Technology • Innovation • Publishing — Issue #178
Innovation
Sony shows off SUV, will explore building electric cars as ‘Sony Mobility Inc’ — techcrunch.com
At CES in Las Vegas, Sony’s Chairman, President and CEO Kenichiro Yoshida showed off a brand new prototype of its Vision S concept electric car, and announced that the Sony Group is starting a new division — the Sony Mobility Inc — which will start commercializing its electric vehicles.
At CES 2022, metaverses metaversed the metaverse — techcrunch.com
River Runner Global — river-runner-global.samlearner.com
HT @neilperkin This looks cool: Sam Learner has created a visualization tool that allows you to drop a raindrop anywhere in the world and follow its path down streams and rivers to see where it ends up.
Technology
Publishers tested NFTs as a revenue source in 2021, but will it last?
HT @BoSacks #NFTs via @mediavoicespod
Roblox pulls Chinese app
MT @nycmedialab 5 months after launching w Tencent in China, Roblox’s LuoBuLeSi is taken down. It’s another example of how hard it is for non-Chinese companies to build and sell digital products in the country.
FTC Mulls New Artificial Intelligence Regulation to Protect Consumers
HT @BISG The FTC is considering rulemaking to address “lax security practices, data privacy abuses and algorithmic decision-making that may result in unlawful discrimination.” #AI
Why it’s too early to get excited about Web3
By @timoreilly.
Web .0000012
HT @jafurtado. By Jeff Jarvis @jeffjarvis @BuzzMachine
Tech questions for 2022 — Benedict Evans
Via @benedictevans.
LinkedIn is launching interactive, Clubhouse-style audio events this month in beta; a video version will come this spring
LinkedIn, now with more than 800 million people listing their professional profiles to build out their careers, is taking its next steps to get them to spend more time on the platform. The company is rolling out a new events platform, where it will be listing, hosting and marketing interactive, virtual live events.
Log4j flaw hunt shows how complicated the software supply chain really is
A new analysis shows why the Log4j flaw for Java web applications will haunt tech people for years. Via @ZDNet & @LiamT
Instagram’s chronological feed is back
Instagram is making good on the promise it made last month to bring back the chronological feed. In a tweet Wednesday, Instagram head Adam Mosseri announced that the platform is rolling out some big changes to the way the core feed experience works, letting users choose between three different feeds. By @tayhatmaker.
The Age of the Seasoned by Rishad Tobaccowala
Food for thought from @rishad on how the world needs seasoned professionals.
Publishing
Announcing accessibility enhancements in the Libby app
HT @LauraB7.
Pantone Color Libraries Are Leaving the Adobe Apps — creativepro.com
The process and cost of accessing Pantone spot colors in Creative Cloud applications is changing. Via @creativepro_com. #Design
What is a “book” in the age of the web? (Part 1 of 5)
HT @BISG. By @hughmcguire.
F.B.I. Arrests Man Accused of Stealing Unpublished Book Manuscripts
ICYMI Filippo Bernardini, an Italian citizen who worked in publishing, was charged with wire fraud and identity theft for a scheme that prosecutors said affected hundreds of people over five or more years.
OverDrive Reports More than Half a Billion Digital Library Loans in 2021
www.publishersweekly.com
In exceeding more than 500 million annual lends for the first time, OverDrive’s 2021 figures suggest the pandemic has, as librarians have suggested, raised demand for digital content in public libraries.
Book bans in schools are catching fire. Black authors say uproar isn’t about students.
Black authors of banned books are speaking out amid national challenges. #censorship #BannedBooks
2022 spells more podcast partnerships for publishers as the audio field gets noisy
Podcasts with other organizations are being discussed by ViacomCBS, Vice Media and the Los Angeles Times. #podcasting
NYT To Buy The Athletic for $550 Million
The New York Times Co has agreed to acquire subscription sports site The Athletic in a deal valued at around $550 million, the company announced.
Hearst is entering a deal to buy CellTrak, a provider of care documentation software solutions in the personal care market
Resources & Opportunities
Scholastic’s Intro to Publishing Seminar
MT @yourfriendmaya Intro to Pub is back for our second year! If you’re a BIPOC individual aspiring to enter the publishing industry please apply for our ~*~freeeeee~*~ seminar.
DVcon 2021 Registration & Discord
MT @DV_con Happy new year, y’all! This month is #DVcon2022!! Can’t believe it’s already here. Mark your calendars for Jan 19–23 (featuring programming during the week on Discord and live panels and microvideos during the weekend on YouTube).
PEN America Emerging Voices Fellowship
MT @PENamerica The @pen_ev Fellowship is a five-month mentorship program for early-career writers from communities traditionally underrepresented in the publishing world. The 2022 Emerging Voices Fellowship application period is now open through 1/31.
Avery & TarcherPerigee’s Influencer Program — sites.prh.com
The Avery & TarcherPerigee Influencer Program is looking to partner with representatives in a variety of communities across the social media space: health and wellness, functional medicine, spirituality, self-improvement, professional development, food, and parenthood. If you are an avid reader, favor non-fiction, enjoy reviewing books, and have an engaged social platform, apply today! #teamPRH
Latinx Designers and Art Directors
MT @LatinxinPub Are you a Latinx publishing professional that works in-house as a designer and/or art director? Fill out the google form if you’d like to be added to our resource list to help Latinx artists/illustrators connect with you for job opportunities.
Job: Visiting Assistant Professor of Creative Writing, Fiction at Oberlin
MT @allegra_hyde Attn: Writers seeking academic positions — Oberlin College is hiring a Visiting Assistant Professor in Fiction for next year, with another Open Genre visiting position soon to be posted — come work with me in this very excellent Creative Writing program!
Build Your Dream Network Book Bonus
My friend @jkhoey wrote a free, no-sign-up-required 70-page quick read-guide to networking in the zoom era, which is worth a look see.
Attn #bookpeople: Hear Alexandra Alter @xanalter, Publishing Reporter for @nytimes, in conversation w @mariskreizman, Essayist, Critic + Host of The Maris Review on @lithub. 1/26 6–7:30 pm ET virtual event. $15 (FREE for @WMG_NYC members) #amreading #amwriting #authors #publishing
MT @WMG_NYC Rethinking your career choices and priorities? Looking to pivot from one field to another? Need feedback, tactical, or moral support to embrace a new job search? Join Chandra Turner, AKA @TheTalentFairy, as she hosts this virtual chat on January 13th 12–1pm ET. FREE, WMG members only.
There are an estimated 56% more job openings in branded content versus traditional journalism. And the truth is, branded content hiring managers would rather teach a journalist the basics of marketing than teach a marketer how to create compelling, editorial-like content. Another truth: creating content for brands can be fascinating and even fun — as either a gig or a career. In this session, we’ll cover: How to find a job or writing opportunity; what the work entails; and where the industry is headed. Sign up today for this virtual event w Diane Di Costanzo (VP/Editorial Dir., Foundry 360 @MeredithCorp)! 2/1 at 7pm ET. $10 for non-members, FREE for WMG members.
Is one of your new year’s resolutions to finally start (or finish) your book? There’s tons of advice out there on how you “should” do it. But quite often, the advice doesn’t free up creativity; it constricts it. What if you could approach writing a book in a way that felt less like “work” and more fun and creative? What if you threw out the templates and did the whole thing backwards? Because you can. Join us for a fun evening that’s part discussion and part book launch. Come discover a fresh and nonlinear approach to crafting, sharing, and promoting your work at this FREE virtual event w Terri Trespicio @TerriT in conversation w @RichelleFredson — open to all.
Are you thinking of writing a cookbook but not sure where to start? Do you want to pitch your cookbook idea? Seasoned lit agent @SallyEkus is offering a 1-on-1 session to the winning bidder of this @charitybuzz auction to benefit @WMG_NYC.
