This kind of crazy…

Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other cryptocurrencies have entered the mainstream discourse, but they’ve also been joined by a concept that is widely circulated, but poorly understood: “the blockchain” or just “blockchain.” The idea of a blockchain, the cryptographically enhanced digital ledger that underpins Bitcoin and most cryptocurrencies, is now being used to describe everything from a system for inter-bank transactions to a new supply chain database for Walmart. The term has become so widespread that it’s quickly losing meaning.

I agree that this word is used way too much these says.  I am starting to see this pop up in sales emails and calls that I receive at work.

Via: Adrianne Jeffries at The Verge

Over the past few days, users with Alexa-enabled devices have reported hearing strange, unprompted laughter. Amazon responded to the creepiness in a statement to The Verge, saying, “We’re aware of this and working to fix it.”

I can’t say I am looking forward to going home tonight. 😛  I have four Alexa products through out my home and I do not need creepiness.

Via: Shannon Liao at The Verge

I stumbled across a very interesting article via John Gruber’s Daring Fireball by Jonathan Kim over at Medium:

Put another way: Apple’s products are successful because Apple knows how to market their products to a fanbase of deeply flawed individuals who don’t know what’s good for them.

I really wish I was exaggerating, but these seven reasons are the main ways Apple critics attempt to explain why someone would choose to buy products critics believe are both overpriced and inferior to their competition. Because if you’ve already come to the conclusion that Apple products are overpriced and inferior, but hundreds of millions of people still buy them, the only conclusion must be that there is something seriously wrong with the people who buy them.

This was a very interesting critique of well know Tech Reporter admitting over time that their initial impression of a product were perhaps hasty given.  I agree with the original author that people should be applauded for admitting they were wrong.  The author does a better job of articulating this than I.

Savov deserves credit for having the willingness — dare I say “courage”? — for not keeping his change of heart to himself.

“A small yet colorful part of the iTunes Store will be history by year’s end. According to an internal Apple email obtained by Metro, Apple will stop taking iTunes LP submissions this month. Apple confirmed the plans to The Verge, signaling the impending end of the paid multimedia album experience on iTunes.

The leaked email reportedly said, “Apple will no longer accept new submissions of iTunes LPs after March 2018,” and “existing LPs will be deprecated from the store during the remainder of 2018. Customers who have previously purchased an album containing an iTunes LP will still be able to download the additional content using iTunes Match.””

I only ever brought a few of these myself but it was a neat idea at the time and I will be a bit sad to see it go,

Via: Valentina Palladino at Arstechnica

“Microsoft is busy prepping developers for the next big Windows 10 update, version 1803, and it is putting the focus on machine learning. Due in March or April this year, the new version will include a new machine-learning framework for using machine-learning models in Windows applications.”

I’m not sure how useful this will be once it ships but it sounds like a logical next step.

Via: Peter Bright at Arstechnica

“The Bugatti Chiron Sport costs some stupid amount of money north of $3 million. The only people who might care about the precise figure are the accountants at the Volkswagen Group, Bugatti’s parent company. Those who can afford the Chiron Sport don’t trouble themselves with how millions are rounded, and the other 99.99 percent of us will never be so fortunate as to have to seriously consider buying this instead of, say, multiple mansions. The Chiron Sport, like the rest of Bugatti’s historic lineup, is the automotive equivalent of unicorn breeding.

At the Geneva Motor Show, I got to pet the latest Bugatti unicorn, which was clad in a regal red-and-black outfit. Thanks to a diehard Verge fan on the Bugatti staff, I even got to step inside for a few minutes, and this is my account of what that most exclusive of experiences was like.”

I am super jealous of of this man.  I mean, look at this thing!

Via: Vlad Savov at The Verge