We miss y’all! Bring back the excellent analysis!

It’s simply been to long - where is Batman - Threads - Vision Pro …

Rambling, incoherent thoughts, if you like that sort of thing.

Has anyone noticed that James moans while Ben talks? I’m canceling this podcast. Total rubbish.

James and Ben have a dynamic that is captivating, generating thoughtful discussion on nuanced issues with an accessible and humorous touch. Highly recommend for anyone interested in the state of technology, media and society today and historically. Stratechery in a conversation. Superfan!

Anti-trust laws really are out of date and the emotional assault on these companies is hardly wise or helpful. Something has to be done but it has to be done right. Also, Tik Tok wouldn’t be where it was if Facebook wasn’t banned from China. James is right.

If you’re interested in existing and emerging technologies and gaining deep insights into this multifaceted landscape, you’ll really value what Ben and James generously deliver here. A fun and wonderfully informative listen.

Ben is making it sound like Apple is a gangster company for being allowed to curate the App Store and charge a reasonable fee. Developers know the rules going in and shouldn’t enter the business if they don’t like it. They are not victims. “ Apple says that app developers get plenty for what they pay, including tools and software kits that make their apps usable and better, free marketing in the app store and camps for entrepreneurs. Consumers get quality control and security assurances, it says. “We carefully review each app and require developers to follow strict guidelines on privacy, design, and business models,” the company says on a website dedicated to explaining and defending the store’s practices. Its review team covers 81 languages and since 2016 has removed more than 1.4 million apps that were out of date or not working, Apple says. “This helps unclutter the search for new apps, and makes it easier for users to find quality apps.”

Attentive tech watchers are doubtlessly familiar with Ben Thompson’s analysis by now. As a multi-year reader, I can attest to the volume and quality of his work. Ben also possesses the rare gift of communicating his ideas clearly — to the point where I can borrow his concepts to explain the value of Amazon Web Services to my grandparents who, bless their hearts, only know one type of server: those that work at Golden Corral. At this point in their careers, Ben may be the more recognizable member of this duo. However, James Allworth provides Ben with what their audience deserves: a true peer. James has great breadth and is particularly adept at provoking engaging discussions. I have yet to listen to another podcaster who excels at going five levels deep to the extent that James does. Listeners should know that once they hear the “Ben! How are you?” opening they are in for a 45 minute treat. I am gratefully working my way through their 180+ episode back catalog — and hopeful that we will have be able to listen to another 100+ episodes of the great partnership between these two.

💯add this to your listening list.

Knowledgeable and insightful Enjoy the critical thinking and the approach to handle, review and break down issues, problems. The approach to reveal information. What “the media” should be unbiased. Thank you

Every💯single💯time💯

The main speaker keeps talking for minutes uninterrupted at high speed and a bit of a slur (like having had too much coffee) which makes it soo much more diffcult and unpleasant to keep listening to the good content. I strongly recommend to make a few, simple changes: slow down, talk in sentences with brief pauses in betweeen, lke writing with full stops rather than one endless sentence, try to manage your level of excitement/nervousness when talking...will improve the quality a lot and the content will come across more impactful.

Consistently valuable information, presented clearly.

Centered around aggregation theory, explains what's going on with companies like Facebook, Uber, Google through that lenses. Insightful and entertaining

I used to listen to this regularly but got sick of their sponsor plugs and one of the hosts speaking like he just drank too much coffee. Light on substance compared to others at this point.

JFC I felt like I was somewhere between a frat party and American Psycho listening to the Lords of the Universe explain how the world works to the rabble.

Although I’ve only listened to a few episodes thus far, the overwhelming impression I’ve gotten is that the hosts belong on an episode of Bill Maher — that is to say, that they are bombastic, highly opinionated pundits that are faking a “conversation” while peddling opinions without any set script or the listener in mind. If you like Joe Rogan-like experiences, are tech-obsessed, and dabble with the AM side of your car radio, then this might be for you. As such, this isn’t for me.

Just another in a cottage industry of analysts who profess insight yet perform a very slick form of intellectual slight of hand. There will always be a market for wannabe gurus peddling the keys to life (or, in this case, tech). Great at providing the illusion of knowledge but, in the end, it's as substantial as a magician's puff of smoke.

I’ve started to re-listen from the beginning (which I recommend to everyone because most of the episodes are timeless) and the I’ve changed my mind and/or saw a new perspective so many times. I’m writing this after I’ve listened to the Xiaomi episode and Ben and James’ discussion about the hypocritical views of the people getting on their soapbox about worker conditions in China just opened my mind and helped me view the whole situation from a new perspective. Thank you guys so much!

Probably the best podcast for an in-depth analysis of tech and its strategic drivers. Combine this podcast with Ben’s blog Stratechery and you’ll be all set!

I want to like this podcast, I like Ben Thompson on other podcasts I've heard him on, I think James has a lot of well considered things to say. Unfortunately on this show Ben assumes the persona of a late night conspiracy peddler bullying his cohost with a staccato of opinion. There is no subtlety to his monologues and he seems disinterested in considering other perspectives. Ben is a hammer and everything is a nail.

Wow. I listen to a lot of podcasts, and these guys are really the best. They go beyond the superficial, consider multiple sides of every argument, and embrace ambiguity. If you like nuance and want an interpretation of tech that isn’t cookie-cutter, this is your best choice. Two smart guys with the gift of gab, deeply versed in the subject, who often disagree but respect each other’s positions and are open to changing their own.

Sometimes a bit redundant, but you’ll always learn something.

I do enjoy both of your opinions and thoughts, and will be looking forward to your return.

(for now🤞) I’ve been a listener for the past 2 years and was looking forward to the fall return. Thank you both for your time, effort, and incredible insight. Here’s to hoping you make a comeback sometime down the road!

Ben & James are just great. They are so smart. Their analysis of the industry(s) is so eye-opening. Every single time. I’m really not exaggerating. For example, I thought I would never listen to anything about real-estate market but when they talked about Zillow and competitors in that space it was just so insightful. I couldn’t believe my ears! But it goes way way beyond this because they every now and then go fully meta and zoom out to paint and debate a picture of our society and humanity of today and where we are going. And when they do it it’s so deep I’m like “again, who are these guys?!?!” So so smart. The post-Brexit episode “Ballots Versus Guillotines” is one of the wisest things I heard on the “radio” ever!!! Thank you for your work, I feel reply indebted to you.

🙌

Ben has wonderful analysis, but sometimes it sounds like he’s on 3 cups of coffee. He tends to speak whatever is on his mind, which is good, but can be bad when he assumes everyone knows what he is talking about. If you’re going to speak your mind you need to explain your thought process.

I am amazed by Ben's grasp of strategy and his ability to communicate it across a myriad of issues. Nearly every podcast is worth your attention if your are interested in business, strategy and technology. Thank you Ben.

I appreciate the frameworks discussed on this podcast by Ben and James. The in-depth big picture analysis of moves by ‘big tech’ provides a perspective that is frequently absent from tech media coverage. However, the listening experience is reduced by the constant interruption of James by Ben. I would love to listen to James speak uninterrupted for longer than 30 seconds. This harms the flow of ideas and makes me feel like I am listening to a monologue versus a conversation. Just my 2 cents.

Two white guys sitting around talking... and talking and talking and ... The content selection is solid. The discussions can be much sharper and more focused. Problems it needs to address in the podcast quality: (A)Both guys agree too often (Ben talks too long, and James seems to only come at the topic from an academic viewpoint); (B) Podcasts are too long; as I noted, too often the focus winds back to earlier episodes, with all too often statements about why "in episode X we really explained this well and it's now even more clear that I was right about ...." and James all too often chimes in, "Yeah, that's so true and it's so spot-on...." (C) Finding some other voices and resources to bring in a touch of the real world. Too oten what's being done is a lot of chewing and overanalyzing of tech issues but seldom with any on-the-ground context or personal insight from the real world that would establish some authority for their discussion. In sum, this is two guys in the next booth rambling on about some interesting topic and you might want to eavesdrop except, my God, you have too many other things to do to sit there for more than an hour listening.

I had to stop listening recently. It’s just blind worship of profit, never questioning the human costs.

Insanely great.

Seems that Ben does most of the talking. I would like more James. He seems pretty smart in his own right, but he seems to be relegated to sidekick on the show.

Just that. How dare you? The internet made who you are.

Good insights, but the podcast does not have the polish and focus of Freakanomics or How I Built This. Hosts are all over the place and take an hour making pretty much the same points.

Great dynamic between Ben and James. Love the energy and sense of self awareness.

Mostly about Facebook and disruption and Uber and disruption and regulation and disruption and Clay Christianson and disruption. Listen to the first 40 and then beg out. After explicit discussion and justification of material on episode 130, upgrading my review to 4 stars ;)

That’s how deep these 2 fellas dive into tech world

Hands down the most insightful and thought provoking tech/business podcast available. Be sure to sign up for Ben’s newsletter, too.

If you are a business person you should listen to this podcast. If you are an investor you HAVE to listen to this podcast. Entrepreneurs? Listen also, important discussions around culture and strategy. Deep thinking, contrarian insight. Listen to every episode. Start at 001. Enjoy.

Maybe self-aggrandizing is the wrong term, since most of this podcast seems to consist of one host, James, telling the other, Ben, how incredibly smart and talented he is. A very uncomfortable experience.

Exponent, like Thompson's writing forum Stratechery, is highly interesting and insightful, while being accessible to a relative layman in tech and global business.

I listen to 4-8 podcasts a day and Stratechory is by far the best I've found.

Ben Monday-morning-quarterbacks issues and is rude in emails.

I can't live without this one. I love that it's different from your go-to interviews with tech celebrities. Ben and James talk about issues in tech and the world, really, that are important, and critically think through them from all different angles. Well done!!

I learn something new each week about the world of technology from Ben and James. It's something a greatly appreciate and it's one of the biggest gifts they both provide to people across the globe.

As an investor and as someone with a general interest in tech, business and economics, I find this to be an invaluable podcast. Keep up the great work!

Ben and James are looking at the tech industry from a business analyst perspective, which is sorely needed in this world of superficial analysis. They take a deep dive of the latest weekly Stratechery blog post and attack the ideas from all angles. This type of analysis is transferable to any other industry. You will enjoy listening to what these two have to say.