Technology • Innovation • Publishing — Issue #195

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Saw a lot of cool things to share this week. Scroll through until you find the stuff that interests you!

Innovation

Consider ROL (Return on Learning) rather than ROI

rishad.substack.com

The always thought-provoking ⁦@rishad on the importance of companies considering ROL (Return on Learning) when it comes to the super-charged technological changes that are coming fast #AR #VR #MR #Gaming#Metaverse #Voice

Google is beta testing its AI future with AI Test Kitchen — www.theverge.com

At Google’s I/O conference, the company again stressed the importance of AI. But it also wants to take things slow and is releasing a new app, AI Test Kitchen, to solicit feedback from select users on its latest AI experiments. #AI

Music festivals are a UX nightmare. Here’s how Snap and Live Nation are fixing them — www.fastcompany.com 
Snap’s new lenses debut at the Electric Daisy Carnival, where they’ll provide maps, set lists, and directions to your friends in the crowd.

Breaking down language barriers with augmented reality — www.youtube.com

HT @benedictevans At Google IO, they demoed a concept pair of AR glasses with a heads-up display that can listen to someone talking and show you a text translation in real time. #AR

Google has added 24 new languages to Translate, many using ‘zero shot’ learning, where the model does not need to see an English translation to understand how to make its own.

ai.googleblog.com

HT @benedictevans

Immersive view coming soon to Maps

blog.google

HT @benedictevans Maps gains a fly-over 3D view generated automatically from a combination of street view and satellite images (no more aircraft surveys needed).

Gucci to accept crypto in leap for luxury industry — www.voguebusiness.com 
The pilot, which will start in five stores later this month, is a significant step toward Gucci blending its Web3 and physical communities.

Inside the smell-o-verse: Meet the companies trying to bring scent to the metaverse — www.fastcompany.com

#metaverse

Technology

Estimate how many people using your website might be disabled — how-many.herokuapp.com

HT @LauraB7 A great tool to build awareness! #a11y

Google Search may feel like magic, but the engine’s efficacy relies on hourly employees who work for a subcontractor.

finance.yahoo.com

Much of search is driven by other human beings. Despite advances in AI, machine learning, and deep learning, “companies can’t rely solely on predictive analytics; that’s why the human element continues to be essential to search.”

A neuroscientist on the shifts in our media use and the effect on our brains— www.fastcompany.com

A psychiatrist and Harvard Medical faculty member on the gradual erosion of human connection to our digital lives. Today’s young adults have media attention spans significantly closer to those of three-year-olds than to those of adults.

The Enduring Afterlife of a Mass Shooting’s Livestream Online: Dozens of recordings of a 2019 massacre in Christchurch, New Zealand, remain online, in a sobering reminder of the internet’s permanence.

www.nytimes.com

MT @cyberslate Persistence is the problem. Not only should citizens have the right to be forgotten to avoid data doubles and data brokers, all citizens should have the freedom to navigate the internet free from extremist content #disinformation

Amazon is testing a service that uses its Flex drivers to deliver packages from mall-based retailers, expanding the variety of goods available for fast shipment

www.bloomberg.com

#Amazon

Digital blackmail and endless threats: scammy loan apps soar across India

restofworld.org 
Nearly half of the digital lending apps available in India between January and February 2021 were illegal, as per the central bank.

Microsoft hid Bing autofill in the US for politically sensitive Chinese names, affecting Windows search; Microsoft blames a technical error

www.wsj.com

How private equity gobbled up the US economy — and ruined life for everyone else

www.motherjones.com

(Not a technology story, but super interesting.)

Now non-Tesla EVs can use its Superchargers in the UK, Spain, Sweden, and Austria — www.theverge.com

TikTok continue their push into commerce w a shopping bag icon in livestreams

techcrunch.com

HT @neilperkin Clicking on the shopping bag icon opens a window where users can browse featured products. They’re also working on a live mobile gaming feature which creators can use to better engage fans.

Meta-owned WhatsApp Offers Pay Button in Brazil, India

www.pymnts.com

HT @neilperkin This will make it easier for customers to buy from businesses through the platform. No small thing given WhatsApp has over 2 billion MAUs

WhatsApp ramps up revenue with global launch of Cloud API and soon, a paid tier for its Business App

techcrunch.com

HT @neilperkin The API will make it simpler for companies to integrate the service and customize it for communicating with their customers.

Snapchat Reveals Integration With eBay — www.adweek.com

Snapchatters can now share listings from eBay directly via the Snapchat camera on Android and iOS — following an integration between the application and the ecommerce site. They can share listings in Stories, Snaps.

Snapchat is working on Family Center, to let parents see who their teens are friends with and whom they are messaging; teens have the option to not participate

techcrunch.com

#Snap

Marriott is introducing a media network with Yahoo that will use the hotel chain’s data on guests to deliver ads to their rooms via apps and TV screens

www.wsj.com

Marriott will use anonymized data on its guests to help brands target their ads. Walmart, Kroger, DoorDash and others have taken similar tacks, which come amid new privacy efforts. #AdvertisingBiz

Axel Springer and Snap launch global partnership for digital journalism

www.axelspringer.com

They will work on new models of reporting and invest in AR news experiences.

Publishing & Media

Under pressure: the authors’ perspective

www.thebookseller.com

Publishing’s big burnout is real, and authors have particular challenges to contend with. “We must identify how we are feeling and talk about it, acknowledging that writers at all stages are feeling depleted and disillusioned. We have been through major trauma, and it is ongoing.”

EPUB 3.3 now available for testing/feedback

www.w3.org

MT @wendy_a_reid EPUB 3.3 is now a Candidate Recommendation, which means it is time for testing and feedback. #publishing #eprdctn #epub

A thread of articles about ebook accessibility

twitter.com

MT @ePubSecrets In honor of Global Accessibility Awareness Day, a thread of article about ebook accessibility. #GAAD2022 #GAADI #a11y #eprdctn

Low-content books (such as planners and notebooks) no longer require an ISBN in Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing

www.kdpcommunity.com

MT @inkbitspixels

The ‘Atlantic’ to Launch Book Imprint with Zando — www.publishersweekly.com 
Atlantic Editions, a book imprint developed in partnership with independent publisher Zando, will publish its first titles, penned by ‘Atlantic’ writers, in January 2023.

What are editors looking for? — www.penguin.co.uk

A nice series from @PenguinUKBooks #teamPRH

How to pitch your book to an agent — www.penguin.co.uk

From @PenguinUKBooks #teamPRH

What are different book formats good at?

hughmcguire.medium.com

By @hughmcguire, part of a series on “What is a ‘book’ in the digital age?”

Barnes & Noble Being Sued by VA GOP lawmaker

bookriot.com

Virginia Republican lawmaker Tim Anderson is suing Barnes and Noble for selling books that promote LGBTQ rights. It is no longer just about banning books in schools — they are now coming for private businesses.

PEN America Index of Educational Gag Orders

docs.google.com

I was surprised that NY, NJ, and PA were listed! MT @PENamerica If you live in the United States, it’s likely that your state legislature or school district has either passed an educational gag order or is considering doing so. Check your state in our Index of Educational Gag Orders, updated weekly.

Educational Gag Orders In Your Community: A Tip Sheet for Changing the Conversation

pen.org

RT @PENamerica Want to do something about educational gag orders? Here’s a handy tip sheet to help change the conversation in your community.

Over 1,300 Children’s and YA Authors Condemn Book Banning

diversebooks.org

Teens fight book banning with their own banned book clubs

www.goodmorningamerica.com

Books to bring us together: Jennifer Egan, Howard Jacobson, Monica Ali and more share their picks

www.theguardian.com

Can books unite us in divided times? Writers appearing at this year’s Hay Festival recommend the best reading to reconnect us.

Candle Media acquires digital publisher ATTN: for $150 million

www.axios.com 
The deal gives ATTN: capital and access to Candle’s portfolio companies and creator relationships.

Hearst, known for its legacy media properties, has been buying up business information and B2B data and software companies.

finance.yahoo.com

Conde Nast backtracked after notifying a 150-year-old pub in rural England (in a village called Vogue) that its “Vogue” name might “cause problems.”— www.bbc.com 
The landlord of the Star Inn at Vogue says he found Condé Nast’s request “hilariously funny”.

The Believer, bought by a marketing company, briefly hosted clickbait content. After a scandal ensued, it is now back with its first publisher, McSweeney’s

www.nytimes.com

Scripps, Google Partner on Broadcast Journalism Initiative to help journalists with print news backgrounds transition into broadcast news careers

www.tvtechnology.com

#NewsBusiness

Resources & Opportunities

The Women’s Media Group Establishes New Annual Scholarship to Support Women in Media…”named in tribute” to myself and former Co-President Julie Blattberg

www.womensmediagroup.org

I am honored! More to come as we establish this new scholarship. “This new annual award strengthens and expands WMG’s longstanding mission to provide financial aid to women with diverse backgrounds pursuing careers in any aspect of publishing or media. Named in tribute to outgoing leaders Julie Blattberg and Kathy Sandler and intended to honor the commitment of all past presidents, the Presidents Emeritae Award is structured to enable WMG to address a situationally specific need or current priorities of our membership.” @JulieBlattberg @WMG_NYC

MT @bluestockings Save the Date! The Lower East Side Book Crawl is back in time for Pride! Saturday, June 11th, with new stores to explore and new treats to pick up. See you then!

Read & Vote

sites.prh.com

MT @OneWorldLit We at One World are excited to introduce #ReadAndVote! Every Friday until midterm elections, we’ll be providing you with a curated selection of books to help inform your decisions, as well as voting resources so you can take action! #teamPRH

Free at-home COVID-19 tests mailed to you

www.covid.gov

Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order 8 free at-home tests.

Free COVID rapid test kits in NYC to pick up

www1.nyc.gov

MT @nycshotslots Many NYC libraries and museums are giving out FREE rapid test kits. No forms, no lines, and you don’t need insurance.