Innovation
Facebook open-sources robotics development platform Droidlet
Facebook today open-sourced Droidlet, a platform for building robots that leverage natural language processing and computer vision to make sense of the world around them. Made up of a collection of components (some heuristic, some learned), the platform can be trained with static data when convenient or dynamic data where appropriate. The design consists of several module-to-module interfaces, and Facebook says Droidlet simplifies the integration of machine learning algorithms into robots, facilitating rapid software prototyping.
Technology
Do App Store Rules Matter?
After a decade of arguing, regulators will change Apple’s App Store rules. How much money are we talking about, what might happen next and, most importantly, who cares? This is a big deal for Spotify, but does it matter to anyone else? Via @benedictevans
How TikTok’s Algorithm Figures You Out — www.youtube.com
This was a useful WSJ video on how the TikTok algorithm works, which they claim accounts for around 90–95% of views.
Twitter pilots a new shopping section for brands — www.theverge.com
MT @michellemanafy .@Twitter’s new Shop Module just launched in the US. It offers a carousel of products for visitors to browse. Via @Verge#ecommerce
France fines Google €500m for failure to negotiate ‘in good faith’ for news content — www.pressgazette.co.uk
Media & Publishing
Amazon’s older Kindles will start to lose their internet access in December — www.theverge.com
Amazon announced on Wednesday that starting in December, several of its Kindles with 3G will no longer be able to connect to the internet on their own. Wi-Fi equipped devices can still connect that way, but some older Kindles don’t have that option.
Amazon now lets you add custom content to your book details pages on its retail sites.
The Google Play Bookstore now sells audiobooks, no subscription needed
Does ‘The Da Vinci Code’ Writer Have a Secret? — www.nytimes.com
Fun with #barcodes! Dan Brown has a lesser-known advice book. The trouble is, it seems impossible to buy.
US-Based Open Road Acquires UK Publisher Bloodhound Books — publishingperspectives.com
The co-directors of the Cambridge-based ebook publisher Bloodhouse Books are to stay with the company as Open Road Integrated Media buys it. Via @pubperspectives #teamPRH
Wonderbly acquired by private equity firm Graphite Capital
UK private equity firm Graphite Capital acquired personalized book publisher Wonderbly (originally called I Lost My Name). Wonderbly is reported to have raised at least $22.8M in venture funding over six rounds of financing.
Ursula K. Le Guin Stamp
store.usps.com
The 33rd stamp in the Literary Arts series honors Ursula K. Le Guin (1929–2018)
Reading Time Rose 21% in Second Half of 2020
www.publishersweekly.com
The U.S. Department of Labor’s American Time Use survey found that the time Americans spent reading daily increased 21% in the May-December period in 2020 over the comparable period in 2019, rising to about 20 minutes per day.
France Gave Teenagers $350 for Culture. They’re Buying Comic Books.— www.nytimes.com
A smartphone app launched by the French government gives $350 to 18-year-olds for cultural purchases like books, music and performance tickets. Many are spending it on manga.
Illustrator Christian Robinson Brings His Imaginative Drawings To Life With Target Back-To-School Collection — www.essence.com
The author, illustrator and animator is bringing imagination and whimsy to kids’ apparel, decor and books with his upcoming Target collection. Via @ESSENCE
Sylvia Plath’s Tarot Cards (Which Influenced the Poems in Ariel) Were Just Sold for $207,000 — www.openculture.com
Audible launches Premium Plus membership with unlimited access to over 7,500 titles
Audible’s UK membership, renamed Audible Premium Plus, will stay £7.99/month. Members still get to pick and keep any title each month with their credit — including bestsellers/new releases. New is unlimited listening of the titles in the Plus Catalogue.
Spotify’s podcast ad revenue jumps 627% in Q2 — techcrunch.com
Among Spotify users who already listen to podcasts, podcast listening increased 30%, with total hours consumed up 95%. #Spotify
Sports Illustrated & Sports Illustrated Studios Strike Deal With iHeartMedia For Slate Of Original Podcasts — deadline.com
Sports Illustrated and 101 Studios-backed joint venture Sports Illustrated Studios are to launch a slate of original podcasts after striking an audio deal with iHeartMedia.
MTV is launching a podcast version of “Behind the Music,” the ’90s-era music documentary series that originally aired on VH1 — variety.com
MTV brings “Behind the Music” back in audio-only repeats. #podcasting
Hearst is canceling plans to fold iCrossing into its magazine division and scaling back its ambitions for the digital ad agency
www.businessinsider.com
Hearst bought the agency for $325 million in 2010 with the hope to compete with ad agency giants like WPP.
Substack Grow — a crash course for writers ready to pursue independence — substack.com
RT @TheTiltNews Via @SubstackInc, newsletter creators on the platform can apply to join Substack Grow, a month-long course to help grow your readership & paid subscriptions. Requirements? Substack suggests you have hundreds of subscribers and a 25% open rate. #audience #revenue#contentcreators
Substack continues its acquisition streak with public correspondence startup Letter — digiday.com
Substack has acquired Letter, a kind of public correspondence startup founded by Dayne and Clyde Rathbone.
NBC News adding 200+ jobs as part of major streaming push — www.axios.com
Beginning this summer, the company will be adding several new hours of original programming to NBC News Now.
Hedge Fund Buys Paper. Hedge Fund Closes Paper. — www.nytimes.com
Since Alden Global Capital bought the Tribune Publishing newspaper chain, newsrooms have shrunk and a Maryland weekly has shut down. #NewsBusiness
Resources & Opportunities
The Black Creatives Marketing Symposium Opens for Applications — diversebooks.org
MT @diversebooks Black writers and illustrators: Applications for the Black Creative Fund’s Marketing Symposium in partnership with @brownbookshelf are opening soon! Applications are open from August 2 at 10 am EST until August 16 at midnight EST.
Brooklyn Book Festival — Hybrid virtual and live events
MT @BKBF As always, *FREE* to all. Mark your calendars!
FESTIVAL DAY: Sunday, October 3rd
CHILDREN’S DAY: Saturday, October 2nd
BOOKENDS: September 26th through October 2nd & 4th, in Brooklyn and beyond!
LeVar Burton Reads Origins & Encounters Writing Contest — FIYAH — www.fiyahlitmag.com
MT @fiyahlitmag TODAY IS THE DAY! From now until 8/31 you can submit a short story for LeVar Burton to read on his podcast. Be sure to read the submission guidelines. Do. Not. Self-Reject.
Melinda French Gates and MacKenzie Scott team up to give $40 million to support women — www.cnn.com
In a powerful philanthropic pairing, Melinda French Gates and MacKenzie Scott have teamed up to direct $40 million to advancing the power and influence of American women over the next decade.
Free Women’s Media Group event for members & non-members — Bring Your Baggage and Your Favorite Beverage: Happy Hour with Author Helen Ellis
The bestselling author of American Housewife and Southern Lady Code returns with a viciously funny, deeply felt collection of essays on friendship among grown-ass women. Bring Your Baggage and Don’t Pack Light reads like the best cocktail party of your life. Plan to join us on August 4 at 5pm, as we gather (virtually) with Helen Ellis for a happy hour filled with questions, conversation and likely, more than a few laughs. This is FREE and open to the public — sign up quick! @WhatIDoAllDay @jkhoey@WMG_NYC @ShakeandCoBooks