
Land of the Giants
Big tech is transforming every aspect of our world. But how, and at what cost? This season of Land of the Giants – The Disney Dilemma – focuses on Disney’s ability to weather the ups and downs of the business cycle and changing tastes and explores what has kept it successful for over 100 years. The entertainment giant has leveraged nostalgia and its intellectual property to build a beloved brand, but after an acquisition spree that included Marvel, Lucasfilm, and 20th Century Fox, can it sustain high quality and brand loyalty on a scale that keeps it growing? Who is Disney now, and can it compete against the tech giants in a battle for our attention and dollars?From Vulture and the Vox Media Podcast Network. New episodes drop every Wednesday.
Latest episodes

Sep 15, 2021 • 4min
'The Apple Revolution' is here
From its beginnings as a niche personal computer company, Apple became the preeminent maker of consumer tech products, a cultural trendsetter, and the most valuable company in the world. And along the way, it changed the way we live.Hosted by Recode’s Peter Kafka. New episodes come out on Wednesdays starting September 22nd. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 13, 2021 • 38min
The Virtual Future of Restaurants
There's a secret world of restaurants that you can only find when you open up the delivery apps. This brave new world of ghost kitchens and virtual brands has allowed traditional restaurants to access new revenue streams. And these new models are using data to shape new concepts and menus. But when tech reimagines what a restaurant even is, is the soul of an entire industry at stake? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jul 6, 2021 • 38min
Who's Driving Whom?
Without delivery workers, there is no DoorDash or UberEats or Grubhub. And workers in this slice of the gig economy get access to a level of flexibility that most people in traditional employment situations can only dream of. But how much control do delivery workers really have over their schedules, their pay and the terms of their employment? These questions are at the heart of a political battle playing out across the country with stakes that are deeply personal for delivery drivers nationwide.
Host: Ahmed Ali Akbar (@radbrowndads)
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Jun 29, 2021 • 43min
The Race for Your Dollars
The restaurant delivery industry is worth more than $100 billion. But none of the major apps are profitable. In this episode, the key battles that have shaped the delivery wars from the point of view of founders, company executives and venture capitalists. And a key question: With billions invested, rockstar IPOs and a pandemic that exploded the growth of the industry, why aren’t these companies profitable?
Hosts : Ahmed Ali Akbar (@radbrowndads) & Jason Del Rey (@delrey)
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Jun 22, 2021 • 34min
The Cost of Convenience
Restaurant delivery apps have made it possible for many of us to order pretty much anything we want to eat with the click of a button. And during the pandemic that convenience became even more valuable. But at what cost? Some restaurant owners say they now need the apps to survive, but resent what they feel to be forced partnerships. And other restaurant owners are finding ways to take the power back. From Recode and the Vox Media Podcast Network in partnership with Eater.
Host: Ahmed Ali Akbar (@radbrowndads)
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Jun 15, 2021 • 3min
Delivery Wars
Big tech is changing every aspect of our world. But how? And at what cost? In this special four-part series, Recode teams up with Eater to unbox the evolving world of food delivery. Find out how the rise of investor-backed third-party delivery apps has dramatically changed consumer behavior, helped create a modern gig workforce, disrupted small businesses, and potentially changed our relationship with food forever. New episodes every Tuesday starting June 22. From Recode, Eater, and the Vox Media Podcast Network, and hosted by Ahmed Ali Akbar. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

34 snips
Mar 30, 2021 • 48min
Should We Break Up Google?
Google is now facing antitrust scrutiny at a level it's never experienced before, from both sides of the political aisle. Which means we’re in an unprecedented moment that could define the company, our economy, and our daily lives for years to come. In our season finale, we explore the arguments for and against breaking up or regulating Google. And we explain why it’s virtually impossible to go online now without dropping a coin into Google’s pocket.
Hosts: Shirin Ghaffary (@shiringhaffary) and Alex Kantrowitz (@kantrowitz)
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10 snips
Mar 23, 2021 • 49min
Googlers vs. Google
On December 2nd, 2020, Dr. Timnit Gebru - co-lead of Google’s Ethical AI team - got an email that said Google had accepted her resignation. A resignation she didn’t think she made. Her exit is just the latest sign of the crisis unfolding within Google — a loss of trust between many of its employees and leadership. This week, what led to Gebru’s exit - and what it means for us, Google’s users. Because when enough people who work inside Google don't even trust each other -- how can we?
Hosts: Shirin Ghaffary (@shiringhaffary) and Alex Kantrowitz (@kantrowitz)
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15 snips
Mar 16, 2021 • 42min
A Military Contract Tests Google's Open Culture
One of Google’s long points of pride was its open, collaborative, and transparent company culture. But many Googlers feel like that's slipping away. Over our next two episodes, we’ll tell the story of a breakdown of trust inside Google — between management and employees. Starting with a covert contract Google made with the Department of Defense.
Hosts: Shirin Ghaffary (@shiringhaffary) and Alex Kantrowitz (@kantrowitz)
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8 snips
Mar 9, 2021 • 39min
The Moonshot Factory
Since they were Stanford grad students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin have had big ideas for technologies that could change the world. Only now, they have Google's nearly limitless resources to turn those ideas into reality. Some of Google's projects seem like a vision from the future. Others have crashed and burned. This is the story of two moonshots, and the world we might live in someday.
Hosts: Shirin Ghaffary (@shiringhaffary) and Alex Kantrowitz (@kantrowitz)
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