Dead in the Clouds 🌧️💥

👀 TLDR

In this week’s What’s Appening, we cover the AWS failure that disrupted many apps, platforms, and services yesterday. Echoes of CrowdStrike in 2024, certainly, and it’s causing many to reflect on our dependence on centralized cloud services. This week, we also look at OpenAI embracing erotica (yes, really), the subdued release of Vision Pro 2.0, a personal supercomputer from Nvidia, Spotify’s ‘ethical’ AI artist tools, and plenty more.

🔥 Vibe & Validate with 3A: Workshop, Prototype and Roadmap in ONE Week 🔥

🎬 Our Top Take

⛓️‍💥💥 AWS – Single Point of Failure Disrupts Swathes of the Internet

Last July, the CrowdStrike outages cost the global economy around $10 billion as an IT failure crippled websites, apps, and business systems. Yesterday, it was Amazon’s turn to bring 30% of the web down, with platforms as varied as Fortnite, Snapchat, Coinbase, Slack, Wordle, and Amazon’s shopping site among those down. It came about due to DNS (domain name service) problems originating from the US-EAST-1 region, AKA an AWS data center in Northern Virginia. Should we really operate in a system where a simple(ish) problem in a data center in Virginia paralyzes many banking systems and business workflows on the other side of the world, not to mention the US? That’s the question being asked after yesterday’s outage. Most are pointing to the problem of a single point of failure. Yet, this is not a case of someone accidentally pulling a plug from a socket in a Virginia data center. Having centralized cloud services from AWS, Google, et al., is broadly beneficial, bolstering cybersecurity and guardrails, while also offering greater stability to users. The trade-off, however, is that this standardization means an issue - corrupted data, faulty updates (like CrowdStrike last year), or, as was the case yesterday, broken name resolution - can lead to the poisoning of all the dependents to those centralized cloud services. So, it’s a trade-off, yes, but that does not mean AWS and others shouldn’t take lessons from it to stop it happening again. #DownAndOut Read more here.

📲 App of the Week: GoWish

For those still clinging to the memories of the summer, we will refrain from using the C-word, but the Holidays are, indeed, on the horizon. Thus, we think it’s no coincidence that GoWish has weaved its way into the top 10 of the App Store. GoWish functions somewhat like a wedding gift registry, but the app works with all online stores to easily create personal gift wish-lists for any occasion that can be shared with friends and family. Over five million people now use the app, which is perfect for people who have difficulty deciding on the right gifts, especially for that annoying sibling who’s hard to buy for, during the Holidays or any time of year. Get it free for iOS here or Android here.

🧐 Stat of the Week: $2,500+

📈📉 X – New Marketplace to Sell Rare & Inactive Handles

There are several new changes afoot on X/Twitter, coming at a time when many believe the platform is struggling with everything from ad revenue to the blight of bots. One of the most interesting new features is a marketplace for inactive handles, i.e., usernames from inactive accounts. Some of the rarest handles – short ones like @Tom or @Pizza – could go from anything from $2,500 to seven figures, experts say. X is also adopting a new UX experience for in-app links, explained in this post by Nikita Bier. And, in an interesting development, it will also demonetize ad revenue from posts with misinformation. Community notes will be the arbiter of truth in that respect. #NameMarket Read more here.

🗞️ Other Stories

📍 Meanwhile at 3Advance

Last week, Paul announced he’s fundraising for Shift – the app for the Global Irish, and the Irish-ish. Hint: That’s you!! ☘️ If you haven’t heard about Shift yet, this is the perfect intro. And if you have, this one goes further – unpacking the difference between social media and a true social network, and why this is such a unique opportunity as an Irish (or Irish-ish) investor. As 3Advance evolves into a true Venture Studio, Shift is more than just an example of what our team here is capable of when we are true partners.