AcquiredJan 11, 2017

Episode 29: Special—2016 Review and 2017 Predictions

Summary, books mentioned, transcript quotes, and timestamps for Episode 29: Special—2016 Review and 2017 Predictions on Acquired.

Notable books mentioned: Aggregation Theory by Ben Thompson, Reflections of Obama on His Presidency, Amazon, The Undoing Project by Michael Lewis

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Mentioned at 4:54

Aggregation Theory

Ben Thompson

The hosts highlight the significance of 'Aggregation Theory' by Ben Thompson as a recurring theme throughout their episodes. They emphasize how thi…

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Mentioned at 13:04

Reflections of Obama on His Presidency

The host mentions 'Reflections of Obama on His Presidency' to highlight the significance of the telephone in facilitating communication among world…

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Mentioned at 14:54

Amazon

The host briefly mentions Amazon in the context of discussing network effects and how they impact business scalability. This reference highlights t…

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Episode summary, books & quotes

Episode 29: Special—2016 Review and 2017 Predictions mentions Aggregation Theory by Ben Thompson, Reflections of Obama on His Presidency, Amazon, and The Undoing Project by Michael Lewis with timestamps, quotes, and episode context.

Aggregation Theory Reflections of Obama on His Presidency Amazon The Undoing Project

Episode summary

Ben & David wrap up 2016 with a review of the top tech themes we discussed on the show this year, and look forward to which themes we think will be relevant in the coming year. Can our hosts predict the future? Tune-in in 2018 to find out! Note: we apologize for the less-than-amazing audio quality on this one. We’re still working on tuning our remote recording setup!

Book mentions11

Media mentions2

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Summary, books mentioned, transcript quotes, and timestamps for Episode 29: Special—2016 Review and 2017 Predictions on Acquired.

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The conversation centers on Isaac Asimov's works.
A second recurring theme is aggregation theory discussion.
Referenced books include Aggregation Theory by Ben Thompson and Reflections of Obama on His Presidency.
The strongest audience signal points to Entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts and listeners interested in technology and communication.

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Aggregation Theory by Ben Thompson, Reflections of Obama on His Presidency, and Amazon are the clearest linked books in this episode, each tied back to transcript timestamps and quote cards.

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Top triggers

Isaac Asimov's works(2)aggregation theory discussion(1)creative thinking and structure(1)human motives and economics(1)importance of communication technology(1)importance of decluttering(1)importance of plain English(1)importance of writing(1)

Mention sentiment

Highly Recommended(5)Passing Reference(5)Deep Dive(1)

Audience signals

Entrepreneurs and tech enthusiastslisteners interested in technology and communicationEntrepreneurs and business strategistsIndividuals interested in economics and human behaviorIndividuals interested in personal organization and minimalismAnyone looking to improve their writing skills

Books Mentioned

Aggregation Theory

Ben Thompson

Best for Entrepreneurs and tech enthusiastsOften cited around aggregation theory discussion

“Discussed in six different episodes, aggregation theory talks about building superior user experiences as the winning strategy in an infinitely accessible zero cost distribution world.”

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Sentiment: Deep Dive

Trigger: aggregation theory discussion

For: Entrepreneurs and tech enthusiasts

Key quote: “once you see it, you can't unsee it.”

The hosts highlight the significance of 'Aggregation Theory' by Ben Thompson as a recurring theme throughout their episodes. They emphasize how this theory provides insights into building superior user experiences in a digital marketplace, influencing their analysis of various companies.

ASIN: 1683727738

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Reflections of Obama on His Presidency

Best for listeners interested in technology and communicationOften cited around importance of communication technology

“Mentioned in the context of how important the telephone was to the Obama administration and its role in communication with world leaders.”

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Sentiment: Passing Reference

Trigger: importance of communication technology

For: listeners interested in technology and communication

Key quote: “he was talking about actually, I think it was I think this quote was from one of his aides, but talking about how important the telephone was to.”

The host mentions 'Reflections of Obama on His Presidency' to highlight the significance of the telephone in facilitating communication among world leaders during Obama's administration. This reference serves to illustrate how certain technologies maintain their relevance despite the emergence of new innovations.

ASIN: 1635760585

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Amazon

Best for Entrepreneurs and business strategistsOften cited around network effects in business

“Amazon was just books until long after the IPO, highlighting its initial focus on a specific market before expanding.”

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Sentiment: Passing Reference

Trigger: network effects in business

For: Entrepreneurs and business strategists

Key quote: “whereas you buying stuff from Amazon only indirectly makes Amazon more valuable to me.”

The host briefly mentions Amazon in the context of discussing network effects and how they impact business scalability. This reference highlights the indirect value that Amazon provides to its users compared to other platforms with stronger direct network effects.

ASIN: B07PCMWTSG

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The Undoing Project

Michael Lewis

Best for Individuals interested in economics and human behaviorOften cited around human motives and economics

“The speaker mentions they have not yet started reading 'The Undoing Project' but it's on their list.”

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Sentiment: Passing Reference

Trigger: human motives and economics

For: Individuals interested in economics and human behavior

Key quote: “I have not yet started reading The Undoing Project. But it's on my list.”

The host mentions 'The Undoing Project' in the context of discussing flawed assumptions in classical economics. They highlight the importance of understanding human behavior beyond just economic motivations, suggesting that the book is relevant to this discussion.

ASIN: B01KBM82M4

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The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

Best for Individuals interested in personal organization and minimalismOften cited around importance of decluttering

“Mentioned as a top-selling book in 2013, discussing the importance of removing physical things from one's life.”

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Sentiment: Passing Reference

Trigger: importance of decluttering

For: Individuals interested in personal organization and minimalism

Key quote: “Mentioned as a top-selling book in 2013, discussing the importance of removing physical things from one's life.”

The host briefly mentions 'The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up' as a notable bestseller from 2013. This reference highlights the growing awareness of the significance of decluttering in one's life.

ASIN: B017WSRCGC

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On Writing Well

Best for Anyone looking to improve their writing skillsOften cited around importance of writing

“Recommended as a book to read every year, focusing on clarity and purpose in writing.”

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Sentiment: Highly Recommended

Trigger: importance of writing

For: Anyone looking to improve their writing skills

Key quote: “Very few things that we can invest in that'll do more for our our communication than than learning to be a better writer.”

The host mentions 'On Writing Well' as a book they are rereading to improve their writing skills. They emphasize its focus on clarity and simplicity in writing, which they believe is essential for effective communication.

ASIN: 0062735233

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The Elements of Style

E.B. White

Best for writers and students of writingOften cited around importance of plain English

“Mentioned as a spiritual supplement to 'On Writing Well', emphasizing the importance of writing in plain English.”

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Sentiment: Passing Reference

Trigger: importance of plain English

For: writers and students of writing

Key quote: “Mentioned as a spiritual supplement to 'On Writing Well', emphasizing the importance of writing in plain English.”

The host mentioned 'The Elements of Style' as a complementary resource to 'On Writing Well'. This highlights the significance of clear and straightforward writing.

ASIN: B0016J0EIM

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The Creative Habit

Twyla Tharp

Best for entrepreneurs, executives, and artistsOften cited around creative thinking and structure

“Described as a book with great advice on thinking creatively and structuring life for various types of work.”

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Sentiment: Highly Recommended

Trigger: creative thinking and structure

For: entrepreneurs, executives, and artists

Key quote: “It's a really creative work itself, but a lot of great advice for how to think creatively and structure your life.”

The host mentions 'The Creative Habit' by Twyla Tharp as a valuable resource for anyone looking to enhance their creative thinking and life organization. They emphasize its relevance for a wide range of individuals, from entrepreneurs to artists.

ASIN: B07W899ZRL

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Robot Series

Isaac Asimov

Best for Readers interested in science fiction and technologyOften cited around Isaac Asimov's Robot Series

“Mentioned as part of the series read by the speaker, relevant to themes of innovation and robotics.”

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Sentiment: Highly Recommended

Trigger: Isaac Asimov's Robot Series

For: Readers interested in science fiction and technology

Key quote: “Really fun. And also a great a great read as we head into this world, as we've been talking about on this episode of artificial intelligence and robotics potentially coming along with that.”

The host mentioned the Robot Series as part of their exploration of Isaac Asimov's works, which they recently completed. They highlighted the series' relevance to contemporary discussions about artificial intelligence and robotics.

ASIN: 9124282871

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Empire Series

Isaac Asimov

Best for Readers interested in science fiction and themes of artificial intelligence.Often cited around Isaac Asimov's works

“Mentioned as part of the series read by the speaker, relevant to themes of innovation and robotics.”

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Sentiment: Highly Recommended

Trigger: Isaac Asimov's works

For: Readers interested in science fiction and themes of artificial intelligence.

Key quote: “I finally read the entire Isaac Asimov canon.”

The host mentioned the Empire Series as part of their exploration of Isaac Asimov's entire canon, which they recently completed. They highlighted the relevance of Asimov's themes to contemporary discussions about artificial intelligence and robotics.

ASIN: B0BFBV1TQ7

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Foundation

Isaac Asimov

Best for Readers interested in science fiction and technologyOften cited around Isaac Asimov's works

“Part of the series read by the speaker, discussing its relevance to artificial intelligence and robotics.”

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Sentiment: Highly Recommended

Trigger: Isaac Asimov's works

For: Readers interested in science fiction and technology

Key quote: “I finally read the entire Isaac Asimov canon.”

The host mentioned Isaac Asimov's 'Foundation' series as part of their exploration of fiction that ties into themes of artificial intelligence and robotics. They emphasized the influence of Asimov's work on innovators and inventors, suggesting its relevance in today's technological landscape.

ASIN: B09KZ8SNS6

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Movies & Documentaries Mentioned

Movie

Westworld

Confidence: 80%

“The speaker refers to Westworld as their piece of entertainment for 2016, highlighting its thought-provoking nature.”

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Movie

Rogue One

Confidence: 90%

“The speaker mentions Rogue One as their video content of the year, praising it as fantastic and worth seeing multiple times.”

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