From Aussie Accountant to UGG Billionaire: The Brian Smith Story

Apple Found in 'Willful Violation' of App Store Order, Faces Criminal Contempt Probe

A US federal judge has ruled that Apple violated a previous court order in the Epic Games antitrust case, aimed at increasing competition in its App Store. The judge found Apple failed to allow developers to properly steer users to alternative payment methods and illegally imposed a new 27% commission on external purchases. The tech giant and one of its executives have been referred to federal prosecutors for potential criminal contempt.", "slug": "apple-willful-violation-app-store-order-criminal-contempt

Vibe Coding - Are we confused?

This episode dives into the term 'vibe coding,' explaining its main definition coined by Andrej Karpathy in 2025, where AI generates code from natural language prompts, raising exciting possibilities but also significant concerns about quality and security. We contrast this with the unrelated vibe.d framework, a robust asynchronous web framework for the D programming language. Get ready to unravel the confusion and see which 'vibe' is which!

Verizon's Shockingly Complex Rise to Telecom Giant

Verizon, a global telecommunications leader and the largest US wireless provider, didn't just grow—it was born big from a complex series of mergers following the AT&T breakup. Key deals involved Baby Bells like NYNEX and Bell Atlantic, a joint venture with Vodafone, and acquiring GTE, all within a short period. The company further expanded through major acquisitions like Alltel, the rest of Verizon Wireless, AOL, Yahoo, TracFone, and Frontier, cementing its massive scale. #ittakestwo #podcast #technology #business #politics #trending

Duolingo: The Green Owl's Global Domination

Duolingo's journey from a university project by founders Luis von Ahn and Severin Hacker to a global EdTech giant valued in billions. It explores the 'secret sauce' behind its addictive success, rooted in a freemium model, masterful gamification, and the iconic, meme-famous mascot, Duo the Owl. Duolingo's expansion beyond languages into subjects like math, music, and chess, alongside its integration of cutting-edge AI, positions it as a formidable force aiming to make 'one app to learn anything' a reality. #ittakestwo #podcast #technology #business #politics #trending #duolingo #secondlanguage

From Aussie Accountant to UGG Billionaire: The Brian Smith Story

Unhappy accountant Brian Smith moved from Australia to California, noticing a gap in the market for comfortable post-surf footwear. He founded UGG based on Australian sheepskin boots, overcoming initial struggles and slow sales through persistent branding and marketing. After selling UGG to Deckers Outdoor Corp., the brand exploded into a global phenomenon, while Smith became a mentor sharing lessons of perseverance and adaptability.