Netflix is killing content piracy

Legitimate streaming content providers are achieving what was impossible for Hollywood to get right: they are stamping out piracy by making available the shows people want to enjoy at reasonable cost and with maximum convenience.

That’s borne out in independent research commissioned by Vocus Group NZ which confirms piracy is dying a natural death as more New Zealanders choose to access their content legitimately. “In short, the reason people are moving away from piracy is that it’s simply more hassle than it’s worth,” says Taryn Hamilton, Consumer General Manager at Vocus Group New Zealand which operates brands including Slingshot, Orcon and Flip.

Hamilton says Kiwi consumers are a savvy lot, too. While the research shows that in general people don't have much appetite for pirating, there is much higher agreement that ‘It would be almost impossible to stop people doing this’. “The simple fact for those who know anything about the internet, is that censoring the internet doesn’t work. People know there are multiple sites where it is possible to download illegal material. They also know that blocking the most popular ones simply means you’ll get pirated material elsewhere.”

See the full story here: http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1902/S00685/netflix-is-killing-content-piracy.htm

TikTok gaining on Facebook with 1 billion downloads

While Facebook might have global name recognition, TikTok is a giant in the social media space, especially in Asia. The app was created by Chinese company ByteDance, which has been privately valued at $75 billion according to Reuters, putting it on par with the country's biggest tech companies. But it's not without its problems -- the app recently came under fire with claims it was a "hunting ground" for abusers.

In a world where social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are constantly iterating to stay relevant and updating to woo young users (even attempting to create their own versions of the video sharing app), TikTok is a force to be reckoned with.

The 1 billion download figure is also only part of the story -- it includes TikTok's lite app versions and regional variations, according to Yeh, but not the number of downloads the app has received on Android in China (where it is known as Douyin). It also only points to how many times the app has been downloaded, but not how many of these users stick around and stay active.

See the full story here: https://www.cnet.com/news/tiktok-gaining-on-facebook-with-1-billion-downloads-according-to-reports

Random Item Generator — A Story About Joy and Exploding Kittens

We had to learn a lot in a very short amount of time. We learned that balloon animals were a huge crowd favorite, and so we had to frantically watch YouTube videos backstage to learn how to make them.  We learned that in many states you have to be a registered grocer to have produce delivered to a convention hall, so Exploding Kittens is now a registered grocer in 14 states. We learned that we could interact with the audience on a personal level, like when we spotted someone dressed as Daenerys Targaryen (the Mother of Dragons from Game of Thrones) in line, we bedazzled an entire watermelon so that when she got to the front of the line, we could instantly deliver a dragon egg and blow up her brain.

We worked so hard to play with the crowd, and they played right back.

They wrote love notes to the machine, and one person actually proposed marriage (for which she received a massive bouquet of 50 red roses). People shared their stories all over the convention floor, in the hallways, and on social media. It was one of the biggest hits at every convention we brought it to.

See the full story here: https://makezine.com/2019/02/28/exploding-kittens-vending-machine/

Hands-on with Microsoft Hololens 2 (video)

Watch the video here: https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2019/02/27/microsoft-hololens-2-augmented-reality-orig.cnn-business/video/playlists/business-news/

Video: Jump in the BMW iNext thanks to Virtual Reality

With the 2021 iNEXT, BMW aims to deliver a car like no other in its range today. ...

BMW is studying human behavior and how we interact with one another and wants the personal assistant on board the BMW iNext to work like a friend instead of a computer. In that regard, the car’s software will know how to read your body language and actual words to figure out what to do. The video below shows that thanks to a virtual reality simulation. In the video, a person is going for a joyride and admiring the scenery.

That’s probably going to be possible as BMW is promising Level 4 autonomous functions on the iNext, which allow you to take your hands off the wheel and your eyes off the road completely. Then, just by pointing at things you look at, you can give your car various commands.
See the full story here: https://www.bmwblog.com/2019/02/27/video-jump-in-the-bmw-inext-thanks-to-virtual-reality/

We’ve Been to Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and Life Will Never Be the Same

This is a lengthy mid-c0nstruction walk-thru with lots of images!

https://io9.gizmodo.com/weve-been-to-star-wars-galaxys-edge-and-life-will-never-1832878349

“Designing” A Successful Career Path: UX As A Profession

It is imperative that those on the verge of deciding a career path consider UX/UI as a prospect after reading this article, because it is not just a design approach – rather it is a communication process which will reap huge benefits both for professionals and users in the long run. The digital realm has transcended business ideology from customer service to ‘customer experience’, offering engagement through customization and personalization.

[The article contains brief descriptions of these careers;]

• User Research
• Usability Analyst
• Information Architect
• Interactive Designer
• Visual Designer
• UX Designer

See the full story here: http://bweducation.businessworld.in/article/-Designing-A-Successful-Career-Path-UX-As-A-Profession/27-02-2019-167600/

The Weather Channel uses virtual reality to reveal the terrifying danger of frozen lakes

[PhilNote - good video at the link.]

In his latest IMR segment, which takes viewers above and below the ice, Elliot says people should never venture onto a lake that they’re unfamiliar with. Ice thickness varies across the lakes, he says, noting that four inches is the recommended minimum thickness for ice fishing. Even when there’s a foot of frozen ice available — enough to support a pickup truck — drivers still need to be cautious, he says.

“Make sure to drive slowly and stay at least 50 feet away from other vehicles,” Elliot says. “The weight of the truck alone can create waves that shift and crack nearby ice, making it extremely dangerous.

See the full post here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2019/02/28/weather-channel-uses-virtual-reality-reveal-terrifying-danger-frozen-lakes/?utm_term=.1b5616be5f1d

Also:

‘We’re able to give people a real sense for what to expect.’

https://www.theverge.com/2019/1/18/18188594/winter-storm-harper-ice-snow-the-weather-channel-video-graphics

Why augmented reality is the future of smart toys

PaiBotz

A lot of parents are looking to cut down on kids' screen time; an entire Toy Fair panel titled "Screenless Is In" was devoted to covering tech toys that don't use screens. So it's safe to say that toys with corresponding AR apps aren't going to be popular with parents unless they combine recreation with learning.

PaiBotz is one such toy that strikes that balance. It teaches young children about Block-based coding languages and techniques like sequencing and looping. But not just through the AR app shown above, but also through the 150 physical building blocks your kid will use to build and rebuild the robot.

Pictionary Air

At the other end of the spectrum from the highly independent Hidden Side LEGO sets, Pictionary Air relies entirely on augmented reality tech for its playing experience: You draw in the air using a light-tracked pen, in front of someone holding a phone or tablet camera. The camera tracks your drawing and projects it onto the screen for everyone else to see, and they guess what you're drawing.

See the full story here; https://www.techradar.com/news/why-augmented-reality-is-the-future-of-smart-toys

Kyoto temple enlists Android Buddhist deity to help people

The 100 million yen ($909,090) project to build the android was a collaboration between the zen temple and Hiroshi Ishiguro, professor of intelligent robotics at Osaka University.

The temple asked Ishiguro and his team to develop an android that can preach Buddhist teachings in an easily understood manner to help give peace of mind to troubled people.

The android, named Mindar, is programmed to deliver a “sermon” from the Heart Sutras in Japanese. The translated versions of English and Chinese are projected on a screen.

Mindar, which has a camera installed in its left eye, stands 195 centimeters tall, including the base, and weighs 60 kilograms.

It can move its head, as well as arms and torso, which have see-through mechanical parts.

The Kannon deity transforms itself into various forms to help people.

“This time, Kannon changed into an android,” according to the temple.

See the full story here: http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201902240022.html?fbclid=IwAR1FT8mOzx5Byu3DFOyukNyndrTl9CbCgCBzymcMqQPKXD2fsJPOBAzYxTo