Tech Brew Ride Home

Time for iPhone rumor season to hit fever pitch. Will the next iPhone take a page out of the Apple Watch’s book when it comes to screens? Has Apple run afoul of US labor law? The Crypto fix fails in the Senate, so now folks have to hope for reconciliation with the House. An interesting raise that is up 5X in 5 months. And a possible explanation for the Buy Now Pay Later craze. Sponsors: Quantummetric.com/podoffer offer code Podcastcode SetApp.com Links: Apple Readies New iPhones With Pro-Focused Camera, Video Updates (Bloomberg) APPLE KEEPS SHUTTING DOWN EMPLOYEE-RUN SURVEYS ON PAY EQUITY — AND LABOR LAWYERS SAY IT’S ILLEGAL (The Verge) Bitcoin Lobby Loses: Senate Rejects Revised Crypto Tax Provisions in Infrastructure Bill (Decrypt) Google’s new Titan security key lineup won’t make you choose between USB-C and NFC (The Verge) Crypto Platform FalconX Quintuples Valuation to $3.75 Billion (Bloomberg) Square's $29 billion deal for buy-now, pay-later player Afterpay is the starting gun for the race to build a money super app (Insider) Exclusive: Salesforce enters the streaming wars (Axios) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Crypto flexes its lobby muscle in an attempt to craft that infrastructure bill. Apple tries to beat back the controversy around its photo scanning plans. The Cybertruck is delayed. And what if the whole democratization of investing thing moves beyond options and even NFTs into angel and venture investing. Sponsors: Kiwico.com/ride Voices.com Links: Senators Near Deal On Crypto Oversight, But May Be Too Late (Bloomberg) Apple CSAM FAQ addresses misconceptions and concerns about photo scanning (9to5Mac) Apple’s New ‘Child Safety’ Initiatives, and the Slippery Slope (Daring Fireball) An Unsurprising But Sad Update for Tesla Cybertruck Fans: Production Has Been Pushed to 2022 (Gizmodo) Google is planning a new Silicon Valley campus with hardware hub, plans show (CNBC) Uber, Lyft Prices at Records Even as Drivers Return (WSJ) Even Your Allergist Is Now Investing in Start-Ups (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All things metaverse! Why is it on everybody's lips at the moment? When will it arrive? Is it already (kinda) here? With @janineyorio from Republic.co. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I try to explain this whole controversy about Apple scanning your photos. Yelp will list business’ vaccination policies. I guess I’m bullish on autonomous tractors. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Quantummetric.com/podoffer offer code PODCASTCODE Metalab.com Links: Apple confirms it will begin scanning iCloud Photos for child abuse images (TechCrunch) Yelp will let businesses list their vaccination policies (The Verge) John Deere buys autonomous tractor startup Bear Flag Robotics (TechCrunch) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The End of Venture Capital as We Know It (The Information) Deal Of The Century: How Michael Dell Turned His Declining PC Business Into A $40 Billion Windfall (Forbes) The Metaverse Has Always Been a Dystopian Idea (Vice) How Olympic Surfing Is Trying to Ride the Machine Learning Wave (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Google has refreshed the entire Nest lineup and I guess TPU’s will be a thing going forward. Ethereum’s latest hard fork is live and bringing big changes. There’s a new Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative with Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and the government all combatting cyberattacks. And if some companies are seeing a Covid Times hangover, nobody bothered to tell Hopin. Sponsors: WealthFront.com/techmeme Metalab.com Links: Google’s new Nest cameras and doorbell have lower prices and more smarts (The Verge) Ethereum just activated a major change called the ‘London hard fork’ — here’s why it’s a big deal (CNBC) Senators propose exclusion of miners, software developers in infrastructure bill's crypto 'broker' definition (The Block) U.S. Taps Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Others to Help Fight Ransomware, Cyber Threats (WSJ) Nintendo profits decline year-on-year as Switch hits 89 million sold (The Verge) Two-year-old events start-up Hopin boomed in the pandemic. Now it’s a $7.75 billion business (CNBC) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robinhood’s shares are up so much after that busted IPO that trading had to be halted today. What gives? Also, what’s up with the rush into Buy Now Pay Later all of the sudden? Vudo will become Roku’s official video store. Superhuman raises another round. And do you need a smart soap dispenser in your life? Probably not. Metalab.com TinyCaptial.com Links: Robinhood surges as much as 81% in second day of wild trading (CNBC) Apple, Affirm to Join on Buy Now, Pay Later for Canadian Purchases (Bloomberg) WhatsApp launches its ‘View Once’ disappearing photos and videos (The Verge) New ‘Google Identity Services’ consolidate sign-in for 3rd-party apps, includes ‘One Tap’ (9to5Google) FandangoNOW and Vudu merge into a new streaming service with titles to rent, buy or stream free (TechCrunch) Blizzard’s head of HR is out (The Verge) Superhuman Raises $75 Million For Its Waitlist-Only Email Productivity App (Forbes) This $55 Amazon Smart Soap Dispenser is dumb as dirt (The Verge) Smart homes and vegetable peelers (Benedict Evans) Link to the Twitter Space reminder! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Google unveils the new Pixel 6 lineup, but the really interesting detail is the chip inside them. Apple makes Magic Keyboard with Touch ID available as a standalone product. Microsoft makes Windows as a service live. Now China says games are the opium of the spirit. And what if drone delivery is running into the same wall as self-driving cars? Sponsors: SetApp.com Metalab.com Links: THIS IS THE PIXEL 6, GOOGLE’S TAKE ON AN ‘ULTRA HIGH END’ PHONE (The Verge) Microsoft's Windows 365 Cloud PC service will range from $20 to $162 per user per month (ZDNet) Apple Makes Magic Keyboard With Touch ID Available for Separate Purchase (MacRumors) Tencent Sinks After China Denounces Online Gaming (WSJ) Xiaomi Tops European Smartphone Market in Q2 2021 (Strategy Analytics) The slow collapse of Amazon’s drone delivery dream (Wired UK) Spotify is testing a less restrictive ad-supported tier costing $0.99 a month (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

YouTube is demoing a diet version of YouTube. Square is paying a pretty penny to join the buy now, pay later sweepstakes. Did an Intel exec accidentally leak the specs for Thunderbolt 5? And did Google’s quantum computer create a perpetual motion machine? Sponsors: UE.com/fits, use promocode RIDE for 15% of Ultimate Ears FITS Grammarly.com/techmeme Links: YouTube ‘Premium Lite’ subscription offers ad-free viewing for less (The Verge) Twitter's Dorsey leads $29 bln buyout of lending pioneer Afterpay (Reuters) Intel Executive Posts Thunderbolt 5 Photo then Deletes It: 80Gbps and Pam-3 (AnandTech) Tech Startup Financing Hits Records as Giant Funds Dwarf Venture Capitalists (WSJ) Eternal Change for No Energy: A Time Crystal Finally Made Real (QuantaMagazine) Robinhood Sold IPO Shares to More Than 300,000 of Its Customers (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are ads a bigger cash cow for Amazon than even AWS? Follow up on Robinhood’s trading debut. How the SEC is dealing with the Chinese tech stock problem. Gopuff indicates that grocery delivery is still white hot to investors. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: Voices.com Metalab.co Links: Amazon Gets Record $888 Million EU Fine Over Data Violations (Bloomberg) Robinhood falls in its public market debut, closes more than 8% lower at $34.82 per share (CNBC) U.S. SEC says Chinese IPO hopefuls must provide additional risk disclosures (Reuters) Gopuff confirms new $1B cash injection at a $15B valuation to expand its instant grocery delivery service (TechCrunch) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Groceries in 10 Minutes: Delivery Start-Ups Crowd City Streets Across Globe (NYTimes) THE SUMMER INTEL FELL BEHIND (The Verge) Why the US can’t just beam internet into authoritarian states like Cuba (Quartz) Social-Media Manager, the Most Millennial Job, Comes of Age (WSJ) Hollywood Calls the Russo Brothers When It’s Time to Build a New Universe (Bloomberg Businessweek) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tech companies dip their toes into vaccine mandate waters. Facebook in so many words says Apple’s privacy changes are about to impact earnings. Will Didi take itself private again to please the Chinese government? Is Peacock doing better than I at least thought? And a crypto startup is sliding into the biggest growth market I’ve seen in this space yet. Sponsors: NordPass.com/techmeme or code techmeme for 50% off for 2 years Metalab.co Links: Most Apple Stores to Require Masks Again for Shoppers, Staff (Bloomberg) Facebook beats earnings expectations, but warns of significant growth slowdown (CNBC) Didi Global Considers Going Private to Placate China and Compensate Investors (WSJ) Robinhood CEO on the meme stock craze: ‘I think it’s a real thing’ (CNBC) Peacock Reaches 54M Sign-Ups Thanks to Olympics, 20M Monthly Active Users (The Streamable) OpenAI proposes open-source Triton language as an alternative to Nvidia's CUDA (ZDNet) Bitcoin Seized by DOJ Headed to Crypto Custodian Anchorage in $6.6 Million Deal (Decrypt) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apple reports earnings but warns of component shortages. Microsoft set profit records but noted shortage materially affected some divisions. Alphabet had good earnings too, but the real story there is YouTube. About the staff walkout at Activision Blizzard. Is Apple asking leakers to snitch on their sources? And an interesting raise to do next generation search on iOS. Sponsors: UpStart.com/techmeme Oracle.com/goto/ride Links: Apple’s iPhone hot streak is going to run into the global chip shortage (CNBC) Xbox hardware sales spike 172% as Microsoft reports $3.7B in quarterly gaming revenue (GeekWire) YouTube Q2 Ad Revenue Hits Record $7 Billion as Alphabet Trounces Estimates (Variety) Taiwan Greenlights TSMC's 2nm Fab: Coming Online in 2024 ~ 2025 (Tom's Hardware) Activision CEO Apologizes After Employees Threaten to Walk Out (Bloomberg) Apple Tells Leaker to Snitch on Sources or It Will Report Them to the Police (Motherboard) Brain Technologies raises $50M+ for the launch of Natural, a natural language search engine and 'super app' (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tesla is profitable beyond all caveats and hedges. Intel continues to telegraph its turnaround plans. Tangible numbers of the Chinese tech carnage. Instagram changes the rules for teens on the platform. And what are Facebook’s ultimate designs on building a Metaverse? Sponsors: Metalab.co TinyCapital.com Links: Tesla finally made a profit without the help of emission credits (The Verge) Tesla records $23 million in bitcoin-related impairments after cryptocurrency’s second-quarter plunge (CNBC) Intel to build Qualcomm chips, aims to catch foundry rivals by 2025 (Reuters) Apple releases fix for iOS and macOS zero-day, 13th this year (The Record) China Crackdown Makes Hong Kong Index World’s Biggest Tech Loser (Bloomberg) Instagram's new protections for teens come as experts say tween venture poses big risks (NBC News) Facebook announces Metaverse product group headed by Instagram VP Vishal Shah (Protocol) Element bolsters decentralized team messaging with $30M raise (VentureBeat) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is the DOJ probing Tether for bank fraud? When might FaceID come to the Mac? What do leaked photos tell us about the next Surface Duo? And I will spend the entire second half of the show trying my best to explain the seeming tech apocalypse happening in China right now. Sponsors: KiwiCo.com/ride for first month free SetApp.com Links: Tether Executives Said to Face Criminal Probe Into Bank Fraud (Bloomberg) Leaders in Cryptocurrency Industry Move to Curb the Highest-Risk Trades (NYTimes) Gurman: Face ID on the Mac Coming Within a 'Couple of Years' (MacRumors) Leaked Surface Duo 2 photos reveal new triple camera system (The Verge) China Bans For-Profit School Tutoring in Sweeping Overhaul (Bloomberg) China’s education sector crackdown hits foreign investors (Financial Times) Why is China smashing its tech industry? (Noahpinion.substack.com) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plus, the Hyper fund from Product Hunt, Automattic's acquisition game, and Twitter tests downvotes? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Alphabet has a new moonshot company. Existing Big Bet DeepMind might have had a big breakthrough. Why Snap and Twitter are sharing an earnings narrative right now. Hint: it’s cause they’re growing again. And, of course, the Weekend Longreads Suggestions. Sponsors: CreditKarma.com/podcast SetApp.com Links: Google parent Alphabet launches Intrinsic: a new company to build software for industrial robots (The Verge) DeepMind creates ‘transformative’ map of human proteins drawn by artificial intelligence (The Verge) Twitter posts fastest revenue growth since 2014 in pandemic rebound (CNBC) Snap pops more than 16% on earnings beat and user growth (CNBC) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: What Ever Happened to IBM’s Watson? (NYTimes) Startup Claims Breakthrough in Long-Duration Batteries (WSJ) The Novel Material That’s Shrinking Phone Chargers, Powering Up Electric Cars, and Making 5G Possible (WSJ) Robotaxis: have Google and Amazon backed the wrong technology? (Financial Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Twitter is testing downvotes. Tumblr gets into the subscription game. Google unveils a unified backup service for Android. Is HBO Max leading the pack of followers in the musical chairs streaming wars contest? The FTC is getting serious about right to repair. And let me introduce you to the Airbnb for back yard swimming pools. Sponsors: Masterworks.io promocode RIDE TinyCapital.com Links: Twitter for iOS begins testing dislike button for some users (9to5Mac) Clubhouse is no longer invite-only (The Verge) Tumblr Introduces Paid Subscription Tool to Woo Younger Bloggers (WSJ) ‘Backup by Google One’ is Android’s new unified backup system (9to5Google) China Weighs Unprecedented Penalty for Didi After U.S. IPO (Bloomberg) HBO Max and HBO Gain 2.8 Million Subscribers in Q2, AT&T Raises Year-End Target for Streaming Service (Variety) FTC pledges to fight unlawful right to repair restrictions (The Verge) An ‘Airbnb for Pools’ Is Making a Splash This Summer (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Netflix’s growth has hit a wall, and so here come the games. What to do about a problem like those NSO hacks? Samsung’s next Unpacked event is announced. One of the biggest crypto raises of all time. And will Apple ever join the Android ecosystem and kill off SMS once and for all? Sponsors: Calm.com/techmeme TinyCapital.com Links: Netflix’s gaming expansion starts with mobile (The Verge) On the list: Ten prime ministers, three presidents and a king (Washington Post) A case against security nihilism (Matthew Green) Samsung will announce new foldables on August 11 (TechCrunch) Biden Names Tech Foe Jonathan Kanter as DOJ Antitrust Chief (Bloomberg) Zoom announces general availability of Zoom Apps and its new virtual events platform (ZDNet) Crypto Exchange FTX Valued at $18 Billion in Funding Round (WSJ) YouTube’s newest monetization tool lets viewers tip creators for their uploads (TechCrunch) Verizon is also switching to Android Messages as default for RCS (The Verge) Set a reminder for tonight's twitter space by clicking here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apple puts a pause on its return to the office plans. Rumors of a new iPad mini redesign. Product Hunt launches an investment fund. If you want a tool to see if you’ve been pwned by NSO’s Pegasus software, I’ve got you. And Bezos in space… Sponsors: TinyCapital.com Links: Apple Delays Office Return by At Least a Month as Covid Spikes (Bloomberg) Exclusive: Apple planning redesigned iPad mini with A15 processor, USB-C port, more (9to5Mac) Hyper is a new fund that offers $300k checks and promise of a media slingshot for founders (TechCrunch) DuckDuckGo launches new Email Protection service to remove trackers (The Verge) Edward Snowden calls for spyware trade ban amid Pegasus revelations (The Guardian) 'Best day ever': Jeff Bezos, Blue Origin rocket touch down after historic spaceflight (USAToday) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The NSO Group is back in the headlines, and it’s maybe, the worst allegations of hacking for hire yet. The US and NATO blame China for the Exchange Server hacks. Does iOS now split the market with Android, at least in the US? And is Tesla charging customers for hardware they already paid for? Sponsors: Streak.com/techmeme TinyCapital.com Links: Private Israeli spyware used to hack cellphones journalists, activists worldwide (Washington Post) U.S. and key allies accuse China of Microsoft Exchange cyberattacks (Axios) Zoom is buying cloud contact center provider Five9 for $14.7 billion (CNBC) CIRP: iPhone catches up to Android, now accounts for 50% of new smartphone activations in the US (9to5Mac) Tesla is charging owners $1,500 for hardware they already paid for (Electrek) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bloomberg's @Lucas_Shaw comes on to explain the math of that Black Widow stream release story from Monday. Then @alexeheath from the Verge explains the death of Fleets, the creator thirst at Facebook and then we all get into the questioning the real value/process of Twitter verification. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Intel is considering a major acquisition to leapfrog back into semi-conductor contention. Valve releases its long rumored hardware device. Why they were able to make a deep face of Anthony Bourdain’s voice. And of course, the weekend longread suggestions. Sponsors: CreditKarma.com/podcast Cybereason.com Links: Intel Is in Talks to Buy GlobalFoundries for About $30 Billion (WSJ) Valve’s gaming handheld is called the Steam Deck and it’s shipping in December (The Verge) New Anthony Bourdain documentary deepfakes his voice (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: THE GAME MAKERS AND ARTISTS PUSHING ROBLOX TO ITS LIMITS (The Verge) Obscure Cyber Agency Becomes Nemesis of China's Tech Giants (Bloomberg) Tiger Global vs. SoftBank: Inside the investing playbooks that upended Silicon Valley (Protocol) Moderna’s Next Act Is Using mRNA vs. Flu, Zika, HIV, and Cancer (Bloomberg Businessweek) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Netflix hires a big name gaming executive. Twitter retires Fleets. Facebook wants to make it rain for creators. TSMC says the chip shortage is starting to ease. Amazon launches serialized storytelling. And one of the biggest unicorns in the world, just 6x’d in less than a year. Sponsors: WealthFront.com/techmeme Canva.me/techmeme Links: Netflix Plans to Offer Video Games in Push Beyond Films, TV (Bloomberg) Twitter is shutting down Fleets, its expiring tweets feature (The Verge) Facebook plans to pay creators $1 billion to use its products. (NYTimes) TSMC Expects Auto-Chip Shortage to Abate This Quarter (WSJ) Amazon launches its mobile-first Kindle Vella serialized story platform (Engadget) Revolut confirms a fresh $800M in funding at a $33B valuation (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bunch of Apple news. A new “buy now, pay later” service. A MagSafe battery pack. Is content moderation a hot new area for startups? Facebook groups can now get actual designated experts. REvil has suddenly gone dark. And why does iOS seemingly find 69 degrees Fahrenheit to be NOT nice! Sponsors: AwayTravel.com/techmeme KiwiCo.com/ride for first month free Links: Apple, Goldman Plan ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ Service to Rival Affirm (Bloomberg) Apple Seeks Up to 20% Increase in New iPhone Production for 2021 (Bloomberg) Apple releases MagSafe Battery Pack for iPhone 12, available now for $99 (9to5Mac) Discord buys Sentropy, which makes AI software that fights online harassment (TechCrunch) Amazon Acquires Facebook’s Satellite Internet Group (The Information) Facebook's groups to highlight experts (CNET) REvil ransomware gang's web sites mysteriously shut down (BleepingComputer) Apple’s weather app won’t say it’s 69 degrees (The Verge) Link to today's Twitter space at 3pm eastern! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If Twitter verification is now run by humans, how did so many obvious bot accounts get verified? Why you might start seeing brand logos in your emails, and why that’s actually a good thing. Biden's non-compete clause executive order is a big deal for Big Tech. And a look at the absurdity of the right to repair situation when it comes to gadgets you own. Links: Twitter verified a number of bot accounts—raising questions about security (updated) (DailyDot) Gmail deploys support BIMI security standard (The Record) Android 12 adds ‘Game dashboard’ and ‘Play as You Download’ in Google Play Store (9to5Google) Ring’s end-to-end encryption is rolling out globally (The Verge) Disney Plans to Raise ESPN Plus’ Monthly and Annual Subscription Costs (Variety) Biden's non-compete clause executive order is a big deal for Big Tech (Input Magazine) Biden Executive Order on Non-Competes Could Roil Tech (Bloomberg) Apple AirPod batteries are almost impossible to replace, showing the need for right-to-repair reform (CNBC) Tesla’s $16,000 Quote for a $700 Fix Is Why Right to Repair Matters (The Drive) Link to the Twitter space, tomorrow (07/14) at 4pm eastern Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is InfoSec the new Fintech when it comes to investor hotness? Did ByteDance make the right move by putting its IPO on ice? Why Amazon looks like it’s going heavy into the sleep gadget game. Why the EU is postponing its digital tax initiative. And why Black Widow’s release this weekend is giving Hollywood streaming hope. Sponsors: Gabi.com/techmeme Gainful.com/techmeme Links: Microsoft Agrees to Acquire Cybersecurity Company RiskIQ (Bloomberg) ByteDance Shelved IPO Intentions After Chinese Regulators Warned About Data Security (WSJ) Amazon.com Wants to Monitor You in Your Sleep, for Your Benefit (Bloomberg) Samsung’s next Galaxy Unpacked device lineup may have been entirely spoiled in huge new leak (The Verge) EU Delays Push for Digital Levy to Focus on Global Tax Deal (Bloomberg) Box Office: Marvel’s ‘Black Widow’ Debuts With Dazzling $80 Million in Theaters, $60 Million on Disney Plus (Variety) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

State Attorneys General file an antitrust suit against Google. But why them, first? Visa wants you to spend crypto via their platform. Fintech leads a record first half of the year for VC raises. And if payment for order flow were nixed by the SEC, what would that do to Robinhood? Sponsors: Tovala.com/ride Cybereason.com Links: 36 states, D.C. sue Google for alleged antitrust violations in its Android app store (Politico) Visa is partnering with over 50 crypto companies to allow clients to spend and convert digital currencies (Markets Insider) OnePlus confirms the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro throttle many popular apps to improve battery life (XDA Developers) Global Venture Funding Hits All-Time High In First Half Of 2021, With $288B Invested (Crunchbase News) London fintech funding soars in first half of the year (Reuters) Twitter Pledges to ‘Fully Comply’ With India Internet Rules (Bloomberg) Robinhood’s Debut Is Clouded by SEC Scrutiny of Payment for Order Flow (Wall Street Journal) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Mark Zuckerberg and Sheryl Sandberg’s Partnership Did Not Survive Trump (New York Times) The U.S. says humans will always be in control of AI weapons. But the age of autonomous war is already here. (Washington Post) GitHub Copilot is not infringing your copyright (Julia Reda) Ireland’s Days as a Tax Haven May Be Ending, but Not Without a Fight (New York Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Pentagon wants a do-over for that JEDI contract. YC wants to do Tinder but for founder matchmaking. Amazon open sources its gaming engine. How about NFT’s but for the stock market? And if you think China is cracking down on tech companies, wait till you hear how they want to regulate when and how kids can play videogames. Sponsors: Tovala.com/ride Cybereason.com Links: Pentagon cancels $10 billion JEDI cloud contract that Amazon and Microsoft were fighting over (CNBC) Biden Sets Up Tech Showdown With ‘Right-to-Repair’ Rules for FTC (Bloomberg) Y Combinator launches a new way for co-founders to find each other (Protocol) Amazon shifts Lumberyard to open source 3D game engine supported by 20 companies (Venture Beat) Fake Tesla, Apple Stocks Have Started Trading on Blockchains (Bloomberg) China's Tencent Says It'll Use Face Recognition to Keep Minors From Gaming at Night (Gizmodo) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nintendo finally announces the new Switch, but how new is it really? What the heck is happening with Didi and China? REvil strikes again, and what that might mean for the hacking situation going forward. And on a day of big geopolitical news, might big tech platforms be chased out of India and Hong Kong because their employees are in danger of being sent to jail? Sponsors: Tovala.com/ride Cybereason.com Links: Nintendo Switch OLED model will go on sale October 8th for $350 (The Verge) Chinese Regulators Suggested Didi Delay Its U.S. IPO (Wall Street Journal) Didi Shows China’s Tech Giants Must First Answer to Beijing (Bloomberg) China’s Big Tech Crackdown Puts Dozens of U.S. IPOs at Risk (Bloomberg) Hundreds of Businesses, From Sweden to U.S., Affected by Cyberattack (New York Times) REvil gang asks for $70 million to decrypt systems locked in Kaseya attack (The Record) Twitter has lost liability protection in India, government says (Tech Crunch) American Internet Giants Hit Back at Hong Kong Doxxing Law (New York Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

lex Kantrowitz of the Big Technology newsletter comes on to try to help us work out what happened with that Facebook Antitrust case blowup. Also, what does this mean for regulating other companies. Hosts: @chrismessina @brianmcc Check out Alex's Big Technology Newsletter Here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robinhood files for its long-awaited IPO. The Chinese government took the shine off of Didi’s recent IPO. More new features from Twitter. Is Apple the first to take advantage of 3nm chips? And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: CreditKarma.com/podcast Calm.com/techmeme Links: Robinhood files for long-awaited IPO (Axios) How Robinhood's explosive growth rate came to be (Tech Crunch) Didi shares fall after China announces cybersecurity review just days after IPO (CNBC) Twitter considers new features for tweeting only to friends, under different personas and more (Tech Crunch) Apple and Intel become first to adopt TSMC's latest chip tech (Nikkei Asia) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Three Weeks with iOS and iPadOS 15: Foundational Updates (Mac Stories) Amazon Primed Andy Jassy to Be CEO. Can He Keep What Jeff Bezos Built? (Wall Street Journal) ROBBING THE XBOX VAULT: INSIDE A $10 MILLION GIFT CARD CHEAT (Bloomberg) ‘Time and space don’t exist in the spirit world’: How psychics are embracing remote work (Los Angeles Times) The Tin Man Gets His Heart: An Oral History of ‘Terminator 2: Judgment Day’ (The Ringer) Subscribe to SpaceCasts on Apple Podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Instagram and TikTok are on a collision course. Instagram wants to be more like TikTok, while TikTok hopes to move the goalposts first. Amazon wants Lina Khan to recuse herself. Big tech is not only taking over advertising, it’s consolidating it. And anyone can get their hands on Starlink next month, but not everyone might want to. Sponsors: Masterworks.io promocode RIDE Cybereason.com Links: Facebook is testing drastic changes to Instagram to make it more like TikTok (CNBC) TikTok is rolling out longer videos to everyone (The Verge) Federal judge puts Florida 'deplatforming' law on hold, citing First Amendment (NBC News) Amazon Wants FTC Chair Khan Recused Over Past Criticism (Bloomberg) Maine has strictly banned facial recognition from schools and policing (Input) The EU’s 'vaccine passport' and what it means for travel (BBC) Quintopoly? Five tech companies now earn 46% of global ad revenues as news media left behind (Press Gazette) Tim Berners-Lee sells web source code NFT for $5.4m (BBC) Starlink will be open to everyone in August — not that you'll want it (Input) SpaceX's Starlink may bring faster Wi-Fi to commercial planes (Input) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Facebook launches its Substack clone. Emphasis on clone. Shopify joins the platform tax wars by going to zero. A truce between Microsoft and Google has just lapsed. A big raise in the drone space. And would you pay to get actual search results instead of ads? Sponsors: Cybereason.com Links: Facebook announces Bulletin, its Substack newsletter competitor (The Verge) Shopify drops its App Store commissions to 0% on developers’ first million in revenue (Tech Crunch) Google and Microsoft End Their Five-Year Cease-Fire (Bloomberg) T-Mobile is offering iPhone owners no-hassle network ‘test drives’ (The Verge) Alphabet’s Wing launches OpenSky drone airspace authorization app in US (Tech Crunch) Zipline raises $250M at $2.75B valuation to build out its instant logistics service (Tech Crunch) Inside Neeva, the ad-free, privacy-first search engine from ex-Googlers (Fast Company) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A judge has completely thrown out the FTC’s antitrust lawsuit against Facebook and sent them back to the drawing board. Microsoft and OpenAI and Github have a tool that will suggest code to you as you code. And Sam Altman, as I understand this, wants to do Universal Basic Income on the blockchain. But first, he wants to scan your eyeball. Sponsors: Cybereason.com AirMedCareNetwork.com/tech offer code TECH Links: Judge dismisses FTC and state antitrust complaints against Facebook (CNBC) Microsoft Office is getting a new design and a native 64-bit Arm version for Windows 11 (The Verge) Microsoft and OpenAI have a new A.I. tool that will give coding suggestions to software developers (CNBC) YouTube TV Unveils Dolby Digital Support & Premium Add-on with 4K, Offline Downloads, and Unlimited Streams (The Streamable) Sam Altman Wants to Scan Your Eyeball in Exchange for Cryptocurrency (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The UK orders a halt to regulated activities by Binance, joining everybody, all the sudden. Qualcomm unveils the Snapdragon 888 Plus. Lenovo unveils an Android tablet that works as a portable monitor. And meet the activists perfecting the craft of anti-surveillance. Sponsors: Masterworks.io promocode RIDE AirMedCareNetwork.com/tech offer code TECH Links: Financial watchdog bans crypto exchange Binance from UK (Financial Times) The world’s biggest crypto exchange is running into trouble everywhere (Quartz) Qualcomm's Snapdragon 888 Plus will speed up gaming, AI in high-end 5G phones (Cnet) Lenovo announces $679 13-inch Android tablet that works as a portable monitor (The Verge) Apple Explores Bigger iPads and Reshuffles Its Car Team (Bloomberg) Microsoft admits to signing rootkit malware in supply chain fiasco (Bleeping Computer) Microsoft keeps hinting at an October release for Windows 11 (The Verge) Meet the activists perfecting the craft of anti-surveillance (Financial Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have two special guests this week! The first is Sonal Chokshi, Editor in Chief of a16z and showrunner of a16z podcasts. We’ll be getting her perspective on the launch of FUTURE, which we discussed last week. ​Second, as the major social platforms (save for YouTube!) have launched their social audio offerings, we’ll get the latest updates and analysis from Kaya Yurieff of The Information who recently published “The Week Social Audio Went Mainstream” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fri. 06/25 – Some Western Digital NAS Devices Are Getting Ill (matic?) Some Western Digital NAS devices are getting ill (matic). A breakdown of the 5 or 6 big tech antitrust bills that just passed House committees. Windows 11 is free, but what if your device can’t run it? Also, more on Microsoft’s anti-Apple posturing. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: AirMedCareNetwork.com/tech offer code TECH Cybereason.com Links: WD My Book NAS devices are being remotely wiped clean worldwide (Bleeping Computer) Big Tech edges closer to break up after deeply unhinged markup (The Verge) Satya Nadella’s closing Windows 11 remarks were a direct shot across Apple’s bow (The Verge) Windows 11 is free, but your CPU might not be officially supported (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: What Is Blue Box? A Vast Conspiracy Grips the Video Game World (Bloomberg) A very brief history of every Google messaging app (The Verge) The Boy Who Could DeFi: Meet the 13-Year-Old Who Built a $7M Money Manager on Ethereum (Decrypt) How Roku used the Netflix playbook to beat bigger players and rule streaming video (CNBC) Can a $110 Million Helmet Unlock the Secrets of the Mind? (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The new Windows is Windows 11. Google delays the Adpodcalypse. BuzzFeed finally to go public. Comcast is having issues with Peacock. Google and Jio’s cheap smartphone is announced. Is the biggest ever crypto crime story evolving right now in South Africa? And RIP John McAfee. Sponsors: RocketLawyer.com/workconfidently Cybereason.com Links: Microsoft announces Windows 11, with a new design, Start menu, and more (The Verge) Google delays Chrome's cookie-blocking privacy plan by nearly 2 years (Cnet) BuzzFeed announces plans to go public via SPAC, targets $1.5 billion valuation (CNBC) Inside Comcast’s Plan to Become a Streaming Giant (Wall Street Journal) Google and India’s Jio Platforms announce budget Android smartphone JioPhone Next (Tech Crunch) South African Brothers Vanish, and So Does $3.6 Billion in Bitcoin (Bloomberg) John McAfee, Software Pioneer Turned Fugitive, Dies in Spanish Prison (New York Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ticketed Space and Super Follows begin to roll out, and depending on how you slice it, folks stand to make a ton of money… or a ton of money for the app stores. Speaking of, Apple launches a PR campaign defending the App Store on security grounds. Microsoft becomes the second company to reach the $2 trillion dollar club. And you know about phishing scams, but let me introduce you to “brushing” scams. Sponsors: Kraken.com/techmeme or search Kraken in the app store Cybereason.com Links: Twitter is opening applications to test Ticketed Spaces and Super Follows (The Verge) Apple’s Fight for Control Over Apps Moves to Congress and EU (Wall Street Journal) Microsoft Rises to Join Apple in Exclusive $2 Trillion Club (Bloomberg) Vercel raises $102M Series C for its front-end development platform (Tech Crunch) Brave’s nontracking search engine is now in beta (Tech Crunch) What is the 'brushing' scam and how can you protect yourself? (Yahoo Life) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another antitrust investigation formally opened against Google in Europe. Facebook’s Oculus ad partner thinks better of the experiment. Stephen Spielberg decides that Netflix’s money is as green as anybody’s. Ransomware gangs are abandoning bitcoin. And Amazon, at least, still believes in autonomous vehicles. Sponsors: KiwiCo.com/ride for first month free NordVPN.com/ride coupon code ride Links: EU opens antitrust probe into Google’s advertising business (Financial Times) Resolution Games Pulls Blaston Out Of Facebook Ad Test (Upload) Entire London Underground to receive mobile coverage by end of 2024 (The Verge) Tinder lets people add videos to their dating profiles (Engadget) Epic Games releases free anti-cheat and voice chat services for developers (The Verge) Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners, Netflix Forge Film Deal in Sign of Changing Hollywood (Variety) Monero emerges as crypto of choice for cybercriminals (Financial Times) Amazon Snaps Up Option to Buy Stake in AI Truck-Driving Startup (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Facebook’s Clubhouse clone rolls out. Here’s how it works. China really does seem to be cracking down on Bitcoin mining. Here’s why that could be important. Some power companies in Texas are remotely adjusting the smart thermostats of users. Here’s why that’s likely the future of things. And had you heard of cyclic propulsion aircraft before? I hadn’t. Let me tell you about it. Sponsors: Skiff.org/ride Cybereason.com Links: Facebook officially launches Live Audio Rooms and podcasts in the US (Tech Crunch) China to shut down over 90% of its Bitcoin mining capacity after local bans (Global Times) Digital euro will protect consumer privacy, ECB executive pledges (Financial Times) 'Woke up sweating': Some Texans shocked to find their smart thermostats were raised remotely (KHOU) Apple Watch accessory maker Wristcam raises $25M (Tech Crunch) Russia has flown prototypes of its six-seat hybrid VTOL Cyclocar (New Atlas) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Were some of the base encryption algorithms on cell networks deliberately nerfed? The first ever mass arrest of a ransomware gang? Proof that Google is working on a FindMy network rival? And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Tovala.com/ride Cybereason.com Links: Bombshell Report Finds Phone Network Encryption Was Deliberately Weakened (Vice) Ukraine arrests ransomware gang in global cyber criminal crackdown (Financial Times) Google may be working on an Android version of Apple’s “Find My” network (XDA Developers) Gopuff to Buy Siemens-Backed RideOS in $100 Million-Plus Deal (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Ransomware claims are roiling an entire segment of the insurance industry (Washington Post) THE RISE AND FALL OF AN AMERICAN TECH GIANT (The Atlantic) Anatomy of a Seed Round During COVID-19 (Fresh Paint) Meet Wu Dao 2.0, the Chinese AI model making the West sweat (Politico) Tech Companies Are Training AI to Read Your Lips (Vice) How governments and spies text each other (Wired) Airbnb Is Spending Millions of Dollars to Make Nightmares Go Away (Bloomberg) Subscribe to the RideHome+ Feed at: tech.supercast.tech Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Facebook is bringing ads to Virtual Reality cause, why not, right? Stories are coming to the Xbox. Why is Google downsizing it’s healthcare team? Why are music artists flooding to Twitch? And is Facebook cornering the VR market like it cornered social media? Sponsors: Tovala.com/ride Cybereason.com Links: Facebook to begin testing ads inside Oculus virtual reality headsets (CNBC) Xbox’s June update adds speech-to-text chat feature (Engadget) Podcasts start coming to Facebook next week (The Verge) Amazon Appstore will reduce developer revenue cut from 30% to 20% and give 10% in Free AWS Credit (AFTV News) EXCLUSIVE: Google is downsizing its health team and moving employees to Fitbit as part of a major reorganization (Insider) Can Streaming Pay? Musicians Are Pinning Fresh Hopes on Twitch. (New York Times) Is Facebook cornering the VR market? (Platformer) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lina Khan has not only been confirmed as FTC commissioner, she’s also been named FTC chair. Waymo raises a big new round, which is soops interesting. Spotify joins the audio rooms sweepstakes. A Windows 11 build leaks. And forget Apple Stores, would you visit an actual Apple Health Clinic? Sponsors: Tovala.com/ride Cybereason.com Links: Biden Names Lina Khan, a Big-Tech Critic, as F.T.C. Chair (New York Times) Alphabet’s self-driving car company Waymo announces $2.5 billion investment round (CNBC) GM ups spending on EVs and autonomous vehicles by 30% to $35 billion by 2025 on higher profits (CNBC) Spotify launches its live audio app and Clubhouse rival, Spotify Greenroom (Tech Crunch) Windows 11 leak reveals new UI, Start menu, and more (The Verge) Apple Struggles in Push to Make Healthcare Its Greatest Legacy (Wall Street Journal) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Automattic acquires the popular iOS and iPad OS journaling app, Day One. Everybody wants a piece of Stripe. Stripe wants to be the “Stripe for Identity” all by itself. With HBO vanquished, now Netflix wants to become Disney faster than Disney can become Netflix. And could I interest you in an NFT of the entire World Wide Web? Sponsors: LinkedIn.com/ride Cybereason.com Links: WordPress.com owner Automattic acquires journaling app Day One (Tech Crunch) U.S. Supreme Court revives LinkedIn bid to shield personal data (Reuters) Investors Clamor for a Bigger Piece of Payments Company Stripe (Wall Street Journal) Stripe goes beyond payments with Stripe Identity to provide AI-based ID verification for transactions and much more (Tech Crunch) Amazon brings cashierless tech to full-size grocery store for first time at new Seattle-area location (Geek Wire) Netflix Has a Plan to Sell You Toys, T-Shirts and Concert Tickets (Bloomberg) Web inventor Berners-Lee to auction original code as NFT (Financial Times) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Could we get an extreme sports Apple Watch soon? Google makes Workspace and Chat available to all. Bitcoin’s first major overhaul in four years is a go. TikTok has quickly become an advertising Monster. And I try to explain to you why everyone is suddenly so hype on Miami as a tech hub. Sponsors: KiwiCo.com/ride for your first month free Cybereason.com Links: Apple Plans Faster Watch, Future Temperature and Glucose Sensors (Bloomberg) Google Workspace and Google Chat are officially available to everybody (The Verge) Amazon’s game streaming service Luna is opening access to all Prime members June 21 and 22 (The Verge) Bitcoin just got its first makeover in four years (CNBC) TikTok Charges Up to $2 Million a Day for Top Advertising Spots (Bloomberg) Austin Is Biggest Winner From Tech Migration, LinkedIn Data Show (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Moar… hacking news. McDonalds. Electronic Arts. Le sigh. Apple wants to do away with passwords too. Elon Musk unveils the Model S Plaid. An interesting Apple Car hire. And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: TheLogic.co/subscribe promo code RIDE for 50% off Cybereason.com Links: McDonald’s Hit by Data Breach (Wall Street Journal) Hackers Steal Wealth of Data from Game Giant EA (Vice) Apple says its new logon tech is as easy as passwords but far more secure (Cnet) Tesla begins deliveries of its new Model S Plaid (CNBC) Apple Hires Former BMW Executive for Its Rebooted Car Project (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: The hard truth about ransomware: we aren’t prepared, it’s a battle with new rules, and it hasn’t near reached peak impact. (Double Pulsar) When ransomware strikes, this company helps victims make bitcoin payments (CNBC) APPLE ISN’T JUST A WALLED GARDEN, IT’S A CARRIER (The Verge) THE APP THAT MONETIZED DOING NOTHING (The Atlantic) Marcus Graham: Looking back on 10 years of Twitch’s experiment with livestreaming (Venture Beat) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another payoff to Ransomware hackers. Facebook to launch a smartwatch? Microsoft to launch a dedicated game streaming device? Samsung unveils a tiny, tiny camera sensor. Stripe wants to handle your sales tax headache. And can the creator economy take off in a world of App Stores with 30% rakes? Sponsors: Skiff.org/ride Cybereason.com Links: JBS Paid $11 Million to Resolve Ransomware Attack (Wall Street Journal) Facebook plans first smartwatch for next summer with two cameras, heart rate monitor (The Verge) Microsoft is building its own streaming devices as part of a major Xbox Game Pass expansion (Protocol) Samsung pushes pixel size even further with new camera sensor (The Verge) Payments giant Stripe launches Stripe Tax to integrate sales tax calculations for 30+ countries (Tech Crunch) The creator economy is running into the Apple Tax — this startup is fighting back (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

El Salvador becomes the first country to adopt bitcoin as legal tender. Biden reverses the TikTok and WeChat bans. Did one single customer cause that Fastly internet outage? Interesting raise for a faster Ethereum. Interesting new browser option. And maybe my favorite honey pot operation of all time. Sponsors: Masterworks.io promocode RIDE Cybereason.com Links: El Salvador becomes first country to adopt bitcoin as legal tender after passing law (CNBC) Biden revokes and replaces Trump orders banning TikTok and WeChat (The Verge) Fastly claims single customer responsible for widespread internet outage (The Verge) Solana Labs raises $314 million in new funding led by A16z and Polychain Capital (The Block) Vivaldi 4.0 launches with built-in email and calendar clients, RSS reader (Tech Crunch) FBI and Australian police ran an encrypted chat platform to catch criminal gangs (The Record) Encrypted messaging app used by criminals was actually an FBI honeypot (Input) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fastly takes down the internet, highlighting how the internet is still really centralized. The US seized most of the bitcoins those hackers got from the Colonial Pipeline hack, highlighting how Bitcoin is actually eminently traceable. Facebook pokes Apple in the eye on WWDC day, and I give you a wrap-up of the bits a pieces we missed from WWDC yesterday. Sponsors: Kraken.com/techmeme or search "Kraken" in the app store Cybereason.com Links: Twitch, Pinterest, Reddit and more go down in Fastly CDN outage (Tech Crunch) U.S. Retrieves Millions in Ransom Paid to Colonial Pipeline Hackers (Wall Street Journal) Facebook will show creators how much money Apple and Google take from them (The Verge) EXCLUSIVE Apple in talks with CATL, BYD over battery supplies for its electric car (Reuters) Adobe launches M1 Mac-native versions of Lightroom Classic and more (The Verge) iOS 15: Find My network can still find your iPhone when it is powered off, or factory reset (9to5 Mac) Apple adds digital legacy service so users can prepare for the inevitable (Cnet) Apple will let users stay on iOS 14 and receive security updates, even after iOS 15 is released (9to5 Mac) Apple’s iCloud Plus bundles a VPN, private email, and HomeKit camera storage (The Verge) Book Recommendation: Network Effect by Martha Wells Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All the headlines from WWDC 2021. Bezos in space! France brings the first hammer down on this round of anti-competitive action, this time against Google. And Jane Manchun Wong has the details on the upcoming Twitter Super Followers thingy. Sponsors: Netgear.com/bestwifi promocode: tech10 Cybereason.com Links: Jeff Bezos and his brother will fly on Blue Origin's first human spaceflight with auction winner (TechCrunch) Google Settles Antitrust Case Over Advertising Practices (WSJ) Twitter may be close to launching Super Follows, as new research shows what it could look like (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices