Uber often brags that hailing an UberX is “cheaper than a taxi.” But in Hong Kong, that’s no longer necessarily the case. The ride-hailing company…
REMINDERS
The way that Taiwan, India, and other countries deal with statues that symbolize ugly pasts
After a protest against the removal a Confederate statue sparked deadly violence in the US, states around the country are mulling removing similar icons of…
BABA BUZZKILL
Just in time for its stellar earnings, China is going after Alibaba
File under: how to rain on a parade. Today (August 17) Alibaba reported yet another winning set of quarterly financials. Revenue was up 56% on-year…
LOW ENERGY
Taiwan, at the heart of the world’s tech supply chain, has a serious electricity problem
On Tuesday (Aug. 15) evening at 5pm local time, millions of households and businesses across Taiwan suddenly went dark. For some, phone lines and TVs…
BLACK BOX
No one knows how much money WeChat is making, and investors are too bullish to care
Tencent, maker of the behemoth Chinese chat app WeChat, announced its earnings today for the three-month period ending in June. The results are predictably stellar.…
TIME TO GO
In one day, three CEOs have resigned from Trump’s manufacturing council
More business executives have bowed out of Donald Trump’s camp. Kevin Plank, CEO of sportswear company Under Armour, and Brian Krzanich, CEO of chipmaker Intel,…
DON'T GIVE UP
Facebook’s secret Chinese app is a dud in China so far
The secret’s out, but no one cares. Over the weekend the New York Times reported (paywall) that Facebook had stealthily released a photo-sharing app in…
FRUITS OF LABOR
Apple’s next big moneymaker is its biggest headache in China
For Apple, this summer is closing with good news and bad news. On the one hand, its financials suggest that as iPhone sales plateau globally,…
BOOB TUBE
Facebook is packing its first original video series lineup with annoying reality shows
Facebook is gradually turning into television—but so far, it’s looking more The Bachelorette than Breaking Bad. The social media giant is launching a new service…
NASTY NUMBERS
China’s Tencent is quietly testing a “social credit score” based on people’s online behavior
More scores that rate your trustworthiness are coming to China’s internet—which is great for a quick discount, but concerning for civil liberties. Tech giant Tencent…
NO BRAKES
Didi Chuxing’s proxy war with Uber has expanded to the Middle East
It’s been one year since Uber’s fiercest battle overseas came to a close. But the larger war is still underway. Today Chinese ride-hailing giant Didi…
CONFIRMATION BIAS
Google fired the author of the “anti-diversity” memo—and as a result, proved his point
Was the author of the so-called “anti-diversity” memo at Google advancing sexism? Or was he exposing Silicon Valley’s cultural bias? Regardless of how you answer…
