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 ]
Hodder and Stoughton has appointed Sam Bradbury, currently with Jo Fletcher Books, as editor with commissioning responsibilities in the area of science fiction, fantasy and horror, reporting to publisher Oliver Johnson. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Better times are ahead, says writer Ahmed Khaled Towfik, who recently appeared at Dubai’s festival: the Arab world is readier for science fiction, he says. By Dennis Abrams | @DennisAbrams2 ‘Looking Good for Science Fiction’ t The National, Hala Khalaf asserts that “Arab readers don’t like... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-03-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A fuel-free engine is the stuff of science fiction for now, but scientists at NASA Eagleworks have published a peer-reviewed paper that suggests the ideas behind an EM Drive are worth testing further. Researchers at Eagleworks, a small NASA team task... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2016-11-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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If you controlled a media publishing platform that connected to millions of people, it'd make you a pretty powerful individual. Not so, according to Mark Zuckerberg, who has come out against the notion that Facebook helped win it for Trump. TechCrunc... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2016-11-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Science fiction and fantasy novelist China Miéville is to make a rare foray into non-fiction to pen a “labour of love” history of the Russian revolution for indie press Verso. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-10-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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As writers learn that tech giant has processed their work without permission, the Authors Guild condemns ‘blatantly commercial use of expressive authorship’When the writer Rebecca Forster first heard how Google was using her work, it felt like she was trapped in a science fiction novel. “Is this... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2016-09-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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After investing millions of dollars in education and opening their own private K-12 school this year, pediatrician Priscilla Chan and her Facebook-founding husband, Mark Zuckerberg, announced Wednesday that they will invest $3 billion over the next decade to fight diseases. The funds will come... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-09-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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British writer Adrian Tchaikovsky has won the Arthur C Clarke award for science fiction for his novel Children of Time (Pan Macmillan). Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-08-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Neil Gaiman and N K Jemisin were among the authors announced as winners at the 2016 Hugo Awards for science fiction. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-08-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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A driverless air taxi to carry you over traffic in congested urban centers, ordered at the push of a button from your smartphone, may sound like science fiction, but Airbus believes it’s much closer to reality than you think. So close, in fact, that it hopes to test such a vehicle by the end of... Continue reading at Silicon Valley Business Journal
[ Silicon Valley Business Journal | 2016-08-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The author took to Twitter today to give an explanation for how to increase diversity in science fiction. It starts with publishing more writers of color. The post N.K. Jemisin Has a Plan for Diversity in Science Fiction appeared first on WIRED. Continue reading at Wired
[ Wired | 2016-08-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Many digital media businesses chase readers on the largest scale possible, all the better to attract advertisers that want to spread their messages widely. But big reach comes at a cost -- in quality, in resources -- that isn't always justified by the ad rates online.Unfortunately the niche game... Continue reading at Advertising Age
[ Advertising Age | 2016-07-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Gollancz, Orion's science fiction and fantasy imprint, is partnering with Foyles for the Gollancz Festival 2016. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-07-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
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As Facebook has taken on the mantle of content distributor, news publisher and story curator, the world's biggest social media company has ventured into the territory of traditional media companies. Such moves have helped Facebook attract users and advertising dollars -- but they have also... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-05-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Oprah has her book club. Mark Zuckerberg had his Year of Books. And Bill Gates has his annual reading lists — book recommendations shared each year by the Microsoft founder and philanthropist. Gates' 2016 list of summertime reads, complete with an animated video describing his picks, was released... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-05-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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As Facebook has taken on the mantle of content distributor, news publisher and story curator, the world's biggest social media company has ventured into the territory of traditional media companies. Such moves have helped Facebook attract users and advertising dollars -- but they have also... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-05-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The Easthampton, Mass., press is preparing to release an English language edition of what it is calling the world's first science fiction novel, 'The Chemical Wedding,' written in German in 1616. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-05-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The editors of the publication’s culture section have selected N.K. Jemisin’s 'The Fifth Season' as the first title to be read in the new group, which will focus on works of science fiction and fantasy. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-05-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Iain Pears’ Arcadia (Faber & Faber), a story that can be read either as a print book or an app, is in contention for this year’s Arthur C Clarke award for science fiction, along with novels by authors such as Becky Chambers and Nnedi Okorafor. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-04-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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It's more than fitting that the first posthumous video for a David Bowie song would depict a psychedelic shot through the cosmos. "I Can't Give Everything Away," a standout track from his final album, "Blackstar," gets a gentle lyric video that recalls vintage animation and science fiction, and... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2016-04-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
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