Two things happened recently that reminded me of the saying "what goes around, comes around" but in a good way. Both things concern the metaverse, Web 3 and Internet 2. These are terms that everyone is talking about online and offline, yet no one seems to be talking about them from the same page. The most recent reminder came a few days ago in a tweet from Joe Garde in Dublin who noted the state of things back in 2008. "Fun looking back.. 14 year's or so.. What we were doing in SL.. … [Read more...] about The Metaverse, Web 3 and Internet 2: the conversation (and hype) continues
Technology
The usefulness of single-journey data in a hybrid car
This week I drove into and out of central London, into the congestion charging zone, in my self-charging hybrid car for the first time this year. It's about a 60-mile trip each way for me on the A4 and M4 motorway. Much of the journey on the M4 is under 50mph or 60mph speed limits due to the huge smart motorway project to widen that whole stretch to four lanes each way between J12 at Theale and J3 at Hayes. I drive a Toyota Corolla hybrid that I bought in the summer of 2020. It's an ideal car … [Read more...] about The usefulness of single-journey data in a hybrid car
Metaverse: how Facebook rebrand reflects a dangerous trend in growing power of tech monopolies
Facebook’s rebranding as Meta has been seen by many as the company’s latest attempt at corporate crisis control. The social media giant has been publicly attacked for creating an environment that fosters far-right extremism and violating individuals’ data privacy. Yet it also represents an attempt to rebrand the growing power of tech monopolies to shape all areas of our lives through social expansion. It points to a troubling new era of “metacapitalism” – or “capitalism on steroids” as Forbes … [Read more...] about Metaverse: how Facebook rebrand reflects a dangerous trend in growing power of tech monopolies
Windows 11 makes its glorious public debut
Today, October 5, Microsoft makes Windows 11, a new version of Windows, publicly available. Over the coming nine months or so, it will be available as a free update in Windows Update on computers everywhere running Windows 10. Unlike previous versions of Windows, Windows 11 has taken only three months to go from first public announcement about a new version coming today to public availability and access to it. In those intervening three months, Microsoft has run a community testing programme … [Read more...] about Windows 11 makes its glorious public debut
Considering the forthcoming metaverse
It’s only a vision at this point, but technology companies like Facebook are aiming to make the metaverse the setting for many online activities, including work, play, studying and shopping. How do we ensure everyone has a say in how it develops? It's a question Shel and I considered in the primary discussion in the August episode of The Hobson & Holtz Report aka episode 210 of the For Immediate Release podcast published on August 23. We started with a definition. Wikipedia's is … [Read more...] about Considering the forthcoming metaverse
Will Windows 11 be the most beautiful Windows yet?
Last month, Microsoft announced Windows 11, the evolution of and replacement for the six-years-old Windows 10. The new version will be released later this year (some reports speculate it might be in October) as a free upgrade to Windows 10. Panos Panay, Microsoft's Chief Product Officer and the executive in charge of Windows, posted a narrative of features to expect in the new OS. He speaks of "simplifying the design and user experience," noting: It’s modern, fresh, clean and beautiful. … [Read more...] about Will Windows 11 be the most beautiful Windows yet?
Moving the podcast market
News that Apple's new podcast subscription service is being delayed until June because Apple needs to tweak the Apple Podcasts app is a good reminder of how important the user experience is and ensuring it delivers on expectations. It's also a great illustration of how a market moved. In the early homebrew days of podcasting, it was common for many podcasts to sound like they'd been recorded in the back of a garden shed on a rainy day, or the recording was somehow transmitted from the far … [Read more...] about Moving the podcast market
Review: AAWireless gives you wireless Android Auto in your car
If there were a product available right now that lets you connect your phone to your car to use Android Auto without a USB cable, would you go for it? I would, and did, with a simple yet powerful device called AAWireless that does just that - lets me use Android Auto in my car with the phone being connected wirelessly. I've been a huge fan of Android Auto for some years as the primary method of planning car journeys with Google Maps and navigating to where I want to drive: I follow the … [Read more...] about Review: AAWireless gives you wireless Android Auto in your car