Exponent
By Ben Thompson / James Allworth
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Description
Exponent, a production of Stratechery.com, is hosted by Ben Thompson and James Allworth. In this program we seek to explore the massive effect technology is having not just on technology companies, but also on society as a whole. Ben Thompson is the author of Stratechery, a blog about the business and strategy of technology. James Allworth is the co-author with Clay Christensen of "How Will You Measure Your Life" and a writer for the Harvard Business Review. Visit the website at http://exponent.fm for show notes and to subscribe. To see old Stratechery.FM episodes, please visit http://stratechery.fm
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1 |
Episode 148 — Facebook Fatigue | Ben and James discuss Mark Zuckerberg’s appearances before Congress, and try to sort out exactly which Facebook issues matter, and which don’t. Presented by WordPress.com: Get 15% off on a new site by visiting WordPress.com/Exponent. | 4/13/2018 | Free | View in iTunes |
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2 |
Episode 147 — There’s Always a Bigger Fish | Ben and James discuss Microsoft’s reorganization, how Satya Nadella has managed the decline of Windows, and how it applies to Apple and services. Presented by WordPress.com: Get 15% off on a new site by visiting WordPress.com/Exponent. | 4/6/2018 | Free | View in iTunes |
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3 |
Episode 146 — Facebook’s Real Mistake | Ben and James discuss Facebook’s current crisis, and why almost everyone misunderstands what the company did wrong: the problem isn’t advertising, it was Facebook’s desire to be a platform. Presented by WordPress. | 3/23/2018 | Free | View in iTunes |
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4 |
Episode 145 — Qualcomm, Patents, and Innovation | Ben and James discuss President Trump’s intervention in Broadcom’s takeover of Qualcomm, the problem with patents, and whether or not markets inherently overvalue short-term thinking. Presented by WordPress. | 3/16/2018 | Free | View in iTunes |
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5 |
Episode 144 — 90s Alt Forever | Ben and James discuss Spotify’s F-1, why Spotify isn’t Netflix, and why record companies are doing well even though they are acting sub-optimally. Presented by WordPress.com: Get 15% off on a new site by visiting WordPress.com/Exponent. | 3/9/2018 | Free | View in iTunes |
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6 |
Episode 143 — Dilly-Dallying Dropbox | Ben and James discuss Dropbox’s S-1 and why the company is a success but still a disappointment. Plus, why companies should go public sooner. Presented by WordPress.com: Get 15% off on a new site by visiting WordPress.com/Exponent. | 3/2/2018 | Free | View in iTunes |
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7 |
Episode 142 (Updated) — Google and Antitrust | Ben and James discuss Google’s recent moves around blocking ads and promoting AMP and whether they raise antitrust questions. Plus, why Microsoft couldn’t have stopped Google, and why cryptocurrencies are aggregator kryptonite. | 2/23/2018 | Free | View in iTunes |
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8 |
Episode 141 — The Mailbag Episode | Ben and James answer reader questions. Topics include business school, career advice, the nature of strategy, creating the next Silicon Valley, and how governments should deal with the disruptions caused by the Internet. Presented by WordPress. | 2/16/2018 | Free | View in iTunes |
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9 |
Episode 140 — The Products They Built Along the Way | Ben and James discuss Apple’s strategy of monetizing its customer base, how that explains HomePod, and whether or not it is a problem. Presented by WordPress.com: Get 15% off on a new site by visiting WordPress.com/Exponent. | 2/9/2018 | Free | View in iTunes |
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10 |
Episode 139 — Amazon and Health Care | Ben and James discuss Amazon’s health care announcement and why the industry is so challenging. Presented by WordPress.com: Get 15% off on a new site by visiting WordPress.com/Exponent. Links Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase & Co. | 2/2/2018 | Free | View in iTunes |
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11 |
Episode 138 — A Moat Too Far | Ben and James discuss Amazon Go and what it says about the economics of tech and how Amazon is building multiple monopolies. Presented by WordPress.com: Get 15% off on a new site by visiting WordPress.com/Exponent. | 1/27/2018 | Free | View in iTunes |
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12 |
Episode 137 — Addicted to Facebook | Ben and James discuss Facebook’s algorithm change, the difference between Facebook and Snapchat, and what the company’s motivations might be. Presented by WordPress.com: Get 15% off on a new site by visiting WordPress.com/Exponent. | 1/19/2018 | Free | View in iTunes |
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13 |
Episode 136 — It’s All 1s and 0s | Ben and James discuss the Meltdown and Spectre bugs and what they say about processors, technology, and even society. Presented by WordPress.com: Get 15% off on a new site by visiting WordPress.com/Exponent. Links Ben Thompson: Meltdown, Spectre, | 1/12/2018 | Free | View in iTunes |
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14 |
Episode 135 — Two Is Better Than One | Ben and James discuss Disney’s recent history, its acquisition of Fox, Netflix’s power, and why more and more policy decisions are about choosing the worst of two options. Note: This episode was recorded on Monday, December 18, 2017. | 12/22/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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15 |
Episode 134 — Human Problems | Ben and James discuss why effective content moderation is so hard, how it can be done, and why it sometimes shouldn’t be. Plus, how tech optimists and tech critics make the exact same mistake. Presented by WordPress. | 12/8/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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16 |
Episode 133 — Two Terrible Options | Ben and James discuss the net neutrality debate and why both sides of the issue at hand involve making difficult tradeoffs; the bigger problem is broken governance. Please listen to the end! Presented by WordPress. | 12/2/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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17 |
Episode 132 — Successful Disappointments | Ben and James discuss IPOs, including those of Stitch Fix, SendGrid, and Blue Apron, and the importance of understanding what type of company you are. Presented by WordPress.com: Get 15% off on a new site by visiting WordPress.com/Exponent. | 11/17/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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18 |
Episode 131 — Head-on is Hard | Ben and James break down the differences between new market and low end disruption and how they apply — or don’t — to Apple and the iPhone. Links Ben Thompson: Apple at Its Best — Stratechery Apple’s iPhone X Parts Cost $115 More Than iPhone 8 | 11/10/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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19 |
Episode 130 — The 50,000 Foot View | Ben and James walk through the history of Stratechery to explain why Facebook is inescapable for a podcast about tech and society. Links Ben Thompson: Tech Goes to Washington — Stratechery John Gruber: Blackberry vs. | 11/3/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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20 |
Episode 129 — The Disruption Antidote | Ben and James discuss why acquisitions should be the focus of tech regulators in the context of Facebook buying tbh today, and Instagram and WhatsApp previously. Links Ben Thompson: Why Facebook Shouldn’t Be Allowed to Buy TBH — Stratechery Marco Ar | 10/27/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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21 |
Episode 128 — Counterfactuals | Ben and James discuss the structure that leads to gatekeepers and abusers like Harvey Weinstein, and why it is so dangerous to accept as fact that the world was better before the Internet. Links Ben Thompson: Goodbye Gatekeepers — Stratechery Ben Thom | 10/20/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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22 |
Episode 127 — The Worst-Case Scenario | Ben and James discuss Facebook and where both its critics and executives go wrong. It’s time for everyone to consider the worst-case scenarios. NOTE: We unfortunately had significant audio issues this week on both sides (which, by the way, | 10/13/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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23 |
Episode 126 — Getting to the Future Faster | Ben and James discuss the development of theory, why blogs have disrupted books, and why too many in tech are too pessimistic about humanity. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: Defining Aggregators — Stratechery Ben Thompson: Aggregation Theor | 9/29/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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24 |
Episode 125 — The Super-Aggregators | Ben and James discuss the different levels of aggregation, Facebook and Russian ads, and why it’s worth defending the future. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: The Super-Aggregators and the Russians — Stratechery Facebook Enabled Advertiser | 9/22/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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25 |
Episode 124 — The Watch, The Phone, The Beatles | Ben and James discuss Apple’s the cellular Apple Watch, the iPhone X and 8 markets, and whether the opening was over-the-top. Presented by MailChimp Links Episode 018: Agree to Disagree — Exponent Ben Thompson: The Lessons and Questions of the iPhon | 9/15/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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26 |
Episode 123 — There Is No Going Back | Ben and James discuss the why it is Ben can’t stop talking about Aggregation Theory, and the future of regulation. Presented by MailChimp Links Episode 016: Naked People (James first trip to Burning Man) — Exponent Ben Thompson: Everything is Chang | 9/8/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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27 |
Episode 122 — From Intel to Disney | Ben and James discuss the Theory of the Conservation of Attractive Profits, Intel, Netflix, and how it all applies to Disney. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: Disney’s Choice — Stratechery Ben Thompson: Disney Follow-up — Stratechery Dai | 8/26/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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28 |
Episode 121 — The Uber Mutation | Ben and James discuss Benchmark’s lawsuit against Uber and Cloudfare’s ban of Daily Stormer. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: The Uber Dilemma — Stratechery Ben Thompson: Venture Capital and the Internet’s Impact — Stratechery Ben T | 8/18/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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29 |
Episode 120 — Google, Antitrust, and Aggregation Theory | Ben and James discuss the European Commission’s antitrust ruling against Google and the challenges of antitrust in a world governed by Aggregation Theory. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: Ends, Means, | 6/30/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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30 |
Episode 119 — Amazon and Avocados | Ben and James discuss Amazon’s acquisition of Whole Foods, when acquisitions make sense, and the potential future of antitrust law. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: Amazon’s New Customer — Stratechery Ben Thompson: Acquisitions and Netwo | 6/23/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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31 |
Episode 118 — Podcasting and Centralization | Ben and James discuss the business of podcasting specifically and advertising generally, and why Apple’s recent changes will have less of an effect than people think. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: Podcasts, Analytics, | 6/16/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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32 |
Episode 117 — Fruitful Clapping | Ben and James discuss Apple’s WWDC keynote, playing to your strengths, and privacy that matters. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: Apple’s Strengths and Weaknesses — Stratechery IAMA Foxconn insider with information on next 12 months of | 6/9/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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33 |
Episode 116 — Blockchain Beauty Contest | Ben and James discuss myths, culture, and blockchains — and yes, bubbles. NOTE: The original version had a corrupted file. Our apologies. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: Tulips, Myths, and Cryptocurrencies — Stratechery Abhishek Chakravar | 5/26/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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34 |
Episode 115 — Business Matters | Ben and James discuss Google I/O, the importance of business relative to technology, and why Uber is in trouble. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: Boring Google — Stratechery Ben Thompson: Google’s Go-to-Market — Stratechery How Uber and | 5/19/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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35 |
Episode 114 — The Job of Local News | Ben and James discuss why figuring out a new model means abandoning the old, this time in the context of newspapers and news. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: The Local News Business Model — Stratechery Jim Rutenberg: Ad Buyers Have a Say in | 5/12/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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36 |
Episode 113 — WeChat, China, and Apple | Ben and James discuss how leverage shifts in a value chain, why WeChat is so powerful in China, and why that is a problem for Apple. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: Apple’s China Problem — Stratechery Ben Thompson: Messaging: Mobile’s | 5/5/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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37 |
Episode 112 — It’s Complicated | Ben and James discuss whether or not monopolies are good, the differences between education and healthcare, and how to build an economy of the future. Presented by MailChimp Links Episode 012: The Internet Rainforest — Exponent Episode 005: The World | 4/28/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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38 |
Episode 111 — Lamentation Not Condemnation | Ben and James discuss what it means if Facebook is a monopoly, what is lost if it is, and why there isn’t anything that can be done about it — for now. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: The Facebook Epoch — Stratechery Ben Thompson: Face | 4/21/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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39 |
Episode 110 — Moral Hazard | James and Ben discuss moral hazard and what seems to be going wrong with the U.S. economy, the different kinds of regulation, and how the App Store explains government policy. Presented by MailChimp Links James Allworth: Prioritizing Economics is Cripp. | 4/14/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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40 |
Episode 109 — Screw-ups Are Fun! | Ben and James discuss Apple’s Mac Pro screw-up and what it might say about the company and its culture. Presented by MailChimp Links John Gruber: The Mac Pro Lives — Daring Fireball Jay Yarow: Phil Schiller on Apple’s Ad Agency in an Email — Bus | 4/7/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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41 |
Episode 108 — Statistics Gone Wild | Ben and James discuss the meaning of artificial intelligence, whether machine learning qualifies, and a platform for dealing with the impact. Presented by MailChimp Links Chris Dixon: How Aristotle Created the Computer — The Atlantic Ben Thompson: The | 3/31/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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42 |
Episode 107 — Smiling Curves and Self-Driving Cars | Ben and James discuss the concept of The Smiling Curve and how it applies to various industries. Then, where value might be found in self-driving cars, and why both Uber and Google are getting it wrong. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: Aggreg. | 3/24/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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43 |
Episode 106 — To Be an Outlaw | Ben and James discuss Uber’s recent scandals, and debate whether the company’s business actions can be separated from its culture. Presented by MailChimp Links Susan Fowler Rigetti: Reflecting on One Very, Very Strange Year at Uber — SusanJFowler. | 3/10/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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44 |
Episode 105 — The Most Political | Ben and James discuss Mark Zuckerberg’s manifesto, the problem with regulation, and why Facebook needs exactly that. Presented by MailChimp Links Mark Zuckerberg: Building Global Community — Facebook Ben Thompson: Manifestos and Monopolies — Stra | 2/24/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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45 |
Episode 104 — Snap’s Gingerbread Strategy | Ben and James compare Snap and Facebook to Apple and Microsoft, and worry that Snap’s business is misaligned. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: Snap’s Apple Strategy — Stratechery Ben Thompson: The Truth About Windows Versus the Mac — S | 2/17/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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46 |
Episode 103 — Dull Knives Don’t Cut | Ben and James discuss what kind of politicians and products cut through in the Internet age, and why they are profoundly different than what worked before. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: Inspired Media — Stratechery Ben Thompson: The Voter | 2/3/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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47 |
Episode 102 — Snakes and Ladders | Ben and James discuss the history of messaging apps, the rise of Snapchat, and why Instagram Stories was such a brilliant move. NOTE: The original audio file had a problem at the 36:50 mark; if you encounter this, | 1/27/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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48 |
Episode 101 — TV is the Oak Tree | Ben and James discuss why different types of media have responded to the Internet with varying degrees of success. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: The Great Unbundling — Stratechery Chris Dixon: How Bundling Benefits Sellers and Buyers — | 1/20/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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49 |
Episode 100 — The Anniversary Episode: iPhone and Exponent | Ben and James celebrate two milestones: 10 years for the iPhone, and 100 episodes for Exponent. This is a good one: it in many respects summarizes the entire run of both Exponent and Stratechery. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: The Ten Year . | 1/13/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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50 |
Episode 099 — Fate Has a Sense of Irony | Ben and James discuss Amazon Alexa and the history of operating systems Presented by MailChimp Links Is That an Echo? — Exponent Episode 070 Ben Thompson — The Amazon Tax We Have Always Been at War with Amazon — Exponent Episode 081 Ben Thompson: | 1/6/2017 | Free | View in iTunes |
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51 |
Episode 098 — Shattered Glass | Ben and James discuss real estate and Opendoor, and the types of startups that will succeed in the future. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: Opendoor: A Startup Worth Emulating — Stratechery Ben Thompson: Zillow Acquires Trulia — Stratecher | 12/16/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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52 |
Episode 097 — Google Versus AWS | Ben and James discuss cloud computing and why Google fell behind AWS, and how the company is taking a very wise strategy in catching up. Note: Due to a recording error Ben’s track quality is poor. Our apologies. | 12/2/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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53 |
Episode 096 — Sins of Commission and Omission | Ben and James discuss the fake news epidemic on Facebook, from its structural causes to its effects. Then, Facebook committed sins of omission; the tech industry ought not do the same. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: Fake News — Stratechery | 11/18/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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54 |
Episode 095 — The Backlash Has Arrived | Ben and James discuss the Trump election, filter bubbles, and the responsibility of the tech industry. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: Donald Trump is the President-Elect, Tech Under Trump, The Big Picture — Stratechery Daily Update Episode | 11/11/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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55 |
Episode 094 — Should Apple Buy Netflix? | Ben and James discuss when acquisitions make sense, why Apple shouldn’t buy Tesla, and debate whether they should or should not buy Netflix. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: Apple Should Buy Netflix — Stratechery Ben Thompson: Why Apple Sh | 11/4/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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56 |
Episode 093 — The Disruption of Everything | Ben and James discuss the difference between the IT era and the Internet Revolution, first in the context of newspapers and then in the context of society broadly. Presented by MailChimp Links Jack Shafer: What If the Newspaper Industry Made a Colossal. | 10/21/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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57 |
Episode 092 — Defining Consumerization of IT | Ben and James discuss what Consumerization of IT means in the context of Workplace by Facebook, Skype Teams, and Slack. Note: This podcast originally had a dead spot at the 8:13 mark. It has been fixed. To update please delete the podcast and re-downlo. | 10/14/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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58 |
Episode 091 — Google’s New Business Model | Ben and James discuss the history of Android and why Google’s new phone signifies such a profound shift for the company. Presented by MailChimp Links Farhad Manjoo: MailChimp and the Un-Silicon Valley Way to Make It as a Start-Up — The New York Ttim | 10/7/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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59 |
Episode 090 — Fashionable to Be Cynical | Ben and James follow-up on Facebook versus the media, and then dive into Spectacles and what makes for a compelling product. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: Facebook Tweetstorm — Twitter Ben Thompson: How the Snap Spectacles Story Broke, | 9/30/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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60 |
Episode 089 — Move On from the 80s | Ben and James discuss Oracle’s prospects in the crowd and how the Internet has changed the enterprise. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: Oracle’s Cloudy Future — Stratechery Ben Thompson: Is AWS a Commodity? | 9/23/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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61 |
Episode 088 — The Dark Side of the Facebook | Ben and James discuss Facebook’s latest run-in with the media: both are wrong but for different reasons. Presented by MailChimp Links Ben Thompson: Facebook Versus the Media — Stratechery Espen Egil Hansen: Dear Mark. | 9/16/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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62 |
Episode 087 — Meditations on Courage | Ben and James discuss James’ adventurous summer and the recent Apple event and what it says about the future of Apple. Presented by MailChimp Links Wolverine Misses Exponent — Twitter James Allworth: So You’re Thinking About Doing a 10 Day Silent | 9/9/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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63 |
Episode 086 — Following a Pokémon Off a Cliff | Ben and James discuss Facebook Live and Pokémon Go. Please note that this episode was podcast five days ago, on Saturday, July 16. Links Ben Thompson: A Technical Glitch — Stratechery The Laborers Who Keep Dick Pics and Beheadings Out of Your Faceboo | 7/21/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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64 |
Episode 085 — Ballots Versus Guillotines | Ben and James discuss why the sociopolitical factors underlying the Brexit vote and their relationship to technology and a system of the future. Links Ben Thompson: The Brexit Possibility — Stratechery Ben Thompson: TV Advertising’s Surprising Stren | 7/1/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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65 |
Episode 084 — The Old World Order | Ben and James discuss how the TV industry and the companies that advertise on TV are interconnected, and how they will rise and fall together. Links Ben Thompson: TV Advertising’s Surprising Strength — and Inevitable Fall — Stratechery Ben Thompso | 6/24/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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66 |
Episode 083 — Microsoft & LinkedIn versus Apple & WWDC | Ben and James discuss Microsoft’s acquisition of LinkedIn and Apple’s WWDC announcements, and figure out why they feel so differently about the two of them. Links James Allworth: Who’s going to be having sleepless nights after Microsoft’s Linked | 6/17/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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67 |
Episode 082 — A Podcast About Podcasts | Ben and James discuss the present and future of podcasts, and how media companies need to take a holistic approach to their businesses. Links Ben Thompson: The Future of Podcasts — Stratechery Ben Thompson: Why Web Pages Suck — Stratechery Ben Thomp | 6/10/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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68 |
Episode 081 — We Have Always Been at War with Amazon | Ben and James explain why Alexa is an even bigger deal than it seems, and why both Apple and Google should fear Amazon. Plus, why Microsoft’s challenges are only beginning. Links Ben Thompson: The Amazon Tax — Stratechery Ben Thompson: Jeff Bezos at | 6/3/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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69 |
Episode 080 — Multiple Full Circles | Ben and James discuss briefly revisit last week’s discussion on Facebook, then discuss the Peter Thiel versus Gawker affair, and the implications for tech broadly. Then, how culture helps and hurts at Facebook, Apple, Google, and Microsoft. | 5/27/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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70 |
Episode 079 — Twerk the Algorithm | Ben and James discuss the allegations that Facebook is censoring conservative news, and renew their ongoing debate about Facebook’s power. Then, why Google’s current situation is similar to Microsoft, even though the long-term looks good. | 5/20/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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71 |
Episode 078 — Bending Trees | Ben and James discuss how the world will change, how change happens in companies and society, and debate whether or not we have crossed the rubicon to a new world. Links Ben Thompson: Everything as a Service — Stratechery Ben Thompson: Friction — | 5/6/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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72 |
Episode 077 — Physical Goods | Ben and James follow-up on last week’s Apple services discussion and take a look at Apple’s earnings. Then a discussion of the European Commissions investigation of Google for antitrust, and a debate about how antitrust regulation needs to change, | 4/29/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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73 |
Episode 076 — Apple’s Organization and Services | Ben and James discuss the different types of organizational structures, the benefits Apple gains from having a unitary form, and whether or not the company should make changes to more effectively compete in services. | 4/22/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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74 |
Episode 075 — Baby Picture Bots | Ben and James discuss Facebook F8, how the company is trying to own both public and private social, and why Messenger is a good idea, but bots may not be. Links Twitter Has Outsized Influence, but It Doesn’t Drive Much Traffic for Most News Orgs, | 4/15/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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75 |
Episode 074 — Tesla Fervor | Ben and James discuss the Tesla phenomena, how they built such a powerful brand, and debate whether that will be enough to lead the company to success. Links Ben Thompson: It’s a Tesla — Stratechery Ben Thompson: Tesla Skepticism and Superchargers | 4/8/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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76 |
Episode 073 — Get Off My Lawn! | Ben and James discuss how Snapchat has built it’s product so effectively, the narcissist in all of us, and the structure of social around the world. Links Ben Thompson: Snapchat’s Ladder — Stratechery Ben Thompson: Old-Fashioned Snapchat — Strat | 4/1/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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77 |
Episode 072 — Low Hanging Fruit | Ben and James continue last week’s discussion about Apple’s struggles with the cloud, then discuss why the iPhone SE is such a brilliant move — and how those two things are related. Plus, an after-show about Microsoft and Intel and what makes for | 3/25/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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78 |
Episode 071 — Pickaxe Retailers | Ben and James discuss the connection between Amazon’s business model and organizational structure, why Dropbox shouldn’t have left AWS, and why Apple should buy Dropbox. Plus, does WeWork’s valuation make sense, and why such companies are exciting | 3/18/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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79 |
Episode 070 — Is That an Echo? | Ben and James discuss the Amazon Echo, Apple’s cloudy future, Google’s Missed Opportunity, and why Amazon has so much growth potential ahead of it. Links Ben Thompson: Why Uber Fights — Stratechery Ben Thompson: Amazon Echo Expands — Stratechery | 3/11/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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80 |
Episode 069 — Wrapped Around an Axle | Ben and James discuss how the aggregation of media led to a weakening of political parties, opening the door to unexpected candidates. Plus, why Facebook’s focus on engagement might be dangerous, and why diversity is important from day one. | 3/4/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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81 |
Episode 068 — Binary Backdoors | Ben and James discuss Apple versus the FBI. Links James Allworth: The U.S. has Gone F&*%ing Mad — Medium James Allworth: How the Apple/FBI Fight Risks the Whole U.S. Tech Industry — Harvard Business Review Ben Thompson: Apple, The FBI, | 2/26/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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82 |
Episode 067 — Weighing and Voting | Ben and James discuss the mistakes made by Zenefits, when to challenge regulation, and the problem with short-term thinking. This podcast was recorded before the Apple/FBI news broke; we currently plan to cover that next week. | 2/19/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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83 |
Episode 066 — You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know | Ben and James discuss winner-take-all dynamics and its implications for advertising, bubble talk, and venture capital. Plus, what Facebook and Marc Andreessen got wrong about Free Basics and India. This episode is sponsored by Wunder Capital. | 2/12/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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84 |
Episode 065 — Competing Against Non-Consumption | Ben and James discuss Apple earnings, Twitter’s troubles, and whether or not the Internet is over-rated. This episode is sponsored by Wealthfront. See recommended portfolios and get up to $15,000 managed for free by visiting Wealthfront.com/exponent. | 1/29/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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85 |
Episode 064 — Disrupting Trump | Ben and James discuss the Donald Trump and inequality, then FANG, Aggregation Theory, and Disruption. This episode is sponsored by Wealthfront. See recommended portfolios and get up to $15,000 managed for free by visiting Wealthfront.com/exponent. | 1/22/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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86 |
Episode 063 — Driving Into the Future | Ben and James discuss the future of cars and transportation. This episode is sponsored by Wealthfront. See recommended portfolios and get up to $15,000 managed for free by visiting Wealthfront.com/Exponent. | 1/15/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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87 |
Episode 062 — Give Some to Get Some | Ben and James discuss Paul Graham’s essay on inequality and the politics of technology. This episode is sponsored by Wealthfront. See recommended portfolios and get up to $15,000 managed for free by visiting Wealthfront.com/Exponent. | 1/8/2016 | Free | View in iTunes |
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88 |
Episode 061 — OpenAI and Strategy Credits | Ben and James discuss OpenAI’s new mission and what it says about capitalism. Or is it just a strategy credit that we are reading too much into? This episode is sponsored by Wealthfront. See recommended portfolios and get up to $15, | 12/18/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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89 |
Episode 060 — Beyond Disruption | Ben and James discuss when disruption theory is useful — and when it isn’t. Note: We apologize for some mic fuzz issues on this podcast. This episode is sponsored by Wealthfront. See recommended portfolios and get up to $15, | 12/4/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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90 |
Episode 059 — Fashion in PC Gaming | Ben and James discuss PC Gaming and the fascinating way in which it monetizes, leading to a wide-ranging discussion about how business has changed because of the Internet. This episode is sponsored by Wealthfront. | 11/20/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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91 |
Episode 058 — The Attention Market | Ben and James touch on Twitter’s new “Like” button before diving into what might be a new model for publishing. Then, a discussion of bundle economics and Stratechery’s future. Buckle up! This episode is sponsored by Wealthfront. | 11/6/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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92 |
Episode 057 — The User Experience | Ben and James discuss the importance of the user experience in not only avoiding disruption but also in building dominant companies. It’s a key component of Aggregation Theory This episode is sponsored by Wealthfront. | 10/30/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 056 — YouTube Red | Ben and James try to make sense of YouTube Red. Plus, why is Amazon responding to The New York Times now? This episode is sponsored by Wealthfront. See recommended portfolios and get up to $15,000 managed for free by visiting Wealthfront.com/Exponent. | 10/23/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 055 — AWS and Venture Capital | Ben and James discuss how cloud services have set the stage for fundamental changes in venture capital, just as they have in the enterprise. This episode is sponsored by Wealthfront. See recommended portfolios and get up to $15, | 10/16/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 054 — Check Facebook Time | NOTE: James’ mic developed a bad connection half-way through the podcast. We apologize for the audio fuzz. Ben and James make clear that they know pollution causes death, then discuss the future of brand advertising. Then, | 10/5/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 053 — Connect the Dots | We start with Volkswagen, then mortgages, then Ben’s time in Taiwan, and finally end with a critique of the Apple Watch. It all makes sense in the end. Hopefully. This episode is sponsored by Zendesk. Make your customer service seem like magic by buil | 9/27/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 052 — All About Ads | Ben and James briefly discuss ad-blockers, then admit it’s an academic debate and move on to the business of advertising and the far more profound shifts that are caused on the Internet and by new places on the Internet. | 9/20/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 051 — Segue | Ben and James discuss James’ sophomore experience at Burning Man, and then turn to the iPad Pro and its paucity of quality of applications. Just how much is Apple responsible? This episode is sponsored by Zendesk. | 9/13/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 050 — The Amazon of Podcasts | Ben and James discuss the New York Times exposé on Amazon’s work practices at its Seattle headquarters. What exactly was the story about, what questions are raised by it, and more importantly, what are the right answers for not just Amazon but societ | 9/6/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 049 — In Aggregate | Ben and James discuss the decision by the California Labor Commission that at least one Uber driver is an employee: will this affect the company’s valuation? More broadly, is this a good or a bad thing for society, | 6/20/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 048 — An Exhausting Week | In this week’s episode, Ben and James discuss Dick Costolo stepping down as CEO of Twitter, Apple’s seeming war on Google, and the concerning launch of Apple Music. Links Ben Thompson: Dick Costolo Out as Twitter CEO, Costolo’s Key Shortcoming, | 6/13/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 047 — Apple, Google, and Privacy | In this week’s episode, Ben and James briefly discuss Jony Ive’s promotion, the future of Apple, Google I/O, and Tim Cook’s speech on privacy. Links Ben Thompson: The Apple Car and Jony Ive — Stratechery Daily Update Ben Thompson: Google IO: And | 6/5/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 046 — Everything Has a Price | In this week’s episode, Ben and James discuss ad-blockers, both personal ones and the rumored carrier-implemented one, as well as Internet.org and the moral quandary that is the Internet. Links Ben Thompson: Carriers to Implement Ad-Blocking — Strat | 5/22/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 045 — It’s a Watch that Does Stuff | In this week’s episode, Ben finally has an Apple Watch: James has lots of questions about it. (And yes, we should have talked about Google Now.) Links Horace Dediu: The Battle for The Wrist — Asymco Ben Thompson: Mobile Makes Facebook Just an App; T | 5/15/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 044 — Up in the Clouds with Twitter | In this week’s episode Ben and James discuss why Twitter needs new leadership, its massive potential, and why Google probably should acquire it Links Ben Thompson: Twitter Needs New Leadership – Stratechery Ben Thompson: Twitter’s Marketing Proble | 4/30/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 043 – Project Fi and Facebook’s Feed | In this week’s episode Ben and James discuss the prospects for Google’s Project Fi as well as Facebook’s decision to change their News Feed algorithm Links Project Fi – Google Ben Thompson: Google Launches Project Fi – Stratechery Daily Update | 4/24/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 042 — Monopolizing Your Ears | In this week’s episode Ben and James thank John Siracusa then dive into the EU’s antitrust investigation of Google and discuss whether or not antitrust is more or less important in technology. Links John Siracusa: OS X Reviewed – Hypercritical Joh | 4/17/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 041 – Bubbles | In this week’s episode Ben and James discuss whether or not there is a bubble, as well as a bit on the Apple Watch. Please note this was recorded before the Apple Watch reviews were released. Links Ben Thompson: It’s Not 1999 – Stratechery The Uni | 4/10/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 040 – BuzzFeed and Amazon | In this week’s episode Ben and James discuss BuzzFeed in the context of the Brother Orange story, then talk about Amazon’s Dash Button and Home Services initiative, along with a dive into the technical details of Amazon’s balance sheet (sorry, | 4/3/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 039 – Lando Calrissian Publishers | In this week’s episode Ben and James follow up on last week’s episode, introduce the Toilet Bowl philosophy of career development, and then dive into the future of publishers in the world of Facebook. Due to some technical issues there is a rather a | 3/27/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 038 – Feeds and Speeds for Life | In this week’s episode Ben and James discuss why California is unique, diversity and inequality, James’ work on “How Will You Measure Your Life”, making decisions, and whether or not business school was worth it for us. Links Clayton Christensen | 3/20/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 037 – Apple Watch, Take Two | In this week’s episode Ben and James discuss the recent Apple Event, including the MacBook and Apple Watch Links Ben Thompson: Mobile First – Stratechery Ben Thompson: “Geeks are not just unqualified to explain the new MacBook, | 3/13/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 036 – Tradeoffs | In this week’s episode Ben and James discuss tradeoffs in the context of net neutrality, AT&T’s new gigabit service, and Lenovo’s Superfish debacle Note: when talking about the history of cable, Ben kept saying “companies” instead of “commun | 2/27/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 035 – Fascinating | We apologize for the late delivery of this podcast! In this week’s episode Ben and James discuss why Apple is so fascinating, why the Mac lost to Windows, debate whether or not Google should have open-sourced Android, | 2/16/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 034 – The Story of Stratechery | This is the story of Stratechery, presented with much sheepishness on Ben’s part. How Ben thought about the market, his business model, and more. We apologize that this is a little long and perhaps a bit choppy. It’s hard to talk about us! | 2/6/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 033 – Apple Fans and the Future | We discuss Apple’s recent results, why analysts get Apple wrong, the fraught nature of fans, epistemic closure, and whether the iPhone can continue to grow. Links Ben Thompson: Bad Assumptions – Stratechery Ben Thompson: Apple the Black Swan – Str | 1/30/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 032 – Follow-up and Frustration (Updated) | Note: I originally uploaded the wrong file. The correct file is 1:07 long, not 1:17. I am reposting this as many podcast clients download the file immediately. We briefly follow-up on last week’s copyright discussion, | 1/23/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 031 – Flabbergasted | James thinks the idea of copyright is outdated and should be abolished. Ben is, well, see the title. Hosts Ben Thompson, @monkbent, Stratechery James Allworth, @jamesallworth, Harvard Business Review Podcast Information Feed iTunes SoundCloud Twitter F. | 1/16/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 030 – Xiaomi | Ben and James discuss Xiaomi’s ambition to own the home, why we’re frustrated with patents, why the West is unfair to the developing world, and what makes China unique. Links Jordan Lewis: Exponent Bingo – Twitter Ben Thompson: Xiaomi’s Ambition | 1/9/2015 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 029 – Drones | Ben and James discuss the problems with drones, how they could be used for terrorism, and how you balance upside and downside. Links Felix Salmon: Whither Nanopublishing? – Medium James Allworth: Thinking Twice About Drones – Stratechery (Members-on | 12/19/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 028: Squirrel! | Ben and James discuss the recent App Store controversy and how a person – or company’s – greatest strength is also their greatest weakness. Plus a special 2nd recording about the Harvard business school professor and the Chinese restaurant. | 12/12/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 027 – Regulation, Stagnation, and Culture | Ben and James follow up on last week’s Uber discussion, talk about the problem with regulation, and worry about stagnation and the different cultures of Europe, America, and Asia. Links Nicole Campbell: What Was Said at the Uber Dinner – Huffington | 12/5/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 026: GROW GROW GROW FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT | Ben and James briefly discuss Ben’s belief in the Internet opportunity for content creators, and then dive in to the recent Uber controversy. Links Publishers and the Smiling Curve: Ben Thompson – Stratechery Differentiation and Value Capture in the | 11/21/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 025: Twitter and Taylor | Ben and James discuss Twitter and its strategic options, as well as YouTube’s new music service, Taylor Swift and Spotify, plus the special return of the garbage truck song. Links Twitter Sharpens Its Strategy to Win Over Investors – Wall Street Jou | 11/14/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 024: A Celebratory Goblet of Champagne | The idea for Exponent was hatched when Ben and James were arguing about Ben’s article What Clayton Christensen Got Wrong a year ago. In this episode, we finally reach a resolution to the question about how Apple escapes disruption. Plus, | 11/7/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 023: Apple Pay | In this week’s episode Ben and James discuss Apple Pay and its impact on retailers and banks. Links Glenn Fleishman: A Week of Apple Pay: Chips, PINs, and…signatures? – Six Colors Ben Thompson: The Problem with Payments – Stratechery Ben Thompso | 10/31/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 022: Peak Google, Monologue Edition | In this week’s episode Ben and James discuss Ben’s article “Peak Google” and the future of advertising. Links Ben Thompson: Peak Google – Stratechery Benedict Evans: The Irrelevance of Microsoft – Ben-Evans. | 10/24/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 021: Gamergate of Thrones | In this week’s episode Ben and James discuss why Ben thinks the Internet is totally overreacting to HBO’s announcement that they will sell subscriptions directly to customers, and then delve into what might be the underlying motivations behind Gamer | 10/17/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 020: I Want You to be Wrong | In this week’s episode Ben and James discuss the problems with Ello’s business model, James’ discomfort with Facebook, and why Social Networks always have ads. We also talk about incentives and something surprising Ben learned from the notorious E | 10/3/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 019: Me, Myself, and Minecraft | In this week’s episode Ben and James reflect about last week’s episode and the personal feedback that resulted, then move on to discuss why Minecraft is a big deal as well as a bit about Apple’s new focus on privacy. | 9/26/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 018: Agree to Disagree | In this week’s episode Ben explains why he has changed his mind about Apple Watch. James is not convinced. We go on for a while. Links Ben Thompson: What I Got Wrong About Apple Watch – Stratechery John Gruber: Apple Watch: Initial Thoughts and Obse | 9/19/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 017: Let’s End it There (Updated) | In this week’s episode we follow-up on Episode 15’s console discussion, and then dive into the Apple Watch introduction. We cover why we were disappointed in the presentation, and discuss the luxury market in Asia and why the Edition will cost thous | 9/12/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 017: Let’s End it There | In this week’s episode we follow-up on Episode 15’s console discussion, and then dive into the Apple Watch introduction. We cover why we were disappointed in the presentation, and discuss the luxury market in Asia and why the Edition will cost thous | 9/12/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 016: Naked People | In this week’s episode we discuss James’ first ever trip to Burning Man, ugliness in modern culture and on the Internet, the new divide in politics, and ultimately why we have hope for the future. Links Grover Norquist: My First Burning Man: Confess | 9/5/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 015: Consoles and Disruption | In this week’s episode we discuss whether or not consoles will be disrupted. This episode was recorded a week ago (immediately after last week’s episode), before Ben wrote his pieces Games and Good Enough and Games and New Market Disruption. | 8/29/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 014: The Rise of the Algorithm | In this week’s episode we spend a good bit of time revisiting the native ads discussion, then dive into the different ways that Twitter and Facebook have handled the news this week. From there we discuss Twitter’s timeline changes, | 8/22/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 013: BuzzFeed and Native Advertising | In this week’s episode we discuss feedback about Ben’s Android criticism, then dive into Andreessen Horowitz’s $50 million investment into BuzzFeed. Is there a real business here? We also discuss native advertising: Ben is quite a bit more optimis | 8/14/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 012: The Internet Rainforest | In this week’s episode we discuss how the Internet is enabling not only big winners, but also small, focused niche players, and why that’s exciting. We also discuss the impact this transition will have on society, | 8/7/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 011: Red Pill or Blue Pill? | In this episode we discuss this tweet of Ben’s: Apple has a monopoly on the iOS market. And monopolies are profitable. — Ben Thompson (@monkbent) July 25, 2014 We also discuss the news that OKCupid and Facebook are running tests on their users. | 8/2/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 010: Clap on Three | In this episode we discuss feedback about Uber and pricing, then discuss Ben’s recent articles on Microsoft and Apple/IBM. Ben Thompson: It’s Time to Split Up Microsoft – Stratechery Ben Thompson: Big Blue and Apple’s Soul – Stratechery (Note: | 7/24/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 009: The Societal Perspective | In this episode we first defend surge pricing before continuing our debate from last week: is society better off when corporations try to innovate, or would we be better off if we left the innovation to startups? | 7/10/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 008: Debating Disruption | In this episode we take on the validity of Disruption Theory in three parts: A discussion of Jill Lepore’s New Yorker article attacking disruption, as well as the debate that surrounded the article Ben’s article from last fall “What Clayton Christ | 6/25/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 007: “Growing Up” v “Hungry and Foolish” | There’s a bit of a consensus building post WWDC: Apple has grown up, and it’s great. But is it great? Is it possible that something essential has been lost? After all, a lot of the praise being heaped on Apple and Tim Cook was once used for another | 6/20/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 006: Product versus Profit | In this episode we discuss why James was less excited by WWDC than was Ben, why the Beats acquisition may actually be a textbook response to the Innovator’s Dilemma, whether Apple has every truly faced disruption, | 6/11/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 005: The World Has Changed | This episode surprised us; through a discussion of who is at fault in the latest series of new vs old-world spats, we realized that not only has the Internet fundamentally changed winners-and-losers, but also the very nature of economic competition and. | 5/28/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 004 – Technology and Politics | Are the recent debates on net neutrality, the protests of Google buses, even SOPA a sign of things to come? Building on Ben’s article The Net Neutrality Wake-up Call Ben and James discuss the intersection of technology and politics. | 5/20/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 003: Valiantly Defending Jobs | This episode is all about the (alleged) Apple Beats acquisition. While it may make a certain amount of business sense, does it signify a small but significant change in Apple’s priorities, and is it a cause for concern? | 5/14/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 002: The Missing Episode | This episode was actually recorded on February 18; however, due to circumstances, we had to hibernate Exponent and the episode was never actually edited and posted. Now that the show is back – for good this time – we wanted to post the “missing ep | 5/14/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
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Episode 001 – The Garbage Truck Song | In this, the first episode of the Exponent podcast, we talk about our background, Microsoft and disruption, and the meaning of culture. We also explore our goals for this podcast, and just a bit about Taiwanese garbage trucks. | 2/20/2014 | Free | View in iTunes |
| 149 Items |
Customer Reviews
Must listen.
Thoughtful and engaging. My new favorite tech related podcast.
Complements Stratechery Write-up
Huge fan of Ben T. Good to know James Allworth prespective....pushing Ben's further. Excellent conversation. Would love to see Benedict . Evans in this group.
Great if you like big picture discussions in tech
Insightful discussions on how big forces unleashed by technology are changing this word. Complements Horace Dediu’s Critical Path.
