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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The Recommender: Jill Bernstein, Fast Company's Editorial Director (Not Iron Chef Judge)

The three best things Fast Company's Editorial Director found on the Internet this week. More Recommendations Christina Chaey on bygone beers and Beyoncé Jessica Hullinger, Founder/Editor-In-Chief/Ace Reporter At "The Hullinger News" Miles Kohrman, The Cat-Juggling Intern Name: Jill... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2013-12-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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6 Media Tech Predictions for 2014

From big data to responsive design to the next iOS, technology has become inextricably linked to publishing. No one has a perfect model for it yet though. In many cases, content has raced ahead of monetization. In other instances, it's reversed. Neither side is stopping to wait for the other to... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2013-12-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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HMRC asked to investigate Vice Media over 'unpaid internship' advert

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[ The Guardian | 2013-12-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Rupert Murdoch cards turn Twitter gems into festive greetings | Media Monkey

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[ The Guardian | 2013-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Nobel winner declares boycott of top science journals

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[ The Guardian | 2013-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
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How publishing fiction online launched the career of this young writer | Beth Reeks

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[ The Guardian | 2013-12-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ Publishing Perspectives | 2013-12-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Medium brings design and photo improvements to its social publishing platform

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[ Engadget | 2013-12-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hearst's Troy Young Spills: This Is How You Make Money In Digital Media

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[ Fast Company | 2013-12-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Obama's tech wizard hones his media weapons to help Miliband get to No 10

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[ The Guardian | 2013-12-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ryan wins Guardian First Book Award

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[ The Bookseller | 2013-11-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Buczacki heads Garden Media Guild prizewinners

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[ The Bookseller | 2013-11-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harry Potter Alliance brings together fans to effect social change

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[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-11-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Harry Potter Alliance brings together fans to affect social change

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[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2013-11-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Livefyre Buys Social Analytics Platform Realtidbits

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[ AdWeek | 2013-11-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ Digiday | 2013-11-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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FutureBook: mobile gains prominence for social reading

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[ The Bookseller | 2013-11-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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[ The Bookseller | 2013-11-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Forbes Media looks to sell company

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[ Crains New York | 2013-11-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Tech firms furious after denied full view of government reply to FISA court

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[ PC World | 2013-11-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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