Archive
2025
38 articles from this year.
Sonder's collapse shows why platform apartments can't escape their landlord problem
My Sonder stay was good. Its fixed leases, operating costs, and failed Marriott deal were harder to fix than the guest experience.
Sweetgreen raised prices. Its regulars bought less.
Sweetgreen's Q3 2025 traffic and mix fell while menu prices rose. New stores masked the pressure on existing restaurants.
Tesla started Cybercab production; the ride business is still the test
Tesla began Cybercab production in 2026. Building vehicles cleared one checkpoint; paid fleet hours and operating costs needed their own evidence.
DoorDash's Q3 profit was real. Its new spending still needs a scorecard.
DoorDash earned $244 million in Q3 2025 and planned a large increase in 2026 investment. The global technology stack is the test.
Lyft crossed $1 billion in annual free cash flow. Read the costs too.
Lyft generated $1.03 billion in trailing annual free cash flow in Q3 2025. More rides helped, but insurance still had to be paid.
Q3 2025 gig earnings: Demand grew. So did the cost questions.
Uber, DoorDash, and Lyft grew in Q3 2025. Their filings showed different costs behind the extra trips, orders, and cash flow.
Musk's trillion-dollar award puts a price on Tesla's next decade
Tesla's 2025 CEO award pairs an $8.5 trillion market-value target with operating milestones. Shareholders still carry dilution risk.
Sonos's revenue recovered. My app still drops speakers.
Sonos grew Q4 2025 revenue after its app crisis. In my home, connection delays and dropped speakers still made recovery feel incomplete.
Waymo's 2025 expansion promises met three different launch tests
Waymo named Detroit, Las Vegas, and San Diego in 2025. By September 2026, public rides had begun in two; Detroit still needed a public launch.
Zoox's Hayward factory has capacity; its fleet still needs a ramp
Zoox's Hayward line offered room to build thousands of robotaxis. Early output and vehicles in public service were much smaller measures.
Kroger wants the grocery sale, wherever the order starts
Kroger put its full assortment on DoorDash and planned an Uber Eats expansion. The hard question is who owns the repeat shopper.
OpenAI's new structure gives the nonprofit control. What will it use it for?
OpenAI's 2025 recapitalization clarified ownership and control, but it was not an IPO announcement. The governance decisions are the real test.
Uber’s $4,000 EV grant has to work for the driver
Uber’s EV grant can reduce the cost of switching cars. The driver still has to make the charging, mileage, and loan math work.
Starlink launched 10,000 satellites. The useful number is how many stay working.
Starlink’s launch milestone shows execution at scale. Satellites that fail or need replacement make fleet upkeep the more useful test.
Tesla’s cheaper Model 3 and Y are a trim decision, not a new car
Tesla lowered the entry price with Standard trims. The buyer’s question is whether the missing features are worth the savings.
Banks got a clearer crypto path. They still have to manage the risk.
U.S. regulators relaxed crypto-specific banking guidance in 2025. Custody, compliance, and customer protection still needed real operations.
Uber's AI microtasks need to pay for the interruption
Uber piloted digital tasks for drivers in 2025. The useful test is net pay per minute of attention, including task switching and quality checks.
DoorDash and Waymo put driverless delivery to a Phoenix test
DoorDash announced a Phoenix Waymo delivery test in October 2025. Customer deliveries began in December, starting with eligible DashMart orders.
Lyft bought a chauffeur business. Now it has to keep the clients.
Lyft’s TBR acquisition adds global corporate transport. The test is repeat bookings and service quality, not a promised robotaxi split.
California SB 371 cuts one rideshare insurance requirement
SB 371 lowered one California rideshare coverage limit. Primary liability stayed at $1 million, and cheaper fares still needed evidence.
The returning Bolt’s price is real. Its volume is still a question.
GM announced a sub-$30,000 Bolt with faster charging. Its limited run makes production volume the part to watch.
Lyft reserves Tensor Robocars, with a 2027 launch goal
Lyft's Tensor plan combines a potential owned fleet with privately owned AVs on its network. Reservations and a target launch are not operating rides.
Rivian's voice assistant needs to operate the car, not narrate it
A 2025 leak suggested Rivian would use Gemini. The useful test is whether its assistant can handle real vehicle tasks reliably.
DoorDash adds Serve's sidewalk robots in Los Angeles
Serve's robots joined eligible DoorDash orders in Los Angeles. Completed deliveries showed capability; undisclosed costs left the economics open.
California rideshare drivers can bargain as contractors under AB 1340
AB 1340 gave California rideshare drivers a bargaining path. A union won certification in September 2026; a contract remained the next test.
Discord's support vendor made identity checks a data risk
Discord's 2025 vendor breach exposed support records and ID images. Collecting proof of age created another database to protect.
The Model Y Performance sells speed. I would check the daily ride.
Tesla’s refreshed Model Y Performance has strong published acceleration and range. The meaningful upgrade depends on ride and handling.
DoorDash's Dot robot still has to finish the handoff
Dot entered early access in Arizona in 2025. Its size and speed are less useful than completed orders, handoffs, and intervention cost.
Waymo rides are live in Nashville; Lyft runs the fleet before the app
Lyft's Flexdrive runs Waymo's Nashville fleet. Public rides opened in the Waymo app first; booking through Lyft was a separate step.
Lyft's Atlanta AV launch still had a person at the wheel
Lyft and May Mobility began Atlanta pilot rides in 2025 with onboard standby operators. That is a useful service test, not driverless scale.
Zoox opens its purpose-built robotaxi to Las Vegas riders
Zoox opened limited, free public rides in Las Vegas in 2025. Its custom cabin reached passengers before its fleet economics reached disclosure.
Uber joined the S&P 100 after building the business
Uber's S&P 100 inclusion marked its scale in 2025. It did not prove lower capital costs or that its robotaxi partnerships would work.
Grubhub's restaurant listings came with a $7.1 million settlement
A proposed 2025 settlement put a cost on Grubhub's unauthorized restaurant listings. Marketplace reach needs the merchant's consent.
Tesla’s Bay Area rides still had a driver at the wheel
Tesla offered paid Bay Area rides with a safety driver. That is a service launch, but it is not driverless operation.
Uber's Lucid–Nuro robotaxi deal is a fleet commitment with conditions
Uber committed to a Lucid–Nuro robotaxi program, then expanded it. Vehicle orders, test fleets, and commercial rides are different milestones.
Uber adds May Mobility to its robotaxi supply network
Uber and May Mobility planned an Arlington launch for 2025. A later delay showed how a signed partnership can leave riders waiting.
DoorDash joined the S&P 500. Delivery margins still matter more.
DoorDash entered the S&P 500 in March 2025. Index inclusion confirms scale; it does not prove future delivery margins.
Wonder bought Grubhub for distribution. Integration is the bill.
Wonder acquired Grubhub at a $650 million enterprise value. Making a larger ordering network useful is the harder part.