Both Slack and Airbnb are issuing debt, but in far different circumstances, and with far different terms.
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.
America Wakes Up?, An Interview with Matt Mullenweg About Working From Home
Yesterday may have been a turning point in the American response to COVID-19. Then, an interview with Matt Mullenweg of Automattic about working from home and what is next for his company.
An Interview with Matthew Ball About Disney and Bob Iger
An interview with Matthew Ball about Bob Iger’s exit; Disney, Netflix, and streaming; and how metaverses are digital theme parks.
Bob Iger Steps Down From Disney, Why Now?, Why Bob Chapek?
It was a huge surprise that Bob Iger was stepping down as Disney’s CEO, but the rationale makes a lot of sense, as does the timing and replacement.
Larry Page and Sergey Brin Step Down, Why Now?, Google Going Forward
Larry Page and Sergey Brin’s impact on Silicon Valley is incomparable; now, though, they are formalizing a departure that arguably happened years ago. Why now, and what should Alphabet and Google do next?
Tech and Liberty
The First Amendment is not about a law, but rather a culture — specifically a culture of liberty. It is essential to tech, and in this context, Facebook is mostly right about political ads (but can still do better).
HBO Max, AT&T’s Challenges, The Streaming Battleground
AT&T announced details about HBO Max, which are both safe and aggressive, and also raise questions about AT&T’s long-term stewardship. Then, why Netflix and Disney are the long-term winners.
Amazon Earnings, AWS Concerns, Google Earnings
Amazon’s earnings are encouraging because profits are down. Still, there is reason for concern around AWS. Then, Google’s top-line continues to impress, but the company continues to waste huge amounts of money, hurting the bottom line.
SoftBank Rescues WeWork, Owning WeWork, Zuckerberg in Congress
SoftBank is rescuing WeWork in a very strange transaction, then re-visiting what I have written about WeWork. Plus, Zuckerberg’s appearance in Congress confirmed why Libra is the wrong approach for the company.