Weekly output: Feds okay T-Mobile-UScellular deal, Rivian adds Google Maps, GENIUS Act becomes law, Mark Vena podcast
July so far is feeling like a traditional August in terms of how under-scheduled it’s been: So far, this month has featured all of three work events to drag me away from my home office. I also left home Thursday to catch that evening’s Fort Reno concert.
7/14/2025: T-Mobile Secures Government Blessing of UScellular Purchase After Ritual Sacrifice of DEI Policies, PCMag
This was yet another case of a post starting with an idea for its headline materializing in my brain. Writing it took a bit longer because I needed to explain the gap between the Department of Justice’s ambivalent thumbs-up and the Federal Communications Commission’s more enthusiastic approval of this deal.
7/15/2025: Rivian Switches to Google Maps for Its EVs’ Navigation, PCMag
Rivian switching from a Mapbox-based navigation app to one built on Google Maps is a bigger deal than might be immediately apparent: That EV manufacturer does not support Apple’s CarPlay or Google’s Android Auto, so the car’s built-in software represents the only way to get driving directions on the biggest screen in the dashboard.
7/18/2025: Trump Signs the GENIUS Act, Creating a Regulatory Framework for Stablecoins, PCMag
I took a little time to look up some useful posts explaining what a stablecoin is and why people and businesses might find a cryptocurrency tied to the value of a real-world asset more useful than a more volatile digital currency. And to point out how President Trump stands to benefit from government regulation of stablecoins.
7/18/2025: Ep 113 SmartTechCheck Podcast — Nvidia and China, chaos at Xbox and Meta “AI superintelligence”, Mark Vena
I suggested we talk about Mark Zuckerberg’s AI ambitions, which remind me of the Facebook founder’s earlier fervor for the metaverse. A normal company might hold its CEO accountable for being so wrong about one tech trend before green-lighting hundreds of millions of dollars in hiring incentives to chase another tech trend–but Zuck’s control of a majority of shareholder votes ensures that Meta cannot be a normal company.
