There are two types of social networks, and Facebook wants to be both. The problem is that the company already chose public sharing over private communication.
Update on the Fight over iPhone Security, Encryption Under Attack, WhatsApp Adds Encryption
There have been significant developments when it comes to the debate over security, in which reasonable people can disagree; unsurprisingly it is on the verge of shifting to a debate about encryption. This is a fight that has only one right answer.
Snapchat Follow-up; WeChat, Facebook Messenger, and iMessage; Microsoft’s Bot Parade
Some follow-up on Snapchat, where it fits alongside Facebook Messenger and iMessage, then a discussion of where all the “bot” talk is coming from. Then, Microsoft jumped all in on bots: what does it mean, and what should they do next.
Sundar Pichai’s Greatest Achievement To-Date, The VR Era Begins, Facebook Versus Oculus
The Oculus Rift officially launches today, and will be followed soon by the HTC Vive and the Sony PlayStation VR. I’m optimistic about virtual reality, but I still don’t understand why Facebook is involved: the company should learn from Google and Android.
Instagram’s Algorithmic Feed, Apple and the Cloud, Microsoft and Okta
Instagram is changing the feed, and even though users say they don’t like it it’s the right decision. Plus, why Snapchat may be a threat. Then, two pieces of news about Apple and the cloud, both good and bad. Plus, Microsoft is still competitive, and rightly so.
Bitcoin and Diversity
First, an exploration of the block size debate that is roiling the Bitcoin world, and then how lessons from that debate apply to diversity in tech.
The Voters Decide
An apolitical analysis of what is happening in U.S. politics through the lens of Aggregation Theory
Twitter Earnings; Twitter Retrenches; Facebook, Andreessen and India
Twitter’s earnings had good and bad parts, and one big red flag. More interesting was the company’s decision to retrench and own “live.” Then, how Facebook and Marc Andreessen managed to screw up so badly.
The Reality of Missing Out
Tech is entering a period of inequality where the big winners lift the sector as a whole even as smaller companies suffer. The best example is Facebook, Google, and digital advertising.
Why I Stand by Peak Google, Amazon is Fine, More Amazon Stores?
Google had great earnings again, and was briefly the most valuable company in the world. That doesn’t change my opinions in Peak Google. Then, Amazon lost the expectations game, but the underlying business continues to look great. Plus, a theory about those rumored Amazon stores.