Category: Tech

Audio, Evolution, and Memes: Why TikTok Is The First YouTube Challenger

And how memetics will guide future tech products Full audio version https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1276418907968925696 "Who controls the memes controls the universe" tweeted Elon Musk, referencing a line from Dune. Somehow it feels both trollish and profound. If you live on the internet, you know it when you see it. Memes are everywhere. More importantly, it feels like … Continue reading Audio, Evolution, and Memes: Why TikTok Is The First YouTube Challenger →

YouTube Is The World’s Largest Radio Station

And why I'm 'long' distracted consumption [This first appeared on Audio-First, my newsletter tracking the audio space.] With over 2 billion monthly users, it’s no secret that Youtube is the world’s largest video platform. But could it also be the #1 audio platform as well? In one of my favorite summaries of the audio space, Alex Danco highlighted how … Continue reading YouTube Is The World’s Largest Radio Station →

Gilder, Gold, And The Information Theory Of Money

This summer I've been really into the work of George Gilder, a Silicon Valley stock picker turned public intellectual. At age 79, Gilder is still out there writing books and doing podcasts (where he'll occasionally shill Blockstack and rag on Bitcoin's 21M hard cap). But Gilder often says insightful and incisive things, especially about tech … Continue reading Gilder, Gold, And The Information Theory Of Money →

Why I’m Closely Watching (/Listening To) The Audio Space

Right now it feels like an open secret that AirPods are more monumental than they seem. It's not another bluetooth gadget we'll forget about in 6 months. It's our first taste of transhumanism. I'll never forget showing a friend my pair for the first time. He sampled a song, shook his head like a madman, … Continue reading Why I’m Closely Watching (/Listening To) The Audio Space →

How to Pursue A Career In Technology With A Liberal Arts Background

[Note: I originally wrote this article for an audience of liberal arts students at Hamilton College, my alma mater] Like many others I know in the industry, I had a very circuitous route into technology. For most of my Hamilton education, I was pretty determined to work in media or on Capitol Hill. That is, … Continue reading How to Pursue A Career In Technology With A Liberal Arts Background →

The Updated Ultimate Guide To Hacking CES 2019

It's the stuff of Hunter Thompson novels. If you've ever been to CES, you know it's an absolute clusterflip. There's almost 150,000 people, 52 football fields of trade show glitz, with schlep after schlep just to get to the convention center. But as a tech industry analyst, I've found it invaluable to see how IoT … Continue reading The Updated Ultimate Guide To Hacking CES 2019 →

Hidden In Plain Sight: The Boring Truth Nobody Is Talking About

Over the summer, I've really enjoyed the work of Philip Auerswald, an academic who focuses on population trends, in addition to "firm learning," or the study of how companies improve. I first heard Auerswald on EconTalk discussing the reasons why populism is taking hold worldwide. Auerswald said that a "trend hidden in plain sight" is simply the population … Continue reading Hidden In Plain Sight: The Boring Truth Nobody Is Talking About →

Recreating Reality: How the Final Chapter of ‘Software Eats the World’ Will Be IoT and Simulation

In addition to being a ludicrously well-funded game engine startup, there’s something conspicuous about what Improbable has in the works. In its Series B announcement, after mentioning the typical game engine applications (video games, VR), the company said it’s planning to simulate the real world: Over the longer term, we are also excited by the … Continue reading Recreating Reality: How the Final Chapter of ‘Software Eats the World’ Will Be IoT and Simulation →