So what is rich in 2018 America? Is it $10 million? Or maybe it’s one billion? But what about $105 billion. Let’s look at technology’s new king of wealth.
So if it’s not Bill Gates, then who is it? It’s Amazon king Jeff Bezos. Yesterday, his net worth surpassed the $105 billion mark. So far, in January 2018 alone, Amazon’s shares increased over 6 1/2 percent. And it’s just the tenth of January. In fact, Amazon’s revenue more than doubled just in the decade of 2010s alone. Bezos is now the first person in world history to have wealth in the twelve digit range. That is a number that Bill Gates, or any other IT service magnate, never approached.
So here are some more mind boggling statistics. Bezos’ Amazon online market took in almost 90% of all Internet sales during the holiday shopping season. This left Ebay, Walmart, and other major online retailers in the dust. In the last 12 months, their market value went up 57%. This is a higher feat than when Bill Gates reached his peak back in 1999. This was when Gates became the richest man of all-time. He enjoyed that position for 18 years. But in October 2017, Bozos surpassed him by approaching the $94 billion mark. And that was $11 billion ago.
But I got to show Bill Gates respect on this. Gates lost his richest man in the world position because he donated much of his wealth to worthy causes. The most worthy of these causes is the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, named after he and his wife. This foundation is now worth over $36 billion. So this means Bill Gates know what to do with his money. There is an age old saying, “To much is given, much is expected”. Bill Gates understands that. I don’t think he’s crying because he’s no longer the wealthiest man in the world. Because this IT support magnate invest his money in greatest investment all: his fellow human beings and the human spirit. But Jeff Bezos is now technology’s new king of wealth.? Are you taking notes, Mr. Bezos?
Another holiday shopping season is history now. So obviously, all things IT service and IT support dominated the Christmas lists. But which gift did people want more. And the best selling holiday item goes to…(According to Amazon, at least).
So yes, according to Amazon, the Echo Dot is Amazon’s best selling device. In fact, it’s the best selling device of all Amazon areas. Echo Dot and her cousins, spot and buttons, sold out quick. It seems like the faster people pre-ordered, the faster they sold. But that’s not all. Because the Alexa app soared in both Apple and Google Play stores.
Amazon’s Fire TV stick was also an Amazon best seller. Their sales doubled. When I say doubled, I mean double by the millions. Let’s toot Amazon’s horn even more. Their Prime got four million more new members, yet another record. We can thank their free trial for that one. And we all know about their purchase of Whole Foods. Apparently, that came up too. According to them, they sold millions of pounds of deserts. Who knows?? Maybe Whole Foods sold that much desert last year. But if you hear Amazon spokespersons, they probably couldn’t do it without Amazon. We will never know.
And the best selling holiday item goes to… Amazon products. But it’s not just Amazon’s victory. Statistics say consumer confidence is the best it’s been in a long time. People are spending and traveling more. This helps Amazon’s banner year. In fact, Jeff Bezos was nominated as Time Magazine’s Person of the Year. So yes, in my eyes, they get this award. Between you and me, I rather it be them then a certain iPhone that requires facial recognition. Who else had a good holiday shopping season? Which tech fad had the best year? And what will 2018 hold for Amazon?
Days ago, I talked about how fake Russian accounts are reaching a lot of people. In fact, they reached 150 million in just the last several months. Did you like a Russian troll account today?
I ask because now, you can find out. So Facebook is quietly telling people how to see if they liked a fake account from Russia. It could be from accident or deliberate. Nobody is here to judge, but you might want to know the truth. You also might want to know what might be getting into with these fake accounts. Therefore, Facebook makes it easy for you.
First, they give a specific page for this issue. Here is that page. Then, it gives you the pages Russia’s Internet Research Agency gave us all. Of course, they personalize this all to your personal Facebook page. However, it will give you the addresses you may have liked, followed, or commented on. They state their pledge to take down such accounts. However, if the page is empty, you liked no Russian troll accounts. It only shows which accounts you and you alone contacted. These accounts affected somewhere between 146-150 million accounts. So chances are they probably got you as well.
But I see another pattern here. You see, those in computer repair no how to keep a watchful eye on all things. They mentioned the 2016 election. I also saw an example of the potential fake Russian sites. Most of them are sites political and social conservatives would follow. I’m talking about sites like Being Patriotic and Secured Borders. Yeah, just interesting. Yes, they listed some liberal leading sites, but not nearly as many as right leaning sites. Then I think, Facebook, as well as the vast majority in IT service, were die hard Hilary Clinton supporters. So I look at this. Is Facebook trying to keep us safe from trolls? Or are they still politically bitter and making a politically motivated move? Did you like a Russian troll account today?
Obviously, Alabama dominates the news today, and not for IT support, either. But I think I should do a blog that involves both Alabama and IT service. So what do I find? Target buys Alabama company Shipt.
Shipt is a same day grocery delivery service. It also uses Google Express and Voice to enhance this experience. However, Target is buying them out for $550 million. Furthermore, it’s all cash. So there’s no confusing stock exchanges. Keep in mind Target is the second most popular retail chain after Walmart (let’s leave Amazon out of this; just for today!). Shipt will still run as it’s own business. However, it will still be under Target’s rule.
Shipt started in Birmingham, Alabama’s largest city. Bill Smith, a Birmingham native, started it in 2014. It took off almost as soon as Smith started it. Smith’s ever increasing family inspired him to start Shipt. Because having groceries delivered is one less thing this father of two has to worry about. Now that it’s under target, deliveries will no longer just includes groceries. But it will now include computer products and electronics. This online service has over 20,000 online shoppers depending on deliveries. With Target, that number will increase. It will increase a lot.
You know I’m not a fan of mergers. But in this case, I take my hat off to Bill Smith. First of all, this would make Smith a hometown hero. This is a man who brings opportunities to his city. That is awesome. Yes, he will keep his job as Shipt CEO. I think it’s a good thing Target buys Alabama company Shipt. Because a few days ago, the UN gave a report that wasn’t nearly as flattering. He here’s to hoping this purchase and this company shatters that report. I’m also thinking: Shouldn’t this merger make as much news as the two politicians are?
Do you own Bitcoin? Would you like to? You may be out of luck because as of 10am today, one Bitcoin costs you over $16,260. It’s also driving up popularity on some apps. The Bitcoin craze drives apps’ popularity.
So take apps like Coinbase. This company is worth over a billion and a half dollars. Furthermore, what’s driving their success is the exchange from cash to crypto currency. I say cash because silver and gold don’t back our US dollar, but supply and demand does. That means people, at least those who can afford to, are trading dollars for Bitcoin. It’s also the same story globally.
Now, Coinbase has the #1 most popular app in the Apple Store. So when Bitcoin jumps 20% in 24 hours, it’s natural that Coinbase will take advantage of this. In fact, this app is so popular it literally shut down. We can thank unbelievable demand for that. So many people wanted Bitcoin that the entire website shut down. But yesterday was yesterday and today is today. Today, Coinbase is up and open for business again. However, this isn’t the first time. Early this year, apps either selling and/or promoting Bitcoin shut down for the same reason. And that was back when Bitcoin was around $2,000.
The IT service industry never ceases to amaze me. Some call this the new dot com bubble. I know of one client who came to our computer service shop and invested in Bitcoin. That was around May 2017. So he must be making a killing. However, we need to be careful. Yes, the Bitcoin craze drives apps’ popularity. But let us not forget history. The Bitcoin party isn’t going to last forever. It’s even slipping a little today. In the late 2000s, it was the housing market, in the early 2000s, it was the dot com that burst. Back in 1929 , it was easy credit and shady stocks that caused a chain of disaster. Are you sure you want to invest in Bitcoin?
Space X CEO and IT support guru Elon Musk wants Mars so bad. He also wants us to go there, too (well, the most elite of us, at least). His Falcon Heavy rocket plans to launch as early as this month. It’ll also have his car on it. Elon Musk Sends Tesla car to Mars.
Furthermore, his car radio will play David Bowie’s classic hit, “Space Oddity”. You can read his excitement on his tweets he sent out yesterday. Musk expects they will launch his Falcon Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida sometime this month. Or it will be early 2018 at the very latest. But in the net tweet, five minutes later, he admitted the car could blow up during take off. However, that’s the risk he seems willing to take. If it survives, then he said, “Will be in deep space for a billion years or so…”. In other words, he doesn’t expect to see his expensive Tesla ever again. Falcon Heavy follows Falcon 9, and it’s stronger, too. They want to use it for more trips and missions between Mars and the Moon. In fact, Falcon Heavy is three Falcon 9’s strapped together. So now, it can serve beyond Earth’s Orbit.
But that’s not all. Space X wants to recover all the rockets that power Falcon Heavy. He even wants to pour more of his money, talent and resources into rocket technology. But everybody in computer repair, and many others, knows what Musk really wants. He wants to do this to send people to build colonies on Mars and the Moon. I’m talking permanent colonies. He’s not the only one in tech who wants to do this. Because Stephen Hawking believes our only hope is to evacuate Earth and move to Mars. His words, not mine. Elon Musk sends Tesla car to Mars. He wants to send us, too (well, only those he think are worthy). Do you think he will?
