1 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:07,760 Speaker 1: Welcome to Tech Stuff, a production from I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:12,119 --> 00:00:14,480 Speaker 1: Hey there, and welcome to tech Stuff. I'm your host, 3 00:00:14,600 --> 00:00:17,600 Speaker 1: Jonathan Strickland. I'm an executive producer with I Heart Radio 4 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:20,400 Speaker 1: and how the tech are Yet it's time for the 5 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:26,599 Speaker 1: tech news for Thursday, April twenty first, two thousand, twenty two. Uh, 6 00:00:27,120 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: this is gonna be like a down with Capitalism episode. 7 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:33,839 Speaker 1: And I realized that as an employee of a massive 8 00:00:33,920 --> 00:00:38,920 Speaker 1: company that that, you know, there's some baggage there. But yeah, 9 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 1: let's let's jump into it because I'm gonna be getting 10 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:44,959 Speaker 1: on a soapbox. Um, So for those of y'all who 11 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:48,360 Speaker 1: hate it when I do that, here's your preemptive warning. 12 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:52,360 Speaker 1: But first, let's talk about Netflix because one of the 13 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 1: big stories yesterday in the tech space was about how 14 00:00:55,880 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 1: Netflix had its company's quarterly earning report, and Netflix revealed 15 00:01:02,400 --> 00:01:05,400 Speaker 1: that it had experienced a net loss of around two 16 00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 1: hundred thousand subscribers worldwide. So this is after taking into 17 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:13,680 Speaker 1: account all the new subscribers that had joined, there were 18 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:15,720 Speaker 1: still a net loss of two hundred thousand. Now, this 19 00:01:15,800 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 1: was the first quarter where Netflix had ever reported a 20 00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:24,559 Speaker 1: drop in subscribers over the last ten years, and boy, 21 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 1: howdy did the bottom drop out? Like? It was actually 22 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:31,279 Speaker 1: kind of shocking to see the reaction to this news. 23 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:35,680 Speaker 1: Shares of Netflix closed at more than thirty down from 24 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:38,759 Speaker 1: what it had been trading at. And netflix Is stock 25 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 1: had already taken a bit of a beating this year, 26 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:44,600 Speaker 1: you know, before yesterday, the drop in share price meant 27 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 1: the company lost fifty billion dollars off its market cap. 28 00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 1: Market Cap is something you can figure out by multiplying 29 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 1: the number of existing shares by the going market price 30 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: for those shares. You multiply those two numbers together, you 31 00:01:59,360 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 1: get the market up. And I've got a lot to 32 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:04,640 Speaker 1: say about that, but first let's just get to why 33 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:08,440 Speaker 1: Netflix saw numbers go down. The company said it was 34 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:11,519 Speaker 1: due to a combination of factors. One is that as 35 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:15,200 Speaker 1: regions have lifted mandates and more people have become vaccinated, 36 00:02:15,760 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 1: a lot of folks are getting out of the house, 37 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:22,120 Speaker 1: and as such, they are canceling service subscriptions because you know, 38 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 1: they were signing up for these things when they were 39 00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:27,320 Speaker 1: stuck at home and didn't have anything else to do. Now, 40 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:31,919 Speaker 1: presumably another factor that contributes to this issue is inflation. 41 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 1: Inflation has been a huge problem, particularly here in the 42 00:02:34,919 --> 00:02:37,680 Speaker 1: United States, and thus people have had to kind of 43 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:41,320 Speaker 1: tighten their budgets across their households, right, They couldn't spend 44 00:02:41,360 --> 00:02:44,959 Speaker 1: as much money like that. When your basic necessities start 45 00:02:45,040 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 1: costing more, you've got to make these kind of determinations. 46 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:53,080 Speaker 1: And so a lot of folks were looking at entertainment 47 00:02:53,080 --> 00:02:56,360 Speaker 1: as something where they could cut some corners. It doesn't 48 00:02:56,400 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 1: help that Netflix has increased subscription fees a couple of 49 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 1: times in the not too distant past. In October twenty twenty, 50 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 1: the price of premium Netflix membership went up to seventeen 51 00:03:07,120 --> 00:03:10,760 Speaker 1: dollars nine cents per month. Then last year it went 52 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 1: up again to nineteen dollars and nine cents per month. 53 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:16,600 Speaker 1: So you know, it's increased a couple of times in 54 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:21,160 Speaker 1: recent memory, and that's another big issue. But another really 55 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:24,920 Speaker 1: big factor is obviously competition. You know, Netflix used to 56 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:28,640 Speaker 1: only have to really grapple with Hulu and Amazon Prime 57 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:32,520 Speaker 1: when it came to streaming video, but these days you've 58 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:35,760 Speaker 1: also got Paramount Plus, You've got Disney Plus, you've got 59 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:40,480 Speaker 1: Hbo Max, you've got Apple and lots more. So if 60 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:44,360 Speaker 1: the average household is like mine, folks end up making 61 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:47,600 Speaker 1: decisions on which services they want and which ones they're 62 00:03:47,640 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 1: willing to skip out on. And trust me, I've got 63 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:53,840 Speaker 1: plenty of fomo like I, I I don't subscribe to Apple 64 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:55,440 Speaker 1: and I feel like I need to so I can 65 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 1: watch Severance and Ted Lasso. I just haven't done it yet. Um, 66 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 1: and I used to have Hulu and I cut that. 67 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 1: So lots of households have to make these determinations. And 68 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:06,400 Speaker 1: if they say, you know, we haven't watched anything on 69 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 1: Netflix in like six months, clearly they're gonna cut that. 70 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:12,600 Speaker 1: If they're looking at you know, we still want to keep, 71 00:04:12,960 --> 00:04:17,280 Speaker 1: say Disney Plus or whatever. Now, Netflix has long leaned 72 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:20,360 Speaker 1: on its original programming to set it apart, particularly as 73 00:04:20,440 --> 00:04:24,160 Speaker 1: various studios have chosen to move their own properties onto 74 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:28,159 Speaker 1: their own streaming services. So you've had companies say like, well, 75 00:04:28,200 --> 00:04:31,960 Speaker 1: why would we give Netflix the power of having our 76 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:35,920 Speaker 1: content when we can have our own streaming service and 77 00:04:36,080 --> 00:04:39,320 Speaker 1: just hosted there. We've seen that a lot, and uh, 78 00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:43,120 Speaker 1: you know, making original contents really expensive. In fact, Netflix 79 00:04:43,200 --> 00:04:49,080 Speaker 1: was famously spending billions of dollars making their original series 80 00:04:49,120 --> 00:04:53,920 Speaker 1: and shows and films and such. So that's also an issue. 81 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:57,839 Speaker 1: And now we also have other entities like Apple that 82 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 1: are producing award winning cont hint, So the competition is 83 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 1: really serious in that case. Now, add to all of 84 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:07,159 Speaker 1: that the fact that Netflix was hitting a saturation point 85 00:05:07,200 --> 00:05:10,280 Speaker 1: in some regions like the United States, it really meant 86 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 1: that expansion within those regions would become unrealistic. You know, 87 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 1: it's hard to convince more people to buy into it 88 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:22,840 Speaker 1: when you've pretty much hit everybody who is interested. There's 89 00:05:22,880 --> 00:05:26,480 Speaker 1: also the fact that some households share login credentials with 90 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:31,080 Speaker 1: friends and family outside of that household, and Netflix estimates 91 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:34,680 Speaker 1: there's some one hundred million of those out there, So 92 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:39,159 Speaker 1: that's a hundred million potential accounts that Netflix could could 93 00:05:39,240 --> 00:05:42,360 Speaker 1: get signed up on the service that instead are just 94 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 1: piggybacking on existing accounts. So what exactly is Netflix planning 95 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:50,239 Speaker 1: to do about all this? Well, one thing they're looking 96 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:53,919 Speaker 1: to do is to roll out a lower cost, adds 97 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 1: supported tier of service to attract new subscribers, similar to 98 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:02,120 Speaker 1: how services like Hulu use you know, tears that have 99 00:06:02,200 --> 00:06:07,240 Speaker 1: add support to them. Another potential avenue they're looking at 100 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 1: is to crack down on the account sharing issue. Now, 101 00:06:11,040 --> 00:06:13,480 Speaker 1: Netflix has already rolled out a pilot program in some 102 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:17,640 Speaker 1: countries in Central and South America that give subscribers an 103 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:21,400 Speaker 1: option to sign up for a tier that has up 104 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:24,480 Speaker 1: to two additional profiles for folks who do not live 105 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:27,320 Speaker 1: within the household itself. So in other words, you spend 106 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 1: a little bit more money, but you have these authorized 107 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:34,240 Speaker 1: tiers that you can hand out to people. Uh, you know, 108 00:06:34,320 --> 00:06:37,599 Speaker 1: and and it's limited to like two. Uh, it's cheaper 109 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 1: than if everyone got their own subscription, but it still 110 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:45,520 Speaker 1: means that Netflix gets some money. And meanwhile, those additional 111 00:06:45,520 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 1: people can still get access to Netflix, which is better 112 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:51,599 Speaker 1: than having it cracked down to the point where anyone 113 00:06:51,680 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 1: outside of a specific say I P address is excluded 114 00:06:57,120 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 1: from being able to use that account. Obviously, it gets 115 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,000 Speaker 1: of issues there too, like if you travel a lot 116 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:04,680 Speaker 1: and you'd like to use Netflix to keep up with stuff, 117 00:07:05,120 --> 00:07:07,200 Speaker 1: then you want to make sure that you're not going 118 00:07:07,279 --> 00:07:09,680 Speaker 1: to run into an issue where Netflix says, hey, I 119 00:07:09,760 --> 00:07:12,040 Speaker 1: noticed that. You know, there's a lot of log insto 120 00:07:12,040 --> 00:07:14,120 Speaker 1: your account, but they're not all from the same place, 121 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:16,920 Speaker 1: and you know, then the company cracks down and you 122 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 1: you want to work around that too. So these could 123 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:25,720 Speaker 1: be handy solutions, but they're ones that are going to 124 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:29,120 Speaker 1: take some time. In fact, Netflix says these measures might 125 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 1: take more than a year in order to have a 126 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:34,240 Speaker 1: big impact on the business, and that has a lot 127 00:07:34,320 --> 00:07:38,360 Speaker 1: of investors scrambling. And here's where I'm going to have 128 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 1: a bit of an antique capitalist rant. Um So, I've 129 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 1: complained many times about how modern capitalism holds shareholder return 130 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 1: and by extension, company growth over all other metrics. This 131 00:07:55,160 --> 00:07:57,600 Speaker 1: is something that really got its its start in the 132 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 1: early eighties. It wasn't always this way, a uh, And 133 00:08:01,200 --> 00:08:03,680 Speaker 1: in fact, some of the people who are most responsible 134 00:08:03,960 --> 00:08:08,600 Speaker 1: for a renewed focus on shareholder value would later go 135 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:13,200 Speaker 1: on to say it's a mistake two hold shareholder value 136 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:16,640 Speaker 1: above everything else. Doesn't stop companies from doing it though. 137 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 1: Um So, it's not. It's not enough to do a 138 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 1: good job if you're a company. In fact, doing a 139 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:26,360 Speaker 1: good job at whatever you do ultimately isn't that important 140 00:08:26,400 --> 00:08:31,560 Speaker 1: at all. What is important is growth, because growth equals 141 00:08:31,720 --> 00:08:37,559 Speaker 1: increased value. Increased value means higher share prices of your stock, 142 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:42,200 Speaker 1: and that means that the stakeholders, your shareholders are happy 143 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:45,720 Speaker 1: because they're seeing a return on their investment. And since 144 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 1: we're usually talking about companies that report quarterly results, those 145 00:08:50,040 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 1: important numbers hit every three months, so they want to 146 00:08:53,880 --> 00:08:56,000 Speaker 1: you know, shareholders want to see those numbers going up 147 00:08:56,360 --> 00:09:00,440 Speaker 1: every report. So ideally you show growth across every three 148 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 1: month period, and that's the measure of success for a company. 149 00:09:04,720 --> 00:09:07,480 Speaker 1: If the company happens to stay true to its organizational 150 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:10,079 Speaker 1: mission and if it happens to perform at the top 151 00:09:10,120 --> 00:09:12,480 Speaker 1: of its game, you know, that's nice too, it's just 152 00:09:12,559 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 1: not required. And so for a company like Netflix when 153 00:09:16,679 --> 00:09:19,040 Speaker 1: it has a setback, you end up seeing a lot 154 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:22,800 Speaker 1: of people jumping ship. And that's because those people they're 155 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:26,319 Speaker 1: they're focuses on quarter over a quarter gains. If those 156 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:29,040 Speaker 1: numbers go the wrong way, people start to bail. Now, 157 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 1: on top of that, this focus on short term gains 158 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:36,520 Speaker 1: makes it very challenging for companies to make good plans 159 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:40,480 Speaker 1: for the long term. It's not impossible. There are companies 160 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:43,000 Speaker 1: that do it, but it is much harder because in 161 00:09:43,040 --> 00:09:46,000 Speaker 1: the meantime, you really have to keep the shareholders happy 162 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:49,600 Speaker 1: on that quarter by quarter basis. If the shareholders aren't happy, 163 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:52,960 Speaker 1: they bounce, and now it becomes way harder for you 164 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:55,720 Speaker 1: to achieve those long term goals because if those stock 165 00:09:55,760 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 1: prices start going down because people have lost confidence, you're 166 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:04,040 Speaker 1: not gonna have of the financial ability to execute the 167 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:07,280 Speaker 1: long term plans you have in mind. And if enough 168 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:09,720 Speaker 1: folks bounce, it can actually send a company into a 169 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:12,880 Speaker 1: spiral that's really hard to pull out of. And when 170 00:10:12,880 --> 00:10:15,760 Speaker 1: we pull ourselves away from the stock market side of 171 00:10:15,760 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 1: business and we just look at how this affects the 172 00:10:18,880 --> 00:10:22,640 Speaker 1: companies and their customers, we just see tons of problems. 173 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:27,200 Speaker 1: Then there's also the issue that there's a limit to growth. 174 00:10:27,800 --> 00:10:31,240 Speaker 1: It's very hard to grow once you hit saturation points, 175 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:34,000 Speaker 1: and we see this in all sorts of companies. Netflix 176 00:10:34,080 --> 00:10:36,360 Speaker 1: hit in the United States because pretty much everyone who 177 00:10:36,400 --> 00:10:40,360 Speaker 1: wanted Netflix and who could afford it subscribed, so there 178 00:10:40,360 --> 00:10:46,360 Speaker 1: were no more worlds to conquer. Alexander wept. And we've 179 00:10:46,400 --> 00:10:49,160 Speaker 1: also seen it in other companies like you know Facebook 180 00:10:49,480 --> 00:10:53,640 Speaker 1: meta slash Facebook, but specifically Facebook, because Facebook expanded to 181 00:10:53,679 --> 00:10:57,400 Speaker 1: a truly gargantuan user base, but now it's seeing those 182 00:10:57,480 --> 00:11:01,840 Speaker 1: numbers on the decline. It's not able to attract new users, 183 00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:05,760 Speaker 1: and a lot of older users have either slipped off 184 00:11:05,840 --> 00:11:11,040 Speaker 1: the system or otherwise you know, are unable to be users, 185 00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:15,280 Speaker 1: like maybe they've passed away or something. So we see 186 00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:18,679 Speaker 1: this in other companies like Facebook or you know Meta, 187 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:22,160 Speaker 1: but specifically the Facebook platform. You know, Facebook expanded to 188 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:26,200 Speaker 1: a truly gargantuan user base, but now the company is 189 00:11:26,240 --> 00:11:30,000 Speaker 1: seeing numbers on the decline for the Facebook platform. It's 190 00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:35,920 Speaker 1: having trouble attracting younger users, and meanwhile older users are 191 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:39,839 Speaker 1: kind of slipping off the platform. So it hit a 192 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:43,520 Speaker 1: saturation point and it's having a real hard time growing. 193 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:47,120 Speaker 1: And that because that's such an important metric in a 194 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:51,839 Speaker 1: company's uh, you know health, at least according to shareholders, 195 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:55,160 Speaker 1: it's really put Meta in kind of a rough spot. 196 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 1: We also have seen this with cable networks where a 197 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:02,760 Speaker 1: cable network. Letlet's say it's a company that has several channels. 198 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:06,920 Speaker 1: You know, once they get on a certain number of services, 199 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:10,200 Speaker 1: they really can't expand anymore. You're essentially in as many 200 00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:13,440 Speaker 1: households as you possibly can be within that region. So 201 00:12:13,480 --> 00:12:17,720 Speaker 1: the only way to grow is to expand to other regions, 202 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:22,040 Speaker 1: to focus on international growth. And you know, I saw 203 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:25,240 Speaker 1: that when when I worked for How Stuff Works, and 204 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:27,760 Speaker 1: How Stuff Works was part of Discovery Communications. That was 205 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:31,600 Speaker 1: a big part of discoveries strategy. Now we see discovery 206 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:37,000 Speaker 1: strategy also being on expanding through online services, you know, 207 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:42,280 Speaker 1: with the merger with the former Warner Media. So eventually 208 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:44,880 Speaker 1: you do hit a cap and you just stop growing. 209 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 1: You just can't grow any bigger. It is unsustainable to 210 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:51,680 Speaker 1: continue to grow, and then what happens, you know, it's 211 00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:54,480 Speaker 1: it's very hard for me not to look at this 212 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:59,120 Speaker 1: entire thing as a very long term pump and dump scheme, 213 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:02,160 Speaker 1: the idea that you're just pumping up a company up 214 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:04,800 Speaker 1: so they can grow bigger and bigger until it just 215 00:13:04,840 --> 00:13:07,240 Speaker 1: can't grow anymore, and then you get the heck out 216 00:13:07,640 --> 00:13:10,040 Speaker 1: and in the meantime, you just, you know, this company 217 00:13:10,080 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 1: that might have been doing something really good and important 218 00:13:13,440 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 1: is suddenly at in a trouble spot because of that. 219 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:23,760 Speaker 1: Um anyway, I'm done ranting about modern capitalism for now, anyway, 220 00:13:24,120 --> 00:13:29,040 Speaker 1: And obviously this is an oversimplification of the issue. There 221 00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 1: are lots of companies out there that do not fall 222 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:35,200 Speaker 1: into this trap. It's just this is a trap I 223 00:13:35,240 --> 00:13:39,840 Speaker 1: see way too many companies fall into. And in many 224 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:42,720 Speaker 1: cases they are companies that I actually really kind of like, 225 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:45,280 Speaker 1: or at least I like the services or products that 226 00:13:45,320 --> 00:13:50,760 Speaker 1: they produce. So it's frustrating as a consumer to see 227 00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:54,679 Speaker 1: that the focus goes towards the shareholders. Uh. And it 228 00:13:55,200 --> 00:13:59,880 Speaker 1: would require a seismic shift in business philosophy for this 229 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:03,600 Speaker 1: to change, so I don't expect it to happen anytime soon. 230 00:14:04,800 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 1: All Right, when we come back, we'll be talking about 231 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:11,440 Speaker 1: a lot of other tech news UH and some business stuff, 232 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:15,640 Speaker 1: because the two are very tightly intertwined. But first, let's 233 00:14:15,960 --> 00:14:18,440 Speaker 1: take some time for our own business and listen to 234 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 1: a couple of messages from sponsors. Okay, we're back. How 235 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:32,760 Speaker 1: about we talk about some big wins for companies that 236 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:35,160 Speaker 1: are connected to Elon Musk. You know, I make no 237 00:14:35,280 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 1: secret that I'm not a big Musk fan, but there's 238 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:40,920 Speaker 1: no denying that a couple of his companies have really 239 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:45,360 Speaker 1: performed incredibly well recently. First up as Tesla, which reported 240 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:48,800 Speaker 1: an eighteen point seven billion dollars in revenue for the 241 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:52,880 Speaker 1: first quarter of twenty two, and three point three billion 242 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 1: dollars of that was profit. That is incredible. Now, part 243 00:14:57,480 --> 00:15:00,720 Speaker 1: of the revenue came from Tesla's practice of cell emissions 244 00:15:00,760 --> 00:15:04,520 Speaker 1: credits to other automakers. UH. See. Certain governments like the 245 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:07,760 Speaker 1: EU and the United States require automakers to manufacture a 246 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:11,520 Speaker 1: certain percentage of clean vehicles in all the cars that 247 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:18,640 Speaker 1: they manufacture. Not every automaker actually manages to hit those regulations, 248 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:22,680 Speaker 1: so to balance it out, these automakers are allowed to 249 00:15:22,800 --> 00:15:28,480 Speaker 1: buy emissions credits from other companies that do hit those requirements. 250 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:31,760 Speaker 1: So the idea here is that the automakers have an 251 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:35,960 Speaker 1: incentive to develop and produce cleaner technology because if they don't, 252 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 1: they have to pay money in order to buy credits 253 00:15:39,640 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 1: to offset their dirty, dirty cars. And so Tesla is 254 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:47,640 Speaker 1: allowed to sell emissions credits to these automakers because Tesla 255 00:15:47,720 --> 00:15:52,640 Speaker 1: makes electric vehicles, their vehicles don't have emissions anyway. Tesla 256 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:56,560 Speaker 1: sold nearly six hundred eighty million dollars worth of emissions 257 00:15:56,600 --> 00:15:59,960 Speaker 1: credits in the first quarter of twenty twenty two. That's 258 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:03,360 Speaker 1: more than twice what Tesla sold during the fourth quarter 259 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:07,400 Speaker 1: of one, so you know a good amount of money 260 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:11,480 Speaker 1: is coming in from these emissions credits sales. Obviously not 261 00:16:12,080 --> 00:16:14,800 Speaker 1: a significant amount when you look at eighteen point seven 262 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:18,720 Speaker 1: billion dollars of revenue, but in years past it was 263 00:16:18,720 --> 00:16:22,520 Speaker 1: those emissions credits that really helped Tesla when it was 264 00:16:22,560 --> 00:16:26,160 Speaker 1: making these earnings calls, because they weren't making as much 265 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:29,640 Speaker 1: money off actual vehicle sales, but that is a different 266 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:33,600 Speaker 1: story right now anyway, um, anyway, the company has a 267 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:36,440 Speaker 1: lot of other battles to fight, including navigating the ongoing 268 00:16:36,600 --> 00:16:40,280 Speaker 1: supply chain challenges, but so far Tesla has performed better 269 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 1: in that regard than a lot of other companies have. 270 00:16:43,400 --> 00:16:47,160 Speaker 1: So Tesla has shown a lot more flexibility than a 271 00:16:47,160 --> 00:16:50,680 Speaker 1: lot of other other automakers have managed, and thus has 272 00:16:50,840 --> 00:16:53,160 Speaker 1: really flourished quite a bit in the first quarter of 273 00:16:53,200 --> 00:16:56,640 Speaker 1: twenty two. One other thing that must talked about during 274 00:16:56,680 --> 00:16:59,400 Speaker 1: that earnings call was that Tesla is working on creating 275 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:02,520 Speaker 1: a robo taxi vehicle that won't have pedals or a 276 00:17:02,560 --> 00:17:05,600 Speaker 1: steering wheel, and that the company is targeting a twenty 277 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:11,960 Speaker 1: four date for rollout. Now, I think that is incredibly ambitious. 278 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:15,919 Speaker 1: We all know that the Tesla full self driving mode 279 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:20,360 Speaker 1: isn't actually a full self driving mode, and that our 280 00:17:20,359 --> 00:17:23,960 Speaker 1: current level of autonomous car technology has is probably somewhere 281 00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:28,359 Speaker 1: around level three. There are five levels total, or six 282 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:33,480 Speaker 1: if you count zero, which is no autonomous system at all, 283 00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:38,600 Speaker 1: uh and level three is conditional automation. That means that 284 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:43,000 Speaker 1: current autonomous vehicles really still need human oversight. They're only 285 00:17:43,040 --> 00:17:47,800 Speaker 1: capable of autonomous operation in specific situations, such as within 286 00:17:47,880 --> 00:17:52,040 Speaker 1: a narrowly defined region of operation, like you know, within 287 00:17:52,119 --> 00:17:56,639 Speaker 1: these you know, twelve blocks or something like that, or 288 00:17:57,080 --> 00:18:01,240 Speaker 1: under specific circumstances, like specific weather conditions like it has 289 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:05,560 Speaker 1: to be bright and sunny or it can't be you know, raining, 290 00:18:06,000 --> 00:18:07,800 Speaker 1: or has to be a specific time of day, like 291 00:18:07,840 --> 00:18:11,560 Speaker 1: it can't be after dusk. These are the sort of 292 00:18:11,560 --> 00:18:15,080 Speaker 1: conditions that most autonomous cars have to operate under. It's 293 00:18:15,119 --> 00:18:20,080 Speaker 1: some form of restrictive automation. For a driverless ROBOTAXI that 294 00:18:20,119 --> 00:18:23,440 Speaker 1: has no means of human override to be a possibility, 295 00:18:23,680 --> 00:18:27,560 Speaker 1: we would need to achieve level five autonomy, because even 296 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:31,480 Speaker 1: level four autonomy typically includes the option for humans to 297 00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:34,720 Speaker 1: override the system and take control. Obviously, that would be 298 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:38,040 Speaker 1: impossible if there are no controls to take. Of course, 299 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:40,639 Speaker 1: the fact that this is a goal doesn't mean that 300 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:43,800 Speaker 1: Tesla will actually hit it, nor does it mean that 301 00:18:43,840 --> 00:18:46,440 Speaker 1: whatever Tesla does produce, let's say it does produce a 302 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:51,560 Speaker 1: vehicle with no you know, steering wheel, no pedals, doesn't 303 00:18:51,560 --> 00:18:54,280 Speaker 1: necessarily mean that that vehicle will actually qualify as a 304 00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:58,080 Speaker 1: true level five autonomous vehicle. So in that second possibility, 305 00:18:58,119 --> 00:19:00,840 Speaker 1: I would really caution anyone against getting into such a 306 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:04,439 Speaker 1: vehicle because it could potentially be really dangerous. We've already 307 00:19:04,480 --> 00:19:09,040 Speaker 1: seen several instances in which driver assist features and Tesla 308 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:13,199 Speaker 1: vehicles have contributed to fatal accidents. Now, in several of 309 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:15,600 Speaker 1: those cases, you could argue that that was due to 310 00:19:15,720 --> 00:19:20,600 Speaker 1: human driver's disregarding safety rules. But still, this is a 311 00:19:20,640 --> 00:19:24,120 Speaker 1: pretty big swing that Tesla is taking. And it's been 312 00:19:24,160 --> 00:19:27,359 Speaker 1: a while since I talked about the Boring Company. That 313 00:19:27,840 --> 00:19:31,640 Speaker 1: is Elon Musk's business that's all about digging massive tunnels 314 00:19:31,680 --> 00:19:34,359 Speaker 1: for the purposes of high speed transportation, as well as 315 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:37,760 Speaker 1: some other stuff, but the high speed transportation is typically 316 00:19:37,840 --> 00:19:41,760 Speaker 1: what we really focus on. The Boring Company held a 317 00:19:41,880 --> 00:19:44,760 Speaker 1: round of funding that brought in six seventy five million 318 00:19:44,800 --> 00:19:47,679 Speaker 1: dollars and investments which brought the company's value up to 319 00:19:47,760 --> 00:19:52,359 Speaker 1: five point six seven five billion dollars. This is another 320 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:56,159 Speaker 1: company with which I have some concerns, mainly because the 321 00:19:56,200 --> 00:19:59,960 Speaker 1: goals and claims of the company seemed to be largely 322 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:04,360 Speaker 1: unsubstantiated by reality. However, let's talk about what the company's 323 00:20:04,400 --> 00:20:08,640 Speaker 1: mission is before I get all skeptical. So, for the 324 00:20:08,680 --> 00:20:11,639 Speaker 1: transportation side of the Boring company's business. The goal is 325 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:14,119 Speaker 1: to dig out tunnel networks that will allow for the 326 00:20:14,119 --> 00:20:20,240 Speaker 1: construction of transportation infrastructure. That infrastructure will ideally create an 327 00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:24,720 Speaker 1: alternative to street level traffic and help reduce or potentially 328 00:20:24,760 --> 00:20:28,200 Speaker 1: even eliminate congestion, making it easier for you to get 329 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:31,359 Speaker 1: to your destination and create a more pleasant experience for 330 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:35,119 Speaker 1: you know, the surface dwellers. And when coupled with loop, 331 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:39,360 Speaker 1: which is the transportation infrastructure part, the ideas that passengers 332 00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:42,200 Speaker 1: will zip around these tunnels and potentially up to a 333 00:20:42,320 --> 00:20:46,240 Speaker 1: hundred fifty miles per hour. Uh now, this in itself 334 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:48,879 Speaker 1: was a step down from the original concept of the 335 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:52,680 Speaker 1: hyper loop, which was an enclosed train system that would 336 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:54,920 Speaker 1: pump out most of the air from the tunnels in 337 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:57,600 Speaker 1: order to reduce air resistance and be able to travel 338 00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:02,479 Speaker 1: at very high speeds. The current loop proposal involves writing 339 00:21:02,480 --> 00:21:07,000 Speaker 1: in Tesla vehicles through tunnels. Uh now. Standard Tesla can 340 00:21:07,040 --> 00:21:10,720 Speaker 1: hold five people, although the versions that we've seen have 341 00:21:10,920 --> 00:21:15,840 Speaker 1: maxed out at three passengers plus a human driver. And obviously, 342 00:21:16,119 --> 00:21:17,680 Speaker 1: if you wanted to go all the way to five 343 00:21:17,720 --> 00:21:20,080 Speaker 1: people where you have one human driver and four passengers, 344 00:21:20,119 --> 00:21:21,960 Speaker 1: you have to have folks who don't mind being super 345 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:25,399 Speaker 1: cozy in the back seat. Also, so far, people have 346 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:28,119 Speaker 1: only been in vehicles that have reached a maximum of 347 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:31,640 Speaker 1: fifty miles per hour. And last I checked the LVCC 348 00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:34,120 Speaker 1: loop that is in the Las Vegas Convention Center loop, 349 00:21:34,560 --> 00:21:37,560 Speaker 1: where there's kind of a pilot program of this that 350 00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:40,720 Speaker 1: one is restricted to a maximum of thirty five miles 351 00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:42,879 Speaker 1: per hour. This has led a lot of critics to 352 00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:46,320 Speaker 1: suggest that all Elon Musk is really doing is just 353 00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:49,320 Speaker 1: adding more lanes of roads. It's just that these are 354 00:21:49,400 --> 00:21:55,560 Speaker 1: lanes that are underground um and thus isn't really that revolutionary, 355 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:58,320 Speaker 1: nor is it expected to make that big of an 356 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:02,879 Speaker 1: impact on issues like traffic congestion. Now, arguably we won't 357 00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:05,960 Speaker 1: know for sure until something more robust than the Las 358 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:09,359 Speaker 1: Vegas Convention Center system is in place in order for 359 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:13,159 Speaker 1: us to evaluate it. My guess is that we aren't 360 00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:17,399 Speaker 1: going to see a massive improvement using this kind of system, 361 00:22:17,440 --> 00:22:19,639 Speaker 1: and that maybe it would have been a better idea 362 00:22:19,720 --> 00:22:22,719 Speaker 1: to use some more tried and true measure like building 363 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:26,960 Speaker 1: out a train system instead, which has a higher capacity 364 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:31,000 Speaker 1: and has a long history of being proven to work. 365 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:33,800 Speaker 1: But we're gonna have to wait and see. I would 366 00:22:33,840 --> 00:22:35,880 Speaker 1: love to be proven wrong about this. I would love 367 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:37,800 Speaker 1: to see that this is really an effective means of 368 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:40,680 Speaker 1: getting people around using electric vehicles. I think that would 369 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:44,159 Speaker 1: be amazing for Las Vegas and for other cities that 370 00:22:44,200 --> 00:22:47,639 Speaker 1: follow suit. Now, getting back to self driving cars for 371 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:51,080 Speaker 1: a second. Uh. In fact, part of the plan for 372 00:22:51,160 --> 00:22:54,040 Speaker 1: the loop is to use self driving Tesla vehicles in 373 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:56,520 Speaker 1: the future. It's just that's not how it's working right now. 374 00:22:57,080 --> 00:23:00,680 Speaker 1: But in the UK, the Department for Transport has determined 375 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:03,680 Speaker 1: that in the event of an autonomous car getting into 376 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:06,919 Speaker 1: an accident, the motorists inside the car will not be 377 00:23:07,000 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 1: held liable for claims. Instead, the insurance company representing the 378 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:15,399 Speaker 1: motorists or that vehicle will be held liable. Moreover, the 379 00:23:15,440 --> 00:23:18,440 Speaker 1: Department says that writers will be allowed to watch videos. 380 00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:21,160 Speaker 1: They can watch TV on built in screens and self 381 00:23:21,240 --> 00:23:24,200 Speaker 1: driving cars and there won't be any problem with that. However, 382 00:23:24,520 --> 00:23:26,479 Speaker 1: they will still be against the law to use a 383 00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:32,040 Speaker 1: mobile phone. And Okay, I'm not really sure why one 384 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:34,960 Speaker 1: activity is okay and the other one isn't. Also, I 385 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:37,000 Speaker 1: think it's gonna be a while before we have vehicles 386 00:23:37,040 --> 00:23:40,240 Speaker 1: that are really dependable enough where this sort of measure 387 00:23:40,240 --> 00:23:43,800 Speaker 1: will even be relevant. However, assuming we do get to 388 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:47,480 Speaker 1: that level of reliable autonomy, the benefits would be tremendous, 389 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:51,080 Speaker 1: from relieving traffic congestion to reducing the number of accidents 390 00:23:51,080 --> 00:23:54,679 Speaker 1: and thus injuries and fatality. So I'm really hoping that 391 00:23:54,720 --> 00:23:59,600 Speaker 1: we hit it UH soon. I remain a little cautious 392 00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:03,560 Speaker 1: about it because it's just taking a lot more time 393 00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:08,080 Speaker 1: because as we've as we've discovered the challenges are more 394 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:11,960 Speaker 1: subtle and varied than what a lot of people previously, 395 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:16,360 Speaker 1: including myself, previously considered. UH. I was really gung home 396 00:24:16,720 --> 00:24:20,199 Speaker 1: on driverless cars for a really long time, and I 397 00:24:20,240 --> 00:24:23,720 Speaker 1: still am for the concept. I'm just a little more 398 00:24:23,760 --> 00:24:29,360 Speaker 1: cautious about the actual capabilities. I mentioned on Tuesday's episode 399 00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:32,440 Speaker 1: that employees at the flagship Apple store in New York 400 00:24:32,480 --> 00:24:35,359 Speaker 1: City are in the process of organizing a union, and 401 00:24:35,440 --> 00:24:38,040 Speaker 1: it turns out that employees at an Apple store in 402 00:24:38,080 --> 00:24:42,320 Speaker 1: my home city of Atlanta have beat him to the punch. Uh. 403 00:24:42,359 --> 00:24:45,399 Speaker 1: The Atlanta employees filed a petition yesterday to hold a 404 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:49,400 Speaker 1: union election. So this means that the Atlanta employees already 405 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:53,360 Speaker 1: secured enough employee support to merit a vote on the subject, 406 00:24:53,840 --> 00:24:57,480 Speaker 1: and should this upcoming vote pass, then these employees will 407 00:24:57,480 --> 00:25:01,040 Speaker 1: be the first Apple Store workers to union eyes. Of course, 408 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:03,800 Speaker 1: there will be more steps to take after even a 409 00:25:03,840 --> 00:25:07,280 Speaker 1: successful vote, including seeing if Apple will recognize the union. 410 00:25:07,680 --> 00:25:10,720 Speaker 1: Should the majority of store employees vote in favor of 411 00:25:10,880 --> 00:25:14,920 Speaker 1: unionizing UM. If Apple refuses to recognize the union, then 412 00:25:14,960 --> 00:25:18,280 Speaker 1: the National Labor Relations Board has to get involved and 413 00:25:18,359 --> 00:25:20,400 Speaker 1: things will go from there. But we'll have to wait 414 00:25:20,400 --> 00:25:23,560 Speaker 1: and see because the vote hasn't even been held yet. Now. 415 00:25:23,600 --> 00:25:27,119 Speaker 1: At the same time, some former Nintendo employees have filed 416 00:25:27,160 --> 00:25:30,800 Speaker 1: a labor complaint against Nintendo, alleging that the company terminated 417 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:35,720 Speaker 1: their employment after they attempted to organize their coworkers. Furthermore, 418 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:39,679 Speaker 1: they claimed that Nintendo either used surveillance or implied that 419 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:44,640 Speaker 1: they were using surveillance to spy on employee union activities. 420 00:25:45,240 --> 00:25:47,720 Speaker 1: Now the next step is that, again the US National 421 00:25:47,800 --> 00:25:51,040 Speaker 1: Labor Relations Board or n LRB will have to investigate 422 00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:54,840 Speaker 1: these claims to determine if Nintendo actually did engage in 423 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:59,359 Speaker 1: illegal labor violations. So it remains to be seen, but 424 00:26:00,400 --> 00:26:05,480 Speaker 1: another example, at least allegedly of a company cracking down 425 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:10,760 Speaker 1: on employees attempts to organize the union busting activities are 426 00:26:11,280 --> 00:26:13,240 Speaker 1: something we're hearing more and more of. But then we're 427 00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:17,920 Speaker 1: also hearing more and more about workers trying to organize, 428 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:22,800 Speaker 1: so the labor revolution continues. I'm not the only person 429 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:27,439 Speaker 1: screaming at capitalism. In other news, over in the European Union, 430 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:32,919 Speaker 1: representatives have advanced proposals that will require all smartphone manufacturers 431 00:26:32,960 --> 00:26:37,120 Speaker 1: to support the USBC standard for chargers. So that would 432 00:26:37,119 --> 00:26:39,520 Speaker 1: mean that all smartphones would have to have USB C 433 00:26:39,760 --> 00:26:44,159 Speaker 1: ports and be compatible with us b C charging cables. Now, 434 00:26:44,280 --> 00:26:46,560 Speaker 1: one reason for this is to really cut back on 435 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:49,520 Speaker 1: e waste. So the idea here is that you would 436 00:26:49,520 --> 00:26:51,919 Speaker 1: really only need to buy one charger for your phone, 437 00:26:52,160 --> 00:26:53,680 Speaker 1: or maybe a couple if you have to have one 438 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:55,480 Speaker 1: in a different location or whatever. But you get my 439 00:26:55,800 --> 00:26:58,399 Speaker 1: my meaning you just have to have the one. Then 440 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:00,760 Speaker 1: you could just keep using the same charge even when 441 00:27:00,800 --> 00:27:02,879 Speaker 1: you change out the type of phone you use, So 442 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:06,560 Speaker 1: if you swap from Android to iPhone, you don't need 443 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:09,960 Speaker 1: a you know, new accessories because the charging cable will 444 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:13,280 Speaker 1: fit both. If this legislation were to pass, an Apple 445 00:27:13,320 --> 00:27:16,800 Speaker 1: were to comply, So yeah, it would mean that Apple 446 00:27:16,840 --> 00:27:19,680 Speaker 1: would have to manufacture phones with USBC ports rather than 447 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:25,240 Speaker 1: proprietary connectors. Apple has consistently argued that standardizing charging boards 448 00:27:25,280 --> 00:27:29,080 Speaker 1: would inhibit innovation and that this would ultimately hurt customers 449 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:31,760 Speaker 1: in the long run. I think most regulators don't buy 450 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:34,600 Speaker 1: that argument. They just suspect that Apple would really like 451 00:27:34,680 --> 00:27:37,679 Speaker 1: to hang on to proprietary connectors because it creates a 452 00:27:37,800 --> 00:27:43,160 Speaker 1: market for proprietary accessories which Apple can provide. This proposal 453 00:27:43,200 --> 00:27:45,560 Speaker 1: has been a long time in the making, and it's 454 00:27:45,560 --> 00:27:47,760 Speaker 1: still has to go through a couple more rounds of 455 00:27:47,840 --> 00:27:51,439 Speaker 1: votes for different committees before it gets put to a 456 00:27:51,520 --> 00:27:54,960 Speaker 1: vote across the EU, and then there has to be 457 00:27:55,040 --> 00:27:59,120 Speaker 1: time to actually implement the regulations. So there's still time 458 00:27:59,119 --> 00:28:01,720 Speaker 1: for Apple to make a ace for its approach, and 459 00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:04,760 Speaker 1: even if this legislation does pass, it will be a 460 00:28:04,840 --> 00:28:07,639 Speaker 1: little bit before we see it filter into things like 461 00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:12,040 Speaker 1: Apple's actual design. Okay, We've got a few more stories 462 00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:15,480 Speaker 1: to cover before we conclude this episode, but first let's 463 00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:27,919 Speaker 1: take another quick break. Okay, In Afghanistan, the Taliban have 464 00:28:28,280 --> 00:28:32,680 Speaker 1: ordered that both the video social platform TikTok and the 465 00:28:32,880 --> 00:28:38,000 Speaker 1: multiplayer shooter game Player Unknowns Battlegrounds will be banned in 466 00:28:38,040 --> 00:28:41,520 Speaker 1: the country. They argue that both properties are a bad 467 00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:46,480 Speaker 1: influence on Afghani youth. This follows a string of crackdowns 468 00:28:46,560 --> 00:28:51,160 Speaker 1: on entertainment in the country. Currently, television in Afghanistan mainly 469 00:28:51,240 --> 00:28:56,080 Speaker 1: broadcasts news or religious programming and pretty much nothing else. 470 00:28:56,640 --> 00:28:58,640 Speaker 1: Based on the news stories I've read, it sounds like 471 00:28:58,800 --> 00:29:01,600 Speaker 1: living under the rule of the tell Laban is pretty miserable, 472 00:29:01,680 --> 00:29:05,640 Speaker 1: particularly for women, which you know, no big surprise there. 473 00:29:05,720 --> 00:29:08,320 Speaker 1: Even though the Taliban promised that it wasn't going to 474 00:29:08,400 --> 00:29:13,479 Speaker 1: return to its more hardline approach to governing, uh, that 475 00:29:13,560 --> 00:29:18,320 Speaker 1: seems to have gone to the side now. And yeah, 476 00:29:18,360 --> 00:29:23,000 Speaker 1: they've really cracked down on the sorts of media that 477 00:29:23,080 --> 00:29:26,880 Speaker 1: people within the country can access, and my guess is 478 00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:30,240 Speaker 1: that's just going to get more and more restrictive as 479 00:29:30,400 --> 00:29:34,640 Speaker 1: time goes on. YouTube has removed the campaign channel for 480 00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:39,200 Speaker 1: John Lee, who is running unopposed to lead Hong Kong. 481 00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:42,280 Speaker 1: That election is going to be determined by a committee 482 00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:45,959 Speaker 1: of around one thousand five people. That committee is nearly 483 00:29:46,200 --> 00:29:51,080 Speaker 1: entirely made up of pro Beijing officials, So it's really 484 00:29:52,160 --> 00:29:54,680 Speaker 1: it's hard to look at this as anything other than 485 00:29:54,840 --> 00:30:01,600 Speaker 1: just our performance from China backed officials to show like 486 00:30:01,760 --> 00:30:05,760 Speaker 1: a the appearance of a democratic process. But you know, again, 487 00:30:06,080 --> 00:30:10,280 Speaker 1: John Lee is running unopposed. There's almost you know, it 488 00:30:10,320 --> 00:30:12,360 Speaker 1: really does raise the question, why do you need a 489 00:30:12,400 --> 00:30:17,880 Speaker 1: campaign channel you're not campaigning against anyone. But the US 490 00:30:17,960 --> 00:30:22,320 Speaker 1: has also ordered sanctions against John Lee and several other 491 00:30:22,360 --> 00:30:26,840 Speaker 1: Hong Kong officials, and those sanctions are there because those 492 00:30:26,880 --> 00:30:31,760 Speaker 1: officials have been linked to restricting Hong Kong's autonomy and 493 00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:35,640 Speaker 1: eliminating individual freedoms of the citizens of Hong Kong and 494 00:30:35,680 --> 00:30:39,440 Speaker 1: restricting rights over the last several months. So YouTube has 495 00:30:39,480 --> 00:30:43,080 Speaker 1: complied with those sanctions and thus shut down that campaign channel. 496 00:30:43,680 --> 00:30:47,200 Speaker 1: Meta meanwhile, is going to allow John Lee to maintain 497 00:30:47,360 --> 00:30:52,160 Speaker 1: a presence on Facebook. However, Meta has deactivated monetization on 498 00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:55,320 Speaker 1: that account and says that they're not going to allow 499 00:30:55,400 --> 00:30:58,479 Speaker 1: John Lee's account to make use of payment services in 500 00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:02,920 Speaker 1: order to comply with the actions against John Lee. Net 501 00:31:02,960 --> 00:31:07,320 Speaker 1: neutrality advocates in California are celebrating a legal victory now 502 00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:10,600 Speaker 1: that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has rejected a 503 00:31:10,640 --> 00:31:14,640 Speaker 1: move from I s p s to block California's enforcement 504 00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:17,920 Speaker 1: of its own net neutrality law. All right, this requires 505 00:31:17,920 --> 00:31:21,240 Speaker 1: a bit of explanation. So prior to two thousand eighteen, 506 00:31:21,520 --> 00:31:25,200 Speaker 1: the Federal Communications Commission, or FCC in the United States 507 00:31:25,440 --> 00:31:29,160 Speaker 1: had established certain net neutrality protections that restricted what I 508 00:31:29,360 --> 00:31:31,720 Speaker 1: s p s could do, and it required I s 509 00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:36,640 Speaker 1: p s to comply with certain rules, rules that I 510 00:31:36,840 --> 00:31:40,080 Speaker 1: sp s are not super keen on complying with. But 511 00:31:40,240 --> 00:31:44,200 Speaker 1: during the Trump administration, the FCC pretty much gutted all 512 00:31:44,360 --> 00:31:50,280 Speaker 1: those measures and reversed all of those decisions. California, their 513 00:31:50,480 --> 00:31:56,360 Speaker 1: their state representatives, stepped up and created legislation that allowed 514 00:31:56,640 --> 00:32:00,720 Speaker 1: the state of California to enforce similar rules as to 515 00:32:00,760 --> 00:32:04,640 Speaker 1: what the FCC had in place before two eighteen, and 516 00:32:04,800 --> 00:32:07,080 Speaker 1: I s p s really complained about it. They said 517 00:32:07,080 --> 00:32:10,400 Speaker 1: that the fccs decision to drop net neutrality should apply 518 00:32:11,040 --> 00:32:14,520 Speaker 1: across to the state level, because the FCC is federal 519 00:32:15,240 --> 00:32:19,200 Speaker 1: and California obviously is a state. Now, the Ninth Circuit said, 520 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:25,360 Speaker 1: uh no, just because the federal agency abdicates authority over 521 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:29,120 Speaker 1: a matter doesn't mean that a state authority can't then 522 00:32:29,320 --> 00:32:32,400 Speaker 1: step in. Um. In fact, if a federal agency says, 523 00:32:32,520 --> 00:32:36,160 Speaker 1: you know, we don't have the authority to regulate this industry, 524 00:32:36,280 --> 00:32:39,840 Speaker 1: then by extension, that agency also doesn't have the authority 525 00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:43,840 Speaker 1: to prevent anyone else from regulating it because you can't 526 00:32:43,880 --> 00:32:47,400 Speaker 1: say I'm not responsible for that, and at the same 527 00:32:47,440 --> 00:32:52,040 Speaker 1: time say you can't be responsible for that because you're 528 00:32:52,080 --> 00:32:55,400 Speaker 1: not the boss. You can't do that. So now California 529 00:32:55,480 --> 00:32:58,880 Speaker 1: has a strong that neutrality law, and moreover, will be 530 00:32:58,960 --> 00:33:01,440 Speaker 1: allowed to maintain that law even if we should see 531 00:33:01,880 --> 00:33:05,200 Speaker 1: more big swings with the FCC, like if the FCC 532 00:33:05,400 --> 00:33:09,680 Speaker 1: were to reinstate net neutrality regulations and then at the 533 00:33:09,760 --> 00:33:14,160 Speaker 1: change of another administration reverse that decision again, California's law 534 00:33:14,200 --> 00:33:17,760 Speaker 1: would still stay firm because it's a state law, not 535 00:33:17,800 --> 00:33:20,600 Speaker 1: a federal law. Uh So this was a big win 536 00:33:20,880 --> 00:33:26,120 Speaker 1: for net neutrality advocates. Finally, do you work for a 537 00:33:26,200 --> 00:33:28,760 Speaker 1: company that has been urging you to come back to 538 00:33:28,840 --> 00:33:33,160 Speaker 1: the office, and more importantly, does your boss follow the 539 00:33:33,200 --> 00:33:36,959 Speaker 1: same rules that you're expected to follow? I ask because 540 00:33:37,040 --> 00:33:41,640 Speaker 1: a research consortium called Future Forum found that non executive 541 00:33:41,640 --> 00:33:45,360 Speaker 1: employees are almost twice as likely to work at the 542 00:33:45,400 --> 00:33:50,080 Speaker 1: office five days a week as executives are. The survey 543 00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:52,800 Speaker 1: found that just over one third of all those who 544 00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:57,320 Speaker 1: were surveyed have returned to the office full time. Meanwhile, 545 00:33:57,400 --> 00:34:01,000 Speaker 1: executives tend to pursue a more hybrid approach to work. 546 00:34:01,720 --> 00:34:03,920 Speaker 1: Some of this might be due to business travel, which 547 00:34:04,000 --> 00:34:06,200 Speaker 1: is definitely on the rise, but some of it seems 548 00:34:06,200 --> 00:34:12,040 Speaker 1: to highlight a massive divide between employees and executives. That 549 00:34:12,160 --> 00:34:14,359 Speaker 1: there is kind of a do as I say and 550 00:34:14,440 --> 00:34:17,920 Speaker 1: not as I do philosophy at play here, which is 551 00:34:17,960 --> 00:34:22,080 Speaker 1: obviously inherently unfair. Now, I have to say I am 552 00:34:22,120 --> 00:34:24,840 Speaker 1: incredibly fortunate and that I work for a company where 553 00:34:25,200 --> 00:34:28,680 Speaker 1: we maintain a great deal of flexibility. Uh. In fact, 554 00:34:28,800 --> 00:34:31,400 Speaker 1: I was in the office earlier this week because I 555 00:34:31,440 --> 00:34:34,560 Speaker 1: needed to go in, and the only other person in 556 00:34:34,600 --> 00:34:38,120 Speaker 1: that office that day was my superproducer TORII. We were 557 00:34:38,160 --> 00:34:41,080 Speaker 1: the only two people there. But we are seeing an 558 00:34:41,120 --> 00:34:44,080 Speaker 1: increasing number of companies push for employees to return to 559 00:34:44,239 --> 00:34:47,080 Speaker 1: offices full time. It's just a shame that the same 560 00:34:47,160 --> 00:34:52,160 Speaker 1: doesn't seem to apply to the bosses. Huh So yeah, 561 00:34:52,160 --> 00:34:54,719 Speaker 1: I guess in the end, what I'm advocating for is 562 00:34:54,760 --> 00:34:59,520 Speaker 1: down with capitalism and eat the rich. Hey uh More. Seriously, though, 563 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:03,400 Speaker 1: I as I get older, I get ground here about 564 00:35:03,480 --> 00:35:07,080 Speaker 1: the inherent unfairness in these systems and feel that the 565 00:35:07,160 --> 00:35:10,880 Speaker 1: labor movement is is kind of a proof that a 566 00:35:10,960 --> 00:35:12,680 Speaker 1: lot of other people feel the same way I do, 567 00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:17,880 Speaker 1: and that hopefully the labor movement will result in things 568 00:35:18,360 --> 00:35:22,439 Speaker 1: changing direction. I'm not expecting to see a one eight here. 569 00:35:22,560 --> 00:35:26,360 Speaker 1: I'm not and I don't think that any massive changes 570 00:35:26,360 --> 00:35:28,400 Speaker 1: aren't going to have other consequences that will have to 571 00:35:28,400 --> 00:35:30,399 Speaker 1: deal with. But it would be nice to kind of 572 00:35:30,920 --> 00:35:33,799 Speaker 1: see the narrative change a little bit in my mind. Um, 573 00:35:33,840 --> 00:35:36,480 Speaker 1: and I say that as an executive producer. All right, 574 00:35:37,040 --> 00:35:40,319 Speaker 1: that's it for this episode of Tech Stuff, And uh yeah, 575 00:35:40,400 --> 00:35:42,839 Speaker 1: I keep on hoping that I can cover tech news 576 00:35:42,880 --> 00:35:46,520 Speaker 1: that doesn't involve as much politics and business as well. 577 00:35:46,800 --> 00:35:49,920 Speaker 1: I hear you. I also wish for that, but I 578 00:35:49,960 --> 00:35:53,160 Speaker 1: gotta cover the news that happens. So that's where we are. 579 00:35:53,400 --> 00:35:55,560 Speaker 1: If you have suggestions for topics I should cover in 580 00:35:55,600 --> 00:36:00,279 Speaker 1: Tech Stuff, whether it's a tech company, a specific technology, 581 00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:04,400 Speaker 1: a person in tech, anything like that, or even just 582 00:36:04,480 --> 00:36:07,120 Speaker 1: a concept in technology you would like to know more about, 583 00:36:07,560 --> 00:36:09,640 Speaker 1: reach out let me know. The best way to do 584 00:36:09,680 --> 00:36:12,239 Speaker 1: that right now is on Twitter. The handle for the 585 00:36:12,280 --> 00:36:16,040 Speaker 1: show is tech Stuff hs W, and I'll talk to 586 00:36:16,080 --> 00:36:24,759 Speaker 1: you again. Really see tech Stuff is an I Heart 587 00:36:24,840 --> 00:36:28,600 Speaker 1: Radio production. For more podcasts from My Heart Radio, visit 588 00:36:28,640 --> 00:36:31,680 Speaker 1: the I heart radio, app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you 589 00:36:31,800 --> 00:36:33,120 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows.