WSJ Tech News Briefing
1,165 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 2 years ago - ★★★★ - 1.2K ratingsTech News Briefing is your guide to what people in tech are talking about. Every weekday, we’ll bring you breaking tech news and scoops from the pros at the Wall Street Journal, insight into new innovations and policy debates, tips from our personal tech team, and exclusive interviews with movers and shakers in the industry.
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Episodes
How Some TikTok Stars Out-Earn Top CEOs
January 14, 2022 01:03 - 12 minutesThe highest-earning TikTok star made more last year than the average CEO of an S&P 500 company. WSJ reporter Joseph Pisani joins host Julie Chang to explain how those influencers are raking in the bucks and how big brands are looking to incorporate them into their business strategies. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What Apple’s Texting App Tells Us About Its Strategy to Attract Users
January 12, 2022 23:59 - 13 minutesThe must-have social network for teens is… iMessage? Apple has created an ecosystem on its iPhone that attracts more than 70% of young smartphone users in the U.S. WSJ reporter Tim Higgins joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss Apple’s strategy in reaching this point, and why competitors and lawmakers aren’t too happy about it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tech Giants Battle for Metaverse Workers
January 11, 2022 23:51 - 13 minutesBig tech companies have set their sights on building the metaverse as the next digital realm for work, play and shopping. But first they have to build it, and that is leading to intense competition for the top tech talent. Tech reporter Aaron Tilley joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tech to Locate Any Object, Unlock Car Doors, and Eliminate Passwords
January 11, 2022 00:20 - 14 minutesLocation technology is getting better and better … and ultra-wideband could soon make it easier to unlock doors, turn on smart devices and even limit the need for passwords. But first the companies developing this technology need to get over privacy hurdles. WSJ Tech Columnist Christopher Mims speaks with Tech News Briefing’s Julie Chang about how UWB could reshape how we interact with our devices. Zoe Thomas hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How Trump’s Social Media Ban Impacted Him, Platforms
January 09, 2022 22:05 - 14 minutesJanuary 8th marked one year since Twitter permanently banned former president Donald Trump from its platform. Other social media companies soon followed suit. WSJ tech reporter Georgia Wells joins host Julie Chang for a look back at the past year and explains how the companies and even Trump benefited from the ban. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The US Military's Battle Against Hobby Drones (Armed With Explosives)
January 07, 2022 00:14 - 13 minutesThe U.S. military’s newest and most-concerning tactical threat is cheap hobby drones rigged with explosives. WSJ’s Middle East correspondent Stephen Kalin joins host Julie Chang to explain why fighting back against the aerial gadgets has become a big battlefield problem, mostly in the Middle East, and a seemingly never ending cat-and-mouse game for troops. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
EVs Take Center Stage at CES Tech Show
January 06, 2022 08:00 - 14 minutesGeneral Motors, Chrysler and electronics giant Sony unveiled their visions for the future of electric cars at the tech conference CES. WSJ reporter Mike Colias joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss the designs, why more tech companies are eying the auto industry and what it means for the broader EV market. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
CES Kicks Off With Robot Tables, Smart Remotes And Self-Driving Boats
January 05, 2022 08:00 - 14 minutesThe annual consumer tech trade show CES opens to the public in Las Vegas on Wednesday. For decades, the event has been the place to reveal devices that may one day become staples in homes and offices. WSJ Personal Tech News Editor Shara Tibken joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss the most exciting trends and gadgets being revealed at this year's event. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
5G Showdown: Wireless Carriers Rebuff Air Regulators
January 04, 2022 08:00 - 13 minutesCellphone carriers plan to go ahead with the launch of 5G service this week despite federal transportation regulators’ concerns it could lead to disruptions in air travel. WSJ telecommunications reporter Drew FitzGerald joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss what the game of chicken could mean for cell service, travelers, and the airline and telecom industries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Theranos Founder Holmes Found Guilty on Four Counts in Fraud Trial
January 04, 2022 08:00 - 10 minutesIn a mixed verdict, Elizabeth Holmes, founder of defunct blood testing startup Theranos, has been found guilty of four of the 11 fraud and conspiracy charges against her. The verdict caps a remarkable fall for a darling of Silicon Valley investors. WSJ Reporter Sara Randazzo joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss what the verdict means for Holmes and the tech sector. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The New Tech Trends For 2022!
January 03, 2022 08:00 - 17 minutesAs 2022 kicks off, how will technology shape the coming year? Will robots, cheaper electric vehicles and drone deliveries change our lives? WSJ’s Tech Columnist Christopher Mims, Personal Tech Columnist Nicole Nguyen, and Senior Personal Tech Columnist Joanna Stern join host Zoe Thomas to discuss what new tech they are looking forward to getting their hands on. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Tonal CEO Bets on Fitness Personalization
December 30, 2021 08:00 - 10 minutesAly Orady, founder and CEO of fitness company Tonal, says artificial intelligence is better and safer than a human trainer. At the WSJ's Tech Live event, he spoke with host Zoe Thomas about personalized workouts, how the company uses customers' data and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The TikTok Spiral, Part 3: Escape the Algorithm
December 29, 2021 08:00 - 22 minutesWhen TikTok users start to feel that the videos being shown to them are harmful to their well-being, how easy is it to disengage? And what responsibility do authorities, from parents to governments to TikTok itself, have in keeping the platform safe? This is the final episode of Tech News Briefing’s special three-part series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The TikTok Spiral, Part 2: Stuck. Together.
December 28, 2021 08:00 - 25 minutesWhen it comes to TikTok videos that discuss mental health, eating disorders and self-harm, deciphering what is helpful and what is harmful can be hard for TikTok’s algorithm. And even when users share videos of their recovery, their posts can send others into spirals. So how do TikTokers try to help each other in this gray area? This is part two of Tech News Briefing’s special series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The TikTok Spiral, Part 1: Descent
December 27, 2021 08:00 - 20 minutesTikTok’s powerful algorithm is exceptionally good at engaging users. But what happens when the endless scroll on the app turns into a stream of potentially harmful content, including on starvation diets, self-harm and suicide? And why do users who say they didn't go looking for this type of content still see so much of it? This is the first part of Tech News Briefing’s special three-part series looking at the real-life impact of social-media spirals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit me...
Next Week: The TikTok Spiral
December 24, 2021 08:00 - 2 minutesStarting Monday, Tech News Briefing will be bringing you a special series on the potentially devastating impacts of social media, in particular TikTok. Over three episodes, we will look at how users can get trapped in a cycle of potentially damaging content, why it can be hard for TikTok’s algorithm to decipher what is helpful from what is harmful, and who has responsibility for keeping the platform safe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How NASA’s Webb Space Telescope Will See Into Deep Space
December 23, 2021 08:00 - 13 minutesAfter more than a decade of delays, the most powerful space telescope ever built is set to be launched this weekend. Once in action, the James Webb Space Telescope will replace the Hubble, which has been orbiting Earth for 30 years. WSJ science writer Robert Lee Hotz joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss how the new telescope works and why astronomers say it will be worth the wait. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Digital Tricks to Buy Hard-to-Get Items Online
December 22, 2021 08:00 - 12 minutesBots, Facebook groups, 3 a.m. notifications… There are various online tools available to help you sidestep this shopping season’s widespread supply-chain issues and scoop up the items you’re after. Reporter Ann-Marie Alcántara from the WSJ's Experience Report joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Oracle Wants to Buy Itself a Bigger Spot in the Cloud
December 21, 2021 08:00 - 13 minutesOracle said it would purchase electronic-medical-records company Cerner for roughly $28 billion. Medical data is one of the top drivers of growth for cloud computing, a space where Oracle is hoping to expand its market share. WSJ reporter Aaron Tilley joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss the deal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Could ‘Web 3.0’ Democratize the Internet?
December 20, 2021 08:00 - 13 minutesSome investors, engineers and tech dreamers are developing plans for what they hope will be a better version of the internet. In their vision, “Web 3.0” will be more democratic, rely less on big tech and allow anyone to monetize anything online. But not everyone shares that vision. WSJ tech columnist Christopher Mims joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How Computer Makers Aim to Cut E-Waste
December 17, 2021 08:00 - 11 minutesCompanies are working to develop "circular" manufacturing processes to reduce waste, bring down costs and make electronics easier to repair. But there are many challenges to making laptops and other devices fully recyclable. WSJ Pro Sustainable Business reporter Dieter Holger joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss how Dell is trying to make it work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hackers Backed by Foreign Governments See Opportunity With Log4j Bug
December 16, 2021 08:00 - 11 minutesA major software flaw has cybersecurity experts worried, and now Microsoft and some cybersecurity firms say they have found hackers tied to China and other governments working to exploit the bug. WSJ cybersecurity reporter Robert McMillan joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss who could be affected and for how long. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Space Industry's Banner Year: What Comes Next?
December 15, 2021 08:00 - 13 minutesThere have been more human space flights this year than any other, and private companies with paying customers are starting to make their mark on the industry. So what comes next for the space sector and humanity's ambitions among the stars? WSJ aerospace reporter Micah Maidenberg joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Facebook Shareholders Want More Power Following Investigations
December 14, 2021 08:00 - 13 minutesShareholders of Facebook parent Meta are calling for a range of changes to how the company operates, following revelations that internal research showed the company's platforms can be harmful to some users. WSJ reporter Emily Glazer joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss what investors want and how likely they are to succeed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Google's Plans for Artificial Intelligence Without Bias
December 13, 2021 08:00 - 13 minutesGoogle's VP of Engineering shares her thoughts on the challenges of developing responsible artificial intelligence and avoiding AI bias with WSJ Columnist Christopher Mims. Julie Chang hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Amazon Upends the Labor Market
December 10, 2021 08:00 - 12 minutesAmazon's growing need for warehouse workers means the company is dominating the hiring market. WSJ reporter Sebastian Herrera joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss the effect Amazon is having on low-skilled workers and the other companies competing to hire them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Musicians Turn to Data to Court Superfans
December 09, 2021 08:00 - 13 minutesThe pandemic opened up whole new ways for musicians and recording artists to collect data on their audience. Now they are using that data to connect with and sell things to their biggest fans. Music-industry reporter Anne Steele joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss the data that musicians are gathering and how it is reshaping the music industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Elon Musk on Federal EV Support, Telepathy and Reusable Rockets
December 08, 2021 08:00 - 14 minutesTesla CEO Elon Musk says the electric-vehicle market would be better off without government support or intervention. He spoke with the WSJ's Senior Personal Tech Columnist Joanna Stern at the WSJ's CEO Council Summit about a wide range of topics, from innovation and leadership to telepathy and reusable rockets. Zoe Thomas hosts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Your Data Is Worth a Lot. Should You Get a Cut?
December 07, 2021 08:00 - 12 minutesMost of us unknowingly give away our data for free every time we go online. But a growing number of startups want to help people better manage their personal information, and give them a cut of the profit when it's sold. WSJ reporter Patience Haggin joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss how these companies want to shake up the multibillion-dollar digital-ad industry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How Spies Are Adapting in a Tech-Filled World
December 06, 2021 08:00 - 14 minutesSurveillance cameras, biometrics and smartphone data all make it harder for spies to remain in the shadows. National-security reporter Warren Strobel joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss why technology is a blessing and a curse to spycraft, and how intelligence agencies like the CIA are adapting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nuclear Fusion: The Future of Energy or Just an Investor Fad?
December 03, 2021 08:00 - 13 minutesScientists have been working for decades to replicate the sun's nearly limitless energy on Earth through nuclear fusion. Now investors are pouring billions of dollars into startups working to make it happen on a commercial scale. WSJ energy reporter Jennifer Hiller joins host Zoe Thomas to explain why the holy grail of energy has been out of reach for so long, and why money for its development is pouring in now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How One South Korean App Is Helping Asia Embrace the Metaverse
December 02, 2021 08:00 - 14 minutesSoftBank is investing in Zepeto, a South Korean app popular with young women, where they can buy their 3-D avatars virtual versions of luxury fashion items. It's a sign that while the metaverse may not be fully here yet, opportunities for users and investors are starting to take shape. Wall Street Journal tech reporter Jiyoung Sohn joins WSJ Tech News Briefing host Zoe Thomas to discuss the app and why the Asian market may be faster at adopting apps for the metaverse. Learn more about your ad...
Tech Gifts Sold Out? We've Got Your Backup Plan
December 01, 2021 08:00 - 12 minutesThe perfect tech gift might not be easy to come by this holiday shopping season, thanks to supply-chain issues and shipping backlogs. WSJ personal-tech reporter Dalvin Brown joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss some last-minute tech gift alternatives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey Is Leaving. What Legacy Does He Leave Behind?
November 30, 2021 08:00 - 12 minutesTwitter co-founder Jack Dorsey is stepping down as CEO. WSJ Heard on the Street columnist Laura Forman joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss the reasons behind his departure and what it could mean for the company. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How NASA Plans to Defend Earth: Crash a Probe Into an Asteroid
November 29, 2021 08:00 - 14 minutesNASA is testing a system designed to protect the Earth from a massive meteor strike. WSJ science writer Robert Lee Hotz joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss how the technology works and what to expect from the test run now underway. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Best Gadgets and Tech Gifts for the Holiday Shopping Season
November 26, 2021 08:00 - 15 minutesThe Wall Street Journal's personal tech team has compiled a list of their favorite gadgets to give as presents this year, beyond laptops, gaming devices and smartphones. Personal Tech Editor Wilson Rothman, Personal Tech Columnist Nicole Nguyen and Personal Tech Reporter Dalvin Brown join host Zoe Thomas to discuss the gear that stood out to them in 2021. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Venture Capitalist Sarah Guo on the New Challenges Facing Startups
November 24, 2021 08:00 - 14 minutesSarah Guo, a general partner at the venture-capital firm Greylock, speaks with host Zoe Thomas about diversity in Silicon Valley, cybersecurity and how the pandemic changed the environment for early-stage investing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Hulu Caught in Crossfire as Streaming Wars Intensify
November 23, 2021 08:00 - 14 minutesThe Wall Street Journal reports exclusively that NBCUniversal is considering pulling its content from Hulu and keeping it solely on its own streaming platform, Peacock. Cable and media industry reporter Lillian Rizzo joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss what it says about the current streaming landscape. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Crypto Thieves Target Small-Time Investors
November 22, 2021 08:00 - 14 minutesAs more people invest in cryptocurrencies, hackers are targeting retail investors, emptying their digital wallets and making off with their holdings. WSJ Pro Cybersecurity reporter David Uberti joins host Zoe Thomas to explain how the hack works and why regulators and cellphone providers are at odds on what to do about it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Inside the Secret Service's Training Lab for Cyber Crime Fighters
November 19, 2021 08:00 - 14 minutesThe U.S. Secret Service teaches law enforcement officers from across the country how to combat cybercriminals at a training center in Alabama. WSJ Pro Cybersecurity reporter James Rundle visited it, and he joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss how the training has grown to encompass more complex scenarios as cyber threats have grown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Roblox Sees Path to Metaverse Through Classrooms
November 18, 2021 08:00 - 11 minutesVideogame platform Roblox is spending $10 million to help develop educational games. Reporter Sarah Needleman joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss why the company is looking to get into classrooms and what it could mean for the company's ambitions in the metaverse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Activision Boss Knew for Years About Sexual Misconduct Accusations
November 17, 2021 08:00 - 13 minutesEmployees at Activision Blizzard staged a walkout after a Wall Street Journal investigation found CEO Bobby Kotick knew for years about allegations of sexual harassment and miscoduct inside the company. Reporter Kirsten Grind joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss the allegations, how the company reacted and what comes next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Bitcoin's Mysterious Creator Could Be Uncovered by Florida Jury
November 16, 2021 08:00 - 14 minutesA trial in Florida is seeking to determine the true identity of the mysterious creator of bitcoin, Satoshi Nakamoto, and who is entitled to a digital currency fortune of roughly $64 billion. Reporter Paul Vigna joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss how the trial came about and why the identity of bitcoin's creator remains crypto's biggest secret. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In Holmes Trial, Ex-Theranos Workers Describe Secretive Culture
November 15, 2021 08:00 - 14 minutesProsecutors in the trial of Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes are likely to rest their case as soon as this week. In court testimony, some employees have described the company's work culture as one inundated with fear, intimidation and secrecy. Tech reporter Heather Somerville joins host Julie Chang to discuss how their testimony fits into the trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Alibaba Looks to Grow 'Singles Day' Amid Mounting Pressures
November 12, 2021 08:00 - 11 minutesChinese e-commerce giant Alibaba is facing a variety of hurdles, from increased regulation to supply-chain constraints. How have those affected the company's famed shopping holiday, Singles Day? Asia tech reporter Stephanie Yang joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss how the company is coping and what investors are watching for ahead of next week's earnings report. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Infrastructure Bill Includes Big Wins for Tech
November 11, 2021 08:00 - 15 minutesThe nearly $1 trillion infrastructure bill that's expected to be signed by President Biden contains money for various tech industries and could have a significant impact on connecting the country digitally as well as physically. WSJ Senior Washington Correspondent Jacob Schlesinger joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss what's in the bill for the tech sector, and what happens next. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Are Solar Cars Ready for Their Moment in the Sun?
November 10, 2021 08:00 - 13 minutesSolar-powered cars could reduce a driver's carbon footprint without leaving them stranded far from a charging station. But when will the technology be ready for everyday use? Reporter Rebecca Elliot joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss why some entrepreneurs think solar cars may soon be ready to shine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Your 'Facebook Files' Questions Answered
November 09, 2021 08:00 - 16 minutesThe Wall Street Journal's "Facebook Files" series brought to light many of the social-media giant's failings. WSJ reporter Jeff Horwitz joins host Zoe Thomas to answer listeners' questions about the investigation, what Facebook knew and the implications for the company and society. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Use Facebook Compulsively? So Do 360 Million Other People.
November 08, 2021 08:00 - 14 minutesFacebook's internal surveys show a significant number of users report engaging in compulsive use of the platform. In the latest installment of "The Facebook Files," the WSJ's social-media reporter Deepa Seetharaman joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss how the company reacted to those findings. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
TikTok for TV: Is It as Fun as the Original?
November 05, 2021 07:00 - 13 minutesTikTok is now available on Amazon Fire TV, but without some of the classic features of the smartphone app. So is this new format as appealing as the original? WSJ personal-tech reporter Dalvin Brown joins host Zoe Thomas to discuss what TikTok for TV is like, and what the company hopes to get from the jump to bigger screens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices