Here’s a list of stuff that had my attention this past week. Maybe you’ll enjoy it as well. Check it out:
- Philadelphia Bans Cashless Stores: In another episode of claim chowder, the first blow in the coming cashless war has been dealt. I’ve long said that I don’t know how long “going cashless” will be legal, though I was a little wrong here: I figured the federal government would be the first to intervene. Philadelphia claims it’s a social inclusion issue, which I buy (but there are actually technology solutions that can solve that problem). The real issue with stores going cashless in my mind is at the federal level: it can devalue USD and renders circulation moot. This will be a very interesting storyline to follow over the next decade. Especially as plastic becomes more expensive for retailers.
- Cameras, apps: Noosh to showcase the future of restaurant tech: This is one of those things to file in the “creepy but cool” category. I mean the internet access points are whatever (seriously, if you’re going to a restaurant because of their internet bandwidth, WTF are you doing with your life?), but the integration of technology into the experience is something to watch. I think the AR piece is a marketing gimmick for now, but there will be a breakout application in AR commerce over the next 5-10 years. Don’t believe me?
- Snapchat NYC Metro Card AR: Came across this on the interwebs this past week. Pretty cool implementation of Snap’s AR lenses. Download it here (you need an MTA card).
- Star Wars: A New Hope Infographic: This thing is huge and very cool. Wish there was a horizontal version (print it out, put it on a wall).
- How Chinese Novelists Are Reimagining Science Fiction: I wish the title of this article were a bit different (they’re not reimagining SF, they’re contributing to it from a different worldview than the typical Western author). In any case, I’ve fallen in love with Chinese SF. I recently picked up another Ken Liu anthology (the newly released Broken Stars), and one of the best things I’ve read this decade is Cixin Liu’s Remembrance of Earth’s Past series.
- Game of Thrones Season 8 Trailer: It’s here. Finally here.