WSJ Tech News Briefing
Episodes
Apple Watch Gets Healthier
05 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With a new app from Apple enabling its smartwatch to test and track irregular heart rhythms, the Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle talks the company'...
Silicon Valley's 'Conservative' Problem
04 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
As tech companies in Silicon Valley seek to bolster diversity in their workplace, some employees say their politics are unwelcome in an industry domin...
Google Rethinking Nest; Amazon Alexa for Business
01 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Google is reportedly thinking of folding its Nest Labs home-automation unit back into the hardware team. Plus, Amazon.com has unveiled Alexa as a busi...
Snapchat Redesign; Domino's Tracking App
30 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Snapchat has redesigned its app to make it more user-friendly and less complicated. Plus, Domino's Pizza has a smartphone tracking app that lets users...
Waymo-Uber Trial Delayed; a Nike AR Scavenger Hunt
29 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
A federal judge has ordered a delay in a trial in which Google's Waymo unit has accused Uber of stealing trade secrets. Plus, Nike is using augmented ...
Pokemon Go Maker Gets a New Round of Financing
28 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Niantic, the maker of augmented reality hit Pokemon Go, has gotten 200 million dollars of new financing. Plus, Uber's delay in reporting a 2016 hack c...
Facebook to Alert Users Who Followed Russian Pages
27 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Wall Street Journal reporter Jack Nicas explains how Facebook intends to alert some of its users if they encountered pages created by Russian actors d...
Best Tech Gifts of 2017: WSJ's Favorite Gadgets
24 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
This holiday shopping season, don't just throw money at things because they're marked down. Instead, buy gifts that retain value. Personal technology ...
Uber Paid Hackers $100,000 to Delete Breached Data
23 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Wall Street Journal reporter Robert McMillan discusses a massive data breach that affected roughly 57 million Uber accounts last year and the unpreced...
Three Reasons to Stay Bullish on Tech
22 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Wall Street Journal reporter Chelsey Dulaney outlines three reasons Credit Suisse says investors should remain bullish on the tech sector, despite a m...
Uber Bets Big on Driverless Cars
21 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Volvo will produce 24,000 self-driving cars for Uber starting in 2019. The Wall Street Journal's Senior Reporter William Boston explains why the deal ...
Want Apple's HomePod For Holidays? Don't Hold Your Breath
20 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Apple pushed back the release of its HomePod smart speaker beyond Christmas, making it the latest new product from the company to miss its promised sh...
Google Picks Your Answers (Usually Gets Them Wrong)
17 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Going beyond search, Google has been promoting a single result over all others. The Wall Street Journal's Jack Nicas talks where things get complicate...
Uber: How Much Is It Worth Anyway?
16 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
SoftBank's shooting for a multibillion-dollar stake in Uber is raising the question of what the world's most valuable startup is actually worth. The W...
Amazon's New HQ: Where Could it Be?
15 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The Wall Street Journal used Amazon's general criteria and interviews with site-selection experts to come up with a list of potential locations for it...
Wal-Mart Takes on Amazon, Raises Online Prices
14 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In a bid to compete with Amazon.com, Wal-Mart wants to charge customers more to buy some products online than in stores -- part of the company's effor...
Snap: Hope For Growth? Or Just a Fad?
13 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
On the heels of Snap Inc.'s disappointing earnings report, Heard on the Street's Dan Gallagher talks whether investors are beginning to think Snapchat...
Overwhelmed By Facebook? Here's How to Fix Your Feed
10 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Overwhelmed by your Facebook feed? The Wall Street Journal's Katie Bindley talks how to simply your timeline from political rants, excessive ads, and ...
Waymo's Self-Driving Milepost: Robot Taxis
09 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Alphabet's Waymo takes a historic step forward in the development of fully driverless cars by unleashing the first fleet of robot vans on public roads...
Virtual Restaurants: Found in Apps (But Not on Maps)
08 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Digital food-delivery services like Grubhub are among the apps restaurateurs are using to launch and redefine dining -- without having to open an actu...
Amazon Snips Seller Prices: A New Holiday Price War?
07 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With Amazon quietly lowering prices by as much as 9% on goods from independent merchants, some say it could be starting a price war with other retail ...
Microsoft's HoloLens: A New Augmented Reality Strategy
06 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Microsoft is counting on its HoloLens augmented reality headset to catch on with companies first -- flipping the traditional tech script. The Wall Str...
iPhone X Debut: Living Up to the Hype?
03 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With the iPhone X debut, Apple aims to meet hype and demand for its anniversary smartphone which sports an edgy new screen, facial-recognition tech an...
Russian Influence on Social Media: What We Learned
03 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
On the heels of congressional hearings on how Russia may have used Facebook, Google and Twitter during the 2016 Election, many say recent disclosures ...
Apple's iPhone X Strategy Switches Up Preview Testing
02 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Apple departed from its traditional preview strategy for what it bills as its most important new iPhone in years -- giving early access to the iPhone ...
Tesla Sees Labor Pains With Model 3 Ramp Up
01 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The effort to build the first electric car for the masses could face resistance as Tesla CEO Elon Musk pushes his ambitious goals for the highly antic...
Bitcoin Hack: Is Your Computer Making Cryptocurrencies?
31 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Hackers are commandeering the horsepower of unwitting victims' computers to secretly generate cryptocurrencies -- hoping to cash in as the price of bi...
Apple's iPhone X: Is Demand Outpacing Supply?
30 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Apple's advanced sales for the iPhone X have caused early orders to push estimated shipment dates into December. Is demand outpacing supply? The Wall ...
Uber's New Lawsuit Alleges More Discrimination
27 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Still reeling from charges of sexism and sexual harassment by a former software engineer, Uber now faces a lawsuit from three engineers who say the ri...
Facebook: Mastering the AI Algorithm
26 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
As Artificial intelligence becomes Facebook's lifeblood, the social network's head of applied machine learning says humans are bound to understand Fac...
Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube Fight Off Russian Propaganda
25 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
RT, the Russian state news organization known as "the Kremlin's principal international propaganda outlet," uses Google's YouTube, Facebook and Twitte...
Amazon's New HQ: Which City Will It Be?
24 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With Amazon receiving at least 238 proposals from cities and regions across North America to host its second headquarters, the Wall Street Journal's L...
Lyft Raises $1 Billion Led by Alphabet
23 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Now that Lyft has raised $1 billion in funding led by a venture-capital fund of Google parent Alphabet, the Wall Street Journal's Greg Bensinger talks...
Alphabet: Creating 'Smart' Cities of the Future
20 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Sidewalk Labs, the city-building unit of Google's parent company Alphabet, plans to create a new "smart" neighborhood on Toronto's waterfront, committ...
Joanna Stern Quizzes Tech Execs at WSJ's D.Live
19 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
From Intel's CEO to the former head of DreamWorks, the Wall Street Journal's personal tech columnist Joanna Stern managed to "bump" into some of the b...
Is Competing With Netflix and Amazon Impossible?
18 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
At the WSJ D.Live conference in Laguna Beach, California, media mogul Barry Diller, chairman of IAC/InterActive, discusses what makes Netflix and Amaz...
Starbucks, Domino's Tackle Mobile-Ordering Problems
17 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Restaurant-chain apps like Starbucks and Domino's are reshaping a business once built on human interaction -- but these new systems don't always work ...
Amazon Bookstores: Hinting at Whole Foods' Future?
16 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With Amazon's "Amazon Books," prices aren't marked at stores and employees instruct shoppers to use their phones to scan a product for a price. The Wa...
To-Do List Apps: Tricks to Getting Digitally Organized
13 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
As reliance on to-do list apps becomes more common, Wall Street Journal reporter Chris Kornelis explains how we can get more out of them with the late...
Apple's Spielberg Deal: Shaking Up Video Streaming Wars?
12 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Apple has revealed it's betting on acclaimed director and producer Steven Spielberg for its first major foray into creating original video content. Th...
Google Finds Russia-Backed Ads on Platform
11 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
New details have surfaced about the Russian-linked entities that bought politically motivated ads on Google's platform. The Wall Street Journal's Jack...
Amazon's Second HQ: Bad News for Seattle?
10 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Amazon's move to establish a second corporate headquarters could be bad news for longtime home Seattle, which has benefited enormously from the compan...
Smart Vision: Chip Makers Add 'Brains' Alongside Cameras' Eyes
09 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
From lettuce production to augmented reality, tech companies are finding new uses for machines that can interpret and act on what they see. The Wall S...
Google Doubles Down With New Phones and Speakers
06 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
At an event this week at the SFJAZZ Center, Google said it's betting a new Pixel smartphone and home speaker will help crack the competitive market fo...
The Motiv Ring: Track Your Fitness ... With One Finger
05 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The Wall Street Journal's Geoffrey Fowler reviews the Motiv Ring, a wearable tech device that aims to blend in while it collects heart-rate data from ...
Tesla Misses Model 3 Production Goals. What Now?
04 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Tesla badly missed its goal of building 1,500 Model 3 cars in the third quarter, the first sign that the production ramp-up for the new sedan isn't go...
Why Apple Rival Samsung Wants the iPhone X to Win
03 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Upon Samsung standing to make billions supplying screens and chips for Apple's iPhone X, the Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle discusses the longtime...
Humans on Mars by 2024? Elon Musk Says Yes
02 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has unveiled plans to build the most powerful rocket ever and use it to launch a giant spacecraft to Mars -- potentially i...
Amazon's New Echos Bring Alexa Everywhere
29 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
This fall, Amazon is introducing a half-dozen new products to persuade families to put its virtual assistant Alexa in a lot more places throughout the...
What Can Stop Big Tech? The $3 Trillion Question
28 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
As governments often target big technology companies seen as too dominant in their respective spaces, the Wall Street Journal's Dan Gallagher explains...
White House Coding Education Wins Support From Silicon Valley
27 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With support from Silicon Valley and business leaders, President Donald Trump is boosting computer science training and coding in U.S. classrooms. The...
Microsoft Takes on IBM With 'Dynamics 365 AI Solutions'
26 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Microsoft plans to unveil its first product in a new line of software aimed at taking on IBM's Watson and other services in the growing market to appl...
Amazon Putting Whole Foods on Fast Track to Convention?
25 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Whole Foods will change the way companies can sell and market their products in its stores beginning next year -- one of the biggest moves yet in its ...
Ready For Apple Watch Series 3? There's Just One (Big) Problem
22 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With the new Apple Watch Series 3 with LTE on sale in stores Friday, Apple faces key issues with cell connectivity in its newest smartwatch. The Wall ...
Why You Need to Turn 'Two-Factor Authentication' On
21 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With "two-factor authentication" emerging as necessary added measure in our everyday cyber-lives, the Wall Street Journal's Personal Tech editor Wilso...
iPhone 8 Review: Worth the Upgrade?
20 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With no shortage of iPhone options to choose from this fall, the Wall Street Journal's Geoffrey Fowler talks why the iPhone 8 is the best model... to ...
Companies Go Old School to Fight New Cyber Threats
19 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
As cybersecurity threats become more volatile, companies are returning to tape as a medium for storing data as hackers get smarter about penetrating d...
High Tech's Chillier Relationship With Washington
18 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The high-tech industry enjoyed a cozy relationship with Washington under Barack Obama's presidency. But the Wall Street Journal's Byron Tau says that'...
Emmy Awards Pit Streaming Series Against Broadcast TV
15 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
'The Crown,' 'This Is Us' and 'Westworld' all will vie Sunday for Emmy awards. An open field and a rivalry between streaming series and broadcast TV h...
Cyber Extortion is the New Hacker Weapon
14 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With cyber extortion, hackers try to steal corporate secrets that they then threaten to make public if victims don't pay. The Wall Street Journal's Ro...
Google's Self-Driving Guru
13 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
John Krafcik is the head of Google's autonomous vehicle unit, Waymo. The Wall Street Journal's Tim Higgins says a big part of Krafcik's job is to be a...
Does Apple's New iPhone Equal $1 Trillion?
12 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Apple's market value has soared this year in anticipation of the new iPhone expected to be unveiled Tuesday. The Wall Street Journal's Dan Gallagher o...
Facebook's Billion-Dollar Video Push
11 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Facebook is reportedly willing to spend up to one billion dollars through next year on original video content. The Wall Street Journal's Deepa Seethar...
Amazon's New HQ: Coming Soon to a City Near You?
08 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Amazon has officially started its search for a second headquarters city in North America, with plans to employ up to 50,000 workers and spend up to $5...
Apple (Finally) Opens Up Thanks to Artificial Intelligence
07 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
As tech companies seek to woo A.I. talent in a discipline known for its openness, the battle for artificial-intelligence expertise is forcing Apple to...
Verizon Offers New Rewards -- With a Catch
06 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
A new Verizon rewards program, Verizon Up, is providing credits that subscribers can use for concert tickets, movie premieres and phone upgrades -- as...
Apple's iPhone 8 Event: The Final Countdown
05 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With Apple holding its annual product launch next week at its new headquarters, the tech giant formally sets the stage for the unveiling of the iPhone...
Amazon Seeks Man Power to Keep Alexa in Lead
04 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
As rivals Google and Apple work to improve their own digital products, Amazon is set to add a team of engineers to build new features for its virtual...
Amazon's Alexa to Join Forces With Microsoft's Cortana
01 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Microsoft and Amazon have announced plans to allow their voice-enabled digital assistants -- Cortana and Alexa -- to work together later this year. T...
Google Tells EU How Search Results Will Change
31 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Following orders to treat rival comparison-shopping services equally in its rankings, Alphabet's Google has officially sketched out how it plans to st...
Apple Spars With Hollywood Ahead of Apple TV Rollout
30 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
As Apple scrambles to strike deals with Hollywood studios to offer 4K definition films on the new Apple TV, the Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle tal...
Ask Not for Whom the Doorbell Tolls. They Won't Answer It.
29 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Some smartphone-carrying millennials and Gen Zers are so used to texting upon arrival that the sound of a ringing doorbell freaks them out. The Wall S...
Amazon's Whole Foods Price-Cuts Reignites Retail War
28 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Amazon will begin slashing prices on grocery staples at Whole Foods starting Monday, the first changes the online retailer plans for its $13.7 billion...
Samsung's Recall Shapes Galaxy Note 8
25 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Rather than cautiously go on the defensive, Samsung made a specific approach not to hold back with the new Galaxy Note 8. The Wall Street Journal's Br...
Electronic Arts, NFL Bet on Casual Esports Gamers
24 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Electronic Arts and the National Football League are teaming up to create an annual videogame tournament aimed at a new kind of esports competitor --...
Facial Recognition Tech: Unlocking All Devices With Your Face
23 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
As facial-recognition tech moves to mobile devices, the Wall Street Journal's Christopher Mims explains how using our faces to unlock devices could so...
HTC, Facebook Slash Prices. Can VR Go Mainstream Now?
22 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With HTC dropping the price of its Vive virtual-reality headset by $200, weeks after Facebook made a similar price cut for its Oculus Rift, Heard on t...
Ford Shifting Gears in Self-Driving Tech?
21 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Ford's new CEO says the auto maker is poised to rethink how customers are going to want to use self-driving vehicle technology. The Wall Street Journa...
How Facebook Ended Internal Forum Amid Cultural Struggles
18 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With a new report detailing how Facebook had to shut down an internal discussion group amid accusations of racist and sexist comments last year, the W...
Apple Goes Hollywood With $1 Billion War Chest
17 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With Apple setting a budget of roughly $1 billion to procure and produce original content over the next year, the Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle t...
Amazon Refunds Glasses Ahead of 'Great American Eclipse'
16 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
As demand increases ahead of "Great American Eclipse," Amazon has taken a stand to remove special viewers with unconfirmed safety standards. The Wall ...
How Facebook Gets Inside Peek at Rivals
15 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The Wall Street Journal's Deepa Seetharaman explains how Facebook uses a data-security app called Onavo to peek at its competition's user habits, and ...
Facebook's 'Watch' Courts Video Makers
14 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The Wall Street Journal's Alexandra Bruell breaks down what to expect from Facebook's new "Watch" video platform, and how the social media giant plans...
Amazon and Whole Foods: Culture Clash in the Making?
11 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Now that Amazon has moved to acquire Whole Foods for $13.7 billion, the e-commerce giant needs to figure out how deeply it should integrate with the g...
Will Netflix Feel the Heat When Disney Cuts Cord?
10 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With Disney set to launch its own subscription streaming service -- officially pulling all future movies from Netflix -- the Wall Street Journal's Eri...
The End of Typing: 'Next Billion' Users Lead the Way
09 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Tech companies like Alphabet and Apple are rethinking products amid a new wave of newcomers who avoid text and use voice activation and images to comm...
Mobile-Game Makers: Virtually Tapping on Your Shoulder
08 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Mobile-game makers frequently use common tactics that ping players, baiting them back in with rewards and special contests. The Wall Street Journal's ...
Can Next Apple Watch Break Us Free From Our iPhone?
07 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Apple plans to introduce a smartwatch this year with cellular network capability, marking the first step in liberating the device and possibly consume...
Why Tesla's Cash Could Burn in Production 'Hell'
07 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Tesla's version of production "hell" could mean the Silicon Valley car maker will run low on cash later this year as it starts on an ambitious plan to...
Google Co-Founder Enlisted Engineer For His Flying Car
04 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The latest in the legal fight between Uber and Alphabet over driverless-car trade secrets reveals Google co-founder Larry Page's flying-car startup en...
Tesla's Rough Road to Big Profits
04 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
While Tesla shareholders are betting on a profitable future, Heard on the Street's Charley Grant breaks down the costly challenges the electric-car ma...
Facebook's New Feature Drowns Out Fake News
03 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With the roll out of Facebook's new "related articles" feature, the Wall Street Journal's Deepa Seetharaman talks the social media giant's latest effo...
Amazon's Echo Look: Can a Robot Pick Out Your Outfit?
03 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With Amazon's camera-equipped Echo Look touting the use of AI to evaluate which outfits look best on you, the Wall Street Journal's Geoffrey Fowler ch...
Apple's Real Breakthrough Product? Services
02 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With services like App Store, iTunes and iCloud generating more than $27.8 billion in revenue in 12-month period, the Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mick...
GM Hires Jeep Hackers as Detroit Takes on Silicon Valley
02 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Upon GM hiring the two hackers who notoriously hacked into a Jeep made by Fiat Chrysler, the Wall Street Journal's Mike Colias talks how Detroit is lo...
HBO Hacked: Programming Leaked in Cyberattack
01 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
HBO is the latest entertainment company to be hacked and have its proprietary information, including some of its shows, stolen and leaked online. The ...
Is Apple Feeling Heat From Trump to Build Factories?
01 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Pressed by President Donald Trump, Apple suddenly faces new pressure to build factories in the U.S. The Wall Street Journal's Tripp Mickle has the det...
Tesla Model 3: The Test Drive
31 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Upon the release of its new Model 3 sedan, Tesla showed off details of the all-electric sedan's interior for the first time, allowing a roughly 10-min...
Are Amazon's Expansion Costs Taking a Toll?
31 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
With Amazon eking out its smallest quarterly profit in nearly two years, the Wall Street Journal's Laura Stevens talks the high cost of its increasing...
Model 3 Launch Event: Is Tesla Ready for Mainstream?
28 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Tesla's Elon Musk is set to take the stage Friday evening at an event to showcase the first deliveries of the sedan he hopes will help transform his n...