Monday, August 31, 2020

Reinvent Technology Partners, a new SPAC formed by Reid Hoffman, Zynga founder Mark Pincus and hedge fund manager Michael Thompson, have filed for a $600M IPO (Kirsten Korosec/TechCrunch)

Kirsten Korosec / TechCrunch:
Reinvent Technology Partners, a new SPAC formed by Reid Hoffman, Zynga founder Mark Pincus and hedge fund manager Michael Thompson, have filed for a $600M IPO  —  Reinvent Technology Partners, a new special purpose acquisition company formed by famed investor and serial entrepreneur Reid Hoffman …



Gillmor Gang: Platforming

 

Much was made during the Republican Convention of the lack of a party platform. The media characterized this as a capitulation to the Cult of Trump phenomenon, but the questioned begged was: so what? If you’re running as a candidate to disrupt the status quo…. But beneath the media framing, an important question emerges. What exactly is the platform we need to emerge from the toxic situation we find ourselves in?

For months, if not years, the technology industry has been working on a new platform to succeed the previous one. Mobile would seem to be that fundamental shift from the desktop world of Windows and PCs. The twin dominance of powerful phones by Google and Apple has created a new language of notifications and streaming video perfectly timed for the devastating pandemic. Our devices are now the front lines for managing the struggle to stay alive for our loved ones, the economy, and our future.

Zoom is of course the poster child for all that it enables, and certainly what it doesn’t. The notion of work from home is more likely a question of what is home and what’s the difference with work? The routines of life are congealing around the interactions with phone, watch, iPad, laptop, and TV. When I wake up, the first dive is for the notification stream built up overnight from overseas and then the East Coast. The rhythm varies from day to day: intense on Monday as the weekend cobwebs dissipate, more issue oriented through the middle of the week, and finally a thank-god-it’s Friday feel. Email, text messages, media updates, and work calendar reminders.

And then there’s the outline of the new platform — live streaming notifications from what some call citizen media, or the influencer network, or the loyal opposition. That last one refers to the decline in trust of the mainstream media. Maybe it’s just me, but the cable model of host-driven cyclical repetition of the headlines, talking heads, and medical ads adds up to a trip first to the mute button and eventually the off switch. Which plugs me right back into the notification stream and a new contract with us based on whether we click on the link or even allow the notification in the first place.

And these new voices are networks of one or a few, broadcasting on a global reach pastiche of cloud services that begin with the ubiquity of Zoom and its click and you’re there ease of on boarding. Then there are the key networks of record as it were: Facebook Live, Twitter/Periscope, YouTube, and maybe LinkedIn if you’re Brent Leary and got an early invite. There’s a whole bunch of streaming accelerators like Restream and StreamYard and Just Streams (I made that up) to use software and a dash of hardware to do what it took many thousands of dollars and cables just a few years ago. Right now it’s early days, but soon you’ll be seeing something that looks like the media it’s replacing as the OG buys in.

Don’t believe me? Just look at how streaming has disrupted the television industry. Or the music business. Or the reemergence of podcasting and newsletters. Or how messaging is growing rapidly as a preferred digital commerce and marketing channel. The pandemic has certainly had a devastating effect with the loss of theaters, events, and travel that drive so much of our economy and the emotional underpinning of our lives. But as we learn to respect the power of the virus to force this digital wave of transformation, we fuel the winners that emerge from a new hybrid blend of evolution and adaptation.

Technology has often been seen as impersonal and cold to the touch. But now we should be making friends with robots for touchless shopping, At the beginning of this Gillmor Gang session, Frank Radice seemed stunned by the administration’s takeover of the symbols of our Washington monuments for political purposes. By the end, he seemed more hopeful of a different result. We have more ways now of making our voices heard, broadcasting our own names in fireworks above and beyond the fake news and suppression. Our platform: suppress the virus, not the vote.

__________________

The Gillmor Gang — Frank Radice, Michael Markman, Keith Teare, Denis Pombriant, Brent Leary, and Steve Gillmor. Recorded live Friday, August 28, 2020.

Produced and directed by Tina Chase Gillmor @tinagillmor

@fradice, @mickeleh, @denispombriant, @kteare, @brentleary, @stevegillmor, @gillmorgang

For more, subscribe to the Gillmor Gang Newsletter and join the notification feed here on Telegram.

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Facebook warns it will block Australian users and news organizations from sharing news stories on Facebook and Instagram if the ACCC's proposal passes (New York Times)

New York Times:
Facebook warns it will block Australian users and news organizations from sharing news stories on Facebook and Instagram if the ACCC's proposal passes  —  The move, a response to pressure to pay publishers when their stories are posted on the social network, could add to internet silos springing up around the world.



The Rise of Twinfluencers

Identical twin influencers are fetching millions of followers, brands say their uniqueness sets them apart in a wide pool of content creators https://ift.tt/3hOIA64 https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

UPSSSC Admit Card 2020 – Jr Asst Interview Call Letter Download

Uttar Pradesh Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UPSSSC) has released interview call letter for the post of Jr Asst. Candidates have to attend for interview from 15 to 23-09-2020.

Sunday, August 30, 2020

Last Tweet From Chadwick Boseman's Account Becomes Most Liked Ever

The last tweet posted from late actor Chadwick Boseman's Twitter account has now become the most-liked tweet ever with over 7.3 million likes and three million retweets. https://ift.tt/2QCV5WH

Mi Watch Revolve, Mi Band 5 Tipped to Launch in India Soon

Mi Watch Revolve is expected to be a rebranded model of the Mi Watch Color that was launched in China last year. This wearable will be the first smartwatch from Xiaomi to launch in the Indian market.... https://ift.tt/2QGHOwd

Paytm Mall Reportedly Hacked by Cybercrime Group 'John Wick'

Paytm Mall has been allegedly hacked according to risk intelligence platform Cyble. A known cybercrime group that calls themselves 'John Wick' was able to gain unrestricted access to Paytm... https://ift.tt/2GdWf91

Netflix Is Offering Free Access to Select Original Movies and Series

Netflix is offering limited free access to several original series and movies, including Stranger Things, Murder Mystery, Élite, Boss Baby: Back in Business, Bird Box, When They See Us, Love Is... https://ift.tt/3gIPHvF

TikTok Parent ByteDance Says Will Abide by New Chinese Export Rules

TikTok owner ByteDance said it will "strictly abide" by China's new export rules, which could potentially complicate a sale of the business as demanded by US President Donald Trump. https://ift.tt/3joUCDy

Huawei Focusing on Cloud Business That Has Access to US Chips: Report

Huawei is focusing on its budding cloud business, that still has access to US chips despite sanctions against the company, to secure its survival. https://ift.tt/3gIbmnQ

Huawei quits oldest sports sponsorship deal after 9 years

Chinese telecom giant Huawei announced it is ending its oldest major sporting sponsorship deal in the world when it ends its contract with Australian rugby league team Canberra Raiders after nine years, blaming a "continued negative business environment." https://ift.tt/3hHyKD2

Shares in telecom firm SoftBank Corp fall 3% as parent slashes stake

Shares in wireless carrier SoftBank Corp fell 3% on Monday after parent SoftBank Group Corp said it would sell up to 22% of the telco's shares, which could slash its holding in the carrier to 40%. https://ift.tt/2YOGdJa

Huawei focusing on cloud business which still has access to US chips: Report

Chinese telecoms equipment maker Huawei Technologies Co Ltd is focusing on its budding cloud business, which still has access to U.S. chips despite sanctions against the company, to secure its survival, the Financial Times newspaper reported. https://ift.tt/2EOmHp6

How to ensure your iPhone has the latest OS features

There are two ways to do that and in this how-to guide, we will tell you both the methods. https://ift.tt/2Eww8d5

Russia's finance minister says Russian companies have begun using bitcoin and other digital currencies in international payments to counter Western sanctions (Gleb Bryanski/Reuters)

Gleb Bryanski / Reuters : Russia's finance minister says Russian companies have begun using bitcoin and other digital currencies in i...