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Tesla steals the show with the Model 3 (The 3:59, Ep. 21)

The electric car company sizzles thanks to presales of its new sedan, but is Tesla hype overheated?

Ben Fox Rubin Former senior reporter
Ben Fox Rubin was a senior reporter for CNET News in Manhattan, reporting on Amazon, e-commerce and mobile payments. He previously worked as a reporter for The Wall Street Journal and got his start at newspapers in New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts.
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Roger Cheng Former Executive Editor / Head of News
Roger Cheng (he/him/his) was the executive editor in charge of CNET News, managing everything from daily breaking news to in-depth investigative packages. Prior to this, he was on the telecommunications beat and wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal for nearly a decade and got his start writing and laying out pages at a local paper in Southern California. He's a devoted Trojan alum and thinks sleep is the perfect -- if unattainable -- hobby for a parent.
Expertise Mobile, 5G, Big Tech, Social Media Credentials
  • SABEW Best in Business 2011 Award for Breaking News Coverage, Eddie Award in 2020 for 5G coverage, runner-up National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Award for culture analysis.
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Ben Fox Rubin
Roger Cheng
Tesla Motors, screenshot by Antuan Goodwin/Roadshow

The new Tesla Model 3 has arrived and so has the hype.

The high-end electric car company last week revealed its more affordable Model 3, which starts at $35,000. Customers lined up to snag one, and Tesla said preorders for the Model 3 -- which won't even be delivered to customers until late next year -- hit 276,000 over the weekend. We discuss whether excitement about Tesla's new vehicle has already overreached or if the Model 3 signals a big shake up in the car world.

While Tesla may be enjoying the attention, Apple is uncharacteristically not getting much notice for its newest product. The iPhone SE reportedly posted weak sales during its first weekend, revealing a lack of interest in the 4-inch phone.

We also discuss Apple's 40th birthday and, naturally, whether its rumored car project will come to fruition.

The 3:59 gives you bite-size news and analysis about the top stories of the day, brought to you by CNET Executive Editor Roger Cheng and Senior Writer Ben Fox Rubin.

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