Art & Culture
Blunt instruments won't solve the social media challenge
Parents are absent from the picture as politicians skip science to enact bad laws that create some nice feelings but do nothing to solve real problems.
Labor premiers and federal leaders are sure buying into some solid moral panic on social media and its impact on teens. I'm well on the record as no fan of Facebook, but when it comes to how to write policy we want evidence-based decisions. And one of the world's leading researchers on social media, who also happens to be based here in Australia, shares some choice words about last week's summit over at Crikey.
Axel Bruns
11 great panels to hit at PAX Aus 2024
So many panels, so little time. Here's a few highlights to fit in your schedule at this year's PAX in Melbourne.
A New Journey awaits: Dark Spectrum was an absolute breakout hit of last year's Vivid Sydney Festival. Using a series of underground tunnels around Wynyard station it created an amazing light and sound show that blew our family away.
So it's wonderful to hear a whole new design is coming in 2024. I'd have visited the very same event if it didn't change this year, but something new? Can't wait. It will run from 24 May to 15 June. Hit the Dark Spectrum: A New Journey website for tickets.
Millie Bobby Brown is stupidly talented and this looks like a very fun fantasy romp with a girl power twist.
Lands on Netflix March 8.
Fun tech fashion:
At NYC Fashion Week, Christian Cowan and the Adobe Research Team achieved the remarkable: the Adobe x Christian Cowan Dress Powered by Primrose Technology, the first-ever complete garment of its kind.
In two months, the dress went from concept to a wearable, electronically reconfigurable garment that raises the bar on the potential for sustainability and customization in fashion giving designers the ability to create multiple iterations of a singular garment and a deeper level of collaboration between designer and customer when it comes to custom designs.
Immersive Gamebox review: a genuinely fun alternative to movies or arcades
The photos look weird, but they just don't do it justice. Immersive Gamebox is a nice new option for some interactive fun in the heart of Sydney.
Meet Nightshade. A tool for collective, offensive artist action against image scraping for AI. Nightshade adds a human-eye invisible interference pattern to images that will accumulate to increase the cost of training on unlicensed data".
Make spatial videos for your family's science fiction future
Apple's iOS 17.2 update enables Spatial Video capture on iPhone 15 Pro models. Your descendants will thank you for using it.
Donate to cancer research and win prizes: do it now!
Give $50 to charity and win a prize worth the same or more? Yes! Help fight cancer through the gift of giving and get a gift of giving in return.
A fascinating look at the less obvious pop culture wars playing out online.
Aja Romano
Ever heard of Cuboro? These marble tracks made of beautifully machined wood blocks are amazing.
Sadly, they're wildly expensive so I'll just enjoy watching other people's fancy setups.
Great summer reads
16 great links to some of the best stories around the web that help you stay on top of what's next in digital.
Building a 21st Century knowledge engine
ChatGPT reveals the potential for a Knowledge Engine that can speed up our ability to learn.
The future of sound production at Trackdown Studios
From Mad Max Fury Road to The Crown, World of Warcraft to The Boys, Sydney's Trackdown Studios makes big productions sound amazing.
PAX Australia 2022 looked different, but does it hurt the show's future?
The biggest platforms and developers weren't on the show floor in 2022. But does the spirit of PAX protect it against the changing nature of games marketing?
💡 Weekly: September 30, 2022
New gear from Amazon, Optus breach still a confusing mess, plus a host of news updates and juicy articles to enjoy.
'In the style of': why AI art needs to address named artists as prompts
If you ask an AI art tool to be inspired by a specific artist, should the artist be compensated?
Diablo is coming to tattoo shops around the world
Hellish ink is coming to Sydney and Melbourne in September as part of a Diablo anniversary world tour. Want some?
Acclaimed Fire Emblem and Persona voice actor Billy Kametz passes away
Voice actor Billy Kametz, known for roles in Jojo's Bizarre Adventure, Demon Slayer, and Fire Emblem, has passed away after a battle with colon cancer.
