#Ford's AI Hands Edition

[indecisive-dizzy]

do you think, that if/when the world of gravity falls got to the ai times of today, people would think every picture with Ford('s hands) is ai generated because of his six fingers,,,,,

[adastra-sf]

The Robot Uprising Began in 1979

edit: based on a real article, but with a dash of satire

source: X

On January 25, 1979, Robert Williams became the first person (on record at least) to be killed by a robot, but it was far from the last fatality at the hands of a robotic system.

Williams was a 25-year-old employee at the Ford Motor Company casting plant in Flat Rock, Michigan. On that infamous day, he was working with a parts-retrieval system that moved castings and other materials from one part of the factory to another. 

The robot identified the employee as in its way and, thus, a threat to its mission, and calculated that the most efficient way to eliminate the threat was to remove the worker with extreme prejudice.

"Using its very powerful hydraulic arm, the robot smashed the surprised worker into the operating machine, killing him instantly, after which it resumed its duties without further interference."

A news report about the legal battle suggests the killer robot continued working while Williams lay dead for 30 minutes until fellow workers realized what had happened. 

Many more deaths of this ilk have continued to pile up. A 2023 study identified that robots have killed at least 41 people in the USA between 1992 and 2017, with almost half of the fatalities in the Midwest, a region bursting with heavy industry and manufacturing.

For now, the companies that own these murderbots are held responsible for their actions. However, as AI grows increasingly ubiquitous and potentially uncontrollable, how might robot murders become ever-more complicated, and whom will we hold responsible as their decision-making becomes more self-driven and opaque?

[pittarchives]

Detroit’s Marxist Black Auto Workers

This post was written by Liam Sims, a recipient of an Archival Scholar Research Award for the 2021 Spring Semester.

Images from “Drum Wildcat Strike”, Box 1, Folder 97, American Left Ephemera Collection, 1875-2015, AIS.2007.11, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System.

Detroit, Michigan is perhaps best known as the auto capital of the United States, home to the principal production plants of the mythical “Big Three”: General Motors, Chrysler, and Ford. While the auto industry promised a path to the middle class for some, it also embodied institutional racism and ruthless worker oppression for many of its Black workers. In 1968, some 60-70 percent of the workers at Chrysler Corporation’s Dodge Main assembly plant were Black, also relegated to the lowest paying, most physically demanding, and most dangerous positions of the plant compared to their white supervisors (Glaberman 1969, 8-9). In May of 1968, Black workers at the Dodge Main plant formed the Dodge Revolutionary Union Movement (DRUM), a grassroots organization which advocated for workers’ rights in the face of rampant discrimination. To promote the movement, DRUM created a publication which was distributed by hand at the plant and in nearby communities to support efforts to strike, elect representatives, and instill revolutionary social change in Detroit’s auto industry and beyond. Seen here is the first edition of DRUM’s publication, detailing the unwarranted dismissal of Black worker Willie Brookins out of prejudice. While the United Auto Workers (UAW) union was meant to protect all auto workers, the UAW often ignored cases like Mr. Brookins, incentivizing the creation of a group like DRUM to champion the rights of non-white workers as well. The title of this edition is “Wildcat Strike”, referring to one of a series of strikes DRUM organized without the UAW’s approval. By stopping the production line, Dodge lost an immense amount of revenue, forcing management to address DRUM’s demands. DRUM’s publication subverts the notion that national unions in the United States were not susceptible to racial bias and discrimination. In addition, DRUM helped to expose the collaboration between the UAW and auto industry management which lead to crackdowns on Black workers who demanded equality. In examining labor relations, it should be clear that Black workers have and continue to be treated differently, and often worse, than their non-Black peers. In different conditions, there are different needs. Despite all the plant workers sharing the same basic class interests, the UAW and management utilized racial divisions to ensure white workers would ignore or even demonize their Black counterparts in DRUM, for fear of losing what little autonomy they had.

Images from “Drum Wildcat Strike”, Box 1, Folder 97, American Left Ephemera Collection, 1875-2015, AIS.2007.11, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System.

At first glance, the amateur quality of the publication is evident in the frequent typographic errors, mistakes in formatting, the quality of the print and paper, and its unabashed use of profanity. These elements are also the publication’s strength. It demonstrates DRUM’s urgency in its brevity, rudimentary visuals, and its use of blunt, everyday language to promote their grassroots campaign. Ephemera usually consists of printed materials like this publication, meant for immediate use with no concern given for preservation, meaning many of such items are cheaply produced and fragile. In the case of DRUM’s publication, this meant it was possible for the organization to distribute the pamphlets easily, inexpensively, and independently to auto workers and their families on a large scale. The evolution of DRUM’s ideology becomes apparent in this series of publications, beginning first as a movement addressing specific grievances in a single Dodge auto plant to the application of a Marxist-Leninist framework to free racially oppressed workers nationally. Ending with “this is the type of bullsh*t that will eventually lead to violent revolution right in the plant”, it is clear that DRUM was driven by necessity to enact its own change.

Bibliography

American Left Ephemera Collection, 1875-2015, AIS.2007.11, Archives & Special Collections, University of Pittsburgh Library System.

Glaberman, Martin. “The Dodge Revolutionary Union Movement.” International Socialism, 1, no. 36 (1969): 8–9. https://www.marxists.org/archive/glaberman/1969/04/drum.htm.

[tableandteaspoon]

Monday Merriment

Infusing grandeur into otherwise drab days with five ideas for the week.

I.  I was planning to write about a recipe on the healthier side, but upon reviewing the analytics for my blog, I learned that the most viewed recipe by far this week was my Balboa Chicken Paillard adaptation. What’s the harm in one more indulgence to make us slightly happier during this unsettling time? If you’re in San Francisco, Balboa is open for pickup and delivery, so please order directly from them on Wednesdays (the only day the dish is offered). If you’re sheltering in a different place, or have a hankering for the infamous special on a different day, I’ve got you covered. Pro Tip: add caramelized onion or burrata to the decadent breaded chicken with arugula, cherry tomato, and rich Marsala butter sauce.

II.  During childhood, I looked no farther than my parents for artistic taste. Fans of Impressionism and Renaissance art, we spent a significant amount of time perusing these genres at the Uffizi, Musée d'Orsay, and Louvre. It wasn’t until my twenties that I had the opportunity to meaningfully explore Tate Modern, MOMA, and local galleries. Once I did, I fell completely in love with contemporary art. Though my position on the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco auxiliary board afforded me the luxury of meeting icons like Ed Ruscha and Urs Fischer, I hadn’t looked into mediums where I could find out more about my favorite artists from they themselves until now. Art21 is a phenomenal resource for all things contemporary, including first-hand content from artists like Walton Ford, Kiki Smith, and Ai Weiwei. What better time than now to explore?

III.  On a stroll down the Marina Green last night, I was stunned by the sheer number of people who were very clearly on first dates. How did I know that they were on dates you may ask? Well, I’m absolutely certain that I’ve never seen more women in full makeup, nervous body language, awkward hand-holding, or full-blown makeouts on that stretch (and I’ve been walking it for nearly a decade). Dating during quarantine has been understandably tricky. The best way to describe it is a prolonged version of Love is Blind... With no end in site (at least in California), many people are taking what Dr. Fauci calls “calculated risks” to meet in person. Though highly frowned upon, it’s difficult to blame those who have been completely isolated the last six weeks for craving human touch and interaction outside their phones and laptops. I’m curious to see how all of this plays out post-quarantine. Are these quaranbae situations germane to the pandemic, or will these insta-couples stay together with stronger bonds than they would normally? I particularly wonder what Darwin would have to say about a generation born from these risk-prone duos... Only time will tell.

IV.  Since my last phase of posting Monday Merriment a year ago, I developed a passion for scenic photography. Spurred by a trip to Big Sur with a friend who is a fantastic photographer, I began taking daily hikes through my neighborhood and down the coastline on Highway 1. I photographed everything that caught my eye, often resulting in hundreds of photos per day. Once I returned home, I’d review and edit the shots to learn what methods were effective at producing stellar photographs. Given that we’re still allowed to hike, I want to offer my tips to those of you who may want to take up a new hobby during quarantine. First, when capturing something outdoors, aim your lens higher than feels comfortable so that you capture the clouds. Clouds are without a doubt the best part of my outdoor shots. Particularly when the sky is moody or highly saturated. Second, look for reflections in bodies of water. A simple shot of the Golden Gate Bridge becomes magical when you catch a glimpse of the bridge in the water or mirrored in wet sand. Same goes for the sun during sunset. Third, look for something unique (or what I often call “a little weird”). A bird digging in the sand for lunch, a fish jumping, the silhouette of a person engaging in an activity, the momentum of a wave crashing into a rock. This will separate your photo from every other one that comes up on a Google image search of the same location. Finally, please think twice before using filters. They almost always weaken elements of the shot, which is the opposite of what you want. Learn to use editing apps to enhance portions of the photograph manually, the same way that traditional photographers do with their cameras using shutter speed, aperture, flash, and ISO. I use both Camera+ (here are some tips on using it) and Afterlight. Happy shooting!

V.  Something I’ve both loved and hated about sheltering in place is the resurgence of DIY. In the last five years, I’ve acquired an app for everything from laundry to auto-detailing. If you have a need for something from the service industry, you can bet there’s a startup catering to it (especially in Silicon Valley). While some of these needs, like grocery shopping, picking up takeout, and driving yourself places come easily - many services are significantly harder to navigate. Here’s a list of things that likely don’t come naturally to you with links to step-by-step instructions or products that will simplify the process: Manicures, haircuts, hair color, blowouts, cooking, house cleaning, handy work, childcare, dry cleaning, and car washing. Who knew that I could give myself a salon-quality mani AND replace my broken shower head?!

Have a wonderful week! xx tt

[sciencespies]

Mother of invention: the new gadgets dreamt up to fight coronavirus

https://sciencespies.com/news/mother-of-invention-the-new-gadgets-dreamt-up-to-fight-coronavirus/

Mother of invention: the new gadgets dreamt up to fight coronavirus

LONDON/OAKLAND/BUCHAREST (Reuters) – Driving to work at his factory to the west of London last week, designer Steve Brooks had coronavirus on his mind. What could he make that would let him open a door without touching the handle?

Entrepreneurs Matthew Toles and Joseph Toles, co-founders of the company Slightly Robot, show smartbands, the Immutouch, which buzz when the wearer’s hand goes near their face, to prevent spreading the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Seattle, U.S., in this handout picture taken March 31, 2020. Immutouch/Handout via REUTERS

“Everyone has to use their little finger or find the bit of the door that nobody’s touched,” said the designer and owner at DDB Ltd, a company which makes office furniture. So he produced a hook to do the job.

The so-called hygienehook is small enough to fit in a pocket and made from a non-porous material, which makes it easy to clean. It is one of hundreds of gadgets dreamt up in recent days and weeks to help prevent people from spreading the coronavirus.

From furniture makers to AI software developers, companies around the world are adapting existing products or inventing new ones to help fight the pandemic or just make life easier for those working from home, in hospitals or stuck in quarantine.

The flurry of innovation comes as companies from Ford (F.N) and Airbus (AIR.PA) to luxury goods giant LVMH (LVMH.PA) retool plants to make critical equipment like hand sanitizers, ventilators and masks.

In years gone by it was large companies like these, with the financial clout and factories, who typically had to be relied upon to move rapidly from designing a prototype to manufacturing the product.

A crucial difference now, though, is that 3D printing and high-tech software mean devices can be produced faster than ever by companies big and small.

“There is definitely a ton of people with 3D resources very willing to help,” said MacKenzie Brown, founder of California-based product design company CAD Crowd.

Two weeks ago, his company launched a month-long contest for practical devices for navigating the new coronavirus world.

About 65 entries have poured in, including a wrist-mounted disinfectant sprayer, half gloves for knuckle-pushing of buttons and a device that lets you open car doors without touching the handle, aimed at cab users.

As the pandemic makes people far more aware of hygiene, some new products may have a shelf life beyond the current crisis.

‘WE HAD THE ALGORITHM’

Startups are retooling their technology.

In Seattle, brothers Joseph and Matthew Toles and their friend Justin Ith, who own a young company called Slightly Robot, had developed a wristband after college aimed at reducing compulsive skin-picking, nail-biting, and hair-pulling.

When their home city reported its first fatalities from the virus last month, they adapted the design to create a new smartband, the Immutouch, which buzzes when the wearer’s hand goes near their face.

“We had the algorithm, we had the software and the hardware. We’ve repurposed it for face-touching,” Matthew Toles said in an interview. “We made 350 devices and a website in one week and now it’s how fast can we ramp up.”

Romanian robotic software company UiPath has meanwhile found a way for nurses in the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital in the Irish capital Dublin to ditch time-consuming data entry and automate filing of virus test results. It hopes to replicate it in other hospitals.

Scylla, a U.S.-based AI company that makes gun detection systems for schools and casinos, turned its sights on the virus when China, the original epicenter of the outbreak, reported its first cases three months ago.

It has re-deployed its AI analytics software to measure the temperature of a person’s forehead, sending out an alert if it detects a fever. Taking images from a thermal camera, the software can be used in public buildings like hospitals and airports, and corporate offices, chief technology officer Ara Ghazaryan said.

The government of a South American nation has placed an order for 5,000 licenses of Scylla’s system for its public buildings and transport system, Ghazaryan said. He declined to name the country.

WORLD WAR TWO INNOVATION

Global upheaval often spawns new products and innovation.

The current burst of creativity may eventually compare to that seen during World War Two when companies, governments and scientists embarked on projects that had lasting consequences.

Technology used to help guide rockets eventually led to the first satellites and putting men on the moon.

“There’s no question that inventors will be coming up with hundreds, if not thousands, of new ideas,” said Kane Kramer, inventor and co-founder of the British Inventor’s Society. He first conceived the idea of downloading music and data in the late 1970s.

“Everyone’s downed tools and are only picking them up to fight the virus. It’s a global war.”

Many companies are donating their new wares or selling them at cost price. The CAD Crowd contest designs are free for download and use, for example. For some, though, the extra business could provide a financial cushion as other sources of income evaporate during the pandemic.

DDB designer Brooks near London has worked quickly.

Slideshow (2 Images)

Less than a week after his first design, four different models of the hook went on sale this week, selling at just under 15 pounds ($18.60) each. He is donating one hook for every one he sells.

Now Brooks is turning his creative eye to another gadget along similar lines.

“We’ve already had a request from the National Health Service in Wales about designing something for pushing a door.”

Additional reporting by Nadine Schimroszik in Berlin; Editing by Pravin Char

Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

#News

[ameryth74]

Louis **** Title Generator Tool

** **** it 

LOL.... go!

Two letter words:

There are 107 acceptable 2-letter words listed in the Official Scrabble Players Dictionary, 6th Edition and the Official Tournament and Club Word List:

AA, AB, AD, AE, AG, AH, AI, AL, AM, AN, AR, AS, AT, AW, AX, AY, BA, BE, BI, BO, BY, DA, DE, DO, ED, EF, EH, EL, EM, EN, ER, ES, ET, EW, EX, FA, FE, GI, GO, HA, HE, HI, HO, ID, IF, IN, IS, IT, JO, JU, JY, JZ, KA, KI, KO, LA, LI, LO, MA, ME, MI, MM, MO, MU, MY, NA, NE, NO, NU, OD, OE, OF, OH, OI, OK, OM, ON, OP, OR, OS, OW, OX, PA, PE, PI, PO, QI, RE, SH, SI, SO, TA, TE, TI, TO, UH, UM, UN, UP, US, UT, WE, WO, XI, XU, YA, YE, YO, ZA

Two letter contractions: I’m, I’d

Four letter verbs:

abet, abut, abye/aby, ache, alit, ally, ante, arch, aver, avow (10).

baby,  bach, back, bade, baff, bail, bait, bake, bald, bale, balk, ball, band, bang, bank, bant, barb, bard, bare, barf, bark, base, bash, bask, bate, bath, bauk, bawl, bead, beam, bean, bear,    beat, beck, bede, beef, been, beep, bell, belt, bend, bent, bere, best, bias, bide(archaic usage), biff, bike, bilk, bill, bind, bird, birl, birr, bite, bitt, blab, blat, blaw, bled, blet, blew, blip, blob, blot, blow, blub, blue, blur, boak, boat, bode, body, boff(vulgar usage), boil, boke, bomb, bond, bone, bong, bonk, boob, book, boom, boot, bore, born, boss, boun, bowl, brad, brag, bray, bred, brew, brim, buck, buff, bulk, bull, bump, bung, bunk, bunt, buoy, burl, burn, burp, burr, bury, bush, busk, buss, bust, busy, butt, buzz (117).

ca-ca, cage, cake, calk, call, calm, came, camp, cane, cant, card, care, carp, cart, case, cash, cast, cave, cede, cere, chap, char, chat, chaw, chid, chin, chip, chop, chow, chug, chum, cite, clad, clam, clap, claw, clay, clew, clip, clog, clop, clot, cloy, club, clue, coal, coat, coax, cock, code, coif, coil, coin, coke, comb, come, comp, cone, conk, conn, cook, cool, coop, cope, copy, cord, core, cork, corn, cosh, cost, coup, cove, cowl, crab, cram, crap, crew, crib, crop, crow, cube, cuff, cull, curb, curd, cure, curl, curr, cuss (90).

dado, daff, damn, damp, dang, dare, dark, darn, dart, dash, date, daub, dawn, daze, deal, deck, deed, deem, defy, deke, dele, demo, dent, deny, dial, dice, died, diet, dike, dine, ding, ding, dint, dirk, disc, dish, disk, diss, dive, dock, doff, dole, dome, done, doom, dope, dose, doss, dote, dove, down, doze, drab, drag, draw, dray, dree, drew, drip, drop, drub, drug, drum, duck, duel, duet, dull, dumb, dump, dung, dunk, dupe, dusk, dust, dyke (75).

earn, ease, echo, eddy, edge, edit, emit, envy, espy, etch, even, exit (12).

face, fade, fail, fake, fall, fame, fard, fare, farm, fart, fash, fast, fate, fawn, faze, fear, feed, feel, fell, felt, fend, fess, fete, feud, file, fill, film, find, fine, fink, fire, firm, fish, fist, fizz, flag, flap, flat, flaw, flay, fled, flee, flew, flex, flip, flit, flog, flop, flow, flub, flux, foal, foam, foil, foin, fold, fond, fool, foot, ford, fork, form, foul, fowl, frag, frap, fray, free, fret, frig, frit, fuel, full, fume, fund, funk, furl, fuse, fuss, futz, fuze, fuzz (82).

gaff, gage, gain, gait, gall, game, gang, gaol, gape, garb, gash, gasp, gast(obsolete), gate, gaum(US), gave, gawk, gawp, gaze, gear, geld, gibe, gift, gild, gill, gimp, gird, girt, give, glad(archaic), glom, glow, glue, glug, glut, gnar, gnaw, go by, go on, goad, golf, gone, gong, goof, gore, gown, grab, gray, grew, grey, grid, grin, grip, grit, grow, grub, gulf, gull, gulp, gush, gust, gybe, gyre, gyve (64).

hack, haft, hail, hale, halo, halt, hand, hang, hare, hark, harm, harp, hash, hasp, hast, hate, hath(archaic), haul, have, hawk, haze, head, heal, heap, hear, heat, heed, heel, heft, held, helm, help, hent(obsolete), herd, hewn, hide, hike, hill, hint, hire, hiss, hive, hoax, hock, hoke(slang), hold, hole, home, hone, honk, hood, hoof, hook, hoop, hoot, hope, horn, hose, host, hove, howl, huff, hulk, hull, hump, hung, hunt, hurl, hurt, hush, husk, hymn, hype, hypo (74).

idle, inch, iris, iron, isle, itch (6).

jack, jade, jail, jape, jazz, jeep, jeer, jell, jerk, jest, jibe, jilt, jink, jinx, jive, join, joke, jolt, josh, juke, jump, junk (22).

kayo, keek(Scots), keel, keen, keep, kept, kern, kick, kill, kiln, kilt, kink, kiss, kite, knap, knew, knit, knot, know (19).

lace, lack, laid, lain, lair, lake, lamb, lame, land, lard, lark, lase, lash, last, lath, laud, lave, laze, lazy, lead, leaf, leak, lean, leap, lech, leer, left, lend, lens, lent, levy, lick, lift, like, lilt, limb, lime, limn, limp, line, link, lisp, list, live, load, loaf, loan, lock, loft, loll, long, look, loom, loop, loot, lope, lord, lose, lost, loup(Scots), lour, lout, love, lube, luck, luff, luge, lull, lump, lure, lurk, lust, lute, lyse (74).

mace, made, mail, maim, make, mall, malt, mark, marl, mart, mash, mask, mass, mast, mate, maul, maze, mean, meet, meld, mell, melt, mend, meow, mesh, mess, mete, mewl, miff, milk, mill, mime, mind, mine, mint, mire, miss, mist, moan, moat, mock, moil, mold, molt, moon, moor, moot, mope, moss, move, muck, muff, mull, mump, muse, mush, muss, must, mute (59).

nail, name, near, neck, need, nest, nick, nigh, nill(obsolete), nock, nose, nosh, note, nuke, null, numb (16).

obey, ogle, oink, okay, omen, omit, ooze, open, oust, over (10).

pace, pack, page, pain, pair, pale, pall, palm, pang, pant, pare, park, part, pash(Austral), pass, pave, pawn, peak, peal, peck, peek, peel, peen, peep, peer, pelt, pend, perk, perm, pick, pike, pile, pill, pimp, pine, ping, pink, pipe, piss(vulgar), pith, pity, plan, plat, play, plod, plop, plot, plow, plug, pock, poke, pole, poll, pond, pool, pore, port, pose, post, pour, pout, pray, pree, prep, prey, prim, prod, prog, prop, puff, puke, pule, pull, pulp, pump, punt, purl, purr, push, putt (80).

quad, quip, quit, quiz (4).

race, rack, raft, rage, raid, rail, rain, rake, ramp, rang, rank, rant, rape, rase, rasp, rate, rave, raze, razz, read, ream, reap, rear, reck, redd(dialect), rede(archaic), redo, reed, reef, reek, reel, rein, rely, rend, rent, rest, re-up, rice, rick, ride, riff, rift, rile, rill, rime(archaic)/rhyme, ring, riot, rise, risk, rive, roam, roar, robe, rock, rode, roil, rolf, roll, romp, roof, rook, room, root, rope, rose, rout, rove, ruck, ruff, ruin, rule, rush, rust (73).

sack, said, sail, sale, salt, sand, sass, sate, save, sawn, scab, scam, scan, scar, scat, scud, scum, seal, seam, sear, seat, seed, seek, seel, seem, seen, seep, sell, send, sent, sewn, shag, sham, shed, shim, shin, ship, shit, shoe, shog, shoo, shop, shot, show, shun, shut, sick, side, sift, sigh, sign, silk, silt, sing, sink, sire, site, size, skew, skid, skim, skin, skip, slab, slag, slam, slap, slat, slay, sled, slew, slid, slim, slip, slit, slog, slop, slot, slow, slub, slue, slug, slum, slur, smut, snag, snap, snip, snow, snub, snug, soak, soap, soar, sock, soil, sold, sole, solo, soot, sorb, sort, soup, sour, sown, spae(scottish), spam, span, spar, spat, spay, spec, sped, spew, spin, spit, spot, spud, spur, spurn, stab, stag, star, stay, stem, step, stet, stew, stir, stop, stow, stub, stud, stun, suck, suds, suit, sulk, sung, sunk, surf, swab, swag, swam, swan(brit), swap, swat, sway, swig, swim, swob, swop(brit)/swap, swot, swum, sync (155).

tabu, tack, tail, take, talc, talk, tame, tamp, tang, tank, tape, tare, task, taut, taxi, team, tear, teem, tell, tend, tent, term, test, text, thaw, thin, thud, tick, tide, tidy, tier, tiff, tile, till, tilt, time, tine, ting, tint, tire, toil, toke, told, tole, toll, tomb, tone, tong, took, tool, toot, tope, tore, torn, toss, tote, tour, tout, tram, trap, tree, trek, trim, trip, trod, trot, trow(archaic), true, tube, tuck, tuft, tune, turf, turn, tusk, twig(Brit), twin, twit, type (79).

undo, urge (2).

vade, vail(archaic), vamp, vary, veal, veer, veil, vein, vend, vent, vest, veto, vide, view, vine, visa, vise, void, vote (19).

wade, waft, wage, wail, wait, wake, wale, walk, wall, wane, want, ward, ware(archaic), warm, warn, warp, wash, waul, wave, wawl, wean, wear, weed, ween, weep, weet, weld, well, welt, wend, went, wept, were, wert(archaic), wham, whap, whet, whid(Scottish), whip, whir, whiz, whop, wick, wile, will, wilt, wind, wine, wing, wink, wipe, wire, wise, wish, wisp, wist, wite, wive, woke, wolf, wont, wood, woof, word, wore, work, worm, worn, wove, wrap, writ(archaic) (71).

x-ray (1).

yack, yank, yard, yarn, yaup, yawn, yawp, yean, yell, yelp, yerk, yeuk, yock, yoke, yowl, yo-yo(informal), yuck (17).

zero, zest, zinc, zing, zone, zonk, zoom (7).

IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT IT

(yes there are 28 ITs)

[vividracing]

New Post has been published on https://www.vividracing.com/blog/top-5-best-intakes-for-the-ford-mustang-s550-v8/

Top 5 Best Intakes for the Ford Mustang (S550) V8

The Ford Mustang (S550) is the current and sixth generation of the iconic pony car. The Mustang GT continues to impress with the latest edition of the throaty 5.0-liter V8, now featuring an upgraded valvetrain and cylinder heads that help boost output to 460 horsepower and 420 pound-feet of torque. A new intake manifold features charge motion-controlled valves to partially close off the port flow at lower engine speeds to increases the air charge for improved air-fuel mixing and, thus, better efficiency and idle stability. Purists who go for the V8 version, instead of the base model with the turbo inline-four, are definitely performance enthusiasts. Many of these GT owners won’t stop there, though, and look to the aftermarket for mods that will enhance the Mustang’s naturally impressive engine.

One of the first mods many Mustang owners do is replace the restrictive factory air intake system with an upgraded aftermarket version. By swapping out the OE system, you can help the 5.0-liter V8 breathe more air and cooler air that will enhance its overall efficiency and performance. The result means a faster throttle response, higher power figures, and an overall more enjoyable driving experience. Not to mention, a new air intake system can really add a bit of oomph to your engine bay and can add a bolder sound to your ride as well. There are a number of reputable brands on the automotive aftermarket that produce quality air intake kits for the S550 Mustang V8 models. We have listed five of the best options out there to help you get started. Be sure to also browse our complete inventory of air intake products for the Ford Mustang S550 right here.

1. Corsa Performance Closed Box Air Intake

The Corsa Performance Closed Box Air Intake is available with the brand’s DryTech 3D Filter or MaxFlow 5 Filter. With this intake, you are guaranteed to get the coldest and freshest air, because the system provides a completely enclosed and insulated intake track from outside of the car straight into the engine. The Corsa Closed Box Air Intake features a roto-molded construction and is designed to deliver unmatched aesthetics and optimal performance benefits for your V8 Mustang. This intake comes with the option of two high-performance filters: Dry Tech 3D no-oil filtration and MaxFlow 5 oiled filtration. The former is recommended for those who prefer the easy maintenance associated with a non-oiled filter but the performance gains of a traditional cotton gauze media. The latter is ideal for high-performance street vehicles looking for maximum power gains. With its generously oversized air filter and inverted cone technology, this air intake outflows the stock counterpart by nearly 20 percent, creating up to 20 horsepower and 11 pound-feet of torque. 

Features:

Outflows Stock Intake Improving Performance

Shields Engine Heat Reducing Airflow Temperatures

Re-usable High-Performance Filtration Options (DryTech, MaxFlow)

Up to 50,000 miles no maintenance

98%+ Filtration Efficiency

Bolt-On Power, Installs in Minutes

No Tune Required. (Tune May Enhance Performance)

Backed by a Lifetime Warranty

2. JLT Performance Cold Air Intake Kit

The JLT Performance Cold Air Intake Kit for the V8 Mustang is improved and better than ever! It’s been fully computer-designed to optimize space and deliver the best fit and finish. It includes a large 5-inch filter inlet with a radiused end for a smoother airflow across the MAF (120mm). The intake tube itself measures 4.5 inches at the throttle body side in preparation for larger aftermarket throttle bodies to be installed. This intake system has a fully roto-molded heat shield and fresh air duct to the grille designed to keep inlet air temperatures as low as possible so you can enjoy improved performance. What’s more, JLT only uses the best air filters made by S&B to their strict specifications so you can rest assured that both the oiled and dry filter variants provide excellent filtration properties. With a large 5-inch opening on the intake tube, JLT needed a huge filter; the result is a monstrous 5×7-inch air filter with a built-in bellmouth for even more airflow. JLT designed this intake system to be an easy bolt-on installation, so no permanent modifications are necessary to upgrade your S550’s performance.

Features: 

Fully computer designed to optimize space

Large 5″ filter inlet with radiused end for smooth airflow

Comes with a roto-molded heat shield w/ fresh air duct

Designed to keep inlet air temperatures as cool as possible

JLT Black Textured Intake Tube

5×7 S&B Powerstack air filter

Options: Red oiled, Blue oiled, White dry filter

Delivers a perfect fit and finish

Quick and easy installation

JLT-specific tune is required with this kit

3. aFe Power Momentum GT Intake System

The aFe Power Momentum GT Intake System uses a CAD-designed, dyno-tuned, roto-molded intake tube to achieve maximum power gains while maintaining a perfect fit on your V8 Mustang. Three CNC machined, high-quality billet aluminum fittings are mounted on the tube to provide a seamless connection with the vehicle’s factory vacuum lines. A custom CAD-designed roto-molded housing is made from heat soak-resistant material and eliminates the use of multiple components for a simpler installation process. The entire construction is highly durable for long-lasting performance so you can enjoy its benefits for years and years to come, so long as you properly maintain the filter.

Speaking of, the Momentum GT intake system was designed around the largest air filter possible to allow for maximum power gains as well as excellent filtration and overall performance. This intake system is available with either aFe’s large Pro DRY S or Pro 5R performance air filter. The former features three layers of progressively finer mesh synthetic oil-free media and the latter has five layers of finer mesh cotton gauze oiled media. Both are made with 100% polyurethane frame for long life and multiple cleaning cycles. Best of all, this system includes a large, clear sight window that is used for easy filter inspection so you can ensure the air filter is clean and optimally functoning. 

Features: 

Dyno-Proven Gains up to +15 hp & +24 lb.-ft. torque

Outflows Factory Intake by 25%

Measured Flow: 221 CFM @ 1.5″ H2O

Computer-Designed Roto-Molded Intake Tube w/ One-Piece Sealed Housing

Washable and Reusable Pro 5R Air Filter for Maximum Performance – OR –

Washable and Reusable Pro DRY S Air Filter for Maximum Convenience

CNC Machined Billet Aluminum Fittings

Built-in Sight Window Provides Easy Inspection of Filter Without Disassembly

Unique (Patent Pending) Housing-to-Filter Interface for Easy Installation

4. K&N Performance Blackhawk Air Intake

The K&N Blackhawk Air Intake Kit is not only designed to look impressive under the hood of your Mustang GT, but also engineered to reduce factory restriction and improve airflow. Enjoy increased power gains, an enhanced engine sound, and outstanding filtration to protect your Mustang’s V8 engine. K&N intakes undergo rigorous testing and the resulting power and torque gains are quite impressive. Dyno tests have shown that this intake system will give your car an additional 9.5 horsepower at 7002 RPMs and 23 pound-feet of torque resulting from the enhanced airflow. It also enhances your throttle response and delivers a more aggressive sound well-mated to the pony car. The Blackhawk Cold Air Intake can be used immediately after installation without reprogramming your Mustang’s computer. Even so, a custom tune to recalibrate the ECU is highly recommended for optimum performance.

This intake features lightweight aluminum tubing cut and shaped to precise specs and the surface is carefully worked to remove any imperfections with a K&N engraved metal plate welded on it. The intake tubes are powder-coated with a durable and bold-looking flat black finish to elevate your engine bay’s appearance. K&N Blackhawk induction systems feature an oversized, conical-shaped, oil-free, black DryFlow synthetic air filter that maximized efficient airflow. This filter media can be used for up to 100,000 miles (under normal driving conditions) before cleaning is needed. Boasting excellent filtration properties, this layered, non-woven media has a pleated configuration to enable high dust holding capacity to deliver improved performance that is unmatched by the competition. K&N Blackhawk cold air intakes are guaranteed to provide proven power gains and are protected by the K&N 10-Year/Million-Mile Limited Warranty.

Features: 

Guaranteed to increase horsepower and torque

Enhances your vehicle’s overall engine sound

Outflows the factory intake for heightened performance

Powder-coated aluminum intake tube paired with dry synthetic air filter

Engineered to provide high airflow and exceptional filtration

Free-flowing, mandrel-bent aluminum intake tube

Includes a black, non-woven, synthetic air filter and heat shield

Free-Flowing, Mandrel-Bent Aluminum Tube

Filter only requires cleaning every 100,000 miles 

Straightforward install with simple hand tools

10-Year/Million Mile Limited Warranty

5. Injen EVOLUTION Cold Air Intake System

The Injen EVOLUTION Cold Air Intake System is, quite literally, the evolution of CAI kits. This system represents the next generation of performance intakes by Injen Technology. Specifically engineered for the Mustang GT, this system will deliver heightened performance with proven power gains to take your ride to the next level. Every EVOLUTION cold air intake is crafted from cross-linked high-density polyethylene for extreme durability and longevity. The box has a forward-facing ram air scoop to provide fresh, clean air to your engine so it can breathe better. The one-piece sealed housing uses Injen’s all-new Twist-Lock System to securely attach the large SuperNano-Web Dry air filter in place. The housing also includes a Clear-View badge for a cleaner and more aggressive underhood look as well as quick and easy filter inspections.

The EVOLUTION Cold Air Intake was designed to use the maximum amount of space available under the hood of your Mustang GT to ensure optimum breathing room and extreme performance. This kit uses a custom roto-molded and tuned tube to provide huge power increases while retaining a quality OE fit. The tube also utilizes the brand’s patented MR Technology for accurate fuel trims to ensure safe power improvements without the risk of throwing a check engine light. This intake system was precisely tuned and tested on Injen’s in-house dyno to replicate stock fueling while increasing horsepower and torque. The result is an increase of up to 26 horsepower and 23 pound-feet of torque.

Features:

Dyno Proven gains of up to 26 hp and 23 lb-ft. of torque

Designed to work with the stock calibration

Aggressive intake growl under acceleration

Durable Roto-Molded Polyethylene housing and intake tube

Fully functioning, forward-facing ram air scoop

Reinforced automotive grade silicone couplers

Fully serviceable Injen SuperNano-Web dry air filter

Replacement air filter part number x-1106-BB

Stainless steel band clamps with an inner protective liner

Aggressive under hood appearance while maintaining an OE fit

Injen Technology Limited Lifetime Warranty

[undulated-raptor]

Blade Runner 2049 Non-Spoiler Review

Let me begin by saying that I absolutely love Blade Runner. It is one of the few movies, with The Godfather and Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, where no matter how many times I watch it, I remain practically silent. I grew up seeing Blade Runner on random lists of “Greatest Sci-Fi Movies of All Time”, etc. Needless to say, I was practically indoctrinated into loving the movie, before I ever even saw it. When I finally did, I bought the special Blu-Ray 30th Anniversary Collector’s Edition, with the The Final Cut, both the Original Theatrical and International Theatrical Cuts, and the 1991 Director’s Cut. I watched them all. Back to back to back to back. Personally, my favorite is the Original Theatrical, but I see why people prefer different ones. Again, the most important thing to remember about film is that film is subjective. While there are some objective rules about what is good or bad, most of critique is subjective.

So, this brings me about to watching Blade Runner 2049 last night. Again, I had been ridiculously excited about this movie since it was first announced, and my excitement only built when following announcements came, like Denis Villeneuve being named as Director, Ryan Gosling taking the main role, Harrison Ford’s return as Deckard, and especially Roger Deakins as Cinematographer. With each trailer that came out, just more and more excitement, to where I could hardly contain myself. My sister and her family came to visit over the weekend, so I didn’t take the chance to watch it until Sunday night. Now, Blade Runner 2049 officially has a 2 hour and 44 minute run time, according to IMDB.com, which from what I’ve read, seems quite a daunting task to most movie-watchers. It definitely, to me at least, did not feel anywhere nearly that long. I’ve read several other reviews and listened to several podcasts that have already talked about it, and it seems to be the general consensus that it felt too long and bloated, that Villeneuve was able to just pack in as much as he wanted without restraint, making a too long, boring, movie. I completely disagree. Not only did the time fly by for me, but I was fully wrapped into the movie from practically the first shot (the opening of an eye, a brilliant callback to the original film) to the very end.

Another major complaint that I’ve read online is several writers criticizing Blade Runner 2049 for having a “woman problem”. Now, a lot of what I’m about to say could probably be discounted by most people holding up that argument, seeing that I am a straight white male, but I think that that doesn’t provide nearly the bias that others claim. For me, there were some problems with female representation, but not necessarily the complaints they’re referencing. (The article in question is titled “Blade Runner 2049 Has a Woman Problem”, read from http://movieweb.com/blade-runner-2049-woman-problem/). The first claim this article makes is that Blade Runner 2049 fails the infamous Bechdel Test. For those that don’t immediately recall, the Bechdel Test is commonly used “standard” for testing to see whether movies have deep female characters, based off of three criteria: (1) the movie has at least two women in it, (2) who talk to each other, (3) about something besides a man. If we use this test, I will admit. Blade Runner 2049 does have multiple female characters, and some do converse with each other, the third part is never fulfilled. However, despite the article’s claims that the women in the film fall into male fetish archetypes, I disagree. Robin Wright, as Lieutenant Joshi, shows actual empathy toward Ryan Gosling’s K, while retaining a toughened exterior. Within the world of the story, this makes sense, seeing that she is a Lieutenant within the Los Angeles Police Department, a position which demands a certain amount of toughness. Also, yes, she does drink whisky several times throughout the movie. As did M. Emmet Walsh’s Bryant in the original film, who has a very similar relationship with Deckard as Joshi does K. (Note: If I remember correctly, Bryant doesn’t actually drink in the movie. It is, however, heavily implied that when he pours the two drinks in his office, both drinks were not meant for Deckard.) The article also mentions that Joshi sexualizes K, which I see not as a fault of Joshi’s character, but rather a well-made choice that highlights more complexity, not only of the relationship between Joshi and K, but of the world of 2049 Los Angeles altogether.

The article also briefly discusses the other three main women of the film, Sylvia Hoeks’s Luv, Ana de Armas’s, Joi, and Mackenzie Davis’s Mariette. Luv is described as “a tough-as-nails femme fatale in heels, coldly flirtatious, deadly murderous”, which she is. Believably so. Having seen the original as many times as I have, Luv reminds me an awful lot of a more advanced version of Daryl Hannah’s Pris, a cold, calculating killer. It is also mentioned that Hoeks kisses Gosling’s K in the climax, which the article calls “laughably improbable and out-of-nowhere ...straight out of an S&M dungeon.” Again, I have to disagree with the writer. The kiss, which is delivered at a pivotal moment of the climax, has, to me, a sense of the departing embrace between respectful enemies. (I can explain more, but I want to stay as far away from spoilers as I can for this writing. My next one will most likely go more in depth). Switching to Ana de Armas’s Joi, the article refers to her as “a purchasable housewife style AI program whose greater yearnings all revolve around her devotion” to K. However, I think this claim misses the most important point of Joi, in that she is supposed to be nothing more than a caricature. Joi is an AI program, one early in the eventual evolution of holographic entities. Thinking within the world of the film, the complaint that she is not more fleshed out would be similar to complaining that a Nexus-1 or Nexus-2 Replicant was not fleshed out. They aren’t because they are the early stages. This is even addressed within the movie, as Mackenzie Davis’s Mariette tells her “...inside you, and there’s not as much there as you think.” Speaking of Mackenzie Davis, I actually agree with the article in that the movie “criminally underuses… [her] as a “hooker with a heart of gold,” a movie trope so tiresome and old school it’s almost nostalgic.” Again, I actually agree with this sentiment, and I think it’s one of the very few actual problems I had with the movie.

The next main problem that the article discusses is that Harrison Ford was brought back, while his co-star from the original Sean Young was left behind. Her character, Rachael, is in the movie, though off-screen. It is established rather early in the film that her character died seemingly shortly after the events of the first movie, during childbirth. This revelation is the driving force for the rest of the movie, as K is trying to find the child, due to personal curiosity, while Jared Leto’s Niander Wallace sends Sylvia Hoeks’s Luv to tail K, then bring the child back to him, feeling the need to make Replicants that can produce their own offspring. Rachael’s presence is felt throughout the movie, and even through CGI de-aging, she does make an important surprise cameo in the movie.

So, I’ve realized that I started this as a conversation/review of Blade Runner 2049, and have spent most of my time rebutting an article that I only somewhat disagree with. This may have not been the way I wanted to go about doing this, but it also let me get out some of my first and heaviest thoughts about the film. Now, we go on to my just rambling about a film I absolutely loved, but do have some issues with. First, something I wasn’t overly fond of. I know Villeneuve is a brilliant director, and very few people can tell a story like him and Roger Deakins. That being said, I was left a bit confused by the amount of nudity within the film. I’m not sure necessarily that it was gratuitous, and I’ll feel more certain about that after a second or third rewatch, but it was a bit overwhelming at times. (Particularly a giant holographic nude Joi, though I see why that scene in particular is important.) However, in dealing with nudity, this movie has one of the craziest and most interesting love scenes that I have ever seen. *Mild Spoilers Ahead, But Only Kind Of* There is a scene where K brings home Davis’s Mariette so that he and Joi can be together, physically. In doing so, de Armas’s holographic Joi “syncs” with Mariette, but the sync is slightly off. As such, while they are beginning to kiss and undress, Mariette and Joi seem to phase back and forth, as well as their hands are slightly differently placed on K. Like I said, it was crazy to watch, but definitely interesting. (Also note: very minimal nudity during that scene, almost as if Villeneuve is careful to point out the purity or innocence of this, compared to the lewdness of the streets.)

Overall, I absolutely loved Blade Runner 2049. For those of you looking for an answer as to whether Deckard is a Replicant or not, don’t worry. You don’t get an answer. For those of wondering if K is a Replicant, don’t worry. They tell you he is almost immediately. For those of you that may be worried that the studio made Gosling do a voiceover narration throughout the film, don’t worry. They didn’t. (I love the Original Theatrical Cut of the first movie, with Ford’s narration, but I  definitely think it was for the best that it was not done for this movie). Also, this movie plays out a bit more of just a regular Detective Story rather than more of the classic Film Noir that the original did, but it pays tribute to the original perfectly, without drowning itself in nostalgia or sequel teases. To sum up, I think that if you enjoyed the original, or if you just want a movie that’s different from most things you see, definitely give Blade Runner 2049 a shot. Hopefully you’ll have a better movie-going experience than I did. Side Note: there were two 15-16 year old girls that sat directly in front of me, there only because “Oh my god! Ryan Gosling is so hot!”, who were on their phones almost the entire time, and I still absolutely loved this movie.

P.S. - I feel I can’t talk too much about the main cast without ruining potential spoilers, so expect a much more in-depth spoiler-filled review coming later this week. I might even go watch it again, to reply and possibly counter some of my own arguments I made here, who knows?).

[gs2197]

#GS Movie Review: Blade Runner 2049

You’ll either fall asleep, or have both your eyes and mouth wide open throughout. No in between.

Hypnotic & Demanding. 2 words that perfectly describe what I think of the latest entry in Ridley Scott’s, sci-fi noir, nearly 40 year old series.

If I had to sum up my experience while watching this film in one word? Powerful. 

Exhausting could also do the trick, but it’s unfair to rule out this film simply because of its lenght, and how demanding it is to its viewers. I’ll be perfectly honest with you: this movie can feel never-ending at times. 

Is it worth it though? I’m glad you asked, because despite some clear flaws, 2049 is an experience unlike any other I’ve had in the past couple of years. Much like Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, back in 2014, this film made me guess, it made me smile and it truly gave me chills in the hairs in the back of my neck. 

Rejoice science fiction fanatics and cinephiles willing to sit through this 2 and a half hour trip. You’re in for a ride. A very long one.

It’s impossible to mention this movie without acknowledging Denis Villeneuve’s mastery and artistry when it comes to film-making. Ever since I saw Sicario, I realized what a powerhouse he could become if Hollywood gave him a chance to keep demonstrating his talent. 

While I haven’t gotten a chance to see Prisoners (yet), I am familiar with both his take on mexican organized crime Sicario, and his brilliant (and as Evan Puschak expertly put it into words, his “reponse to bad movies”), refreshingly original voyage into the realm of science fiction: Arrival. 

Both movies are superbly crafted, and I’m truly glad and excited to see that Villeneuve is still going strongly and confidently into earning the well-earned title of legend. Blade Runner 2049 has no shortage of visually arresting moments. I’d be lying if I said I’m not anxiously waiting for the Blu-Ray release of the film to somehow take several frames of the film and hang them on my bedroom walls, or use them as wallpapers in my laptop. 

I’m not even kidding. The cinematography unhurriedly takes its time to soak in every angle and detail in the world depicted in the film, and while the pacing will undoubtedly feel agonizingly slow for some, the overall experience benefits from that laid back approach: said “slowness” gives its viewers the chance to lose themselves in this mesmerizing world and forget the minutes (or hours) flashing by. The use of color, the gentle panning of the camera, the Jurassic Park-like mixture of practical effects and CGI... it all ads up. It all works as a cohesive whole. Say what you want about the runtime, this movie is the perfect example of stunning cinematography and DAMN, do I want to see this movie again just because of it.

You may not be instantly aching to see the movie right away, but beyond any doubt, the thrill of sitting through this film again will be as worth it as it was the first time around. Visuals-wise, this movie delivers, over and over...

And you guessed it: over again.

You see that silhouette up there? That’s Ryan Gosling. I like Gosling. He’s a damn good actor. If you had any doubts, look no further: his performance in Blade Runner 2049 is PHENOMENAL. And thankfully so: you’ll spend 85% of the film by his side. The rest of the percentage is spent on runtime and sharing scenes with the rest of the cast. Is that a bad thing? Meh. I’m sad to report that Jared Leto still hasn’t shaken the bad luck that... that mess did to his career. While he is also a terrific actor, the ammount of time he is on screen is insulting. Much like his take on The Prince of Crime, Leto has a way to capture any viewers attention with ease. Approximately 10 minutes of runtime are no way to treat an actor of this caliber in my opinion.

Thankfully some members of the cast do get a chance to shine, and man do they wanna leave you blind! 

Ever heard of Ana de Armas? I’m sad to report that me neither. Thank God that Hollywood found her. The first thing you’ll probably notice is that she is a remarkably beautiful woman. Even my gayness can’t help but waver at the sight of her. The best part? She can also act. And she can act really well. I never thought I’d ship a replicant and an AI, but hey, life’s full of surprises! There is one scene in particular where my eyes refused to blink. It was romantic, sexy, heartbreaking, confusing and it was a prime example of creativity at its best. You’ll know which scene I’m talking about when you see the movie. It involves hands. And a hooker.

Don’t even get me started on Harrison Ford. He is as awesome as always, but he suffers the same fate as Leto to some degree. For further reference, look up to the out of place GIF up above.

But before I move on to the next category, I HAVE to acknowledge the powerhouse that is Sylvia Hoeks. She doesn’t get that much personality to match K or Joi (Gosling and de Armas), but much like Ana, she steals every scene she’s in. Fingers crossed to see more of her in the future.

Robin Wright fans?

The ugly, crying Anthony Anderson GIF also applies. Sorry.

Now on to the technical side of the story. If you thought that Gosling and Villeneuve were the icing on the cake, you were partially mistaken. Production desing is A. Fucking. Mazing. Every single set is stunning and dream-like. Hell, even K’s apartment looks cool despite it’s size. 

However Dennis Gassner managed to sneak his way into a project of this scope is beyond me. I’m glad that he did. His eye for detail is off the charts, and just like the rest of the ingredients that conform this film, he is a truly welcome and wonderful addition that makes 2049 shine as brightly as it does.

Visual effects are a somewhat mixed bag for me. The grandeur and epicness are undeniable. It may be my wild imagination or the theater I went to see the movie in, but it’s hard to discern whats going o on screen at certain points. Its a real shame, given how mesmerizing the imagery is for the duration of the film. The mix of practical and CGI is breathtakingly well executed, and ever since Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, I had yet to see a film that matched the level of detail and technical expertice that Nolan’s movie has. Now that Blade Runner 2049 has finally arrived, I’m having an unbearably difficult time trying to decide which movie excels more in that front.

Let’s just call it a tie for now.

The audio design/mixing is also excellent. The few and far in between action sequences in the movie are elevated sky high due to how polished and strongly every single punch and kick feels. As you may have noticed this movie is an undeniable contender for a couple Academy Awards, hopefully they’ll give this movie the love it deserves.

And finally we get to the narrative. As I’ve mentioned before, Blade Runner 2049 sure does take its time to kick into gear, at least for audiences and viewers expecting a bombastic and unstoppable blur of action and wit. This movie’s pace is certainly not for anyone. The movie IS 2 hours and 30 something minutes long, so if you go to see it you shouldn’t be surprised. 

I personally loved 2049. While I don’t see myself jumping right back to rewatch the movie as excitedly as I’d do it for Inception, Gone Girl (or Frozen to be totally honest) this movie has a level of craftmanship and detail that makes me want to suck it up and go enjoy the ride once again. 

As for the flow of the narrative, I have to admit that the experience of watching Blade Runner 2049 was similar to the one I had while watching Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in theaters. I was particularly hungry while watching it and couldn’t really appreaciate how mind-blowingly good the movie. It felt eternal and never-ending at the time. Now? I’ve watched the Ultimate Edition at least 4 times during 2017. 

So basically my point is: the movie is worth watching over and over and guess what? Over again.

The thing is, it’s unfair to label this movie as unwatchable, overlong and boring as I’ve led you to believe up above. The movie has a lot of twists and turns that I wasn’t expecting. The nods to the the original Blade Runner had me smiling like a madman, and the visuals and production desing kept me constantly engaged and amazed by the raw power and greatness of it all. Watching this film was a true delight despite its flaws. 

The chemistry and relationship between de Armas and Gosling’s characters is by far one of the most engrossing and enjoyable story threads in the movie. The dialogue is spot on throughout. The performances, despite how little runtime some characters get, are all excellent. From Bautista’s brief time on the spotlight in the opening minutes, to Harrison Ford’s exciting introduction action sequence, and even Leto’s philosophical mumbo-jumbo monologues (I applaud anyone able to understand him the first time around), every actor gives it their all while they get the chance to do so. 

I could go on praising this film for a while, so let’s just say that I implore you to give 2049 a chance to mesmerize and captivate you. It certainly did that and more for me.

Now, before the conclusion and consensus, I’d like to make a couple recommendations to properly enjoy Blade Runner 2049. 

1. Watch the original Blade Runner. The Director’s Cut if you get the chance. You’ll enjoy this movie twice as much if you’re familiar with Ridley Scott’s masterpiece.

2. Watch the 3 short films that were released to fill in the gaps between 2019 and 2049. You can thank me later. They’re all awesome!

- Black Out 2022 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrZk9sSgRyQ&t=810s

- 2036: Nexus Dawn https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgsS3nhRRzQ

- 2048: Nowhere to Run https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ9Os8cP_gg

Conclusion: The latest (and long time coming) installment in the Blade Runner universe is an exercise in patience. It’s extremely demanding, thought-provoking and engrossing. It’s a visual and technical masterpiece. Call it craftsmanship or talent, but it’s undeniable that Villeneuve has created a stunning, highly detailed and impressive science fiction movie that should be praised and acknowledged by its achievements, and further analysed and dissected in the future. 

Consensus: “Blade Runner 2049 is an exhausting, long but undeniably polished and captivating piece of entertainment. With production design and visuals that set a new benchmark for sci-fi and movies in general, Villeneuve has crafted a beautiful, well-acted and ultimately enjoyable experience that will test your capacity for attention and your patience.”

[gwallgaming]

X018: la famiglia Microsoft Studios si allarga con due nuovi studi di sviluppo, Obsidian Entertainment e inXile Entertainment

Questo weekend, la community Xbox si è riunita in occasione di X018, uno speciale evento globale realizzato per celebrare Xbox con novità, anteprime e una miriade di sorprese. Oltre 10.000 fan ci hanno raggiunto alla quarta edizione annuale di Xbox FanFest: Mexico City per sbirciare da vicino il futuro di Xbox, partecipando a eventi hands-on e panel che hanno visto la partecipazione di membri del Team Xbox, con streaming dal vivo su Inside Xbox.

Lo scoop del giorno è stato l’annuncio dell’intenzione, da parte di Microsoft, di acquisire due studi di sviluppo con un’esperienza consolidata nella creazione di giochi di ruolo. Grazie al sodalizio con i nuovi cinque studi annunciati in occasione di E3, il futuro delle esclusive Xbox è molto promettente.

X018 ha presentato una rassegna di titoli in uscita atti a soddisfare i desideri di ciascun giocatore, per esempio l’anteprima della modalità multiplayer di Crackdown 3 e nuovi contenuti di Just Cause 4, Sea of Thieves, State of Decay 2 e molti altri. Ma non finisce qui. Abbiamo infatti oltre 327 titoli potenziati per Xbox One X, la console più potente al mondo. Dagli esclusivi blockbuster quali Forza Horizon 4 ai più richiesti per le feste imminenti quali Fallout 76, è impossibile negare che i giochi preferiti per il periodo natalizio girano meglio su Xbox One.

Xbox, inoltre, ha rivelato che saranno applicati forti sconti su console e giochi in occasione delle festività, oltre ad offrire l’accesso a oltre 100 titoli a un prezzo ribassato per un mese con Xbox Game Pass. Il team ha annunciato una serie di fantastici nuovi titoli che saranno a breve disponibili per Xbox Game Pass, tra cui giochi di successo quali PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG).

Quindi andiamo subito a scoprire più da vicino la grande novità del giorno:

Obsidian Entertainment e inXile Entertainment entrano nei Microsoft Studios.

Nell’ambito dell’impegno assunto per fornire ai fan un flusso costante di giochi nuovi ed esclusivi, Matt Booty ha annunciato l’intenzione di Microsoft di procedere all’acquisizione di due studi di sviluppo: inXile Entertainment e Obsidian Entertainment. I team di Obsidian e inXile si sono guadagnati una fama eccezionale per la propria capacità di creare giochi di ruolo profondi e coinvolgenti. Entrando nella famiglia dei Microsoft Studios, Obsidian e inXile potranno godere del sostegno e della libertà necessari per realizzare appieno le proprie ambizioni creative, sia rispetto ai franchising esistenti che a nuovi progetti. Gli studi proseguiranno la propria attività in autonomia, conferendo a Microsoft Studios i propri talenti unici, la competenza e le proprietà intellettuali, creando nuove esperienze RPG per i giocatori e i fan. Per ulteriori informazioni su inXile Entertainment e Obsidian Entertainment si rimanda al post completo dell’annuncio.

Crackdown 3 annuncia il lancio su Xbox Game Pass il 15 febbraio con l’esordio esplosivo della modalità multiplayer Wrecking Zone

Durante X018 i visitatori hanno avuto l’occasione di vedere in anteprima i momenti iconici e il gameplay esplosivo di Wrecking Zone di Crackdown 3, una modalità multiplayer completamente nuova in cui la distruzione ambientale è l’arma segreta del giocatore per sconfiggere i nemici. Sviluppato da Microsoft Studios in collaborazione con Sumo Digital ed Elbow Rocket, Crackdown 3 vede l’arrivo di alcuni Agenti dotati di superpoteri a New Providence, un open-world ricco di azione, per sconfiggere un’organizzazione criminale grazie all’ausilio di un kit esplosivo di armi e abilità. Al grido di “Step up your boom”, unisciti all’azione, sia individualmente che con un amico, per scatenare l’inferno non appena sarà lanciato Crackdown 3 il 15 febbraio 2019. Crackdown 3 sarà disponibile per Xbox One e Windows 10 e in fase di lancio su Xbox Game Pass.

Per ringraziare i nostri fan e per celebrare quanto annunciato in occasione di X018, fino al 30 novembre offriremo la versione originale di Crackdown a tutti i fan a titolo gratuito. Provate l’originale con i potenziamenti per Xbox One X. Andate subito sul Microsoft Store per ottenere la vostra copia!

I giochi di successo continuano ad arrivare su Xbox Game Pass

Microsoft ha annunciato oggi la general availability dell’App Xbox Game Pass per iOS e Android, che consente agli utenti di navigare senza interruzioni e di scaricare nuovi giochi sulla console di casa tramite dispositivo mobile, in modo da potersi immergere velocemente nel gameplay alla successiva accensione di Xbox One. Siamo inoltre felicissimi di poter ampliare e diversificare il catalogo Xbox Game Pass, mettendo a disposizione di tutti gli iscritti il titolo blockbuster PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) a partire dal 12 novembre. Se ciò non bastasse, Thief of Thieves sarà ufficialmente disponibile per Xbox One e su Xbox Game Pass a partire da oggi, mentre Agents of Mayhem, MXGP3 e Thomas Was Alone lo saranno a partire dal 22 novembre.

Siamo inoltre entusiasti di annunciare l’aggiunta su Xbox Game Pass di esperienze uniche di gioco quali Ori and the Blind Forest, Kingdom Two Crowns e Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice a partire dal prossimo dicembre e nuovi titoli realizzati da sviluppatori indipendenti grazie al programma ID@Xbox, che arriveranno su Xbox Game Pass il giorno del rispettivo debutto su Xbox One. A partire dalle prossime festività, l’elenco comprende Aftercharge, Supermarket Shriek, Mutant Year Zero, Pathologic 2, The Good Life, Void Bastards e Secret Neighbor. In aggiunta a tutto ciò abbiamo confermato che Ori and the Will of the Wisps sarà disponibile per Xbox Game Pass contemporaneamente alla sua uscita mondiale nel 2019 su Xbox One e sui PC con sistema operativo Windows 10.

E se tutto ciò non bastasse a stuzzicare l’appetito per Xbox Game Pass, abbiamo un’offerta per voi che non vorrete lasciarvi scappare per nessun motivo. A partire da oggi e fino al 3 gennaio potete a Xbox Game Pass e pagare il primo mese solamente 1 dollaro. Grazie al catalogo sempre più ricco con oltre 100 grandiosi giochi e all’inserimento di nuovi titoli con cadenza mensile, oggi è indubbiamente il giorno giusto per iscriversi a Xbox Game Pass. Maggiori informazioni nel blog post dedicato alle novità di Xbox Game Pass.

Xbox e le offerte da Black Friday più vantaggiose di sempre

Le festività si stanno avvicinando e quest’anno il pubblico di tutto il mondo potrà godere delle offerte pazzesche proposte da Xbox nel più grande Black Friday di tutti i tempi. Xbox offre infatti sconti strepitosi fino a 100 dollari su console Xbox One selezionate e ridurrà il prezzo di Xbox One X a livelli mai visti prima, ovvero a partire da 399,99 dollari. Ma il risparmio non finisce qui! Non sapete proprio cosa regalare al vostro giocatore per le prossime feste? Regalategli oltre 100 titoli e l’accesso alle esclusive di Xbox il giorno stesso del lancio, a un canone mensile ancora più vantaggioso grazie alle offerte di Xbox Game Pass.

Assicuratevi il primo mese di Xbox Game Pass alla modica cifra di 1 dollaro. Poiché giocare è più divertente se lo si fa in compagnia, offriamo inoltre uno sconto considerevole su Xbox Live Gold, regalandovi un mese al costo di 1 dollaro. È inutile dirlo, ma che Black Friday sarebbe senza sconti sui vostri giochi preferiti per Xbox? Ecco perché vi offriamo sconti su titoli quali Forza Horizon 4, Sea of Thieves, State of Decay 2 e altri ancora. Per ulteriori dettagli potete consultare il post completo relativo al Black Friday.

I migliori titoli girano meglio su Xbox One

L’evento odierno ha consentito di dare una prima occhiata a una serie di nuovi giochi in uscita per Xbox One e alle novità in arrivo per alcuni dei titoli preferiti dai nostri fan.

Non perdetevi Fortune Island all’interno di Forza Horizon 4

Ben Thaker-Fell, Chief Designer della serie Forza Horizon, ha annunciato il rilascio di “Fortune Island”, la prima espansione di Forza Horizon 4, il 13 dicembre per Xbox e per i PC Windows 10. “Fortune Island” accompagna i giocatori in un’avventura nuovissima nelle remote lande settentrionali delle isole britanniche, dove gli stessi saranno esposti a condizioni estreme, tra cui violente tempeste di fulmini, strade impervie lungo i pendii delle scogliere e ampi tornanti lastricati di montagna, sotto il bagliore mistico dell’aurora boreale, alla ricerca di un tesoro nascosto.

I giocatori di Forza Horizon 4 avranno inoltre la possibilità di guidare tutte e cinque le vetture Ford estremamente potenti e personalizzate di Ken Block, che compariranno in GymkhanaTEN, la 10a puntata, di prossima uscita, del pluripremiato video franchise virale Gymkhana. In realtà, gli iscritti a Car Pass hanno già potuto provare, sin dall’inizio del mese, l’esperienza di questi bolidi in Forza Horizon 4 grazie all’inserimento della Ford GymkhanaTEN del 1977, dell’Hoonitruck F-150 e della Ford Escort Cosworth, Gruppo A, del 1993. A partire da novembre tutti i giocatori avranno a disposizione la Ford Hoonicorn Mustang V2 del 1965 e la Ford Fiesta RS del 2017, mentre a dicembre uscirà la Ford GymkhanaTEN Focus RS RX del 2016.

“Fortune Island” sarà disponibile come parte dell’Forza Horizon 4 Expansions Bundle, che offrirà ai giocatori due espansioni del gioco al costo ridotto di 34,99 dollari. I possessori di Forza Horizon 4 Ultimate Edition e Forza Horizon 4 Ultimate Add-Ons Bundle riceveranno Fortune Island senza alcun costo aggiuntivo. Gli iscritti a Xbox Game Pass che ancora non possiedono uno dei bundle, potranno usufruire di uno sconto del 10% su un bundle o del 10% sull’acquisto singolo di Fortune Island.

Minecraft Marketplace: ampliamenti e miglioramenti non si arrestano

Helen Chiang, Head of Minecraft, si è fermata con noi a parlare dell’anno da record di Minecraft: l’annuncio di un nuovo gioco, l’uscita di importanti aggiornamenti del gioco e oltre 91 milioni di giocatori mensili. Inoltre Helen ha condiviso la propria visione sul Minecraft Marketplace in continua espansione, coinvolgendo PixelHeads, partner del Marketplace. PixelHeads, uno dei più noti team partner ufficiali di Minecraft, ci ha raccontato delle proprie creazioni e dei propri esordi nel mondo dello sviluppo di giochi e nel Marketplace. Durante l’evento, il team di Minecraft ha annunciato con grande orgoglio che il Marketplace conta oggi 77 partner, con un totale di oltre 13 milioni di acquisti delle proprie creazioni dal lancio avvenuto lo scorso giugno! I visitatori hanno inoltre avuto la possibilità di scoprire i retroscena dei nuovi gatti e dei panda che arriveranno in Minecraft il prossimo mese.

Combatti contro gli equipaggi rivali con il nuovo aggiornamento ’The Arena’ di Sea of Thieves

“Sea of Thieves” si trasforma radicalmente con “The Arena”, il quinto aggiornamento gratuito del contenuto rilasciato dal lancio del titolo. “The Arena”, il cui rilascio è previsto per l’inizio del 2019, è una nuovissima modalità di gioco competitiva, che consente ai giocatori di mettere alla prova le loro abilità piratesche in scontri dai ritmi serrati contro le ciurme rivali. Ogni scontro è una gara divertente, frenetica e ricca di azione alla ricerca del tesoro che riunisce tutti gli elementi più entusiasmanti di Sea of Thieves on demand. “The Arena” include inoltre una nuova Area Taverna e una nuova Trading Company – the Sea Dogs – con nuovi obiettivi, reward e opportunità di progredire per raggiungere la Legend Pirate. “Sea of Thieves” è disponibile per Xbox One, Windows 10 e Xbox Game Pass come titolo Xbox Play Anywhere.

Ecco svelato il ‘Zedhunter Pack’ per State of Decay 2

Oggi abbiamo avuto un’anteprima di “Zedhunter Pack”, il prossimo pacchetto di contenuti per “State of Decay 2”, in uscita il 16 novembre. Questo nuovo pacchetto aggiunge la potente e silenziosa balestra come nuova arma per colpire gli zombie, insieme ad un mix aggiuntivo di armi, funzioni, antidoti contro la piaga del sangue e aggiornamenti di gioco, come la capacità di rispettare le tue abilità in tutto il gioco principale. In linea con il nostro costante impegno a servizio dei 4 milioni di giocatori della community di “State of Decay 2”, Zedhunter sarà gratuito per tutti i giocatori in possesso sia della Standard Edition sia della Ultimate e per gli utenti abbonati a Xbox Game Pass.

Mettiti al sicuro con lo sparatutto Void Bastards

Presentato in anteprima durante Inside Xbox e ispirato a “BioShock” e “System Shock 2”, “Void Bastards” è un nuovo e rivoluzionario sparatutto strategico per mettere alla prova i tuoi riflessi e allenare la tua mira, un nuovo lancio esclusivo in uscita per Xbox. Riuscirai a guidare i prigionieri emarginati della Void Ark attraverso i relitti di navicelle spaziali e le migliaia di pericoli della Nebula dei Sargassi? Sarai in grado di fare la scelta giusta su cosa fare, dove andare e quando combattere? Guida i combattimenti, gestisci i comandi della nave, rifornisci le scorte, costruisci attrezzi di fortuna e altro ancora! “Void Bastards” sarà inoltre disponibile su Xbox Game Pass in concomitanza con il lancio per Xbox One.

Battlefield V

È stato presentato un trailer dell’attesissimo titolo "Battlefield V", sviluppato da DICE e distribuito da Electronic Arts, che ha messo in evidenza i potenziamenti garantiti da Xbox One X. Il supporto 4K Ultra HD e HDR su Xbox One X offrirà una potenza grafica che ti consentirà di portare la tua squadra alla vittoria nel gioco della saga Battlefield con la migliore fedeltà di immagine di sempre. Battlefield V è la migliore esperienza per console, in uscita in tutto il mondo il 20 novembre, ma gli utenti EA Access possono approfittare di “Battlefield V Play First Trial” già a partire dal 9 novembre.

Diamo una prima occhiata alla modalità “Void Mode” di “Devil May Cry 5”

Matt Walker, produttore di “Devil May Cry 5”, ha raggiunto il game director Hideaki Itsuno della sede di Capcom nella vivace Osaka per ammirare la ricca cultura della città e condividere il modo in cui il team trae ispirazione dall’ambiente circostante. Prima di mostrare durante Inside Xbox una panoramica della modalità training completa che ha creato per “Devil May Cry 5” – battezzata “The Void” - Itsuno ha illustrato come i giochi d’azione di Capcom siano influenzati dall’area di Osaka. Come anteprima riservata ai fan di Xbox, Itsuno ha offerto un tour personale alla scoperta dei Devil Breakers di Nero, presentando anche il bonus Devil Breakers disponibile nei contenuti dell’Edizione Deluxe di “Devil May Cry 5”.

Due attesissimi combattenti arricchiscono la squadra di “Jump Force”

Bandai Namco offre durante Inside Xbox un’anteprima esclusiva di alcune mosse speciali mai viste prima dei due attesissimi personaggi che faranno la loro comparsa in “Jump Force”. Diego Paramio, LATAM Community Manager della di Bandai Namco Entertainment America, farà una cronaca minuto per minuto per accompagnare il debutto mondiale delle “Awakening Transformations” di due personaggi leggendari di Dragon Ball, con i quali si potrà giocare in “Jump Force”: SSGSS Vegeta e Golden Frieza! Per la prima volta i fan potranno vedere questi personaggi tanto attesi entrare nelle rispettive modalità con superpoteri, sfoggiando le loro potentissime mosse speciali!

Come ulteriore sorpresa speciale, Bandai Namco ha mostrato in anteprima il primo video di SSGSS Goku in azione in “Jump Force”! Da non perdere!

Il fragoroso ritorno di “Just Cause 4”

Il nuovo trailer riassume l’azione blockbuster che caratterizza “Just Cause 4”. Rico Rodriguez affronta la sfida più difficile che gli sia mai capitata a Solís, guidando l’Army of Chaos contro la spietata Gabriela Morales.  “Just Cause 4” è il più grande, vario e creativo Just Cause mai visto prima. Ritroviamo tutti gli aspetti più amati della serie ancora più potenziati: livelli impareggiabili di distruzione, tuta alare e paracadute caratteristici del giocatore. “Just Cause 4” porterà tutta la sua forza per Xbox One e Xbox One X.

Un volto noto in arrivo a “KINGDOM HEARTS III”

In un nuovissimo trailer presentato alla Microsoft FanFest a Città del Messico, “KINGDOM HEARTS III” ha svelato il ritorno di Winnie the Pooh. Il trailer ha rivelato anche tracce minacciose del Maestro Xehanort e delle attività nefaste dell’Organizzazione XIII. Sora, Paperino, Pippo e tanti altri eroi Disney e Pixar (tra cui personaggi di Big Hero 6, Rapunzel - L'intreccio della torre, Pirati dei Caraibi e altri ancora) dovranno restare saldamente uniti e lottare per salvare la luce dall’oscurità incombente. I partecipanti hanno anche avuto la possibilità di cimentarsi con una demo in cui figuravano frammenti tratti dai mondi di Hercules e Toy Story. “KINGDOM HEARTS III” uscirà il 29 gennaio 2019.

Uno sguardo a “The Forge” di Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Anche se pensiamo di aver già visto il meglio di Lara Croft, “Shadow of the Tomb Raider” continua con The Forge, la prima di sette avventure DLC mensili. Il direttore narrativo Jason Dozois e il Senior Associate Producer, Jo Dahan, ci portano con Lara e il suo nuovo amico, Abi, in un’avventura cooperativa attraverso la torre di fuoco di The Forge durante la puntata di Inside Xbox.

Il catalogo di titoli retrocompatibili per Xbox One continua a crescere

Oggi abbiamo comunicato che il 13 novembre saranno disponibili quattro nuovi titoli retrocompatibili per Xbox One X. “Final Fantasy XIII”, “Final Fantasy XIII-2” e “LIGHTNING RETURNS: Final Fantasy XIII” faranno per la prima volta il loro ingresso nel catalogo di titoli retrocompatibili mentre per “Civilization Revolution” ci sarà un aggiornamento (Xbox One X Enhanced) per sfruttare la console più potente al mondo. Ad oggi i gamer hanno potuto usufruire di ben oltre 1 miliardo di ore di giochi con retrocompatibilità e non vediamo l’ora di continuare ad ampliare la collezione che conta oltre 500 giochi Xbox 360, 25 titoli Xbox 360 potenziati per Xbox One X e 32 classici Original Xbox.

Gioca come preferisci con il supporto per mouse e tastiera

Atteso per la prossima settimana l’arrivo del supporto per mouse e tastiera su Xbox One, con alcuni titoli abilitati al momento del lancio per Insider e altri ancora che seguiranno. Durante l’episodio Inside Xbox di oggi, Epic ha annunciato che “Fortnite” sarà uno dei primi titoli a presentare il supporto per mouse e tastiera insieme al già annunciato “Warframe” nell’aggiornamento di oggi, mentre “Bomber Crew”, “Deep Rock Galactic”, “Strange Brigade”, “Vermintide 2”, “War Thunder” e “X-Morph Defense” prevederanno il supporto da novembre e “Children of Morta”, “DayZ”, “Minion Master”, “Moonlighter”, “Vigor”, “Warfacee Wargroove” lo inseriranno in futuro. La settimana prossima, con il lancio dell’aggiornamento, tutti gli sviluppatori avranno gli strumenti necessari per creare le esperienze per mouse e tastiera su misura per i propri giochi per garantire ai fan un’esperienza di gioco divertente e stimolante.

Abbiamo inoltre comunicato che le migliori esperienze di gioco per Xbox One con mouse e tastiera saranno possibili attraverso le periferiche “Designed for Xbox”. Perfetti sia per il salotto sia per le postazioni PC da gaming, sono dotati di una Xbox Key dedicata e supportano la nuova funzione Xbox Dynamic Lighting, che crea giochi di luce coinvolgenti durante il gioco. Razer sarà il partner esclusivo autorizzato a vendere mouse e tastiere “Designed for Xbox” e presenterà ufficialmente il prodotto a gennaio in occasione del CES.

Lancio mondiale di Xbox Adaptive Controller

Siamo fieri di annunciare che Xbox Adaptive Controller verrà lanciato su 17 nuovi mercati nel 2019, tra cui il Messico. Il tanto atteso controller sarà disponibile in nuovi paesi tra cui Argentina, Brasile, Cile, Cina, Colombia, Hong Kong, Ungheria, Israele, Giappone, Slovacchia, Messico, Russia, Arabia Saudita, Sudafrica, Taiwan, Turchia e EAU. Presto nuovi dettagli sul lancio mondiale del dispositivo.

#givewithXbox

Abbiamo presentato anche #givewithXbox, una campagna di Xbox per il periodo delle vacanze, il cui scopo è quello di condividere l’entusiasmo del gaming con tutte le persone. A partire da oggi fino al 9 dicembre, Xbox donerà 5 dollari di prodotti Xbox, fino a un massimo di un milione di dollari, per ogni foto condivisa sui social media con l’hashtag #givewithXbox che trasmetti l’idea dell’esperienza di gioco condivisa. Le donazioni saranno distribuite tra quattro note associazioni di beneficenza che contribuiscono a portare il gaming a tutti: Child’s Play, Gamers Outreach, SpecialEffect e Operation Supply Drop. Oggi più che mai Xbox persegue l’obiettivo di rendere il gaming accessibile a tutti, facendo di Xbox un luogo dove tutti possono divertirsi.

“Winter of Arcade” ritorna a dicembre

Last but not least, siamo entusiasti di annunciare “Winter of Arcade”: dal 6 al 21 dicembre offriremo incentivi speciali su titoli ID@Xbox selezionati per aiutarti ad arricchire la tua libreria. Per maggiori informazioni segui The Game Awards il 6 dicembre, in diretta su Mixer.

[jayedanalysis-blog]

Blade Runner 2049 [Review]

Blade Runner may have shaped the future, but it’s easy to forget its past. Now universally accepted as a classic, Ridley Scott’s future-noir fantasy (from an android-hunting novel by Philip K Dick) flopped in 1982, widely dismissed as an exercise in ravishing emptiness, as eye-catchingly hollow as Rachael, the glamorous “replicant” played by Sean Young. Late-in-the-day recuts didn’t help, adding an explanatory narration and dopey happy ending following negative test screenings. Indeed, it was only when Blade Runner was reconfigured via a 1992 Director’s Cut, and later Scott’s definitive Final Cut, that its masterpiece status was assured, sitting alongside Fritz Lang’s Metropolis and Kubrick’s 2001 in the pantheon of world-building sci-fi.

No such tribulations await Blade Runner 2049, which has opened to the kind of critical adoration that sorely evaded Scott’s original. Yet Arrival director Denis Villeneuve’s audacious sequel, co-written by original screenwriter Hampton Fancher, really is as good as the hype suggests, spectacular enough to win over new generations of viewers, yet deep enough to reassure diehard fans that their cherished memories haven’t been reduced to tradable synthetic implants.

The action plays out 30 years after “blade runner” Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) gave up chasing down androids and fell in love with one instead. In the interim there’s been a “blackout” – 10 days of darkness that wiped digitally stored replicant-production records, creating a blank space in humanity’s database memory. Promos for the off-world colonies still burble through the acid rain, jostling for attention amid corporation logos for Sony, Atari, Coca-Cola and Pan Am.

Through this dystopian swamp, Ryan Gosling’s “K” walks in Deckard’s footsteps, tracking down wayward androids and “retiring” them. “How does it feel?” asks Dave Bautista’s Sapper Morton, taunting this deadpan hunter that he can only do his job because he’s “never seen a miracle” – an enigmatic phrase that will haunt K (and us) as he attempts to unravel its meaning.

K lives in a poky apartment with his virtual girlfriend Joi (Ana de Armas), a holographic artificial intelligence who seems to exist in the same world as Samantha from Spike Jonze’s Her. In his post-mission debriefs, K is subjected to a Pinteresque form of interrogative word association that surreally flips the replicant-detecting Voight-Kampff tests previously administered by Deckard. After years of being an unflappable killer, the “Constant K” is experiencing doubts about his job, his memories and his nature. “I never retired something that was born,” he tells Lieutenant Joshi (Robin Wright), musing that “to be born is to have a soul”. Joshi is unimpressed, insisting that in this line of work, you can get along fine without one.

Such existential anxieties are at the heart of Villeneuve’s movie, which has the confidence to proceed at a sedately edited pace utterly at odds with today’s rapid-fire blockbusters. Mirroring and inverting the key themes of its predecessor, Blade Runner 2049 swaps unicorns for wooden horses while retaining the visual grandeur that fired Scott’s film. From vast landscapes of grey rooftops and reflectors, through the rusted shells of post-industrial shelters, to the burned-ochre glow of radioactive wastelands, cinematographer Roger Deakins conjures a twilight world that seems to go on for ever. Bright candy colours are restricted to the artificial lights of advertising and entertainment. Architecturally, the production designs evoke Robert Wiene’s The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, all angular lines and expressionist shadows. Elsewhere, we encounter statuesque nods to Spielberg’s AI: Artificial Intelligence, along with a self-referential homage to Kubrick’s The Shining, outtake footage from which was incorporated into the original release of Blade Runner.

The sights are staggering, yet the real triumphs of Blade Runner 2049 are beautifully low-key. Carla Juri injects real magic into a heart-breaking, dream-weaving scene; Sylvia Hoeks rivals Rutger Hauer as Luv, the ass-kicker with terrifying tears; and Ana de Armas brings three-dimensional warmth to a character who is essentially a digital projection.

Narratively, Fancher and co-writer Michael Green pull off a remarkable narrative sleight of hand that leaves the audience as devastatingly wrongfooted as Gosling’s cosmic detective. As for Villeneuve, he teases away at the enigmatic identity riddle at the centre of Scott’s movie, brilliantly sustaining the mystery of a blade runner’s true nature (“It’s OK to dream a little, isn’t it?”) while chasing the spirit of Philip K Dick’s electric sheep.

Composers Benjamin Wallfisch and Hans Zimmer dance around memories of Vangelis’s themes, creating a groaning, howling soundscape that occasionally rises in horrifying Ligeti-like ecstasy. The first time I saw Blade Runner 2049, I was overwhelmed by its visuals and astonished by its achievements. On second viewing, a sense of elegiac sadness cut through the spectacle, implanting altogether more melancholy memories. Both times, I was reminded that Blade Runner editor Terry Rawlings had described Scott’s original as “a grandiose art movie” and marvelled at how perfectly that phrase fitted Villeneuve’s new dreamy vision.

[party-hard-or-die]

At Beijing security fair, an arms race for surveillance tech

BEIJING (Reuters) – It can crack your smartphone password in seconds, rip personal data from call and messaging apps, and peruse your contact book.

FILE PHOTO: A police robot patrols before the third plenary session of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, China March 10, 2018. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo

The Chinese-made XDH-CF-5600 scanner – or “mobile phone sleuth”, as sales staff described it when touting its claimed features – was one of hundreds of surveillance gadgets on display at a recent police equipment fair in Beijing.

The China International Exhibition on Police Equipment is something of a one-stop shop for China’s police forces looking to arm up with the latest in “black tech” – a term widely used to refer to cutting-edge surveillance gadgets.

The fair underscores the extent to which China’s security forces are using technology to monitor and punish behavior that runs counter to the ruling Communist Party.

That sort of monitoring – both offline and online – is stoking concerns from human rights groups about the development of a nationwide surveillance system to quell dissent.

The Ministry of Public Security, which hosted the Beijing fair, did not respond to a request for comment.

At the fair, Reuters also saw stalls offering cute-looking robots, equipped with artificial intelligence systems to detect criminals, as well as an array of drones, smart glasses, DNA database software and facial-recognition cameras.

At the fair, which is held annually, most buyers appeared to be local Chinese police, though some global firms attended, selling mainly vehicles and aircraft. Ford Motor Co (F.N), Daimler AG’s (DAIGn.DE) Mercedes-Benz and Airbus SE (AIR.PA) had cars and model helicopters on display.

The companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment. It is not unusual for western companies to sell vehicles to overseas police forces.

It was not possible to verify all the claims made about the products at the fair, including the XDH-CF-5600 scanner, which is made by Xiamen Meiya Pico Information Co Ltd (300188.SZ), a Chinese provider of security products and services.

Scanners like the XDH-CF-5600 exist in other markets around the world, including the United States, but their use is contentious, especially regarding the forcible extraction of data from mobile phone devices.

Chinese firms are rushing to meet the growing demand from the country’s security services, fuelling a surveillance tech arms race as companies look to outdo each others’ tracking and monitoring capabilities. Western firms have played little overt role so far in China’s surveillance boom.

Beijing-based Hisign Technology said its desktop and portable phone scanners can retrieve even deleted data from over 90 mobile applications on smart phones, including overseas platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

Slideshow (5 Images)

A big selling point of the technology, according to one policeman from the restive far western region of Xinjiang who was eyeing a Hisign scanner, was its claimed ability to get data from Apple Inc’s (AAPL.O) iOS operating system, used in products like the widely popular iPhone.

“We are actually using these kinds of scanners in Xinjiang already, but I am interested in this one as it claims to be more successful with iOS phones than other brands,” said the policeman, surnamed Gu, who traveled 3,000 kilometers to attend the fair. He declined to provide his given name.

The iPhone’s iOS system is seen by many analysts as the most secure operating system. A handful of firms in Israel and the United States have been able to crack into the iOS system, according to media reports. That ability is often shrouded in secrecy, however.

“The ability to crack iOS has been around,” said Matthew Warren, the deputy director of the Deakin University Center for Cyber Security Research in Melbourne. “What’s different in this situation is that Chinese authorities are admitting that they have the capabilities to do that.”

At the Beijing fair, several firms told Reuters they could crack 4-digit passwords on platforms ranging from iOS 6 to iOS 8.1, and were working to break through security of the latest iOS 10 platform.

The vendors did not demonstrate their stated capability of getting into security systems of older iPhones. Apple’s latest operating system uses a stronger 6-digit password.

Apple declined to comment on the vendors’ claims.

SURVEILLANCE WEB

Chinese authorities are targeting a nationwide surveillance network, leveraging off tools made by companies like Hisign to compile data gleaned from smartphones and cameras into an online database of its near 1.4 billion people.

“Our forensic products are sold in 26 provinces across China and have helped police process 11 million cases,” Han Xuesong, a sales director at Hisign, told Reuters at the fair.

Hisign is not alone. Meiya Pico has a rival offering, the DC-8811 Magic Cube, which its marketing materials call “the Swiss Army Knife of forensics”. The larger FL-2000 is a “forensic aircraft carrier”.

Pwnzen Infotech, a firm backed by Qihoo 360, a cybersecurity specialist, was another scanner maker at the fair who talked up its system’s ability to get data from overseas platforms.

A sales representative described a case last year in which Pwnzen cracked the phone of a suspect who was “subverting the government” to get data from his Facebook and Twitter accounts. The representative spoke on condition of anonymity.

Facebook did not respond to requests for comment.

A spokeswoman for Twitter said the firm was unable to comment on technology it had not seen, but added that “privacy is built into Twitter’s DNA and it’s something we take an active role in promoting and advocating for across the world.”

BLUE-EYED ROBOT

Other sellers tout police glasses that scan people and match them with a database of fugitives. There was also the AI-2000-Xiao An robot, a blue-eyed police automaton for use at train stations and airports.

The robot, shaped like R2-D2 from “Star Wars”, but with red flashing “ears” and over a dozen sensors and cameras, can identify people in a crowd, engage in conversations and broadcast police announcements.

The robots were used for security at an international summit last year held in the port city of Xiamen, state media reported.

Zhao Jianqiang, an R&D manager at Meiya Pico, said the firm’s tools used artificial intelligence to detect “terrorism-related or violent content” online and on smart phones. Zhao cited images of guns, and the crescent and star symbols often found on the flags of Muslim nations.

The firm also has software which can analyze audio files, convert voice messages into text, and translate minority dialects like that of the Turkic-language speaking Uighurs in Xinjiang into Mandarin Chinese.

Chinese authorities over the past two years have escalated security and surveillance operations across Xinjiang, widely using technology to track the local Uighur population as well as other Muslim minorities, residents and human rights activists say. China denies carrying out repression in the region.

The rise of sophisticated monitoring technology in China has raised fears among rights activists that Chinese citizens will have little space left that remains private.

Public debate on the subject is more restrained though, with many resigned to the fact that individual rights are subordinated to state interests.

Liu Haifeng, vice general manager at Xindehui, a Meiya Pico subsidiary, said he sees surveillance tech as a positive.

“It is impossible for people, especially the younger generations, to live without electronics,” he told a roomful of police listening on at the Beijing event. Therefore, suspects trying to escape, “can never get away”.

Reporting by Pei Li and Cate Cadell; Writing by Adam Jourdan; Editing by Philip McClellan

The post At Beijing security fair, an arms race for surveillance tech appeared first on World The News.

from World The News https://ift.tt/2L7IPsi via Breaking News

[cleopatrarps]

At Beijing security fair, an arms race for surveillance tech

BEIJING (Reuters) – It can crack your smartphone password in seconds, rip personal data from call and messaging apps, and peruse your contact book.

FILE PHOTO: A police robot patrols before the third plenary session of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, China March 10, 2018. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo

The Chinese-made XDH-CF-5600 scanner – or “mobile phone sleuth”, as sales staff described it when touting its claimed features – was one of hundreds of surveillance gadgets on display at a recent police equipment fair in Beijing.

The China International Exhibition on Police Equipment is something of a one-stop shop for China’s police forces looking to arm up with the latest in “black tech” – a term widely used to refer to cutting-edge surveillance gadgets.

The fair underscores the extent to which China’s security forces are using technology to monitor and punish behavior that runs counter to the ruling Communist Party.

That sort of monitoring – both offline and online – is stoking concerns from human rights groups about the development of a nationwide surveillance system to quell dissent.

The Ministry of Public Security, which hosted the Beijing fair, did not respond to a request for comment.

At the fair, Reuters also saw stalls offering cute-looking robots, equipped with artificial intelligence systems to detect criminals, as well as an array of drones, smart glasses, DNA database software and facial-recognition cameras.

At the fair, which is held annually, most buyers appeared to be local Chinese police, though some global firms attended, selling mainly vehicles and aircraft. Ford Motor Co (F.N), Daimler AG’s (DAIGn.DE) Mercedes-Benz and Airbus SE (AIR.PA) had cars and model helicopters on display.

The companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment. It is not unusual for western companies to sell vehicles to overseas police forces.

It was not possible to verify all the claims made about the products at the fair, including the XDH-CF-5600 scanner, which is made by Xiamen Meiya Pico Information Co Ltd (300188.SZ), a Chinese provider of security products and services.

Scanners like the XDH-CF-5600 exist in other markets around the world, including the United States, but their use is contentious, especially regarding the forcible extraction of data from mobile phone devices.

Chinese firms are rushing to meet the growing demand from the country’s security services, fuelling a surveillance tech arms race as companies look to outdo each others’ tracking and monitoring capabilities. Western firms have played little overt role so far in China’s surveillance boom.

Beijing-based Hisign Technology said its desktop and portable phone scanners can retrieve even deleted data from over 90 mobile applications on smart phones, including overseas platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

Slideshow (5 Images)

A big selling point of the technology, according to one policeman from the restive far western region of Xinjiang who was eyeing a Hisign scanner, was its claimed ability to get data from Apple Inc’s (AAPL.O) iOS operating system, used in products like the widely popular iPhone.

“We are actually using these kinds of scanners in Xinjiang already, but I am interested in this one as it claims to be more successful with iOS phones than other brands,” said the policeman, surnamed Gu, who traveled 3,000 kilometers to attend the fair. He declined to provide his given name.

The iPhone’s iOS system is seen by many analysts as the most secure operating system. A handful of firms in Israel and the United States have been able to crack into the iOS system, according to media reports. That ability is often shrouded in secrecy, however.

“The ability to crack iOS has been around,” said Matthew Warren, the deputy director of the Deakin University Center for Cyber Security Research in Melbourne. “What’s different in this situation is that Chinese authorities are admitting that they have the capabilities to do that.”

At the Beijing fair, several firms told Reuters they could crack 4-digit passwords on platforms ranging from iOS 6 to iOS 8.1, and were working to break through security of the latest iOS 10 platform.

The vendors did not demonstrate their stated capability of getting into security systems of older iPhones. Apple’s latest operating system uses a stronger 6-digit password.

Apple declined to comment on the vendors’ claims.

SURVEILLANCE WEB

Chinese authorities are targeting a nationwide surveillance network, leveraging off tools made by companies like Hisign to compile data gleaned from smartphones and cameras into an online database of its near 1.4 billion people.

“Our forensic products are sold in 26 provinces across China and have helped police process 11 million cases,” Han Xuesong, a sales director at Hisign, told Reuters at the fair.

Hisign is not alone. Meiya Pico has a rival offering, the DC-8811 Magic Cube, which its marketing materials call “the Swiss Army Knife of forensics”. The larger FL-2000 is a “forensic aircraft carrier”.

Pwnzen Infotech, a firm backed by Qihoo 360, a cybersecurity specialist, was another scanner maker at the fair who talked up its system’s ability to get data from overseas platforms.

A sales representative described a case last year in which Pwnzen cracked the phone of a suspect who was “subverting the government” to get data from his Facebook and Twitter accounts. The representative spoke on condition of anonymity.

Facebook did not respond to requests for comment.

A spokeswoman for Twitter said the firm was unable to comment on technology it had not seen, but added that “privacy is built into Twitter’s DNA and it’s something we take an active role in promoting and advocating for across the world.”

BLUE-EYED ROBOT

Other sellers tout police glasses that scan people and match them with a database of fugitives. There was also the AI-2000-Xiao An robot, a blue-eyed police automaton for use at train stations and airports.

The robot, shaped like R2-D2 from “Star Wars”, but with red flashing “ears” and over a dozen sensors and cameras, can identify people in a crowd, engage in conversations and broadcast police announcements.

The robots were used for security at an international summit last year held in the port city of Xiamen, state media reported.

Zhao Jianqiang, an R&D manager at Meiya Pico, said the firm’s tools used artificial intelligence to detect “terrorism-related or violent content” online and on smart phones. Zhao cited images of guns, and the crescent and star symbols often found on the flags of Muslim nations.

The firm also has software which can analyze audio files, convert voice messages into text, and translate minority dialects like that of the Turkic-language speaking Uighurs in Xinjiang into Mandarin Chinese.

Chinese authorities over the past two years have escalated security and surveillance operations across Xinjiang, widely using technology to track the local Uighur population as well as other Muslim minorities, residents and human rights activists say. China denies carrying out repression in the region.

The rise of sophisticated monitoring technology in China has raised fears among rights activists that Chinese citizens will have little space left that remains private.

Public debate on the subject is more restrained though, with many resigned to the fact that individual rights are subordinated to state interests.

Liu Haifeng, vice general manager at Xindehui, a Meiya Pico subsidiary, said he sees surveillance tech as a positive.

“It is impossible for people, especially the younger generations, to live without electronics,” he told a roomful of police listening on at the Beijing event. Therefore, suspects trying to escape, “can never get away”.

Reporting by Pei Li and Cate Cadell; Writing by Adam Jourdan; Editing by Philip McClellan

The post At Beijing security fair, an arms race for surveillance tech appeared first on World The News.

from World The News https://ift.tt/2L7IPsi via News of World

[dani-qrt]

At Beijing security fair, an arms race for surveillance tech

BEIJING (Reuters) – It can crack your smartphone password in seconds, rip personal data from call and messaging apps, and peruse your contact book.

FILE PHOTO: A police robot patrols before the third plenary session of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) in Beijing, China March 10, 2018. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo

The Chinese-made XDH-CF-5600 scanner – or “mobile phone sleuth”, as sales staff described it when touting its claimed features – was one of hundreds of surveillance gadgets on display at a recent police equipment fair in Beijing.

The China International Exhibition on Police Equipment is something of a one-stop shop for China’s police forces looking to arm up with the latest in “black tech” – a term widely used to refer to cutting-edge surveillance gadgets.

The fair underscores the extent to which China’s security forces are using technology to monitor and punish behavior that runs counter to the ruling Communist Party.

That sort of monitoring – both offline and online – is stoking concerns from human rights groups about the development of a nationwide surveillance system to quell dissent.

The Ministry of Public Security, which hosted the Beijing fair, did not respond to a request for comment.

At the fair, Reuters also saw stalls offering cute-looking robots, equipped with artificial intelligence systems to detect criminals, as well as an array of drones, smart glasses, DNA database software and facial-recognition cameras.

At the fair, which is held annually, most buyers appeared to be local Chinese police, though some global firms attended, selling mainly vehicles and aircraft. Ford Motor Co (F.N), Daimler AG’s (DAIGn.DE) Mercedes-Benz and Airbus SE (AIR.PA) had cars and model helicopters on display.

The companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment. It is not unusual for western companies to sell vehicles to overseas police forces.

It was not possible to verify all the claims made about the products at the fair, including the XDH-CF-5600 scanner, which is made by Xiamen Meiya Pico Information Co Ltd (300188.SZ), a Chinese provider of security products and services.

Scanners like the XDH-CF-5600 exist in other markets around the world, including the United States, but their use is contentious, especially regarding the forcible extraction of data from mobile phone devices.

Chinese firms are rushing to meet the growing demand from the country’s security services, fuelling a surveillance tech arms race as companies look to outdo each others’ tracking and monitoring capabilities. Western firms have played little overt role so far in China’s surveillance boom.

Beijing-based Hisign Technology said its desktop and portable phone scanners can retrieve even deleted data from over 90 mobile applications on smart phones, including overseas platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

Slideshow (5 Images)

A big selling point of the technology, according to one policeman from the restive far western region of Xinjiang who was eyeing a Hisign scanner, was its claimed ability to get data from Apple Inc’s (AAPL.O) iOS operating system, used in products like the widely popular iPhone.

“We are actually using these kinds of scanners in Xinjiang already, but I am interested in this one as it claims to be more successful with iOS phones than other brands,” said the policeman, surnamed Gu, who traveled 3,000 kilometers to attend the fair. He declined to provide his given name.

The iPhone’s iOS system is seen by many analysts as the most secure operating system. A handful of firms in Israel and the United States have been able to crack into the iOS system, according to media reports. That ability is often shrouded in secrecy, however.

“The ability to crack iOS has been around,” said Matthew Warren, the deputy director of the Deakin University Center for Cyber Security Research in Melbourne. “What’s different in this situation is that Chinese authorities are admitting that they have the capabilities to do that.”

At the Beijing fair, several firms told Reuters they could crack 4-digit passwords on platforms ranging from iOS 6 to iOS 8.1, and were working to break through security of the latest iOS 10 platform.

The vendors did not demonstrate their stated capability of getting into security systems of older iPhones. Apple’s latest operating system uses a stronger 6-digit password.

Apple declined to comment on the vendors’ claims.

SURVEILLANCE WEB

Chinese authorities are targeting a nationwide surveillance network, leveraging off tools made by companies like Hisign to compile data gleaned from smartphones and cameras into an online database of its near 1.4 billion people.

“Our forensic products are sold in 26 provinces across China and have helped police process 11 million cases,” Han Xuesong, a sales director at Hisign, told Reuters at the fair.

Hisign is not alone. Meiya Pico has a rival offering, the DC-8811 Magic Cube, which its marketing materials call “the Swiss Army Knife of forensics”. The larger FL-2000 is a “forensic aircraft carrier”.

Pwnzen Infotech, a firm backed by Qihoo 360, a cybersecurity specialist, was another scanner maker at the fair who talked up its system’s ability to get data from overseas platforms.

A sales representative described a case last year in which Pwnzen cracked the phone of a suspect who was “subverting the government” to get data from his Facebook and Twitter accounts. The representative spoke on condition of anonymity.

Facebook did not respond to requests for comment.

A spokeswoman for Twitter said the firm was unable to comment on technology it had not seen, but added that “privacy is built into Twitter’s DNA and it’s something we take an active role in promoting and advocating for across the world.”

BLUE-EYED ROBOT

Other sellers tout police glasses that scan people and match them with a database of fugitives. There was also the AI-2000-Xiao An robot, a blue-eyed police automaton for use at train stations and airports.

The robot, shaped like R2-D2 from “Star Wars”, but with red flashing “ears” and over a dozen sensors and cameras, can identify people in a crowd, engage in conversations and broadcast police announcements.

The robots were used for security at an international summit last year held in the port city of Xiamen, state media reported.

Zhao Jianqiang, an R&D manager at Meiya Pico, said the firm’s tools used artificial intelligence to detect “terrorism-related or violent content” online and on smart phones. Zhao cited images of guns, and the crescent and star symbols often found on the flags of Muslim nations.

The firm also has software which can analyze audio files, convert voice messages into text, and translate minority dialects like that of the Turkic-language speaking Uighurs in Xinjiang into Mandarin Chinese.

Chinese authorities over the past two years have escalated security and surveillance operations across Xinjiang, widely using technology to track the local Uighur population as well as other Muslim minorities, residents and human rights activists say. China denies carrying out repression in the region.

The rise of sophisticated monitoring technology in China has raised fears among rights activists that Chinese citizens will have little space left that remains private.

Public debate on the subject is more restrained though, with many resigned to the fact that individual rights are subordinated to state interests.

Liu Haifeng, vice general manager at Xindehui, a Meiya Pico subsidiary, said he sees surveillance tech as a positive.

“It is impossible for people, especially the younger generations, to live without electronics,” he told a roomful of police listening on at the Beijing event. Therefore, suspects trying to escape, “can never get away”.

Reporting by Pei Li and Cate Cadell; Writing by Adam Jourdan; Editing by Philip McClellan

The post At Beijing security fair, an arms race for surveillance tech appeared first on World The News.

from World The News https://ift.tt/2L7IPsi via Online News

[monsieurpopp]

Where Art Thy Data, Brother? The Digital Economy’s Natural Resource and the Impact on AI Startups’ Product Strategies

Today, businesses are being transformed by three inexorable trends. First, businesses are creating massive amounts of data stemming from a dizzying plethora of sources. That data must consequently be managed at scale. Second, the “cloud” is the most efficient and scalable platform to provide the type of fast, reliable, and financially viable storage and analysis of that data. That is due in part to the economies of scale brought about by some of the largest technology firm’s capital expenditures procuring massive server farms. Indeed, what would have taken million in dollars in the past to procure computing power can simply be done with a credit card in a matter of minutes. And third, businesses should now look to predict behaviors and trends from data captured from edge sources (i.e. devices, mobile apps, sensors). In that vein, predictions are gleamed by analyzing in real time the data obtained from the “edge”, which can now be done affordably thanks to the economies of scale brought about by cloud computing. Moving forward, businesses should be able to look at data in real time rather than review historical trends to make the most intelligent decisions about the future of the business. To draw an analogy, just as we’ve segwayed from the hardware stack to the software stack (buying servers to buying the software services enabled by those servers), firms are moving from asking the question about their business: “What happened?” to “What should we do now?”

Artificial Intelligence, the prodigal child of the marriage between “cloud” and “data”, can help businesses answer that last question. While I may be a clearly biased Microsoft employee, I still find the Redmond based behemoth’s world view of the implications of Artificial Intelligence to be universally accepted by others in the space. As the Microsoft AI Data Marketing team would suggest, we’ve moved from descriptive analytics (“what happened?”), to diagnostic (“why did it happen?”), and now to predictive (“what will happen?”). The next frontier is the promise of AI: the ability to be prescriptive (“How can we make it happen?”)[1]. Nowadays, businesses can reallocate money that would have previously been spent on capital IT expenditures to R&D investments geared towards innovating their core business. Take for instance a typical Internet of Things use case around device monitoring for a company that sells hardware appliances to their business customers. The business selling that hardware could leverage a cohort of cloud based services (i.e data warehousing, data analysis, machine learning) to monitor the device by connecting the hardware to the cloud. Rather than having to build out the infrastructure to run those cloud services for effective device monitoring and maintenance, the business can leverage a cloud vendor’s capabilities; the analysis collected from running these intensive compute workloads can ultimately drive efficiencies, impacting the business’s bottom line. For instance, the firm could build higher quality devices that break less by analyzing patterns of what parts cause the most devices to break prematurely. This will create efficiencies in production and maintenance, all thanks to the cloud based machine learning service that analyzed patterns in device wear and tear.

In an overview of the vendor space offering such cloud based services, we’ve come to see the centralization of AI enriched software solutions within the hands of a few multinational publicly traded technology firms. It would also seem that firm that creates the most complete digital profiles of the end users based on their preferences will be able to provide the most compelling and relevant experiences for those same end customers. This type of relationship in turn creates near insurmountable barriers to entry. For instance, Google’s monopoly on search is near impossible to break as it has collected petabytes of data on user search queries and preferences, which they’ve continued to feed into their algorithms to make their results even more relevant. In contrast, DuckDuckGo can’t compete, even if they tout their differentiation as a search engine that eschews collecting user data. One could argue that more people prefer to use Google that DuckDuckGo because their search results are simply better[2].

That ability to provide such recommendation – which is at the heart of Google, Amazon, Microsoft’s market power – stems directly from data. That view is not unique. In their May 6th 2017 edition, The Economist argued data is the newest natural resource in the modern digital economy.[3] Consumers have shown they are willing to forfeit some of their privacy for more contextual digital experiences, which is powered by user past behavior, preferences, and actions (their “data” effectively). For instance, companies like Facebook and Tencent collect terabytes of data on user behavior and preferences; AI techniques like Machine Learning extract more value from that data by being able to smartly predict and recommend products, services, and goods that users are more inclined to purchase based on patterns underlining their digital lives. Even non-traditional software vendors are leveraging the data they collect to compete in their markets. Tesla, a marker of electric cars, uses its latest models to collect data from their customers, which allows them to optimize its self-driving algorithms that they one day hope to embed in all their cars. Talk about a differentiated product from their competitors at GM & Ford! These latter two have also respectively acquired Cruise Automation and partnered with Argo AI to counter Tesla, Uber, and Waymo’s momentum in the self driving space. Indeed, they ultimately hope to create new business models and spur growth for their less than healthy car businesses. These examples lead us to believe that whomever has the most data will most likely erect the deepest moats around their core businesses.    

But what does that mean for startups trying to offer AI applications to their end users? How do they compete with these kingpins if data is king? At first glance, it would not seem so. These firms are spinning up large AI product investments.  Indeed, Azure has a set of Cognitive Services that can be embedded or extended into applications. Google has TensorFlow. Amazon is starting to provide externally available set of ML algorithms. These behemoths also keep using their massive resources to corral large teams and even larger resources. Microsoft alone spends $12 billion a year on AI advancements and employs 5,000 technical staff members to work solely on advancing of that technology. The Google Brain Team is a separate group that can leverage Google’s gargantuan resources in their quest to usher in AI as well. And if organic product development doesn’t work, these firms will reach into their deep pockets and scoop up any startups that is complementary or anathema to their own offerings.  Facebook notoriously bought WhatsApp for $22 billion; Microsoft, LinkedIn for $26.2 billion; IBM the Weather Company for $2 billion to power their Watson services. So even if a startup reaches critical mass, they’re more likely to be ingested by a larger firm that stay independent and deal with the challenges that come with such status. At first glance many of the advances being made in Cognitive Services, Machine Learning, AI are baked in these large companies; and not many startups who seek to go after the holy grail of AI have the resources or the runway to get to a point where they are a self sustainable business.[4]

This essay will challenge the belief that large entrenched vendors are monopolistic and have erected such moats that it is near impossible for startups to create meaningful and differentiated AI based consumer and enterprise products. There are still growing niche markets and use cases that startups can dominate as the Googles and Microsofts of the world can’t be everywhere at once. The question that this paper will seek to answer is how should these startups think about the evolution of their product as to foster business growth and sustainability. With that in mind, I will focus on how startups should construct their product strategies in light of the fact that the best AI powered businesses must rely on data. I will consequently argue that a startup’s ability to create AI enriched software product stems from the value of their data, which can come from one of two sources: either from the customers they serve (who willingly agree to share it), or from the public domain (i.e. users or software partners that are willing to distribute it).

The data is public, but your access may not always be

Artificial Intelligence, a machine’s ability to act as a human would, has often been classified into two categories by researchers over the last sixty years. As Andreesen Horowitz elucidates in their Introduction to AI[5], the first category, dubbed “Classical”, originated around 60 years following the 1956 Research Project on AI. During that time frame, scientists have attempted to use logical rules to mimic intelligence. For instance, they would represent the world in data structures, and apply logic rules to deduce something from the data set. This framework is often called “symbolic AI” as robots are essentially given symbol representations of rules for them to deduce the correct course of action. An example of a symbolic system would be a “if then” statement.

In contrast, the “Modern” definition of AI touts that once a data set is orchestrated, a set of machine learning techniques can be applied to that data in order to solve different classes of problems. The idea then is to “use a set of techniques like logistic regression, decision trees, Gaussian Naïve Bayes, random forest, k-nearest neighbors, deep learning” so that eventually a program is trained to predict actions from new, incoming data sets as they are fed into the engine.[6] Some have argued that AI and Machine Learning are different: while Machine Learning enables programs to predict the future, AI programs machines to make decisions.[7] That being said, many AI techniques stem from machine learning, so the two are nonetheless intertwined. For instance, the concept of neural nets – an AI concept whereby interconnected group of computer programs act as “nodes”, much as your neurons are interconnected and layered in your brain – is based on the fundamentals of machine learning. As ML is based on training models, neural nets’ prerequisite is to train the triggers of specific computer node neural pathways. In laymen’s term, ML stems from feeding a black box data points, letting the program in the black box identify patterns and unique identifiers, and from there, coming out with decisions.[8]

In both the “Classical” and “Modern” definitions, data is at the root of algorithms, which is at the root of AI. As Image 1 below illustrates, the value of Machine Learning stems from the algorithms applied onto the raw data. Thirty-four startups were purchased in 2017[9] because these nimble companies have created unique methods to processing data and applying machine learning techniques to create new digital products.  Microsoft, Google, and AWS may provide some ML APIs, but these startups have specific use cases that these large vendors don’t have the breadth to tackle all at once. So to assume they will monopolize the AI space doesn’t do justice to the use cases and verticals startups can address.

That being said, if in 2017 the startups that have the best algorithms will outflank their competitors; at some point, there will be parity on the algorithms, and data will be the biggest differentiator and fodder for the end software to be the most powerful. For instance, today one startup may be better than another in the food delivery space – DoorDash vs UberEats vs Postmastes - because one may tailor the recommendations by virtue of their algorithm. At some point, there should be parity amongst the firms building those models; the algorithms will be commoditized. Eventually, the algorithms can only smarter if it has more data to build from.  Take a drone analytics as a service use case. Today, the hardware and the capture imaging process is becoming a more competitive space because there aren’t many levers of distinction there. To differentiate, the next generation of drone analytics will be around applying AI to data being collected and analyzed. Rather than simply taking pictures of a roof, the drone will be able to recognize damage patterns and signs to  thus automate the process of identifying whether an insurance claim is viable or not. Today the drone startups with the best algorithm will win that battle field; in three years from now, when that algorithm gets commoditized (which could be built on top of ML models sold as a platform like Google TensorFlow or Azure ML), whoever is able to recognize objects and patterns with the highest accuracy and confidence based on the richest data set will have the most differentiated end product. So if the data is the ultimate differentiation, then the firms must ensure that their data pipe does not get cut off; in other words, the value of the software diminishes if it has less data to feed its machine learning.

Figure 1: Algorithms will provide the first level of differentiation, but ultimately, as those gets commoditized, the depth and breadth of data will provide the ultimate competitive barrier to entry. Source: Wintellect’s Guide to Azure Machine Learning

If we look at some of the more successful startups, one will notice that the data powering their AI products is mostly collected from the public domain. In this scenario, the startup sells a multi-tenant AI driven Software as a Service, where the value is driven from external public data and network effects; the more data and the more users consume their software, providing the vendor with more patterns and data points, the more powerful, valuable, and differentiable their AI powered software becomes. For example, DoorDash, an on-demand delivery startup, used AI successfully to the point that they saw a 25% lift in sales from machine learned food recommendations to their end users.[10] Such recommendations were tailored by the vast amount of data that those users agreed DoorDash could leverage to improve recommendations and the overall end use experience. [11] Vertical based startups building very specific use cases – iOT for delivery tracking (Samsara), log analysis (Loom Systems) – have also begun to come out of the woodwork. Similar to DoorDash, they collect data from their users, and feed it into their machine learning models to tailor their solution to the context and unique needs of individual user and customer. Alternatively, companies can ingest their data from third party sources, which is considered public in the sense that it can be consumed by readily available third party APIs. Take for instance intelligent CRM software affinity.co, which acts as a sort of RelateIQ /LinkedIn hybrid.  The software can predict which connections will result in the warmest relationships within prospective client accounts. Their application can predict that information based on the data it collects from external source - LinkedIn, social media, your address book, among other – and then feeds into its algorithms. In both use cases – where data is supplied by the public or third party vendors - the more data a startup collects from their end users, the more powerful their AI becomes (since it has more data to learn more). In other words, there is a direct correlation between the amount of data training the model and the “stickiness” for the end product.

In this case, these startups can’t necessarily create moats protecting the data they collect, because the data is either available to everyone or can be hoarded by jealous third party vendors. Nothing precludes a competitor to copy DoorDash’s model and recreate their own experience – take for instance UberEats or Postmates. The Affinity example demonstrates that sometimes data is collected from within the closed gardens managed by third party vendors. Some are open (think of Twitter with their developer APIs), but there’s always the danger that that data hose can be abruptly closed off (speaking of Twitter…).   It’s the same problem we’ve seen with developers and ISVs building on top of platforms that seem to be open to them, all to be closed off as soon as those competitors become too dangerous to the platforms they stand on.

Consequently, the startup must think about cornering two data ingestion strategies before their competitors do. First, they have to receive their customers’ consent to aggregate their data so that they can feed it into their algorithms for training purpose. This is what we saw in DoorDash’s terms of service. Uber does this as well – they can tailor their pricing depending on the paths and surges in demand based on traffic data and route patterns. Their terms and condition stipulate that users’ data is indeed anonymized and aggregated – so a sound legal terms and conditions suffices here. But second, if that data cannot be appropriated by users, it should be ingested by a network of data partners. In this cases, outright licensing deals or product partnerships is the way to go because it ensures that the data pipe does not get cut off; there’s a commercial agreement backing that up. Additionally, in the agreement, the startup can negotiate exclusivity for a pre-determined frame of time, precluding any competitors from making the same agreement. Even at the end of that agreement, should a competitor replicate that same alliance, the first startups will have had first mover advantage – they would have more data for longer to train their models. This is also assuming that the vendor don’t sweeten the renewal of the product partnership in year two. Partner with is a key motion to ensure that the pipe remains open all whilst closing it temporarily from their competitors.

The Gatekeeper is your friend

What happens if the AI solution is sold as a platform and not simply as a pre-built piece of software? Let’s first define platform. A platform means it can support plugins and extensions – it has a core functionality, but different customers can build on top of it. In the software as a service delivery model, the clients download a piece of software that fosters a user experience that doesn’t change from customer to customer; it’s how you use it that does. In the platform delivery model, the client builds on top of a core set of functionalities that they pay for access; the interface may be the same on a customer to customer basis, but the data powering the service is distinct for each user. In the AI world, the delivery model mirrors usually that of SaaS – that is, the customer interacts with an application. It ultimately depends on where the data stems from – from the public as we saw previously, or from the customer, as we shall soon see. The AI software is powered by data on a customer to customer basis –rather than from multiple sources that supports a product that everyone can use. The distinction is nuanced, but the data delivery and ingestion model is not.

A few examples to draw the distinction. Take for instance Infer - they’ve built a predictive analytics and AI applications that makes it easier for their enterprise customers to rank and score their leads, consequently optimizing sales teams’ focus on prospects that are more likely to close. While they’ve built their AI stack by training their models with sample data, the real value – the ROI – for customers is when it’s applied to their own data. Right now Infer competes because it has the best algorithms; but it needs more data from their business customers to 1) show value to those customers and 2) improve their models over time. If you recall Wintellect’s machine learning, Infer has built the ML algorithms, but the data raw data comes from their customers rather than the public. The value of their software is based on the data customer provides to them to learn from; the customer plugs in their data to see the ROI of their solution. Another example - Cylance leverages AI methods to help their enterprise customers predict and thwart cyberattacks that would take place in their network. Sure, they sell an application delivered through mobile and web apps that an administrator can monitor, but the software has to be deployed over the customers’ network. Each customer has to deploy Cylance’s software, and that process looks different from a customer to customer basis because no infrastructure is the same.  The value that Cylance brings is the novelty of their algorithms that already has the base signals to identify malicious behavior; and over time, they will learn from their customers and improve their algorithms’ ability to thwart cyberattacks.

In the case where the AI software is delivered as a platform, the startup selling the service can apply their algorithms to data that is proprietary on a customer to customer basis. Customers provide their network, their infrastructure, their data, and the startup’s AI product lives within that environment. The data is closed off within the walls of the customers they serve, which is more advantageous than the SaaS model in the sense the product can be applied safely within those ringfences. In fact, there’s less of a risk that the product will be devalued because the data stems from the customer rather than the public domain. There is no public data hose that can get cut off at any time; the customer dictates that by signing off on a commercial agreement with their vendor. Additionally, the startups product is very “sticky.” Ripping out the AI powered product from the infrastructure is timely and costly; a competitor will have to build a ROI model that takes in consideration the time necessary to take off the existing service and the loss in business impact by having to wait for the value of the competitive product to materialize.

The challenge then is to scale the business; startups offering an AI driven platform requires heavy upfront development on a customer to customer basis (think professional services) and continual improvement of algorithms that are at risk of being commoditized. It’s incredibly time consuming to deploy a software service within a customers’ network rather than simply deliver it as a software as service. In SaaS you can access the software through a mobile or web app – the onboarding process is pretty straightforward. It takes time and resources (think pre-sales engineers and consultants) to deploy an AI solution delivered in the network. Additionally, the solution being delivered may be differentiable in 2017 because no one else has developed similar algorithms, but that may not be the case for long. Take the AI powered cybersecurity example. There are several software companies – Invincia, Harvest.ai, Niara, Darktrace, Deep instinct to name a few[12] - that tout they address the same or similar use case that Cylance addresses. To play devil’s advocate, security is already a competitive field where differentiation is hard to come by. But if these companies will have differentiate themselves based on the value their algorithms bring to the table, how do they do so? As we’ve seen, to those that have the most data, the best algorithms. The data is where they will have to compete ultimately.

Therefore, startups that sell their AI software as a platform have to be proactive in their go-to-market and data acquisition strategies in two ways. First, to scale the deployment of their software, startups should invest in partnering with professional services firms. Delivering services is a low margin business – if you’re in the business of selling an AI product, minimizing the percentage of your revenue streams stemming from professional services is important for the business to be profitable long term. Partnering with firms that specialize in that – from digital agencies to global system integrators – means that when you win a customer, you can leverage your partners’ trained consultants to do the heavy lifting for you. Additionally, if the startup keeps bringing business to the partner, that partner in turn will proactively sell you solution (and their professional services in tandem) proactively to their customer basis. The startup has doubly protected their own go-to-market and opened up a new route to win customers that they don’t have the time or the bandwidth to go after. Second, the startup should learn as much from the data collected from their individual customers, and from there, improve their algorithm. If a vendor is in the market first, and their survival in a few years is dictated on the premise that their technology is superior, everything stems from data.

Oligopolistic Competition?

In the use cases previously discussed, we’ve argued that data is at the root of the algorithms. If algorithms are to get commoditized, why should startups continue to focus on developing their own? Won’t they simply get replaced by what these large vendors are already building? Amazon, Google, and Microsoft are already building out their own AI services and selling them as RESTful APIs. These vendors are collecting terabytes of data to feed into those services – making the products more intelligent, more resourceful, and ultimately, sticker for developers to embed in their own applications. Why compete with these behemoths if they already have such a head start?

The answer may be rooted in history. Salesforce sells a CRM product that is built on the infrastructure of cloud computing – it’s delivering a service over the internet. Amazon provides the infrastructure – networking, data storage & processing, virtual machines – to that type of service. These two giants announced a recent partnership where Amazon will power Salesforce’s product. Why is this relevant to our discussion? The two provide different services but on the same principle – that of cloud computing. Google and Microsoft provide the foundation for AI, but startups can actually build on top of what they’ve already done. Just as Salesforce sells a specific application (CRM) on top of the foundation of cloud computing, startups can actually build vertically focused applications on top of the foundation of Machine Learning algorithms (which Microsoft, Google, and Amazon is now building). Remember Kespry, the drone and analytics as service startup? They build off their object recognition for hail detection algorithms on top of Google TensorFlow. Moreover, Google and Microosft can’t be everywhere at once – the standard argument that big companies can’t be everywhere at once prevails once again.  Take startup called ScaleAPI – they’re building a set of cognitive service APIs that facilitate “human intelligence.” More specifically they offer four distinct AI products (delivered as APIs): Image annotation, Audio Transcription, Categorization, Comparison, Data Collection. These are use cases that Microsoft and Google could address, but have chosen not to yet. Perhaps on one day they may copy ScaleAPI, but that action would only support the thesis of this argument: that ScaleAPI may be ahead of them by that point, because of the breadth and depth of data collected up to that point and fed into their ML algorithms.

It ultimately comes down to the data. It’s the newest currency in the digital world – the equivalent of gold in the 1848 era.  And as history has shown, those that find the gold (data) first, wins the most riches (customers and revenue streams).

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[1] For a full account of the AI data marketing’s take on AI as a service, navigate to: https://channel9.msdn.com/Events/UKDX/Introducing-AI

[2] I draw that conclusion based on the fact that Google sees 3.5 billion searches a month to DuckDuckGo’s 15 million on average (source: http://duckduckgo.com/traffic.html) . Perhaps it’s a marketing issue that prevents DuckDuckGo from seeing higher volumes, but for the purpose of this article I’m assuming it’s because users have developed muscle memory to use Google, as the search engine has repeatedly proven their results to be the most accurate (thanks to their years of ML training) and delivered reliably (thanks to their prodigal and globally distributed server infrastructure).

[3] The Economist, May 6th, 2017. Two articles provided the fountain of sources for this essay: “The world’s most valuable resource,” pg 9; and “Fuel of the future,” pg. 19 – 22.

[4] Though pundits would argue their exits aren’t bad either considering we may be in the middle of AI’s overhyped promise. Only time will tell.

[5] http://aiplaybook.a16z.com/docs/guides/ai

[6] Ibid.

[7] https://medium.com/safegraph/a-non-technical-introduction-to-machine-learning-b49fce202ae8

[8] For the sake of simplicity we do not dive into supervised vs unsupervised learning, but for more on the subject, the aforementioned footnote provides a solid introduction to the subject. The book Artificial Intelligence: What Everyone Needs to Know by Jerry Kaplan provides a fundamental overview of AI as well.

[9] https://venturebeat.com/2017/05/28/tech-giants-acquired-34-ai-startups-in-q1-2017/

[10] https://venturebeat.com/2017/05/17/doordash-sees-25-lift-from-ai-recommendations/

[11]  From DoorDash terms and conditions, “You hereby grant the Company a perpetual, irrevocable, transferable, fully paid, royalty-free, non-exclusive, worldwide, fully sublicenseable right and license to use, copy, display, publish, modify, remove, publicly perform, translate, create derivative works, distribute and/or otherwise use the User Content in connection with the Company’s business and in all forms now known or hereafter invented (“Uses”), without notification to and/or approval by you.” Source: https://www.doordash.com/terms/

[12] http://www.nanalyze.com/2017/04/6-ai-cybersecurity-startups/

[seanmeverett]

Diary of a Madman, Page 40

11,000 people peering inside, you’re one of the chosen.

I. This Week’s Analyses [Biologic Intelligence]

One of our newest contributors, Olivia Jeffers, wrote a four-part miniseries on consciousness that also overlaps with the things we’ve been discussing about Biologic Intelligence. She wrote it independently of every talking to us, but once we saw it, we just had to share it with you.

In her own words, “with growing interest in consciousness, there are so many ways to ask the questions: what makes us, us?”

Part I: The Mind of Matter, Delving into Consciousness

Part II: The Hardware of Us, A Forest of Neurons

Part III: The Biology of Machines, Neuromorphic Computing

Part IV: Transistor, Meet Neuron

And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

The Deep Learning Rut [FEATURED]: our experience with human behavior when the disrupters get disrupted.

An Update on Gravity Drives [fountainhead, free]: a new form of propulsion in space has been peer reviewed and still seems to break the (known) laws of physics.

AI Chips & China’s Robotics [fountainhead]: what 2,000 companies and 800 startups have in common.

IoT 2017 Trends Report [fountainhead]:

The Economic Valuation of Your Brain [fountainhead]: know your own worth.

4-Part Mini-Series on Biologic Intelligence [fountainhead]: introducing the new knowledge to the private group before this more public one.

II. Insights From Silicon Valley Executive Summit on IoT

Last week I attended a private executive at the Silicon Valley country club with 200 other senior executives. The topic was on IoT, especially sensors, industrials, and self-driving. Of course we took copious notes, but they are confidential and not to be shared.

However, I will provide a few summary insights we had while attending and talking to some of the folks:

IoT: still in the discussion phase, but as we get to 2020 about 60% of companies will be in the POC phase (from a survey of 150 large companies). However, autonomous use cases are very exciting.

Modernization: many of the industrial machinery doesn’t get replaced or modernized very often as some things (like chemical processing or smelting) will run continuously for years without shutting down for maintenance or upgraded sensors.

Pair Programming: even automotive has more experience with physical objects and not software. But the software engineers don’t have experience in the industry verticals. So, to build properly you need a domain expert sitting next to a software expert.

Predictive Analytics: state of the art is only about 65% accurate. It needs to be closer to 98% and can’t continue to struggle with the value proposition with customers.

$15T Market Size: nobody is capturing much of this, most startups only get to about $10M in MRR. The reason is because the industry isn’t showing real value that business leaders can get behind. That is, “Our system increases oil throughput by 10%”. That’s huge and gets investment from the CEO on day 1.

Budget Cycles: whatever you’re selling often needs to fit within a 2–3 year enterprise budget cycle.

Big Requirement: affordable sensors.

Healthcare: all focused around reducing Sepsis, because it directly saves peoples lives. And predictive analytics along with electronic health records help with that.

Customer Adoption: the two biggest barriers to adoption are 1) security and 2) price, from the 150 company survey.

Self-Driving: you can drive a single route thousands of times, collect all the relevant sensor data, and perform extremely well using the mathematic models built. But if you place those same sensors on a different car and try to use the same data and models, your self-driving car will no longer work. Have to start from scratch. That doesn’t include weather or other driving variables.

Autonomous Trucking: the cloud is key for weather and traffic information, along with V2V communication systems for trucks to drive one in front of the other, draft, and reduce fuel consumption (the margins are so thin that fuel prices determine profitability).

III. Twitter Trolls

It’s an inevitability. If you do anything of relevance, you’re going to get anonymous people discounting what you’ve done or trying to bait you into something that makes no sense. In this Sunday’s episode, our Deep Learning Rut post got shared far and wide, blew up a bit, and we had some random dude who doesn’t say who he is try to bait us into giving away our IP for free.

We simply offered for him to email us from his large cap company email address, we can sign mutual NDAs and get a real POC set up for his business, just like we’re doing with many others across automotive, energy, smart cities, and industrials.

As you might have guessed, no such email came through and he went away immediately after.

The lesson here is two fold:

Don’t back down from trolls. Instead, flip the script on them and call their bluff.

Use it as a chance to double check if your strategy makes sense. If it does, then double down as we have done.

For us, that means we’re not publishing scientific research to give away our IP. We’re a company, we file patents, and sometimes we might not even do that to keep our discoveries out of the wrong hands. There are bad actors everywhere who would hope to use our invention we created for good, used for very bad things. No thank you.

IV. Newsworthy News

Predictive Accuracy: when you beat the WSJ by 3 months on Amazon’s self-driving program.

General Intelligence: CB Insights is great, but they sure missed PROME didn’t they. Not everything you read captures 100% of the market. Be wary.

Flying Cars: yep, they’re real now.

AirPods: being reviewed forthwith.

The Information: a history of our technical comments.

Magazines: comparing covers.

Taxes: where your US dollars actually go.

Magic: Every trick consists of 3 parts. The last is The Prestige.

Apple: hiring people from NASA. Apple space ships.

DARPA: boy do we have something for you.

Science: Neil de Grasse gets woke on science. Laws of the universe versus rules of mankind. One can be broken, the other cannot.

US vs China: Problem we see, America values and focus on consumer apps, surface, and sex appeal. We’re not building infrastructure like China.

Video: You might be surprised to learn that Netflix has yet to do a single acquisition.

Physics: Intelligence woven into the fabric of spacetime itself? A fractal? Don’t be a threat to the universe. It’s listening.

Spam: A few of my favorite things: When you get clearly spam emails, reply with the pitch for your product. Just judo it.

Space Tech: a good roundup of the players. Don’t forget about our analysis. What Interstellar Travel feels like.

Investing: Space Angels has a new brand and site. Kudos.

FinTech: 64-page report.

Presidential Letters: stay involved, citizens.

New Book: right up our alley.

Security: not even the air gap is secure.

Music: another one.

Amazon: Every $1 out of $6 that Amazon earns is from their logistics business, growing 36% YoY.

Ford: they get it.

Haaaavard: be careful, your biases.

Ethereum: all the way up.

Everybody who’s anybody started as nobody.

— Sean

Read The Rest

In one list or: 39, 38, 37, 36, 35, 34, 33, 32, 31, 30, 29, 28, 27, 26, 25, 24, 23, 22, 21, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

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Humanizing Tech is a premium technological think tank for building humanity’s future. It covers Biologic Intelligence, autonomous robotics, self-learning AI, superhuman augmentation, personal hedge funds, editable DNA, SAAS space platforms, personal power stations, and video as an app. This newsletter is a peek inside the Editor’s mind.

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