Rohit Bhargava's Blog, page 45

The Truth About Airplane Safety

Airplane micro-disasters have been in the news lately. I call them micro because loss of life was avoided, but collisions and a door blowing out of a plane is enough to worry any regular traveler. So it was heartening to read a piece this week by Princeton professor Zeynep Tufekci about the broader view that every accident and the response to it might be an unheralded example of things going right.

As she goes on to explain, the “no blame” process of investigating accidents encourages people to b...

Welcome to the Industrial Metaverse … It Might Actually Change Everything

Most of us know the metaverse as a science-fiction imagined place where might create an avatar and GO to do virtual things. Siemens’ vision for the metaverse is much different, as CEO Dr. Roland Busch noted in a standing-room-only keynote presentation to open CES where he promoted the industrial metaverse as the key to bridging the gap between the virtual world and the real one. The presentation brought examples from racing to factory design in order to bring to life the idea of “digital twins” ...

Will 2024 Be the Year Cities Finally Ditch Parking Minimums?

What if the one of the biggest reasons for poverty and homelessness in cities wasn’t a lack of money or ballooning health care costs, but rather the longstanding real estate mandate for ample parking spaces? One of the most eye-opening books I considered for our book awards program this year was Paved Paradise, which suggested that unnecessarily high zoning requirements for parking were the single biggest factor preventing more affordable housing.

This week an NPR article suggested that perhaps t...

Mickey Mouse Enters the Public Domain … Here’s What It Means

The first big meme of the year is Mickey Mouse finally entering the public domain, which means creators can use the iconic Disney character to create their own projects. Or does it? As this video explains, there is a difference between a character that is copyrighted and one that has a trademark.

Not to mention there is a difference between the original Steamboat Willie cartoon that inspired Mickey Mouse (which is public domain) and all the stories featuring Mickey Mouse or the movies or anything...

A Rare Roundup of African Startups and Countries to Watch in 2024

In the process of curating this newsletter every week, I read a lot of stories about startups and innovation. Hardly any feature case studies from the continent of Africa. The fact that African innovation is widely ignored probably isn’t much of a surprise to anyone who comes from that ecosystem … but it’s a fact that we all need to try and help change in this new year.

To that end, this week I want to share an article from one of my favorite African tech sources: TechSafari written by Caleb Maru...

The World’s Biggest Tech Trade Show: CES 2024

Coming back to work last week, my inbox was filled with pitches about products, technologies, and innovations that are launching at CES this week. I was honored to be invited as an Innovation Award Judge this year and I’m here covering the show and working on my usual recap of the most non-obvious stories I find.

Already some of the early reports from the show are focusing on AI, generational shifts, and accessibility. I am also joining a panel along with my son to talk about Gen Z media habits a...

How Sound Boxes Are Accelerating Digital Payments Across India

Digital payments are easier than ever in India, but what if you’re a street vendor who accepts them but doesn’t read or write? How could you confirm you’ve been paid and someone isn’t just trying to trick you? For years this has been a barrier to adoption of digital payment, but now a smart solution involving low cost digital speakers that can audibly confirm when payments have been made to help prevent fraud and streamline daily transactions might be shifting the entire market.

These “sound boxe...

How To Buy Cultural Souvenirs from Your Vacation in an Ethical Way

On a recent trip to Australia, I reached out to a local tattoo artist for a session. After learning it was inappropriate for someone without a native background to get an indigenous design, I opted for one that was a mix of Australian and Indian patterns instead. This is just one of the ways a Condé Nast article recommends to avoid unintentionally exploiting or appropriating a culture that you visit on your next trip – a timely reminder as many of you may be taking some type of holiday next week...

Inside the New York Times Big Bet on Gaming

The team of editors at the New York Times that’s currently breaking new ground isn’t one that you’d expect. Gaming has become such a major surging area for the media company that some staffers believe the organization itself is quickly morphing into “a gaming company that happens to offer news.” The brand has long been associated with games through its popular crossword puzzles, but expansion into online gaming plus its acquisition of the hugely popular daily Wordle game has propelled it to anot...

The Most Positive and Uplifting News From 2023 … in an Infographic

Just in time for the end of the year, the team at Information is Beautiful has put together an infographic with all the “positive trends and admirable global breakthroughs of 2023.” On the list is everything from promising new medical treatments to city-wide pronouncements that are likely to make a major impact to improve local environments.

Looking at the range of news stories and worldwide initiatives, you might just start to feel a little better about the future of humanity in the coming year....