There are two types of social networks, and Facebook wants to be both. The problem is that the company already chose public sharing over private communication.
Twitter to Stream NFL Thursday Night Games, About That Gmail April Fool’s Joke
First, a deep dive into Twitter’s deal with the NFL and why it’s not about the money. Then, why Gmail’s failed April Fool’s joke was so outrageous and worrying.
Snapchat’s Ladder
Snapchat is on the verge of conquering the toughest messaging market in the world: the United States. The way they did it is by laddering-up.
Apple-FBI Follow-up; Xiaomi, Samsung, LG and High-End Android, Spotify Moves to Google’s Cloud
First some follow-up on Apple versus the FBI, then a discussion about how high-end Android is a distinct market, and how that impacts new phones from Xiaomi, Samsung, and LG. Finally, why Spotify’s move to Google makes sense.
Twitter Earnings; Twitter Retrenches; Facebook, Andreessen and India
Twitter’s earnings had good and bad parts, and one big red flag. More interesting was the company’s decision to retrench and own “live.” Then, how Facebook and Marc Andreessen managed to screw up so badly.
The Reality of Missing Out
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.
Josh Horwitz: Uber in China, What Uber Got Right, Is Second Place Winning?
Ben is on vacation; in a guest post, Josh Horwitz explores Uber in China. What did they get right that so many other Western companies get wrong, and is it sustainable? What if they are only ever second place?
Xiaomi’s Struggles, Samsung Hardware Rumors
Xiaomi is struggling to justify its valuation; in fact there have been signs for a long time that their valuation was unrealistic all along. Plus, Samsung returns to hardware differentiation.
Microsoft’s OneDrive Debacle, Google One Take Two, Google Developing Smartphone Chips?
Microsoft’s OneDrive team unceremoniously ended its unlimited storage offer, scoring an own goal in the process. How did this screw-up happen? Then, Google is re-launching its Android One program in India — should the program even exist? Or, for that matter, should a special Android chip?
Twitter’s Moment
Twitter has had a rough stretch, and most are pessimistic about its chances. I was previously, but I think the upside is looking much brighter than it did before this week.