Media & Entertainment

Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) kicked off on Monday with a keynote showing off new operating systems for all of its hardware. Here's everything you need to know. Continue Reading →

The NFT marketplace peaked on May 3, when $102 million worth were sold in a single day. Crypto-collectibles accounted for $100 million of those sales, but according to data analyzed by Protos, just $19.4 million in NFT sales (including $9.2 million in crypto-collectibles) were processed in the past week: a near-90% collapse from the market's peak just one month ago. Continue Reading →

If you have an Alexa-enabled device or any Amazon device that is Amazon Sidewalk-capable, you are automatically opted in to sharing up to 80Kbps (capped at 500MB per month) of your WiFi network with Amazon and your neighbors. After I tell you how to opt-out, I'll tell you what it is and why Amazon thinks it's a good idea. If you want to use the service and lend part of your WiFi network to Jeff Bezos, you don't need to do anything. You are opted-in unless you do the following. Continue Reading →

Amazon will buy MGM for $8.45 billion. This is not a surprise, as MGM has been for sale for quite some time, and secrets about this purchase were not well-kept. Continue Reading →

The big star of the television upfronts, an ancient artifact of a marketplace where big television networks pre-sell advertising to big advertisers, was… wait for it… ad-supported streaming services. You say you like your ad-free streams, you can keep them. If you want "free" streams, try AVOD (advertising video on demand). Continue Reading →

There have been rumors about Amazon (and pretty much every other big tech firm) kicking the tires at MGM for quite a while, but Variety is reporting that "Amazon’s interest in acquiring MGM has taken on a new tenor beyond the usual rumor mill. The deal is said to be being orchestrated by Mike Hopkins, senior VP of Amazon Studios and Prime Video, directly with MGM board chairman Kevin Ulrich, whose Anchorage Capital is a major MGM shareholder." Continue Reading →

Unsurprisingly, AT&T has figured out that it has no business being in the content business. It plans to merge its WarnerMedia business with Discovery. David Zaslav will head the newco. Continue Reading →

As she approached the entrance to the club, she gave the frame of her new prescription AR glasses a gentle squeeze. When she got to the door, it appeared to turn green, indicating recognition that she was over 21 years of age. Then, a message appeared along with a friendly voice asking for the 5 ADA cover charge. She shook her head yes. A moment later, the door opened, which indicated that the transaction had cleared. And so begins a story about life in a trustless, decentralized world − a tale from under the Merkle tree. Continue Reading →

I am pleased to announce a new Mark Cuban company that, once again, is both on trend and perfectly timed. NBA Low Shot, which you will find at nbalowshot.com, offers GIFs of the worst moments from NBA history as fake NFTs that you can pretend to own. Importantly, a GIF you download from NBA Low Shot is indistinguishable from a GIF you'd download that is tied to an NFT. Continue Reading →

From a financial perspective, the pandemic has hit the creator class hard. With the usual venues for live performances and exhibitions closed, artists, musicians, singers, actors, and creators of every description have been forced to fend for themselves. But something very new, and kind of amazing, has happened over the past year. The result may be the emergence of a first-time-ever, self-sufficient, profitable creator class. Continue Reading →