SatPost by Trung...
YouTube: The Learning Machine
Can YouTube have a similar impact on education as the printing press did? Yes, and the explosion of...
3 hours ago
Can YouTube have a similar impact on education as the printing press did? Yes, and the explosion of sports footage on the platform helps to explain why.
Working Theorys
What I Talk About When I Talk About Reading
Optimize your life for good conversations.
4 hours ago
Optimize your life for good conversations.
Noahpinion
The positive case for Joe Biden
It's not just about being anti-Trump.
13 hours ago
It's not just about being anti-Trump.
AVC
I’ve Moved Onchain
Over the last few years, I’ve moved my internet life from web2 to web3 and rarely use any web2...
yesterday
Over the last few years, I’ve moved my internet life from web2 to web3 and rarely use any web2 services anymore. So I am starting a series called “I’ve Moved Onchain” to explain this journey to everyone and today’s opening post is about blogging, naturally. I’ve blogged at...
Rest of World -...
WhatsApp gives India an ultimatum on encryption
Tracing the origins of messages is more complicated than it sounds.
yesterday
Tracing the origins of messages is more complicated than it sounds.
Noahpinion
Who's afraid of East Asian management culture?
TSMC's difficulties in Arizona aren't due to the mystical superiority of Confucian values.
yesterday
TSMC's difficulties in Arizona aren't due to the mystical superiority of Confucian values.
Rest of World -...
Argentines are recruiting friends, strangers into Worldcoin’s cash-for-eyeballs scheme
With inflation and unemployment gripping the nation, a burgeoning network of intermediaries is...
2 days ago
With inflation and unemployment gripping the nation, a burgeoning network of intermediaries is convincing people to have their irises scanned at Worldcoin Orb centers.
Working Theorys
Writer-Builders
Theory #39 | The archetype of new kind of renaissance man
3 days ago
Theory #39 | The archetype of new kind of renaissance man
Steve Blank
The Secret History of Polaroid CEO Edwin Land – part 1
The connections between the world of national security and commercial companies still has surprises....
3 days ago
The connections between the world of national security and commercial companies still has surprises. December 1976 – Vandenberg Air Force Base, U.S. military space port on the coast of California As a Titan IIID rocket blasted off, it carried a spacecraft on top that would change...
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for the middle of your week (#35)
Chinese defense spending, activists vs. normies, corporate diversity, phones in schools,
3 days ago
Chinese defense spending, activists vs. normies, corporate diversity, phones in schools,
Essays - Benedict...
AI and problems of scale
Generative AI means things that were always possible at a small scale now
become practical to...
4 days ago
Generative AI means things that were always possible at a small scale now
become practical to automate at a massive scale. Sometimes a change in
scale is a change in principle.
Rest of World -...
African universities are failing to prepare tech graduates for jobs in AI
Dozens of new AI training startups are filling the gap, offering online courses, hackathons, and job...
4 days ago
Dozens of new AI training startups are filling the gap, offering online courses, hackathons, and job placement help.
Noahpinion
Biden is right that we need to raise taxes
But his plan needs a lot of work.
6 days ago
But his plan needs a lot of work.
SatPost by Trung...
The LEGO Star Wars Inception
LEGO and Star Wars created a $1B+ a year toy monster by combining two iconic brands that appeal to...
a week ago
LEGO and Star Wars created a $1B+ a year toy monster by combining two iconic brands that appeal to both children and adults.
Rest of World -...
The TikTok ban is bigger than just ByteDance
The U.S. clampdown on Chinese-owned companies won't end here.
a week ago
The U.S. clampdown on Chinese-owned companies won't end here.
Noahpinion
What America needs to do now on national security
The Ukraine-and-TikTok bill is a good start. Here are five more things we need to work on.
a week ago
The Ukraine-and-TikTok bill is a good start. Here are five more things we need to work on.
Rest of World -...
Why IBM employees in Brazil are suing to be classified as tech workers
Unions in two Brazilian states are suing IBM in an effort to be recognized as tech employees, giving...
a week ago
Unions in two Brazilian states are suing IBM in an effort to be recognized as tech employees, giving them access to better wages, benefits, and profit participation.
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 It’s an easy trap to start making excuses when sales velocity is slow. It’s almost always a...
a week ago
#1 💡 It’s an easy trap to start making excuses when sales velocity is slow. It’s almost always a symptom of a fundamental issue, not an unchangeable feature of the system. The one things missing from the growth model described here is prompts. In Brian Fogg’s model: B = MAP,...
Rest of World -...
Why African tech companies are ditching Google for a small Indian competitor
Zoho has positioned itself as a cheaper alternative to Google and Microsoft, attracting the...
a week ago
Zoho has positioned itself as a cheaper alternative to Google and Microsoft, attracting the attention of African startup founders.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#34)
Woke capital, university rigidity, social media toxicity, SUVs and pedestrians, and crime and...
a week ago
Woke capital, university rigidity, social media toxicity, SUVs and pedestrians, and crime and urbanization
Internal Tech Emails
Bill Gates: "The quality is giving us a bad name"
I don’t know how unique I am but my experience in clicking on streaming media stuff and seeing if it...
a week ago
I don’t know how unique I am but my experience in clicking on streaming media stuff and seeing if it works is still less than 50%.
Working Theorys
3 Hours or Nothing
Musing #14 | The merits of being binary with your time
a week ago
Musing #14 | The merits of being binary with your time
Noahpinion
How Latin America started to beat inequality
It can be done.
a week ago
SatPost by Trung...
Roger Ebert, MKBHD and the Job of a Critic
The best critics (or reviewers) educate, entertain and help us spend our time better.
2 weeks ago
The best critics (or reviewers) educate, entertain and help us spend our time better.
Working Theorys
How to Go Direct
Owning your own message, with intermediaries
2 weeks ago
Owning your own message, with intermediaries
Essays - Benedict...
Looking for AI use-cases
We’ve had ChatGPT for 18 months, but what’s it for? What are the use-cases?
Why isn’t it useful...
2 weeks ago
We’ve had ChatGPT for 18 months, but what’s it for? What are the use-cases?
Why isn’t it useful for everyone, right now? Do Large Language Models
become universal tools that can do ‘any’ task, or do we wrap them in
single-purpose apps, and build thousands of new companies...
Noahpinion
Five things to be optimistic about in America today
Enough doom and gloom, let's allow ourselves a moment of happiness.
2 weeks ago
Enough doom and gloom, let's allow ourselves a moment of happiness.
Data Boutique
The Web Data Landscape Map: Visualizing The Ecosystem
Mapping actors and solutions
2 weeks ago
Mapping actors and solutions
Rest of World -...
The regional flavors of labor-on-demand
A new report digs into the social dynamics of gig work.
2 weeks ago
A new report digs into the social dynamics of gig work.
Working Theorys
The Taste Discount
Everything is easier when tastes align.
2 weeks ago
Everything is easier when tastes align.
Rest of World -...
How RRR’s success brought a wave of Telugu-language movies to Netflix
Netflix in the U.S. now has more content in Telugu than in German, Russian, or any dialect of...
2 weeks ago
Netflix in the U.S. now has more content in Telugu than in German, Russian, or any dialect of Chinese.
Steve Blank
Founders Need to Be Ruthless When Chasing Deals
One of the most exciting things a startup CEO in a business-to-business market can hear from a...
2 weeks ago
One of the most exciting things a startup CEO in a business-to-business market can hear from a potential customer is, “We’re excited. When can you come back and show us a prototype?” This can be the beginning of a profitable customer relationship or a disappointing sinkhole of...
Rest of World -...
How we’re tracking AI incidents around global elections
Rest of World is collecting examples of AI being used for campaigning, misinformation, and memes in...
2 weeks ago
Rest of World is collecting examples of AI being used for campaigning, misinformation, and memes in a regularly updated tracker.
tomcritchlow.com
Working With Founders Who Have Conviction and Taste
Consulting can be easy money. Fleecing clients for cheap tricks. Clients have problems, you have...
2 weeks ago
Consulting can be easy money. Fleecing clients for cheap tricks. Clients have problems, you have powerpoints. It’s easy to flip a few quick slides into a chunk of cash and cackle off into the mountains.
Noahpinion
Why so many of us were wrong about missile defense
Writing about military spending is difficult.
2 weeks ago
Writing about military spending is difficult.
Working Theorys
Some Thoughts on Airchat
For people in a tiny slice of the world and internet, there’s no greater canon event than the...
2 weeks ago
For people in a tiny slice of the world and internet, there’s no greater canon event than the prospect of a new social app taking off. Sometimes there are multi-year droughts. In a plentiful year, there are one or two prospects that excite us. (And I wrote a stream of...
Rest of World -...
The startup offering free toilets and coffee for delivery workers — in exchange for their data
Argentine startup Nippy aggregates data from gig workers and sells it to companies like Mastercard...
2 weeks ago
Argentine startup Nippy aggregates data from gig workers and sells it to companies like Mastercard and Movistar, who in turn offer workers their services.
Noahpinion
Sizing up the New Axis
A timely repost.
2 weeks ago
SatPost by Trung...
Why I love Bluey (and hate Cocomelon)
These are the two most-streamed children's shows. And Joe Brumm's personal touch for Bluey trumps...
3 weeks ago
These are the two most-streamed children's shows. And Joe Brumm's personal touch for Bluey trumps Cocomelon's engagement-hacking approach.
Working Theorys
New Social App
Who am I? And other urgent existential questions.
3 weeks ago
Who am I? And other urgent existential questions.
XO Capital - Field...
Distribution
As part of UCLA's MBA program, I've had the opportunity to sit in on some VC pitches. It's been a...
3 weeks ago
As part of UCLA's MBA program, I've had the opportunity to sit in on some VC pitches. It's been a while since I've stepped back and looked at the broader startup ecosystem. My head has been in the micro saas space for
Rest of World -...
This delivery app takes away health insurance when workers don’t meet quotas
Rest of World spoke with 40 riders for Swiggy in India. Many described losing coverage when they...
3 weeks ago
Rest of World spoke with 40 riders for Swiggy in India. Many described losing coverage when they needed help the most.
Working Theorys
Explain It Like I'm One of You
Basketball podcasts, new media, and no more ELI5
3 weeks ago
Basketball podcasts, new media, and no more ELI5
Noahpinion
Americans are still not worried enough about the risk of world war
In which I try to be Gandalf instead of Cassandra.
3 weeks ago
In which I try to be Gandalf instead of Cassandra.
Rest of World -...
India’s electric rickshaws are leaving EVs in the dust
Little-known e-rickshaw companies like YC Electric are at the forefront of the country’s EV...
3 weeks ago
Little-known e-rickshaw companies like YC Electric are at the forefront of the country’s EV revolution.
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 One of the most interesting learnings after doing lead gen for 100+ b2b companies: the more...
3 weeks ago
#1 💡 One of the most interesting learnings after doing lead gen for 100+ b2b companies: the more directly your offer is related to one the core b2b “desires”, the easier the sales process. Many offers are only indirectly related to them. A better design might increases...
Rest of World -...
Shein and MercadoLibre are fighting over vendors in Brazil’s largest garment market
After the pandemic pushed Brazilian manufacturers and store owners to digitize their businesses,...
3 weeks ago
After the pandemic pushed Brazilian manufacturers and store owners to digitize their businesses, e-commerce platforms began pulling out all the stops to lure vendors.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#33)
TSMC Arizona back on track, drawing arrows on graphs, the downsides of inclusionary zoning, why...
3 weeks ago
TSMC Arizona back on track, drawing arrows on graphs, the downsides of inclusionary zoning, why people hate inflation, and interesting ideas about market power
SatPost by Trung...
Gordon Ramsay's Apprenticeship
The iconic chef said a top-tier mentor (Marco Pierre-White) taught him the value of learning high...
4 weeks ago
The iconic chef said a top-tier mentor (Marco Pierre-White) taught him the value of learning high standards and how to take the reins.
XO Capital - Field...
v2
XO V1 concluded with 10 acquisitions and 1 "fund".
The V1 "conclusion" is really a line in the sand...
4 weeks ago
XO V1 concluded with 10 acquisitions and 1 "fund".
The V1 "conclusion" is really a line in the sand but it feels right as we continue to offload assets to focus on larger deals using outside capital. This will transition us into v2 which we'
Rest of World -...
In Southeast Asia, Ramadan is an online shopping bonanza
An e-commerce battle brews between Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shop with the continued rise of...
4 weeks ago
An e-commerce battle brews between Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shop with the continued rise of livestream selling.
Noahpinion
The U.S. would be insane to go it alone on trade and manufacturing
Punching down on our allies will not help the middle class.
4 weeks ago
Punching down on our allies will not help the middle class.
Rest of World -...
Jumia Food’s shutdown left hundreds of drivers jobless, unable to withdraw earnings
Former gig drivers in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda are still feeling the pinch after Jumia Food...
4 weeks ago
Former gig drivers in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda are still feeling the pinch after Jumia Food abruptly exited seven African markets.
Data Boutique
How Data Boutique Works #3: Third Party Solutions
Working with data? List your solution on Data Boutique
4 weeks ago
Working with data? List your solution on Data Boutique
Rest of World -...
China is betting on battery swaps to tackle EV chargers shortage
Rarely seen globally, there are already thousands of battery swap stations across China.
a month ago
Rarely seen globally, there are already thousands of battery swap stations across China.
Noahpinion
The perverse incentives of euthanasia
Suggesting that people die is not a good way of saving taxpayer money.
a month ago
Suggesting that people die is not a good way of saving taxpayer money.
Working Theorys
The Granny Hobby Protocol
And the hands-on, thumbs-off economy
a month ago
And the hands-on, thumbs-off economy
Rest of World -...
Uber’s largest vehicle financing partner is an African startup with global ambitions
From India to the U.K., UAE, and Thailand, Nigeria-founded Moove is chasing profitability.
a month ago
From India to the U.K., UAE, and Thailand, Nigeria-founded Moove is chasing profitability.
Noahpinion
Try patriotism
A repost, with some updates.
a month ago
A repost, with some updates.
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 While alcohol is becoming less and less nicotine is having a comeback. Even Einstein...
a month ago
#1 💡 While alcohol is becoming less and less nicotine is having a comeback. Even Einstein reportedly believed that Nicotine contributed to a calm and objective judgment. But while there are thousands of “premium” options when it comes to consuming alcohol, all Nicotine...
Rest of World -...
Las compañías de autos eléctricos quieren el litio de Argentina. Poco queda para sus ciudadanos.
A los habitantes de la Isla Paulino se les prometió baterías de litio para reducir el uso de...
a month ago
A los habitantes de la Isla Paulino se les prometió baterías de litio para reducir el uso de generadores. El proyecto se frenó. Mientras tanto, las exportaciones de litio crecen.
SatPost by Trung...
The Concorde Jet vs. Boeing 747
PLUS: The Matrix's 25th Anniversary.
a month ago
PLUS: The Matrix's 25th Anniversary.
XO Capital - Field...
What business are you really in?
I spoke with an entrepreneur recently who, after 5 years of running a successful and growing...
a month ago
I spoke with an entrepreneur recently who, after 5 years of running a successful and growing business, said "After 5 years I finally know the real business we're in.".
It means they outwardly do X but on the inside the hard part is Y.
As an
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for your weekend (#32)
The bridge disaster, Daniel Kahneman, Biden and nuclear power, ebbing unrest, Bay Area...
a month ago
The bridge disaster, Daniel Kahneman, Biden and nuclear power, ebbing unrest, Bay Area "progressives", and cancer detection
Rest of World -...
ShopeeFood drops non-compete clause after Rest of World reporting
Drivers for the Vietnam delivery company had used workarounds but feared detection. After Rest of...
a month ago
Drivers for the Vietnam delivery company had used workarounds but feared detection. After Rest of World's reporting, the clause was dropped.
Unpacked
NVIDIA Explained: Origins, GPUs and AI stock bump | EP8
NVIDIA has seen their valuation 5x over the last 5 years and is now worth more than $2 trillion. In...
a month ago
NVIDIA has seen their valuation 5x over the last 5 years and is now worth more than $2 trillion. In the latest episode, we dive a few layers deep into the company. We start with the origin of the company and the launch of their first GPU in 1999 which unlocked several...
Rest of World -...
ByteDance shuts down its WhatsApp clone in Africa
TikTok’s owner launched LetsChat in 2021, aimed at young Africans and boosted by heavy marketing,...
a month ago
TikTok’s owner launched LetsChat in 2021, aimed at young Africans and boosted by heavy marketing, but it couldn’t crack WhatsApp’s dominance.
tomcritchlow.com
LinkedIn is not a social or professional network, it's a learning network
The world of work is changing.
a month ago
The world of work is changing.
Rest of World -...
Reliance and Disney team up to crush Netflix and Prime Video in India
Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance and The Walt Disney Company have joined forces creating a hard-to-beat...
a month ago
Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance and The Walt Disney Company have joined forces creating a hard-to-beat streaming entity in the country.
Noahpinion
Secrets of Japanese urbanism (part 2)
A review of "Emergent Tokyo", by Jorge Almazan and Studiolab
a month ago
A review of "Emergent Tokyo", by Jorge Almazan and Studiolab
Working Theorys
Placeholders for Life
Life is not a dress rehearsal
a month ago
Life is not a dress rehearsal
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 #2 💡 Tons of companies are looking to hire someone like this but no one knows how to do it...
a month ago
#1 💡 #2 💡 Tons of companies are looking to hire someone like this but no one knows how to do it reliably. There are also tons of people who would like to work in such a role but they are hard to find as there is no generally accepted job title. Seems like a huge opportunity if...
Rest of World -...
Uber drivers are melting amid Nigeria’s historic heat wave and record fuel prices
As temperatures soar and fuel prices triple, drivers are having to choose between their health and...
a month ago
As temperatures soar and fuel prices triple, drivers are having to choose between their health and livelihood.
Data Boutique
Case Study: MatchesFashion Inventory Outflows
Web data for market insights
a month ago
Web data for market insights
Noahpinion
Market-rate housing will make your city cheaper
Yes, market-rate!
a month ago
Internal Tech Emails
When Apple considered buying Bing
Can I imagine that Apple can build a search engine to compete. Yes but it’s probably not the best...
a month ago
Can I imagine that Apple can build a search engine to compete. Yes but it’s probably not the best way to differentiate our products.
Essays - Benedict...
The problem of AI ethics, and laws about AI
Should you try to write laws, or lay down ethical principles, about a
technology that will be used...
a month ago
Should you try to write laws, or lay down ethical principles, about a
technology that will be used in entirely different ways, for different
purposes, in different industries? How about if it’s changing entirely
every 18 months?
SatPost by Trung...
Subsea Internet Cables are a Miracle
PLUS: Apple's Monopoly, Monster Beverage, Asian Work Culture, WarnerBros vs. Harry Potter.
a month ago
PLUS: Apple's Monopoly, Monster Beverage, Asian Work Culture, WarnerBros vs. Harry Potter.
Noahpinion
Go read some Vernor Vinge
R.I.P. to my favorite science fiction author
a month ago
R.I.P. to my favorite science fiction author
Essays - Benedict...
Who cares about tech regulation?
Tech regulation gets a lot of headlines, and seems like a big deal, but
most people in tech don’t...
a month ago
Tech regulation gets a lot of headlines, and seems like a big deal, but
most people in tech don’t seem to care much. It’s boring, and years away,
but more fundamentally, it really doesn’t affect what people spend their
time working on.
Rest of World -...
How Prime Video failed so spectacularly in Africa
Filmmakers, critics, and users blame the platform’s struggle in Africa on poor user experience, a...
a month ago
Filmmakers, critics, and users blame the platform’s struggle in Africa on poor user experience, a lack of local content, and mediocre publicity.
Articles - Alex...
The age of average (encore)
The shift to music streaming has led to songs getting shorter, music
getting less melodically...
a month ago
The shift to music streaming has led to songs getting shorter, music
getting less melodically diverse and lyrics getting more repetitive. Or to
put it another way, just as our visual culture has become more homogeneous,
so too has the music that accompanies it. Let’s run...
Rest of World -...
Indonesia’s e-bike shops are building their own batteries
Battery-pack builders chase maximum range, despite safety risks.
a month ago
Battery-pack builders chase maximum range, despite safety risks.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for the middle of your week (#31)
Indian poverty reduction, America's friends, Canada's economy, Europe grows a spine, and Japan's...
a month ago
Indian poverty reduction, America's friends, Canada's economy, Europe grows a spine, and Japan's DARPA
tomcritchlow.com
A Lil' Website Refresh
Welcome to tomcritchlow.com version…. 19? 25? Honestly there have been so many iterations over the...
a month ago
Welcome to tomcritchlow.com version…. 19? 25? Honestly there have been so many iterations over the years who even knows. The point is there’s a new coat of paint.
Rest of World -...
Portraits of gig workers in rare moments off the clock
Rest of World shadowed workers in São Paulo, Lagos, Dhaka, and Jakarta to get an intimate look at...
a month ago
Rest of World shadowed workers in São Paulo, Lagos, Dhaka, and Jakarta to get an intimate look at how they spend their breaks between orders.
Working Theorys
Before the Crowd Shows Up
The arena rewards those who arrive early.
a month ago
The arena rewards those who arrive early.
Noahpinion
How we could return to the productivity growth of the 1990s
A guest post by Preston Mui.
a month ago
A guest post by Preston Mui.
Data Boutique
How Data Boutique Works #2: Volume Discounts
The volume-related pricing system explained
a month ago
The volume-related pricing system explained
Essays - Benedict...
A month of the Vision Pro
The Vision Pro is amazing, but like the rest of VR and AR, Apple seems
years away from the mass...
a month ago
The Vision Pro is amazing, but like the rest of VR and AR, Apple seems
years away from the mass market. And if it gets there, how much will it
matter?
Noahpinion
Plentiful, high-paying jobs in the age of AI
Comparative advantage is very subtle, but incredibly powerful.
a month ago
Comparative advantage is very subtle, but incredibly powerful.
SatPost by Trung...
"Now is the Most Important Time"
Jensen Huang, Cillian Murphy, Michael Jordan, Jerry Seinfeld and Oprah Winfrey on the power of being...
a month ago
Jensen Huang, Cillian Murphy, Michael Jordan, Jerry Seinfeld and Oprah Winfrey on the power of being present.
Working Theorys
Rabbitholes as Portals
Fall down the right ones
a month ago
Rest of World -...
Why are Apple and Tesla losing ground in China?
The Chinese market isn’t quite as untapped as U.S. companies thought.
a month ago
The Chinese market isn’t quite as untapped as U.S. companies thought.
Noahpinion
What just happened in San Francisco politics?
A guest post by Armand Domalewski
a month ago
A guest post by Armand Domalewski
Rest of World -...
Visa and Mastercard are pouring money into Africa
From a startup accelerator to funding startups and even investing in telecom companies, the two U.S....
a month ago
From a startup accelerator to funding startups and even investing in telecom companies, the two U.S. giants are steadily increasing their presence on the continent.
Working Theorys
caring about newness
we don't create with the intent to recycle
a month ago
we don't create with the intent to recycle
Rest of World -...
How livestream realtors helped make Xishuangbanna a boom town
Real estate agents turn to Douyin and Kuaishou to show properties virtually through livestreaming,...
a month ago
Real estate agents turn to Douyin and Kuaishou to show properties virtually through livestreaming, drawing the attention of out-of-town buyers.
Unpacked
Reddit's IPO Filing & India's AI Regulation | EP 7
Here are the highlights from the podcast episode. You can find a longer form analysis on both topics...
a month ago
Here are the highlights from the podcast episode. You can find a longer form analysis on both topics in the podcast episode - Spotify | Apple Podcasts. The podcast follows the same core principles as the writing (primarily analysis driven with occasional opinions sprinkled in)....
Rest of World -...
Chinese smartphone maker Transsion’s strategy to win hearts and wallets in small-town India
After big successes in Africa, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, China's Transsion Holdings sets its sights...
a month ago
After big successes in Africa, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, China's Transsion Holdings sets its sights on India.
Noahpinion
Trump just rug-pulled the China hawks on TikTok
The CCP and its allies have bought themselves a new champion.
a month ago
The CCP and its allies have bought themselves a new champion.
Data Boutique
How Data Boutique Works #1: Data Auctions
The data auction system explained
a month ago
The data auction system explained
Working Theorys
Second Encounters
Firsts are overrated
a month ago
Noahpinion
At least five things for your weekend (#30)
"Are we better off", the economy of Dune, energy abundance, wacky polls, doomscrolling, anger about...
a month ago
"Are we better off", the economy of Dune, energy abundance, wacky polls, doomscrolling, anger about interest rates, and visualizing urban density
SatPost by Trung...
"The Economist" Cover Curse, Explained
PLUS: My Dune 2 review, TikTok Ban and Why Jalapeños are Less Spicy.
a month ago
PLUS: My Dune 2 review, TikTok Ban and Why Jalapeños are Less Spicy.
Data Boutique
Web Data in Emergency Situations: The MatchesFashion case
More case studies for web data
a month ago
More case studies for web data
XO Capital - Field...
Consolidating Our Portfolio
💡
We've finally rolled out a small community of folks interested in acquiring saas businesses. The...
a month ago
💡
We've finally rolled out a small community of folks interested in acquiring saas businesses. The first few weeks of it have been a delight. It's the highlight of my week chatting with other people interested in this space. Join us! https://notes.xo.capital/community/
Rest of World -...
ShopeeFood underestimates delivery distances. Gig workers in Vietnam are paying the price
Rest of World reviewed nearly 50 orders on Vietnam’s second most popular food delivery app, and in...
a month ago
Rest of World reviewed nearly 50 orders on Vietnam’s second most popular food delivery app, and in most cases, the distance was estimated lower than Google Maps’ estimate.
Noahpinion
Chinasplaining will backfire
A review of "China's World View", by David Daokui Li
a month ago
A review of "China's World View", by David Daokui Li
tomcritchlow.com
Work is a Place
My buddy Luke recently started a band called Tattoo Mustache. While we were chatting, his eyes lit...
a month ago
My buddy Luke recently started a band called Tattoo Mustache. While we were chatting, his eyes lit up talking about jamming in the studio with his bandmates - his arms were flailing and you could feel the energy coming off him like steam from a hot pan. These weekly jam sessions...
Steve Blank
Is a $100 Million Enough?
Capitalism has been good to me. After serving in the military during Vietnam, I came home and had a...
a month ago
Capitalism has been good to me. After serving in the military during Vietnam, I came home and had a career in eight startups. I got to retire when I was 45. Over the last quarter century, in my third career, I helped create the methods entrepreneurs use to build new startups,...
Rest of World -...
The entrepreneur navigating fintech’s ups and downs for 15 years
Bipin Preet Singh is the co-founder and CEO of Indian fintech major MobiKwik.
a month ago
Bipin Preet Singh is the co-founder and CEO of Indian fintech major MobiKwik.
Data Boutique
How to Estimate Sales Using Inventory Web-Scraped Data
A powerful use case for web data
2 months ago
A powerful use case for web data
Noahpinion
Did immigration bring down inflation?
I'm highly skeptical of this theory, but it's still quite interesting.
2 months ago
I'm highly skeptical of this theory, but it's still quite interesting.
Internal Tech Emails
Sam Altman emails Elon Musk
The mission would be to create the first general Al and use it for individual empowerment—ie, the...
2 months ago
The mission would be to create the first general Al and use it for individual empowerment—ie, the distributed version of the future that seems the safest.
SatPost by Trung...
The Greatest Meme Template Ever
Why does Juan Joya Borja (aka El Risitas aka “Spanish Laughing Guy”) always put a smile on our...
2 months ago
Why does Juan Joya Borja (aka El Risitas aka “Spanish Laughing Guy”) always put a smile on our faces.
XO Capital - Field...
Broken Community Link
Apologies for the second email. The correct link for the community page is here...
2 months ago
Apologies for the second email. The correct link for the community page is here
https://notes.xo.capital/community/
Appreciate everyone who pointed it out. Happy Friday!
tomcritchlow.com
How do You Cultivate Customer-Centric Executives?
summary
The answer is that the most successful companies have a key executive who is...
2 months ago
summary
The answer is that the most successful companies have a key executive who is customer-centric - someone who has a rich mental model for what customers want and is able to step into the customer's shoes.
I theorize that beyond a culture of being customer-centric it's the...
Rest of World -...
South Korean streamers struggle with Twitch’s sudden exit
The streaming giant attributed its departure to high network fees.
2 months ago
The streaming giant attributed its departure to high network fees.
Working Theorys
The Time-Boxed Startup
What if startups had an expiration date?
2 months ago
What if startups had an expiration date?
Rest of World -...
The AI project pushing local languages to replace French in Mali’s schools
RobotsMali uses ChatGPT, Google Translate, and other AI tools in hopes of helping young students...
2 months ago
RobotsMali uses ChatGPT, Google Translate, and other AI tools in hopes of helping young students learn faster and stay in school.
Data Boutique
Tracking Farfetch [Part 2]: Kering's Exit
A case study for web data
2 months ago
A case study for web data
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for the middle of your week (#29)
AI might help the middle class, Americans can afford food, narratives about science, Europe's...
2 months ago
AI might help the middle class, Americans can afford food, narratives about science, Europe's defense industry, and Native American YIMBYism
Working Theorys
Word Association Fame
The new attention playbooks will be full of old plays.
2 months ago
The new attention playbooks will be full of old plays.
Rest of World -...
How we measured air quality for gig workers in South Asia
Rest of World gave pollution monitors to riders in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh so they could...
2 months ago
Rest of World gave pollution monitors to riders in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh so they could gather data on what they breathe.
Noahpinion
New technologies, new totalitarians
Thanks to smartphones, social media, and globalization, liberalism faces a new and terrifying kind...
2 months ago
Thanks to smartphones, social media, and globalization, liberalism faces a new and terrifying kind of opponent.
Inverted Passion
Why time seems to pass faster as we age
1/ I’ve been mega-obsessed with this feeling. A year as a 36-year-old seems so much shorter as...
2 months ago
1/ I’ve been mega-obsessed with this feeling. A year as a 36-year-old seems so much shorter as compared to when I was a kid or even as a teen. It seems cosmically unfair – we have fewer years to live, and each year flies by faster. 2/ But, why is that happening? My tentative...
Business Brainstorms
Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 The more competitive a market the more buying decisions boil down to vibes. For example, I...
2 months ago
#1 💡 The more competitive a market the more buying decisions boil down to vibes. For example, I recently started looking for an AI meeting note taking software we can use in our sales and clients calls. Fireflies, Fathom, MeetGeek, tl;dv… there are just so many of them and they...
Internal Tech Emails
Steve Jobs on iPhone design
This may be our answer - we could put the number pad around our clickwheel.
2 months ago
This may be our answer - we could put the number pad around our clickwheel.
Nothing Human
Materialist Conceptions of God
yet another attempt at bridging religion and rationality
2 months ago
yet another attempt at bridging religion and rationality
Noahpinion
This is not a good way to fight racism in America
Building a multiracial society is hard work. Don't be tempted by shortcuts.
2 months ago
Building a multiracial society is hard work. Don't be tempted by shortcuts.
SatPost by Trung...
Second Winds
Why are so many famous YouTubers quitting? A legendary essay by Václav Havel — a Czech playwright...
2 months ago
Why are so many famous YouTubers quitting? A legendary essay by Václav Havel — a Czech playwright and former President — helps to explain this trend.
Working Theorys
Great Products Have Great Premises
The most powerful thing a product can do is give its user a premise.
2 months ago
The most powerful thing a product can do is give its user a premise.
XO Capital - Field...
Our First Community Call
This week Danny jumped on a live Twitter Spaces with me. We talked about:
When to "quit"
XO...
2 months ago
This week Danny jumped on a live Twitter Spaces with me. We talked about:
When to "quit"
XO community, courses,
Motivations for picking a startup idea
Decision making differences between short holds and longer holds.
Data Boutique
Tracking How Bad The Situation At Farfetch Really Is
A case study for web data
2 months ago
A case study for web data
Rest of World -...
What comes after big data?
A new push to carve data collection out of the humanitarian tech stack.
2 months ago
A new push to carve data collection out of the humanitarian tech stack.
Noahpinion
Japan isn't quite "back", but it has a fighting chance
Here are some ideas for what it can do to be truly "back".
2 months ago
Here are some ideas for what it can do to be truly "back".
Unpacked
Tech's Pledge To Fight AI Election Interference & Twillio’s woes with Segment | EP 6
Last week, 20 tech companies across Big Tech, social networks and AI providers signed a voluntary...
2 months ago
Last week, 20 tech companies across Big Tech, social networks and AI providers signed a voluntary pledge to fight election interference from AI-generated content going through 2024. We dive into the timing of the announcement (2024 is a big election year across the globe), some...
Working Theorys
The Creator Search Fund
Don't buy a company, commercialize a creator.
2 months ago
Don't buy a company, commercialize a creator.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#28)
Cultural stagnation, pedestrian deaths, evidence on decoupling, the benefits of education, and why...
2 months ago
Cultural stagnation, pedestrian deaths, evidence on decoupling, the benefits of education, and why philosophers read the classics
Working Theorys
Weekend Theorys No. 4
Time to lameness, netizens vs. citizens, and OpenAI scaring creative people (again)
2 months ago
Time to lameness, netizens vs. citizens, and OpenAI scaring creative people (again)
Noahpinion
We’re entering a golden age of engineering biology
A guest post by Joshua March and Kasia Gora
2 months ago
A guest post by Joshua March and Kasia Gora
SatPost by Trung...
How Hermès Sells "Time"
The ~$250B French luxury giant creates the most sought after leather bags through craftsmanship,...
2 months ago
The ~$250B French luxury giant creates the most sought after leather bags through craftsmanship, heritage and long-term thinking.
Public Experiments
Where Are the Good AI Products?
On waiting for AI's Godot.
2 months ago
On waiting for AI's Godot.
Working Theorys
Pursuits that can’t scale
What you should do "instead of going to therapy”
2 months ago
What you should do "instead of going to therapy”
tomcritchlow.com
(Another) Quick Riff on Narrative Strategy
I’ve been ruminating on the idea of narrative strategy for a while now. The last time I wrote about...
2 months ago
I’ve been ruminating on the idea of narrative strategy for a while now. The last time I wrote about it was in 2020.
Rest of World -...
How an African streaming service dethroned Netflix
Showmax sits at the top of the market with a vast library of local content, partnerships with...
2 months ago
Showmax sits at the top of the market with a vast library of local content, partnerships with Comcast and HBO, and exclusive access to the biggest soccer leagues in the world.
Unpacked
Instagram limits political content, and Google's consumer play with Gemini
Last week, Meta announced that they will not proactively recommend political content across their...
2 months ago
Last week, Meta announced that they will not proactively recommend political content across their recommendation surfaces including Reels and Threads. We dive into criticism Meta has gotten in the past, what led Meta to this decision, the increasingly dispersed media landscape...
Steve Blank
Apple Vision Pro – Tech in the Search of a Market
A version of this article previously appeared in Fortune. If you haven’t been paying attention Apple...
2 months ago
A version of this article previously appeared in Fortune. If you haven’t been paying attention Apple has started shipping its Apple Vision Pro, its take on a headset that combines Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR). The product is an amazing technical tour de force....
Rest of World -...
The startup founder bootstrapping his creator economy business
Douglas Kendyson, a former engineer at Flutterwave and Paystack, has built a profitable bootstrapped...
2 months ago
Douglas Kendyson, a former engineer at Flutterwave and Paystack, has built a profitable bootstrapped African startup.
Noahpinion
A bunch of handy charts about climate change
A couple dozen pictures are worth a couple thousand words.
2 months ago
A couple dozen pictures are worth a couple thousand words.
Working Theorys
Love the Mission or Love the Game
Are you a Type I or Type II entrepreneur? (or an unserious third thing)
2 months ago
Are you a Type I or Type II entrepreneur? (or an unserious third thing)
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 Action produces information. Just keep doing stuff. Trying to solve the issue by thinking...
2 months ago
#1 💡 Action produces information. Just keep doing stuff. Trying to solve the issue by thinking about it only makes it worse. Don't stop. Trust the process. Eventually the right opportunity will appear right in front of you and the choice will be crystal clear.
XO Capital - Field...
493.5% ROI - Exiting Sheet.Best
💡
Side note. To build our community up a bit, we're putting a cohort together to help 5 people buy...
2 months ago
💡
Side note. To build our community up a bit, we're putting a cohort together to help 5 people buy their first saas company. If this one is successful and we can add some value, we'll do another one! Jump in our discord to stay informed!
Rest of World -...
Parents turn to AI tablets after China’s tutor crackdown
Tech companies iFlytek, Baidu, and BKK are cashing in on parents who fear their child will fall...
2 months ago
Tech companies iFlytek, Baidu, and BKK are cashing in on parents who fear their child will fall behind their peers.
Internal Tech Emails
Google and AI | Elon Musk on Tesla comp
Such a deep ML system could well be developed outside of Google-- at Microsoft, Baidu, Yandex,...
2 months ago
Such a deep ML system could well be developed outside of Google-- at Microsoft, Baidu, Yandex, Amazon, Apple, or even a startup.
Working Theorys
Weekend Theorys No. 3
Books as athleisure, Twitter/X goes Substack, and oh yeah, Apple's Vision Pro
2 months ago
Books as athleisure, Twitter/X goes Substack, and oh yeah, Apple's Vision Pro
Noahpinion
The Ukraine war is ultimately about Poland
When Putin talks, we should listen.
2 months ago
When Putin talks, we should listen.
SatPost by Trung...
Mailbag Request
PLUS: Super Sports App, Economics of Ski-ing and more Apple Vision Pro memes.
2 months ago
PLUS: Super Sports App, Economics of Ski-ing and more Apple Vision Pro memes.
Data Boutique
The hidden costs of asking for quotations in the data market
Working towards faster, cheaper and safer data projects
2 months ago
Working towards faster, cheaper and safer data projects
tomcritchlow.com
Notes on my Remarkable Tablet
I love my Remarkable 2. I’ve been using it pretty heavily for almost a year now. It’s my every day...
2 months ago
I love my Remarkable 2. I’ve been using it pretty heavily for almost a year now. It’s my every day companion device. Here’s some notes and ideas.
Noahpinion
Do poor countries need a new development strategy?
Bangladesh and Southeast Asia are defying the economists who say industrialization is dead.
2 months ago
Bangladesh and Southeast Asia are defying the economists who say industrialization is dead.
Unpacked
Apple's (reluctant) App Store changes, and Semafor tries AI news
This week, we dive into two meaty topics. First, we dig into Apple’s recent App Store changes to...
2 months ago
This week, we dive into two meaty topics. First, we dig into Apple’s recent App Store changes to support third party payments in the US (sort of), and additionally support side-loading of apps (i.e. supporting non-Apple app stores) in the EU. Spoiler: Apple is pushing the limits...
Rest of World -...
Drop-shipping is a lifeline for unemployed graduates in South Africa
Chinese e-commerce websites have proven popular in the country and are fueling a new line of work.
2 months ago
Chinese e-commerce websites have proven popular in the country and are fueling a new line of work.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for the middle of your week (#27)
Chaos Climbers, gender wars, union wars, social media toxicity, a good spending bill, and urban...
2 months ago
Chaos Climbers, gender wars, union wars, social media toxicity, a good spending bill, and urban agglomeration
Steve Blank
Technology, Innovation, and Great Power Competition – 2023 Wrap Up
We just wrapped up the third year of our Technology, Innovation, and Great Power Competition class...
2 months ago
We just wrapped up the third year of our Technology, Innovation, and Great Power Competition class –part of Stanford’s Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation. Joe Felter, Mike Brown and I teach the class to: Give our students an appreciation of the challenges and...
Rest of World -...
Chinese EV sellers found a loophole to export cars around the world
A gray market grows for Chinese EVs in Russia, the Middle East, and beyond.
2 months ago
A gray market grows for Chinese EVs in Russia, the Middle East, and beyond.
essay – snarfed.org
Sleep is so weird
Ian Dyball Our bodies are designed such that we need to lose consciousness, entirely, for a full...
2 months ago
Ian Dyball Our bodies are designed such that we need to lose consciousness, entirely, for a full third of every day. This is evidently necessary for some kind of regular brain maintenance, maybe forming long term memories, who knows what else. If we don’t sleep, we quickly become...
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 In my university days everyone had to attend a workshop on stress management. The one golden...
2 months ago
#1 💡 In my university days everyone had to attend a workshop on stress management. The one golden nugget I took away from it is that stress is 100% a framing issue. You only feel stressed when you think you can't handle it. Absolutely nothing wrong with a full calendar, juggling...
Rest of World -...
The fastest-growing countries for software development, according to GitHub
New data shows a rising tide of coders in Bangladesh and Nigeria.
2 months ago
New data shows a rising tide of coders in Bangladesh and Nigeria.
Noahpinion
Economic losses for our allies are not wins for the U.S.
Stop comparing ourselves to countries who are on our side.
2 months ago
Stop comparing ourselves to countries who are on our side.
Essays - Benedict...
Remaking the app store
The EU has finally made Apple redesign the App Store, 15 years after we
started arguing about it,...
3 months ago
The EU has finally made Apple redesign the App Store, 15 years after we
started arguing about it, and no-one is happy with the result. In the next
few years there’ll be a lot of shouting and some giant fines, but in the
end, nothing much will change.
Working Theorys
Weekend Theorys No. 2
Crypto social games, work "trials," and meeting your creations in the wild.
3 months ago
Crypto social games, work "trials," and meeting your creations in the wild.
SatPost by Trung...
8 Lessons from "Curb Your Enthusiasm"
What Larry David's legendary sitcom can teach about creativity and work.
3 months ago
What Larry David's legendary sitcom can teach about creativity and work.
XO Capital - Field...
Deal Structures
A couple of people have asked about deal structures so here are a few we commonly use for buying...
3 months ago
A couple of people have asked about deal structures so here are a few we commonly use for buying micro saas companies.
All Cash
Pretty straight forward. You do all cash. Usually it's 100% into escrow.com and release maybe 50% before asset transfer and 50% after asset
Rest of World -...
Google cuts off an $83 million ghost labor contract
Outsourced workers are the first to go when the company looks to reduce costs.
3 months ago
Outsourced workers are the first to go when the company looks to reduce costs.
Noahpinion
Biden should run on a message of abundance
Things are going pretty well in America, and Biden's policies have largely helped.
3 months ago
Things are going pretty well in America, and Biden's policies have largely helped.
Working Theorys
Companionship Content is King | Theory No. 29
Why short-form video has a ceiling & how companionship content escapes it.
3 months ago
Why short-form video has a ceiling & how companionship content escapes it.
tomcritchlow.com
Notes on Search and AI
What to say about the future of AI and search?
3 months ago
What to say about the future of AI and search?
Rest of World -...
The CEO trying to democratize cybersecurity
Felix Kan on building a bug-hunting platform to enhance cybersecurity for small companies.
3 months ago
Felix Kan on building a bug-hunting platform to enhance cybersecurity for small companies.
Noahpinion
Interview: Sarah C. Paine
A scholar of the 20th century explains the conflicts of the 21st.
3 months ago
A scholar of the 20th century explains the conflicts of the 21st.
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 This is an extremely interesting playbook: use an expensive model to generate high quality...
3 months ago
#1 💡 This is an extremely interesting playbook: use an expensive model to generate high quality training data. Then use this data to fine tune a much cheaper model you can run at scale. Also seems like there’s plenty of opportunity to build consulting/service businesses around...
Internal Tech Emails
Inside Apple's Marcom meeting
To come back and suggest that Apple needs to think dramatically different about how we are running...
3 months ago
To come back and suggest that Apple needs to think dramatically different about how we are running our company is a shocking response.
Working Theorys
Weekend Theorys No. 1
"Healthy” social apps, the folly of the "one-two punch," and side projects that command respect
3 months ago
"Healthy” social apps, the folly of the "one-two punch," and side projects that command respect
SatPost by Trung...
Psychology of Apple Packaging
Steve Jobs and Jony Ive prioritized packaging, which they said could be "theatre".
3 months ago
Steve Jobs and Jony Ive prioritized packaging, which they said could be "theatre".
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for your weekend (#26)
The U.S. economy, U.S. energy, Millennial wealth, medical administrators, and standardized tests
3 months ago
The U.S. economy, U.S. energy, Millennial wealth, medical administrators, and standardized tests
Working Theorys
Angel Investing | Theory No. 28
A 5-year reflection & predictions on the practice of writing small checks into early-stage startups.
3 months ago
A 5-year reflection & predictions on the practice of writing small checks into early-stage startups.
Rest of World -...
The biggest data protection fight you’ve never heard of
Big tech is lobbying around another international trade deal.
3 months ago
Big tech is lobbying around another international trade deal.
Noahpinion
Will China squander its moment in the sun?
A great civilization could be a lot greater, if its leaders gave up their obsession with control.
3 months ago
A great civilization could be a lot greater, if its leaders gave up their obsession with control.
Tech + Economics +...
The worst part of tech layoffs? The corporate bullshit.
EBay to eliminate about 1,000 jobs, or 9% of full-time workforce
Jamie Iannone, eBay’s CEO,...
3 months ago
EBay to eliminate about 1,000 jobs, or 9% of full-time workforce
Jamie Iannone, eBay’s CEO, told employees in a letter published on a
corporate blog, that the company will also “scale back the number of
contracts we have within our alternate workforce over the...
Unpacked
Apple Watch pulls blood oxygen feature, and how big a deal is the GPT Store really?
Listen now | In the second episode of this year, we peel a few layers beneath Apple's decision to...
3 months ago
Listen now | In the second episode of this year, we peel a few layers beneath Apple's decision to pull the blood oxygen feature after losing a patent battle against Massimo. We then pivot to understanding the GPT Store and our analyses / hot takes on how big a deal this really...
Data Boutique
What's New on Data Boutique
Noteworthy stuff from the web data platform
3 months ago
Noteworthy stuff from the web data platform
Tech + Economics +...
There is a deep rot at the heart of Australian tech.
Steve Baxter, one of Australia's most prominent investors and a judge on
Shark Tank, is on record...
3 months ago
Steve Baxter, one of Australia's most prominent investors and a judge on
Shark Tank, is on record as saying that I am a man pretending to be a
woman. It's an old, outdated, obsolete and uninteresting transphobic trope.
In itself, it's almost not worth mentioning. But...
tomcritchlow.com
Don’t Give Advice, Be Useful
“It is not enough for a professional to be right: An advisor’s job is to be helpful.” David Maister...
3 months ago
“It is not enough for a professional to be right: An advisor’s job is to be helpful.” David Maister - The Trusted Advisor
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 Massviews Analysis is a super useful free tool to identify niche trends, whether you’re trying...
3 months ago
#1 💡 Massviews Analysis is a super useful free tool to identify niche trends, whether you’re trying to research content ideas or doing research on business opportunities. You can put in any Wikipedia category, and it will show you what pages inside that category are most...
Inverted Passion
A primer on dopamine
1/ I recently made notes on the book “Hooked” but wasn’t satisfied by the depth of explanation in...
3 months ago
1/ I recently made notes on the book “Hooked” but wasn’t satisfied by the depth of explanation in it. 2/ I wanted to get down into neuroscience of habit-forming products and that inevitably lead me to the (in)famous neurotransmitter dopamine. 3/ Before we dive into what dopamine...
Rest of World -...
Predatory loan apps are thriving in the Google Play store, despite ban
Google says it takes the problem seriously, but over a dozen loan apps remain available in the...
3 months ago
Google says it takes the problem seriously, but over a dozen loan apps remain available in the store.
essay – snarfed.org
Moderate people, not code
Dixit / Marie Cardouat The scope of the fediverse has been hotly debated recently. Are we a big...
3 months ago
Dixit / Marie Cardouat The scope of the fediverse has been hotly debated recently. Are we a big fedi? Or a small fedi? Are instances just nodes? Or networked communities? Which Camp of Mastodon are we in? How far should our replies travel? How about our blog posts and Bluesky...
Tech + Economics +...
God is a crypto bro.
CoinTelegraph:
A Colorado-based online pastor who has been charged with fraud for
...
3 months ago
CoinTelegraph:
A Colorado-based online pastor who has been charged with fraud for
selling a “worthless” cryptocurrency says he only did it because “the
Lord” told him to give his followers a “10X.”
In a strange 9-minute video — posted to INDXcoin’s...
Noahpinion
The California Forever project is a great idea
The implementation will be very tricky, but there's a big opportunity here.
3 months ago
The implementation will be very tricky, but there's a big opportunity here.
SatPost by Trung...
Beware value capture
Tech apps influence our behaviour through metrics. Don't follow them blindly.
3 months ago
Tech apps influence our behaviour through metrics. Don't follow them blindly.
XO Capital - Field...
Fresh Cheddar
Couple of announcements:
We've got some fresh cheddar!
We just got access to up to $2M to deploy....
3 months ago
Couple of announcements:
We've got some fresh cheddar!
We just got access to up to $2M to deploy. We're looking for 1-2 businesses:
b2b saas
$30k+ MRR
This is about 2x what we've already deployed so far which is a big deal. We will
Tech + Economics +...
Dear Blackbird. Women in tech are not “corporate girlies.”
Capital Brief: Blackbird-backed Kiki outlined plan to target 'corporate
girlies' in December...
3 months ago
Capital Brief: Blackbird-backed Kiki outlined plan to target 'corporate
girlies' in December investor memo
Blackbird-backed subletting startup Kiki wrote to investors on
Christmas Eve to tell them that it was struggling and would pivot to
target the “super...
Unpacked
2024 Predictions: AI, Media, Advertising & more
They say predictions is a bad business - You get it right, people say "duh". You get it wrong, you...
3 months ago
They say predictions is a bad business - You get it right, people say "duh". You get it wrong, you are terribly wrong. So, of course we are kicking off with 2024 tech predictions. Listen in for hot takes across AI, Media, Advertising & more.
Tech + Economics +...
Copyright is both vital and obsolete.
The New Yorker: Is A.I. the Death of I.P.?
For you (probably) and me (definitely), the rights...
3 months ago
The New Yorker: Is A.I. the Death of I.P.?
For you (probably) and me (definitely), the rights to our creations are
not worth much money to anyone but ourselves. But, if you are the guy
who wrote “Born to Run,” it is prudent to assign your rights to an
entity...
tomcritchlow.com
Manifesting My Dream Clients & Projects for 2024
New year, new me, new clients am I right?
3 months ago
New year, new me, new clients am I right?
Working Theorys
Status Limbo | Theory No. 27
To get status, you have to give up status.
3 months ago
To get status, you have to give up status.
Tech + Economics +...
Apparently, Magic Leap still exists?
VentureBeat:
While Apple’s device will be tough to compete with, Magic Leap has a
slight...
3 months ago
VentureBeat:
While Apple’s device will be tough to compete with, Magic Leap has a
slight pricing edge, with a price of $3,300 versus Apple’s $3,500
device. But it is interesting that Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment
Fund, which is already the majority owner...
Noahpinion
Is U.S. industrial policy learning from its mistakes?
I hope so, because mistakes are being made.
3 months ago
I hope so, because mistakes are being made.
Tech + Economics +...
Stop treating human beings like NPCs.
Technology has made it stupidly easy to avoid real human interaction. Our
eyes are glued to our...
3 months ago
Technology has made it stupidly easy to avoid real human interaction. Our
eyes are glued to our phones as we walk down streets, barely noticing the
people around us. Even in real-world interactions, we talk over the top of
our screens, anything to avoid face-to-face...
Rest of World -...
How to launch a Chinese smartphone in Mexico
Antonio Tercero is guiding Infinix’s Mexico expansion, facing off against Huawei, Xiaomi, and Oppo.
3 months ago
Antonio Tercero is guiding Infinix’s Mexico expansion, facing off against Huawei, Xiaomi, and Oppo.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#25)
Maternal mortality, "living paycheck to paycheck", media negativity, diffusion of the tech industry,...
3 months ago
Maternal mortality, "living paycheck to paycheck", media negativity, diffusion of the tech industry, and the effect of corporate tax cuts
Tech + Economics +...
Breaking up with Slack and Discord: why it's time to bring back forums.
When I first found my people online, forums were the main way people
gathered to discuss shared...
3 months ago
When I first found my people online, forums were the main way people
gathered to discuss shared interests. Web-based bulletin boards allowed
members to have ongoing, asynchronous conversations over days or weeks as
participants logged in to read and respond on their own...
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 Phil is the founder of my favorite email software and he’s 100% correct here. Google sucks for...
3 months ago
#1 💡 Phil is the founder of my favorite email software and he’s 100% correct here. Google sucks for recommendations. The algorithm has been gamed to death. Just in the past two days I’ve asked GPT for recommendations on 2 high ticket decisions (job board in specific region,...
Steve Blank
The Department of Defense Is Getting Its Innovation Act Together – But More Can Be Done
This post previously appeared in Defense News and C4SIR. Despite the clear and present danger of...
3 months ago
This post previously appeared in Defense News and C4SIR. Despite the clear and present danger of threats from China and elsewhere, there’s no agreement on what types of adversaries we’ll face; how we’ll fight, organize, and train; and what weapons or systems we’ll need for...
Rest of World -...
How Spotify helped turn Afrobeats into a global phenomenon
The Swedish music giant is pushing to make Africa’s biggest sound the world’s favorite sound.
3 months ago
The Swedish music giant is pushing to make Africa’s biggest sound the world’s favorite sound.
Internal Tech Emails
Google considers buying stake in Epic
investment was the only way people could realistically think of to sway them on Epic's approach to...
3 months ago
investment was the only way people could realistically think of to sway them on Epic's approach to Android
SatPost by Trung...
Beating the Auction Duopoly
Sotheby's and Christie's are a combined 538 years old. Can the 48-year old Heritage Auctions topple...
3 months ago
Sotheby's and Christie's are a combined 538 years old. Can the 48-year old Heritage Auctions topple this duopoly?
XO Capital - Field...
2023 sucked
2023 was a tough year for us. A pure grind.
What worked:
The business model
Our Team
Raising $ +...
3 months ago
2023 was a tough year for us. A pure grind.
What worked:
The business model
Our Team
Raising $ + deploying it
What didn't work:
Growth was tough
We got bit by platform risk
Too many small portfolio companies is death by a thousand cuts
We have two relatively passive
Tech + Economics +...
Real estate grifters are creating unlivable conditions.
TikTok Real Estate Influencers and ‘Grifters’ Are in Deep Trouble, Short
Seller Says
Philip...
3 months ago
TikTok Real Estate Influencers and ‘Grifters’ Are in Deep Trouble, Short
Seller Says
Philip Garboden, a professor of affordable housing at the University of
Hawaii who has studied the rise of small real estate investors, said
the effects of reckless lending on...
Platformer
Why Platformer is leaving Substack
We’ve seen this movie before — and we won’t stick around to watch it play out
3 months ago
We’ve seen this movie before — and we won’t stick around to watch it play out
Working Theorys
The 20/20 Workweek | Theory No. 26
The 40-hour, 80-hour, and 4-hour workweek are out. What comes next?
3 months ago
The 40-hour, 80-hour, and 4-hour workweek are out. What comes next?
Tech + Economics +...
The patriarchy is a modern invention, not the natural order.
The "patriarchy", a male-dominated social order with entrenched hierarchies
giving power and...
3 months ago
The "patriarchy", a male-dominated social order with entrenched hierarchies
giving power and authority to men over women, is pitched by masculinity
influencers and pop social scientists as humanity's natural state. They
argue patriarchy represents the primal hard-wiring of...
AVC
Transit Tech Lab
The Partnership for NYC, alongside its partners at the MTA, the Port Authority of New York and New...
3 months ago
The Partnership for NYC, alongside its partners at the MTA, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, NJ TRANSIT, and NYC Department of Transportation, launched a call for applications for the 6th annual Transit Tech Lab this week. To kick off this year’s program, the...
Noahpinion
Techno-optimism for 2024
What you should be excited about
3 months ago
What you should be excited about
Tech + Economics +...
Curation is the last best hope of intelligent discourse.
We live in an exponential growth age in terms of information quantity and
generative capability....
3 months ago
We live in an exponential growth age in terms of information quantity and
generative capability. With tools like ChatGPT, anyone can conjure up
rewritten Wikipedia articles, essays, code, poetry, and more with just a
few prompts. This "democratisation" of content creation...
Platformer
Meta seeks to hide harms from teens
But to change the conversation, the company will have to do more than tweak its settings
3 months ago
But to change the conversation, the company will have to do more than tweak its settings
Tech + Economics +...
AI hardware is kind of cool.
PC Mag: The r1 AI Pocket Companion Will Take You Down the Rabbit Hole
LAM works "by first...
3 months ago
PC Mag: The r1 AI Pocket Companion Will Take You Down the Rabbit Hole
LAM works "by first understanding complex human intentions, then
spinning up on human-oriented interfaces across all mobile and desktop
environments on a customized cloud platform, and finally...
tomcritchlow.com
Narrative Aircover & Compound Narrative
“I read in a book once that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but I’ve never been able...
3 months ago
“I read in a book once that a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, but I’ve never been able to believe it. I don’t believe a rose WOULD be as nice if it was called a thistle or a skunk cabbage.” ― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
AVC
Empire AI
Last summer I sat down with Tom Secunda, who co-founded Bloomberg LP with Mike Bloomberg, to talk...
3 months ago
Last summer I sat down with Tom Secunda, who co-founded Bloomberg LP with Mike Bloomberg, to talk about areas of shared philanthropic interest. Tom told me that academic institutions do not have access to the kind of AI/ML infrastructure that the top tech companies have and he...
Rest of World -...
Rebel or sellout? How Nigeria’s startup darling became tech minister
Bosun Tijani was a rock star in the Nigerian startup scene, but his transition to government has...
3 months ago
Bosun Tijani was a rock star in the Nigerian startup scene, but his transition to government has been controversial.
Platformer
Substack says it will remove Nazi publications from the platform
Nazi content violates rules against incitement to violence, the company says
3 months ago
Nazi content violates rules against incitement to violence, the company says
Business Brainstorms
💡 Business Brainstorms 💡- My favorite ideas of the week
#1 💡 So simple yet so easy to overlook: Is whatever you’re putting out there actually attracting...
3 months ago
#1 💡 So simple yet so easy to overlook: Is whatever you’re putting out there actually attracting the kind of people you want to attract? If you focus on metrics alone, you will quickly find yourself with pretty numbers but little value. For example, you can easily
AVC
Read Write Own
Chris Dixon, who leads the A16Z crypto fund, and has been an entrepreneur, VC, and friend of mine...
3 months ago
Chris Dixon, who leads the A16Z crypto fund, and has been an entrepreneur, VC, and friend of mine for over twenty years, has written a book called Read Write Own that is available for pre-order now and will start shipping at the end of the month. Chris gave me a copy right before...
Noahpinion
People's Park and the Great American Infill
After the 1970s, we agreed to all let each other have our space. That's over.
3 months ago
After the 1970s, we agreed to all let each other have our space. That's over.
Tech + Economics +...
How to quit capitalism.
Let's start with something controversial: Capitalism is not an economic
system. It is a...
3 months ago
Let's start with something controversial: Capitalism is not an economic
system. It is a philosophical and ideological force that shapes our lives,
environment, and perception of humanity.
It's a behemoth that thrives on relentless growth, often at a devastating
cost....
SatPost by Trung...
Disney Loves (and Hates) Public Domain
Disney lost copyright on the "Steamboat Willie" version of Mickey Mouse. It's the culmination of...
3 months ago
Disney lost copyright on the "Steamboat Willie" version of Mickey Mouse. It's the culmination of decades in which the company used a ton of public domain but prevented others from doing so.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things for your weekend (#24)
Economists had a good 2023, degrowthers promising growth, the troubles in the humanities, U.S....
3 months ago
Economists had a good 2023, degrowthers promising growth, the troubles in the humanities, U.S. redistribution, and defense production
Platformer
Why Substack is at a crossroads
Some thoughts on platforms and Nazis
3 months ago
Some thoughts on platforms and Nazis
Tech + Economics +...
Is Twitch losing its edge with draconian content regulation?
The Verge: Twitch will ban people pretending to be naked
Twitch is changing its sexual...
3 months ago
The Verge: Twitch will ban people pretending to be naked
Twitch is changing its sexual content policies again, this time to
prohibit implied nudity on the platform. The platform already prohibits
nudity, but Twitch’s new attire policy, which goes into effect...
Working Theorys
Zero-Sum vs. Positive-Sum Product Theory | Theory No. 25
What kind of product are you building?
4 months ago
What kind of product are you building?
Noahpinion
All futurism is Afrofuturism
A repost, with some optimistic updates.
4 months ago
A repost, with some optimistic updates.
Rest of World -...
Women in South Africa’s gig economy feel forced to work extra hours for free
Women who work as domestic cleaners with SweepSouth, an on-demand app, say clients frequently ask...
4 months ago
Women who work as domestic cleaners with SweepSouth, an on-demand app, say clients frequently ask them to do unpaid work, and the company hasn’t responded to their complaints.
Tech + Economics +...
A shared burden: rethinking cybersecurity post the 23andMe breach.
TechCrunch: 23andMe tells victims it’s their fault that their data was
breached
But in a...
4 months ago
TechCrunch: 23andMe tells victims it’s their fault that their data was
breached
But in a letter sent to a group of hundreds of 23andMe users who are
now suing the company, 23andMe said that “users negligently recycled
and failed to update their passwords...
tomcritchlow.com
9 Years on the Road
October 24th is my indie-versary, the anniversary of quitting my last full time job. Every year I...
4 months ago
October 24th is my indie-versary, the anniversary of quitting my last full time job. Every year I write a set of reflections about this strange and magical journey.
Tech + Economics +...
Samsung Galaxy S24 Unpacked Event Set for Jan. 17
PCMag.com:
The company says it will show off "the newest additions to the Galaxy
mobile...
4 months ago
PCMag.com:
The company says it will show off "the newest additions to the Galaxy
mobile device portfolio." In its teaser video, the company goes a step
further and explicitly states that "Galaxy AI is coming," so get ready
for some form of on-device,...
Noahpinion
Toward a shallower future
Adversity isn't worth the price of adversity.
4 months ago
Adversity isn't worth the price of adversity.
Working Theorys
24 Working Theorys for 2024
Twenty-four ideas across four major themes: startups & investing, social products, media & creators,...
4 months ago
Twenty-four ideas across four major themes: startups & investing, social products, media & creators, and lifestyle
AVC
What Will Happen In 2024
As we enter 2024, the capital markets have found their footing and are moving higher. The Fed has...
4 months ago
As we enter 2024, the capital markets have found their footing and are moving higher. The Fed has taken interest rates as far as they want at this time and inflation has come down. It seems that a “soft landing” is likely. That is good news for the innovation economy because...
Inverted Passion
Review of 2023
Time is strange – 2023 simultaneously felt too long and too short. It was short because I remember...
4 months ago
Time is strange – 2023 simultaneously felt too long and too short. It was short because I remember recently writing my 2022 review, and it was long because I ended up packing a lot of stuff into it. ✅ Train 5 days a week (including Mixed Martial Arts) I did manage to train 5...
Noahpinion
Hispanics as the new Irish
A historical analogy to help us understand the present moment.
4 months ago
A historical analogy to help us understand the present moment.
Tech + Economics +...
AI does not produce reliable information. As Donald Trump's lawyer has fucked around and found out.
Michael Cohen, the former personal lawyer and fixer for Donald Trump, used
an artificial...
4 months ago
Michael Cohen, the former personal lawyer and fixer for Donald Trump, used
an artificial intelligence program to generate bogus legal citations in his
motion for early termination of his supervised release.
Cohen, who was sentenced to three years in prison in 2018 for...
Noahpinion
In defense of science fiction
New technology is usually good, and it's good for sci-fi to inspire it.
4 months ago
New technology is usually good, and it's good for sci-fi to inspire it.
Tech + Economics +...
Apple’s LLM gap is real. It might not last much longer.
Apple has carved out a prestigious position in the consumer tech market
through sleek designs,...
4 months ago
Apple has carved out a prestigious position in the consumer tech market
through sleek designs, user-friendly interfaces, and a robust ecosystem.
The data is clear - Apple is the market and perception leader in every
category that matters. But developments in Large Language...
Rest of World -...
How AI shook the world in 2023
With commercial tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney becoming widely available, AI was used for all...
4 months ago
With commercial tools like ChatGPT and Midjourney becoming widely available, AI was used for all things wonderful … and worrying.
Tech + Economics +...
Elon Musk’s freedom from consequences is once again denied.
Elon Musk's X Corp. has hit a snag trying to block California's AB 587, a
law that aims to clean...
4 months ago
Elon Musk's X Corp. has hit a snag trying to block California's AB 587, a
law that aims to clean up the online environment by requiring transparency
in content moderation.
Peter Blumberg and Malathi Nayak in Bloomberg
In an eight-page ruling Thursday, a federal...
SatPost by Trung...
9 Best Things of 2023
My favourite book, film, podcast, meme, investment and more for the year.
4 months ago
My favourite book, film, podcast, meme, investment and more for the year.
David Perell
How I’ve Studied the Bible
Years ago, I realized that the Bible is the foundational book of Western civilization. If I was...
4 months ago
Years ago, I realized that the Bible is the foundational book of Western civilization. If I was going to be an educated person, I needed to know what it said.
The post How I’ve Studied the Bible appeared first on David Perell.
Rest of World -...
Our favorite Rest of World photos from 2023
39 photographers, 31 cities, 22 countries. This is what global tech looked like this year.
4 months ago
39 photographers, 31 cities, 22 countries. This is what global tech looked like this year.
Inverted Passion
Notes from the book “Hooked”
I re-read the book Hooked by Nir Eyal and these are my notes. 1/ The key question that the book...
4 months ago
I re-read the book Hooked by Nir Eyal and these are my notes. 1/ The key question that the book answers is: how to make habit-forming products. And its answer is a model that involves four stages: a) trigger; b) action; c) variable reward; d) investment 2/ Why should products be...
Rest of World -...
The best articles we didn’t publish in 2023
Our favorite global tech stories from publications not named Rest of World.
4 months ago
Our favorite global tech stories from publications not named Rest of World.
Noahpinion
At least five interesting things to start your week (#23)
SF's Market Street debacle, the debate over real wages, why U.S. growth has gotten smoother, TikTok...
4 months ago
SF's Market Street debacle, the debate over real wages, why U.S. growth has gotten smoother, TikTok as a propaganda engine, and California homelessness
Rest of World -...
23 Rest of World stories that defined 2023
This year, Rest of World published around 500 articles from more than 50 countries. Here are our...
4 months ago
This year, Rest of World published around 500 articles from more than 50 countries. Here are our favorites.
Tech + Economics +...
Internet access is a human right.
Fast, reliable and independent internet access is no longer a luxury or a
convenience. It has...
4 months ago
Fast, reliable and independent internet access is no longer a luxury or a
convenience. It has become a necessity and a function of modern society.
The digital divide, the gap between those with and without internet access,
has profound implications for an individual's...
Noahpinion
My sci-fi novel recommendations
A repost with some updates, just in time for the holidays.
4 months ago
A repost with some updates, just in time for the holidays.
Tech + Economics +...
The everything app has to work for everyone.
Building an "Everything" app — encompassing payments, commerce, messaging,
etc — hinges critically...
4 months ago
Building an "Everything" app — encompassing payments, commerce, messaging,
etc — hinges critically on universal appeal and acceptance.
The concept is predicated on inclusivity, which means the app must cater to
a diverse user base with varying beliefs, backgrounds, and...
Noahpinion
What the Solow Model can teach us about China
Economists knew back in the 1950s that a country can't build its way to infinite wealth.
4 months ago
Economists knew back in the 1950s that a country can't build its way to infinite wealth.
XO Capital - Field...
2023 In Review
2023 was a tough year. It started out with a bang (high expectations, everything going right) and...
4 months ago
2023 was a tough year. It started out with a bang (high expectations, everything going right) and ended with a whimper for us. The zero interest rate environment really came down hard on a few products like Cold Email Studio and now that the AI craze is cooling off, we&
Working Theorys
The Idea That Won't Go Away | Theory No. 24
In a battle of new and old ideas, which one wins?
4 months ago
In a battle of new and old ideas, which one wins?
Rest of World -...
Four predictions for 2024
It’s going to be a bumpy ride.
4 months ago
It’s going to be a bumpy ride.
Tech + Economics +...
A decade of discontent is coming.
The 10 years ahead will see dramatic, radical change. The potential for
large-scale upheaval and...
4 months ago
The 10 years ahead will see dramatic, radical change. The potential for
large-scale upheaval and the reordering of societal structures is
significant. We are already witnessing the dismantling of long-standing
institutions and the rise of new paradigms. The struggle between...
AVC
My Year-End Playlist
Every year I put together a playlist at the end of the year with some of the new music I found and...
4 months ago
Every year I put together a playlist at the end of the year with some of the new music I found and got into. Most of these songs are under the radar which is my favorite kind of music. So I hope you find something new that you like in here.
Rest of World -...
Anxious and online, Chinese youth embrace spirituality apps
Young Chinese people are hiring online tarot readers and feng shui masters to seek cheap therapy.
4 months ago
Young Chinese people are hiring online tarot readers and feng shui masters to seek cheap therapy.
Full Width 
Shortcuts 
About 
Sign Up 
Articles 
Blogs 
Reading List 