Porsche Tries To Beat Uber, Amazon Can Recognize Your Voice And More On This Week's CTRL ALT Delete Segment On CHOM 97.7 FM

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Every Monday morning at 7:10 am, I am a guest contributor on CHOM 97.7 FM radio out of Montreal (home base). It’s not a long segment – about 5 to 10 minutes every week – about everything that is happening in the world of technology and digital media. The good folks at CHOM 97.7 FM are posting these segments weekly on iHeart Radio, if you’re interested in hearing more of me blathering away about what’s going on in the digital world. I’m really excited about this opportunity, because this is the radio station that I grew up on listening to, and it really is a fun treat to be invited to the Mornings Rock with Terry DiMonte morning show. The segment is called, CTRL ALT Delete with Mitch Joel.

This week we discussed: 

  • We had an amazing walk this weekend to help out the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Canada. It’s called Light The Night, and if you would still like to donate, please feel free to click here and save some lives.  
  • Uber got their stay of execution in Montreal. It’s not just taxis. It’s car sales too. This is one of the macro trends of our digital economy: no need to own stuff, when you can get it on demand. Well, Porsche is jumping into the on-demand subscription model business as well. For $2,000 a month subscribers to Porsche Passport can summon a 718 Boxster, Cayman S, Macan S or Cayenne on demand. For $3,000 a month, drivers get access to 22 different Porsche models. Registration, insurance and maintenance costs are covered, though subscribers still have to pay for fuel. They can swap for as many different models as desired during the month. Right now, the test program is open to 50 people in Atlanta… is this the future? No car ownership?
  • From the “Creepy Files”: Amazon just released an update to their ever-growing Alexa/voice business (still not available in Canada!). Now, Alexa can recognize different voices and give personalized responses. So, at the office… or at home… Amazon now knows your voice.    
  • App of the week: Anchor.