2024, Dispatch #2
On Product & Business
Been a little bit busy in the last few weeks but here it is the second dispatch of 2024, highlighting the most interesting news that I found elsewhere.
OpenAI does video with Sora. Google releases Gemini 1.5 (and quickly finds issues with its model, The Verge) while Apple is probably getting closer to launch new AI stuff. Github link. The winner in this race? NVIDIA.
The Browser Company is also bringing AI to its main product - the Arc browser, to improve folder organization and search. And I couldn’t ask for anything better. The Verge.
The green tractor company John Deere is now officially a tech company with a Starlink partnership. Let me remind you that according to JD, tractors are not an asset owned by farmed but an asset of John Deere itself, suggesting to farmers that if they try to make any repair or update software without the consent of JD, that will cost them their warranty. Thankfully, some US states disagree. Why is this? Because John Deere now behaves as your typical tech company - “we will sell you expensive equipment but we can’t allow you to ruin it” - feels familiar, right?
23andme, a company that was once worth $6 billion, is now worth ~ $230 million. Wall Street Journal with paywall.
Also, remember Wish? A company that was once valued over $14bn was sold recently for $173 million cash. CNBC.
Continuing on this, remember the punkish-magazine-turned-media-empire Vice? Once valued over $5.7bn, it’s now closing its website and laying off most employees. CNN.
Adam Neumann, the man that was paid $430 million by SoftBank to leave the role of CEO of WeWork, is now looking to buy WeWork, the company that he founded and that was valued over $50bn at its peak and today has a market cap of $8 million and has filed for bankruptcy protection due Adam’s own practices - yes, you read that right. TechCrunch.
Outside Interests
How the Stanley Cup (not the NHL one) went viral. A New Yorker piece.
An Instagram account that showcases old (but gold) logos of Portuguese companies finally launched a physical notebook. Check if their still available.
Stripe is now bringing employees to its SF office by boat. TechCrunch.
Hasselblad launched a new camera. As always, it’s the perfect photo product.
Michelin Guide has now a standalone Portugal guide (contrary to the previous Portugal + Spain guide). Of course, the standards are still high and this meant that the number of restaurants awarded with Michelin stars didn’t really change that much. 1 new ⭐⭐ and 4 new ⭐. Mesa Marcada (in Portuguese).
