Feels like the fall is just over our shoulders (Credit: Lance Ulanoff)
NFT, I love you
Is it cool to give an NFT (Non-Fungible Token) in place of an engagement ring? What if, someday, it might be worth a million dollars? That’s the question one boyfriend (failed fiancé and maybe soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend) posed on Reddit after he poured his life savings into an NF Token of his love for his girlfriend. When he presented it on one knee, she did not cry out in joy and embrace him. Instead, she called him an idiot and, it sounds like she–at least for now–rejected the proposal.
I can’t decide if this was an incredibly bold move or a dumb one. In his defense, despite the initial mania wearing off, the NFT market is still going strong and expanding into all kinds of art, cards, written work, and ideas (Remember Boaty McBoat Face?). According to Nigel Green CEO of the financial advisory firm deVere Group:
“Demand will also be fueled by a growing number of NFT marketplaces where you can make purchases, as well as there being more and more artists, musicians, sports, fashion, entertainment, gaming and retail brands producing digital assets to engage with consumers, clients and fans.”
Wonder if it’s a coincidence that Green used the word engage.
Perhaps this anonymous paramour is onto something. Sure, a diamond engagement will hold its value and maybe appreciate, but probably not at the pace or level of a prized NFT. On the other hand, the ring is not about value. It’s supposed to be a symbol of one’s love for another and a soon-to-be unbreakable bond. An NFT still feels more like commerce.
Some on Twitter said the guy should look for a smarter girlfriend. That seems unfair when we’re talking about matters of the heart and not the head.
In any case, I hope to someday find out if the guy traded in his NFT for a shiny rock and gave the proposal another try.
An incredible arm
3 million people worldwide have arm loss, and many have been using prosthetic technology that hasn’t changed much in the last half-century.
That’s why I was fascinated to read about the work a group of Cleveland researchers is doing to create a very different kind of bionic arm.
Like other advanced prosthetic work I’ve read about, this does appear to require some relatively invasive surgery to find and attach nerve endings to sensors at the point where the bionic arm would attach. The most interesting part of all this, though, is the tiny robots in that base that interface between the nerve endings and the arm.
The result is a bionic arm that appears to respond to the almost unconscious movements and adjustments of real arms. It’s a huge deal since amputees normally have to watch their prosthetics arms as they use them.
This got me thinking of all the ways I unconsciously use my arms and hands, swing them as I walk, scratching my nose, navigating the interplay of a knife and fork without so much as a glance at either arm. These are all things I take for granted and that amputees can’t do easily, even with prosthetics. This robotic arm could change all that.
Apple backs off CSAM plan
Remember when Apple was going to implement a plan to look at photos you uploaded to iCloud. You don’t?
In an effort to protect children from abuse, Apple was set to start scanning uploaded images for those that matched various databases of child abuse imagery. It was an admirable plan that was met with almost universal dislike because of the huge privacy implications.
Apple explained themselves. Then did it again, and finally, last week, said: We’re pressing pause. The company isn’t giving up on the idea but it’s holding back until it can reevaluate the plan.
You can get up to speed on the now paused plan by reading this and this.
Windows 11 is coming!
In anticipation of the October 5 launch, I’ve started running the latest Windows 11 beta. This is the most significant design update I’ve seen in years. And that’s a good thing.
IDs in your Apple
Apple’s plan to let you start carrying your ID in your Apple Wallet is becoming a reality. I have some important details you need to know.
20 years
Next week is the 20th anniversary of 9/11.
I was in New York City when it happened and am honestly surprised with the waves of emotion already hitting me. I’m also realizing that there are now young adults who were born after the horrific attacks, meaning they know only what is written in history books and the stories we share in person and online.
For those that remember, now is a time to tell your stories, to make sure everyone understand what happened, the lives lost, and how we’ve all spent the last two decades trying to make sense of this unimaginable tragedy.
Never Forget.
Thanks for reading!
Stay safe
See you soon