Sandberg Out | Not Cool | Hardline Musk | WWDC

Crafted while admiring my latest garage sale find

In case you didn't know, I like model trains (Credit: Lance Ulanoff)

Leaning out

I get that Sheryl Sandberg's recent Meta/Facebook history might've been a bit checkered, but I'm convinced she's the force that gave shape to the behemoth we call Facebook.

From its IPO to the massive mobile advertising surge and from congressional appearances to the state of its governance, it's all due, in part, to her steady hand.

Over the years, I met Sandberg once or twice. We even exchanged pleasantries. I recall her surprising me by saying she knew who I was. But that was as far as it went. All I knew of the soon-to-be-former Facebook COO is what I saw of her on stage and what I read, including her own entertaining and honest Lean In book.

I remember thinking that she came across as an accessible, warm, open, messy, and wickedly smart leader. On stage and at hearings, she could be a staunch defender of Facebook.

Back in 2016, Sandberg was asked at the Code Conference if she considered running for office, I think some saw her as a more viable presidential candidate than Hillary Clinton. She demurred.

Now, though, the landscape has changed. Sandberg's image is somewhat tarnished after she reportedly tried to bury some not-so-flattering stories about a friend. People, though, have ridden out worse and Sandberg is undoubtedly a proven leader and executive.

Will she end up as CEO of another tech company, running for office, a VC backing dozens of tiny startups, or happily retired? Time will tell.

No charge

Learning that my Nest Thermostat second generation has a battery inside has caused me considerable consternation. I didn't know this until the Nest reported by way of the app that it didn't have enough power to support Wi-Fi.

I found the message confusing because I assumed the device, which was still lit up on my wall, gets power from a transformer (it's a low-powered device that needs DC power) buried in my house. That's only half true. The on-board Wi-Fi radio takes its power from a battery inside the thermostat. That battery sips its charge from a transformer. In this case, it gets the power from a line connected to my HVAC's air handler.

The wild thing is that the thermostat can still be used to control the AC, but only if I'm standing in front of it. There's no remote control because there's no Wi-Fi.

To keep everything, including the Wi-Fi, working I occasionally have to pull the unit from the wall and plug it into an old-school micro-USB jack and power adapter for a couple of hours.

In the meantime, I have to figure out why the Nest isn't getting that trickle of battery charging power. That's also proving to be a problem because there's no transformer visible in my air handler.

I have no idea what to do next, but I really wish Nest hadn't designed its device this way.

The hard line

I was just thinking about the unusual nature of my current work life. In all my 36 years of working, I've never before been in a situation where I am consistently splitting my work week between home and the office. I currently spend three consecutive days in the office and two days at home. I've grown used to it and wonder if I'll ever spend five days a week commuting again.

Of course, if I worked for Elon Musk, I'd be back in the office five days a week for at least 40 hours a week ASAP or run the risk of losing my job. The Tesla CEO recently sent a memo to employees (he never directly confirmed its existence) telling them to come back to the office for five days a week to work a minimum of 40 hours a week. I know that sounds harsh, though many of us rarely work just 40, anyway. For me, it's what Musk tweeted later when asked about the memo, saying "they should pretend to work elsewhere."

To me, that's the unkindest cut. He basically just told all his office workers that they're slacking. I can't imagine anyone at Tesla is happy about that.

For someone as steeped in innovation, technology, and process, as Musk is, this is a surprising point of view. Even from my vantage point, it's pretty clear that remote work can and does work. Yes, even the dreaded Zoom meeting can be productive.

Do I like going into the office? Yes. I love the in-person collaboration and energy, but those two days working out of my house are equally valuable. I get so much done and get just a little respite from the grind of commuting.

I don't think Musk's hardline is going to work unless it's a tactic to quickly cut his staff by 10%, which may have been the plan all along.

Apple Time

Today kicks off Apple's annual WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) in California and I will be there for the keynote! Follow the action on TechRadar's live blog and in my live tweets. There will be tons of news on iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, tvOS....the list is endless. Apple CEO Tim Cook's keynote starts at 1P M ET, but we'll have lots to share before, during, and after.

Stay well

See you soon