Bruce Sterling's Blog, page 660

Making Reality Really Real — call for papers

*I'm getting worried… what if they actually succeed at this?

Call for papers!

The 11th Consciousness International Reframed conference

'MAKING REALITY REALLY REAL'

In cooperation with the Planetary Collegium, University of Plymouth, England, TEKS – Trondheim Electronic Arts Centre, Trondheim, Norway, is hosting the 11th Consciousness Reframed International Research Conference, with the title of 'MAKING REALITY REALLY REAL'. The conference will be part of Norway´s new biennial for art and...

Augmented Reality: Layar

*I could be wrong, but that's starting to look like an actual business.

http://www.mobile-ent.biz/news/36757/Layar-reveals-15m-downloads-for-iPhone-and-Android

"Augmented reality app Layar has been downloaded more than 1.5 million times for iPhone and Android, co-founder Claire Boonstra announced at the MIPTV conference today.

"More than 500 layers for the app have been published by developers, with 2,000 more in development, said Boonstra, who also gave a hint at the company's monetisation...

China China China hack hack hack Australia

*So, the Murdoch apparatus in Australia claims that it's being censored in Australia by Chinese shake-down DDOS hack attacks.

*I don't know whose self-interested disinformation to disbelieve first.

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/security/chinese-cyber-attackers-hit-optus-20100415-sgm8.html

*Check out the head-spinning commentary in this article, which proclaims that the Australian Internet apparatus most under attack by supposed Chinese hackers is owned by Chinese ethnic Singaporeans… You...

The Outquisition, or, the arrogant urbanites and the noble country folk

*It's just great to see a discussion which is so far advanced of the stuck-in-the-asphalt thought about our real troubles. It's cram full of stuff that is obviously true and that nobody thinks about. It's like having Vaclav Havel show up at a conclave of overeducated Marxists.

*You know what this "Outquisition" situation really needs? It needs some REAL THIRD WORLD DESIGN GUYS. I'm talking about you, @dx1w, http://designforthefirstworld.com/ . You're talking about how "lazy" you are...

The Climate Crisis Recreational Vehicle

*I'm all for design-fiction of this kind, but "keeps you safe"? That tinfoil gizmo looks mighty vulnerable to small-arms fire.

http://www.ecofriend.org/entry/nomad-concept-rv-keeps-you-safe-in-a-globally-warmed-world/

Showtime: STAR WARS Uncut: The Escape

*I can only hope you and your Convergence Culture are happy now, Henry Jenkins!

Star Wars Uncut "The Escape" from Casey Pugh on Vimeo.

I'm thrilled to release "The Escape," a teaser from the finished Star Wars Uncut: A New Hope movie.

Hundreds of 15 second scenes were put back together in a finished film thanks to the work of several people:

Jamie Wilkinson ( jamiedubs.com ), manager of video engineering, Bryan Pugh ( pughtube.com ), sound mixing/editing master, and Aaron Valdez ...

Spime Watch: Tales of Things

*Makes me sorry I'm missing this FuturEverything gig. I woulda gone to Britain pronto, if they weren't so keen to repel foreigners by keenly tracking alien passports at the border. Some of those British excludees come from countries with histories.

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18766-barcodes-help-objects-tell-their-stories.html

"Have you ever come across an unusual object and wanted to know its history? Soon you might simply be able to retrieve the details on your smartphone.

"That's...

Free designer chairs given away (with GPS units)

*Got a real "don't be evil" vibe going on in the video here.

*"They are tools designed to gather spy-agency-like data in a seductive way, first and foremost, but as a side effect they tend to provide software support for mob-like phenomena," as Jaron Lanier recently remarked — but I don't think he realized that CHAIRS are already in that game.

Blu Dot Real Good Experiment from Real Good Chair on Vimeo.

The Dumpsterworld FAQ

*It's the (impressively elaborate) social network that's all dumpster-diving, all the time.

http://dumpsterworld.com/index.php/topic,4.0.html

D.D.F.A.Q.

Q: I don't understand why people want to take things from the trash. You must not be homeless, because you own computers. Why do you dumpster dive?

Most people don't understand how many useful resources are thrown in the garbage every day. Dumpster diving provides us with all kinds of free goods. Not only do we have homes and computers...

NeighborGoods propaganda

*I got the T-shirt at SXSW 2010.

*It didn't cost me anything.

NeighborGoods from sparky rose on Vimeo.