How Uber Went Down in Flames
Uncanny Valley | WIRED6 Syys 2019

How Uber Went Down in Flames

Once upon a time, there was a true unicorn, a startup named Uber. Led by CEO Travis Kalanick, the company broke all the rules of business and truly disrupted the way people move through the world. But with a meteoric rise comes a steep fall. As it turns out, an inherently unstable business model and an even more unstable leader do not bode well for long term success.

On this episode of the Gadget Lab, we are Super Pumped to talk New York Times tech reporter Mike Isaac about his explosive new book (it’s called Super Pumped) that chronicles the tumultuous rise and fall of Uber and the man who ran it.

Also in tech news, Sonos unveils its first Bluetooth speaker, and Facebook introduces a new dating service. (What could go wrong?)

Show Notes:

Learn more about Mike Isaac’s Super Pumped here, and read WIRED’s review here. Read Lauren’s first look at the Sonos Move here. Read more from Louise Matsakis about Facebook dating here.

Recommendations: Michael recommends Thomas Campbell’s skateboarding film Ye Olde Destruction. Lauren recommends Bay Curious podcast and Lana Del Rey’s new album Norman Fucking Rockwell!

You can follow Mike Isaac on Twitter at @MikeIsaac. Michael Calore can be found at @snackfight. Lauren Goode is @laurengoode. Arielle Pardes can be found at @pardesoteric. Bling the main hotline at @GadgetLab. Our theme song is by Solar Keys.

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Jaksot(425)

AMD CEO Lisa Su Isn’t Afraid of the Competition

AMD CEO Lisa Su Isn’t Afraid of the Competition

Last week, some of the most forward-thinking minds in tech, culture, and politics came together for WIRED’s Big Interview event — a series of live, in-depth conversations with industry leaders. To kic...

11 Joulu 202547min

BIG INTV: San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie: ‘We Are a City on the Rise’

BIG INTV: San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie: ‘We Are a City on the Rise’

Since taking office, San Francisco’s mayor has been on a quest to revitalize the city and increase public safety. He’s also kept the National Guard out—with a little help from some very powerful frien...

9 Joulu 202531min

WIRED Roundup: DOGE Isn’t Dead, Facebook Dating Is Real, Amazon AI Releases

WIRED Roundup: DOGE Isn’t Dead, Facebook Dating Is Real, Amazon AI Releases

In today’s episode, Zoë is joined by WIRED’s Leah Feiger to discuss five stories you need to know about this week — from how Amazon is trying to catch up in the AI race, to why Facebook Dating is more...

5 Joulu 202525min

What Happens When Your Coworkers Are AI Agents

What Happens When Your Coworkers Are AI Agents

This year, AI agents have been at the forefront of tech companies' ambitions. OpenAI’s Sam Altman has often talked about a possible billion-dollar company being spun up with just one human and an army...

4 Joulu 202536min

BIG INTV: Melinda French Gates on Secrets: ‘Live a Truthful Life, Then You Don’t Have Any’

BIG INTV: Melinda French Gates on Secrets: ‘Live a Truthful Life, Then You Don’t Have Any’

On this week’s episode of The Big Interview podcast, the philanthropist sits down with Katie to offer her insights on billionaire donors, kids on phones, and the importance of women’s healthcare.Join ...

2 Joulu 202546min

WIRED Roundup: Epstein Files Fallout, NVIDIA Earnings, Gemini 3 Release

WIRED Roundup: Epstein Files Fallout, NVIDIA Earnings, Gemini 3 Release

In today’s episode, Zoë is joined by WIRED’s Max Zeff to discuss five stories you need to know about this week — from the political fallout after the release of the Epstein files, to why two young mor...

21 Marras 202523min

Can Tech Get Rid of Bad Trips?

Can Tech Get Rid of Bad Trips?

Whether it's teenagers reviving the Benadryl TikTok challenge or people signing up for an out of body experience program previously used by the CIA, some of us are chasing unconventional trips. Bad tr...

20 Marras 202527min

BIG INTV: Joe Weisenthal Has Predictions About How the AI Bubble Will Burst

BIG INTV: Joe Weisenthal Has Predictions About How the AI Bubble Will Burst

Right now much of the US economy rests on AI’s future. In fact, Odd Lots cohost Joe Weisenthal says the rest of the economy that isn't tech or AI related is creaking along. He breaks down for Katie wh...

18 Marras 202541min