elden Ring game and slap you. Sponsors: Witful.com Links: Musk Refiles Twitter Disclosure to Show He’s an Active Investor (Bloomberg) Twitter is adding an edit button (The Verge) Sky Mavis raises $150 million to reimburse Ronin hack victims (The Block) Fast, the Troubled Fintech Startup, Is Shutting Down (The Information) MicroStrategy Funds Latest Purchase With Bitcoin-Backed Loan (Bloomberg) Inside Epic's Unreal Engine 5—and What It Means for the Future of Gaming, Movies, and the Metaverse (Time) How Epic Games is changing gaming—and maybe the metaverse (Fast Company) Elden Ring players called Will Smith keep invading and slapping people (TechRadar) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So much for that “passive” stake. Twitter has appointed Elon Musk to its board of directors. Amazon is gunning for SpaceX in the race to deliver internet from space. Some datapoints around the whole question of wash trading in the NFT market. And what if I told you there was ANOTHER wildly popular thing from the creator of Wordle? Links: Elon Musk to join Twitter’s board of directors, teases ‘significant improvements’ (CNBC) Elon Musk Bought Some Twitter (Bloomberg/Matt Levine) Amazon’s Project Kuiper books up to 83 rockets to launch its internet-beaming satellites (The Verge) Microsoft brings Arm support to Azure virtual machines (ZDNet) Axie Infinity Was Losing Gamers Even Before Record Crypto Hack (Bloomberg) The Hottest NFT Marketplace is Mostly Users Selling to Themselves (Bloomberg) Hackers breach MailChimp's internal tools to target crypto customers (BleepingComputer) Internet communities are battling over pixels (The Washington Post) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So, Elon Musk has taken a 9.2% stake in Twitter. I’d point out that the last time Twitter had an activist investor, it led to Jack Dorsey stepping down as CEO. Is drone delivery suddenly, and rapidly, becoming a reality? The nation of the United Kingdom is going to issue an NFT. And Mark Gurman’s math on how an Apple subscription would work. Sponsors: Grammarly.com/techmeme Links: Elon Musk Takes 9.2% Stake in Twitter After Hinting at Shake-Up (Bloomberg) Alphabet's Wing will begin drone deliveries in Dallas-Fort Worth on April 7th (Engadget) AMD Returns to Deal Making with $1.9 Billion Purchase of Chip Specialist Pensando (WSJ) NFTs to be launched by the Treasury later this year in crypto push (City AM) It’s a big day at the State Department for U.S. cyberdiplomacy (Washington Post) Why Apple Is Preparing to Let You Subscribe to Your iPhone (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Justin Santamaria was once an Apple lead engineer on iPhone, where he created iMessage, FaceTime, the blue/green text bubbles and even unlocked emojis so people outside Japan could use them. Now, as cofounder of Future, he’s using text communication to pair people with a world-class trainer for unlimited coaching through their phone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

E3 is officially cancelled this year, which is making people wonder if it’s officially dead and we just don’t know it yet. More signs of serious trouble in the food delivery space. Facebook has fixed a bug that let harmful content into the news feed for six months. And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Wealthfront.com/techmeme Links: E3 2022 - Digital and Physical - Has Officially Been Canceled (IGN) Food Delivery Stocks Lose $24 Billion in Just Three Months (Bloomberg) A FACEBOOK BUG LED TO INCREASED VIEWS OF HARMFUL CONTENT OVER SIX MONTHS (The Verge) Apple emergency update fixes zero-days used to hack iPhones, Macs (BleepingComputer) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Online shopping in the middle of the ocean (RestOfWorld) Want to See the Weirdest of Wikipedia? Look No Further. (NYTimes) Why Moderating Content Actually Does More To Support The Principles Of Free Speech (TechDirt) A History of Hup, the Jump Sound of Shooting Games (Wired) In the Shadow of the Star Wars Kid (Waxy.org) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another day of all the hacking news. Now the hackers are forging Emergency Data Requests. Apparently there have been vulnerabilities in Wyze security cameras that no one bothered to fix. TSMC warns of a tech slowdown. Masa Son orders his lieutenants to slow down investing just a bit. And yes, burrito delivery by drone, but probably more impressive is FedEx getting into the drone game. Sponsors: Linode.com/techmeme Links: Apple and Meta Gave User Data to Hackers Who Used Forged Legal Requests (Bloomberg) Wyze Cam flaw lets hackers remotely access your saved videos (BleepingComputer) Google Search’s new highly cited label helps you get to the source of a story (The Verge) TSMC says demand for smartphones, PCs starting to slow (Nikkei Asia) SoftBank to slow investments following crash in tech holdings (FT) Look up: Your burrito is arriving by drone (Axios) FedEx will test autonomous cargo flights next year (Engadget) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I explain the (latest) biggest crypto hack of all time, this time affecting Axie Infinity. Meta is paying to dish dirt on TikTok. Changes to Google Calendar could kneecap a bunch of startups, while the DOJ is investigating Google Maps. And signs of difficulty in two red-hot startup sectors, the instant delivery sector, and the fast checkout sector. Sponsors: AltoIRA.com/techmeme Links: Axie Infinity’s Ronin Network Suffers $625M Exploit (CoinDesk) Axie Infinity Owner ‘Fully Committed’ to Reimbursing Players After Hack (Bloomberg) Facebook paid GOP firm to malign TikTok (Washington Post) Messenger gets new shortcuts that let you send silent replies (The Verge) New Google Calendar feature takes the back-and-forth out of scheduling (Ars Technica) EXCLUSIVE-U.S. probe of Google Maps picks up speed -sources (Reuters) Gopuff Plans Hundreds of Layoffs to Cut $40 Million in Costs (The Information) Why Stripe’s ‘Fast’ Horse Is Losing the One-Click Checkout Race (The Information) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sony’s answer to Xbox Game Pass is here. Spotify wants to TikTok-up your podcast listening. Have you ever gotten a spam text from your own phone number? Okta still has some ‘splaining to do. And forget AppleTV+, Disney+, I dunno… BobRoss+, how about NFL+? Isn’t it inevitable? Sponsors: Linode.com/techmeme Masterworks.io/ride Links: Sony merges PS Now and PS Plus to create three-tier subscription service (GamesIndustry.biz) Sony announces new PlayStation Plus subscriptions, its answer to Xbox Game Pass (The Verge) Spotify puts its Podz acquisition to use with test of new podcast discovery feature (TechCrunch) My own phone number is now spam texting me (The Verge) Leaked Details of the Lapsus$ Hack Make Okta’s Slow Response Look More Bizarre (Wired) NFL considers creating a streaming service of its own (The Athletic) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apple wins a best picture Oscar. Bigger camaras mean bigger bumps in upcoming iPhones. Urgent Chrome update you need to be aware of. You probably guessed that that person bugging you on LinkedIn might be faked. And Fashion Week, but in the Metaverse. Sponsors: OurCrowd.com/ride Priceline.com Links: Apple Is First Streamer to Win Best Picture Oscar for ‘CODA’ (Variety) Kuo: iPhone 14 Pro's Larger Camera Bump Due to New 48MP Camera System (MacRumors) Apple to cut iPhone, AirPods output amid Ukraine war uncertainty (NikkeiAsia) HP buys Poly for $3.3 billion to ride hybrid work boom (TechStartups) Emergency Google Chrome update fixes zero-day used in attacks (BleepingComputer) That smiling LinkedIn profile face might be a computer-generated fake (WNYC/NPR) NFT Collection Failures Begin to Mount in Flashback to ICO Bust (Bloomberg) Metaverse Fashion Week Draws Big Brands, Startups (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman comes on to dissuade us of our Apple delusions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listeners from Ukraine got in touch to tell us what it has been like for one particular tech startup in Ukraine these last few weeks. From the founder of the company: Lemon.io, Alekskandr Volodarsky, @volodarik these are the charities he recommends: https://bank.gov.ua/en/about/support-the-armed-forces https://www.1kproject.org/ https://savelife.in.ua/en/donate/ (including crypto donations) https://koloua.com/ https://novaukraine.org/donate/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will the new EU Digital Markets Act mean that all messaging could soon become as interoperable as email? Some serious smoke around the whole grand unifying Apple subscription fire. Why Instacart is voluntarily lowing its valuation. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Codecademy.com promocode ride Links: EU negotiators agree new rules to rein in tech giants (Politico) Apple Is Working on a Hardware Subscription Service for iPhones (Bloomberg) Lapsus$: Oxford teen accused of being multi-millionaire cyber-criminal (BBC News) Instacart Slashes Its Valuation by Almost 40% to $24 Billion (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: LAPSUS$: How a Sloppy Extortion Gang Became One of the Most Prolific Hacking Groups (Motherboard/Vice) The Man Behind Ethereum Is Worried About Crypto's Future (Time) There's something off about ApeCoin (Platformer) Of Course We’re Living in a Simulation (Wired) Nicolas Cage Can Explain It All (GQ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have we uncovered the hackers behind Lapsus$, that crazy new hacker group? Another crack in the App Store wall as Google unilaterally decides to test alternative payment systems? Uber is actually teaming up with the Taxi drivers here in New York City. And would you buy a 15 inch MacBook Air? Sponsors: Policygenius.com NewRelic.com/techmeme Links: Teen Suspected by Cyber Researchers of Being Lapsus$ Mastermind (Bloomberg) A Closer Look at the LAPSUS$ Data Extortion Group (KrebsonSecurity) Google Play to pilot third-party billing option, starting with Spotify (TechCrunch) Twitter’s DM search will finally actually help you find conversations (The Verge) Uber Reaches Deal to List All New York City Taxis on Its App (WSJ) Report: Apple developing new 15-inch MacBook Air that could come in 2023 (9to5Mac) YouTube is taking on over-the-air TV with nearly 4,000 free episodes of TV (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Customers are getting frustrated with Okta over that potential Lapsus$ hack. Apple’s acquisition of an open banking startup is interesting. Yuga Labs is the (forgive me) 800lb gorilla of the NFT space. And why Zuckerberg’s personal remote work regimen might explain why he’s so obsessed with having meetings in VR. Links: Linkedin.com/ride Links: The Third-Party Okta Hack Leaves Customers Scrambling (Wired) Apple acquires UK open banking startup Credit Kudos (The Block) Apple Buys UK Fintech Start-Up Credit Kudos (CNBC) El Salvador postpones bitcoin bond issue, expects better conditions (Reuters) Bored Ape Yacht Club creator raises $450 million to build an NFT metaverse (The Verge) Crypto investor Katie Haun raises $1.5 billion, the largest debut fund ever by a female VC (CNBC) Mark Zuckerberg and Meta’s Leadership Take Remote Work to the Extreme (WSJ) Zoom’s new virtual avatars let you show up to your next meeting as a dog (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When it rains, it pours cybersecurity news. The White House warns that Russian hacks may be incoming. Lapsus$ has now allegedly hit Okta and Microsoft. A big alleged hack to HubSpot might hurt a bunch of crypto companies. And why does that Apple Studio display have 64GB of storage it’s (mostly) not using? Sponsors: RocketLawyer.com/workconfidently Links: Statement by President Biden on our Nation’s Cybersecurity (WhiteHouse.gov) Is Russia exploring cyberattacks against U.S. in response to hacktivists? (VentureBeat) Okta hack puts thousands of businesses on high alert (The Verge) Lapsus$ hackers leak 37GB of Microsoft's alleged source code (BleepingComputer) Hacker Steals Customer Data From Circle, BlockFi, Other Big Crypto Firms (Decrypt) Alphabet’s quantum tech group Sandbox spins off into an independent company (CNBC) Apple Studio Display Contains 64GB of Storage, But Only 2GB Used (MacRumors) Roku OS 11 will let you set your own photos as a screensaver (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An alternative title to today’s show could be Schrödinger’s Brazilian Telegram Ban. I’ll explain. Ukrainians say Elon Musk’s Starlink donation is proving quite useful. Toronto has become the third-largest tech hub in North America. Should Apple make routers again? And where will the advertising dollars go in 2022? Sponsors: Hapbee.com/techmeme do.co/trh Links: Telegram forgot to check its email and now it’s banned in Brazil (The Verge) Brazil Lifts Its Ban on Telegram After Two Days (NYTimes) Elon Musk’s Starlink is keeping Ukrainians online when traditional Internet fails (Washington Post) Chipmakers face two-year shortage of critical equipment (FT) Toronto, the Quietly Booming Tech Town (NYTimes) Apple Should Make Home Wi-Fi Routers Again as Part of Mac Reboot (Bloomberg) TV, merchant media and the unbundling of advertising (Ben-Evans.com) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We talked to Nathan Baschez and Dan Shipper, the founders of the media startup Every.to. We talked to them about the realities of being two years in as a modern, from the ground up media company, the shifting landscape in the “creator economy” (remember that?) And a lot about Substack and its business model and philosophy. Around the hour mark, Chris and I have a lengthy conversation about the Mac Studio, my purchasing of one, my cancelling of my order for a Studio Display. And also, Chris has a very interesting 8 dimensional chess theory about where Apple is headed as a company. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Australia sues Meta for alleged cryptocurrency scam ads. Bored Apes Yacht Club had, what we might call a busted IPO, if that was term we were using. Amazon is now officially the proud owner of James Bond. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: GetVultr.com/techmeme or promocode 150OFFER30 LiveOuter.com/techmeme Links: Australian watchdog sues Facebook-owner Meta over scam advertisements (Reuters) Bored Ape Yacht Club Ethereum NFT Sales Surge as ApeCoin Price Pops, Then Drops (Decrypt) U.S. antitrust enforcers won't challenge Amazon's MGM deal, dashing hopes of monopoly critics (Politico) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Substack’s Ideology (Divinations) A Big Bet to Kill the Password for Good (Wired) Razzlekhan: The Untold Story Of How A YouTube Rapper Became A Suspect In A $4 Billion Bitcoin Fraud (Forbes) Six months in, El Salvador’s bitcoin gamble is crumbling (Rest Of World) The neon shortage is a bad sign (Recode) Beating Japan at Its Own (Video) Game: A Smash Hit From China (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Google kind of returns to an in person I/O but just a little bit. The harsh new British law that could put tech executives behind bars. Netflix says the free ride of password sharing is over. Though, the gravy train of subsidized 15 minute delivery seems to be back on. Oh, and the rave reviews of the new Mac Studio. Sponsors: Codecademy.com promocode ride for 15% off Codecademy Pro What's Your Problem podcast Links: Google I/O takes place May 11th and 12th, and it will be fully available online (The Verge) Tech Executives Threatened With Jail Time Under Proposed U.K. Law (The Information) Netflix Will Prompt Subscribers to Pay for Users Outside Their Households in New Test to Address Unauthorized Password Sharing (EXCLUSIVE) (Variety) Bored Apes NFT project gets official 'ApeCoin' token (TechCrunch) APPLE MAC STUDIO REVIEW: FINALLY (The Verge) Two ultra-fast delivery startups shut down in one week (CBS58) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Meta has a new Family Center to keep kids monitored. Zuck says NFTs are coming to Instagram “soon.” Google’s Stadia strategy is coming into focus, and it’s interesting. Is Vimeo threatening longtime users to pay up? And a review of the latest iPad Air iteration. Sponsors: RocketLawyer.com/workconfidently IPVanish.com/techmeme and promocode techmeme for 70% savings Links: Instagram rolls out new safety tools for parents (TechCrunch) Mark Zuckerberg confirms NFTs are coming to Instagram (Engadget) Google casually announces Steam for Chrome OS is coming in alpha for select Chromebooks (9to5Google) Google Stadia is subtly reinventing itself to attract new games and gamers (The Verge) Microsoft says Windows 11 File Explorer ads were ‘not intended to be published externally’ (The Verge) Vimeo is telling creators to suddenly pay thousands of dollars — or leave the platform (The Verge) APPLE IPAD AIR (2022) REVIEW: IT’S THE NICE ONE (The Verge) FC Barcelona agree to sponsorship deal with Spotify, will rebrand stadium as 'Spotify Camp Nou' (CBS Sports) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Layoffs at Arm signal the IPO is nigh. Microsoft has brought that fast loading games technology from Xbox to Windows. Twitter heard you were made and has backed down. Crypto dodges another bullet in the EU. And some solid, tangible numbers to prove that streaming has taken over Hollywood. Sponsors: do.co/ridehome2022 Priceline.com Links: UK chipmaker Arm to cut up to 1,000 jobs after $40bn sale collapses (The Guardian) Get Ready for Faster Game Load Times With DirectStorage for Windows (PC Mag) Twitter rolls back its decision to force you into the out-of-order timeline (The Verge) iOS 15.4 now live as Universal Control comes to iPads and Macs (The Verge) Apple releases macOS 12.3 with Universal Control, new emoji, head tracking for Spatial Audio, more (9to5Mac) Proposal Limiting Proof-of-Work Is Rejected in EU Parliament Committee Vote (CoinDesk) HBO Max, Discovery+ to Combine for “Blowout” Product, CFO Says (The Hollywood Reporter) Streaming boom propels film industry's pandemic recovery (Axios) Global Entertainment Industry Revenue Rebounds From Pandemic, Thanks to Streaming Boom (Variety) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Well, what can I tell you? Foxconn is shutting factories in China again cause of the new Omicron outbreak there. Will Apple only give new chips it its pro phones going forward? Why people are mad at Twitter now. How people actually watch Netflix. And… checks notes... A robot goat. Sponsors: shop.SiempreTequila.com Promo Code RIDE The Traceroute Podcast Links: Foxconn Halts iPhone Shenzhen Site Due to Covid Lockdown (Bloomberg) Kuo: Only iPhone 14 Pro Models to Get 'A16' Chip, Standard Models to Retain A15 (MacRumors) Twitter makes it harder to choose the old reverse-chronological feed (The Verge) Using a New Cyber Tool, Westerners Have Been Texting Russians About the War in Ukraine (WSJ) These are Netflix's Most Popular Shows (According to Netflix) (Bloomberg) APPLE’S NEW IPHONE SE IS A MODERN PHONE STUCK IN YESTERDAY’S DESIGN (The Verge) Kawasaki's Rideable Robotic Goat Is the Electric Car for Wandering Cowpokes (Gizmodo) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As I said on Friday's show, I figured that since Chris Messina has been co-hosting with me for about a year, maybe it's time to republish the Internet History Podcast episode I did with him. After all, many of you might know him as the inventor of the hashtag, but did you know about all of the early Web 2.0 stuff he did? It might help you better understand the perspective Chris brings to our interview episodes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Russia moves to ban Instagram and designate Meta as an “extremist organization.” The EU and UK open an antitrust probe into Google and Meta about ads collusion. Stripe now supports crypto. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: WealthFront.com/techmeme Links: Russia Asks Court to Label Facebook, Instagram as ‘Extremist’ (Bloomberg) DuckDuckGo reverses course, will demote Russian propaganda in search results (Engadget) EU and UK open antitrust probe into Google and Meta over online ads (FT) Stripe launches payments support for crypto businesses, partners with FTX (The Block) The great NFT sell-off: has the digital collectibles craze hit its peak? (FT) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The Great Tech Hub Exodus Didn't Quite Happen (Wired) Deep Learning Is Hitting a Wall (Nautilus) Will Transformers Take Over Artificial Intelligence? (Quanta Magazine) The rise of Canva, the $40 billion design juggernaut (Fast Company) AngelList: A Venture Constellation (The Generalist) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apple hasn’t forgotten about the Mac Mini. Amazon’s first stock split since the dotcom era. Tinder leans into background checks as a service. Hands on with the new Magic Leap 2 AR glasses. And forget about delivery by drone, now imagine getting packages delivered to you from space. The wildest startup I’ve heard about in a while. Sponsors: Masterworks.io/ride Workable.com Links: Exclusive: Updated Mac mini to have versions with M2 and M2 Pro chip (9to5Mac) 27-Inch 'Studio Display Pro' With Mini-LED and ProMotion Could Launch in June (MacRumors) Amazon announces 20-for-1 stock split, $10 billion buyback (CNBC) Tinder rolls out in-app access to background checks, powered by nonprofit Garbo (TechCrunch) Magic Leap 2 Hands-On: AR Glasses That Can Dim The Real World (CNET) Dreaming of Suitcases in Space (NYTimes) The a16z Episode With Myself And Chris Dixon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

That telegraphed Executive Order for Crypto is being signed, probably as we speak. Is Congress pressing criminal charges against Amazon? LimeWire is back, but for the NFT era. And a deep dive look at that mind boggling new M1 Ultra chip that Apple announced yesterday. Sponsors: Composer.trade Smith.ai promocode techmeme for $100 off signup Links: Biden Orders Study of Cryptocurrency Risk, Creation of U.S. Digital Currency (WSJ) Amazon Flagged to Justice Department for Possible Criminal Obstruction of Congress (WSJ) Twitter Launches Tor Onion Service Making Site Easier to Access in Russia (Motherboard) Lumen, a second major American Internet carrier, pulling out of Russia (Washington Post) EU Says Russia, Belarus Sanctions Extend to Crypto (CoinDesk) LimeWire Is Making a Comeback, But Not As You Know It (Bloomberg) Apple Announces M1 Ultra (AnandTech) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All the news from the Spring Apple event this afternoon. Google is buying a cybersecurity company. A bunch of cybersecurity companies band together to protect critical infrastructure. Amazon launches an app to allow anyone to be a DJ. And the arrival of Android 12L. Sponsors: do.co/trh Traceroute Podcast Origins.dev Links: Apple’s Mac Studio is a new desktop for creative professionals (The Verge) Apple unveils the M1 Ultra, its most powerful chip yet (Engadget) Apple unveils iPhone SE 3 with A15 chip, same home button design (9to5Mac) Google is buying the cybersecurity company that uncovered the SolarWinds hack (The Verge) Cloudflare, CrowdStrike and Ping Identity to provide free cybersecurity to vulnerable industries (Silicon Angle) Amazon launches a ‘live radio’ app, Amp, which lets you play DJ with music and call-ins (TechCrunch) Android 12L will come to Samsung, Lenovo, and Microsoft devices (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The evolving hack story involving Nvidia has now hit Samsung as the same hackers apparently have some of their source code. Are the iMac updates I’m really hungry for getting pushed all the way back to next year? The real reason why brands are leaving Russia. And consumer beware: scams seem to be rampant on Zelle, and your bank might not be willing to help you. Sponsors: Grammarly.com/techmeme IPVanish.com/techmeme and promocode techmeme for 70% savings Links: Cybercriminals who breached Nvidia issue one of the most unusual demands ever (ArsTechnica) Malware now using NVIDIA's stolen code signing certificates (Bleeping Computer) Hackers leak 190GB of alleged Samsung data, source code (Bleeping Computer) Kuo: 27-inch Apple external display coming this year, new iMac Pro and Mac Pro in 2023 (9to5Mac) TikTok Suspends Livestreaming in Russia on ‘Fake News’ Law (Bloomberg) How are the Big Sanctions hurting Russia so far? (NoahPinion Substack) Fraud Is Flourishing on Zelle. The Banks Say It’s Not Their Problem. (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris was in town again! So we asked the great Charlie O'Donnell of Brooklyn Bridge Ventures to come over to my kitchen to talk about the tech news of the week. But Charlie also gives us his analysis and history of the New York Tech scene, and the state of venture and tech generally, coming out of these Covid years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out Rownd.io! Get involved yourself: rownd.io/techmeme Or book a time with the founder: https://calendly.com/rob-rownd/mutant-podcast-army Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Twitter’s return to the office is a real covid era milestone. Ok, how about Disney+ but with ads? Is crypto usage in Russia actually falling? Something something, wasn’t this the original use case for crypto? Are NFT prices falling? And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Links: Twitter to reopen offices March 15, though remote work remains an option (CNBC) Disney+ to launch cheaper ad-supported tier later this year (CNBC) Ethereum Companies Suddenly Ban Users In Certain Countries (Motherboard) SpaceX sent Starlink internet terminals to Ukraine. They could paint a ‘giant target’ on users’ backs, experts say (CNN Business) NFT Mania Show Signs of Cooling as Average Price and Sales Decline (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: How shunning Russia could offer the U.S. tech giants an easy win (Politico) Tech Companies Are Reopening Their Offices, but Tech Work Has Changed Forever (WSJ) The Role Of Turkish Drones In Ukraine's War (NDTV) These women are staking their claim to Web3 and the metaverse (Fast Company) The ‘Incredible Treasure Chest’ of Homestar Runner (Vulture) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The story of the young Ukrainian Minister who has bent the conscience of western tech companies, and coordinated the reachout to crypto. Is regulation coming for NFTs? Epic Games acquired Bandcamp. Amazon pulls back from its IRL retail experiments. And a big update on the return to the office watch. Links: Ukraine cancels crypto airdrop, plans to sell NFTs instead (The Block) The Ukrainian leader who is pushing Silicon Valley to stand up to Russia (Washington Post) Crypto Powerhouse ConsenSys Faces Action by Former Employees (Bloomberg) SEC Scrutinizes NFT Market Over Illegal Crypto Token Offerings (Bloomberg) Epic Games Acquires Bandcamp as ‘Fortnite’ Maker Expands Into Music (Variety) Amazon is shutting 68 retail stores, ending Amazon Books, 4-star and Pop Up shops (CNBC) Apple Event Announced for March 8: 'Peek Performance' (MacRumors) Google tells employees in Bay Area and other U.S. locations to return to offices in April (CNBC) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As of right now, you can no longer buy an iPhone in Russia. Big recall from Fitbit because their smartwatches might burn you. Meta tries to be transparent in a very Meta way, by redacting a key detail from a transparency report. And could poker be the killer app the Metaverse has been waiting for? Sponsors: Workable.com Links: Apple Halts All Sales From Online Store in Russia [Updated] (MacRumors) How the Russian Invasion of Ukraine Is Playing Out on English, Ukrainian, and Russian Wikipedia (Slate) Prominent tech companies that originated from Ukraine (Analytics India) Fitbit recall confirms its Ionic smartwatch could overheat and burn you (Engadget) New UCIe Chiplet Standard Supported by Intel, AMD, and Arm (Tom's Hardware) Meta Releases New 'Widely Viewed Content' Report for Facebook, Which Continues to be a Baffling Overview (SocialMediaToday) Netflix to buy mobile game developer Next Games to strengthen its games business (Money Control) The Metaverse Finally Has a Killer App: Poker (Bloomberg Businessweek) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Crypto exchanges stick to their crypto ethos over the Ukraine War situation. A new, super crazy alleged Chinese backdoor hack. Uber adds new ways to buy concert tickets and book restaurants in its app. Amazon launches its Luna game streaming service in the US. An a review of the Galaxy S22 and S22+ Sponsors: do.co/ridehome2022 Traceroute Podcast (more info at Origins.dev) Links: Netflix Won’t Add Russian Broadcasters to Service, Defying New Regulation (WSJ) Crypto Exchanges Refuse to Freeze All Russian Accounts (Motherboard) Chinese cyberspies target govts with their ‘most advanced’ backdoor (BleepingComputer) Uber adds new ways to buy concert tickets and book restaurants in its app (The Verge) Amazon Luna launches for anyone in the US, adds free games for Prime members and Twitch integration (The Verge) BitConnect’s Indicted Founder Kumbhani Vanished, SEC Says (Bloomberg) SAMSUNG’S GALAXY S22 AND S22 PLUS ARE THE DEFAULT ANDROID PHONES TO BUY (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I’ll try to run down everything I can about the tech world and the Ukraine situation. There is a ton to talk about. Qualcomm’s new 5G modem. TikTok’s new 10 minute videos. Lenovo’s new laptops. And should Apple release a $200 iPhone? Sponsors: Priceline.com Links: Customers of banks targeted by Russia sanctions are unable to use Apple Pay or Google Pay (Insider) Google blocks RT, other Russian channels from earning ad dollars (Reuters) Meta to bar Russian state media from running ads, monetizing on platform (Reuters) Facebook, Twitter remove disinformation accounts targeting Ukrainians (NBCNews) Russia demands Google restore access to its media YouTube channels in Ukraine (Reuters) Crypto Donations to Ukraine Jump to $20M (CoinDesk) Computer chip industry begins halting deliveries to Russia in response to U.S. sanctions (Washington Post) Airbnb to Provide Housing for 100,000 Ukrainian Refugees (Bloomberg) Google Maps temporarily disables live traffic data in Ukraine (Axios) Facebook, Apple and Other Tech Giants Face Rising Pressure Over Ukraine (WSJ) TikTok is taking aim at YouTube with longer 10-minute video uploads (AndroidCentral) Qualcomm's X70 5G modem has an AI processor to improve signal strength (Engadget) Lenovo announces new IdeaPads and tablets with 12th-gen Intel CPUs (XDA Developers) Dutch App Store change complies with law, says Apple, as antitrust regulator rejects proposal (9to5Mac) Apple Has a Chance to Launch an iPhone Costing Just $199 (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We check in with Rob Maurer who hosts the Tesla Daily podcast. All things Tesla and Elon on this episode! Check out the Tesla Daily podcast Check out the Tesla Daily YouTube Channel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ukraine is seeking to raise its own hacker army. New export controls affect tech products. Why mobile subscriptions being a growth industry is more bad news for the App Store status quo. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Masterworks.io/ride Links: Social media platforms on the defensive as Russian-based disinformation about Ukraine spreads (Politico) Google Faces Sanctions Dilemma With Pro-Russia YouTube Channels (Bloomberg) Ukraine war flashes neon warning lights for chips (Reuters) Biden hits Russia with tough export curbs, slashing access to global tech (Reuters) Top subscription app revenue grew 41% in 2021 to reach $18.3 billion (TechCrunch) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: A moment of clarity (Noapinion Substack) Web3 Developers Have Found a Functioning Metaverse. It’s ‘Minecraft’. (Vice) CAN THE LAW KEEP UP WITH CRYPTO? (The Verge) Crypto Scammers’ New Target: Dating Apps (NYTimes) Amazon’s sprawling grocery business has become an ‘expensive hobby’ with a cloudy future (CNBC) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There actually IS a tech angle to what is going on in Ukraine, though for all of our sakes, let’s just hope there’s not TOO much of one. Stablecoins are where it’s at in crypto at the moment. Not one, but two new flagship phones to tell you about. And the interesting AI details behind Zuck’s latest Metaverse presentation. Sponsors: NewRelic.com/techmeme Links: Ukrainian gov't sites disrupted by DDoS, wiper malware discovered (ZDNet) Stablecoins Soar in Value as Everything Else in Crypto Shrinks (Bloomberg) Oppo’s Find X5 Pro flagship is finally official (The Verge) The Motorola Edge Plus aims for full flagship status — with a price to match (The Verge) A Meta prototype lets you build virtual worlds by describing them (The Verge) Mark Zuckerberg wants to build a voice assistant that blows Alexa and Siri away (Recode) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former President Trump’s new social network is number one on the app store, but has had a bunch of issues too. The politics leading to a surge in searches for DuckDuckGo. What ever happened to Amazon’s home robot? And Waymo successfully sues to keeps its failures secret. Sponsors: Napjitsu.com/techmeme Linkedin.com/ride Links: Trump’s Truth Social’s disastrous launch raises doubts about its long-term viability (Washington Post) Fed Up With Google, Conspiracy Theorists Turn to DuckDuckGo (NYTimes) OpenSea NFT Heist Likely Triggers Drop in Activity (Bloomberg) Amazon sues two companies that allegedly help fill the site with fake reviews (CNBC) Amazon’s Astro Home Robot Remains Elusive Six Months After Debut (Bloomberg) Waymo to keep robotaxi safety details secret, court rules (TechCrunch) Gaming Company Backbone Reveals Series A Funding Backed by Ashton Kutcher, The Weeknd, Kevin Hart, Post Malone and More (The Hollywood Reporter) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Has the mystery of the original The DAO controversy been solved? We finally have Sony’s new PlayStation VR2 design. Crypto exchange FTX makes a big move into gaming. Datapoints suggesting remote work is here to stay. And a review of the Galaxy S22 Ultra. Sponsors: do.co/ridehome2022 IPVanish.com/techmeme and promocode techmeme for 70% savings Links: Exclusive: Austrian Programmer And Ex Crypto CEO Likely Stole $11 Billion Of Ether (Forbes) Sony finally reveals the PlayStation VR2’s design (The Verge) FTX Enters Gaming as Backlash Grows Against Crypto’s Incursion (Bloomberg) Over 40% of West Coast Tech Job Listings Are Outside West Coast (Bloomberg) Spotify's Car Thing Is About to Face the Music (CNET) SAMSUNG GALAXY S22 ULTRA REVIEW: NOTABLY UNIQUE (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

OpenSea says 32 users had NFTs stolen when they were scammed into signing malicious smart contracts. Mark Gurman tells us every Mac he expects to be released this year. Is a new crackdown coming for Chinese tech? And Ford is revving up its attempts to unseat Tesla at the top of the EV mountain. Sponsors: Smith.ai promocode techmeme for $100 off signup Links: OpenSea Investigating ‘Exploit Rumors’ as Users Complain of Missing NFTs (CoinDesk) $1.7 million in NFTs stolen in apparent phishing attack on OpenSea users (The Verge) Apple Readies New MacBooks and iMacs for Part Three of Overhaul (Bloomberg) The Apple M2 could launch alongside up to seven new Mac models this year (TechRadar) Gurman: Apple to Launch New Macs Next Month, With More to Come Around May or June (MacRumors) Tencent Leads China Tech Selloff Amid Fears of Further Crackdown (Bloomberg) PrimaryBid raises $190M to double down on making it easier for ordinary people to invest in IPOs and follow-on fundraises (TechCrunch) Ford Mustang Mach-E usurps Tesla Model 3 as Consumer Reports top EV pick of the year (The Verge) Vote for Grupa on Product Hunt! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Check out Grupa.io and look for their launch on Product Hunt this Monday! Upvote! And subscribe to the Ride Home Fund at RideHomeFund.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Windows 11 now requires a Microsoft account just to load. Intel’s roadmap comes into view. Is Meta’s metaverse play already getting traction? Next week might be the biggest regulatory week for Crypto ever. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: WealthFront.com/techmeme Links: You’ll need a Microsoft account to set up future versions of Windows 11 Pro (ArsTechnica) Intel Discloses Multi-Generation Xeon Scalable Roadmap (AnandTech) Meta’s social VR platform Horizon hits 300,000 users (The Verge) Biden seen issuing crypto oversight exec order next week (Yahoo!Finance) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The World Needs What Intel Makes. Can It Make a Comeback? (NYTimes) Free your mind: Meditation could be VR's next killer app (Protocol) No one cares about your redesign (Garbage Day) If Russia Invades Ukraine, TikTok Will See It Up Close (Wired) Francis Ford Coppola’s $100 Million Bet (GQ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why a dumb agent string bug may break some big named websites soon. Is Circle about to become the biggest pure play crypto company to hit public markets? Spotify buys basically the only remaining pieces of the podcast puzzle missing from their toolbelt. And the interesting raise from a company buying up YouTube back catalogs. Sponsors: RealVision.com/techmeme Links: Mozilla warns Chrome, Firefox ‘100’ user agents may break sites (BleepingComputer) Meta’s Clegg Promoted as Zuckerberg Steps Back From Policy (Bloomberg) Circle valued at $9 billion under revamped SPAC deal terms (The Block) Spotify is acquiring two major podcast tech platforms (The Verge) Sequoia Capital launches crypto token fund (Axios) Sequoia Capital is launching a $500-600 million crypto fund to invest in tokens (The Block) Spotter raises $200M to invest $1 billion into YouTubers’ back catalogs (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Forget how’s my driving, Uber lets you know how you’re riding. Meta workers are now formally known as Metamates. Is Paramount quietly doing better in the streaming wars than we thought? So much so, as to warrant a name change too? And what happens when your bionic eye implants are no longer supported by the manufacturer? Sponsors: shop.SiempreTequila.com Promo Code RIDE Links: Uber will now let you see how many one-star ratings you got from drivers (The Verge) Move fast, rename things: Facebook tries to boost morale with new slogans (Washington Post) Facebook rebrands News Feed after more than 15 years (The Verge) ViacomCBS rebrands to Paramount in focus on streaming (The Verge) Coalition of US crypto firms unveils travel rule compliance platform, TRUST (The Block) Google Plans Privacy Changes, but Promises to Not Be Disruptive (NYTimes) THEIR BIONIC EYES ARE NOW OBSOLETE AND UNSUPPORTED (IEEE Spectrum) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices