The WAN Show - YouTube Red.. Communism?? - October 23, 2015

The WAN Show episode from October 23, 2015 covers a broad slate of technology and media topics with Linus and crew offering insights, opinions, and practical explanations. Early in the show, they kick off with a light humorous tech banter and then jump into the big business move of Western Digital acquiring Sandisk for 19 billion dollars, framing the strategic significance of combining hard drives and flash storage manufacturing verticals. The hosts discuss the implications for pricing, supply, and competitive dynamics in storage, noting how control of fabs and NAND production can affect market pricing and product timelines. They then pivot to the YouTube Red launch, clarifying misconceptions about what the paid tier means for creators and viewers, comparing it to the Vessel deal, and outlining how ad-supported, paid, and premium content ecosystems can coexist. The conversation explains the revenue split concept based on watch time and how creators will be compensated, while emphasizing that the core YouTube experience remains free and ad-supported for most content. The hosts highlight the possibility of windowed releases for YouTube Red content and discuss how this might interact with their own Vessel agreement, stressing that this is not a universal shift away from traditional YouTube monetization models. They also address common questions from creators about whether YouTube Red will affect monetization for non-switching creators, and reiterate that existing channels will still benefit from ads unless viewers opt into Red content, which diversifies the revenue streams for creators. The show then covers a high-profile esports scandal in Korea where a coach and multiple players were arrested for match fixing, underscoring the seriousness with a potential life ban and civil actions, and framing this within the broader effort to legitimize esports globally. Moving to hardware, they discuss the emergence of extremely large SSDs and the ongoing evolution of flash storage technology, including a Korean company NovaChips working on hyperlinked nan ring architectures and the pricing dynamics that make early pre-orders risky and often unwise. The conversation returns to consumer topics with HTC’s A9 unveiling, a mid-range smartphone with middling specs but attention to a competitive price point, and the ongoing debate about design copying versus innovation in smartphones, referencing the iPhone-inspired aesthetics and what that means for the Android ecosystem. They also touch on the ongoing drone regulatory push from the US government, debating how easily regulation can be enforced given the rapidly advancing drone hardware and potential safety concerns, including conflicts with airspace, fires, and urban environments. The hosts reflect on the broader regulatory landscape including the potential need for exemptions, the impact on hobbyists, and the anticipated massive holiday season for drone sales. The episode veers into a Star Wars trailer discussion sparked by the much-anticipated trailer and the cultural impact of the franchise, comparing Star Wars' brand reach against other blockbuster series and debating whether all Star Wars films perform consistently at the box office despite fan enthusiasm. They offer reflections on the inflation-adjusted performance of top-grossing films and the enduring strength of Star Wars as a cultural juggernaut beyond any single movie’s box office. A thread of commentary explores how trailers influence expectations and the relationship between cinematic quality, franchise longevity, and merchandise ecosystems, with the crew noting that Star Wars has a brand presence that transcends individual films. The show briefly touches on global box office trivia such as Frozen’s worldwide performance and the unique enduring appeal it has across generations, while drawing comparisons to Star Wars in terms of long-term cultural impact rather than just immediate box office results. Finally, they close out with a practical look at the evolving storage landscape and pre-orders in the hardware world, reiterating the importance of evaluating value over hype and acknowledging that some trends in hardware adoption can be unpredictable, urging viewers to wait for shelf prices rather than chasing early access. The overall tone remains approachable, balancing humor with technical explanations and industry context, and aiming to equip viewers with a broad understanding of how these developments may affect consumers, professionals, and enthusiasts alike.

Topics · technology · entertainment · gaming