The Futurist is your daily tech, cosmic, and science (both weird or otherwise) newsletter with articles and content curated just for you. What was the first video game released commercially? Hint: Not Pong! (Scroll to the bottom for the answer!) | | “Two of the first-ever desktop computers have been found in storage boxes at Kingston University in London. A milestone in human achievement, the Q1 microprocessor computer was released more than half a century ago, and only one other is known to exist. … With the development of the silicon chip, the already fast-developing field of computers exploded as the technology jumped from major universities and corporations like IBM into the hands of small firms, hobbyists, and a new generation of young engineers.” | Time to start experiencing phone plans in an entirely new way with Tello Mobile. Think lower phone bills, more savings, and the same reliable 4G LTE/5G network you're used to without the premium price tag. Mix & match mins & data as you please to build your phone plan just the way you like it and never pay more than $25/mo. Tello's Unlimited plan comes with 35GB of high speed data and 5GB of free hotspot for only $25/month. NO contract, NO hidden fees, NO bulk buying. Just MAX flexibility. [Ad] | “Otter CEO Sam Liang — whose AI startup offers transcription and automated note-taking services — told Business Insider, he believes a ‘working prototype’ of an AI-powered work avatar able to attend meetings in place of its human counterpart will be ready by ‘later this year.’ According to Liang, these workplace AI doppelgängers would ideally be capable of not only attending a meeting and taking notes, but also participating, answering questions, and even asking their own.” | “The tech giant was awarded a broad patent for a ‘wearable device with perspiration measuring capabilities’ — greenlighting noninvasive hydration tracking for Apple Watch. … But, Apple’s hydration feature is a threat to standalone sensors — and not for the first time.” | Picture this: aisles upon aisles of wine, spirits, and beer… but not having to leave your couch to get it. Yep — you can find your faves or even try something new with Total Wine & More. Now through March, they’re stocked with limited-time specials on select wines and liquors, which means members can get more high-quality sips for less. If you’re smart, you’ll create an & More account to collect points, earn rewards, get personalized recommendations, and check out faster. If you’re even smarter, you already have an account. If you’re a genius, you’ll start shopping ASAP so you don’t miss out on these time-sensitive savings. [Ad] | “It's been more than a few years since the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X first hit store shelves. However, choosing between these two gaming consoles hasn't gotten any easier. Both consoles offer a slew of games to play, and both offer impressive specs that will keep you busy with beautiful graphics. But is that really all there is to choosing a new gaming console? And what about console exclusives? Is that even a thing anymore?” | Holding onto paper files isn’t just messy and inconvenient; it’s 100% more likely to cause a paper cut than going digital. The only problem is that not everyone is on the same page (pun intended) when it comes to nixing printouts, and scanners are pretty costly. With iScanner, you only need your phone to scan physical documents into the virtual world. Just snap a pic of any photo, ID card, receipt, or file and let the app’s AI-powered tools detect borders, straighten pages, and recognize text for easy markups and editing. Perfect for businesses, remote workers, or anyone who hates paper clutter, iScanner is your solution for easy and affordable scanning. [Ad] | Interested in having one of your social posts featured in The Futurist? | | The answer: Computer Space | According to the MIT Press Reader website: “Before Pong there was Computer Space, the first commercial video game. The progenitor of today’s US$175 billion industry debuted on Oct. 15, 1971, at the Music Operators of America trade show in Chicago. Housed in a futuristic-looking cabinet, Computer Space took its place alongside the latest jukeboxes, pinball machines and other coin-operated games manufacturers were pitching to arcade and bar owners. … But when Computer Space was unveiled, it didn’t generate a flood of orders, and no flood ever arrived. It wasn’t until Computer Space’s makers left the company, founded Atari and released Pong the next year that the commercial potential of video games became apparent. The company sold 8,000 Pong units by 1974.” | | | | |
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