Innovation
Microsoft shows off its vision for future meetings, with your colleagues as holograms floating in space — www.cnbc.com
MT @CathyHackl Microsoft’s #Mesh cloud service people can share #holograms, speak with one another, make doodles and appear as #virtual#avatars. #Microsoft #future
Inside Apple’s ambitious next decade, where it could redefine consumer tech with a VR headset, foldable iPhone, and even an Apple Car — www.businessinsider.com
HT @TechInsider
AI narrated audiobooks
HT @Porter_Anderson, @thecreativepenn @pubperspectives Part of the Google Play beta. #voicefirst #AI
Technology
Instagram will let you broadcast live video with more people — www.cnet.com
Instagram is rolling out a new tool, called Live Rooms, that will allow users to livestream video with three other people. Previously, you could only go live with one other person. #instagram
‘Be Human and Be Fallible’: Brands Test the Waters on Clubhouse — www.adweek.com
Kool-Aid, Square and Slice have made their debut, but there’s no real playbook.
The Era of Audio Creators Has Arrived — www.nytimes.com
A new company called Audio Collective has launched to help build businesses on Clubhouse as brands rush to leverage the platform. Audio creators are a new kind of influencer, born of the meteoric rise of the audio-only chat app Clubhouse. Together, they are pulling in millions of weekly listeners and building online followings.
Meet Dispo, A New Instagram Rival That’s Already the 4th-Most-Downloaded Social Media App — www.entrepreneur.com
The recently launched photo sharing app, Dispo, is a hit with users and investors for its simple and nostalgic concept. via @Entrepreneur@SoyEntrepreneur
Publishing & Media
Time launching Time Business print magazine and new vertical — mrmagazine.wordpress.com
via @mrmagazine
‘Rolling Stone’ Launches Its Twitch Channel — www.forbes.com
Rolling Stone has launched a live streaming channel on Twitch five days a week. The channel will host an array of guests: both emerging and established musicians, comedians, actors, political figures, and journalists. #twitch
PRH Audio Launches Ahab Voiceover Casting Platform
Roku to acquire Nielsen’s advanced TV advertising division, which includes video ad insertion capabilities
Deal gives Roku access to the technology to scale digital TV ads
Netflix is pushing into short videos that viewers watch on their phones, putting it in closer competition with TikTok — www.bloomberg.com
The problem for Paramount+ (and every other streamer)? Everyone already has Netflix. — www.vox.com
The streaming competition from Netflix, Apple, and HBO means people are less likely to pay for multiple services.
Columbia, Howard University to Launch Black Studies Book Series, Diversity Program
www.publishersweekly.com
Columbia University Press, in collaboration with Howard University and Columbia University, is launching a new Black studies book series, with plans to also recruit and train students for the book industry.
Kid Lit Community Rallies Against Anti-Asian Racism — www.publishersweekly.com
RT @BookPostUSA .@diversebooks founder Stacey Lee & @Asian_Authorsfounder Kat Cho teamed up with other kid lit writers like @tracichee, @DebbiMichiko, and Van Hoang to help put an end to anti-Asian racism.
2021 Children’s Book Week Poster Unveiled — www.publishersweekly.com
Author-illustrator Bryan Collier has designed the official poster for the 2021 Children’s Book Week, which will take place May 3–9 and November 8–14.
Female Athletes Are Undercovered. These Olympians Want to Change That — www.nytimes.com
Alex Morgan, Sue Bird, Simone Manuel and Chloe Kim teamed up to create TOGETHXR, a media and commerce company designed to elevate women’s voices. #media
New Scientist sold to Daily Mail owner DMGT for £70m
Square acquires majority of Tidal, Jay-Z’s streaming service, in $297 million deal. — www.nytimes.com
Jay-Z bought Tidal in partnership with other artists in 2015 for $56 million. It will be led by an interim director from Square under Jack Dorsey.
Citing privacy concerns, Google says it won’t use technologies that track individuals across multiple websites — www.wsj.com
The Alphabet company said that it plans next year to stop using or investing in tracking technologies that uniquely identify web users as they move from site to site across the internet. #Google
US efforts to force Google, Facebook to pay for news gain steam — nypost.com
Australia’s bold move to force tech giants to start paying for the news appears to be reigniting US efforts to hold Google and Facebook to pay for news.
Resources & Opportunities
Internship Grant Program for children’s or adult publishing
RT @diversebooks WNDB’s 2021 Internship Grant application is OPEN! Are you of a diverse background & looking to work in children’s OR adult publishing? We’re offering $3,000 grants, at least 20 for children’s publishing & at least 10 for our NEW adult program! Info: http://bit.ly/2021IGPapply
Free IPG International Publishing Forum
independentpublishersguild.6connex.eu
RT @ipghq Publishers: join us for our free International Publishing Forum next week! Great speakers and top networking on Tuesday 9 and Wednesday 10 March #ipf21
The 2nd Annual National Antiracist Book Festival 4/24
MT @AntiracismCtr Join us virtually on Saturday, April 24, for panel discussions with critically acclaimed antiracist writers, as well as workshops for the next generation of writers.
Applications Open March 3 for Binc Foundation 2021 Higher Education Scholarship Program
MT @BincFoundation “We are proud to support booksellers and comic shop people investing in their families’ futures through Binc’s higher education scholarship program,” said Binc Executive Director. #scholarshipopportunities
San Diego Comic-Con 2021 Canceled: Will Be Virtual Only — www.hollywoodreporter.com
San Diego Comic-Con organizers say that a smaller, in-person component is being planned for November.
PBS Open Call for Emerging Filmmakers
pbsproducerhandbook.bento-live.pbs.org
HT @theblerdgurl PBS has issued an open call for proposals to support long and short form documentaries produced and created by diverse/BIPOC filmmakers that explore a broad range and collection of experiences, perspectives, and points of view.
Univision News Launches Search Tool to Help Hispanics Find their Nearest COVID-19 Immunization Location
RT @jczamora >>@Univision launches search tool to help Hispanics find their nearest COVID-19 immunization location: https://bit.ly/38drlJ3 A partnership between @UniNoticias and @BostonChildrens’ @VaccineFinder
Teachers, school staff, & childcare workers can get vaccinated at pharmacies
MT @MarkLevineNYC Big change for vaccinations in NYC:==> CDC just announced teachers, school staff & workers in child care are eligible at pharmacies (in addition to 65+) Walgreens has already updated its website
NYC’s vaccine effort is hiring
RT @jbray1027 NYC’s vaccine effort is hiring! We’re hiring 2,000 New Yorkers to work on City-run vaccination efforts as part of the Vaccine for All Corps. No healthcare experience is required for many positions. Apply here: http://nyc.gov/vaccinejobs And spread the word.
Rethink Education to Invest $5mm in Seed Stage, Underrepresented Founders
RT @Rethink_Ed We are officially launching Rethink Equity, our allocation of $5mm to underrepresented founders helping solve some of education’s toughest issues. For more information or to pitch, email equity@rteducation.
Universal Solicitation for Broadband: Citywide RFP
RT @NYC_CTO NYC is taking major steps to close the digital divide with an historic $157 million investment and launching a request for proposals for modern, innovative, equitable broadband infrastructure.