Thomas Ricker

Deputy Editor

Thomas RickerSep 26, 2023

Net neutrality is making a comeback, baby.

Sources speaking to both Bloomberg and Reuters say that the FCC is ready to launch a grueling effort to reinstate net neutrality rules rescinded under Trump, after Democrats took majority control of the five-member agency on Monday. FCC chair Rosenworcel will reportedly outline the initiative later today, followed by months of notice and comments and voting and, inevitably, lawsuits backed by broadband providers like AT&T, Verizon, and Comcast and the lawmakers they help elect.

Thomas RickerSep 25, 2023

Behold the Acer suitcase.

I had no idea that Acer sold apparel, let alone travel gear. The Melbourne Luggage, available for $162 as a 20-inch carry-on or $183 for the 24-inch checked bag, is particularly interesting with its deep center-hinge design.

Microsoft’s Activision Blizzard deal gets preliminary approval from UK regulator

Thomas RickerSep 22, 2023

Apple’s failure to develop its own modem detailed in new report

Thomas RickerSep 21, 2023

No, we won’t see Google trial documents, apparently.

Exhibits like emails and presentations from US v. Google remain pulled from public view and it’s unclear if they’ll return, making the trial much more difficult to follow.

Gotta wonder if the Xbox leaks found Tuesday in public exhibits from FTC v Microsoft had anything to do with the decision?

Google (GOOGL) Emails, Memos Hidden From Web as DOJ Caves to Pressure

[Bloomberg]

Thomas RickerSep 20, 2023

Huawei’s Mate 60 Pro silicon is hot!

But that’s never a good thing for smartphone battery life and performance. According to a new FT report:

“Huawei’s chips also consume more power than its competitors’, according to measurements, and can cause the phone to heat up.”

While those sanction-skirting chips made by Huawei’s HiSilicon chip design business might be a source of national pride in China and consternation in the US, they’re not necessarily any good.

Huawei makes processor breakthrough in flagship smartphone

[Financial Times]

Thomas RickerSep 20, 2023

This TikTok billionaire is the most successful influencer.

Because he buys US lawmakers.

Jeff Yass owns roughly 7 percent of TikTok’s parent company ByteDance, a stake worth about $21b or most of the bs in his personal $28b fortune. He’s also a top contributor to the Club for Growth (donating $61m or about 24 percent of its total), a conservative group that rallied Republican opposition to a TikTok ban, with Yass spending millions more to support his most influential allies in the cause.

It’s all very gross and par for the course and nobody likes it and LOOK THERE’S A NEW MARVEL THING HAHA IT’S SO GOOD!

The Billionaire Keeping TikTok on Phones in the U.S.

[WSJ]

Thomas RickerSep 15, 2023

Meta says ads are not coming to WhatsApp.

The Financial Times’ sources say that WhatsApp is investigating ads, a regular rumor as Zuck and Co seek new growth. But Meta’s not having it.

“We can’t account for every conversation someone had in our company but we are not testing this, working on it, and it’s not our plan at all.”

WhatsApp head Will Cathcart was even more direct, while also calling out FT’s credibility in the most embarrassing way possible:

Thomas RickerSep 15, 2023

“Big Three” auto workers are now on strike.

A simultaneous strike at Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler’s parent company, Stellantis, has never happened, until now. The UAW is demanding pay increases, shorter working days, and stronger pensions. The US automakers claim they can’t transition to EVs and compete with the likes of Tesla, and its cheaper non-union workforce, due to high labor costs.

You can read what’s at stake at the link below.