Category: Advertising

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Revisiting Google’s Business Model and the Threat of AI

In early 2017, Capital Flywheels discussed how Google’s business model was at risk of AI disruption.

Back then (and even until very recently), most people assumed Google to be the leader in AI. If anything, the mainstream narrative seemed to be the other way around: Google, armed with an insurmountable edge in AI and data, was on the verge of disrupting tech and beyond, including healthcare, autos, and more.… Read the rest “Revisiting Google’s Business Model and the Threat of AI”

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Tidbits #84 – Fed and Crypto Dominos

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

🛡 Defense and Cybersecurity

#1 U.S., EU Plan Joint Foreign Aid for Cybersecurity to Counter China

The U.S. and the European Union plan to introduce joint funding of secure digital infrastructure in developing countries, according to officials involved in the talks.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #84 – Fed and Crypto Dominos”
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Tidbits #82 – Tech Layoffs, Crypto Insider Trading, Stripe Apps + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

A New Emergent Business Model: Platform + App Marketplace

One of the articles in this edition discusses Stripe’s launch of an apps marketplace. This could fundamentally transform the scope of Stripe’s product and the infrastructure they have built.… Read the rest “Tidbits #82 – Tech Layoffs, Crypto Insider Trading, Stripe Apps + More”

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Tidbits #79 – Buy With Prime, Netflix Blitzed, Unreal Engine 5, Washing Machines Chips + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

🗺 World Affairs + Geopolitics

#1 EU Prepares To Hit Putin With New Sanctions Plan Next Week

Brussels is drawing up plans for a sixth package of sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, with measures expected to be presented to European Union countries early next week, according to several diplomats.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #79 – Buy With Prime, Netflix Blitzed, Unreal Engine 5, Washing Machines Chips + More”
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Tidbits #76 – Nvidia, Apple BNPL, Rug Pulls, and More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

🗺 World Affairs + Geopolitics

#1 Biden Says Putin Can’t Remain in Power After Ukraine War

U.S. President Joe Biden castigated Russia’s leader, Vladimir Putin, in a speech in Poland on Saturday, repeatedly calling him a “dictator” and saying that he “cannot remain in power” after the Ukraine invasion. 

… Read the rest “Tidbits #76 – Nvidia, Apple BNPL, Rug Pulls, and More”
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Tidbits #73 – Ukraine Week 2, Cyberwar, Commodity + Supply Shocks, Democracy 3.0 + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

As Ukraine drags on for another week, the world continues to feel like it’s in an unstable equilibrium that is about readjust very, very quickly and possibly permanently into a new state of equilibrium…The last few years (decades?)… Read the rest “Tidbits #73 – Ukraine Week 2, Cyberwar, Commodity + Supply Shocks, Democracy 3.0 + More”

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Tidbits #71 – Russia, Free Fire Ban, Inflation, Blockades + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

Sorry I’m a bit behind since the last issue 3 weeks ago. Unfortunately, I seem to have given myself a combination of carpel tunnel syndrome and tendonitis. Will need to see how my arm situation evolves from here to know how much I can type (and unfortunately each issue does take almost a full day to hash out).… Read the rest “Tidbits #71 – Russia, Free Fire Ban, Inflation, Blockades + More”

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Tidbits #66 – Data Security, Elon, More Elon, TikTok on SNL, Log4j…+ Even More Elon

Hello, hello! 👋🏻👋🏻

Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

Hope you had / are having an enjoyable holiday break! 🎄🎄🎄

Although we spend most of our waking moments thinking mostly about what’s going on in our world and our work, what matters most is almost always our family, friends, and loved ones.… Read the rest “Tidbits #66 – Data Security, Elon, More Elon, TikTok on SNL, Log4j…+ Even More Elon”

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Tidbits #65 – Economic Alliances, Bitcoin Dumpster-Diving, Metaverse Marriages + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

🗺 Geopolitics

#1 Proposal Would Allow E.U. to Retaliate Against Economic Pressure

The European Commission, the bloc’s executive branch, put forward what it called an “anti-coercion instrument” relating to what it views as unfair trade pressure, arguing that new tools were necessary because of the “weaponization of trade for other geopolitical purposes.”

… Read the rest “Tidbits #65 – Economic Alliances, Bitcoin Dumpster-Diving, Metaverse Marriages + More”
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Tidbits #64 – Omicron, Powell, AI Paintings, Life-like Robots + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

🗺 Geopolitics

#1 U.S. And EU Signal “Converging” Views On China

The U.S. and the European Union are adopting “increasingly convergent” views on the threat posed by the Chinese government, according to senior Biden administration officials, deepening a trend that could tilt the scales in an era of great power competition.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #64 – Omicron, Powell, AI Paintings, Life-like Robots + More”
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Tidbits #63 – Still Stuck in the Metaverse / Web3

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

Maybe we’re all starting to wind down for the year…there isn’t much going on beyond a very narrow range of items centered around the concept of the Metaverse. Speaking of the Metaverse, there’s clearly a titanic struggle from several different groups for control of what comes next in tech / internet.… Read the rest “Tidbits #63 – Still Stuck in the Metaverse / Web3”

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Tidbits #62 – Playing the Real Game, Metaverse Mania

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

While lining up the articles below for this week’s edition, I am struck by how many different games are being played. People tend to discuss differences in strategy (whether personal, professional, or competitive), but strategy cannot be objectively evaluated without knowing the specific game that is being played.… Read the rest “Tidbits #62 – Playing the Real Game, Metaverse Mania”

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Tidbits #61 – PAX, Booritos, Meta + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

Happy Halloween 🎃🎃🎃

I wish I could carve a pumpkin like these!

Source: Parade

Source: Pinterest

🗺 Geopolitics

#1 Gen. Milley calls Chinese weapon test ‘very concerning’

China recently conducted a “very concerning” test of a hypersonic weapon system as part of its aggressive advance in space and military technologies, the top U.S.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #61 – PAX, Booritos, Meta + More”
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Tidbits #58 – AI Machine Guns, Collapsing Supply Chains, TikTok + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

How Comedians May Rule the World

Generally, I consider myself to be a fairly (long-term) optimistic person (but near-term realist). I’m generally more optimistic than almost anyone I meet or know.

Even with that starting disposition, the more I think about the sudden shocks from COVID-19, supply chain stress, and dramatic global geopolitical changes unseen in decades, the more I feel the need to tone down my medium-term optimism.… Read the rest “Tidbits #58 – AI Machine Guns, Collapsing Supply Chains, TikTok + More”

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Tidbits #55 – Cryptolending, Dark Content, Shopee, and Exponential Age + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

👻 Cryptocurrencies + NFTs

#1 Bitcoin to Bucks: Crypto Fans Borrow to Buy Homes, Cars—and More Crypto

Crypto enthusiasts such as Mr. Anderson are tapping their holdings to buy homes, cars and, often, more crypto. They are getting these loans from upstart nonbank lenders and automated, blockchain-based platforms.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #55 – Cryptolending, Dark Content, Shopee, and Exponential Age + More”
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Tidbits #54 – CryptoPunks, Quantified Self, India Tech, “I am Groot!” + More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

In Search of Power

The world has changed a lot in the last few decades.

The world has changed a lot in the last few centuries.

The world has changed a lot in the last few millennia.

But regardless of how the world changes – how people live, what they want – the thing that never changes is the quest for status and power.… Read the rest “Tidbits #54 – CryptoPunks, Quantified Self, India Tech, “I am Groot!” + More”

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Tidbits #49 – China, China, China…Battle for the Metaverse, BTS, Japanese Toilets, and More

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Welcome back to another edition of Tidbits covering all the recent things worth talking about in business, media, and technology.

China Policy Direction and Impact on Capital Markets

In recent months, Chinese domestic policy actions have accelerated and seem to embed a sense of urgency.

While the Chinese government and regulators have taken actions in the past (e.g.… Read the rest “Tidbits #49 – China, China, China…Battle for the Metaverse, BTS, Japanese Toilets, and More”

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Tidbits #45 – Proxies, Titans, Games Games Everywhere + More

Hello, hello!

Have some stuff going on around the house today. Will keep it short and just dive right in.

🗺 Geopolitics

#1 Hackers Thrive in Putin’s Russia as U.S. Seeks New Strategy

Early in his rise to the pinnacle of Russian cybercrime, Maksim Yakubets, leader of one of the most successful hacking syndicates in the world, was asked if he was worried about being arrested.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #45 – Proxies, Titans, Games Games Everywhere + More”
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Gaming and Online Advertising

The online advertising market increasingly looks like it is ripe for disruption.

While a big part of this can be attributed to Apple’s recent aggressive actions to limit data-gathering, a lot of it also seems to simply reflect changing consumer behaviors.

The disruption that is coming for advertising is particularly remarkable because, for the longest time, online advertising almost appeared destined to be the “cockroach” of the Internet – Entirely undesirable yet indestructible and possibly able to survive nuclear Holocaust.… Read the rest “Gaming and Online Advertising”

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Tidbits #39

Hello, hello!

Here’s what I found interesting recently.

Thanks for reading.

🗺 Geopolitics

#1 Peter Thiel- “I do wonder whether at this point Bitcoin should also be thought in part of as a Chinese financial weapon against the U.S.”

Peter Thiel: Well, you know, I think there’s sort of a lot of different things that fall under digital currency, presumably one that’s electronic form that China envisions is one that can be monitored even more granularly the way they’re being monitored currently.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #39”
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Tidbits #36 – New Business Surge, Changing Date Nights, and a Whole New Reality

Hello, hello! 👋🏻

Here’s what I found interesting recently.

🗺 Geopolitics

#1 Microsoft Attack Blamed on China Morphs Into Global Crisis

A sophisticated attack on Microsoft Corp.’s widely used business email software is morphing into a global cybersecurity crisis, as hackers race to infect as many victims as possible before companies can secure their computer systems.

The attack, which Microsoft has said started with a Chinese government-backed hacking group, has so far claimed at least 60,000 known victims globally, according to a former senior U.S.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #36 – New Business Surge, Changing Date Nights, and a Whole New Reality”
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Tidbits #35 – Semis, NFTs, Media, and More

I’m sure you already know the market had a crazy week. Maybe it’s tech (and frothy valuations). Maybe it’s interest rates. Maybe it’s ARK Invest?

Who knows.

What I know is that there are a lot of tech / tech-like things going up like rockets 🚀🚀🚀 that do not and are very unlikely to eventually have tech-like economics (e.g. EVs). If I’m proven wrong, great!… Read the rest “Tidbits #35 – Semis, NFTs, Media, and More”

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Tidbits #30

Hello, hello! 👋🏻 👋🏻

Thanks for reading.

A little longer than usual, but I hope you have as much fun reading it as I did writing it.

If you can’t get through all of it, please at least check out #20! It’s awesome. I guarantee it.

🗺 Geopolitics

#1 Twitter Locks Out Chinese Embassy in U.S. Over Post on Uighurs

Twitter Inc.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #30”
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Tidbits #28 – “Did not expect that” Déjà vu

I bylined Tidbits #26 with “Did not expect that” in reference to the year 2020.

Well, the start of 2021 is certainly no less surprising.

Did not expect that…

We are in a weird cauldron of convergence across everything – geopolitics, politics, tech, media…the old way of doing things is out the door. The physical, digital, and psychological maps of the 21st Century are be rewritten.… Read the rest “Tidbits #28 – “Did not expect that” Déjà vu”

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Tidbits #26 – “Did Not Expect That”

Hope you had a restful Christmas / holiday season!

Here’s what I found interesting recently.

2020 is not the year that anyone expected. But a lot of unexpected things continue to happen.

Good thing it’s almost over.

🤑 Economics

#1 Why the US Dollar Could Outlast the American Empire

But modern trade has gotten more complicated, largely due to the rise of containerization.

… Read the rest “Tidbits #26 – “Did Not Expect That””
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Trouble in Paradise – Advertising and Payments on Collision Course?

One thought that I can’t seem to shake from my head is that digital advertising is currently in an unstable equilibrium and is ripe for disruption.

A lot of the changes happening in the space might already be obvious to you and consumers like you.

But what I think is less obvious is the role that payments can and may play in the coming years.… Read the rest “Trouble in Paradise – Advertising and Payments on Collision Course?”