Hey, y’all. Today we’re taking you inside the final days of Elizabeth Holmes’ fraud trial, and saying goodbye to an iconic piece of technology.
Without further ado…
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1. Inside the last few days of the Elizabeth Holmes trial. After seven days of deliberation, jurors found Holmes guilty of four counts of fraud-related charges. Our correspondent, Adam Lashinsky, who attended the trial from day one, summed up the verdict:
- The decision to convict Holmes — on three counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud — offers an indictment of Silicon Valley’s “fake it till you make it” culture, Lashinsky writes.
- Despite the defense’s attempt to sow confusion, jurors refused to fall for the dramatic and tearful testimony that Holmes offered when she took the stand in her own defense.
- With her conviction on multiple counts of fraud and conspiracy, Lashinsky writes, Elizabeth Holmes now stands as the Bernie Madoff of the tech industry.
Read Lashinsky’s full analysis here.
In other news:
2. RIP, Blackberry. On Jan. 4, Blackberry decommissioned the use of its software — meaning classic Blackberry devices will no longer work. Once a favorite of execs and former President Barack Obama, the iconic cellphone's downfall signals the end of an era.
3. Big Tech companies are starting to refine their push into healthcare. In 2021, we saw companies like Apple, Amazon, and Alphabet come up short in attempts to disrupt the industry. Now, these growing pains are revealing the companies' long-term strategies. What we know about Big Tech's next moves.
4. The rollout of 5G in the US will be delayed until at least Jan. 19. After previously denying a request for a delay from flight safety authorities, AT&T and Verizon have granted a two-week delay of the country's 5G rollout. A look at what that means.
5. Shopify is edging closer to opening brick-and-mortar stores. A patent quietly filed by the e-commerce company for using sensors in physical stores show its ambitions are more than digital — and it's also using the same type of tech used by Amazon's Go stores. Get the scoop on how Shopify may use the tech to expand its reach.
6. Former WeWork CEO Adam Neumann has acquired majority stakes in over 4,000 apartments. The apartments, in cities including Nashville, Miami, and Atlanta, are together worth more than $1 billion, per the Wall Street Journal. More on that here.
7. People are quitting their jobs for high-paying roles at under-the-radar startups. A veteran startup recruiter says we're in the midst of an unprecedented hiring spree — so he launched a free job site focused on well-paying jobs at little-known startups. With over 100,000 job openings from over 3,000 US-based companies, here's what his site is like.
8. Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong has bought a $133 million mansion. According to the Wall Street Journal, the crypto exec has nabbed a near-five-acre estate in LA — marking one of the most expensive sales for a single-family house in the city. Get the details on the mansion.
9. We've got a sneak peak at Sony's 2022 TV lineup. The televisions, set to go on sale later this year, offer updated 4K and 8K displays — as well as the company's first Mini LED display. Check out the new TVs here.
10. The electric Chevrolet Silverado debuts today. General Motors CEO Mary Barra will unveil the EV during this year's CES. From a 400-mile range to a glass roof and a massive touch screen, here's what we know so far.
What we're watching today:
- CES kicks off in Las Vegas and will take place through Jan. 7.
- It's the 50th anniversary of President Nixon announcing the space shuttle program.
Curated by Jordan Parker Erb in New York. (Feedback or tips? Email [email protected] or tweet @jordanparkererb.) Edited by Michael Cogley in London.