I linked to a piece yesterday suggesting that Twitter abandon the 140-character limit: do I agree? Or is that missing the point entirely? Then, the Internet goes nuts about the Model X price without taking the time to understand why it is so expensive; meanwhile the latest Model S shows that Tesla isn’t necessarily making cars.
UberPool Follow-Up, Google Bans Interstitial App-Install Ads, Instagram Allows Multiple Photo Sizes
More on UberPool, including the inevitability of self-driving cars, Uber’s competitors, and whether or not Uber needs mass transit. Then, Google’s ban on interstitial app install ads may be a bit arbitrary, but does that matter? Plus a must-read article that ties Instagram’s photo sizes to Twitter’s 140 characters.
Amazon Retrenches on Hardware, Apple to Create Original Programming?
Amazon is making big changes at Lab126, its hardware subsidiary, after the Fire phone flop. I think it’s a fantastic sign for the company going forward. Plus, Apple is reportedly thinking about getting into original content; there are both optimistic and pessimistic spins to put on this, but ultimately I think it’s a bad idea.
Why Disney and ESPN Will Be OK
An increasing number of questions are being raised about the future of the pay-TV bundle, and of ESPN. The former may indeed be doomed, but that doesn’t mean the latter is in as much trouble as people think: after all, Disney is the master of differentiated content.
Meetup Information; LinkedIn Beats, Slumps; Samsung’s Shift Continues; Sony’s Specialization
LinkedIn and Samsung both had negative reactions to their earnings, but both are in the middle of a shift to a better position going forward; Sony’s results were worse on an absolute basis but better received because they’ve already gone through the hard work of focusing on what works.
Plus, meetup information for Chicago, New York, and Madison
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.
Amazon’s Transformation, The Apple Music Backlash
Amazon turned a surprising profit: was it on purpose? More importantly, what does it say about the fundamental nature of Amazon as a company and as an investment? Plus, why the Apple Music backlash shouldn’t be a surprise, and a survey about meet-ups for this summer.
The Best Twitter Day Ever, The End of Windows Phone
Something amazing happened on Twitter that really highlighted how unique the service is. It also showed how many product holes remain. Then, Satya Nadella does what needed to be done. That doesn’t make it any less impressive.
The Reddit Rebellion, How Should Reddit Make Money?, The Disappearance of High-End Android
Reddit had a rough weekend, raising questions as to whether or not the site will ever be able to become a real business. It’s very nature may make that impossible, or maybe it simply needs a different business model. Plus, Samsung and HTC’s tough quarter.
Airbnb’s Externalities, Sharing and Culture, PayPal Acquires Xoom
Yesterday’s discussion of Airbnb was in part focused on the broader implications of the sharing economy. Truthfully, though, Airbnb deserves more attention for its externalities — it is in many ways more radical than Uber. It’s also not clear it will work in every culture.
Then, a brief discussion of Paypal and Xoom and how different degrees of trust require different types of business models.