Tomorrows World
I miss Tomorrows World as a show. It came from a few points that seem to have changed in UK society
- Lord Reith’s original agenda for the BBC to entertain and educate. It made cutting edge research simple and highlighted its potential benefits
- A futurism vision in the great and good of society at least, rather than the current viewpoint that we’re all doomed
Now as a society, we no longer know what innovation is. There is no ‘true north’.
Predicting the smart home of 2020
This Tomorrows World programme from 1989 predicts smart home type controls such as Philips Hue bulbs, wireless charging with ‘plug-in pads’, reducing energy consumption and big screen TVs. But there is as much as it gets wrong as well, LCD windows tend to be only use in the swankest offices or high security areas. Our home windows aren’t display screens. Unfortunately we don’t have aerogel as loft insulation due to the inability to make it cheaply via mass production.
One final point that was important was how they talked about consumers having a choice of how smart their home could be. Which showed a real consideration about technological impact that is at odds with smartphones vs. feature phones; or smart TVs vs. ‘dumb’ TVs.
Business
Why Facebook’s Metaverse Is Dead on Arrival | New York magazine – In actuality, Facebook is basically spending $10 billion on a prayer that, in the short run, it might change the conversation. It gives them an opportunity to talk about the meta verse instead of insurrection and teen depression – or that Meta has moved from being a growth company to a value company…
Culture
God Said Give ’Em Drum Machines and the sound of old… – The Face
Economics
IMF warns high inflation will persist longer in UK than similar economies | Financial Times – not terribly surprising
The stock market rarely produces average returns | Yahoo! Finance – that’s why they are an average (ok technically a mean)
Finance
Moody’s blockchain blind spot | Financial Times
Safaricom Ethiopia obtains approval to set up M-Pesa service – Telecompaper – really interesting timing given the economic disruption and conflict with Tigray province
Ideas
Tymbals : Phase Changers – interesting marketing thinking
Innovation
Godfather of Self-Driving Cars Says the Tech Is Going Nowhere | Futurism
Media
One of the better presentations that addresses fake news and media interference.
Online
This Report Reveals the Most Effective Formats for Mobile Ads / Digital Information World – bigger is better basically
Security
Protests in Iran: State-run live TV hacked by protesters – BBC News
Security Experts Warn Most Apple Apps On iOS 16 Bypass VPN Connections / Digital Information World
Singapore
Singapore Airlines will no longer sack cabin crew who become pregnant | South China Morning Post – that’s very late 20th century of them now
Web of no web
Inside Mark Zuckerberg’s Metaverse Struggles – The New York Times
Lufthansa Bans AirTags: Will Other Airlines Follow? – One Mile at a Time – customer service own goal