With the establishment of Alphabet Larry Page is setting himself up to pursue his vision of how the world should be, and in the process challenging assumptions about how businesses should be run and the means through which progress is achieved.
The Case for Jack Dorsey, Twitter CEO
For years Twitter has prioritized advertisers and revenue over users and product. The problem is that the latter begets the former, but not the other way around. Product must come first, which means Jack Dorsey should be Twitter’s CEO.
In Defense of Markets, The Qualcomm Mess, Uber and de Blasio
I think that the stock market tends to get a bad rap amongst tech pundits and executives; in fact, it is a critical part of how new companies defeat incumbents. Still, sometimes markets get it wrong and I think that is the case with Qualcomm. Plus, what Uber’s episode with New York City mayor Bill de Blasio suggests about politics and Aggregation Theory.
Unicorns Follow-up; Uber, Contractors, and Employees; Microsoft and the End of the Ballmer Era
This Daily Update follows up on my Unicorns article by pointing out how the behavior of most late-stage investors is totally rational. Then, a discussion about a recent decision by the California Labor Commission that one Uber driver is an employee, not a contractor, and a translation of Microsoft’s latest reorganization.
Unicorns
There are a lot of unicorns, but not all unicorns are created equally: even if some die the value of them in aggregate is significant.
Dick Costolo Out as Twitter CEO, Costolo’s Key Shortcoming, Twitter’s Next CEO
Dick Costolo is out as Twitter’s CEO, a shocking but unsurprising outcome. This update examines why he had to go, as well as why this week’s Twitter product announcements expose the biggest shortcoming of his tenure. Finally, I examine the necessary qualities for Twitter’s next CEO and who might make sense.
Semiconductors and Industry Cycles, Deals Galore, Intel to Acquire Altera
After a brief follow-up to my Google I/O Daily Update, I dive into the history of semiconductors and how it fits the traditional industry cycle. Then, an overview of recent transactions and how they fit in.
Jony Ive “Promoted”, The Implications of Not Managing, What About Apple?
Jony Ive has been “promoted”; is this one step towards retirement?
Daily Update: Amazon, Microsoft, and Google Earnings
Good morning, The earnings onslaught continues. On to the update: Amazon Earnings Amazon’s management did a better job of avoiding income taxes this quarter: the company is back to its usual — and surely intentional — loss-making ways. From The Wall Street Journal: The Seattle company reported a loss despite rapidly rising sales, as itSubscribe […]
Daily Update: Samsung’s Retreat, The Uncrossable Curve?, Gawker Writers Seek to Unionize
Good morning, Moore’s Law really is fifty years old: the original paper was in 1965, not 1975. Ugh! On to the update: Samsung’s Retreat While I have used the smiling curve to explain the dilemma facing publishers, as I noted at the time the very concept came from the world of Asian OEM’s — AcerSubscribe […]