Skip to main content

The context you need, when you need it

When news breaks, you need to understand what actually matters — and what to do about it. At Vox, our mission to help you make sense of the world has never been more vital. But we can’t do it on our own.

We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today?

Join now

Recode Daily: Tesla reported its biggest-ever loss, and Elon Musk apologized

Plus, Google is working on a government-censored search engine for China; conspiracy theorist Alex Jones gets another slap on the wrist from a major tech company; buy the unofficial VC uniform — from an airport vending machine.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk
Tesla CEO Elon Musk
Tesla CEO Elon Musk
Chris Saucedo / Getty Images for SXSW

Tesla reported the largest quarterly loss in its history — $717.5 million — revealing that it burned through $430 million in cash over three months. But investors didn’t freak out — Wall Street was expecting worse, and Tesla stock was up more than 10 percent in after-hours trading. On the earnings call, CEO Elon Musk apologized to analysts for his recent erratic behavior and outbursts. [Jackie Wattles / CNN]

[Want to get the Recode Daily in your inbox? Subscribe here.]

Google is reportedly planning to launch a government-censored search engine in China, which would block websites and search terms about human rights, democracy, religion and peaceful protest. The move — if implemented, possibly with a local partner — would be a major shift in Google’s China policy. Google pulled its search engine from China in 2010 after it discovered a ”highly sophisticated” attack from the country. [Ryan Gallagher / The Intercept]

In an attempt at creating its first major revenue stream, Facebook’s WhatsApp outlined plans to begin selling advertisements and charging companies a service fee for interacting with customers on its messaging platform. [Deepa Seetharaman / The Wall Street Journal]

Sonos, the smart speaker company, is going public today. In an unexpected but clever twist, the company — led by Sonos Sound Experience Lead Giles Martin and Academy Award-winning sound engineer Chris Jenkins — redesigned the opening bell sound for Nasdaq. [Sonos]

Infowars founder and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones got another slap on the wrist from a major tech company: Facing public outrage, streaming service Spotify removed multiple episodes of Jones’s eponymous podcast for violating its policies around hate speech. Jones has also been suspended from Facebook and Twitter for repeated policy violations. Meanwhile, a conspiracy cult called “QAnonjumped from internet message boards into the crowd at President Trump’s latest “MAGA” rally in Tampa. [Kurt Wagner / Recode]

Perhaps because tech touches every aspect of life and culture now, the New York Times continues to beef up its tech-focused op-eds section, adding Sarah Jeong, a senior writer at The Verge, to its editorial board. Other notable additions to the section include Recode’s Kara Swisher and Uber whistleblower Susan Fowler Rigetti — HuffPost editor in chief Lydia Polgreen calls it “a murderer’s row of talent.” [The New York Times]

Here’s a look inside Masayoshi Son’s secret meetings with the tech founders he picks for his $100 billion Vision Fund. Meanwhile, investors have pumped nearly $1 billion into aerospace startups this year. [Alex Sherman / CNBC]

Top stories from Recode

What’s really driving Apple’s growth?

It’s not “Services.”

How bots amplify hoaxes and propaganda on social media.

Zignal Labs CEO Josh Ginsberg says consumers and companies need to know what’s bot-generated and what’s not so they can make informed decisions about things like elections.

Product Hunt CEO Ryan Hoover says redesigning your app is probably a mistake.

On the latest episode of Recode Media with Peter Kafka, Hoover says that goes for everyone, not just Snapchat.

Rent the Runway bet on the death of clothing ownership — and now it’s doubling down.

To the tune of a $200 million loan to invest in its subscription rental business.

A cap on NYC Uber cars might help with traffic, but will it cut off a crucial link for many without transit?

And will this set a precedent for caps in other cities?

This is cool

You, too, can buy “the unofficial uniform for venture capital investors” — from an airport vending machine near you.

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

See More:

More in Technology

Technology
The case for AI realismThe case for AI realism
Technology

AI isn’t going to be the end of the world — no matter what this documentary sometimes argues.

By Shayna Korol
Politics
OpenAI’s oddly socialist, wildly hypocritical new economic agendaOpenAI’s oddly socialist, wildly hypocritical new economic agenda
Politics

The AI company released a set of highly progressive policy ideas. There’s just one small problem.

By Eric Levitz
Future Perfect
Human bodies aren’t ready to travel to Mars. Space medicine can help.Human bodies aren’t ready to travel to Mars. Space medicine can help.
Future Perfect

Protecting astronauts in space — and maybe even Mars — will help transform health on Earth.

By Shayna Korol
Podcasts
The importance of space toilets, explainedThe importance of space toilets, explained
Podcast
Podcasts

Houston, we have a plumbing problem.

By Peter Balonon-Rosen and Sean Rameswaram
Technology
What happened when they installed ChatGPT on a nuclear supercomputerWhat happened when they installed ChatGPT on a nuclear supercomputer
Technology

How they’re using AI at the lab that created the atom bomb.

By Joshua Keating
Future Perfect
Humanity’s return to the moon is a deeply religious missionHumanity’s return to the moon is a deeply religious mission
Future Perfect

Space barons like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk don’t seem religious. But their quest to colonize outer space is.

By Sigal Samuel