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Eugene Wei and Sonal Chokshi explain plainly how and why TikTok is an evolutionary (and algorithmic) step beyond the social graph. Eugene's original essay, TikTok and the Sorting Hat Subscribe to 16 Minutes News by a16z (podcast) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All the headlines from Amazon’s hardware event. New Echo devices. Amazon is getting into cloud gaming with Luna. And ring has a literal drone that will fly around the inside of your house for the purposes of sentry duty. Interesting acquisition from Apple continues to point to them doing something big in podcasts. And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: PayPal App Amazon.com/techmeme Links: A closer look at Luna, Amazon's cloud gaming service (Engadget) Amazon announces all-new Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Dot with Clock (CNBC) AMAZON’S NEW ECHO SHOW 10 MOVES TO LOOK AT YOU (The Verge) Ring’s latest security camera is a drone that flies around inside your house (The Verge) Amazon’s Bizarre Home Drone Flies Around Inside Your House (Wired) Apple Buys Startup That Creates Radio-Like Stations for Podcasts (Bloomberg) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Huang’s Law Is the New Moore’s Law, and Explains Why Nvidia Wants Arm (WSJ) How Nvidia’s CEO Cooked Up America’s Biggest Semiconductor Company (WSJ) This Deal Helped Turn Google Into an Ad Powerhouse. Is That a Problem? (NYTimes) The Supply of Disinformation Will Soon Be Infinite (The Atlantic) Why iPhone users are suddenly going wild creating custom looks for their home screens (CNBC) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Rebel Alliance has a name: The Coalition for App Fairness. Microsoft will make office available without a subscription. Software as a purchase, if you will, instead of a subscription. Radical. Say hello to the Galaxy S20 FE. And does the gaming industry make pre-orders and console launches so messy on purpose? Sponsors: Amazon.com/techmeme PayPal App Links: Epic, Spotify and others ally against Apple and Google app policies (Engadget) New Microsoft Office on the way for people who don't want a subscription (Windows Central) The Samsung Galaxy S20 FE brings some flagship specs at a $699 price (The Verge) Google Maps gets a COVID-19 layer (TechCrunch) Sneaker Platform Goat Group Raises $100 Million to Fund Expansion Plans (WSJ) How a marked-up term sheet and messy rollout threw TikTok deal into disarray (Reuters) THE GAMING INDUSTRY KEEPS FAILING MISERABLY AT SELLING ITS MOST IMPORTANT PRODUCTS (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All the announcements and headlines from Microsoft’s Ignite 2020. Microsoft is exclusively licensing Open AI’s GPT-3. Google has debuted an Airtable rival called Tables. Ming-Chi Kuo thinks we’ll see an iPad with mini-LED by the end of the year. What happened during Tesla’s “battery day.” Pinterest has launched Story Pins and how Spotify is enabling SEO spam in audio form. Sponsors: Amazon.com/techmeme PayPal App JoinFightCamp.com/techmeme Links: Microsoft challenges Twilio with the launch of Azure Communications Services (TechCrunch) Azure Orbital launches Microsoft into cloud-based space race with Amazon (GeekWire) Microsoft Teams is getting virtual commutes and Headspace meditation (VentureBeat) Google launches a work-tracking tool and Airtable rival, Tables (TechCrunch) Swift language tools now available for Windows 10 (iMore) Kuo: Mini-LED Displays to Debut in Apple's Next iPad Pro (MacRumors) Tesla CEO Elon Musk says company can build a $25,000 self-driving car within three years (CNBC) Elon Musk promises $25,000 Tesla and says Model S 'Plaid' is coming soon (CNN) Pinterest officially launches new Story Pins format in beta (TechCrunch) Why Spotify Has So Many Bizarre, Generic Artists Like ‘White Noise Baby Sleep’ (OneZero) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Quibi is exploring its options, as they say. The Google Antitrust suit could come next week. Why do you have to return the entire Apple Watch if your wristband doesn’t fit? The CIA has a new plan to compete with Silicon Valley for talent. The SEC and OCC sign off on stablecoins. And the strategy behind Microsoft’s big play for Bethesda. Sponsors: Amazon.com/techmeme PayPal App Links: Quibi Explores Strategic Options Including Possible Sale (WSJ) Justice Department expected to brief state attorneys general this week on imminent Google antitrust lawsuit (Washington Post) PSA: New Apple Watch Owners Have to Return Entire Device for Ill-Fitting Solo Loop or Braided Solo Loop (MacRumors) A $50 Phone is Ambani's Weapon to Dominate India Telecom Market (Bloomberg) SEC, OCC Issue First Regulatory Clarifications for Stablecoins (CoinDesk) CIA’s new tech recruiting pitch: More patents, more profits (MIT Technology Review) You can now stream your Xbox One games to your Android phone for free (The Verge) Microsoft to Buy Bethesda for $7.5 Billion to Boost Xbox (Bloomberg) Microsoft to acquire Elder Scrolls, Fallout, other hit games in $7.5B deal for Bethesda Softworks parent (GeekWire) Watch a demo of Royole’s new folding phone, on sale today for roughly $1,500 (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It looked like we had a TikTok deal the president liked. Then ByteDance went and pointed out they still had control. Now, I dunno where we’re at. Microsoft buys Bethesda. The founder of Nikola steps down in murky circumstances. And Amazon wants to use your Echo and Tile devices for a true Internet of Things network. Sponsors: Amazon.com/techmeme PayPal App Links: Trump Blesses Oracle’s TikTok Deal, Delays App Store Ban (Bloomberg) TikTok deal hit by confusion over who will own and control the app (FT) Judge halts Trump administration order banning WeChat from Apple and Google app stores (CNBC) Microsoft purchases Bethesda Softworks in industry-changing acquisition [Updated] (ArsTechnica) With $100M in funding, Playco is already a mobile gaming unicorn (TechCrunch) Nikola Founder Trevor Milton Resigns as Executive Chairman Amid Fraud Allegations (WSJ) Nikola’s chairman steps down, stock crashes following allegations of fraud (TechCrunch) Amazon details its low-bandwidth Sidewalk neighborhood network, coming to Echo and Tile devices soon (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Commerce Department officially has brought the hammer down. WeChat is banned on Sunday. TikTok banned on Sunday too, but it’s complicated. PayTM is banned from the Google Play Store in India. Facebook decides that Facebook is too toxic for its own workers to use. And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Fundrise.com/techmeme PayPal App Links: Trump to block downloads of TikTok, WeChat on Sunday (CNBC) Google pulls India's Paytm app from Play Store for repeat policy violations (TechCrunch) iOS 14 default app settings automatically reset to Mail and Safari after reboot (9to5Mac) Apple is making Shazam a bigger part of your iPhone (The Verge) Facebook is cracking down on groups that give health advice and promote violence (CNBC) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Exclusive: The Billionaire Who Wanted To Die Broke . . . Is Now Officially Broke (Forbes) ‘Interactive entertainment is the standard bearer of the entertainment business’ (Protocol) Remote Work Is Killing the Hidden Trillion-Dollar Office Economy (Marker) Your Teenage Email Account Is a Lost Time Capsule (One Zero) Why the Apple II Didn’t Support Lowercase Letters (Vintage Computing And Gaming) This unheard Steve Jobs tape is part of an amazing trove of tech history (Fast Company) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have the launch date and price for the Playstation 5. An update on the TikTok and WeChat situations. Why the Snowflake IPO was such a big deal, and such a big success. Red Ventures is affiliate marketing on steroids. And what if I told you the coolest new bit of gear that people got turned on to during the last Apple event was an office chair. But it is Jony Ive’s favorite office chair. Sponsors: Liftoff.to PayPal App MarketingPlay.com; email [email protected] Links: PlayStation 5 preorders: Sony reveals release date and price (VentureBeat) The PS5 will launch on November 12th for $499.99 (The Verge) Sony confirms PS5’s first-party launch lineup and free game upgrade plans for PS4 titles (The Verge) Oracle’s TikTok Bid Leaves Open Some U.S. Security Concerns (Bloomberg) Pro Rata Newsletter (Dan Primack/Axios) Snowflake IPO Spurs Flood of Wealth for Silicon Valley Elite (Bloomberg) ‘Helping people discover information’: How Red Ventures grew into a giant (Digiday) Sit Like an Apple Engineer in This 70s-Era British Office Chair (Gear Patrol) Subscribe to the ad-free feed and support the show directly! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Facebook unveils the Oculus Quest 2, as a part of its Facebook Connect (formerly Oculus Connect) event. Amazon Music gets podcasts. Spotify puts the Apple One bundle on blast. Developers have found yet another reason to get pissed at Apple. And AT&T is not only bringing advertising to HBO, they want to add ads to you phone as well. Sponsors: PayPal App ExtraHop.com/techmeme Links: Oculus Quest 2 delivers standalone VR with sharper 90Hz screens for $299 (Engadget) OCULUS QUEST 2 REVIEW: BETTER, CHEAPER VR (The Verge) Snowflake is largest software IPO ever (Axios) Amazon Music Joins Podcasting Fray (WSJ) Driver Charged in Uber’s Fatal 2018 Autonomous Car Crash (NYTimes) Spotify says Apple One bundle is a 'threat to collective freedom' (Apple Insider) Apple accuses Epic of ‘starting a fire and pouring gasoline on it’ in new Fortnite filing (The Verge) Apple surprised iPhone users with a next-day iOS 14 release. App developers are pissed. (Mashable) Exclusive: AT&T considers cellphone plans subsidized by ads (Reuters) AT&T Plans Lower-Priced Version of HBO Max With Advertising (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A full rundown of the Time Flies event from Apple. New Apple Watches, including an Apple Watch SE. Refreshed iPad, but redesigned iPad Air that is giving the iPad Pro a run for its money. An Apple Fitness+ subscription program. An Apple One subscription bundle. And meanwhile, Sony cuts PlayStation 5 production, we have a date for Google’s Pixel 5 launch and why it might actually be a good idea to put your data center at the bottom of the ocean. Sponsors: LiftOff.to PayPal App Links: Techmeme Headline Rundown of the Apple Event Sony Cuts PlayStation 5 Forecast by 4 Million Due to Chip Woes (Bloomberg) Sen. Hawley calls for US to reject Oracle’s TikTok deal (The Verge) We’re Heading Toward the Worst Possible Outcome on TikTok (Intelligencer) Google to launch Pixel 5, new Chromecast, and smart speaker on September 30th (The Verge) Microsoft pulls underwater data center back to the surface to assess benefits of deep-sea cloud (GeekWire) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Has Oracle saved TikTok, in the US at least? Let me explain why it’s not actually buying anything, probably isn’t solving the security problem Microsoft says it would have, and China is keeping its hands on the algorithm. On a normal day, news of Nvidia buying ARM would have been the headline. Airtable is an interesting raise. And who has more pie on their face: OnePlus or US Customs agents? Sponsors: PayPal App BuyRaycon.com/tech Links: Oracle Wins Bid for TikTok in U.S., Beating Microsoft (WSJ) It’s Official- NVIDIA Acquires Arm For $40 Billion To Create What Could Be A Computing Juggernaut (Forbes) Verizon to Buy TracFone in Deal Valued at Up to $7 Billion (WSJ) Airtable raises $185M and launches new low-code and automation features (TechCrunch) Feds proudly announce seizure of ‘counterfeit Apple AirPods’ that are actually OnePlus Buds (The Verge) The LG Wing’s twisting screen offers a new spin on the dual-screen smartphone (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The TikTok saga. It’s gonna end. Or it’s gonna happen. Or it’s gonna… something in the next few days. Will it be sold? Will it not be? Will it be banned in the US. There are so many angles here. So many interesting ways to tease out something that is unprecedented in the world of Tech. Alex Kantrowitz pinged me to talk about it and he’s a good dude to do so because he wrote a book about the big tech platforms, and, as we get into… this is so rare. A big up and coming platform that is just, for weird a-historical reasons, being offered up on a platter for the other powers that be to… maybe take over? I quoted Alex when he was at Buzzfeed for years. But as we discuss at the end, Alex has gone solo! Check out his newsletter Big Technology. Check out his podcast, Big Technology. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microsoft warns that hackers working for Russia, China and Iran are escalating their attacks surrounding the upcoming US Presidential election. I lied…. Apple has blinked in the Epic Games/App Store battle, at least a little bit. A profile of everyone’s favorite note taking startup, Roam. And, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: DoubleUp.agency Today In Digital Marketing Podcast Links: Russia, China and Iran launched cyberattacks on presidential campaigns, Microsoft says (NBC News) Epic says that Sign in with Apple for Fortnite will still work after all (iMore) ‘Apple One’ subscription bundle confirmed by Apple Music for Android ahead of Sept. 15 event (9to5Google) A $200 Million Seed Valuation for Roam Shows Investor Frenzy for Note-Taking Apps (The Information) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Apple's Rising Class of Leaders Will Shape a Post-Tim Cook Era (Bloomberg) Your Phone Wasn’t Built for the Apocalypse (The Atlantic) Esports Pros Have ‘Dream’ Jobs—but Game Publishers Have All the Power (Wired) How Netflix's Reed Hastings Rewrote the Hollywood Script (Forbes) I was skeptical about attending Burning Man in VR, but it’s great (Fast Company) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Facebook goes back to its roots by going back to school with Campus. The Long-Term Stock Exchange is ready for its closeup. The former head of the NSA is joining Amazon’s board. The second-gen Motorola Razr is here. And an in-depth review and assessment of whether or not Microsoft’s Surface Duo knows what it wants to be. Sponsors: Doubleup.agency Today In Digital Marketing Podcast Links: Facebook reinvents Facebook with the launch of Campus for college students (The Verge) Former NSA chief Keith Alexander has joined Amazon’s board of directors (The Verge) Former NSA chief Keith Alexander has joined Amazon’s board of directors (The Verge) Motorola’s second-gen foldable Razr adds 5G, better cameras, and a chance at redemption (The Verge) Bose announces $279 QuietComfort Earbuds and $179 Sport Earbuds (The Verge) MICROSOFT SURFACE DUO REVIEW: DOUBLE TROUBLES (The Verge) TikTok, U.S. Discuss Ways to Avoid Sale (WSJ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Clarifying the news on the new Xbox consoles, as well as next week’s Apple event. Apple sues Epic Games for breach of contract. Android 11 is here if you can get it. A new Yubikey now has USB-C goodness. And more indications that 5G is going to continue to be super, annoyingly disappointing. Sponsors: DoubleUp.agency JoinFightCamp.com/techmeme Links: Xbox Series X launches on November 10th for $499 (The Verge) Microsoft is adding EA Play to Xbox Game Pass (Engadget) Nintendo Boosts Switch Production by Another 20% (Bloomberg) Apple to Hold Sept. 15 Online Launch Event to Reveal New Watch (Bloomberg) Apple doubles down in fight with Fortnite creator Epic Games, seeks damages for breach of contract (CNBC) Fortnite is launching a concert series it hopes will become a ‘tour stop’ for artists (The Verge) Google’s new ‘Verified Calls’ feature will tell you why a business is calling you (TechCrunch) Taboola and Outbrain end talks to merge after nearly a year (CNBC) Yubico’s new USB-C security key with NFC could be the one key to unlock them all (The Verge) Fastest Mobile Networks 2020 (PCMag) Ride Home Mutants classic league, code: e5m0zl https://fantasy.premierleague.com/leagues/auto-join/e5m0zl Ride Home Head to Head, code: 8hwq78 https://fantasy.premierleague.com/leagues/auto-join/8hwq78 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The details around the new Xbox’s have been revealed. China wants to draw definitive global lines in the tech cold war. Google makes a big bet on the “no code” movement. Content pirates have suffered a historic setback. Was Masa Son pumping up the entire stock market. And we know when the iPhone event will be. Sponsors: MintMobile.com/ride DoubleUp.agency Links: Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S release date and price finally revealed (WindowsCentral) Leaked Xbox Series S commercial reveals 1440p, ray tracing, and 512GB SSD (The Verge) China Launches Initiative to Set Global Data-Security Rules (WSJ) Google binds no-code tools, API management and serverless computing into new development platform (Silicon Angle) Scene Bust Triggered Historic Drop in ‘Pirate’ Releases (Torrent Freak) SoftBank’s Bet on Tech Giants Fueled Powerful Market Rally (WSJ) SoftBank, Robinhood and a Margins Singularity (Margins Newsletter) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As I said on Friday, my goal this week was I wanted to learn more about the EV space. Yes, there’s Tesla, but we only talk about Tesla. And remember, I got turned on to the whole SPAC phenomenon because a lot of EV startups were going the SPAC route to get themselves publicly traded stocks that they hope will go hockey stick like Tesla stock. So, I reached out to Martyn Lee of the EV News Daily podcast. If you’re into the whole EV space, check out the EV News Daily podcast. As mentioned, it’s a daily just like this podcast is, but if you’re into the EV space, Martyn has you covered absolutely comprehensively. My thanks to Martyn for this great chat. Subscribe to the EV News Daily Podcast! Sponsors: Wipers123.com code RIDE Metalab.co TinyCapital.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Attorney General seems to want an antitrust case against Google within weeks. Apple has delayed the Ad-pocalypse. Why the games industry is where Epic has all the leverage against Apple. Will a new display tech bridge the gap between e-ink and traditional displays? And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Metalab.co Today In Digital Marketing Podcast Links: Justice Dept. Plans to File Antitrust Charges Against Google in Coming Weeks (NYTimes) Apple to Delay iOS Change Roiling Mobile Ad Market (The Information) Apple App Store Draws New Scrutiny in Japan, Epicenter of Gaming (Bloomberg) Oculus halts headset sales in Germany (GamesIndustry.biz) TCL's new paper-like display can also play videos (Engadget) Weekend Longreads: Cash App’s Surge During Covid-19 Pandemic Fuels Square Stock (WSJ) The Digital Future of Tabletop Games (A16Z) Robot Boats Leave Autonomous Cars in Their Wake (WSJ) Tech Startup, Trying to Be Amazon for Farms, Runs Into Ag Giants (WSJ) Inside Fitbit’s Plan to Detect Covid Symptoms With a New Wearable (OneZero) How I hacked my Lego NES into a real console (Input) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will only one iPhone get the fastest version of 5G? Facebook moves into an election posture. Do Geofencing warrants violate the 4th Amendment? New Intel chips. New Snapdragon chips. Have you noticed we’ve been talking about the chip industry a lot lately? Today I’ll explain why. Also, a fully-functional Game Boy without a battery. Powered only by the sun and the energy of your button presses. Sponsors: Metalab.co Today In Digital Marketing Podcast Links: Source: Only one of Apple’s new iPhones supports the fastest 5G (Fast Company) Facebook will stop accepting new political ads a week before the US presidential election (The Verge) Facebook Moves to Limit Election Chaos in November (NYTimes) Court rules NSA phone snooping illegal — after 7-year delay (Politico) Feds can’t ask Google for every phone in a 100-meter radius, court says (ArsTechnica) Intel announces its new 11th Gen Tiger Lake CPUs, available on laptops this fall (The Verge) Qualcomm promises better AI for its next Snapdragon PC chip (Engadget) China to Plan Sweeping Support for Chip Sector to Counter Trump (Bloomberg) Qualcomm hopes to topple AirPods Pro with ‘adaptive’ noise cancellation for true wireless earbuds (The Verge) The first battery-free Game Boy wants to power a gaming revolution (CNET) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nividia’s new GPU powerhouse, the RTX 3090. Apple makes the case that the App Store is a jobs powerhouse. Patreon is an interesting and monster new raise. Why Amazon delivery drivers are hanging their phones from trees. And the story behind the new gaming phenomenon known as Fall Guys. Sponsors: Fundrise.com/techmeme Metalab.co Links: Nvidia announces new RTX 3080 GPU, priced at $699 and launching September 17th (The Verge) Nvidia’s new RTX 3090 is a $1,499 monster GPU designed for 8K gaming (The Verge) iOS app economy creates 300,000 new US jobs as developers adapt during pandemic (Apple Newsroom) TikTok Deal Talks Are Snarled Over Fate of App’s Algorithms (WSJ) Patreon Tops $1 Billion Valuation as Pandemic Brings a Surge in Creators to Platform (WSJ) Twitch's Prime Video watch parties are now available to everyone (Engadget) Amazon Is Openly Hiring Union-Busters (Gizmodo) Amazon Drivers Are Hanging Smartphones in Trees to Get More Work (Bloomberg) How the British studio behind 'Fall Guys' went from near-disaster to launching one of the biggest gaming hits of all time (Business Insider) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s Phone Day! The Galaxy Z Fold 2 is unveiled. The world’s first smartphone with an under-display camera is unveiled (it’s the ZTE Axon 20 5G if you’re following along). Mark Gurman tells us everything we can expect from Apple through the end of the year. Walmart takes aim at Prime with Walmart+. Oh, and Zoom had quite the earnings report. Sponsors: Metalab.co Liftoff.to Links: Samsung's new Galaxy Z Fold2 packs a bigger 120Hz folding glass screen, Snapdragon 865+, and more (Android Police) ZTE unveils the Axon 20 5G, the first phone with an under-display camera (Engadget) Apple Preparing 75 Million 5G iPhones Alongside New Watches and iPad (Bloomberg) Kuo: mmWave 5G iPhone Shipments Likely to Be Weaker Than Expected in 2020-21 (MacRumors) Facebook Could Block Sharing of News Stories in Australia (NYTimes) Walmart+ launches Sept 15, offering same-day delivery, gas discounts and cashierless checkout for $98/yr (TechCrunch) Zoom shares soar after revenue more than quadruples from last year (CNBC) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Has TikTok found its buyer? Lenovo launches its flagship laptop. Netflix is offering free access to some of its originals. Amazon can officially start drone delivery. But drug cartels are already using drones for assassinations. And the billion dollar black market for stolen video game accounts for games like Fortnite and Roblox. Sponsors: Metalab.co BlueNile.com code RIDE GetSideQuest.app/ride Links: TikTok deal to sell U.S. business could be announced as soon as Tuesday (CNBC) The Yoga 9i is Lenovo’s new flagship convertible laptop (The Verge) Samsung says its latest mobile memory is a production breakthrough (Engadget) Qualcomm announces Snapdragon 732G, a follow-up to the Pixel 4a’s chipset (9to5Google) Netflix Is Offering Free Access to Select Original Movies and Series, Even Without an Account (Gadgets360) Amazon wins FAA approval for Prime Air drone delivery fleet (CNBC) Drug Cartel Now Assassinates Its Enemies With Bomb-Toting Drones (The Drive/The Warzone) Stolen Fortnite Accounts Sold as Part of $1 Billion Black Market (Bloomberg) Jack Ma’s Ant Fuels Tech IPO Frenzy Not Seen Since Dotcom Bubble (Bloomberg) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ok, if things couldn’t get any weirder, what if I told you Walmart really wants to buy TikTok. Has anyone noticed that Facebook is actively working to keep the App Store controversies in the news? I say thumbs down to a sidekick inspired smartphone, but thumbs up to completely under the screen selfie cameras. And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: TinyCapital.com Masterworks.io, select PODCAST, then enter: RIDE GetSideQuest.app/ride Links: Walmart wanted to be majority owner of TikTok, and was teamed up with Alphabet and SoftBank before Microsoft (CNBC) Walmart is teaming up with Microsoft on TikTok bid (CNBC) Exclusive: Facebook says Apple rejected its attempt to tell users about App Store fees (Reuters) Exclusive: First look at the LG Wing with its twisty dual display (Update) (Android Authority) Xiaomi will launch a phone with an invisible under-display camera in 2021 (Android Central) The Weekend Longreads Suggestions The Anti-Facebook: 12 Years In, Facebook's Cofounder Dustin Moskovitz's Slow-Burn Second Act Asana Finally Has Its Moment (Forbes) Palantir: On Business, Cults, and Politics (The Diff) Belarus Turned Off the Internet. Its Citizens Hot-Wired It. (Gizmodo) The Event Industry Is Being Confronted By Its Napster Moment (Skift) Amazon and FedEx Push to Put Delivery Robots on Your Sidewalk (Wired) The Conscience of Silicon Valley (GQ) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amazon announces Halo, a weird and ambitious new fitness wearable. Facebook warns of an ad-apocalypse. TikTok’s CEO abruptly resigns, for: reasons. The reMarkable 2 e-ink tablet. Intel is causing the US to fall behind in supercomputing. And the first big podcaster to sign exclusively with Spotify is leaving the platform and burning his bridges. Sponsors: Masterworks.io, select PODCAST, then enter: RIDE TinyCapital.com Links: AMAZON ANNOUNCES HALO, A FITNESS BAND AND APP THAT SCANS YOUR BODY AND VOICE (The Verge) Facebook Says Apple’s Changes to iOS Will Dramatically Hurt Ads (Bloomberg) Kevin Mayer calls it quits (Source Code Newsletter) Intel Slips, and a High-Profile Supercomputer Is Delayed (NYTimes) Opensignal: U.S. 5G speeds slump as other countries leap ahead (VentureBeat) The reMarkable 2 is the latest attempt to turn your paper notepad digital (The Verge) Joe Budden is taking his podcast off Spotify because the company ‘is pillaging’ his audience (The Verge) Thanks to: @eliweiss1 Get in touch with him at: eliaweiss.com And @openendedfilms Check out his film at: aoamovie.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Palantir’s S-1 filing gives us our first look under the hood of their business. Apple is bringing AR content to Apple TV+. A big name in 3D printing is going public… and guess how? A new digital networking speed record. And Elon Musk is going to demo his brain/computer interface technology on Friday. Sponsors: Masterworks.io, select PODCAST, then enter: RIDE TinyCapital.com Links: Palantir files to go public, lost about $580 million last year (CNBC) Apple Plans Augmented Reality Content to Boost TV+ Video Service (Bloomberg) Facebook changes name of its annual VR event and its overall AR/VR organization (TechCrunch) White House announces creation of AI and quantum research institutes (VentureBeat) Desktop Metal going public in SPAC-led deal that could value 3D printer company at $2.5B (TechCrunch) Researchers at University College London Set a New World Record for Fastest Internet (Gizmodo) Elon Musk promises demo of a working Neuralink device on Friday (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A whole bunch of new hardware gadgetry today. New Fitbits. New smart locks. New Roomba capabilities. Also, rumors of a new Nintendo Switch console with serious spec upgrades. A judge hands a lifeline to the Unreal Engine. 3nm Silicon is coming fast. And Bill Gurley gives us a timely background on SPACs. Sponsors: ExtraHop.com/techmeme TinyCapital.com Links: Fitbit unveils Sense and Versa 3 smartwatches with Google Assistant (VentureBeat) Level’s latest smart lock can be unlocked with a touch (The Verge) Nintendo Plans Upgraded Switch Console and Major Games for 2021 (Bloomberg) Nintendo reportedly releasing upgraded Switch next year (The Verge) Epic judge will protect Unreal Engine — but not Fortnite (The Verge) iRobot is giving its vacuum cleaners a new AI-powered brain (The Verge) TSMC Details 3nm Process Technology: Full Node Scaling for 2H22 Volume Production (AnandTech) Going Public Circa 2020; Door #3: The SPAC (Above The Crowd/Bill Gurley) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is Apple evil now? Another App Store kerfluffle, this time involving WordPress of all things. Also, more fallout from the Apple/Epic Games/Fortnite battle. Lawsuits flying in the WeChat/TikTok controversies. And let me introduce you to SPAC’s, otherwise known as blank-check companies. Sponsors: TinyCapital.com Grammarly.com/techmeme Links: WordPress founder claims Apple cut off updates to his completely free app because it wants 30 percent (The Verge) Apple apologizes to WordPress, won’t force the free app to add purchases after all (The Verge) Apple PE Ratio 2006-2020 | AAPL (Macrotrends) Apple is holding the Unreal Engine hostage, Epic says in new motion (The Verge) Lawsuit Claims U.S. WeChat Ban Is Unconstitutional (WSJ) Zoom is working again, even if you’re not (The Verge) Peter Thiel-Backed Startup Luminar to Go Public in $3.4 Billion Merger (Bloomberg) Introducing the Kottke Ride Home Subscribe in Apple Podcasts Subscribe in Google Podcasts Subscribe On Spotify Or search Kottke Ride Home on your podcast app of choice Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Uber’s former CSO charged with obstruction of justice, becoming the first tech executive ever charged for a security incident. A legend of the Amazon C suite is leaving next year. Epic Games continues to gleefully poke Apple in the eye. How Apple is cutting 5G costs in the iPhone 12. And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Metalab.co Today In Digital Marketing Podcast Links: Former Uber Security Chief Charged With Concealing Hack (NYTimes) Uber and Lyft Get Reprieve After Threatening to Shut Down (NYTimes) Jeff Wilke, Amazon’s consumer boss and a top lieutenant to Bezos, will step down in 2021 (CNBC) Epic to host a #FreeFortnite tournament with anti-Apple prizes (The Verge) Apple secretly acquired Israeli photography startup Camerai (CalcalisTech) Kuo: Apple Looking to Save on Costs in iPhone 12 With Simpler Battery Board Design (MacRumors) Weekend Longreads MONUMENTAL FAILURE - How Tulsa, Oklahoma, almost won Elon Musk using the language he knows best: memes (The Verge) The Case of the Top Secret iPod (TidBits) The Inside Story Of Robinhood’s Billionaire Founders, Option Kid Cowboys And The Wall Street Sharks That Feed On Them (Forbes) Sex, lies, and video games: Inside Roblox’s war on porn (Fast Company) Why the Facebookening of Oculus VR is bad for users, devs, competition (Ars Technica) Microsoft Flight Simulator review: clear skies with some light chop (Polygon) Why Microsoft's new Flight Simulator should make Google and Amazon nervous (Protocol) Classified: GrowthMarketingToolbox.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Facebook has removed tons of stuff from what it calls US-based militia organizations. Airbnb has filed for its IPO. Cobalt is an interesting raise. But also, some new tech might remove cobalt for better batteries. DoorDash launches grocery delivery. And is Palantir the first high profile company to flee Silicon Valley? Sponsors: Metalab.co BuyRaycon.com/tech Links: Facebook Removes 790 QAnon Groups to Fight Conspiracy Theory (NYTimes) Facebook restricts more than 10,000 QAnon and US militia groups (The Guardian) Airbnb files confidential IPO paperwork (CNBC) Airbnb Files Confidentially for IPO With SEC (WSJ) Online Thrift Shop ThredUp Plans IPO Early Next Year (Bloomberg) Cobalt.io grabs $29M Series B to continue building out pentesting platform (TechCrunch) This Cobalt-Free Battery Is Good for the Planet—and It Actually Works (Wired) DoorDash launches grocery delivery to compete with Amazon and Instacart (The Verge) Data-analysis giant Palantir moves headquarters to Denver (Denver Business Journal) Alibaba posts 124 per cent gain in quarterly profit, sees China retail back to pre-pandemic levels (SCMP) Lyft will suspend its ride-hailing service in California (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Soon you can only use an Oculus if you have a Facebook account. But bizarrely, the Facebook Portal (along with the Echo Show and Google Nest Hub Max) is opening up to Zoom. Netflix is testing a “shuffle play” feature. Blackberry phones are coming back. And Apple hits a $2 trillion market cap. Sponsors: BlueNile.com code: RIDE Metalab.co Links: You’ll need a Facebook account to use future Oculus headsets (The Verge) Zoom is coming to Google Nest, Amazon Echo, and Facebook Portal smart displays (The Verge) Trump Expresses Support for Oracle to Buy TikTok (WSJ) Netflix test puts a ‘Shuffle Play’ button right on your home screen (TechCrunch) New BlackBerry-branded devices w/ QWERTY keyboards set to come in 2021 (9to5Google) A TikTok Ban Is Overdue (NYTimes) The ecommerce surge (Benedict Evans) Big Tech’s Domination of Business Reaches New Heights (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apple has chosen the tactical nuclear option in its fight with Epic Games. But Epic might rally a rebel alliance. Would Oracle buying TikTok make any sense to anyone? Uber and Lyft consider reverting to the business model they claimed the operated all along. And algorithms CAN be good for humanity. Sponsors: Metalab.co Discover.bot/podcast Links: Epic says Apple threatens ‘catastrophic’ response in two weeks if Fortnite doesn’t comply with rules (The Verge) Oracle enters race to buy TikTok’s US operations (Financial Times) Apple Gives Users More Time to Buy AppleCare After Sales Slow (Bloomberg) Amazon Bets on Office-Based Work With Expansion in Major Cities (WSJ) Uber and Lyft Consider Franchise-Like Model in California (NYTimes) Facebook and NYU use artificial intelligence to make MRI scans four times faster (The Verge) tech.supercast.tech Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why I think regulatory impact for Big Tech is maybe inevitable. Amazon seems to be sniffing around Rackspace. The first “mass produced” smartphone with a camera underneath the display? An ex-Googler says Google Cloud’s deprecation policy is maddening. And why you can’t watch the movie Cocoon, even if you want to. Sponsors: ExtraHop.com/techmeme Metalab.co Links: Google says Australian news rule threatens free search services (Financial Times) Exclusive: Amazon in talks to invest in cloud services company Rackspace, say sources (Reuters) ZTE's Axon 20 5G smartphone will have the first under-display camera (Engadget) Dear Google Cloud: Your Deprecation Policy is Killing You (Steve Yegge) Results day is a diversity disaster. Here’s all the proof you need (Wired) Our Long, Arduous Attempt To Watch ‘Cocoon,’ And Why Some Classic Movies Seemingly Just Vanish (UpRoxx) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The whole story of Reliance and Reliance Jio with Bryne Hobart, author of the excellent newsletter The Diff. Subscribe at: diff.substack.com Also, the book about Dhirubhai Ambani we discuss at the beginning is this one: The Polyester Prince. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What do you think we’re going to talk about? Apple and Google ban Fortnite. Epic Games turns around and sues Apple and Google for antitrust. Also: Adobe commits to fighting Deepfakes, Streaming is now a quarter of all tv viewing, and, of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: LiftOff.to JoinFightCamp.com/techmeme Links: Fortnite for Android has also been kicked off the Google Play Store (The Verge) Epic is suing Google over Fortnite’s removal from the Google Play Store (The Verge) Epic rallies Fortnite players against Apple with a warning that they’ll miss the next season (The Verge) Epic's 1984 Parody Video Photoshop Will Help ID Images That Have Been … Photoshopped (Wired) Disney+ Gains Foothold in Streaming Battlefield, Nielsen Says (The Hollywood Reporter) Weekend Longreads Suggestions The Secret SIMs Used By Criminals to Spoof Any Number (Motherboard) How We Got the Favicon (The History of the Web) The Black Internet Gold Rush That Wiped Away $75 Million in 18 Months (Level) A college kid’s fake, AI-generated blog fooled tens of thousands. This is how he made it. (Technology Review) The Return of Anonymous (The Atlantic) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apple subscription bundles coming as soon as October according to Gurman. Epic is straight out thumbing its nose at the App Stores. What could render iPhones as “electronic trash” in China. And why are people sniffing around Dubsmash for a possible acquisition? Sponsors: Liftoff.to BuyRaycon.com/tech Links: Apple Readies Subscription Bundles to Boost Digital Services (Bloomberg) Epic offers new direct payment in Fortnite on iOS and Android to get around app store fees (The Verge) Twitter launches new API as it tries to make amends with third-party developers (The Verge) Intel offers a first look at its next-gen Tiger Lake processors and Xe graphics (The Verge) Corporate America Worries WeChat Ban Could Be Bad for Business (WSJ) Facebook, Snap Held Talks to Buy TikTok Rival Dubsmash (The Information) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Microsoft’s dual screen Surface Duo is here! Microsoft’s commits to November as a launch month for the Xbox Series X. Foxconn wants to pull back from China itself. Mozilla is in trouble. Silicon Valley and Kamala Harris are quite close, by the way. And why I think a see-through tv is actually a pretty good idea, thank you very much. Sponsors: Fundrise.com/techmeme Liftoff.to Links: MICROSOFT’S SURFACE DUO ARRIVES ON SEPTEMBER 10TH FOR $1,399 (The Verge) Microsoft Surface Duo's dual-screen hinge design is already winning me over (CNET) Microsoft to launch Xbox Series X in November (The Verge) Uber CEO says its service will probably shut down temporarily in California if it’s forced to classify drivers as employees (CNBC) Apple supplier Foxconn's profit beats view, sees smartphone demand off lows (Reuters) Kamala Harris is the choice Joe Biden needed to win over Silicon Valley (Recode) Mozilla Corporation to Lay Off 250 Staff (Motherboard) Xiaomi reveals its transparent 55-inch TV (CNET) Xiaomi’s see-through OLED TV is a transparent attempt at attention, and it’s working (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Android is becoming a worldwide earthquake detection network. Major legal setback for Uber and Lyft in California. Businesses using Bitcoin as their capital reserve. Parallels Desktop supports Big Sur. Nreal still believes in consumer AR glasses. And we try my deepfake audio experiment. Sponsors: LiftOff.to LinkedIn.com/ride Links: ANDROID IS BECOMING A WORLDWIDE EARTHQUAKE DETECTION NETWORK (The Verge) California Wins Preliminary Injunction Against Uber, Lyft (Bloomberg) MicroStrategy becomes first listed company to buy bitcoin as part of its capital allocation strategy (The Block) Parallels Desktop 16 adds Big Sur support, 3D Metal support, and more (Ars Technica) Nreal’s augmented reality glasses are shipping this month in Korea (The Verge) Airbnb Plans to File Confidentially for IPO in August (WSJ) SpaceX is manufacturing 120 Starlink internet satellites per month (CNBC) Tesla is involved in the development of a smartwatch, but why? (Electrek) Onyx Launches a 6-Inch Color E-Reader (PCMag) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amazon wants to literally take over Malls. How exposed to China is Apple at the moment? Apple is literally doing legal battle with a pear. An app to help guide you on your psychedelic trips. And why I would personally be in the market for a foldable e-ink notebook. Sponsors: MintMobile.com/ride Wipers123.com promocode: ride Links: Amazon and Mall Operator Look at Turning Sears, J.C. Penney Stores Into Fulfillment Centers (WSJ) TikTok To Sue Trump Administration Over Ban, As Soon As Tuesday (NPR) Twitter, TikTok Have Held Preliminary Talks About Possible Combination (WSJ) Google gives Android TV developers instant apps, speech-to-text, and predictive typing (VentureBeat) Apple Takes Legal Action Against This Small Company’s Pear Logo [Update] (iPhone In Canada) On Your Next Psychedelic Journey, Let an App Be Your Guide (Wired) E Ink demos a folding e-reader that can also take notes (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The President officially signs an order to block ByteDance AND Tencent. Apple confirms the reasons why xCloud and Stadia aren’t coming to iOS any time soon. Uber is now, officially, more burrito delivery company than taxi company. And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Today In Digital Marketing Podcast DoubleUp.Agency Links: Trump will prohibit transactions with ByteDance beginning September 20th in apparent TikTok ban (The Verge) Mark Zuckerberg Says A Ban On TikTok Would Set “A Really Bad Long-Term Precedent” (BuzzFeed.news) Apple confirms cloud gaming services like xCloud and Stadia violate App Store guidelines (The Verge) I'm Open Sourcing the Have I Been Pwned Code Base (TroyHunt.com) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Pinduoduo: Vertically Integrated Social Commerce (Turner Novak's Substack) The New Network (The Bulwark) The Vigilante Hunting Down Cheaters in Video Games (Motherboard) The Next 'Mafia'? Mapping The Alumni Of Square (Protocol) Dan Rose Kindle Tweet Thread How TikTok’s Owner Tried, and Failed, to Cross the U.S.-China Divide (NYTimes) Subscribe to the Ad-Free Feed! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Will the US Government’s “Clean Network” plan lead to the definitive fracturing of the Internet we’ve all feared? Nintendo is killing it thanks to Covid and Animal Crossing. Are Samsung’s new earbuds actually Cool Beans? You no longer have to pay Apple $700 to put wheels on your Mac Pro. And why wireless charging could be a global environmental disaster waiting to happen. Sponsors: DoubleUp.agency BlueNile.com code: RIDE Links: Trump administration wants to see ‘untrusted’ Chinese apps like TikTok and WeChat removed from U.S. app stores, Pompeo says (CNBC) The US is building a new Great Firewall (Quartz) TikTok to Spend $500 Million on First EU Data Center in Ireland (Bloomberg) TikTok announces first data center in Europe (TechCrunch) Animal Crossing outsells Breath of the Wild in mere months (Polygon) SAMSUNG GALAXY BUDS LIVE REVIEW: COOL BEANS (The Verge) OWC undercuts Apple's $699 Mac Pro wheels with $199 conversion kit (Apple Insider) Wireless Charging Is a Disaster Waiting to Happen (OneZero) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

All of the headlines from the Samsung Unpacked event: new Galaxy Note 20s, New Galaxy Buds, New Galaxy Watch and more. Disney has already hit its goal for Disney+. ByteDance remains defiant even as Facebook launches Instagram Reels. And Anthony Levandowski remains defiant, even as he is sentenced. Sponsors: DoubleUp.agency Harrys.com/techmeme Links: Samsung Galaxy Note 20, Note 20 Ultra go official from $999 w/ Snapdragon 865+ (9to5Google) Samsung announces the Galaxy Z Fold 2 with bigger screens and better cameras (The Verge) Disney+ grows to more than 60.5M subscribers (TechCrunch) Instagram Reels launches globally in over 50 countries, including US (TechCrunch) ByteDance CEO Says Trump’s Real Goal Is to Kill Off TikTok (Bloomberg) Anthony Levandowski sentenced to 18 months in prison as new $4B lawsuit against Uber is filed (TechCrunch) Files by Google adds PIN protection for your most sensitive files on Android (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last hurrah? Intel iMacs get a major update. The TikTok, Microsoft, Trump situation can only be described as nuts-o-butts-o. Looks like Garmin paid the ransom. Why xCloud is launching soon on Android but not on iOS. And get ready for games to get more expensive with the next generation consoles. Sponsors: DoubleUp.agency Discover.bot/podcast Links: Apple updates the iMac with new Intel processors and a better webcam (The Verge) Trump calls TikTok a hot brand, demands a chunk of its sale price (TechCrunch) Microsoft Should Refuse Trump’s TikTok Payoff (WSJ) Microsoft’s Talks to Buy TikTok’s U.S. Operations Raise Ire in China (WSJ) China Brands Trump’s Demands on TikTok Sale a ‘Smash and Grab’ (Bloomberg) Garmin reportedly paid multimillion-dollar ransom after suffering cyberattack (The Verge) Mergers: Commission opens in-depth investigation into the proposed acquisition of Fitbit by Google (EU Commission) Microsoft’s xCloud game streaming will launch on September 15th on Android (The Verge) Take-Two Interactive coasts to $831.3 million in Q1 2021 revenue as fans flock to online games (Venture Beat) Take-Two: Next-gen software price hikes "reflect the quality of the experience" (GamesIndustry.biz) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TikTok has not been banned by Trump, but it came close this weekend. Microsoft almost walked away from buying TikTok this weekend, but it looks like it’s back on board and might buy non-Chinese TikTok operations soon. Google invests in ADT. The new Pixel 4As are here. And a profile of the alleged teenaged Twitter hack mastermind who has now been arrested. Sponsors: DoubleUp.agency Kiwico.com/ride Links: Inside the Microsoft Talks to Buy TikTok’s U.S. Business (WSJ) Microsoft to continue discussions on potential TikTok purchase in the United States (Official Microsoft Blog) Exclusive: Trump gives Microsoft 45 days to clinch TikTok deal (Reuters) Google to invest $450M in smart home security solutions provider ADT (TechCrunch) GOOGLE ANNOUNCES PIXEL 5, PIXEL 4A 5G, AND PIXEL 4A ALL AT ONCE (The Verge) GOOGLE PIXEL 4A REVIEW: BACK TO BASICS FOR $349 (The Verge) System for thwarting deepfakes unveiled (Axios) From Minecraft Tricks to Twitter Hack: A Florida Teen’s Troubled Online Path (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sources say Nvidia is in talks to buy Arm. Music Videos are coming to Facebook in a bigger way. The iPhone is delayed a tiny bit. A run-down of the earnings reports: TLDR: Apple made a ton of money when people thought they wouldn’t but Alphabet shrunk for the first time ever. And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Metalab.co JoinFightCamp.com/techmeme Links: Nvidia in talks to buy Arm from SoftBank for more than $32bn (Financial Times) Facebook Is Set to Finally Get the Rights to Show Music Videos (Bloomberg) Apple confirms short release delay for this year's iPhones (Axios) Comment: Analysts half-right about AAPL’s Q3 … but so wrong! (9to5Mac) Weekend Longreads Suggestions Philosophers On GPT-3 (updated with replies by GPT-3) (Daily Nous) Independence, autonomy, and too many small teams (Kislay Verma) Tech Sector Feeling COVID-19’s Economic Pain (Indeed Hiring Lab) The Gig Economy Is Failing. Say Hello to the Hustle Economy. (OneZero) Car Companies Want to Monitor Your Every Move With Emotion-Detecting AI (Motherboard) Subscribe to the Ad-Free Feed! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A comprehensive rundown of the big tech testimony in Congress yesterday. Don’t worry. I tried to keep it brief. Are seller fees quietly twice as big a business for Amazon as AWS is? There’s a new king of the smartphone hill as Huawei surpasses Samsung. And I think we can officially say that the Peacock launch has been a success. Sponsors: Today In Digital Marketing podcast Metalab.co Links: ‘INSTAGRAM CAN HURT US’: MARK ZUCKERBERG EMAILS OUTLINE PLAN TO NEUTRALIZE COMPETITORS (The Verge) Report: Amazon’s Monopoly Tollbooth (ILSR.org) Encrypted Messaging App Telegram Files Antitrust Complaint Against Apple With EU (MacRumors) Google's $2.1 billion Fitbit deal faces EU antitrust probe: sources (Reuters) Canalys: Huawei trumps Samsung for first time in worldwide smartphone market in Q2 2020 (Canalys) TikTok says it will pay creators a total of $2 billion in the next 3 years (Digital Trends) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A rundown of what the big tech CEO’s told Congress this afternoon. Are Samsung and Google about to get a lot more integrated? The biggest news in the ongoing streaming media transformation of Hollywood. Buying out TikTok is going to be pretty expensive. And Shopify’s earnings blow the roof off the place. Sponsors: Metalab.co MintMobile.com/ride Links: Watch Cook, Bezos, Pichai and Zuckerberg testify in Big Tech antitrust hearing — live updates and analysis (CNBC) Google in Talks to Take Over More Search Tasks on Samsung Phones (Bloomberg) AMC and Universal agree to let movies go from theaters to digital rentals much sooner (The Verge) Exclusive: ByteDance investors value TikTok at $50 billion in takeover bid - sources (Reuters) Shopify shares jump 7% after hot e-commerce company says second-quarter revenue increased 97% (CNBC) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What to expect from tomorrow’s Big Tech Congressional testimony. Instagram is trying to woo TikTok stars. Qualcomm has some amazing new quick charge tech. Roblox continues to look like the next big thing. And Deadspin—the true Deadspin—lives to fight another day. Sponsors: Metalab.co Harrys.com/techmeme Links: Their Businesses Went Virtual. Then Apple Wanted a Cut. (NYTimes) Google’s Top Search Result? Surprise! It’s Google (The Markup) Congress has battled airlines, banks, tobacco and baseball. Now it’s preparing to clash with Big Tech. (Washington Post) Facebook Offers Money to Reel In TikTok Creators (WSJ) Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 5 refuels phones 50% in 5 minutes, 100% in 15 (VentureBeat) Roblox jumps to over 150M monthly users, will pay out $250M to developers in 2020 (TechCrunch) After Quitting Deadspin in Protest, They’re Starting a New Site (NYTimes) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Google’s offices might remain closed due to Covid for another full year. Australia has sued Google on competition and consumer grounds. Looks like Garmin is being ransomed. A handheld device to replace guide dogs for the blind. And you know Software as a Service, but get ready for Hardware as a Service. Sponsors: Today In Digital Marketing podcast Metalab.co Links: Google to Keep Employees Home Until Summer 2021 Amid Coronavirus Pandemic (WSJ) ACCC takes second swing at Google for allegedly misleading customers (ITNews) Samsung Galaxy Unpacked trailer teases five new devices to be unveiled on August 5th (The Verge) Garmin outage caused by confirmed WastedLocker ransomware attack (Bleeping Computer) VCs and startups consider HaaS model for consumer devices (TechCrunch) Mobility device for the blind works like a handheld robotic guide dog (New Atlas) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Might Twitter have too many cooks in the kitchen to have decent op-sec? Intel has to delay its next gen chip process. Again. The US unveiled official plans for a quantum internet. AT&T announced its nationwide 5G network is operational. And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Tovala.com/ride Metalab.co Links: Exclusive: More than 1,000 people at Twitter had ability to aid hack of accounts (Reuters) Intel's 7nm is Broken, Company Announces Delay Until 2022, 2023 (Tom's Hardware) Big Tech CEO hearing is 'likely' to be postponed (Protocol) U.S. hatches plan to build a quantum Internet that might be unhackable (Washington Post) AT&T's low-band 5G network is now available nationwide (CNET) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Robinhood Has Lured Young Traders, Sometimes With Devastating Results (NYTimes) Robinhood and How to Lose Money (The Margins) Want to buy a parrot? Please login via Facebook. (Rest Of World) The Inside Story of How a Sleep Tracker Became the Hottest Device of the Pandemic (Marker) How Harvard’s Star Computer-Science Professor Built a Distance-Learning Empire (The New Yorker) The case for and against banning TikTok (Vox) The App of the Summer Is Just a Random-Number Generator (The Atlantic) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices