The coronavirus crisis is making clear just how powerful tech companies are; hopefully this leads to a much more productive conversation about how that power should be utilized or regulated.
Apple, Amazon, and Common Enemies
It is tempting — and useful — to look at Apple and Amazon’s deal in a bilateral context. It probably makes more sense, though, in the context of Netflix and the future of video.
Apple and Amazon Make a Deal, Three Angles, Apple vs. Amazon
Apple and Amazon make a deal; I suspect it has been in the works for a long time, including Apple Music being on Alexa.
Changing Priors, Action Plans for Big Tech, The Airbnb Disaster
The coronavirus crisis should be changing long-held beliefs. Then, what tech companies can do to get us out of this crisis, and Airbnb’s disastrous decision to not go public sooner.
Tech Companies Versus Misinformation, Tech Tracking, Capability Versus Policy
Tech companies unite to fight misinformation, and potentially are working on tracking COVID-19. What tradeoffs might that entail, and is it worth building capability and trusting in policy?
Six Deaths in King County, U.S. Mistakes, Paywalls and Pandemics
The situation in the U.S., particularly in the Seattle area, is likely worse than it appears; Microsoft and Amazon should take action. Then, the U.S. needs to rely on the private sector, and publishers need to remember why people pay.
Clearview AI, The Problem with Scraping, Tradeoffs
Clearview AI is billed as a story about facial recognition, but the most important questions it raises is about scraping. And, by doing so, it reveals how many trade-offs we have yet to confront.
The End of the Beginning
The beginning of technology was about the shift from batched computing in one place to continuous computing everywhere. That era of paradigm changes may be over, which means the real changes are only beginning.
AB 5 and Health Care, Project Connected Home Over IP, Ecosystem Pragmatism
A more flexibility economy would benefit from a stronger safety net. Then, a new standard that actually has real potential. It’s a win for some companies, but questionable for others.
AWS re:Invent; Transformations, Transitions, and Databases; Amazon Outposts
The AWS re:Invent keynote was quite compelling, as Amazon made the case for enterprises to not simply transition to the cloud but to transform their approach to IT — which, of course, favors Amazon.