Data Science

I got a note yesterday about a new virus targeting QNAP storage devices. QNAP is not a popular consumer brand, they make storage devices for businesses (and aggressive amateurs). The virus is called QSNATCH. Do not be confused by the cute name. It tunnels into your network attached storage device and destroys your data. It's not ransomware, it's not targeted at anyone in particular -- this virus is like a biological virus -- it's just out in the wild. If it infects your drives, they die. Continue Reading →

Twitter’s CEO, Jack Dorsey, announced that Twitter will no longer accept paid political advertising. He tweeted his reasons, “This isn’t about free expression. This is about paying for reach. And paying to increase the reach of political speech has significant ramifications that today’s democratic infrastructure may not be prepared to handle. It’s worth stepping back in order to address.” Continue Reading →

According to Reuters, Google has made an offer to acquire Fitbit. The report explicitly states that there is no certainty that the offer will lead to a deal. But think about this… what could Google/Alphabet be thinking? Google’s existing wearable strategy is not working. Fitbit’s wearable strategy is not working. WearOS requires more processing power and battery life than can be had in a smartwatch, so the user experience is awful (and I’m being kind). Continue Reading →

Apple, Disney, WarnerMedia, and just about everyone who can configure a streaming server is getting into the direct-to-consumer (DTC) content business. In a couple of weeks, you’ll have so many options to pay for content à la carte, you won’t really know where to start. Wondering what all this will cost? Forget your calculator, you’re going to need a spreadsheet. Continue Reading →

There are two basic camps in the world of marketing: numbers camp and pretty pictures camp. I live in both camps, and you should too. If you live in the numbers camp, I’m going to confirm what you already know. If you live in the pretty pictures camp, buckle your seatbelt, because this is going to be a fast, bumpy ride. Continue Reading →

You probably don’t have a Yahoo Group or know anyone who does. So you probably won’t care that Yahoo is shutting down Yahoo Groups. That said, while Yahoo is all but irrelevant today, there was a time when it was at the center of the online universe. The death notice says, “Beginning October 28, you Continue Reading →

Our new podcast, “Think About This with Shelly Palmer & Ross Martin” premieres today on the Westwood One Podcast Network. Subscribe at Apple Podcasts or literally anywhere podcasts can be found. The official press release says, “Hosted by visionary business adviser Shelly Palmer and Blackbird CEO Ross Martin, this podcast will challenge you to think Continue Reading →

According to eMarketer, the U.S. search ad market is expected to grow to $55.17 billion (up 18% YoY). Roughly 73 percent (approx. $40 billion) of that goes to Google. But Amazon is on fire. Its search business is growing fast and it is expected to reach almost 13 percent this year and nearly 16 percent Continue Reading →

Facebook is being pilloried for its unwillingness to remove a paid advertisement by President Trump’s reelection campaign after Facebook was notified by the Biden campaign that the ad contained false statements about Joe Biden and his son. On the surface, this seems simple, and Facebook’s decision not to remove the ad seems wrong. But there is much more to the story. Continue Reading →

Are data-poor organizations doomed? We’ve been running a data science experiment over the past few months. We were shocked, but not surprised by what we learned. Continue Reading →