The Briefing by Martin Peers, Jessica Lessin and the team at The Information

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The Briefing

By Martin Peers, Jessica Lessin and the team at The Information

Get smarter about the day’s news in tech, media and finance by following Silicon Valley’s most-read executive newsletter.

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Recent Editions

Alphabet CEO Larry Page. Photo by Bloomberg.

Nest Without Fadell Heads Down a Tighter Path

By Reed Albergotti · Jun 7, 2016 7:01am PDT · 1 comment

Employees at Nest had the weekend to cool off, following news of co-founder Tony Fadell’s abrupt departure on Friday. But questions still remained on Monday about Alphabet CEO Larry Page’s new marching orders for the company.As Mr. Page ponders what to do with Nest, he has to balance two conflicting factors. Nest remains one of the... Employees at Nest had the weekend to cool off, following news of co-founder Tony Fadell’s...

Vice CEO Shane Smith. Photo by Bloomberg.

Questions Grow on Digital Media Valuations

By Tom Dotan · Jun 6, 2016 10:01am PDT · 2 comments

In the last 12 months, a rush of investments in digital media companies has pumped up valuations. Disney invested in Vice at a $4 billion valuation, the same value it paid for Star Wars’ maker Lucasfilm in 2012. NBCUniversal invested in BuzzFeed at a $1.5 billion valuation. A handful of other online publishers got valuations in the... In the last 12 months, a rush of investments in digital media companies has pumped up valuations....

Art by Sam Lessin.

Modest Proposals

Era of Lean Startups Nears an End

By Sam Lessin · Jun 6, 2016 7:01am PDT · 12 comments

After about a decade of lean, capital-efficient startups, I believe we’re moving back toward a world of more expensive startups with higher initial capital requirements.That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it will change power dynamics between founders and investors and put pressure on incubator models. It means that the... After about a decade of lean, capital-efficient startups, I believe we’re moving back...

The Information You Missed This Week

By The Information Staff · Jun 4, 2016 8:02am PDT

The Weekly Digest

The Information You Missed This Week

By The Information Staff · Jun 4, 2016 8:02am PDT

Good Morning!There’s not too many surprises in Silicon Valley these days, what with all the leaks from big companies. But Tony Fadell’s sudden departure from Nest on Friday certainly caused a jolt. Good Morning!There’s not too many surprises in Silicon Valley these days, what with all the...

The Information’s 411 — Whistleblowers

By Tom Dotan · Jun 3, 2016 3:59pm PDT

Reed talks about Google's employee policies that prevent workers from talking to the media. Cory explains the promise and disappointment of buy buttons on social networksYou can find our RSS feed here or subscribe via iTunes and SoundCloud. Reed talks about Google's employee policies that prevent workers from talking to the media....

Nest's new CEO Marwan Fawaz, center. Photo by Flickr/The Cable Show.

New Nest Boss is Big Company Cable Guy

By Steve Nellis and Jessica E. Lessin · Jun 3, 2016 2:48pm PDT

In hiring Marwan Fawaz to run Nest, Google is bringing in a leader who has the polar opposite DNA of Tony Fadell. While Mr. Fadell is a startup consumer product guru, Mr. Fawaz is a big company, B2B executive who is a veteran of the cable TV industry.While Mr. Fadell is a product showman who likes the spotlight, Mr. Fawaz is a low-profile... In hiring Marwan Fawaz to run Nest, Google is bringing in a leader who has the polar opposite DNA...

Tony Fadell. Photo by Bloomberg.

Tony Fadell Leaving Nest

By Jessica E. Lessin and Reed Albergotti · Jun 3, 2016 1:06pm PDT · 1 comment

Tony Fadell’s abrupt departure as CEO of Nest offers Alphabet an opportunity to reboot the troubled connected-home unit, hopefully salvaging something from the $3.2 billion purchase two years ago. One question is whether Alphabet will take that opportunity or instead cut its losses and sell.The choice of Marwan Fawaz, a low-profile veteran... Tony Fadell’s abrupt departure as CEO of Nest offers Alphabet an opportunity to reboot the...

Our Top Comments of the Week

By The Information Staff · Jun 3, 2016 12:17pm PDT

Our Top Comments of the Week

By The Information Staff · Jun 3, 2016 12:17pm PDT

Here are this week’s top comments as selected by our reporters and editors. Here are this week’s top comments as selected by our reporters and editors.

Uber CEO Travis Kalanick. Photo by Bloomberg.

Silicon Valley: It’s Time to Look in the Mirror

By Jessica E. Lessin · Jun 3, 2016 7:01am PDT · 6 comments

Last week, I argued that the public was too quick to pounce on tech companies and leaders for pursuing hidden agendas against the media. This week, I want to talk about how tech leaders are making their image problems worse.It’s plain to everyone that there is a huge and widening gap between the tech titans of today and ordinary people.... Last week, I argued that the public was too quick to pounce on tech companies and leaders for...

The Information reporters Cory Weinberg, left, and Tom Dotan, at our recent New York Subscriber Summit. Photo by Chris Fargo.

Jobs@TheInformation

Join The Information’s Expanding Reporting Team!

By The Information Staff · Jun 2, 2016 3:19pm PDT

Want to have a real impact with your journalism? Tired of writing five stories a day? Looking to do more than rewrite the latest press release? Then The Information might be for you.The Information is looking for reporters in New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles for several different new beats, including the future of the auto industry;... Want to have a real impact with your journalism? Tired of writing five stories a day? Looking to...

Information Score = More Optimistic - Less Optimistic

Subscriber Survey

Subscribers Sour on Tech and Economy

By Peter Schulz and Steve Nellis · Jun 2, 2016 11:48am PDT · 1 comment

The Information’s subscribers soured on both the technology sector and the overall economy in the past month, our latest subscriber survey showed. On balance, though, subscribers remain positive toward tech even as they turned slightly negative toward the economy.Tech got a sentiment score of 15.2% while the general economy clocked in at... The Information’s subscribers soured on both the technology sector and the overall economy...

Nest CEO Tony Fadell. Photo by Bloomberg.

Former Nest Employee Takes Aim at Google’s Media Policy

By Reed Albergotti · Jun 2, 2016 7:00am PDT

Nest CEO Tony Fadell. Photo by Bloomberg.

Former Nest Employee Takes Aim at Google’s Media Policy

By Reed Albergotti · Jun 2, 2016 7:00am PDT

A National Labor Relations Board complaint lodged against Google and Nest recently by a former Nest employee has raised the prospect that tech firms could be forced to change confidentiality rules to allow employees to talk publicly about working conditions.The complaint was filed May 17 by a former Nest product manager who was fired by Nest in... A National Labor Relations Board complaint lodged against Google and Nest recently by a former...

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. Photo by Bloomberg.

SpaceX’s Share Price Climbs Further

By Alfred Lee · Jun 1, 2016 3:56pm PDT

SpaceX shares recently sold at a price 24% higher than the last fundraising round, a securities filing by Fidelity Investments indicates, a price that would value the firm at close to $15 billion. It suggests that SpaceX shares have continued to rise in the secondary market and likely explains why Fidelity marked up its stake in the company to... SpaceX shares recently sold at a price 24% higher than the last fundraising round, a securities...

IFTTT CEO Linden Tibbets. Art by Matt Vascellaro.

The Big Interview

IFTTT: The Would-Be Lynchpin of the Connected Home

By Steve Nellis · Jun 1, 2016 7:00am PDT · 5 comments

In the tech world, which apps or devices will work with each other usually gets decided by the companies who make them. If you want to post an Instagram photo to Twitter, for instance, you’ll have to do so from separate apps. But startup IFTTT lets you connect the two so that whenever you Instagram something, it goes out to your Twitter... In the tech world, which apps or devices will work with each other usually gets decided by the...

Didi President Jean Liu. Photo by Bloomberg.

Rental Cars Play Growing Part in China’s Ride-Sharing War

By Amir Efrati · May 31, 2016 1:09pm PDT

Amid the noisy war in China between privately held ride-sharing firms Didi Chuxing and Uber, two publicly traded transportation companies are worth watching: China Auto Rental and eHi Car Services.They are the country’s top two rental car firms that also employ drivers to chauffeur business passengers. And while neither Didi nor Uber is... Amid the noisy war in China between privately held ride-sharing firms Didi Chuxing and Uber, two...

Google's Vice President of Product Management, Mario Queiroz, talking about Google Home at Google I/O this month. Photo by Bloomberg.

Google Home’s Little Secret

By Amir Efrati · May 31, 2016 9:07am PDT · 1 comment

Google's Vice President of Product Management, Mario Queiroz, talking about Google Home at Google I/O this month. Photo by Bloomberg.

Google Home’s Little Secret

By Amir Efrati · May 31, 2016 9:07am PDT · 1 comment

When Google executive Mario Queiroz unveiled a new voice-controlled virtual assistant, Google Home, at the company’s developer conference this month, he left out a key detail: Home is a dressed-up version of Chromecast, the video-streaming device Mr. Queiroz’s team previously developed.The guts of Home, including its ARM-based... When Google executive Mario Queiroz unveiled a new voice-controlled virtual assistant, Google...

Frerk-Malte Feller, head of business and monetization at Facebook Messenger, speaking at a presentation at the Shoptalk e-commerce conference this month. Photo by Cory Weinberg.

Social Commerce Struggles To Drive Sales

By Cory Weinberg · May 31, 2016 7:02am PDT · 7 comments

The hype around social media apps trying to become shopping hubs has never been higher. But so are the red flags.Facebook was eager to showcase its partnership between Messenger and retail startup Spring at the developer conference F8. But Spring CEO Alan Tisch said he had “very low expectations” going into the deal with Messenger to... The hype around social media apps trying to become shopping hubs has never been higher. But so...

Google CEO Sundar Pichai on stage at Google I/O this month. Photo by Bloomberg.

The Information Recommends

Most Valuable Tech Events of 2016

By The Information Staff · May 30, 2016 7:01am PDT · 3 comments

If you skipped SXSW this year, you were not alone. The artsy Austin, Tx. tech, music and film festival received the highest number of “not attending this year” votes from The Information subscribers in our annual event survey. Right behind it: the Consumer Electronics Show.But don’t get ready to bail on next year’s CES... If you skipped SXSW this year, you were not alone. The artsy Austin, Tx. tech, music and film...

The Weekly Digest

The Information You Missed This Week

By The Information Staff · May 28, 2016 8:01am PDT

Happy Memorial Day weekend!Yes it’s the unofficial start of summer. Maybe even San Francisco will see some warm weather. And there’s plenty of news, both in tech and elsewhere, to catch up on. Happy Memorial Day weekend!Yes it’s the unofficial start of summer. Maybe even San...

The Information’s 411 — Tech-Media Overlords

By Tom Dotan · May 27, 2016 1:03pm PDT

The Information’s 411 — Tech-Media Overlords

By Tom Dotan · May 27, 2016 1:03pm PDT

Amir and Reed debate the uproar over Peter Thiel bankrolling the Gawker lawsuit. Also we discuss the self-driving car startup ecosystem and Apple's decision to open up Siri and develop an Amazon Echo competitor. Amir and Reed debate the uproar over Peter Thiel bankrolling the Gawker lawsuit. Also we discuss...