What Elon Musk got wrong about Twitter, journalists and VCs got wrong about FTX, and Peter Thiel got wrong about crypto and AI — and why I made many of the same mistakes along the way.
Mistakes and Memes
Information on the Internet is conveyed by memes, which can be anything and everything. The real world impacts are only now being understood.
Amazon’s Hardware Event, Ring and Tesla, Luna
Amazon’s Alexa event was notable for how little it featured Amazon; perhaps that is why Tesla and Apple appear to be partners. Plus, the Luna gaming service.
Bill Gurley Leaves Uber’s Board, Uber Adds Tipping, Chris Lattner Leaves Tesla
Bill Gurley ultimately believes in the Uber idea, and it probably cost both Kalanick and him their jobs. Then, why it’s a problem that Uber is adding tipping, plus the news that Chris Lattner is leaving Tesla.
Chris Lattner Leaves Apple…for Tesla; Does Apple Have a Problem?
Chris Lattner has been one of Apple’s most important employees for years, helping the company own one of its most critical assets. But now he is moving on to Tesla: what does that mean for both companies?
Tech and Trump, Tech and Politics
Tech executives are meeting with Trump, and it’s the right decision; now is the time, though, to establish the conditions when opposition is appropriate. Then, why technologists should not outsource politics.
Google, Uber, and the Evolution of Transportation-as-a-Service
The competition between Uber and Google has broken out into the open: who has the advantage in the evolution of transportation-as-a-service, and who will likely win?
Follow-up: Dollar Shave Club, CPG, and Amazon; Tesla’s Master Plan, Part Deux
More on exactly how Dollar Shave Club succeeded, and if it’s replicable. Then, Musk has another inspiring blog post, but is it enough to erase nagging doubts about Tesla?
Snapchat’s Facebook Moment, China Cracks Down on Apps and Social Networks
A quick follow-up on Tesla, where Elon Musk continues to demonstrate how not to win the battle over self-driving cars. Then, Snapchat is getting the Facebook treatment, some of it legitimate, and some of it not, and China is cracking down on apps and social networks
The Tesla Autopilot Fatality, Uber Partners with Hertz
The first fatality due to self-driving cars captures why this space is so difficult: the numbers favor Tesla, but the optics may not. Then, why Hertz’ partnership with Uber is so fascinating.