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 ]
Tom Doherty, president and publisher of Tor Books, worked his way up through the sales force ranks at Simon & Schuster and was mentored by Betty and Ian Ballantine when they launched the first science fiction and fantasy line in the country. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-05-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Two authors and a fanzine have withdrawn their work from the Hugo science fiction awards, claiming alleged right-wing activists are skewing the voting process. The annual awards honour the best science fiction and fantasy works and achievements of the previous year across a number of... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-04-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Ann Leckie’s Ancillary Sword (Orbit), the sequel to her multi award-winning Ancillary Justice (also Orbit), is among the finalists for this year’s Hugo Awards. The annual awards honour the best science fiction and fantasy works and achievements of the previous year across a number of... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-04-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
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For Sara Lloyd of Pan Macmillan, book marketing in 2015 is all about mobile, millennials, and the interplay of real and virtual worlds. — a topic she'll address at the LBF's Digital Minds conference next Monday. The post New Trends in Book Marketing: Mobile, Millennials and More appeared first... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2015-04-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Sir Terry Pratchett, the author best known for his Discworld series, has died aged 66. His novels weaved fantasy, science fiction, satire and whimsy to great effect -- more than 80 million Discworld books have been sold worldwide. Despite publishing ... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2015-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Authors including John Banville [pictured], Deborah Moggach and Louisa Young will take part in the inaugural London Book & Screen Week (LBSW). The London Book Fair will run the celebration of books and the films, TV programmes and the virtual worlds they have inspired from 13th to 19th... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-02-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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For his next reading challenge pick, Zuckerberg announced a much-lauded pro-vaccination book.Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has come out swinging in support of vaccination—and he wants his book club members to read all about it. Undaunted by the lukewarm reception to his first few picks,... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2015-02-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mark Zuckerberg is not Oprah Winfrey. It may not matter to publishing folk, though. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2015-01-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Mark Zuckerberg’s second book for his Facebook book club is The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker (Penguin). The book is currently showing as not in stock on Amazon.co.uk until January 21st, and on Amazon.com until January 24th. The book is showing as available on the Waterstones’... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2015-01-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Says his condemnation of Paris attack was to support freedom of expression but sees ‘tricky calculus’ in countries where that’s restrictedFacebook’s chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, has defended his decision to condemn the recent terrorist attack on Charlie Hebdo magazine on free speech... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2015-01-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'The End of Power' – a respected, though modestly-selling, nonfiction book – has now been launched to a global audience thanks to Mark Zuckerberg. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2015-01-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Zuckerberg wrote that he's resolved to read more new books and is inviting Facebook users to join in. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2015-01-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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It's going to be tough for Mark Zuckerberg to break his New Year's resolution this year. He's got more than 130,000 people to keep him accountable. The post Mark Zuckerberg’s New Year’s Resolution: Start a Worldwide Book Club appeared first on WIRED. Continue reading at Wired
[ Wired | 2015-01-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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You send a command from your smartphone and your house automatically decorates itself with a holographic Christmas tree complete with decorations and a suitably conifer-like smell. Sound like science fiction? Maybe, but this is among the predictions by the authors of a new book that looks at how... Continue reading at Betanews
[ Betanews | 2014-12-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
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In a passionate speech, writer takes aim at publishers who put profit before artUrsula Le Guin cries freedom as she is honoured for contribution to literatureTo the givers of this beautiful reward, my thanks, from the heart. My family, my agents, my editors, know that my being here is their... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2014-11-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Terraform, Brooklyn-based Vice Media Group's first standalone literary platform, will be dedicated to original pieces of science fiction. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-11-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Kindle Scout is now taking submissions for titles in romance, mystery and thriller, and science fiction and fantasy genres. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Specs Who LeVar Burton Age 57 Claim to fame Emmy-winning actor (Roots, Star Trek: The Next Generation); host and producer of Reading Rainbow; author of the children’s book The Rhino Who Swallowed a Storm (available Oct. 7) Base Los Angeles Twitter @levarburton What’s the first information you... Continue reading at AdWeek
[ AdWeek | 2014-10-06 00:00:00 UTC ]
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'Ancillary Justice' is the first novel ever to win the science fiction 'triple crown' – the Hugo, the Nebula, and the Arthur C. Clarke awards – all in the same year. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2014-08-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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With integrity and vision as its publishing cornerstones since 1984, Baen Books, the second largest publisher of science fiction and fantasy and #1 in space opera and military science fiction, is pleased to be celebrating its 30th anniversary with special events, author signings, and giveaways... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-05-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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