Iterate Weekly - Issue 78
This week we're creating objects for the Metaverse, using technology to keep us from losing things, making cement out of algae, appreciating Email Refrigerator, and watching the Lakers' Legacy!
Welcome to issue 78 of Iterate Weekly!
Just a reminder that you can always reply to this email or leave a comment on the web version. I read all of them, and I appreciate the feedback, questions, and insights from all of you.
Let’s jump into this week’s stories.
🤖 Tech
NVIDIA Creates the Detail of Virtual Worlds
Much has been made about how we’re going to do everything in the Metverse soon enough. We’ll socialize, we’ll work, we’ll exercise. It will be the place to be! But who is going to fill it with all the objects necessary to make it feel real?
NVIDIA is stepping up to create the objects that will populate the virtual worlds of tomorrow.
The graphics giant is specifically creating an AI solution that will make it faster and easier to create repetitive objects that appear in the background of virtual stimulations. They’re calling the technology GET3D and it should be a godsend for developers who are looking to make their immersive worlds feel more realistic.
It may seem minor, but the details of dense VR apps and games are crucial to the believability of the scene. And rendering individual objects one-by-one can be expensive and time-consuming. This technology allows for realistic worlds to come together in far less time.
Check out NVIDIA’s explainer video to learn more:
🎓 Education/Productivity
Can technology stop us from losing things?
Have you ever used any products from the company Tile? They were one of the first companies to start selling bluetooth tags to put on things like keys or your wallet in order to track them via your phone.
Now, Tile is looking to create a new segment of QR stickers for you to slap on literally anything that you don’t want to use.
It may be a last gasp for the company who is losing market share to newer (and quite frankly better) products from Apple and others.
I’m sure many of you have had the same experience I’ve had with Tile. I bought a whole bunch of them and attached one to my keys, put one in my wallet, and I even put a small one on my cat’s collar for a little bit! But the battery life on the tiny devices is pretty dismal. The couple of times I’ve lost my keys, I haven’t been able to use Tile to track them down since the battery died months ago and I had no clue.
Anyway, maybe it’s just me who’s had trouble with Tiles in the past. The new product looks it will be much easier to use and thankfully requires no batteries. They’re just QR stickers that you can stick on anything you’re worried about losing. If the item is found, the QR code can be scanned to show your contact information to arrange a pickup.
Yes, there are some privacy issues baked in here. And you have to rely on the kindness of someone to actually scan the code and contact you. But it’s still a low-cost way to give you a little but more peace of mind if you ever misplace something like a water bottle or tech gear.
Anyone else have experience with Tile?
♻️ Health & Environment
Using Algae as Cement
This is one of those great stories where we learn a new use for something that’s naturally occurring in nature.
A company is looking to use algae to make a new form of cement.
That statement really says it all. But what’s the big deal? Well cement actually has a pretty large carbon footprint. Cement production alone is responsible for 8% of the global carbon emissions. And we know how many things on our planet are built using cement right?
You can do the math, a carbon-neutral change to this process could have massively positive impacts on the environment.
I was never great at chemistry but making cement is pretty straight forward process. Making cement involves heating up limestone which is composed of calcium carbonate. This chemical reaction releases large amounts of CO2. But what if this limestone could be made with an algae rather than straight calcium carbonate? By finding a more suitable substitute for calcium carbonate, the whole process could instantly become less destructive to the environment.
It’s amazing when discoveries like this just seem to happen out of nowhere. The scientist leading this charge had the idea come to him while scuba diving above algae on his honeymoon.
You just never know when inspiration will strike!
🛍 Grab Bag
Email Refrigerator
This week I’m promoting the fantastic writing of friend and Caveday co-founder Jake Kahana.
For a few years now, Jake has been publishing a short collection of stories each month. Some are poems, some are observations about his life, some are links to other work he appreciates.
This month he’s examining how we compare ourselves to others in life. His bit about our parents thinking that raising kids is easier today than it was in their generation is particularly interesting. But whether you’re a parent or not, each month there is something there that I really enjoy, and I think you will too.
You can signup via email here if you’d like.
💬 Quote of the Week
"I can't relate to lazy people. We don't speak the same language. I don't understand you. I don't want to understand you."
-Kobe Bryant
📺Content Recommendation
Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers
This one is mostly for the basketball fans, but there is also a bit of “Succession” style family rivalry going on here as well.
Lately I’ve been watching “Legacy - The True Story of the LA Lakers” on Hulu.
If you recall, a few months ago I was enamored with the fictionalized version of this story that was portrayed by actors in the fantastic “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty”.
This is the yin to that show’s yang. You kinda need this straight-forward documentary approach to appreciate the spectacle shown in the HBO version that takes some liberties and ruffled some feathers.
Hey! I’m testing out some new polling tools that Substack has recently added. Keep your eyes on this section and please help me get some feedback by taking a second to choose an answer in my poll. Thank you!
POLL
Thanks for reading, I’ll see you next week!
P.S. - Are you looking for a coach? I’m looking to work with some potential new clients and would love to help you out. Are you struggling with screen addiction? Need some help building positive habits or ditching negative ones? Iterating on a new business idea and need some guidance? If you’d like a free 30-minute consultation chat, feel free to book some time with me here!