Future Forward

This Week Is Digital Content About to Turn Upside Down? Then, the fast blurring line between real and synthetic realities. And - the Plight of the Creative Class. I’m Alexa Scordato and this is Future Forward and I’m Steven Rosenbaum - Let’s Launch! Chapter 1 Streamer Wars The Streamer Wars https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/reed-hastings-on-the-streamer-wars-its-a-whole-new-world-starting-in-november-1203343068/ Market Experts Predict Which Streamers Will Fail and Why https://observer.com/2019/09/amazon-apple-netflix-disney-hbo-max-peacock-streaming-wars-who-will-fail/ -> flashback: Blockbuster Could Have Bought Netflix for $50 Million but the CEO Thought It Was a Joke https://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/netflix-blockbuster-meeting-marc-randolph-reed-hastings-john-antioco.html Chapter 2 Synthetic Realities Welcome to our new synthetic realities https://www.axios.com/synthetic-realities-fiction-stories-fact-misinformation-ed86ce3b-f1a5-4e7b-ba86-f87a918d962e.html NYC Media Lab summit https://summit.nycmedialab.org/ This was the #1 product on product hunt this week:  https://www.producthunt.com/posts/100-000-faces Chapter 3 The Plight of the Creative Class 1) YouTube revoked verification badges and caused an uproar from creators:  https://www.theverge.com/2019/9/20/20876153/youtube-ceo-apology-verification-removal-missed-the-mark 2) influencers are monetizing the “close friends” feature on instagram. Instead of sending status updates to a trusted list of friends, they’re charging fans:  https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2019/09/close-friends-instagram-subscription-charge-influencers/598171/ Jack Conte, Patreon, and the Plight of the Creative Class https://www.wired.com/story/jack-conte-patreon-plight-creative-class/

Let’s Talk About Music: Chapter 1. The end of iTunes. Chapter 2. The Money. Chapter 3: The Future of Music Chapter 1. The end of iTunes. Apple has brought iTunes to an end – let the streaming wars commence https://www.europeanceo.com/lifestyle/apple-has-brought-itunes-to-an-end-let-the-streaming-wars-commence/ Daily Crunch: Apple Music comes to the web https://techcrunch.com/2019/06/27/apple-music-surpasses-60-million-subscribers/ Chapter 2. The Money. Streaming makes […]

Let’s Talk About Music: Chapter 1. The end of iTunes. Chapter 2. The Money. Chapter 3: The Future of Music Chapter 1. The end of iTunes. Apple has brought iTunes to an end – let the streaming wars commence https://www.europeanceo.com/lifestyle/apple-has-brought-itunes-to-an-end-let-the-streaming-wars-commence/ Daily Crunch: Apple Music comes to the web https://techcrunch.com/2019/06/27/apple-music-surpasses-60-million-subscribers/ Chapter 2. The Money. Streaming makes up 80 percent of the music industry’s revenue https://www.theverge.com/2019/9/6/20852568/streaming-revenue-growth-spotify-apple-music-industry-ariana-grande-drake-taylor-swift Paid streaming music subscriptions in US top 60M, says RIAA https://techcrunch.com/2019/09/06/paid-streaming-music-subscriptions-in-u-s-top-60m-says-riaa/ APPLE WANTED TO IMPROVE SONGWRITER PAY TO $0.00091 PER STREAM. SPOTIFY AND GOOGLE WEREN’T KEEN. You should ditch Spotify until it ditches its latest policy YouTube Music cracks down on rampant chart manipulation with new pay-for-play ban https://techcrunch.com/2019/09/13/youtube-music-cracks-down-on-rampant-chart-manipulation-with-new-pay-for-play-ban/ Chapter 3: The Battles: Spotify acquires SoundBetter, a music production marketplace, for an undisclosed sum https://techcrunch.com/2019/09/12/spotify-acquires-soundbetter-an-online-marketplace-for-sound-engineers-and-producers/ How Artist Imposters and Fake Songs Sneak Onto Streaming Services https://pitchfork.com/features/article/how-artist-imposters-and-fake-songs-sneak-onto-streaming-services/ Music publishers double claims against Peloton to $300 million https://nypost.com/2019/09/13/music-publishers-double-claims-against-peloton-to-300-million/ Tidal vs. Spotify: Which music streaming service has the features you need? https://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/tidal-vs-spotify/ Chapter 4: (bonus chapter) https://spectrum.ieee.org/geek-life/profiles/profile-joe-diprimas-musical-lightning-bolts

You know it’s Fall when the new iPhone sprouts from Apple. This week, does Apple have a hit or a clunker?  Then - Facebook wants a Do-Over on News. Could it work? And Vaping. The newest trend turns deadly. I’m Alexa Scordato and I’m Steven Rosenbaum, and this is Future Forward. Let’s Launch! 

You know it’s Fall when the new iPhone sprouts from Apple. This week, does Apple have a hit or a clunker?  Then - Facebook wants a Do-Over on News. Could it work? And Vaping. The newest trend turns deadly. I’m Alexa Scordato and I’m Steven Rosenbaum, and this is Future Forward. Let’s Launch! 

Future Forward Episode #0092 / The Labor Day Edition Today - a deep dive into the world of Labor. Workers. Jobs. and How Robots Could Change EVERYTHING. I’m Alexa Scordato and this is Future Forward. Then, as Robots loom on the horizon One Politician says he has a plan. Then, we’ll go even further - […]

Future Forward Episode #0092 / The Labor Day Edition Today - a deep dive into the world of Labor. Workers. Jobs. and How Robots Could Change EVERYTHING. I’m Alexa Scordato and this is Future Forward. Then, as Robots loom on the horizon One Politician says he has a plan. Then, we’ll go even further - what if Robot’s ‘Replace’ politicians? I’m Steven Rosenbaum… or an algorithm program to sound like me. Let’s Launch! A lot has changed in the more than 100 years since Labor Day was first recognized and celebrated. Two world wars, space travel, penicillan, the evolution from a rural to urban society, the evolution from an agricultural to manufacturing to service economy. To most of us, Labor Day’s origins and meaning are long forgotten; lost in history books abandoned on library shelves. But what’s more, in the context of our modern society, on the cusp of a Fourth Industrial Revolution, what does Labor Day mean now? Larry Boyer = Medium 2018 Part #1 - Labor Day 2040. Robots Take Your Job - Labor Day 2040: What Happens When Robots Do All the Work? https://www.thedailybeast.com/labor-day-2040-what-happens-when-robots-do-all-the-work Labor Day in the Age of AI, Robots and Automation https://medium.com/predict/labor-day-in-the-age-of-ai-robots-and-automation-317e7162e805 The robots are coming for your job, too https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/24/politics/economy-us-workforce-automation/index.html The Impact of Robotics and Automation on Working Conditions and Employment https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?arnumber=8385401 Part #2 Politics. What if President Yang Gets It Right - and Robots put money in your pocket? The Surprising Surge of Andrew Yang https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2019/08/22/andrew-yang-2020-president-profile-227631 What Andrew Yang Gets Wrong (and Right) About Robots http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/08/what-andrew-yang-gets-wrong-and-right-about-automation.html Elon Musk backs presidential candidate Andrew Yang https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/12/elon-musk-tweets-support-of-democrat-presidential-hopeful-andrew-yang.html Part #3: Did Robots Help Elect Trump Robots Can’t Vote, but They Helped Elect Trump https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/11/opinion/trump-robots-electoral-college.html Why robots helped Donald Trump win https://www.technologyreview.com/s/611422/why-robots-helped-donald-trump-win/ How Automation Turns Us Into Trump Voters https://gizmodo.com/how-automation-turns-us-into-trump-voters-1833623722 Part #4: Robots As Politicians. Mr. Robot goes to Washington: How AI will change democracy https://www.fastcompany.com/90257573/mr-robot-goes-to-washington-how-ai-will-change-democracy Can We Replace Politicians With Robots? https://www.iflscience.com/technology/can-we-replace-politicians-robots/ Could robots do better than our current leaders? https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/10/could-robot-government-lead-better-current-politicians-ai/ How Robots Will Break Politics https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/01/05/robots-politics-automation-technology-216220

Today, Solar Energy Hits a Tipping Point… in China. Then a nostalgic look back at all the Tech Companies that weren’t Facebook. Can you say… My Space? And with the WeWork IPO just around the corner - why are some saying WeWork WTF? This is Future Forward, and I’m Steve Rosenbaum and I’m Alexa Scordato - Let’s Launch! CHAPTER #1 Solar. Can it be time for green energy? (GLENN ZORPETTE) Solar Power Is Now as Inexpensive as Grid Electricity in China (IEEE with Glenn) https://spectrum.ieee.org/energywise/energy/renewables/china-gridparity CHAPTER #2 HOW THE INTERNET COULD HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT: Why These Social Networks Failed So Badly https://gizmodo.com/why-these-social-networks-failed-so-badly-1836996164 AOL held talks to buy YouTube, Facebook in 2006, ex-CEO reveals https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/15/aol-held-talks-to-buy-youtube-facebook-in-2006-ex-ceo-reveals.html Verizon To Shutter Fios 1, Leaving Just One NY Metro Hyperlocal Channel https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/339489/verizon-to-shutter-fios-1-leaving-just-one-ny-met.html CHAPTER #3 WeWork. WeWTF? Is WeWork a tech company? Isn't everyone a tech company? We work isn't a tech company, it's a soap opera No WeWork isn't a tech company, here's why it matters https://www.businessinsider.com/nyu-professor-calls-wework-wewtf-and-slams-bankers-2019-8

Today, Solar Energy Hits a Tipping Point… in China. Then a nostalgic look back at all the Tech Companies that weren’t Facebook. Can you say… My Space? And with the WeWork IPO just around the corner - why are some saying WeWork WTF? This is Future Forward, and I’m Steve Rosenbaum and I’m Alexa Scordato […]

Today on Future Forward - Big News in Print Land, and it’s not good. Then - Surveillance. Amazon adds a creepy sci-fi piece to digital doorbells. And, in the fast-changing world of Micro everything - could a MicroLED mean big changes ahead? I’m Alexa Scordato and I’m Steve Rosenbaum - Let’s Launch - Elliott Management […]

Today on Future Forward - Big News in Print Land, and it’s not good. Then - Surveillance. Amazon adds a creepy sci-fi piece to digital doorbells. And, in the fast-changing world of Micro everything - could a MicroLED mean big changes ahead? I’m Alexa Scordato and I’m Steve Rosenbaum - Let’s Launch - Elliott Management to acquire Barnes & Noble for $683 million https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/07/elliott-management-to-acquire-barnes-noble-for-683-million.html Entertainment Weekly Going Monthly https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/entertainment-weekly-going-monthly-names-new-editor-1216303 Chapter 2 / Our Surveillance Culture Amazon’s Home Surveillance Company Is Putting Suspected Petty Thieves in its Advertisements https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/pajm5z/amazon-home-surveillance-company-ring-law-enforcement-advertisements Logan’s Run Predicted Neighborhood Techno-Spies https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logan%27s_Run Chapter 3 - Smaller / Faster Computing This MicroLED Display Is Smaller Than a Bug https://spectrum.ieee.org/tech-talk/semiconductors/optoelectronics/this-microled-display-is-smaller-than-a-bug Another Step Toward the End of Moore’s Law https://spectrum.ieee.org/semiconductors/devices/another-step-toward-the-end-of-moores-law

Today - Netflix Premiers the Great Hack. We’ll look at what the film reveals. Then, The Dangers of Drone Tech - can drones be weaponized? Should they be? And Remembering DA Pennebaker - a filmmakers life and work. This is Future Forward, and I’m Alexa Scordato and I’m Steven Rosenbaum - Let’s Launch

Today - Netflix Premiers the Great Hack. We’ll look at what the film reveals. Then, The Dangers of Drone Tech - can drones be weaponized? Should they be? And Remembering DA Pennebaker - a filmmakers life and work. This is Future Forward, and I’m Alexa Scordato and I’m Steven Rosenbaum - Let’s Launch

The thing about infrastructure, is it’s boring… till it’s not.When the lights go out. The Web goes down. It gets super-important FAST. And speaking of cell service… T-Mobile and Sprint. Is that a good thing? Plus - just how big is AWS? I’m Steven Rosenbaum - and this is Future Forward. I’m Alexa Scordato - […]

The thing about infrastructure, is it’s boring… till it’s not.When the lights go out. The Web goes down. It gets super-important FAST. And speaking of cell service… T-Mobile and Sprint. Is that a good thing? Plus - just how big is AWS? I’m Steven Rosenbaum - and this is Future Forward. I’m Alexa Scordato - Let’s launch. Outages: Unplugging From Digital Controls to Safeguard Power Grids https://spectrum.ieee.org/energywise/energy/the-smarter-grid/unplugging-digital-networks-to-safeguard-power-grids The Grid. What Happens When It Goes Out? https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2019/04/mysterious-safety-tampering-malware-infects-a-2nd-critical-infrastructure-site/ THE INFRASTRUCTURE MESS CAUSING COUNTLESS INTERNET OUTAGES https://www.wired.com/story/bgp-route-leak-internet-outage/ Mysterious safety-tampering malware infects a second critical infrastructure site https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2019/04/mysterious-safety-tampering-malware-infects-a-2nd-critical-infrastructure-site/ T-Mobile + Sprint T-Mobile and Sprint merger approved by Justice Department https://www.theverge.com/2019/7/26/6646158/t-mobile-sprint-merger-justice-department-approves-26-billion-fcc How Big Is AWS: Amazon reports $63.4 billion in Q2 2019 revenue: https://venturebeat.com/2019/07/25/amazon-earnings-q2-2019/ Amazon Web Services: How Big Is AWS? https://martech.zone/amazon-web-services-aws-stats/ State of the cloud: Amazon Web Services is bigger than its other four major competitors, combined https://www.geekwire.com/2018/state-cloud-amazon-web-services-bigger-four-major-competitors-combined/