Startups comms, essays on tech and five great links each week.
I run a weekly newsletter with five amusing links on technology, history, and culture.
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Recent Articles
How Twitter Changed Since Elon's Takeover
Twitter released old products and built some new ones yet became much more toxic and lost a lot of its appeal to me.
What The EU Should Have Done Instead of DMA
The Digital Markets Act is a far-reaching framework that can be used against any major company the EU holds a grudge against. It also effectively prohibits product improvements and vertical integration.
The United Internet is Collapsing
The internet is one of my favorite inventions of all time. When nobody was watching, it emerged as a global network without borders, but now the governments are bringing them back with force.
Why Arc is The Best Browser
Arc reinvented web browsing for the modern Internet. And I’m very thankful.
Can Markets Regulate Themselves?
Sometimes, governments regulate markets. And sometimes, market participants regulate themselves. The outcome can be surprisingly different; thankfully, we have several examples that can serve as case studies.
Why Execution Eats Ideas For Lunch
Most people tend to overvalue ideas and undervalue execution. In my experience, that holds even for many people in the tech industry. Yet it couldn’t have been further from the truth. Let me tell you about a product that allowed you to easily create and manage your own relational databases together with your team members. It’s not Airtable but their early competitor.
The Unsettling Battle Between Media and Technology
There’s a lot of antagonism between the media and tech. But most of it is produced by a small minority of people with outsized voices, so it doesn’t exactly reflect reality.
The Unstoppable EU and The Immovable Apple
Apple is hell-bent on standing its ground against any attempts to limit their control over the AppStore. As a result, they might see governments worldwide legislating their product experience, and the result will likely be far worse both for them and their users.
Why AI Doomerism is Flawed and Misguided
The Internet favors simple opinions, meaning we're stuck between AI dommers and e/acc people. And yet the most urgent and interesting questions relate not to its potential capacity to kill us all, but rather mundane things.
Communicating with Numbers
If you can find a figure that makes your business more appealing than competitors, you should run with it.
Does Blogging Even Work?
Blogging is still the most reliable way of broadcasting your thoughts without being at the whims of someone’s algorithm.
Why Superhuman Is Worth $30
I pay $30 a month for my email client. And I think it’s worth it because it’s excellent and there aren’t many alternatives, unfortunately.
Uber is Good, Actually
A conventional taxi is similar to a tourist-trap restaurant that you will never visit again. Uber leverages technology to become an arbiter between you and the collective of drivers so they can provide a better service.
Basecamp is a Contrarian Marketing Operation
Basecamp is well-known not because of its product but because its founders heavily leverage marketing and communications, eventually turning into contrarian marketing machines producing edgy posts and starting crusades just to get everyone’s attention.
Web Apps Are Better Than No Apps
There’s a certain community in tech that’s very vocal about their preference toward native apps. I share that sentiment, yet sometimes people take this idea too religiously. Unfortunately, the actual choice is about having an app or not, and I'd rather take something over nothing.
Sorry, But Google Meet Is Better Than Zoom
It seems that we're finally getting out of this weird period of collective gaslighting where people tried to convince everyone Zoom was the best conference app out there.
Finalist: A Simpler To-do App
Finalist is built for people who liked keeping all their tasks in Apple Notes but wanted it just a bit more structured.
Omnivore Review: An Underrated Read-Later App
I sometimes see people using Pocket, Instapaper, or Safari’s Reading List even though all of them have been practically abandoned and the first two definitely don’t deserve a subscription. I reviewed Readwise Reader and Matter earlier, but they only work properly if you pay. It’s not for everyone, so I wanted to tell you about Omnivore, a rapidly-developed read-later app.
What Is Elon Musk
I’m a bit tired of how people let their existing opinion on Elon paint their entire image of him yet I myself struggle to define his actions.
I Wish Bear Hadn’t Wasted Years
Bear emerged as the flagship notes app, but then lost its lead because of technical debt. I doubt their latest update makes them competitive right now.
Facebook Went Meta, But Google Isn’t Alphabet
Google called itself Alphabet for corporate reporting purposes, Facebook rebranded to Meta because their business had changed.
Why Privacy Is Overrated
I’m not against privacy, and I understand why people might not want someone to track web pages or apps they use. But it’s important to remember that there’s a trade-off and be prepared for the outcome.
The PR Flywheel: What It Can And Can’t Do For Your Business
People often think that PR and communications alone can help them achieve their goals and end up surprised when it doesn’t move the needle as much as they wanted. In fact, it’s a bit more complicated. PR is only a part of the virtuous circle.
You Can't Work On An iPad
Modern iPads are marvelous machines. But their software is too limited and unrealiable for them to replace your computer despite over a decade of innovation.
Why Algorithmic Feeds Can Be Good
People like to say they prefer chronological feeds to algorithmic ones. The actual problem is we rarely see good algorithms built to help us and not drive engagement. But I’d love to see a social network giving me tools to catch up on the people I care about.
Why Micropayments Don’t Work And People Hate Paywalls
Customers want micropayments but they're a bad option for news organizations. What they should do instead is provide us with better paywalls.
Touch the Glass: Finding a Better Home for Your Photos
The painful journey of photographers looking to find the best avenue to post their photos online and the lock-in exacerbated by subscriptions.
