The Guardian view on social media’s metaverse: it may remain science fiction | Editorial

The online virtual reality experience that almost every tech giant today wishes to commercially exploit may not catch onIn the 1992 sci-fi dystopia Snow Crash, the author Neal Stephenson imagined a bleak 21st century where the collapse of the global economy had seen governments fall and their power replaced by a few giant businesses. The book is notable for prescience, anticipating the adoption of what was then seen as outlandish technologies like the wireless internet, cryptocurrencies and smartphones, as well as the rise of the gig economy. But it is the book’s prophetic vision of “the metaverse” that has revived interest in the work.That is because Stephenson described the online virtual reality experience that almost every tech giant today wishes to commercially exploit. Last October, Microsoft announced that users of its Teams online meetings app would be able to turn themselves into avatars – the term Stephenson popularised in Snow Crash – to encourage users into virtual interaction. Days later Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s founder, rebranded his company as Meta, with a focus on the potential for virtual worlds. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2022-02-07 19:11:48 UTC ]
News tagged with: #global economy #wireless internet #gig economy #microsoft announced #mark zuckerberg #virtual worlds #science fiction

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G/O Media Promotes Deadspin EIC Jim Rich to Editorial Director | People on the Move

[caption id="attachment_180020" align="alignright" width="150"] Jim Rich[/caption] G/O Media announced Wednesday that Deadspin editor-in-chief Jim Rich has been promoted to editorial director across the company's entire portfolio, which also includes sites like The A.V. Club, Gizmodo, Kotaku,... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2020-04-22 19:47:03 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #managing editor #annual event #associate publisher


20 Must-Read Feel-Good Science Fiction Books

These 20 feel-good science fiction books will suit different tastes and moods, but they’re all comfort food of some variety. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-04-14 10:34:55 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #comfort food #science fiction


Hodder strengthens fiction editorial team

Hodder & Stoughton has made some changes to its fiction editorial team, making new hires of Noor Sufi and Molly Power as commissioning editors for its crime and thriller and SFF lists, and promoting Kimberley Atkins to publisher for Women's Fiction. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-03-16 13:08:15 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hodder stoughton #commissioning editors #hodder


5 Matriarchal Worlds of Science Fiction and Fantasy

Fall into the matriarchal worlds of these science fiction and fantasy books for Women's History Month and beyond. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-03-16 10:34:17 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #fantasy books #history month #science fiction


LinkedIn Engagement Tactics from Forbes’s Social Media Director

Long maligned as the domain of headhunters and contrived self-promoters, LinkedIn has a tendency to serve as an afterthought in publishers' social strategies, a platform familiar enough to be acknowledged but far less important than Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Yet unlike those platforms,... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2020-03-12 17:31:13 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #social networks


Ever wonder what might have been? Here are some scenarios, courtesy of science fiction

‘The Man in the High Castle” and other alternative-history novels make us wonder. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-03-12 16:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #science fiction #high castle


‘The Visual History of Science Fiction Fandom’ beautifully demonstrates the evolution of a genre

The book is a sumptuous scrapbook of photographs, magazine covers, artwork and hundreds of articles. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-03-04 17:19:27 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #magazine covers #science fiction


The L.A. Times announces its 2019 Book Prize finalists and a new award for science fiction.

It’s an exciting year for the Los Angeles Times Book Prizes! This will be its 40th year of celebrating the literary community. The Times announced their 2019 Book Prize finalists today; the winners will be announced at a ceremony in Los Angeles on April 17th. Additionally, bestselling crime... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-02-19 17:41:26 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #science fiction #40th year #literary community #april 17th #times book #book prize


Discovering a Love of Science Fiction and Fantasy and Recent Favorites

A reader new to science fiction and fantasy embraces the genre and explores some of the great new works of SFF on shelves now. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-02-17 11:40:18 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #recent favorites #science fiction


A photograph that is right for the website can be wrong for social media | Elisabeth Ribbans

Serious thought is given to publishing troubling images, of death or distress for example, but even then context is keyOn the morning after the Streatham terror attack, the Guardian’s print edition carried a single-column photograph of the perpetrator, Sudesh Amman, at the bottom of the front... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-02-16 19:00:37 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #front page #express concern #katharine viner #high impact


Qandeel Baloch was a social media star in Pakistan. A new book explores her life and murder.

“A Woman Like Her” is both an intimate portrait and a sweeping look at cultural shifts — and the price paid by women. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-02-06 15:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book explores #intimate portrait


Guardian Media Group appoints new chief executive

Annette Thomas will take up role at Guardian and Observer parent company in MarchThe former head of one of the world’s largest specialist publishers has been appointed as the new chief executive of Guardian Media Group with a mission to ensure the business can continue to support “world-class... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-01-14 10:32:25 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #annette thomas #yale university #cell biology #academic publishing


Annette Thomas appointed Guardian Media Group c.e.o.

Annette Thomas has been appointed as the Guardian Media Group's (GMG) new chief executive. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-01-14 05:08:54 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #annette thomas


15 Science Fiction Short Stories To Take You Out of this World

We're in a new golden age of science fiction, especially science fiction short stories. These are some of the best stories you can read right now online. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-01-09 11:35:44 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #golden age #science fiction


Let’s talk about how science fiction has dealt with environmental change. It’s not all depressing.

Yes, much of it looks at how we will survive the apocalypse. But we also have the more hopeful genre of solarpunk Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-01-06 23:50:02 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #science fiction


15 Of The Best LGBTQ Science Fiction Books

If you're in the mood for a ragtag spaceship crew or queer superheroes living their best lives, check out this list of the best LGBT science fiction books. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-01-06 11:39:51 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #science fiction


Roughing It in Science Fiction and Fantasy

Since I did a lot of camping in the last year, I've been noticing camping in sci-fi and fantasy all over the place! Let's take a tour. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-01-02 11:37:49 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #science fiction


Future present? How science fiction sees our world in 2050.

Science fiction writers, gazing into the future, envision space-based cargo movers and robots that may eliminate the need for humans to work. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2019-12-31 13:53:59 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #future present #science fiction


Future present? How science fiction sees our world in 2050.

Science fiction writers, gazing into the future, envision space-based cargo movers and robots that may eliminate the need for humans to work. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2019-12-31 13:53:59 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #future present #science fiction


Future present? How science fiction sees our world in 2050.

Science fiction writers, gazing into the future, envision space-based cargo movers and robots that may eliminate the need for humans to work. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor

[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2019-12-31 13:53:59 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #future present #science fiction