Think, Thought, Imagine: Daily tech, media & more (2/9/16)
Quick News (read the headlines and you’re done)
U.S. Agency Says Google Computer Can Be Considered Driver [step towards autonomous cars getting full approval to be on roads] - Reuters
Waze’s Beta Carpooling Service Launches A Limited App In The Play Store [why interesting: ride sharing continues to proliferate – now usage has to follow] – 9 to 5 Google
Twitter Unveils First View Ads, Videos At The Top Of Your Timeline [in short: everyone who opens Twitter in 24 hours will receive a video ad (only) at the top of their feed once] - TechCrunch
Google Will Stop Running Flash Display Ads On January 2, 2017 [why care: Flash ads have been a staple of “display” ads (i.e. non-search) since forever – reason: Flash sucks and more importantly, mobile] – Venture Beat
Amazon Releases Its Own Game Engine For Free [the engine is tied to Amazon’s web services (for multiplayer) and game service Twitch (for streaming aspects) – note: they originally licensed a popular game engine called “CryEngine” and built off that] - Kotaku
Viacom to Sell Snapchat Ads in Multiyear Deal [deal is specific to Snapchat’s owned content like “Live Stories” – i.e. seems they won’t be selling for companies that have a spot in Discover, Snapchat’s spot where media companies create custom content each day (e.g. Cosmo, Food Network etc.)] - WSJ
Please Explain (someone's gotta do it)
Oculus Rift And PC Bundles Open For Preorders February 16th, Starting At $1,499 [Oculus is partnering with a few PC makers - consumers will receive a PC and Rift] – The Verge
Uber Shuts Down Paris Service To Protest New Regulations [Uber has seen pushback nearly everywhere in terms of gov regulations, but France has been especially noteworthy (in part due to the taxi driver discontent) – first time Uber has shut down its service in support of protest – note: it’s in conjunction with its drivers] – The Verge
Great Reads (why settle for good?)
My Little Sister Taught Me How To “Snapchat Like The Teens” [article is kind of annoying both in its generalization/other"ness" pushing of “teens” (they’re not another species) and overblowing of the importance of Snapchat (and we love Snapchat), as well as overstatement of one case, but... with all that said, it’s still interesting] – BuzzFeed
Look, Listen (and um, learn?)
Listen: When CEO Pay Exploded [a case of unintended consequences] – NPR’s Planet Money
“there's this precise moment in the 1990s when CEO pay suddenly shot up. We find out what happened.”
Culture (more)
U.C.L.A. Gymnast Slips In Hip-Hop Moves, and the Online Crowd Goes Wild [a fun case of messing with the established] – NY Times
54 Million Americans Have Been Incorrectly Labeled As Unhealthy [beyond the click-bait: more research on how BMI likely doesn’t show “health” as we generally imagine – i.e. based on this research, it's possible to be more unhealthy when you weigh less than when you weigh more] - quartz
Industry (we're so Hollywood)
Review: Samantha Bee’s Fierce, Fiery Feminism Anchors ‘Full Frontal’ [her new show is weekly and notable because she’s currently the only female late night host] – NY Times
Google Trends
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National Pizza Day – wait, it’s not.. everyday?
DMX – rapper found not breathing in a hotel parking lot – ok now and recovering
Ash Wednesday – tomorrow (tonight? party hardy)
Fuller House – first bit of the trailer released on Ellen for Netflix revival of 90's hit
Brie Larson – sharing about her, and her life in interviews in run up to Oscars
Top YouTube Videos
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Watch: Our Pick — "NFL 2016: PART TWO" — A Bad Lip Reading of the NFL
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