Issue 283: The $200 plastic box opportunity

I have a handful of links for you to check out this time.
It’s very old school, but that’s how I like it!

The $200 plastic box opportunity
Want proof that personal brands still beat corporate brands, even in the AI era? Look no further than this plastic box that got so popular, customers are limited to ordering 10.

Inside the AI gold rush 
Rob Kelly was nice enough to have me on his new podcast, Media and the Machine. This goes deep into my actual job: content strategy for the tech companies selling the picks and shovels for the AI gold rush.

An excuse to collect music for the rest of your life
In the podcast above, I tried to explain why a creator could be happier as a generalist, even when specialists make all the money. But I think Henry Rollins explains it better in this talk about why he still collects music memorabilia and information, even at 64 — when most collectors are trying to downsize.

Your phone can trigger actions based on environmental sounds
We tend to concentrate on generative AI so much that we ignore the little leaps that are being made in good, old-fashioned automations.

New top 5 newsletter 
One of my favorite newsletters had a management change, and the content has gone downhill fast. This is the newsletter taking over its place in my top 5. Dan has somehow found that perfect balance between personal voice and tasteful design that’s missing from so many newsletters these days – including mine.

Thanks for reading! — CJ