By reusing and repurposing existing writing into viral fragments on Twitter, the account functioned like today’s chatbots. The Guardian spoke to Jacob Bakkila, the human behind the accountMore than a decade before an AI-powered chatbot could do your homework, help you make dinner or pass the bar exam, there was @Horse_ebooks. The primitive predecessor to today’s chatbot renaissance began as a Twitter account in 2010, tweeting automated excerpts from ebooks that, decontextualized, took on unexpected and strangely poetic meanings.Purportedly a spambot, the account surfaced quotes from ebooks that went viral for their absurdist fragments – phrases like “Hello saxophone,” “COULD THIS BE THE”, and “Today we are lucky to be talking”. It amassed more than 200,000 followers at its peak and now, despite being inactive for a decade, the account still holds 131,000 followers. Its most memorable quip – “everything happens so much” – still resonates today. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2024-01-03 15:00:04 UTC ]
The second half of Amazon Prime Day is here and you can still pick up a bunch of tech on sale. This year has brought a number of solid, Prime-exclusive deals on some of our favorite tech, including Apple AirPods, Google Pixel phones, and of course, Amazon’s own devices like Echos, Kindles, Fire... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-07-12 14:12:31 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Amazon Prime Day is back this year with a bunch of new deals to consider. There are thousands of deals to sift through during Amazon's two-day shopping event, and in the tech space in particular, it can be difficult to know what's actually a good value and which devices are worth spending your... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-07-11 22:30:13 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Amazon Prime Day is upon us and a number of our favorite gadgets are on sale. Since its inception, Prime Day has been one of the best times of the year to pick up headphones, tablets, smartwatches and other tech gear at record-low prices — if you're a Prime member, of course. Prime Day deals on... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-07-11 14:25:07 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The best science fiction and fantasy book deals of the day, curated by Book Riot. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-07-10 14:20:58 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The best science fiction and fantasy book deals of the day, curated by Book Riot. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-07-03 14:54:55 UTC ]
More news stories like this
If you think your kids should have a smart display of their very own, this might be a good time to grab two of them from Amazon. In advance of Prime Day, you can get two Echo Show 5 Kids for the price of one. The displays came out in 2023 and typically go for $100 each. By using the code... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-06-22 16:30:34 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The best science fiction and fantasy book deals of the day, curated by Book Riot. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-06-19 13:54:50 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Amazon is having a big sale on its Fire Kids tablets just in time for summer break. The Fire 7 tablet 16GB boasts one of the best discounts (along with normally being the cheapest option), with a 45 percent off sale bringing it to $60 from $110. However, for only $5 more, the 32GB model is on... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-06-06 10:35:03 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Ahead of this week's Readmagine, Dosdoce's Javier Celaya issues a new report on Spanish-language audiobooks and ebooks in 2022. The post Dosdoce: Growing Sales in Spanish-Language Audiobooks appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-06-05 14:37:57 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The Harry Potter publisher ascribes its record profits to a hunger for affordable diversion. That’s the magic of booksIn the gloom of a UK economy teetering on the edge of recession, a glittering puff of smoke wafted up last week from the publisher that will for ever be associated with Harry... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2023-06-04 17:25:05 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Seemingly overnight, Sam Bankman-Fried, the founder of FTX, went from cryptocurrency wunderkind to wanted for questioning by the FBI. After years of unfettered success, the walls of SBF's blockchain empire came crumbling down around him as his tricky financial feats failed and his generalized... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-05-14 14:30:33 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The biggest news in tech this week came from Google's annual developer conference on Wednesday. They announced three new devices: The Pixel 7a smartphone, the Pixel Tablet and the Pixel Fold. Discounts on brand new products don't happen often, but both Amazon and Google were quick to bundle... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-05-12 15:15:04 UTC ]
More news stories like this
In books for adults as a sub-category, audio surpassed ebooks for the first time, according to February's StatShot. The post US February Statshot: Audio in Adult Titles Surpasses Ebooks appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-05-11 17:31:45 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Two factors had an effect on the deals we saw this week: spring sales and early Mother's Day promotions. Even if you don't need a gift for a mom or it's still cold (or weirdly summery hot) where you are, you can snag a decent price on some of our recommended tech. Like our top budget robot... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-04-28 18:00:16 UTC ]
More news stories like this
I’ve been a notebook person for most of my life. I’ve had dozens of notebooks over the years that served as repositories for to-do lists, story ideas, messages jotted down during meetings and everything in between. But at a certain point in my adult life, I turned away from physical notebooks... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-04-18 13:00:37 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Anyone who stares at a screen all day probably doesn’t want to do so when they unwind with a book. But the convenience of getting a new read instantaneously and carrying a full bookcase in your pocket is pretty appealing. Ereaders combine the best of paper and computers, and they’re capable of... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2023-04-04 13:00:13 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The beloved online athenaeum just lost a big court case. Librarians fear it’ll make ebooks less accessible. So why are some writers cheering? Continue reading at Wired
[ Wired | 2023-03-31 13:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
A Chicago-based independent publisher has responded to the recent attack on Black History by offering free books. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-02-08 16:46:55 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Ebook piracy has long been a problem of publishing. How easy it is to pirate ebooks these days? And how do book thieves do it? Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2023-01-24 11:37:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The memoir, which includes claims Prince William attacked him, records figures of 400,000 on its first day Prince Harry’s autobiography has become the UK’s fastest-selling nonfiction book ever, recording figures of 400,000 on its first day on sale.The controversial memoir Spare has made... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2023-01-10 19:17:17 UTC ]
More news stories like this