Iterate Weekly - Issue 145
This week we're looking at the new Vision Pro commercial, business degrees lose their luster, the Wild Gym Rucking backpack, Tetris is beaten, and Daisy Jones & The Six!
Welcome to issue 145 of Iterate Weekly.
Hope you’re all doing well. This is just a friendly reminder that you can always reply directly to these messages or leave a comment on the Substack post. Feedback is highly encouraged and I’m happy to answer any and all questions that come up.
Thank you as always for reading!
🤖 Tech
Apple’s First Vision Pro Commercial
2024 could be the year of Apple’s Vision Pro headset.
After announcing that the much anticipated product would be available for purchase in early February, Apple has also released its first ad for the VR/AR device.
The ad is all about “Getting Ready” and while that may seem innocent enough, it harkens back to the original iPhone commercial as a way to prepare consumers for something truly different. See the original commercial from 2007 below:
You can obviously see the similarities. Apple is trying to normalize the act of pulling goggles over your face in an effort to make it see natural, hip, and obviously essential for the success of the product. If it worked for the iPhone, it’s not a bad idea to try it for the Vision Pro. I still wish they come up with a different name though, it hasn’t grown on me.
As someone who recently upgraded from a Meta Quest 2 to a Meta Quest 3, I’m still bullish on VR and AR. This could be a big year for development on these platforms and a rising tide certainly lifts all ships. Despite its high price tag, I’m hoping the Vision Pro becomes the hot piece of tech for 2024.
🎓 Education/Productivity
Business degrees may have lost their luster
Business degrees just may not be as useful as they once were.
The Future Party takes a look at how business school grads aren’t getting the guaranteed job offers that once came along with that coveted piece of paper.
What’s interesting is that the jobs may be harder to come by for many business school graduates, but the payday is going up. With starting salaries on the rise, there is still a very compelling reason for the investment in one’s education.
New grads may need to wait a little bit longer to find a suitable offer when entering the workspace, but that seems par for the course in today’s job market. While a college degree of any sort is a good starting point, it isn’t the panacea that it once was. Well-rounded candidates with relevant experience can still compete with graduates of the most prestigious universities.
♻️ Health & Environment
The Wild Gym Rucking Backpack is fantastic
It’s January, and plenty of people are working on their new year’s fitness resolutions.
Personally, I’ve been loving the latest piece of kit obtained from the fine folks over at Wild Gym. It’s called the Wild Gym Rucking Backpack and I can’t recommend it enough if you’re looking to beef up your rucking routine.
If you’re not familiar with rucking, it’s essentially just walking with weight on your back. Sure, you could do it with any old backpack filled with stuff, but having a dialed-in pack that distributes the weight evenly makes the experience so much more pleasant.
For me, the Wild Gym pack is at the ready for all of my dog walking excursions. By loading up a weight plate in the bag, I instantly turn my twice daily treks around the neighborhood into an opportunity to get some extra weighted steps on top of whatever other workouts I already have planned for the day. It’s really been a game changer and I feel naked walking my dog without it.
Fitness aside, the straps are the most convenient way to carry your phone and beverage while on the go. It really makes every walk feel like a treat while also burning more calories than I otherwise would. And no, this is not at all a sponsorship, just giving props to a very well designed product that I never realized I needed.
If you’re at all interested in adding rucking to your workout routine this year, you should absolutely check it out.
🛍 Grab Bag
A 13-year old finally beats Tetris
I’ll be honest, I’ve never been much of Tetris man. I struggle to figure out the best way to arrange luggage in the trunk of my car. I was always more of a Columns player myself, you Game Gear fans know what I’m talking about.
Anyway, I was still amazed to see that only recently was a human able to officially beat the famous NES game.
You can check out the 42-minute long video for yourself if you’re so inclined. But it is fun to watch the kid totally freak out as the game comes to a freeze and the music ends. It’s not just a glitch, he beat the game as it was intended.
It would have been nice if the developers actually coded in a little end card of some sort, but apparently they didn’t think that anyone would actually ever play it to completion. The hubris on them!
💬 Quote of the Week
"The universe seems neither benign nor hostile, merely indifferent."
-Carl Sagan
🎥 Content Recommendation
Daisy Jones & The Six
My wife had watched “Daisy Jones & The Six” a few months ago and spoke very highly of it.
Recently she wanted to give it a re-watch and take me a long for the ride. I am very glad that she did.
The story follows the rise and fall of a fictitious band and they’re star-crossed lead singers. It takes the form of a documentary film with flashbacks and explanations from all the main players. And of course, it’s filled with some fantastic live musical performances.
It was one of the more interesting series I’ve watched in a while and I can’t recommend it enough if you’re a music fan.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8749198/
Thanks for reading, I’ll see you next week!
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