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.
Venture Capital and the Internet’s Impact
Venture Capital has been transformed by a surprising source: Amazon. Ultimately, no industry is safe from the impact of the Internet.
The Facebook Epoch
First came the PC, and on top of the PC the Internet. Then, mobile, but what will rule mobile?
Why Web Pages Suck
Everyone complains about web pages that suck, but the reality is that it is advertisers who call the shots. This should, at a minimum, put Facebook’s Instant Articles and Apple’s News app in a new light.
Airbnb and the Internet Revolution
Airbnb gets less press than Uber, but in some respects its even more radical: understanding how it works leads one to question many of the premises of modern society from hotels to regulations. It’s an important marker in the Internet Revolution.
YouTube Gaming, Network Defensibility, The Applicability of Metcalfe’s Law
YouTube Gaming is taking on Twitch, which raises a number of interesting questions: is YouTube Gaming like Google+, and if not, why not? Will it succeed, or should Google have simply bought Twitch? Also, a fascinating paper about Metcalfe’s Law and when and where it applies.
The Funnel Framework
The Internet has removed scarcity, meaning business models based on controlling distribution are no longer viable. Instead, the key to success is controlling access to the best customers — and that means being the best.
Daily Update: Moore’s Law at 50, BuzzFeed and Advertiser Pressure
Good morning, The French Senate approved a measure (it won’t be law, at least not yet) that would force Google to disclose its algorithm to a French regulator. If you have strong views on this (particularly if you are in favor), I’d love to hear from you as to why — with the condition youSubscribe […]
It’s Not 1999
The question of whether or not we are in a tech bubble has been raised regularly for years now; 2012, particularly Facebook’s acquisition of an app1 called Instagram for a ridiculous2 $1 billion, was a particular high point. The fact that Instagram is now valued at $35 billion suggests the 2012 doomsayers were just a […]
Daily Update: Felix Salmon Thinks Journalism is a Bad Idea, Qualcomm’s China Settlement, AMC Added to Sling TV
Good morning, I apologize that today’s Daily Update is so late; I had problems with my CMS, which, if you squint, are quite ironic given today’s topic. Anyhow, on to a bit of political philosophy this morning; I hope you don’t mind. On to the update: Felix Salmon Thinks Journalism is a Bad Idea Here’sSubscribe […]