Iterate Weekly - Issue 68
This week we're downloading apps that aren't games, reading the paper just got more expensive, More EV charging stations, Bill Gates is going for broke, and Hustle with Adam Sandler!
Welcome to issue 68 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
Non-game apps are finally outpacing games!
I’m not a gamer.
Sure, I’ve dabbled with consoles over the years like any good techie. I’ve strapped on my Meta Quest 2 and played a few enjoyable games. I’m usually impressed by the experience but not hooked. And I can’t remember the last time I downloaded a game on my phone. Maybe when the original Angry Birds came out?
There is absolutely nothing wrong with playing games on your phone if you enjoy them and have the time to do so. But I’ve always thought that “non-game” apps were the most powerful elements of change on our phones.
Don’t worry, games aren’t going anywhere. In the U.S., they still accounted for $3.3 billion in revenue last quarter. But non-game apps were bringing in $3.4 billion. Each of these numbers is impressive, but could it be the start of a new trend in how we consume digital content?
The biggest contributor to this is likely the subscription model. Which apps are being used over games? It’s things like Netflix, HBOMax, and Disney+. While I’d love to say that people are using education or productivity apps rather than games, it’s not really the case. Another big category on the rise? Social media and dating apps.
Have you personally been downloading fewer gaming apps these days?
🎓 Education/Productivity
Reading on paper is getting more expensive
I’ve mentioned before that I do subscribe to the paper version of my local newspaper. And while I do read several digital magazines on my tablet, I still get a couple delivered to my mailbox each month.
If you’re still doing some reading on paper, you should be prepared for this cost to increase.
Inflation has caused many things to exponentially increase in price over the past few years. Paper is no exception. DMG Media reports that the price of paper per ton has nearly doubled since last year to an average of $800. Paper mills have been struggling to stay afloat for years as many readers have moved to online consumption.
I’ve even personally seen this shift with my local paper as they had to shift their release day from Thursday to Friday in order to meet the standards of a new, more affordable printing press. Without this change, they may have had to stop printing all together. And the paper itself isn’t very long either. Papers around the world have had to cut corners and slim down both the size of the paper and the size of the newspaper staff.
Will we keep reading newspapers and magazines as the content shrinks and the costs go up? I’m not sure. I think there is a breaking point on my weekly newspaper delivery. I still find it to be the only source of certain local news stories. And the price might be steadily increasing, but it’s still more affordable than other types of media I consume.
Anyone else out there still reading print magazines and newspapers? How much are you willing to pay for them?
♻️ Health & Environment
Coast-to-Coast EV charging is finally becoming a reality
Two related stories here in the world of electric vehicles.
I’ve written about the need for charging stations before. It seems to be the biggest worry for any new EV owner. What will happen if they get stranded somewhere without a charger in sight? Range anxiety is a real hurdle in the adoption of electric vehicles, and obviously GM has a real vested interest in getting more people to buy EVs. So that reasons to believe that this initiative will be a success right?
The goal is to have a charging station at least every 50 miles across the US Highway system. You’ll notice that I said these are “fast” charging stations and that is maybe an understatement. These stations will operate at a 350kW maximum charge rate, that’s actually faster than any current EV can handle. So these chargers certainly are future-proof (at least for the foreseeable future). And rest assured that they will automatically step down to the fastest charging speed your EV can handle.
I’d say that they only negative part of this story is that GM owners will be getting some exclusive perks at these chargers. Ideally, this would be a neutral, 3rd-party system where all EVs were treated equally. Of course, that’s not the case when a company is trying to incentivize the purchase of their own vehicles. There will be exclusive reservations and some charging discounts if you’re juicing up your GM vehicle.
Look for these stations to start to open up in early 2023. And of course, they will have accessible wi-fi while you charge up. There will also be cafes with drinks and snacks, bathrooms, and even secure shower facilities to keep you clean on those cross-country road trips. It’s a true vision of the “rest stop of the future”!
In other EV news, your car won’t be able to signal its movement via fart sounds or other noises.
While the thought of cars burping, farting, or making wise-cracks while they wiz around the city is entertaining, I can see why this would cause issues. It’s a fun customizable perk of an EV right now. But soon enough, everyone will have a silent vehicle that needs to let people know it’s approaching. A cacophony of artificial sounds could be a nightmare for pedestrians and drivers alike.
I’m typically for open-source customizations whenever possible, but this just seems disruptive. For now, let’s just have our cars politely let pedestrians and cyclists know they’re coming with a boring artificial whirring or beeping sound.
But if you could program your EV to make any funny sound, what would it be?
🛍 Grab Bag
Bill Gates is going for broke
The image of Bill Gates sure has come a long way hasn’t it?
For years, he was parodied as a cut-throat competitive businessman who wanted to take over the world (mostly a warranted portrayal, especially on The Simpsons).
These days, he’s being applauded for giving away virtually all of his money.
It’s an unprecedented move. Well there have been generous rich people forever, but Gates has world-changing wealth on another level. Gates is looking to donate $113 billion dollars before he dies. The logistics around this are tremendously difficult even if he has the best intentions.
Gates will need to step up the annual work conducted by his Gates Foundation. He’s currently been tackling causes like global disease prevention and vaccinations, climate change, and decreasing child mortality rates. There is a never-ending list of other topics that could benefit from his immense wealth.
Kudos to Gates for attempting this generosity. Let’s hope he follows through with it in a way that inspires other billionaires to follow along.
💬 Quote of the Week
“The voice of the intellect is a soft one, but it does not rest until it has gained a hearing. Ultimately, after endless rebuffs, it succeeds. This is one of the few points in which one may be optimistic about the future of mankind.”
- Sigmund Freud
🎥 Content Recommendation
Hustle
Recently, my wife and I watched the movie “Hustle” on Netflix.
As a huge basketball fan, I was really excited to check it out. My wife on the other hand, isn’t a big sports fan but there was enough positive buzz about the film to get her on board.
It’s safe to say that it was one of my favorite sports films of all time. Sandler is extremely believable as assistant coach/agent Stanley Sugarman. There is a great ensemble cast of actors and athletes that co-exist in perfect harmony. You might even mistake Anthony Edwards as an actor rather than a recent #1 NBA draft pick in his role as instigator Kermit Wilts.
The gameplay scenes really look like authentic basketball games and are mostly played by real players. If you’re an NBA junkie like me, you will be mesmerized by all the cameo appearances in the background. It’s clear that these scenes were filmed in some actual NBA scenarios and the realism is greatly appreciated.
Whether you’re a sports fan or not, I think you’re really enjoy “Hustle”.
Thanks for reading, I’ll see you next week!
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