Hello, I am Robert G. Male. Welcome to TechStop™. Here you will find links that I think are of interest. Furthermore these are links that I want to keep track of because they have given me either ideas or some other form of inspiration for my writing. Links are listed in order lowest to highest both in the date they are given and the order in which they appear (meaning: read them from the bottom up for a certain day's list). Some of these sites may require you to sign up for free. Without further ado, the links...

November 24, 2011

• It's maybe a little esoteric, but I think this is an interesting concept. The applications listed do sound intriguing not only for their real applications later, but what we can do with them right now in fiction. One thing not mentioned is the darker side of the idea such as how it might be used to create a different version of When 'Mad Men' Meets Augmented Reality with deletion as opposed to substitution. Consider also The democratization of communication: In filter we trust.

October 6, 2011

• This is the stuff of science fiction, but it's also the inevitable future--or we expect it to be a foregone conclusion anyway. Creating energy, converting it from other sources is one thing, but more intriguing, more useful even is storing it for future use. Of course when it comes to organic technology the real fictional fun includes among many of the options, disease and viruses (in the truest sense).

August 25, 2011

• I normally wouldn't post something like this. The research is so nascent that it's not very helpful research for your writing, except that it allows you to gauge if your technology timeline is going to be effective--for your near if not also far future stories. I chose this particular article because of the additional background as well as the videos that it includes. This blend or nanoscience, neuroscience, and supercomputing seems like an excellent step forward in artificial intelligence research. It's also hard to deny the idea it could be the basis of making Skynet real since the minds at DARPA are in the background pushing it forward.

August 4, 2011

• This isn't a new concept here, but it is a little more technical look giving people their own online reality, which of course is becoming ever more offline or at least sustained by mobile connections. The second link with the video has some nice clear examples of the ideas. The problem is that it becomes hard to find different things, things that you did not know that would like, but do once exposed to them. I certain want good filters when I am trying to narrow things down, but an ability to turn it off is certainly necessary. There are many consequences to these bubbles on both sides of their desirability.

July 21, 2011

• This was back in 2010 and may be more advanced yet. It's one thing to have maps that turn into photo-realistic 3D models and then actual photos. It's a next step to fold video into it. I'm imagining scenarios where multiple video streams are available in real-time in a location that is framed by one of these virtual environments. Take it a step further and fold in details not readily available such as building, water, and wiring schematics, security cameras and sensors where the public are not around, etc., and you have real power. He only barely mentioned it, but there was also the option of historical photos. Real-time is nice, but archival video would be helpful also. For the public much of this could be used to see what you just missed, if looking the wrong way, being too far away or having not arrived there yet. Keeping a record of it for later would be essential.

July 7, 2011

• Last time essentially looked at a virtual nation. What is a virtual nation without virtual currency? Bitcoin can do that. (Yes there are Facebook credits, but they are more like prepaid cards or PayPal.) This article is a good overview, but doesn't get into the interesting aspects that much. The whole grey market, shadow world is a key to interesting use of this in your fiction. The currencies dovetail nicely into the worlds of dark webs and sprawling counter-cultures struggling under the heels of oppressive corporate driven regimes. Things need not be so dystopian though. It works just as well for vital but frowned upon or disavowed black book operations as easily it does criminal enterprise. The mining aspect of Ditcoins presents its own opportunities the least of which is the likelihood of botnets being harnessed to mine new coins. Finally the coding, updating to the system (Bitcoin web essentially), and details like that work nicely with concepts like Universal Credits in settings such as Rifts® from Palladium Books®.

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