Tag: Sunday Paper

Sunday Paper - Brain Training Games, Ansel Adams, Tim Cook

Every Saturday, I share a list of inspiring or interesting articles that I read during the week. Here’s what I read this week.

The government has used tracking technology in printed documents to unmask anonymous writers.

Not all printers' tracking information is readily visible. Some of the documents we obtained about this technology showed that there is a subsequent generation of tracking technology, which apparently works by slightly rearranging dots that the printer is expected to print, rather than by adding new dots. Anyone using a color laser printer should assume that it uses some kind of tracking mechanism, whether or not tracking dots are visible in its output.deeplinks

The new iPad Pro.

There are also ergonomic issues: To use two-handed gestures, your iPad can’t be in your hands. So these are gestures primarily intended for iPads that are on a table, in a case, in a lap, or otherwise someplace where you’ve got both hands free to manipulate data. That’s limiting, but it’s also freeing—these large devices are far more likely to be put into situations like that, and if you consider a future with even larger iOS devices, two-handed gestures should become an even bigger part of the interface story.Jason Snell

Apple CEO, Tim Cook on technology.

While he calls AI “profound” and increasingly capable of doing unbelievable things, on matters that require judgment he’s not comfortable with automating the human entirely out of the equation. “When technological advancement can go up so exponentially I do think there’s a risk of losing sight of the fact that tech should serve humanity, not the other way around.”MIT Technology Review

Apparently, memory boosting games are a crock of shit.

All isn’t lost though; where specialised brain training games failed, regular games, inclusive of Mario Kart-style experiences and more conventional hobbies like blackjack and bridge, succeeded. Alzheimer’s Research UK, while stopping short of linking stimulating hobbies to the prevention or cure of degenerative brain disorders, notes that people who play card games have better cognitive abilities and even larger brains.High50

The HomePod is $350.

It’s really meant to be a “smart” music listening device that you can get answers from… that’s it.Nuclear Bits

Photography trends.

The great 20th-century American landscape photographer Ansel Adams, when asked what camera he used, famously answered: "The biggest one I can carry!"The Online Photographer

Every Saturday, I share a list of inspiring or interesting articles that I read during the week. Here’s what I read this week.

Sunday Paper - Introvert, America

Does introversion affect how others view you in the workplace?

In the workplace.

Although more people are learning what being an introvert means, there are still several misconceptions about introverts in the workplace. Even some of the most well-meaning extroverts I know still have trouble understanding what being an introvert really means. WE REALLY NEED TO END THE STIGMA ABOUT INTROVERSION IN THE WORKPLACE by Megan Malone writing for Introvert Dear

Using the phone.

Non-verbal communication (aka body language) is remarkably important to conversation. Introverts rely heavily on observation skills and being unable to see our conversation partner is extremely frustrating. We can’t examine their facial expressions to discern their true feelings or anticipate when they’re about to speak so we can avoid interrupting. Many introverts already consider social interaction to be uncomfortable at best; removing helpful visual cues just ends up making things so much worse.
WHY INTROVERTS ABSOLUTELY LOATHE TALKING ON THE PHONE by Liz Greene in Introvert Dear

My personal tip: be in the right spot, at the right moment, under the right conditions for a rainbow.

Few natural phenomenon can cheer people up faster than the beauty of a rainbow. Getting great images of one is a challenge, they are difficult to predict and constantly changing, occurring due to a specific set of conditions. These tips will help you photograph rainbows when they appear, and get great results when processing.How to Capture Fantastic Photos of Rainbows by Photofocus

The Windows vs Mac logic on Android OS vs iOS security.

Plus, he says, the process of “patching” security holes is easier on iOS devices. Apple’s iOS operating system only runs on iPhones, while Alphabet’s Android software runs on phones made by numerous manufacturers. It’s more complicated to deliver patches, or bug fixes, that work across so many device makers and carriers. Android can release a patch, but it won’t necessarily be available on all devices right away.Android vs. iOS: Are iPhones Really Safer? by Emily Barry in Barron's

Writing for the BBC, David Frum reaches a bleak conclusion.

America is no longer the leader its partners once respected "but an unpredictable and dangerous force in world affairs, itself to be contained and deterred by new coalitions of ex-friends".Is Trump abandoning US global leadership?

Reading List - Check cashing and bookstores, photographic process, hindered by the past

Is the ratio of bookstores to cash checking stores an indication of the quality of a neighbourhood?

Check Cashing places are horrible, predatory establishments—often owned by big name banks, by the way—that feed off the misfortune of poor working people. And bookstores are for people who read for fun, a.k.a., “the rich” in today’s messed up world.Bookstores vs. Check Cashing Places

Some thoughts from Olaf on the often-used (misused) term, "photographic process".

To summarize, your emotions, happiness, sadness, peace or anxiety –are all part of you – and they should become an important part of your seeing. Don’t be afraid to use your mood, honeyed or not, to observe, see and create. And never, ever use the mantra “enjoy the process” as an excuse. After all, if you are a photographer, great imagery should always be your goal.Olaf

Shirley Elkin thinks that modern photography is hindered by a devotion to the past.

It seems that technology moves too fast for our own taste: In comparison to the photos of the past, the sharp and precise digital imagery modern cameras produce seem to be lacking character. And so we imbue them with a sense of authenticity through vintage filters, creating a mashup of old and new that’s neither there nor quite here.

Taste is obviously subjective and there’s nothing wrong with vintage optics, but it goes to show how our taste is under the spell of a bygone era: While photo engineers crank out new technology for more life-like photos, we edit the imperfections back in. Our very idea of what makes a beautiful photograph is anchored in the past, even though the present gives us plenty to explore.Lars Mensel