Welcome to this primary experimental version of This Week in Tech!
At Home windows Central, we cowl all issues Microsoft, Home windows, Floor, and Xbox, however there is a massive, bolder tech world on the market full of all types of cool devices and intriguing science breakthroughs that we regularly do not discover.
Whereas we do not wish to flood the positioning with matters that transcend our typical information beat, I believed I might take a weekly have a look at the most important tales of the week to let you understand what is going on on exterior of the Microsoft-o-sphere, whether or not it is superior new gadgets, area discoveries, cutting-edge tech, and past. Sooner or later, we might even bundle this as part of a e-newsletter for these of you preferring to get your information that manner, too.
In any case, let’s get the ball rolling. We have now a number of attention-grabbing tales this week, from robotic killer canines to Amazon Medicare.
Tesla ditches a ton of bitcoin, however hangs onto its doge
Elon Musk’s historic Tesla bitcoin funding from early 2021 has largely been liquidated, in a sell-off that can see Tesla claw again $936 million {dollars} from its preliminary $1.5 billion funding.
Elon Musk’s automobile producer, Tesla, revealed the sale in a quarterly assertion to buyers, the place it acknowledged the crash of the cryptocurrency’s worth had affected the agency’s profitability. At its peak, Bitcoin was buying and selling for nearly $70,000 {dollars}, however common market volatility multiplied by vitality costs and rising regulatory curiosity have contributed to a large-scale sell-off within the crypto market, with Bitcoin now buying and selling beneath $24,000 as of writing. As a part of statements to shareholders, Musk disclosed that he did not plan to promote any of the agency’s dogecoin, which is one other cryptocurrency typically pushed by Musk for its meme-worthiness.
Musk stated that the sell-off wasn’t an indictment of bitcoin or crypto basically, however as an alternative, it was as a result of want to spice up liquidity confronted with robust market situations, — notably in China, the place coronavirus lockdowns are ongoing. Nonetheless, Musk additionally stopped taking Bitcoin funds for Tesla merchandise final 12 months, over issues concerning the sustainability of cryptocurrency from an vitality use perspective.
What if robotic canines had weapons too?
Keep in mind the cutesy dancing Boston Dynamics dancing robotic Spot? The quadrupedal robotic with AI motion has fostered one thing of a renaissance for robotics, though they’re nonetheless in all probability a number of years out from being a standard sight on each avenue nook. The New York police division has been utilizing them in a legislation enforcement capability, nevertheless, resulting in comparisons to Robocop’s murderous ED-209 robotic.
Certainly, these nightmarish visions of killer terminator robots took a step additional in the direction of actuality this week, after this video went viral on social media. Reportedly the brainchild of Alexander Atamanov who’s constructing a hoverbike firm in Russia, this UnitreeYushu robotic “enjoyable” hackjob is unlikely to take arms on the sector of battle anytime quickly. Arms producers are undoubtedly salivating on the potential, although. Maybe we’re nearer to dwelling in The Matrix than any of us beforehand thought.
Amazon buys up One Medical well being clinic community
However hey, in case you do get shot by a robotic canine, maybe Amazon will probably be available to assist patch you up!
That is proper, as a part of Amazon’s on-going encroachment into healthcare, the agency introduced that it is buying One Medical (by way of Ars Technica) for a tidy $3.9 billion. One Medical is an 8,000-employee-strong well being clinic supplier, working in some 180 websites throughout the USA.
Amazon has been dabbling with healthcare provision for a number of years, most notably as a part of its Haven initiative, which fell aside after simply three years. Haven was an try by Amazon and its companions to “decrease prices” and enhance affected person outcomes, but it surely appears disrupting the entrenched U.S. healthcare system might show extra complicated than Amazon had beforehand anticipated.
In an interview with Enterprise Insider, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy beforehand expressed a want to carry elevated competitors to the U.S. healthcare system in an try to drive down prices and ready occasions. This enterprise enterprise with One Medical could also be a part of a broader play to get extra concerned within the area, though it stays wholly to be seen whether or not or not Amazon could make a severe dent. Mark Cuban of Shark Tank fame has been making headlines for his “Value Plus” inexpensive drugs operation in recent times, so maybe there’s room for some true disruption within the area. It stays to be seen whether or not most people has an urge for food for Jeff Bezos-brand healthcare, although.
Netflix loses 1 million subscribers, however shares rally
It has been a troublesome few months for streaming big Netflix, as competitors from Disney+, HBO Max, and Amazon Prime continues to mount.
In statements to shareholders, Netflix revealed it had misplaced one other 1 million subscribers for the Q2 interval between April and July. And whereas that will seem to be dangerous information, it was truly nowhere close to as dangerous because the agency anticipated, inflicting shares to rally from month-to-month lows of $172 all the way in which as much as $216 as of writing. Nonetheless, it pales compared to the place Netflix began out the 12 months, up over 600 factors. Netflix CEO Reed Hastings hailed “Stranger Issues” as the primary driver stopping customers from quitting.
2022 marked the primary 12 months within the firm’s historical past the place subscribers started to give up for different providers. Subscription fatigue could also be partially in charge, but additionally elevated competitors and the lack of many high-profile exhibits are additionally doubtless a part of the issue for the streaming big. Netflix has had restricted success diversifying its income streams, however this week it inked a cope with none aside from Microsoft to discover a brand new cheaper ad-based tier, with Microsoft turning into the unique accomplice for commercials and tech. The partnership even led to hypothesis that, ought to Netflix’s share value slide additional, they might angle for an exit or acquisition by Microsoft itself.
One other intriguing week in tech
I believed I might do an experiment with a brand new newsletter-type format on condition that we’re planning to ramp up on our e-newsletter choices within the coming weeks and months forward. Past Microsoft, Xbox, Floor, and Home windows, there is a massive vast tech world on the market that intersects with our favourite ecosystem. Whether or not it is synthetic intelligence, cryptocurrencies, cybersecurity, intriguing devices, or the huge reaches of outer area, I am planning to pay extra consideration to all issues cool and quirky on this weekly column.
If you would like to get entangled and share tales with us you suppose is likely to be a very good match, be at liberty to hit me up on Twitter @JezCorden, or bounce into the Home windows Central Discord and be part of the dialogue.
