Technology • Innovation • Publishing — Issue #171
Innovation
Snap, Allrecipes Stir Up Food Scan Feature for Snapchat — www.adweek.com
Snap Inc. teamed up w Allrecipes on a new computer vision-powered feature for the Snapchat camera, Food Scan. It will recommend recipes from Allrecipes based on more than 1,200 ingredients understood via the Snapchat camera, to make more than 4,500 dishes. (Although I wouldn’t take a pic of eggs on my counter.)
Facebook Reaches for More Realistic VR With Haptic Gloves — apple.news
The company has unveiled a new prototype wearable that mimics the feeling of handling real objects in the virtual world. #VR
Who’s building the metaverse?
ICYMI HT @nycmedialab A good overview of metaverse players #metaverse
With the Metaverse on the way, an AI bill of rights is urgent
Calls for an AI bill of rights grow as thought leaders continue to raise serious concerns about the technology. #AI
Buy 12 Books, Get an NFT: How One Author Got Orders for a Million Books
Entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk told his followers that he’d give them one NFT for every 12 books they bought. One responded by ordering 1,008 hardcovers. #BookPublishing
The NFL is attaching NFTs to some tickets this season, and the Lions Thanksgiving game is on the list
www.theverge.com
Virtual Commemorative Ticket NFTs are coming to selected NFL games this year. The NFL will highlight the promotion during the nationally broadcast Lions vs. Bears game on Thanksgiving to make sure everyone asks, “What are NFTs?”
NYC Media Lab & Bertelsmann: NFT & Blockchain in the Music, Book Publishing & TV Industries
@nycmedialab x Bertelsmann NFT & Blockchain Challenge — open to university (grad students + faculty) & startup teams. Each participating team will receive up to $5K. The 12-week challenge will begin in Feb. and conclude with a Demo Day in May. #NFT
Technology
New Starbucks Pickup store in NYC uses Amazon Go cashierless technology
To get your coffee from this Starbucks Pickup with Amazon Go location, preorder your drink using the Starbucks app, choose the store at “59th between Park & Lex w/Amazon Go,” then head to the store where it will be waiting on a counter. Drink orders that are in progress will be displayed on a digital screen above the counter. The store has a lounge and seating area (which seems to contradict the “get in, get out fast” concept). To enter the Amazon Go market area and the seating area, you’ll use the “in-store code” from the Amazon app, then insert your credit card or scan the palm of your hand if you’re already registered with its Amazon One program that launched in its Go stores in Seattle last year. 2 other stores are planned in 2022.
Amazon customers blocked from using Visa credit cards in the UK
www.telegraph.co.uk
The dispute relates to high transaction fees charged by the credit card brand
Amazon agrees to pay $500,000 in California over claims that it hid Covid-19 cases from workers.
Apple Finally Lets You Repair Your Own iPhone
When big tech buys small tech
‘Big tech’ buys hundreds of startups, but what are they, what does that mean for competition, and how does this fit into the broader market? How many more Instagrams are there, and how many DAOs? Analysis from @benedictevans.
Google Cloud outage crashed Snapchat, Spotify and others worldwide
apple.news
A networking issue with Google Cloud down several major websites including Spotify, Snapchat and Discord. The issues appeared after 12pm ET and were fixed more than two hours later.
Discord is quietly building an app empire of bots
Facebook Hands Out Cash To Creators To Boost Clubhouse Rival
MT @kyurieff Facebook is trying to boost its Clubhouse competitor by offering creators $10,000 to $50,000 *per session* to host Live Audio Rooms on its app, plus a fee for guests of $10,000 or more. With @bysarahkrouse
How Facebook and Google fund global misinformation
MT @_KarenHao Over the past few weeks, the Facebook Papers have reaffirmed that FB has fueled the spread of hate speech & misinfo around the world. But there’s a crucial piece missing from the story. FB isn’t just amplifying misinfo. The company is also funding it.
Publishing & Media
21 Authors on TikTok to Follow for Book Promo Ideas (& LOLs) — insights.bookbub.com
HT @inkbitspixels Looking for TikTok inspiration? We’ve compiled a list of authors who are creating TikToks to connect with their audiences and boost sales!
Adding Surprise to Your Reading Life
RT @nytimes Looking for your next book? Welcome to Read Like The Wind, a newsletter of book recommendations from @nytimesbooks critic @MollyYoung. “As a Times critic, my goal is to inject a little surprise and intrigue into your reading life.”
Booksellers hit by two-month delays as Christmas supply chain disruption bites
Order books now!! Via @thebookseller. #supplychain
Librarians, Educators Warn of ‘Organized’ Book Banning Efforts
www.publishersweekly.com
While efforts to remove books from schools and library collections are common, freedom to read advocates warn that the current, unprecedented spike in challenges is different.
Ghostwriters Come Out of the Shadows — www.publishersweekly.com
Publishers Collaborate on Holiday Marketing Campaign — www.publishersweekly.com
Workman Publishing Co., Abrams Books, Bloomsbury Publishing, Candlewick Press, Chronicle Books, and Sourcebooks have partnered on Shop Local Forever, a consumer-focused marketing campaign to promote holiday book sales.
Indigenous-Owned Bookstores in the US — www.penguinrandomhouse.com
RT @penguinusa Books are vital to understanding ourselves and those around us. Use this month as a starting place to read more beloved stories by Indigenous authors and about Native American history. #teamPRH
Chatham Offers Higher Bid to Acquire RR Donnelley
lunch.publishersmarketplace.com
Chatham Asset Management offered a fully-financed bid to acquire RR Donnelley for $9.10/share in cash. They say their bid is worth approximately $48M more than the deal from Atlas Holdings. #PrintingBiz
Spotify’s latest purchase is about becoming the place you listen to everything
RT @simonowens A good explainer on how Spotify’s acquisition of an audiobook platform fits within its larger strategy.
Mediaopoly by Ground News — ground.news
MT @page88 This is fascinating — and terrifying. Check your Twitter handle here to see how much of the news you interact with is owned by billionaires.
The Metric Media network runs more than 1,200 local news sites. Here are some of the non-profits funding them.
Metric Media network runs >1.2K local news sites. It has ties to Tea Party founders, to a “dark-money ATM of the conservative movement,” and to a Catholic political advocacy group that launched $9.7M campaign in swing states against Biden 6 wks before 2020 election.
Commission on Information Disorder Final Report — www.aspeninstitute.org
The Commission makes 15 recommendations for how government, private industry, and civil society can address America’s urgent mis- and disinformation crisis. Via @aspeninstitute.
The end of “click to subscribe, call to cancel”? One of the news industry’s favorite retention tactics is illegal, FTC says
By @SarahScire via @NiemanLab
Changes to Substack are attracting some independent writers back to traditional news companies.
HT @BoSacks.
Why publishers are introducing (and growing) product box programs
MT @simonowens Lots of media companies are launching subscription boxes. It allows them to make money in two ways: By charging brands to be included in the box (advertising) and by charging consumers who want to receive the boxes (subscriptions).
Google selects 25 projects from local news outlets to receive a share of $3.2M+ in the North America Innovation Challenge to build ties to their communities
HT @mediagazer. By @chrissyhirsch.
WarnerMedia Plans to Launch Nielsen Measurement Alternative
variety.com
WarnerMedia is the latest big U.S. media company to try and create an audience-measurement alternative to the one long provided by Nielsen.
What major themes will we see in global media in 2022? What should we see more of?
Business journalists, media execs, and commentators predict what big media stories we’ll see in 2022 — and what won’t merit the headlines that we ought to see more of. Via @McKinsey.
Resources & Opportunities
An Outlander Celebration with Diana Gabaldon
Diana Gabaldon is only doing one event for her new book. It’s virtual on Monday, November 22, 2021 7pm ET. Actor Sam Heughan will be there. And you could win a free trip to Scotland and tour. #teamPRH
Latinx Kidlit Book Festival 2021 — fromthemixedupfiles.com
MT @CybilsAwards Latinx Kidlit Book Festival 12/9–10. “Everyone is welcome at this virtual festival that celebrates diversity in children’s literature and brings books and ideas straight into classrooms.” @LatinxKidLitBF #LKBF21
Bookselling and Free Expression: A Conversation
The eight independent booksellers associations are jointly sponsoring a free virtual panel called “Bookselling and Free Expression: A Conversation,” Tuesday, November 23, at 12 noon EST.
2022 Writing as Activism Fellowship
MT @PENamerica Are you an NYC writer with activism experience in the city? Apply to PEN America and the Literary Action Coalition’s new Writing as Activism Fellowship to join a cohort of NYC writer-activists and develop creative writing pieces centered on activism.
A new fund to support investigative reporting
Google’s GNI and Northwestern’s Medill School announce The Data-Driven Reporting Project, to award $2M to journalists working on document-based investigations. By @meganhchan.
Literary Arts Emergency Fund — www.nationalbook.org
MT @foxyhedgehog “Nonprofit literary arts organizations champion books, and their transformative ability to connect readers of all ages and backgrounds.” @ruthedickey @nationalbook You can find out more about the Literary Arts Emergency Fund & how to apply here! The deadline to apply is January 5, 2022.
WMG Holiday Party
@WMG_NYC Members: Don’t forget to sign up for our FREE virtual holiday party on 12/9 at 6pm ET. There will be breakout sessions, so you can meet & mingle. Hope to see you there!
