David Lidsky's Blog, page 2846
November 17, 2015
The Future Of Shopping Is . . . Second Life On Acid?
British designer Allison Crank imagines a virtual-reality mega mall to replace the social element shopping has lost to e-commerce.
When Victor Gruen invented the shopping mall in 1956, he wanted to give suburban citizens a sorely needed third place to socialize and shop. Today, malls have been usurped by e-commerce. And while the ease of one-click shopping fulfills the consumerist part of Gruen's equation, it ignores the equally therapeutic leisure element.
How A Simple Software Update Could Make Your iPhone Screen Smarter
From your finger's angle of attack, to gestures like twists, researchers have developed algorithms to make any touch screen smarter.
When you touch your iPhone screen, it basically sees a few dark spots with no other context. From that alone, it's brought us landmark interactions like the swipe and pinch-to-zoom. But to do more, Apple had to rebuild its own touch screen, adding the pressure sensitivity of 3D Touch.
November 16, 2015
A New Report Shows How Amazon Is Different Around The World
Amazon's selection, prices, and features differ greatly between countries.
A new study shines a light on how Amazon positions itself differently in different countries. According to Forrester Research, which just released a report on Amazon's Global Appeal, the ecommerce giant's customer service techniques have gained praise worldwide, but the Amazon shopping experience can vary wildly depending on the country you're in.
New Law Would Benefit SpaceX, Virgin Galactic
Congress is debating asteroid mining and the oversight of private space exploration.
A new law expected to pass presidential approval this week would give the private spaceflight sector exemption from a wide range of government oversight. H.R. 2262, which is receiving final approval from the House of Representatives today, would exempt private space travel from federal regulation for the next eight years. The bill would primarily benefit companies like SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, and Blue Origin that fear that close oversight by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or another government agency could seriously slow innovation.
Today In Tabs: Fog Dot War
The battle of about dot me has just begun.
Friday, eight men associated with ISIS attacked six different locations in Paris, eventually killing 129 people and wounding 352 more. It's possible you were there, or your loved ones were, and if so I hope you, or they, are safe and well. But for most of us, the attacks were primarily a media event, experienced on the France 24 live feed that everyone suddenly knew existed, and attended by the usual fog-dot-war of social media hoaxes. As Kelsey McKinney reminded us all:
A Former Gawker Staffer Calls Out How Women Are Treated At The Company
A former Gawker staffer shares how women are given invisible work and discouraged from speaking up about gender pay discrepancies.
Dayna Evans almost didn't write this post in Medium that exposes gender bias and a wage gap at Gawker Media.
Apple's Massive Solar Push In Singapore
Apple will use 100% solar power to run its Singapore offices and the country's first Apple Store.
Apple has one of its largest overseas presences in Singapore. Starting next year, however, there will be a big change at Apple Singapore: All of Apple's operations will be powered entirely by solar energy.
Uber's New Feature Makes Commuting Home A Little Sweeter For Drivers
Uber now lets drivers pick up passengers headed in the same direction as them.
Car-hailing startup Uber's latest new feature, currently available only in the San Francisco Bay Area, is aimed at drivers who are beginning or ending their shifts. Uber drivers in the Bay Area now have access to a destination setting feature that lets them pick up only riders who wish to travel in the same general direction they are headed.
Apple And Amazon May Face Antitrust Charges In Germany Over Audiobooks Deal
German regulators are investigating claims that Apple's agreement with Amazon subsidiary Audible has helped it monopolize audiobook sales.
Germany's competition regulator, the Federal Cartel Office, has launched an investigation into the deal Apple inked years ago with Audible, the Amazon-owned audiobooks company, according to Reuters. The probe should address allegations that Apple's agreement with the tech company has given Amazon an unfair advantage in the audiobooks business in Germany.
American Design Student Killed In The Paris Attacks
Faculty at Cal State Long Beach describe industrial design student Nohemi Gonzalez as a passionate, hard-working, and "very gifted student."
Twenty-three-year-old industrial design student Nohemi Gonzalez was the first American identified as a victim of the horrific attacks on Paris on Friday. Gonzalez, a senior at Cal State Long Beach, was living in the city for the semester as an exchange student at the Strate School of Design. She was dining with fellow Cal State Long Beach students at a Paris restaurant Friday night when she was killed, the Los Angeles Times reports.
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