Concepts

Making Money

Business models are the surest way to understand a company’s motivations.

  • Uber Acquires Postmates; DoorDash Optimism; TikTok, Apple, and Hong Kong

    Uber acquires Postmates, which makes me bullish about DoorDash. Then, TikTok invokes Shakespeare.


  • The iPhone SE, Accounting for the iPhone SE, New iPhones

    The new iPhone SE inspires a revisit to Apple’s low-end strategy, which may simply be a matter of accounting. Then, Apple may be launching new iPhones despite the coronavirus.


  • Defining Information

    In a follow-up to Zero Trust Information, exploring the four types of information and how their value changes with time.


  • Amazon Just Walk Out, Waymo Raises $2.25 Billion

    Amazon Go is licensing its technology, contrary to my previous prediction. Then Waymo is taking on outside investors which should result in a needed shift in incentives.


  • 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.


  • Facebook’s Platform Opportunity

    Facebook is under pressure from all sides, but that actually means it has an opportunity to build the platform it has always wanted — in digital ads.


  • Bluesky, The Twitter Protocol Tragedy, Alternatives

    Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey announced that the company would be setting up a team to pursue a more open alternative to social network; unfortunately, the time to do so was ten years ago.


  • Day Two to One Day

    Amazon.com was showing signs of being a Day Two company, including the alleged manipulation of search. There is reason, though, to be optimistic that the company has gotten back to Day One. Plus, where are the other big tech companies?


  • Libra in Congress; Global Community, Revisited; Messianic Versus Money-Making

    Libra had a chilly reception at Capitol Hill, which highlighted a fundamental tension between Internet companies and lawmakers. Then, why it was inevitable that Facebook would make Libra, and why it was probably the wrong choice.


  • Facebook, Libra, and the Long Game

    Libra is less about an immediate benefit to Facebook, and more about creating a world where companies like Facebook have the best chance to prosper. That is why Facebook gave up so much control.