Thu. 09/19 - Huawei Launches a Flagship Without Google Apps

Why Google sunsetting the free version of its Photos service has so many people riled up. Apple’s TestFlight update should make beta testing apps easier. Amazon’s Alexa Care Hub should make caring for elderly relatives easier. A “bank on rails” is an interesting raise. And is the HomePod mini worth buying? Sponsors: TinyCapital.com VistaPrint.com/techmeme Links: Google Photos will end its free unlimited storage on June 1st, 2021 (The Verge) Google warns Google Drive users: Use it, or lose your files (Mashable) Google Photos Just Made the Case for Breaking Up Big Tech (OneZero) Apple updates TestFlight beta testing app with support for automatic updates (9to5Mac) Amazon Alexa Care Hub update will make it easier to help aging family members (CNBC) Railsbank, the Banking-as-a-Service, raises $37M in growth funding (TechCrunch) APPLE HOMEPOD MINI REVIEW: PLAYING SMALL BALL (The Verge) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

12 Nov 202016min

So wait, is TikTok facing shutdown again, as soon as tomorrow or… what? Some analysis on how well those M1 chips might actually perform. Ring doorbells are catching fire. The Hyperloop takes its first passengers for a ride. And does China now ALSO think that big tech has gotten too big? Sponsors: VistaPrint.com/techmeme TinyCapital.com Links: TikTok hasn’t heard from the Trump administration in weeks, prompting latest CFIUS petition (CNBC) Apple Announces The Apple Silicon M1: Ditching x86 - What to Expect, Based on A14 (AnAndTech) Samsung tops U.S. smartphone market in Q3: report (Yonhap News Agency) Roku Adds Apple AirPlay to 4K Devices, Which Gives Users New Workaround to Stream HBO Max and Other Mobile Apps (Variety) Ring recalls 350,000 smart doorbells after some of them caught fire (CNN Business) VIRGIN HYPERLOOP HITS AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE: THE FIRST HUMAN PASSENGER TEST (The Verge) China drafts new antitrust guideline to rein in tech giants, wiping US$102 billion from Alibaba, Tencent and Meituan stocks (South China Morning Post) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

11 Nov 202017min

Apple’s One More Thing Mac Event. The EU sues Amazon for antitrust. The Slingbox is no more. And, apparently, the MagSafe Duo charger is no good. Sponsors: TinyCapital.com Wipers123.com, promocode: ride Links: EU accuses Amazon of breaching antitrust rules (FT) Slingbox discontinued, services sunsetting (SlashGear) Walmart and Cruise launch pilot to deliver orders via self-driving cars (Venture Beat) Apple MagSafe Duo Charger Review: Useful, but expensive and underwhelming (TechCrunch) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

10 Nov 202016min

Apple is not happy with a key parts supplier. If you’re running an old version of android, you might be shut out of some important websites soon. Is SoftBank’s Vision Fund, back, baby? Is the Raspberry Pi 400 any good to use? And what can Silicon Valley expect from a Biden administration. Sponsors: KiwiCo.com promocode: "ride" for 50% your first month TinyCapital.com Links: Apple Freezes New Business for Pegatron on China Labor Abuse (Bloomberg) Zoom and other ‘stay-at-home’ stocks are getting crushed on the positive vaccine news (CNBC) Many websites will stop working on older Android versions in 2021 (Android Police) SoftBank Recovery Gains Ground With Vision Fund’s Record Profit (Bloomberg) Raspberry Pi 400 review—the under-$100 desktop PC you didn’t know you needed (Ars Technica) 'Awakened a sleeping giant': Parler jumps to most popular app as conservatives rally support to leave Twitter and Facebook (Washington Examiner) Biden’s victory was just what tech wanted. Now what? (Protocol) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

9 Nov 202018min

You know the drill... Sponsors: Canva.me/ride Metalab.co Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

7 Nov 20201h 7min

Is it too soon to start talking about the iPhone 13? It’s review day. Reviews of the iPhone 12 Mini, iPhone 12 Pro Max, and the PlayStation 5. Why I think the DOJ suing to block the Plaid acquisition is such a big deal. And of course, the weekend longreads suggestions. Sponsors: Masterworks.io, promocode ride Metalab.co Links: Kuo: iPhone 13 to Come in Same Four Model Sizes As iPhone 12, Pro Models to Feature Major Upgrade to Ultra Wide Camera (MacRumors) Sizing up the iPhone 12 mini and 12 Pro Max (The Verge) DOJ files antitrust lawsuit challenging Visa’s $5.3 billion acquisition of Plaid (TechCrunch) PLAYSTATION 5 REVIEW: A BIG, CONFIDENT STEP INTO NEXT GEN (The Verge) Weekend Longreads Suggestions: Ben Thompson’s Stratechery, Part 2 (Tim Wu) The Xenobot Future Is Coming—Start Planning Now (Wired) 'This is revolutionary’: new online bookshop unites indies to rival Amazon (The Guardian) How a not-yet-mature web covered the Florida recount in 2000 (Fast Company) An Oral History of 'Marge vs The Monorail', the Episode That Changed 'The Simpsons' (Motherboard)   Tonight! 9pm Eastern/6pm Pacific, join the listener call-in episode here:   https://zoom.us/j/94445550255 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

6 Nov 202021min

WhatsApp gets disappearing messages ten years after Snapchat! A new entry-level, ultra-lightweight drone from DJI. Productivity laptops are getting interesting designs, ala gaming laptops. Ethereum 2.0 is coming. How and why Jack Ma pissed off the Chinese government. The Xbox Series X reviews are in. And Justice Department just sued to block Visa from buying Plaid. But that just broke, so I’m telling you it happened now. We’ll analyze it tomorrow. Sponsors: Fundrise.com/techmeme Canva.me/ride Links: WhatsApp now lets you post ephemeral messages that disappear after 7 days (TechCrunch) DJI Mini 2 drone arrives with 4K camera and ultra-portable design (SlashGear) Fortnite set to return to iPhones via Nvidia cloud gaming service (BBCNews) Ethereum 2.0 Set to Launch on December 1 (Decrypt) ‘The party is pushing back’: why Beijing reined in Jack Ma and Ant (Financial Times) TikTok Parent ByteDance Seeks to Raise Cash at $180 Billion Valuation (Bloomberg) Razer's first mainstream laptop still has an RGB keyboard (Engadget) XBOX SERIES X REVIEW: A NEXT-GEN PC (The Verge) Link for listener call-in episode TOMORROW night at 9pm eastern: https://zoom.us/j/94445550255 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

5 Nov 202018min

Californians pass Proposition 22, and voters in Massachusetts strike a blow for the right to repair. You no longer need a phone to listen to Spotify on your watch. And why Walmart might partner with Comcast to make TVs, countries might force Netflix to produce content inside their own borders, and Hollywood is losing visual effects talent to Silicon Valley. Sponsors: Canva.me/ride  Metalab.co Links: Uber, Lyft Win California Bid to Keep Drivers as Contractors (Bloomberg) Massachusetts voters pass right-to-repair expansion opening up car data (Engadget) Wish Spotify streamed on Apple Watch? The time has arrived for many (9to5Mac) China Tells Ant It Can’t Go Public Until Capital Shortfall Fixed (Bloomberg) Comcast, Walmart in Talks to Develop and Distribute Smart TVs (WSJ) Canada to Force Netflix, Amazon Prime to Pay for Local Content (The Hollywood Reporter) Big Tech Snags Hollywood Talent to Pursue Enhanced Reality (WSJ) Link for tomorrow night's Listener Call In Episode: https://zoom.us/j/94445550255 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

4 Nov 202019min