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Climate change

With a secondhand solar panel, a battery and a Raspberry Pi minicomputer, game developer Kara Stone got the server powering her games running for just a few hundred dollars. When people point out that cloudy days could leave the server unpowered and her games inaccessible, Stone says that's part of the point.

https://www.bing.com/th?id=OVFT.7wItoNO4l0OjT-fWGh_GtC&pid=News

Video game

Climate

Video Games Are Finally Waking Up to Climate Change

https://www.bing.com/th?id=ODF.vS3pKUrPWgIKkQBHtUkEPQ&pid=news

CNET

An advisory released by the Us Surgeon General states 'there are ample indicators that social media can also have a profound risk of harm to the mental health and well-being of children and adolescents.

https://www.bing.com/th?id=OVFT.vab6O5HuvhMgSeTPEfPSay&pid=News

US Surgeon General says social media can pose 'a profound risk' to teens' mental health

https://www.bing.com/th?id=ODF.AVdW8o5VMyi101iqCXZFWA&pid=news

Engadget

With a little creativity and hard work, anyone can start an online business from home ... such as social media management, email management, bookkeeping, and graphic design.

5 Best Online Business Ideas That ANYONE Can Start From Home

LinkedIn

Business Wire

Centric

Cinemark Theatres

Inc., one of the world’s largest and most influential movie theater companies, now offers specialty Cinemark and movie merchandise for fans across the U.S. through its online store, Cinemark ...

Cinemark Launches Online Merchandise Shop in Latest Example of Customer-Centric Enhancements

newsroom.businesswire.com

Elliott Company

Digital audio

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Ad Results Media (ARM), the leader in podcast advertising as well as digital audio, broadcast radio and influencer partnerships on YouTube, announced the hiring of ...

Ad Results Media Hires New Chief Revenue Officer Teresa Elliott Underscoring Company’s Commitment to Fostering Innovation in Digital Audio Industry

Illini Media

Daily Illini

What makes the Illini Media Company different is that it is an independent entity that is run by students, for students. Being an independent company allows the students on staff the freedom to write about, publish and broadcast anything that they ...

Illini Media Company: A place for students in media to thrive

The Daily Illini

New Delhi. Swiggy, the chief executive officer (CEO) and co-founder of online food delivery platform Swiggy, has said that the company has now reached a profitable position. Sriharsha said on Thursday that Swiggy has joined the few global companies in its ...

Swiggy’s online food delivery business now profitable.

The Eastern Herald

Social media

A unanimous Supreme Court on Thursday sided with Google and Twitter in a pair of cases that had alleged social media liability ... a substantial victory for online companies which had warned ...

Supreme Court sides with Twitter, Google in high-stakes cases on social media, terrorism

ABC News

Using an online LLC service allows you to save time and energy on administrative tasks so you can concentrate on what’s really important, making your company idea a reality. In this article ...

8 Best LLC Services for Hassle-Free Business Formation

The State

Third party

Content

Under Section 230, social media companies are not treated as the publishers ... Terrorism Act — and whether hosting terrorist content online could constitute "aiding and abetting" under federal ...

Supreme Court rules for social media giants in cases over third-party content, declines to address Section 230

Fox Business

Engadget is the original home for technology news and reviews. Since its founding in 2004, we've grown from an exhaustive source for consumer tech news to a global multimedia organization covering the intersection of technology, gaming and entertainment.

Technology isn't just about gadgets. It's the car with no driver, printing human organs and leisurely flights into space. It's the future and we're here to tell you all about it. Our web, mobile, and Flipboard presence reaches over 20 million unique readers per month. We are the Official Online News Source for CES, the world's largest trade show for consumer electronics held each year in Las Vegas in January, as well as the proud home of the 2014 Best of CES Awards.

The grown-ups have entered the room. On February 6, Google the imminent launch of Bard, its search experience fueled by conversational AI. Within 24 hours, Microsoft answered Google by a new version of Bing Search also powered by conversational AI. It's an OpenAI Arms Race. OpenAI didn't start it. But OpenAI was the catalyst for these back-to-back announcements when the company made its ChatGPT chatbot available to the public in November 2022. Microsoft, a major investor in OpenAI, noted on its blog that the new Bing “is running on a new, next-generation OpenAI large language model that is more powerful than ChatGPT and customized specifically for search. It takes key learnings and advancements from ChatGPT and GPT-3.5 – and it is even faster, more accurate and more capable.” The new Bing had better live up to those words. I understand why Microsoft launched a version of the conversational Bing in preview mode. When you are a challenger brand, you have to be bold. But Bing . announced releasing has nowhere near the cachet and popularity as Google Search And conversational AI is dogged with concerns about and . The critics will actively look for potential problems on Bing. By contrast, Google has stressed it is taking more time to vet Bard with “trusted testers” -- a demographically and geographically diverse group of people external to Google who are supposed to help Google mitigate against bias creeping into the Bard search experience. : on February 8, Google's new conversational AI tool, Bard, provided inaccurate information in a high-profile public demo and promotion, causing a public embarrassment. The gaffe reinforced the wisdom of Google's original approach of developing AI-powered search tools on its own timetable and amplified the concerns about the accuracy of conversational AI tools. Both Google and Microsoft have noted that with conversational AI, search becomes a jumping-off point for deeper, more creative experiences. According to Microsoft's blog, accuracy bias An update There are times when you need more than an answer – you need inspiration. The new Bing can generate the content to help you. It can help you write an email, create a 5-day itinerary for a dream vacation to Hawaii, with links to book your travel and accommodations, prep for a job interview or create a quiz for trivia night. The new Bing also cites all its sources, so you’re able to see links to the web content it references. And Sundar Pichai wrote that “Bard can be an outlet for creativity, and a launchpad for curiosity, helping you to explain new discoveries from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to a 9-year-old, or learn more about the best strikers in football right now, and then get drills to build your skills.” In addition, Microsoft announced that it has updated the Edge browser with new AI capabilities and a new look, and the company has added two new functionalities: Chat and compose. Per Microsoft, with the Edge Sidebar, you can ask for a summary of a lengthy financial report to get the key takeaways – and then use the chat function to ask for a comparison to a competing company’s financials and automatically put it in a table. You can also ask Edge to help you compose content, such as a LinkedIn post, by giving it a few prompts to get you started. After that, you can ask it to help you update the tone, format and length of the post. Edge can understand the web page you’re on and adapts accordingly. So far, at least one test of the functionality with Bing and Edge, , has earned a thumbs-up. from Engadget The integration is a good move on Microsoft’s part. Edge is hardly a popular browser, and here again, Microsoft is acting like a challenger brand by making a bolder move than Google did. Two lingering questions will be addressed soon. What will Bard and Bing do to Google's and Microsoft's advertising models? Conversational AI tools flourish by giving searchers detailed responses instead of links to other sites. But paid search on both Google and Bing depend on people staying engaged on Google Search and Microsoft Bing clicking on links. Will problems with inaccurate responses and bias damage the search user experience? Having people vet Bard is no guarantee of success. Unless they’ve been chosen carefully and in an inclusive way, they could make problems of bias worse. Meanwhile, it was time for Big Tech to put its muscle and thinking behind conversational AI. You can be sure that Amazon, the most popular source of product searches (even more popular than Google), will make an announcement of its own, and so will Apple. Google especially needed to act. OpenAI was eating its lunch even though Google had been working on its own conversational AI tool for years. Once Bard goes live officially, the world will really change.

The Conversational AI Arms Race Has Begun

La carrera armamentista de IA conversacional ha comenzado

La course aux armements de l'IA conversationnelle a commencé

संवादी एआई आर्म्स रेस शुरू हो गई है

会話型 AI の軍拡競争が始まった

A corrida armamentista conversacional da IA começou

Cuộc chạy đua vũ trang AI đàm thoại đã bắt đầu

会话式 AI 军备竞赛已经开始

Imagine a robot that can see, hear, and smell 10,000 times better than humans and computers. One would think this is impossible, but it is, in fact, completely plausible. The human senses are limited and it is, for this reason, police and army personnel use trained sniffer dogs to detect drugs, bombs, and fugitives. The problem is that caring for and maintaining these animals is costly and time-consuming. Enter the combination of science, technology, and biology - or rather, synthetic biology. In a study published recently in the journal, , researchers have discovered a way to harness the capabilities of the locust, which has a highly-sensitive sense of sight, touch, and smell. Biosensor and Bioelectronics By using the antenna of a locust and keeping it “alive”, scientists were able to capture a large variety of smells detected and undetected by humans. Antennae from a desert locust were connected to an electronic system that, using machine learning, detects and measures odors with a level of sensitivity usually only found in animals and insects. According to , they then paired the robot with an algorithm that learned to characterize the smells by their signal output. an article in Engadget In this way, the team created a system that could reliably differentiate between eight “pure” odors, including geranium, lemon, and marzipan, and two mixtures of different smells. This phenomenal discovery could have far-reaching applications. Researchers say such robots could one day be used to detect drugs and explosives, and could theoretically replace canines in airport and police search operations. Obviously, this would be cheaper and more efficient. It can also be used to detect problems in the food industry such as freshness, mold, and various other bacteria. Ideally, it could also be used by doctors to detect various types of diseases and cancers not typically detected by other technologies. While the researcher claims the robot is a “scientific first,” this may be a stretch. Last June, researchers from Michigan State University published research detailing a system that used surgically-altered locusts to . detect cancer cells As far back as 2016, scientists also tried turning locusts . into bomb-sniffing cyborgs Clearly, researchers have been thinking about this technology and the need for it for a long time now. The concept is there but perhaps needs a few more years until technology is advanced enough to be able to put this terrific and exciting technology to use in the field. Regardless, once this technology is paired with AI, it can be used not only to detect issues but also to predict issues as well. This would be a game-changer and would accelerate the advancement of synthetic biology and its practical applications.

How AI Will Soon Integrate With Synthetic Biology

On the early web, some content pioneers experimented with interactive, community-fed, literate smut. In the mid to late 80’s, a group of undergrads met at Brown University. They were immersed in the liberal arts—semiotics, philosophy, visual art—and in any other generation bound for careers as professors or editors or marketers in the media field. But this group, spurned by an unwelcoming job market and a rising computer literacy in the general public, turned to the web instead and became the backbone of the popular tech scene in New York known as Silicon Alley. Among them was Steven Johnson, who joined Stephanie Syman to launch one of the earliest online magazines. The group also included eventual head of MTV interactive Nicholas Butterworth, who got his start creating the web-based bulletin board . Mark Tribe was also part of that class, and he would go on to create a virtual community called Rhizome. But one of the last of this class to get started—and certainly the most enigmatic—was Rufus Griscom, who created the erotic online magazine alongside his partner Genevieve Field. Feed, SonicNet Nerve Griscom met Field when at a publishing house, where they both worked as editors. They hatched an idea early for a literary erotica website, that leaned into nude photographs of real people’s bodies, and long form articles where nothing was off limits. Griscom watched from the sidelines with interest as his friends from Brown in Silicon Alley began to shape what a site like that would even look like. Then they gave it a name: webzines. Webzines like and and were cultural products born on the web with their own editorial mannerisms, aesthetic, and attitude. Zines were pithy but often not short (word count doesn’t cost a thing when its digital), blending sarcasm and wit with sharp criticism of the mainstream cultural status quo. Word Suck Feed There was something else that stopped Griscom and Field from launching their idea: the law. It wasn’t until the Communications Decency Act was amended in 1996—which enabled a much wider set of content to be published to the web without censorship, a huge victory for the open web—that Field and Griscom felt they could launch something official, and maybe even attract commercial investors which so many of the soon dot-com bubble had already done. The day after the Communications Decency Act was passed, they launched Nerve.com. Conceived as a spiritual successor to the Playboy of the 1950’s and 1960’s, Nerve’s take on the webzine featured experimental formats and bold nude photography paired with longform editorials exploring sex, gender, sexuality, and relationships. As a product of the information age however, the content on Nerve was decidedly more cerebral and high-minded than most pornographic sites of the early web—”Playboy’s body with the New Yorker’s brain,” as a writer from would later put it. The site—and its writers—were able to create a unique editorial voice that was friendly, open, and sex-positive. “Literate smut,” as its slogan read. Entertainment Weekly But what really set Nerve apart was the way it centered its two enigmatic founders, Griscom and Field. The first version of the site even featured a picture of their coffee table that subbed in for the site’s navigation. But that was just the beginning. Because of the explicit nature of the site’s content and the fact that the two were actually dating, Griscom and Field found themselves in the spotlight. They were interviewed by Charlie Rose, featured in and and had a whole HBO documentary produced about them. Time Newsweek But it was a position they soon relished. The duo would throw lavish (and occasionally obscene) parties on behalf of . And each—consciously or not—cultivated a public persona that intended to match the voice of the site: out, loud, and not safe for work. Nerve Their public exposure and popular editorials helped launch Nerve to a huge level of success very quickly, leapfrogging some of Griscom’s classmates. By 1999, against the backdrop of what would soon become the dot-com bubble bursting, they were able to make their first acquisition, a like-minded community known as Bianca.com. Bianca.com was one of the earliest sites ever on the web, and certainly among its first official communities. It was developed by Jill Atkinson, Chris Miller, and David Thau in 1994 in the night hours after they logged from their day jobs at Hotwired ( ). They built the software that ran the site themselves, because nothing like it existed yet. making it the second site launched by a Hotwired employee in secret In its simplest form, Bianca.com was a series of chat rooms, forums, and guest books grouped into different categories where people could go looking for a bit of x-rated fun mixed in with their everyday conversation. Its community congregated primarily around topics of sex, from the mildly suggestive to the outright pornographic. But it also blended high brow discussions of culture and media with its smut. “It was smart high, minded, a peep of class amidst orgiastic moans of crass,” went one description from Wired. The site used the fictional persona of Bianca as a way to give it a bit of personality. Stories about Bianca were littered all through the site. She welcomed visitors into her “home” on the homepage, and visitors could navigate around by clicking through a crude, hand-drawn map. Each “room” in the house centered on a different theme and salacious backstory. Enter the kitchen for recipes to get in the mood, and the bedroom for wildly explicit dreams, for instance. The site was maintained by Bianca’s —a word that had a different connotation that in it does today—a group of moderators who’s job was to “maintain the shack, but they do not govern it… [to] quietly try to provide you with the tools to accomplish all your hearts could desire.” Trolls But it was the crowd of people that gathered at Bianca’s smut shack that made it a cult hit of the early web. It would never quite hit the traffic of publications like Playboy, or even Nerve, but it did gather a larger and larger base of loyal visitors. Between the raunchy exchanges and links to pornographic images, members would chat about books, movies, philosophy, and trade in occasional life lessons. Beneath its smut-covered veneer, Bianca was simply a place to have a conversation. Which made it a good compliment for Nerve in the late 90’s; Nerve provided the editorial and Bianca could provide the discussion. Bianca was never quite able to figure out how to make money, after all. It experimented with memberships and advertising, but neither proved sustainable in the long run. In May of 1999, when acquired Bianca, it was as much a lifeline for the site as an equitable partnership. Nerve But this was 1999, and within a year, the stock market would come crashing down, bringing most of the dot-com world with it. Nerve couldn’t hold on for very long. In the aftermath of the dot-com bubble burst, Nerve struggled to foot the bill for the bandwidth created by Bianca’s large community and they announced plans to shut the site down. Still, Bianca held on for several more years. But after years of neglect, the site was swarmed by vandals looking to spam or diminish the site. It eventually was taken offline completely. Nerve continued to operate for several years following the dot-com collapse, and grew its magazine publication, and even won a few awards in the later half of the 2000’s. But it too eventually folded under new ownership and by the 2010’s was no longer publishing new content. Bianca and Nerve almost struck a partnership that could’ve lasted. If only they had got the timing right. Sources Aaron Dinin. "Web Masters Episode #53: Genevieve Field." Web Masters. October 10, 2021. https://latonas.com/blog/web-masters-episode-53-genevieve-field/ V. Blue. "How sex censorship killed the internet we love." Engadget. January 1, 2019. https://www.engadget.com/2019-01-31-sex-censorship-killed-internet-fosta-sesta.html Farhad Manjoo. "Shut the Smut Shack? Users Moan." Wired. May 5, 2001. https://www.wired.com/2001/05/shut-the-smut-shack-users-moan/ Kaitlin Quistgaard. "Bianca shacks up with Nerve." Salon. May 5, 1999. https://www.salon.com/1999/05/12/bianca/ "bianca’s Trolls." Bianca. January 1, 1999. https://web.archive.org/web/19990128165553/http://foyer.bianca.com/shack/trolls.html First Published Here.

The Untold Story of 'Silicon Alley'

A mysterious group called the 'Video Industry Association of America' is trying to wipe the homepages of dozens of reputable sites from Google search. The targets, which stand accused of violating the DMCA's anti-circumvention policy, include Verizon, Pinterest, and Engadget. Google says that it's aware of these fraudulent notices but, thus far, they are not without damage. Over the past few years, copyright holders have asked Google to remove billions of links to allegedly pirated content. Most of these DMCA notices point to infringing material but occasionally mistakes are made, which can do serious harm. Even worse, the DMCA is also abused by scammers for personal gain. Over the past weeks, we have seen a new wave of suspicious takedown requests. These notices are not standard DMCA notices but point out links that supposedly bypass DRM restrictions, which violates the DMCA’s anti-circumvention policy. Google handles these ‘Section 1201’ notices outside of the regular takedown system, which means that they’re not listed in the public transparency report. However, they are sent to Lumen’s takedown archive, where we spotted dozens of these dubious takedowns. “Video Industry Association of America” Two weeks ago we saw several notices that listed the “United States Copyright Office” as the sender, supposedly acting on behalf of the “Video Industry Association of America.” At the time, the Copyright Office confirmed that these were . sent by an imposter In recent days we have seen several similar notices and this time the is listed as both the sender and the copyright holder. However, plenty of questions remain. Video Industry Association of America First of all, we’re not aware of any legitimate organization that calls itself the “Video Industry Association of America.” But even if we were to believe that, the takedown request itself is rather confusing, as . this example shows The ‘American’ organization starts one request off in Russian and finds it hard to construct proper English sentences. In another notice, it complains of sites and apps that circumvent the copyright protection of streaming services, while classifying these as “ .” software cracks Things get even more problematic when we look at the URLs that are reported. While these include tools such as DVDFab and YouTube-rippers, which some rightsholders see as problematic, various legitimate sites are targeted as well. Targets Include Verizon, The Verge, and Quora For example, includes the homepages of Internet providers such as Spectrum, Xfinity, and Verizon, as well as the news sites Wired, The Verge, USA Today, and Techradar. this notice In some cases, the notices list articles that explain how people can download content from streaming services such as Netflix. However, those mostly point to legal options, such as about Netflix’s offline viewing feature. this Wired article This is just the tip of the iceberg. We have also seen Engadget, CNBC, CNET, and many other news sites targeted. Even Quora, PureVPN, and Pinterest can’t escape the wrath of the Video Industry Association of America. Legitimate Sites Removed from Google The good news is that Google took no action in response to most of these takedown requests. However, . The smaller news outlets , and had their homepages . not all sites were that lucky Fossbytes.com Techloot Robots.net wiped from Google’s search results TorrentFreak spoke to Fossbytes’ co-founder Adarsh Verma, who said that these claims damage the publication’s reputation and lead to a reduction in traffic. In addition to Fossbytes’ homepage, explaining how people can legally download videos from Netflix has been removed from Google’s search results as well. an article Google is Aware of the Problem Fossbytes reported the issue to Google, which informed the site that there is no official counter-notification process for these anti-circumvention takedowns. As such, the URLs remain deindexed for now. “There is no formal counter notification process available under US law for circumvention, so we have not reinstated these URLs,” Google replied, requesting a detailed explanation from the site. The response above comes from an email Fossbytes shared with TorrentFreak. This reveals some interesting details that are not available in the Lumen database, including the name, email address, and geolocation of the ‘Video Industry Association of America’ representative. As can be seen above, the sender is actually located in Russia and identifies itself as “Wolf Fang,” which isn’t a typical name, not even in Russia. The email address, which we won’t publish, comes from Gmail and references another animal’s fangs. Google is Aware of the Problem Speaking with TorrentFreak, a Google spokesperson says that the company is aware of the fraudulent activity and is taking action. “We are aware of these fraudulent notices. We have a number of mechanisms in place to detect abuse, and are always making improvements to our approach. Our transparency efforts are designed to help third parties, including journalists, identify these types of issues, and when they come to light, we reinstate URLs as appropriate,” Google says. Based on Google’s response, it seems likely that Fossbytes, Robots.net, and other wrongfully flagged sites, can expect their links to reappear in Google’s search results eventually. For now, it remains a mystery who’s behind these notices. It wouldn’t surprise us if the “Video Industry Association of America’ is actually a direct competitor of the stream-ripping and DRM circumvention tools that are reported. This is we several in the past. A competitor targets URLs from competing apps and sites, so their own site will end up higher in Google’s search results. a strategy have seen times In this case, however, the person in question is drawing quite a bit of attention, by adding hundreds of perfectly legitimate URLs to the takedown requests.

Mysterious Group Tries to Wipe Dozens of Reputable Sites From Google Search

Un grupo misterioso intenta borrar docenas de sitios de buena reputación de la Búsqueda de Google

Un groupe mystérieux tente de supprimer des dizaines de sites réputés de la recherche Google

रहस्यमय समूह ने Google खोज से दर्जनों प्रतिष्ठित साइटों को मिटाने की कोशिश की

謎のグループが、Google 検索から数十の評判の良いサイトを消去しようとしています

Grupo misterioso tenta apagar dezenas de sites respeitáveis da pesquisa do Google

Nhóm bí ẩn cố gắng xóa hàng chục trang web có uy tín khỏi Google Tìm kiếm

神秘组织试图从谷歌搜索中清除数十个知名网站

The principles we use to create effective VR and AR interactions have existed for as long as we have walked this earth. When the Internet was new, UX Designers were still a thing to come. I will never forget the first Javascript plugin I used: A typewriting effect that spit out green letters to form a terribly long and silly welcome message. It took forever to load and it was completely useless, but nobody else had anything like that in their Geocities pages, so I felt like I owned the web. Those were the days when the Internet was just becoming a thing, and we had no idea how new interactions and challenges would shape our careers. Today, we can check our thoughts against a dozen design systems that have already done all the heavy lifting for us; we know what works and what doesn’t. and those of us who had gotten good at thinking in terms of screens saw a perfect summer storm forming. How could I train myself in something so different from what I had been doing for the last dozen years? As we were simmering in certainty that we had conquered web usability, VR came along, Luckily, these fears were unfounded. Some of them , but most are actually based on the way human beings perceive and interact with the world. VR does present some exciting questions, but when it comes to principles on interaction we already have most of the answers. come from print Introducing: Virtual Reality Patterns What you will find here is a compilation of some of the basic perception principles that guide both our physical world and VR + AR experience design. I’ll be mostly focusing on the ones that are specific to VR as opposed to visual design in general — so you won’t see much detail going into Gestalt laws of proximity, similarity, continuation, common fate, etc. 1. Flat Surface vs Curved Design If you look at a flat surface (these words on the very screen you are facing, for example,) the elements placed right in front of your eyes will be more accessible than the ones on the edges or sides. Large flat surfaces that show distributed elements across them do not offer them all in an equal way. A screen is a small area, but imagine a wall with a person standing 1 meter away from it. How visible will the paintings 2 meters to each side be? Designing for a flat surface is very different from designing for a spherical world that also happens to have the user at its centre. You can circumvent the obstacle of elements being out of good reach by using, instead of a flat surface, a curved one. When the information is ‘wrapped’ around the user, they can easily navigate it without even having to take a single step. 2. Skeumorphic Design Skeumorphism is the idea of designing virtual things that mimic their real world counterparts, enabling the user to leverage their experiences with the real world. My favorite example of the , which was skeumorphic until we abandoned diskettes (the trashcan icon, on the other hand, prevails to this day.) save icon Skeuomorphism has fallen out of fashion in web and app design due to growing flat design trends, but its usefulness should not be discarded: It helped an entire generation learn how to navigate the digital era. There is no need for a VR app to things hyper-realistically. Skeuomorphism can be very useful, but it can also be taken too far. Instead, it’s more useful to think in terms of , rather than photo-realism: do cues ) "A given design does not need to include every possible cue, but the cues that are used must be concordant with one another — they need to work in harmony." ( Beau Cronin, Speculations on neuro-motivated design for VR In short: Use skeuomorphism when appropriate, but keep your options open. 3. Use of Depth This time, try slowly bringing your index one towards your nose. Keep your focus on it so it stays sharp. Now move it closer and closer. As soon as you get to (this varies from person to person, but mine is around) 10 cms, you will no longer be able to focus on it. The same basic principle applies to VR. If you place objects too close or too far from the user, they won’t be sharp enough for them to interact with it. The clue is to find a balance between close enough to be seen and far enough to be able to focus on it, with enough cues to give a proper sense of location. Depth perception is a combination of multiple factors, but it helps when we have things to compare against each other. "The most comfortable range of depths for a user to look at in the Rift is between 0.75 and 3.5 meters (1 unit in Unity = 1 meter) ) ." ( Oculus Developers 4. Motion Flow and Visual Cues Motion flow sounds stricter than it actually is. It’s about not creating experiences that wouldn’t happen in real life. If you do, you might be throwing the user into a motion sickness and nausea party (and possibly ruin their future enjoyment of VR, as lots of people do not give it a second try after a sickly experience.) The camera in VR is always mapped to the player’s head. It should always stay there. There are many ways of grabbing attention that do not require camera changes, and they are all supported by our evolutionary history. One especially: (I dare you to stare at grass and not freak out at all the movement you will notice if you truly focus on it.) This magnificent perception ability was born as a survival mechanism, and is one of our strongest allies when it comes to designing interaction. Just ask micro-animations. We are extremely good at noticing movement As a species we are also quite fascinated with the second, combine the two and you will be able to guide the interaction extra-effectively. So, instead of forcing the camera out of a person’s brain and scarring them for life, guide the person using other clues like movement and light . Read more: The Importance of Lighting in Creating Immersive VR 5. Interface Considerations Based on Human Vision Our eyes are marvelous organs that have evolved to actually focus only on a tiny area at a time. If you are willing, do the following: Extend your arm and look at That is approximately the area that is focussed or sharp in your field of vision (no kidding.) your thumbnail. These more or less two degrees your eye can ‘truly see’ are, luckily, accompanied by the ability to focus your attention on other areas in the field of vision, although they are and remain blurred. A 1:1 is advisable, as we are used to landscape formats on the web but they are not and would actually force a person to tilt their head in VR. Because of this, any meaningful controls you plan to use on your VR interface should not be placed in the periphery, but on the area right in front of the user. natural Other considerations for designing VR interfaces include: scale your interactive elements so that they match a real experience. For example, make buttons large enough for the user to interact with them without risking touching other interface elements. Appropriate scaling of elements: : Be sure to space out UI elements so they don’t trigger multiple elements accidentally. Limit unintended interactions 6. Anchor objects A visual or anchor point is an essential part of any successful (and nausea-free) VR experience. You need something that remains stationary when everything else moves, imagine otherwise a flight simulator without a cockpit, or a shooting game without an actual weapon. We are constantly evaluating our experiences by making comparisons. In size, in color. In space, in time. Never, ever, leave an anchor point out. Studies have shown that even a virtual nose can actually help reduce sickness. 7. Holophonic sound Sound is as important as visual input for a truly realistic experience. Without the right audio cues, the brain doesn't fully buy into the illusion. There’s a little map in your brain even when you’re not seeing the objects (…) If the sound is consistent with geometry, you’ll know automatically where things are even if they’re not in your view field. “ ” (Ramani Duraiswami, professor of computer science at the University of Maryland and co-founder of VisiSonics ) There are creators playing around with , or spherical microphones that capture a sound field in all directions, but other techniques are also highly effective. For example, rendering audio to objects as they — or the users- move through a setting (something almost everyone is familiar with thanks to ’ immersive cinema audio.) ambisonics attached Dolby Laboratories Adding sound to an experience will significantly refine and enhance its interaction. If you want to learn more about VR and audio, I wholeheartedly recommend by Mona Lalwani. this excellent Engadget article Conclusion In short, designing interaction for VR does require a completely new set of skills, but is instead based on principles that have long accompanied us. If it all should come to one thing, it’s this: not If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it probably is a good virtual reality. This article was originally published on Prototypr in 2017: https://blog.prototypr.io/designing-experiences-for-virtual-reality-lessons-from-the-physical-world-23c942741894

How Learning from the Physical World Can Help Us Design Virtual Reality Experiences

Subscribe to these Machine Learning YouTube channels today for AI, ML, and computer science tutorial videos. We recommend these YouTube channels regardless of your machine learning experience, whether you have a computer science degree or just a passing interest in AI. You’ll soon be on the way toward mastering the basics of AI, machine learning, and computer science in no time, through easy-to-follow demos and tutorial videos. was written by and has been reposted with permission. This article Rei Morikawa YouTube Channels for Machine Learning Tutorials : Xander Steenbrugge is a machine learning researcher at ML6. His YouTube channel summarizes the key points about machine learning, reinforcement learning, and AI in general from a technical perspective, while making them accessible for a bigger audience. Arxiv Insights : The official Deep Learning AI YouTube channel has video tutorials from the deep learning specialization on Coursera. Deeplearning.ai : This YouTube channel has tutorial videos related to science, technology, and artificial intelligence. Artificial Intelligence — All in One : Andrew Ng is a computer scientist and entrepreneur, co-founder of Google Brain, former VP & Chief Scientist at Baidu, adjunct professor at Stanford University. Andrew Ng : A new ML Youtube channel that everyone should check out, Machine Learning 101 posts explainer videos on beginner AI concepts. The channel also posts podcasts with expert data scientists and professionals working on AI in commercial industries. Machine Learning 101 : YouTube videos to help you build what’s next with secure infrastructure, developer tools, APIs, data analytics, and machine learning. Google Cloud Platform : Harrison Kinsley makes python programming video tutorials that go beyond just the basics. Subscribe to his YouTube channel to watch video tutorials about machine learning, finance, data analysis, robotics, web development game development, and more. sentdex : YouTube videos to demystify complex topics, mainly in artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer science, and mathematics. Luis Serrano : Kevin Markham creates in-depth YouTube tutorials for you to understand AI and machine learning topics regardless of your educational background. Data School : Károly Zsolnai-Fehér makes short and sweet summary videos around the latest AI and science research developments. Two Minute Papers : This YouTube channel aims to make machine learning and reinforcement learning more approachable for everyone. There is a for a full-introduction to neural networks for beginners, and it seems a subsequent intermediate neural network series is currently in production. Giant Neural Network 12 video playlist : The Machine Learning Conference hosts thought leaders in artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data science, to discuss their most recent experience with applying techniques, tools, algorithms, and methodologies to the seemingly impossible problems that occur when dealing with massive and noisy data. Machine Learning Conference : Machine Learning TV has resources for computer science students and enthusiasts to gain a better understanding of machine learning. Machine Learning TV : This YouTube channel features topics such as how-to’s, reviews of software libraries and applications, and interviews with key individuals in the field of deep learning. Deep Learning TV : This YouTube channel is a collection of lecture videos from renowned instructors and institutions. Deep Learning Boston YouTube Channels about AI and Machine Learning : This leading technology site is dedicated to profiling startups, reviewing new Internet products, and breaking tech news. TechCrunch : This YouTube channel is about the investigation and application of technology for strategic, competitive advantage and improved efficiency. Information Age aims to help its subscribers become more confident and successful in their use of technology, in their choice of IT suppliers and in their management of people and partners. Information Age : This YouTube channel provides the latest tech news, reviews, videos, podcasts, how-to’s, and software downloads, making tech products easy to find, understand, and use. CNET : The YouTube channel for TheVerge.com examines how technology will change life in the future, with explainer videos, product reviews, technology news, and more. The Verge : Engadget’s YouTube channel is a definitive source for technology reviews including laptops, cameras, instruments, VR headsets, and smart locks. Engadget AI Youtube Channels for Beginners : Computerphile is a channel about all things computers. The channel has a variety of videos ranging from machine learning, deep learning, and computer programming to retro video games and hardware hacking. Computerphile : Crash Course is a huge Youtube channel with over 9 million subscribers that provides quick and easy-to-understand tutorials for numerous subjects and fields. The Crash Course Computer Science playlist has crash course videos on computer vision, natural language processing, and more. Crash Course Computer Science Did you enjoy these machine learning YouTube channels? Check out our additional resources below: ML Youtube Videos Under 10 Minutes Machine Learning Stories

Top AI and ML YouTube Channels for Data Scientists to Subscribe to

How can you make your app popular? I’ve collected 30+ sources for the app reviewing (text media, Youtube channels, and podcasts), a checklist for a submission letter, and an example of the perfect press kit. You’re totally armed from now on. Text media for app review So you've published your app on , and . What’s next? Below is a list of media that can write about you. To make the navigation easier, we’ve indicated each average monthly traffic. Product Hunt Betalist Betapage (150 M) CNET Download (187 M) Business Insider (45,7 M) PC Mag (90 M) Techradar (22 M) Mashable (22,5 M) Wired (86,7 M) Telegraph (11,6 M) Make use of (20,1 M) Techcrunch (21 M) ZD (7,7 M) Android Police (11,4 M) iMore (6,4 M) Common Sense Media (391 k) AppAdvice (4,1 M) Computer World (2,8 k) Tapscape (530 k) Android Guys (502 k) Gizmo’s Freeware (2,3 k) AlphaDigits (50,3 k) 148Apps (1,2 k) Apps4review (24 k) Apppicker (130 k) PhoneDog (8 k) Appolicious (28 k) Appszoom (1,6 k) WebAppRater (1,3 k) Android Apps Review (45 M) Engadget (1,6 k) iPhone Apps Review Online (30 k) StateOfTech Android App Reviews (26 k) (21 k) Best Apps for Kids Don't be limited by specialized resources. Build on your audience. Is it an educational, organizing, or sports app you’re launching? Find the relevant media. Submission letter and press kit There are two ways to contact: either write directly to the editor, or fill out a form on the website. Depends on the resource. Anyway, you should keep in mind this checklist to form a message. Greeting The name of your app. A short but impressive description. Say who your audience is, what your app does, what makes it different. If it’s not a specialized media, you need a story to interest the journalist. Examine the author's media and his articles to find an angle. Free or paid. Contact information. Links to your product page and press kit. Here's an example of a great app , it has all the necessary elements. Take it as an example. There should be description, features, factsheet, video, images, logo, icon, additional links (social media), contact. press kit Youtube channels for app review Think big – don't focus only on the text media. Youtube also has enough review channels. True, it will be more difficult to get there for free. But it's worth a try. Much depends on the number of channel subscribers and the uniqueness of your app. Contacts are available on the channel page. (420 k) TechWiser (Android only) (447 k) HowToMen (290 k) Gadget Gig (54 k) VivaLaAndroid (255 k) Zachary Anderson (2 M) Beebom (25 k) Nois Tech (15 k) Rick Aqua (171 k) Sam Beckman (59 k) FozTech (40 k) Matt Robb Podcasts How to find the relevant one? Explore podcasts from well-known studios to be sure that it will be of high quality. Here is a selection of big important ones, look for detailed podcast lists on their websites. You can also search for small podcasts with relevant topics. ⠀ Gimlet Radiotopia (NPR) National Public Radio (APM) American Public Media BBC The Guardian ⠀ The New York Times P.S. Hope it was helpful. You can find more checklists and app marketing guides in the . See you! Checkaso blog

40+ Sources For Maximizing Media Coverage For Your App's Launch

COVID19 Technology Trends Affecting the Spread of the Pandemic 

Software is not the only tech thriving right now. Many hardware startups are making great strides in innovation and design to provide solutions for some of our most pressing issues. From food and air quality testing to an advanced action camera that fits in the palm of your hand, these ten hardware startups are ones to watch in 2020. OCLU The team at OCLU set out to design an action camera that is both state-of-the-art and functional. As outdoor sports enthusiasts themselves, they noticed most high-tech action cameras on the market were difficult to use and required you to step away from the action to operate. The taller, bulkier designs of many popular brands also created excessive wind drag which slows you down. They wanted an action camera that could capture high-resolution videos and images, but one that was also sleek, aerodynamic, and easy to use. That's when the OCLU Action Camera was born! The OCLU Action Cam features stunning 4K video resolution at 30fps, plus electronic image stabilization with 1080p at 30/60fps, so video content, including time-lapse and slow-motion, is always clear and detailed. OCLU's one-of-a-kind LiveCut feature allows users to delete unwanted content immediately. OCLU knows it takes several tries to capture the perfect shot, but they don't want you to be bogged down by unwanted footage. With LiveCut, you don't have to wait to connect to a computer to free up space. Instead of a touch screen, the OCLU features a customizable quick toggle, allowing you to preset your favorite filming modes and quickly change settings. Touch screens can often be frustrating since you have to remove your gloves or warm up your hands to adjust the camera. You never have to worry about this with OCLU's intuitive, quick toggles. To solve the issue of wind drag, OCLU designed a smoother, more modern body that sits flush to every surface, including your helmet, surfboard, or handlebars. With one of their many advanced accessories, the camera can be securely mounted to your equipment and also becomes waterproof up to 50 meters. The OCLU Action Camera is also incredibly affordable–coming in under $200 with their current promo. Now, everyone can bring along this lightweight, versatile action camera. The OCLU team spent five years developing this camera, and the attention to detail shows in each element. Their innovation has resulted in several awards in the industry even before they launched, including the Red Dot Design Award for 2016, the European Product Design Award for 2016 and 2017, plus the iF Design Award for 2017. Since OCLU made its public debut in 2019, it is catching the attention of thrill-seekers everywhere. Flow 2 Through their research, Plume Labs discovered that each year, air pollution causes more than 7 million premature deaths. They wanted to create a tool to identify poor air quality and provide practical solutions for change. With this mission in mind, they developed Flow, a personal air pollution sensor that measures what’s in the air around you and provides real-time feedback. Flow is a small, portable, smart device that attaches anywhere. It measures particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5, and PM10), Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), and nitrous oxides (NO2) caused by exhaust fumes. Whether you are indoors or outdoors, a quick press of the button sends immediate air quality results to the device's smartphone application. You can then use the app to locate a full breakdown of the pollutants in your area. The app can also guide you towards areas with cleaner air. Flow has received recognition in the tech industry, including the 2019 Red Dot Award for product design, the 2019 FastCo Most Innovative Company Award, and the 2017 CES Innovation Award. Their CEO, Romain Lacombe, spoke at TED 2018 and helped to bring the issue of localized air pollution to millions. Since then, the company has developed Flow 2, which has a smaller, more lightweight design, and an improved accuracy that can test for more pollutants than Flow 1. Lynx AR Headset This France-based startup started with a mission to create an affordable, wireless, standalone headset that also offered users a wider field of view. They noticed most AR headsets on the market were see-through rather than passthrough. With see-through, users see the real world through the glass, with the visual images and objects superimposed. Unfortunately, see-through also has a narrow field of view. The Lynx headset solves this problem. Passthrough headsets feature the same type of display as VR headsets, but the real world displays through cameras rather than being entirely virtual. These types of headsets are referred to as "mixed reality headsets" because the display is similar to VR, but the AR on a passthrough headset will have a wider field of view. This adjustment also brings the cost of an AR headset down considerably. Most see-through, AR headsets cost around $3500, but the Lynx is currently available for $1500. Unlike other passthrough headsets, the Lynx headset is standalone and wireless since hardware, battery, and storage are built-in. Lynx has received recognition in Upload, Forbes, Road to VR, and VR Times. They are set to release to the public in the summer of 2020. Ekster Smart Wallet The founders of the Ekster Smart Wallet were frustrated by the lack of security on most everyday carry items, such as wallets. Since wallets hold sensitive information, they wanted to create something safer. Their new smart wallets are the perfect combination of state-of-the-art technology and fashion. Ekster wallets are stylish and made of high-quality genuine leather. Their design and manufacturing methods model those of most high-end, luxury leather brands. Each wallet is slim and features a small button to display cards in a staggered pattern–making it easy to access your cards. Ekster wallets also feature an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) secured credit card holder–allowing you to connect your wallet to your smartphone wirelessly. You can then use GPS to track the exact location of your wallet. Ekster Smart Wallets were featured on CNN, ABC, CBS, and in Forbes. They were also named one of the best Kickstarter wallets. Since their viral launch, they have quickly become one of the largest smart wallet brands. Openpath Keyless Door Access The founders at Openpath began to recognize the security risk standard keys and badges presented to many office buildings. Keys, badges, and PINs are unreliable and often lead to information breaches. To solve these common issues, they created a security ecosystem that works with your smartphone. Openpath's software is easy to use and creates one true source of control. Instead of relying on key fobs, this system uses employees' smartphones to grant or deny access. Through Bluetooth and WiFi connection, users can open doors with just a touch of the Openpath reader. Once an employee's phone syncs with the system, they don't even need to unlock their phone to gain access. The app allows directors to monitor, lock, and open doors from anywhere at any time. They can also authorize guest passes and initiate lockdowns in case of an emergency. Since its launch, the Wall Stress Journal, Forbes, Business Insider, and TechCrunch have recognized Openpath. Several businesses have started using Openpath in their offices, including Domino's Pizza, FabFitFun, and Moon Juice. They have also received numerous awards for innovation and security, including the iF Design Awards for 2020, the Timmy Awards 2019 Best Tech Startup, and the SSI Security Solutions 2019 Award. Nima Developed by two MIT students who both struggle with food allergies, Nima helps to alleviate the anxiety that comes with dining out when you have a severe allergy. Nima founders spent years developing their science-backed, proprietary technology which allows users to test their foods and ensure no allergens are present. This small handheld device contains a disposable test capsule to evaluate food. An electronic sensor and algorithm then sends immediate results to the front screen of the device. The device will let users know if any allergens have been detected. The Nima app will also provide more extensive results for each test. To help reduce the mislabeling of many dishes within dining establishments, Nima developed their Food Service Provider (FSP) Program. Now, restaurants can confidently help diners make safe choices. The Nima has gone through several rounds of testing, including thousands of third-party tests, to ensure users receive the most accurate results possible. When compared with leading ELISA food safety tests, Nima was 97 percent accurate. Nima is supported and backed by researchers in the medical field and continues to expand the allergens it can test. Nima's innovation has gained the attention of Time Magazine, Travel and Leisure, TechCrunch, Forbes, and Inc. Circadian Optics With so many Americans suffering from sleep loss, Circadian Optics designed the perfect solution. Through research, they found most sleep loss was due to a disruption in the circadian rhythm. This rhythm is your natural sleep-wake cycle, regulated by the setting of the sun. To help maintain this cycle, Circadian Optics created a line of light therapy lamps that are as chic as they are effective. Circadian Optics uses LED technology to mimic the sun. With exposure to this warm, natural glow, it improves mood, concentration, and boosts energy. If you start to feel sleepy during the day, 15 to 20 minutes next to a sun lamp can help you feel more alert and focused. Over time, light therapy can help maintain your natural sleep-wake cycle, so you fall asleep quickly every night and wake refreshed. The stylish design of the Circadian Optic lamps makes them suitable for any room of the house or an office. The touch sense makes it easy to turn on and adjust brightness. Recently featured on ABC's Shark Tank, founder Amber Leong, accepted an investment of $800,000 from Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner. Circadian Optics has also received praise from the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and NBC's Today Show. Prynt At Prynt, they decided to change the way we interact with digital connect. They realized most digital footage remained trapped on our electronic devices. Gone were the days of instant gratification when images would immediately print and develop seconds after saying cheese. To change this, they created a smartphone case that turns your smartphone into a Polaroid. The Prynt case attaches quickly to your smartphone and allows you to print any photo in your camera roll, no ink required. It is compatible with iOS and Android, requires no batteries, and does not rely on a Bluetooth or WiFi connection for printing. Using the Prynt app, users can add frames, photo stickers, and text to images. You can even scan images with the Prynt app and print them instantly. Users on Amazon and Google love the convenience and ease of the Prynt case. Now, high-quality photos no longer have to remain on our devices–we can quickly print, display, and enjoy them. Prynt's first round of funding came through their Kickstarter campaign. They were able to raise $1.5 million from 9,023 backers in just 35 days. Since then, Prynt has been in Forbes, CNN, NBC, TechCrunch tech, Slash Gear, and Engadget. They have recently received additional funding and continue to expand their product offerings. Robin Auto-Pilot Lawn Mower The team at Robin Auto-Pilot wanted a lawnmower that was safer for the planet and more efficient than what was currently on the market. So, they created the first emission-free robotic mower. You've probably heard of the Roomba Vacuum; well, the Robin Auto-Pilot works in a very similar way but for your lawn. This fully electric lawn mower uses sensors that stop and turn the mower automatically, so your lawn is cut perfectly from edge to edge. You can set your preferred lawn height, from 1.25 to 3.5 inches, and then the Robin Auto-Pilot will cut your lawn at this exact height. You can schedule mowing sessions on the Robin Auto-Pilot app and monitor charging. Since this mower cuts your grass more frequently, there is no need to rake or clean up lawn clippings. You also save money on fuel and time because the Robin Auto-Pilot is completely self-sufficient. TechCrunch, NBC's Today Show, and ABC's Shark Tank have featured the Robin Auto-Pilot. They have also recently expanded throughout the US and can now provide this unique service to millions of customers. Qball Throwable Wireless Microphone The founder of Qball, Shane Cox, spent years installing audio systems in classrooms. However, he quickly noticed that while these systems gave teachers microphone access, there was no access to students. Cox set out to create a solution–a portable mic that would increase engagement and fun. The Qball is a soft, yet durable ball that can be thrown or tossed around the room. Within each ball is a powerful, wireless microphone that allows users to have a clear and distinct contribution. The mic is compatible with most audio setups, including PA systems and portable speakers. Whether used in a classroom or a company meeting, the Qball mic helps everyone share and feel included. The Qball also made its way to ABC's Shark Tank, where Lori Greiner, Mark Cuban, and Rohan Oza invested $300,000 in the brand. This new investment has allowed the Qball brand to branch out to boardroom and corporate executives. Several corporations, including Starbucks, Google, Boeing, Microsoft, JetBlue, and Southwest Airlines, have already signed on to make the Qball part of their corporate training sessions. The innovation of these ten hardware startups is sure to change the way we address our most common problems. They are listening to the public and creating products that help us live healthier, safer, comfortable, and more exciting lives.

10 Promising Hardware Startups to Follow in 2020

"The Valve Index has almost everything we want in a next-generation PC VR headset. It delivers excellent image quality, believable VR presence and it has a revolutionary pair of motion tracking controllers." - Engadget State-of-the-art virtual reality today is described as "excellent," "revolutionary," and "believable," while in 1935 VR was literally a sci-fi idea. The Internet was also in science fiction stories before reaching , with the average person spending per day online. half of Earth's population 7 hours Many of the most popular services we use today like Facebook and Google are entirely "free," but we give up our data to these systems to make improvements. Attention is the time we spend on these platforms, and therefore also the data we give up, the Internet. which has long been described as the currency of As technology improves, attention becomes a more competitive landscape, and the amount of data we give up increases. In short, there's a multi-trillion-dollar fight for our attention, and . These technologies include 5G, which means faster connections, and higher-fidelity consumption of content that's 4K and on bigger, more colorful, more immersive displays. our brains suffer by literally devolving While we're plugged into our laptops and phones more directly, we're also connected in the background with apps constantly pinging data back-and-forth and IoT devices capturing live information. In our search for ever more immersive technology, the drive for virtual reality is obvious. As smartphones get bigger and bigger screens, there's clearly a limit. The newest Samsung Galaxy has a , but it can only get so big before it's uncomfortable. There's a bit of a gap to leap from smart phones to VR, but it will easily be bridged, in the same way as the evolution of phones. 6.7" display No one wants to walk around with a bulging Nokia in their pocket, but once the iPhone was released, smartphones became a cool, normal thing to own. In the same way, current VR is more of a niche, hipster product. Now imagine, a few years down the line, that VR has simply undergone a normal technological evolution and has become a slim, portable, fashionable product. You can't exactly imagine everyone walking around with a box in front of their face, but you can imagine everyone walking around with VR glasses, or even better, a VR implant. When (not if) that happens, advertisers will again compete for our attention - but in a much more immersive playing field.

The Future of VR: An Arms Race for Attention - on Steroids

CES 2019 Show Guide

once wrote, “Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.” is a good embodiment of this principle, even if their spin on that saying might contain more swear words. Bill Gates Cards Against Humanity According to co-founder , celebrated its . It’s an impressive milestone, considering the company got started with a scant raised on Kickstarter before it quickly started generating , and if the planogram at my local Target is instructive, became the most popular tabletop game of the holiday season — taking up more space than and combined. Max Temkin Cards Against Humanity tenth-anniversary last night $15,570 millions of dollars in revenue Monopoly Clue We’ve written previously about how it’s possible to , even just , but it’s worth unboxing a couple lessons from this company’s impressive if unlikely success. build massive businesses with minuscule amounts of money $10,000 Find a Real Use Case — Even if It’s Silly has written about the , and though a product like this might seem like the ultimate frivolity, it fills a distinct need. Board games have become more mainstream over the last decade, but that growth came mostly in the form of resource management slogs like , and “ ” experiences which have strong sci-fi themes and required dedicated focus for hours on end. Eric Paley paramount importance of use cases Euro-style Settlers of Catan Ameritrash The “party game” category hadn’t seen meaningful innovation since the Reagan era and the advent of . Enter Cards Against Humanity, which perfectly combined the mid-century aesthetic and cynical sense of humor favored by late Gen X and Millennial audiences. It’s a fun game that can be set up and played quickly with no knowledge of Cthulhu required. Pictionary In Marketing, Creativity > Cash Unlike so many upstart consumer brands, I don’t think Cards Against Humanity has ever purchased a Facebook ad. Instead, they focus their marketing efforts on creating outrageous campaigns that earn them media far beyond their ability to pay. Sometimes, this takes the form of partnerships with established brands, like the popular PAX video game convention, for which they created (oatmeal for gamers). In a more highbrow effort, they teamed up with celebrity chef David Chang for a . PWNMEAL cuss-filled critique of haute cuisine More often, their efforts take the form of de novo, Dada-esqe happenings. They and another . Most famously, they solicited from their fans in return for…nothing. Another time they raised $100,000 to dig a giant hole in the ground as a response to existential ennui following the election of President Trump, all the while earning press from , , , , , , , , , , and many more outlets. earned $180,000 selling bull excrement $500,000 selling Trump Bug Out bags $71,145 NPR The Guardian Engadget CNBC Time Business Insider Polygon Daily Mail The Huffington Post Polygon None of these marketing programs were expensive, in fact, many likely broke even, but all of them did a good job and creating opportunities for building word of mouth appeal. When Pynchon meets Pokémon In an era of billion-dollar fundraises, $10,000 doesn’t seem like a sufficient sum to accomplish anything impressive, but with a long enough time horizon, and an off-kilter sensibility, you can create an important company with less money than you need to buy a used Mazda. Joseph Flaherty is the Director of Content & Community at Founder Collective, a seed stage VC firm that has backed Uber, BuzzFeed, PillPack, SeatGeek, Cruise, HotelTonight, The Trade Desk, and a couple hundred other startups.

Ten Years and $10,000

© VSCE / Dmitry Kabanov Good luck getting people to read your branded tech story. Now, before you get mad, I’m sure you’ve got something great to share. I’m sure you found an exciting new solution to some sort of problem. All you want is for others to be as excited about it as you are. Sadly, the odds are not in your favour. I could say that the tech media market is oversaturated, but we passed that point years ago. An oversaturated market still works, in a messed up, broken way. At the very least it enforces variety and empowers consumers. Which is not the case with the tech media scene today. The days of showering publishers with money to promote your brand are long over. For many, marketing traditional tech content means entering a shouting contest. However refined your voice is, it will likely drown in the bottomless sea of tech pieces. Even if your publisher is among the most successful. How did we get here? A brief history of tech publishing When the internet was young and slow, a regular person had to go out of their way to read tech news. These stories didn’t really interest the general public. You’d have to either be an industry professional or a geek to enjoy this stuff. It was a time when new technology was sold at a premium despite its relatively short lifespan. The competition was fierce and you could bet that fancy new gadgets would probably go obsolete within a year. The early adopters of , and were mostly IT guys with money to spare. digital cameras e-readers PDAs By the year 2000, of US households had a PC, let alone money to spend on expensive non-essential tech. It is no surprise that the market for tech news in this environment was very limited. But the demand to did exist. just above 50% know out of curiosity These tech publications of the 80s and the 90s, aimed at both and , remain with us today. was founded all the way back in 1991. went online in 1998, four years after its first print edition. Full-colour print magazines such as were also among the first to take their content online. enthusiasts professionals ZDNet The Register PC World In the mid-00s, started becoming truly ubiquitous. From email and social networking to online gaming, young people of all backgrounds had a reason to use it. Those same people wanted to know what was about to happen in the world of tech. Publications like (a subsidiary of Gawker Media from 2002) and (launched by AOL in 2004) rose to prominence during that time. They were aimed at more of a general audience, but remained laser-focused on tech and nothing but tech. broadband internet Gizmodo Engadget Fast forward 10 years. owns a smartphone and most people regularly them. Everybody is online. Digital technology is essential to our culture. All of a sudden tech news became… just news. People realised that tech reporting was no longer niche. That’s when the market blew up. Everybody replace © VSCE / Dmitry Kabanov The newsstand of today The current state of the tech media industry is as follows: five kinds of media entities compete for largely the same audience: You’ve got your ( , , et al) that cover a wide range of tech-related topics and attract readers with their high editorial standards. traditional media outlets The Guardian The Independent Washington Post like , and try to keep their journalism accessible while maintaining a focus on technology. Tech-only publications Arstechnica CNet Mashable such as remain focused on their core audience while occasionally that appeal to the general public. Publications for IT professionals The Register breaking stories Some websites in an attempt to set themselves apart from the competition. only cover one topic Thousands of directly compete with the websites above on UGC platforms like Medium and YouTube. independent bloggers Technically, you could publish your branded content to any of these websites and be exposed to millions of readers. But the density of the modern tech media landscape makes it impossible to navigate. And the reader is just as confused as you are. The reader of today We stopped news and started them.We don’t particularly care which publication we’re reading, that is, if we’re reading anything at all. A recent study showed that 6 out of 10 Americans . Most the articles they share on social media. People’s trust in news institutions has significantly as well. We are more likely to judge the trustworthiness of an article based on , and not the source. reading following only read headlines don’t even read declined who shared it It is no wonder than instead of reading newspapers people rely on link aggregators and social media. They typically provide a concise view of headlines for the reader to choose from and are policed by the community itself, which the reader puts trust in. Moreover, they provide a platform for safe moderated discussion. Two of the most popular tech news aggregators are and . Both these websites enjoy a high amount of direct traffic. of all the visitors to these websites are there because that’s where they want to be. They, on average, spend anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes on these platforms. Reddit HackerNews More than half In comparison, news sources such as The Guardian and ArsTechnica get the biggest share of their traffic from search engines, and readers generally leave the website in . These link aggregators are very powerful in shaping the way we discuss tech and you have to reach them to make it big. less than 3 minutes Most tech news readers also maintain personalised news feeds on UGC platforms. However, getting your content onto these platforms does not mean actually being heard, as nobody bothers to read the entirety of their feeds. You’ve got to stand out. © VSCE / Dmitry Kabanov To the front page and beyond So what kinds of tech stories actually make it big on Reddit and HackerNews? It’s hard to tell. Both platforms have their favourite sources, and , respectively. Traditional outlets like The Guardian and The New York Times are also frequently linked to. But if you take a look at the way particular stories get exposure, it’s a gamble. The Verge TechCrunch Sometimes it’s the matter of being the first to be submitted by a reputable community member. All the discussion regarding the topic will move to the comment section of that particular post, and the rest of the articles will become essentially invisible. Other times it’s just luck. But you can be sure about one thing. The internet loves outrage. Negative stories always get the most traction. Four out of the r/technology posts of all time are negative news stories. A clear villain gives the members of these boards an opportunity to pat each other on the back. Or their sense of self-righteousness. Either way, they love feeling superior at someone else’s expense. top 5 most popular misapply As a brand, you can’t exploit that. Manufacturing bad news is hard, while smear campaigns and attack ads often backfire and could even be illegal. Samsung’s 2012 ad mocking Apple was and not just because it was okayed 2 days after the death of Steve Jobs. infamous widely criticised People want things to be desirable on their own merits! Negative marketing strategies just generate bad PR. No shortcuts allowed If you plan on succeeding in today’s competitive tech media market, you gotta create quality content and lots of it. For most brands it’s a bitter pill to swallow. They simply don’t have the right resources or the right marketing strategy to do both. People are generally good at sensing disingenuousness and identifying marketing pieces masquerading as journalism. You gotta have a real reason to write about something, you gotta have something of value to share with your readers. And no, you can’t just keep reusing the same old tricks. Most businesses’ media marketing toolkit is beyond outdated. No matter how good your product is, your 3-paragraph press release looks just like your competitors’. Your whitepaper is probably boring and self-congratulatory. The best you can do in this climate is nurture a genuine corporate culture. No shortcuts allowed. © VSCE / Dmitry Kabanov Cultivating culture We all have an idea of what genuine corporate culture is, but few are capable of creating it from scratch. As it is at that point in time. Having actual substance is crucial for establishing a relationship with your potential customers, so be prepared to make changes if they are needed. People can easily tell culturally poor businesses that only care about revenue from the rest. Start by defining your internal culture. You need to take this culture, this set of aspirations and values, and turn it into a lens through which to shed light on the topics you cover. That will ensure that your content, no matter the topic, is unique, identifiable and genuine. This approach is not without its risks — investing into a set of ideas opens you up to criticism that is unrelated to your products or services. But these risks are worth taking. Turn it into a lens. Traditional press-releases and announcements are boring and barely useful. Nobody reads them because they want to. What people actually like is stories, narratives. They want to feel something. If you open up and allow them to engage with your corporate culture, they will engage you back. Humanise your business. Instead of alienating your customers with buzzwords and enterprise speak, let them get to know you. If they understand why it is that you do what you do, they will find it much easier to relate to you. Forget about press releases. No matter how good your product is, your culture is more important. Purchasing your product is simply a way for the customer to partake in the culture you have built around your brand. So build it. You need to create a backlog of headlines, topics you want to cover, and work on making this culture a reality, day after day. Always be producing content. The content you create functions as a gateway for engagement. The more serious your content is, the more serious a response you’ll get. Do not limit yourself to status updates and short notes, treat your audience more seriously. Be ready to publish long articles on issues you find important. When your audience joins you in the discussion of something serious, when your audience starts asking questions, that’s when they appropriate your culture as their own. And there’s nothing more valuable than that. Represent your culture. © VSCE / Dmitry Kabanov Inspiring genuine change These days, promoting your business might seem harder than ever. Certainly, the noise to signal ratio of the internet is very high. But if we zoom out and stop using marketing terms, we can see that the challenges are same as they ever were. Businesses are still created to inspire change. To create jobs and empower people. There’s nothing disingenuous about wanting to help people make the world a better place. The hardest part is nurturing the mutually beneficial relationship you have with your customers. The density of today’s media market means that you can no longer neglect this aspect of your business. You cannot simply spend money on ads like you did 20 years ago and call it a day. You have to do your best to become more than just another company. This is hard work with little margin for error. However, the good thing about not taking the easy road is that it’s almost always rewarded, as long as you stick to it. About the author: Dmitry works with brands to create content and promote corporate culture at scale. He is one of the veterans at Techstars Startup Digest. Apart from it, he is acting as an advisor for the SXSW Pitch event and SXSW Release IT event. Email: dmitry.kabanov [@] startupdigestmail.com

Culture as a Service: How Brands Can Break Through the Tech Media Bubble

I know, with this story probably all of the bitcoin enthusiasts will start to hate me, but I think that someone has to analyze this threat. Abstract If you make a simple search online everyone sees Bitcoin as the Digital Gold, and maybe it was, anyone, talks about this simple question: Could Bitcoin be surpassed from other cryptos in terms of market cap? Usually in my opinion when an investment became obviously good for everyone as a status quo, like Real estate in 2008, I’m becoming skeptical… I think someone has to argue this threat with a serious and pragmatic analysis on what is happening in the crypto world. Also, personally I never invested in technologies without future use cases only because people believe in it. So, I’m starting to think about what could happen if Bitcoin will be surpassed as market cap and if this scenario could really happen? Analysis 1 | Technological Prospective Let’s talks about the technology of Bitcoin, Bitcoin is the first generation of blockchain technology designed to store and transact values without intermediaries. For the first time in human history, we’re able to transact values without intermediaries and especially without trusting any entities, but a democratic and opensource governance based on anonymous miners (validators) and mathematical algorithms. Bitcoin introduced the logic of a trustable ledger without the possibility of eliminating data with the smart idea of transaction blocks system. This concept was awesome and was starting to disrupt our concept of security, trust, and values, but now we’re in 2018 and every Crypto Coin have the same standard, a lot of AltCoins are designed to do the same things but faster and cheaper than Bitcoin, even Dogecoin have some improvement, for who didn’t hear about Dogecoin, is a Crypto Coin that become the 43 most valuable Coin for his style and his funny dog meme. PS: I love DogeCoin is one of funniest internet memes ever! The blockchain of Bitcoin is one of the slowest, expenses and larger in the entire blockchain community without any plans to improve except for the lighting network, that is no more than a state channel structure, not a real improvement but for different use cases and here I want to dispel a myth: Lightning is a state channel like Raiden on Ethereum, this is not a solution because every transaction in a lightning network will not be decentralized but only the first state and the last state of the connection, so it’s massive dangerous that Bitcoin ambassadors sell it like an upgrade to improve the scalability. In the tech industry the First Mover Advantage is never a killer app, but sometimes a gap, because the history of tech market, teach us that first mover advantage could be bad if the company are not able to reinvent himself quickly to compete with companies with late or even last mover advantage like Yahoo/Google, IBM/Apple, Myspace/Facebook, PayPal/Stripe or eBay/Amazon. This doesn’t mean that the first movers usually fail, but that they open the market for who really understand how to disrupt it from the data about success and unsuccess of the first movers. When First Movers Are Rewarded, and When They’re Not | HBR Let’s destroy Bitcoin | MIT Technology Review There is nothing about Bitcoin that makes it a good store of value.| Hackernoon The End of Bitcoin HODL | Michael K. Spencer Scaling Cryptos: Bitcoin Lightning Network vs Ethereum Raiden Network | mooncryption Analysis 2 | The community In the Tech Market, a fast, visionary and strong leadership are critical. Bitcoin with his community have too many different points of view and different needs. Speculators want to improve the price, miners want to reduce expenses, developers want to improve transactions speed, enthusiasts don’t want to update anything from the WP of Satoshi Nakamoto and in the end, the tech behind Bitcoin is the most stagnant in the crypto ecosystem because anyone cares to follow a vision. The early community of Bitcoin was awesome they change how we store values and this technology in my personal opinion is the most important invention ever made in the tech world. But early adopters community and the early developers are no longer there, they are in other projects like Ethereum, EOS, AION etc. and on Medium, there is a lot of stories about from them about how the community is changed and how the left it. The community of Bitcoin today is driven by speculators rather than innovators, today the community is dominated by conservatives laggards and it’s at the end point of the Technology adoption lifecycle and usually this period for every tech-related company is dangerous. Bitcoin community today is in a conservatives state, in fact, lasts fork of Bitcoin like Bitcoin Cash, Bitcoin Gold, Bitcoin Atom etc, are from people that didn’t like the conservative and stagnant approach of the majority in the community. Satoshi Nakamoto Is Not Relevant | Hackernoon Speculators Are Corroding Bitcoin | Mark Toohey “The Flippening” & How I Learned to Stop Loving Bitcoin | Hackernoon Analysis 3 | Can the history help us to understand what could happen next? In the tech history, I want to make some parallelism with IBM, MySpace or Nokia. In the 80s IBM had a huge early mover advantage it was the bigger computer company at the time, and people had the idea that was impossible to surpass his value. But this idea wasn’t true, in fact in that situation IBM didn’t fail, but other companies like Apple, thanks to the late-mover advantage grew faster and better. Today the IBM market cap is $80B and Apple market cap is $950B IBM didn’t grow faster as apple for his stagnancy on innovation and to deliver the right product to the masses. Bitcoin have this problem today instead of other projects with 3/5 year’s strategy, great leadership, innovator-based communities and more applications on the real world than mere financial transactions. I’ll argue about this in the next chapter. Another interesting comparison is with Nokia, the most famous cellular production company in the early day of it. As well as IBM, Nokia was surpassed and even disrupt by the idea of the smartphone with the touch display that opened the usage of cellphones to a lot of new applications rather than calls and mere SMS. The case of Myspace in the social media space could be another interesting correlation. Myspace was the first massive social network as consumer adoption, followed by Badoo, Netlog and Live Messanger. But what they didn’t understand at the time was the idea to store and use data as a business model instead of the old concept about sell stuff to users or expenses memberships or too much casual adds without caring user experience. This first wave of social Media was disrupted by Twitter and Facebook at the time because thanks to their late mover advantages they understood the values of data rather than mere online businesses and this were huge. Will Bitcoin Become the MySpace of Cryptocurrencies? | INC Analysis 4 | Use cases To introduce this section I have to set the difference from: Blockchain 1.0 technology, a network designed to store and transact financial values. (Bitcoin, Dogecoin, Litecoin etc.) Blockchain 2.0 technology, a network designed to Decentralize and Transact values and logic, with a structure like an O.S. for Decentralized Applications, Smart Contracts, and Decentralized data. (Ethereum, EOS, NEO etc.) The use cases of Bitcoin are not clear because it failed as a payment system, slow, not scalable and expensive. In the Blockchain 1.0 ecosystem, there are more efficient and cheaper projects. In the Blockchain 2.0, the challenge is more difficult, the applications are larger, here everyone is more efficient than Bitcoin in terms of transactions and scalability. So what’s the the real value and the real use of it? Speculation? Maybe yes, because with bitcoin architecture you can’t decentralize applications, data or something that really could have an impact in the future, you can only make slow and expensive values transaction. Ten years in, nobody has come up with a use for blockchain | Hackernoon Bitcoin is failing as a currency | Engadget Bitcoin — Store of Value is a Useless Use Case | Hackernoon Analysis 5 | Is the bitcoin Governance still Decentralized? This threat is more difficult to analyze than other because we are in a philosophical field, Decentralization is about to deliver trustless in general, from the bottom of the Proof of Work, in the case of Bitcoin, to the Community-Driven decision-making structure. The problem that I want to analyze is more pragmatic if we’re in a scenario without leaders and the decision making is made by speculators or people without a vision of this technology or merely that makes decisions not for the future of the project but for their personal wallet, is this correct? Is this the culture-driven future we want? Is this a way that in the long run can’t destroy a project? BTW Bitcoin is decentralized and I love that, but a lot of other projects are decentralized too, so it’s not a unique competitive advantage. Who Really Owns Bitcoin Now? | Financial Times Ethereum’s Vitalik Buterin on the Bitcoin Bubble and Running a $125bn Blockchain | Financial Times Is Bitcoin Truly Decentralized? | Hacked Who Controls the Blockchain? | HBR Analysis 6 | Is bitcoin still gold? In the lasts, 8 years Bitcoin was interpreted as digital gold because was the only Crypto easily exchangeable in USD and every altcoin were calculated as values using the price of Bitcoin. In this situation called Bitcoin, the digital gold makes perfect sense. But in the last two years, after the Ethereum release, Bitcoin is definitely no more the only digital gold, because decentralized exchanges are based on Ethereum, at the same time every centralized exchange are using ETH as BTC like gold. Every new Blockchain related projects, especially after the 2017 ICO bubble, are exchangeable only in ETH and ETH is easily exchangeable in USD as well as Bitcoin. This would mean that in two years a lot of crypto values are not correlated directly with Bitcoin but instead only with the price of Ethereum and the price of Ethereum could drive Bitcoin price and vice versa because it’s exchangeable easily in USD too. Why Bitcoin Can Never Be Digital Gold | BitFalls Bitcoin might be the Crypto-Gold. But Ethereum is the Crypto-Silicon | Michael K. Spencer Why Bitcoin May Not Be Digital Gold After All | Fortune Nope, Bitcoin Is NOT Digital Gold (But Here’s What It Is…) | Clint Siegner Etherium is Not “a Commodity”, and Bitcoin isn’t “Digital Gold” | Hackernoon Analysis 7 | Financial Analyzing in therms of crypto-financial values, the “Bitcoin Dominance” is massively fallen down from March 2017. Bitcoin had always an 85%-90% dominance in terms of market capitalization respect other AltCoins, today this dominance is 40% and in January 2018 reached his bottom at 33%. Ethereum at the same time during the Bitcoin Dominance bottom reached his high in July 2017 as 31% vs the 38% of Bitcoin and in January 2018 as 21% vs the 33% of Bitcoin. This financial scenario, express clearly that for the first time in history Bitcoin is starting to be called into question as the dominant Coin in the Crypto Ecosystem. I want to ask a question for readers, is it possible that in 2017 the BTC price high in 2017 was driven by the price of ETH and the FOMO for ICOs? Does anyone have some proof of the contrary? Another critical issue that could down the price of Bitcoin is the futures made from some non-crypto exchanges like Cboe’s “XBT” because this futures are in the regular market from regular banks and they could inflate the BTC without any ask order correlation in the Crypto world. The problem is that Bitcoin hasn’t a company or a foundation, so in the future, the Bitcoin community couldn’t stop this kind of speculations, it’s like the other side of the coin to be a worldwide community without any regulated government issues. Will Bitcoin Futures Herald the End of Bitcoin? | Justin Danneman 4th Dimension: Bitcoin-Manipulation-Cartel — Price-Suppression is the Goal | Super Crypto The End of BTC Dominance | CryptoYoda Dominance | Coinmarketcap.com The verdict The questions is, what makes Bitcoin more valuable than other Blockchain 1.0 projects like DogeCoin, liteCoin, or any other crypto that can transfer values only? Without early adopters, without a tech-driven vision and especially without a real-world use case, it sounds like a religion… The concept of Bitcoin that have a secure value in the next years, in my opinion, it’s sounds like how people talk about the Real State investments before the 2008 bubble, were people saw houses a secure and trusted investment without cares on what was happening in the entire ecosystem. BTC could be surpassed in terms of market cap from projects like Ethereum EOS, AION, Cardano? My personal answer is YES, is not impossible based on their blockchain 2.0 structure, huge vision, and real-world use cases. In the scenario were BTC is no more the most valuable cryptocurrency, what’ll happen next? If BTC will be surpassed and the myth of digital Gold will be disrupted, people start to think about what makes it more valuable than other Blockchain 1.0 projects? A well-hidden question that I want to ask to the community. With this article, I don’t want to say that Bitcoin is a bad or good investment or that his technology is unuseful but dispel the myth about Bitcoin-like digital gold.

What if Bitcoin could be surpassed in terms of values? Is that possible??

It looks like a plane. It definitely is a form of aircraft, but given the name “flying car” denotes it more like an automobile in terms of transportation service. In the simplest form, “flying cars” are really larger sized version of drones. Drones operate on battery with electro-motors that propel blades which create lift and allow for control. So a flying car is like a larger sized version of a drone, with the ability to transport goods and passengers as a service. It is part of the MaaS or Mobility-as-a-Service platform. Think of your DJI drone, much bigger and where you can ride inside. Here are Features of Flying Cars:- All electric, battery operated, no emission or hybrid fuel/electric- VTOL meaning they can vertically take off and land anywhere- Can be autonomous, no pilot or driver, GPS navigated- Saves time for passengers since traveling by air is much faster, no gridlock A flying car (Source: Cora ) https://cora.aero/ A flying car consists of blade rotors which provide lift, vertically, thus they don’t require much space the way planes require a runway. Once vertical, propellers produce forward lift to move the flying car forward which is also called thrust. The flying car can then maneuver like a drone or airplane with a flight controller. Most plans are for autonomous control, though they can also have a pilot for safety purposes. They can also be controlled remotely from a base station. Flying cars will be electric battery operated vehicles for the most part, though there are hybrid vehicles like the flying car TF-X developed by . Terrafugia The flying car concept is another really good idea around traffic in congested cities like LA, provided as a taxi service or MaaS. While the Boring Company is digging tunnels for hyper speeds, another obvious way to avoid gridlock is to take to the skies. It was announced during their 2018 Elevate Summit. So this addresses the issue of where will flying cars land and how to ride one. With flying cars come “Skyports”. Skyports will accommodate both takeoff and destination for passengers who can then connect with local transit routes to continue their journey. It is going to benefit people who need to get places fast and willing to pay extra for it. The money that is lost in traffic is better spent on transport systems that can cut time and in the long run save money. This won’t be like the typical Uber ride where someone picks you up though, which was what I was hoping for since it would be more convenient than having to go to a skyport. Uber Air Concept of “Skyport” (Source: Uber) Uber is trying to get legit on this one by partnering with NASA, though they could have partnered with Space X and actually let Elon Musk do the thinking. The potential for flying cars is just as big as self-driving cars. It’s just the credibility of those behind the project who will make it work. The flying car service is also planning on being autonomous, pilotless vehicles. What partnering with NASA will do for Uber is in helping them develop air traffic management systems for the flying taxis. In 10 years they could have a skyport, let’s say on Sepulveda and Santa Monica near the 405. A great transport hub near Westwood and Beverly Hills. Commercial establishments will surely grow around these areas as well, and there will be other services available like self-driving taxis, charging stations for mobile devices, robot information guides, driverless hotels and autonomous mobile vendors. Uber is partnering with NASA to make this happen, so they are going to be strictly regulated just like with self-driving cars. It may soon look more like Coruscant than the west side, and the “force” will be with you in the sky. Skyports will be like todays transit stations for buses and trains. (Source: Uber) The idea of flying cars may sound like sci-fi straight out of Star Wars or the Jetsons. It is becoming reality much sooner than we think. Trial runs will begin in major cities and expand to inter-city travel. Flying cars were not meant for international travel, though that could change in the future when more advanced flying cars are built. Flying cars are not exactly cars, though they can drive for short distances. They are really a form of vehicle that is capable of flying for personal or public use which do not require a runway or airport. There is still no actual flying car yet that can “transform” into a driving machine for street and road use. So the challenges to face are: 1.Flight path determination2.Traffic management3.Landing ports or “skyport” locations4.Pricing structure5.System security6.Safety and reliability of the vehicles Another concern about vehicles like these which are autonomous and remote controlled is protection from hackers. There should be cybersecurity standards in place to protect the signals and access to the networks that control these vehicles. Hackers have demonstrated how easy it is to hack into cars after finding ways to access its internal operating system. Flying cars will have to be resistant to attacks, both physical and electronic, with emphasis on the electronic part. This is because systems like these are highly computerized and thus pose a risk to being hacked. Hardening its systems from intrusion requires not just preventing unwanted access, but also guarding against malware, denial of service attacks and trojans that launch remote control access. Much like the CAN (Controller Area Network) in modern cars, the flying car must have security against cyberattacks that could target its various ECU (Electronic Control Unit). The other challenges are being worked out with NASA, regarding the management of the vehicle’s flight path. Pricing is something that will be determined on the cost of operating the vehicles and how Uber can provide the best means of offering it. Then the next step is for regulators to determine safety and operation, then we can see flying cars take to the air. Further Reading: Uber Air Taxi https://www.engadget.com/2018/05/08/uber-air-taxi-prototype-elevate/ CNBC reports on Uber’s Flying Car Taxi Service https://www.cnbc.com/2017/11/08/uber-nasa-work-on-flying-taxis.html

Flying Cars, Taking to the skies to avoid traffic

The recent Cambridge Analytica and data scandal represents another in a long line of debacles by major companies charged with protecting the personal data of its users. The Equifax hack of 2017 is still fresh in the minds of some citizens, and though it’s not the same situation, there are still striking similarities between what happened with Cambridge Analytica and the misuse of Facebook data, and Equifax’s shameful lack of security protections. Facebook exactly The theme here is that big, faceless organizations have a lot of power and control over the data that average citizens take for granted — data that, sometimes, people don’t even realize they’ve given up. Not only that, but, in the case of Equifax’s data breach, some of this compromised information is “lifetime data,” things like Social Security numbers and patient health information that can’t simply be changed or replaced like a password can be. So, who pays when data is mishandled by giant global organizations? The user. You. Me. Basically everybody these gargantuan entities. but This needs to change. A Double-Edged Sword isn’t necessarily a bad thing on its own, nor is it really a new concept. Big data In their article, “ ,” the experts at GWU mention the government has collected data on patent, population, and weather since 1790. They also touch on the fact that businesses and healthcare facilities that collect big data can personalize their approaches to patients and customers, and in effect, make decisions that are both good for business as well as good for preservation of human life. How Data and Decisions Work Together Unfortunately, big data is a double-edged sword, and the healthcare industry is a perfect example of this. Doctors are able to use data to provide more accurate diagnoses and save lives, and there’s even a set of federal standards to protect patient data called the . Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) that “several HIPAA violations are common among health organizations, such as failing to store private health care information properly, failing to obtain written consent from patients and sharing photos of patients on social media.” Multiple sources confirm This is somewhat frightening news, considering that the healthcare industry has become the targeted industry of all, even beyond financial service providers. state that “EHR security breaches range from simple flaws in network security to determined, focused attacks maliciously orchestrated by expert hackers. In May 2017, a simple authentication flaw in Molina Healthcare’s network exposed up to 4.8 million patient records,” they write. “The exposed data included names, addresses, birth dates, diagnoses, and other medical information about individual patients…” most Duquesne University’s online resources Here’s the catch: HIPAA fines are steep and well enforced. Some reports have even come out showing that harsher penalties for HIPAA violations have been in the works. However, is this type of enforcement being shown to social media companies and credit bureaus? What ever happened as a consequence of the Equifax hack or the latest Facebook fiasco? A Surprising Lack of Justice So Far … For anybody that doesn’t remember, the hacking of Equifax’s consumer and financial data put at risk the personal information of up to 143 million Americans. published via The New York Times, Peter J. Henning writes that, naturally, many will wonder the legal consequences the company and its executives might face. In his article “The answer, for those who remember the government’s response to the financial crisis,” he writes, “will be as familiar as it is unwelcome: not much. That seems outrageous when so many individuals may see their identities stolen because of a company’s failure to ensure the safety of its primary product. But Equifax operates in a sphere with minimal government regulation, and its conduct is unlikely to trigger a criminal prosecution of the company or any of its executives.” As for Cambridge Analytica and Facebook, the former still has seen no charges against their firm, even though Brazil prosecutors into their activities. The latter also has yet to face consequences, with that Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg “confirmed that no employee was fired in the wake of the scandal because, in his words, it’s his fault: ‘At the end of the day this is my responsibility,’ he said.” have opened an investigation David Lumb from Engadget reporting Even the #deletefacebook movement and the abundance of bad press against Facebook hasn’t seemed to have made much of a dent in the social media giant’s bottom line. So how do we keep something like this from happening again? How can we ensure that more companies don’t abuse the inherent power that comes with ownership of so much data? It All Comes Down to You The frustrating thing is that all of this comes down to you, the user. The unfortunate reality is that the people charged with protecting our data and personal information — they’re not doing it. To top it off, the people that should be ensuring just penalties befall those that shirk data protections — they’re not doing their jobs either. This situation is complicated by the fact that many are confused by how these technologies work. However, that shouldn’t be an excuse anymore. Every citizen is faced with user agreements and other technological mumbo jumbo that the law says they know and follow … why should it be any different for politicians? Why shouldn’t politicians and data-abusers face consequences and be held to a standard of knowledge? must more higher I could sit here and say that we need more regulation, or that our leaders need to punish those responsible for playing us all like fools, but those things won’t happen. The bad news is, nothing is changing — not until the little guy finally stands up and says “I’ve had enough of this.” There are those fighting the good fight, and I applaud them. Perhaps it is they who will usher us toward a new era with responsible leadership. Until they, look inward. Realize that this issue affects every single one of us. Decide where you stand on the issue. At least that’ll be a start. Where we go from there? Nobody knows.

With Great Power Comes Great Consequence

[Marketing Case Study] Quick Confession : I didn’t even know who Anitta was( not that she’s unknown. Her Instagram account boasts 24M followers) until this week when almost every news outlet began covering her recent music video. Look at this and this and this … In case you don’t know who Anitta is: She’s a Brazilian singer, songwriter and at the age of 24 she’s already given massive hits like "Show das Poderosas," "Deixa Ele Sofrer," and "Bang," Her latest hit “Vai Malandra” caught my attention. Why? Here’s what happened … Since its release on 18th December, has been watched a whooping 68 Million times on YouTube and became the first song in Portuguese to enter the Spotify Global top 20 chart. Vai Malandra The video opens with a long lingering shot of Anitta’s bum- rolls of cellulite. Where celebrities spend millions of dollars on Photoshop to create a perfect image of themselves, Anitta chose to go for a more authentic communication. After the release of the video legions of fans and critics alike have praised Anitta for her bold move. 'I wanted everyone to understand that artists are real people. I am a woman like all of you women and I refused to Photoshop [my cellulite] out. 'I specifically asked for my ass not to be retouched,’ she said The resulting conversations have generated massive publicity for the South American super star that would have cost hundreds of thousands of dollars in ads. So what made Vai Malandra explode? Image from Unsplash The bum shot with rolls of cellulite —built into the product was the marketing strategy. The media loves talking about body positivity. Look , and . What recent trend can you capitalize on? Spend a week reading , , and you’ll start noticing patterns… similar stories being talked about again and again. here here here The Daily Mail Huffington post Engadget Spot a Trend, Then ride the Wave. Image from Unsplash She already had 20+ million followers who spread the word in the first few hours. The press goes where the buzz is. Leverage your , , contacts to spread the word. Then use that initial traffic to reach out to established blogs. Networking is one of the least talked about and probably the most important thing you should learn in the early stages of your business. Where’d Facebook be without Twitter Facebook Instagram Peter Thiel? Use your Network. Image from Unsplash By adding authentic and controversial bits in the video, she upped the game. It’s no longer about the song. It’s about the brand Anitta- . Sounds similar? is not about shoes, is not about smartphones and is not about a watch. How can you differentiate your brand from your competitors? The answer may not be in another cool feature. . inventive, authentic, audacious Nike Apple Rolex Up the game . You can follow me for more articles on businesses that are getting the social media strategy right and what you can learn from them. Thanks for reading HERE

How Anitta’s Vai Malandra was a virus built to spread

(For anyone following me on Medium, I appreciate the gesture, but my actual blog is . I’ll write a follow-up on the display issues themselves soon.) here It is impossible to explain anything non-trivial on , so I basically give up at this point. Here is more than 140/280 characters, because consumers deserve to know the basic picture: Twitter There is nothing inherently bad about OLED color accuracy, period. The Phil Schiller keynote slide on OLED displays was 100% nonsense. In Apple’s defense, they were really talking about the quality of their competitors’ displays in general. The slide made it look like these were inherent OLED issues, which was extremely misleading to consumers. Companies try to sell you a product, not teach and inform. OLED displays have been better than LCDs for the past few years. OLED has improved massively over many years but still has tons of issues. Both these statements are true. Samsung and Apple both always ship awesome displays. devices meanwhile have had both good and bad displays over the years. I would strongly recommend not reflexively being biased towards any brand or product, though, if you want to actually understand the . Google technology AnandTech has covered OLED displays in extreme depth over the years, so if you want to learn about OLED and all displays my highest recommendation would be to read their articles (can search for various previous device reviews). You can also follow @nexusCFX on Twitter. Android didn’t have color management until Oreo. Now it does. We’re good here. (There’s much more work still to be done for HDR support for Android P.) Because they have color management (and other factors), both the new Pixels target the Display P3 color space (which is currently correct for “wide color”), as many have stated. Google’s marketing even says this. How good the specific panel calibrations turn out to be is a separate question. Vlad Savov’s review unit for The Verge is clearly extremely green-shifted and looks awful. I won’t cover the work that needs to go into calibrating displays at the factory level here. not sRGB The 2 XL was always going to have a bad display. LG Display’s mobile OLED is many years behind Samsung Display’s and still suffers from a ton of issues. There’s not much Google can do here. And no, the answer actually isn’t “don’t source LGD OLED in the first place.” Google can’t work supply chain miracles. The 5.0” Pixel 2 could have a well-calibrated panel. We have no data, so I have no idea! There are a ton of potential issues with OLED in general, including off-axis color shifting, mura, moire patterns, uniformity more broadly, chromatic aberration, chromatic aliasing, and many more. These are all separate things, many of which clearly apply to the V30 and Pixel 2 XL’s displays. No one has publicly tested either Pixel’s display. Brandon Chester tested the original Pixel’s display, which unfortunately targeted the worthless NTSC color space and should be understood entirely in its own light (it was bad): . https://www.anandtech.com/show/10753/the-google-pixel-xl-review/3 Google isn’t stupid or unaware, and Romain Guy (the head of Graphics on the Android Team) in particular is phenomenal. Hardware, however, has often been a big struggle for Google due to insufficient engineering resources. Or investment and caring about hardware, if you don’t want to sugarcoat it. (Don’t even get me started on insufficient RF testing.) The Android Central text and video reviews were the most sensible ones I came across regarding display quality. Vlad, Dieter, and the rest of the Verge are good people, and I’m definitely not criticizing them :) Those folks helped me get into tech back in the Engadget days. You should never try to eyeball color accuracy or a calibration. Even professional display calibrators don’t trust their eyes: . https://techspecs.blog/blog/2017/7/21/why-you-shouldnt-use-someone-elses-tv-calibration-settings To assess color accuracy, you need actual data from credible testing. Unfortunately the necessary equipment and software cost thousands of dollars, even at entry level pricing. Panel variability is undoubtedly a part of the story. All silicon has variability. The iPhone X’s panel also doesn’t look so incredible at a distance. The color accuracy I’m sure will be excellent, but there’s a ton more that matters. It needs to actually be tested. I try to cover the little that I know at (and on , sigh). I promise I try not to write anything that I’m not pretty sure about. I also wrote about the rough details around the Pixel Visual Core a couple months ago if you’re into learning about that sort of thing. TechSpecs.blog Twitter And if anyone reasonably thinks, “this is just some random guy, why should I trust any of this?” I wouldn’t blame you, but I have talked with all the major display vendors over the years and have been given some behind the scenes explanations. If nothing else just believe AnandTech, whose credibility should speak for itself. AnandTech also isn’t dead, so stay tuned for some awesome stuff in the medium term :)

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