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The Loop: How Technology is Creating a World Without Choices and How to Fight Back
by Jacob WardAn eye-opening narrative journey into the rapidly changing world of artificial intelligence, revealing the dangerous ways that AI is poised to exploit the unconscious habits of our mindsArtificial intelligence is going to change the world as we know it. But the real danger isn't some robot that's going to enslave us: It's our own brain. Our brains are constantly making decisions using shortcuts, biases, and hidden processes-and we're using those same techniques to create technology that makes choices for us. In The Loop, award-winning science journalist Jacob Ward reveals how we are poised to build all of our worst instincts into our AIs, creating a narrow loop where each generation has fewer, predetermined, and even dangerous choices.Taking us on a world tour of the ongoing, real-world experiment of artificial intelligence, The Loop illuminates the dangers of writing dangerous human habits into our machines. From a biometric surveillance state in India that tracks the movements of over a billion people, to a social media control system in China that punishes deviant friendships, to the risky multiple-choice simplicity of automated military action, Ward travels the world speaking with top experts confronting the perils of their research. Each stop reveals how the most obvious patterns in our behavior-patterns an algorithm will use to make decisions about what's best for us-are not the ones we want to perpetuate. Just as politics, marketing, and finance have all exploited the weaknesses of our human programming, artificial intelligence is poised to use the patterns of our lives to manipulate us. The Loop is call to look at ourselves more clearly-our most creative ideas, our most destructive impulses, the ways we help and hurt one another-so we can put only the best parts of ourselves into the thinking machines we create.
RISK!: True Stories People Never Thought They'd Dare to Share
by Kevin AllisonA "fascinating" (MetroSource) collection of uncensored, confessional, and at times outrageously funny essays about coming of age, coming out, and the wildest experiences that define us. Collecting the most celebrated stories from the hit podcast RISK!, along with all-new true tales about explosive secrets and off-the-wall adventures, this book paints a spellbinding portrait of the transformational moments we experience in life but rarely talk about. No topics are off-limits in RISK!, no memories too revealing to share. From accidentally harboring a teen fugitive to being poisoned while tripping on LSD in the Mayan ruins, these stories transport readers into uncharted territory and show how your life can change when you take an extraordinary leap. In these jaw-dropping stories, edited and introduced by RISK! host Kevin Allison, writers reveal how they pushed drugs for a Mexican cartel only to end up kidnapped and nearly killed, how they joined a terrifying male-empowerment cult and fought desperately for a way out, how they struggled with pregnancy complications and found a hero where they least expected it, and so much more. A lifelong construction worker shares the intimate details of transitioning to being a woman, a bestselling author discusses how he assumed the identity of his babysitter online in a social experiment gone awry, and a beloved comedian discusses how a blow job from a prostitute changed his life. By turns cautionary and inspiring, RISK! presents an extraordinary panorama of the breadth of human experience and a stunning tribute to the power of the truth to set us free.
Make Better Pictures: Truth, Opinions, and Practical Advice
by Henry HorensteinHenry Horenstein may be the world's bestselling photography teacher, with more than 700,000 copies of his photography manuals sold. Now, in this easily digestible book of wisdom, he distills a career's worth of instruction into one hundred memorable pieces of advice. Photography has never been a bigger part of our lives. But how do you transform everyday snapshots into enduring images -- or merely upgrade your Instagram game? With images illustrating the impact of each tip, and with examples drawn from iconic artists, Horenstein shows casual and expert photographers alike how to take the best photographs on every device -- from a DSLR to an iPhone.
Young Guns: Obsession, Overwatch, and the Future of Gaming
by Austin MoorheadMoneyball meets Bringing Down the House in the behind-the-scenes dramatic story of the rise of global pro gaming leaguesWelcome to the high-stakes world of esports where shit-talking teenage gamers, billionaire sports franchise owners, and celebrity entrepreneurs are all competing to understand and conquer the fast-emerging future of entertainment. The burgeoning frontier of professional gaming has moved beyond the niche corners of the internet to become a global phenomenon, upending youth viewership for the major sports leagues and opening a generational rift over the nature of "athletics." Soon, professional video game competitions may well be as ingrained in our culture as Monday Night Football. YOUNG GUNS: Obsession, Overwatch, and the Future of Gaming takes readers behind the scenes of the esports boom and into the lives of the gamers and game changers leading the charge, unfurling a wry, unexpected, and often hilarious narrative about the rise of professional gaming and the business of electronic sports. An avid gamer himself, author Austin Moorhead became fascinated by pro gaming, in particular the Overwatch League (OWL) after sports titans Robert Kraft, Stan Kroenke, and Jeff Wilpon each paid $20 million for a team. At the same time that he began investigating the inner-workings of the league, OWL launched esports into the American mainstream, inking TV deals with ABC and ESPN, selling out NBA stadiums for live competitions, and minting a new version of young pro athletes. Embedding with two top teams in the Overwatch League, the San Francisco Shock and the London Spitfire, as they embark on the inaugural season, Moorhead pulls back the curtain on the grueling practice schedules and spartan lifestyles of the league's most popular players. In addition to the "gamer houses" and competitions in which the pros hone their skills, Moorhead takes readers into the board room of Overwatch-developer Blizzard Entertainment, where entrepreneurs eager to capitalize on youth culture take bets on new esports franchises for tens of millions. The result is a rollicking story about the superstars of the future and the absurd collision of adolescent prodigies and high-stakes industry, an uproarious look at the future of sports and entertainment that is part Bringing Down the House, part Moneyball.
The Art of Invisibility: The World's Most Famous Hacker Teaches You How to Be Safe in the Age of Big Brother and Big Data
by Kevin MitnickBe online without leaving a trace. Your every step online is being tracked and stored, and your identity literally stolen. Big companies and big governments want to know and exploit what you do, and privacy is a luxury few can afford or understand. In this explosive yet practical book, Kevin Mitnick uses true-life stories to show exactly what is happening without your knowledge, teaching you "the art of invisibility" -- online and real-world tactics to protect you and your family, using easy step-by-step instructions. Reading this book, you will learn everything from password protection and smart Wi-Fi usage to advanced techniques designed to maximize your anonymity. Kevin Mitnick knows exactly how vulnerabilities can be exploited and just what to do to prevent that from happening. The world's most famous -- and formerly the US government's most wanted -- computer hacker, he has hacked into some of the country's most powerful and seemingly impenetrable agencies and companies, and at one point was on a three-year run from the FBI. Now Mitnick is reformed and widely regarded as the expert on the subject of computer security. Invisibility isn't just for superheroes; privacy is a power you deserve and need in the age of Big Brother and Big Data.
The Social Organism: A Radical Understanding of Social Media to Transform Your Business and Life
by Michael Casey Oliver Luckett"A must-read for business leaders and anyone who wants to understand all the implications of a social world."---Bob Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney CompanyFrom tech visionaries Oliver Luckett and Michael J. Casey, a groundbreaking, must-read theory of social media--how it works, how it's changing human life, and how we can master it for good and for profit.In barely a decade, social media has positioned itself at the center of twenty-first century life. The combined power of platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and Vine have helped topple dictators and turned anonymous teenagers into celebrities overnight. In the social media age, ideas spread and morph through shared hashtags, photos, and videos, and the most compelling and emotive ones can transform public opinion in mere days and weeks, even attitudes and priorities that had persisted for decades. How did this happen? The scope and pace of these changes have left traditional businesses--and their old-guard marketing gatekeepers--bewildered. We simply do not comprehend social media's form, function, and possibilities. It's time we did.In The Social Organism, Luckett and Casey offer a revolutionary theory: social networks--to an astonishing degree--mimic the rules and functions of biological life. In sharing and replicating packets of information known as memes, the world's social media users are facilitating an evolutionary process just like the transfer of genetic information in living things. Memes are the basic building blocks of our culture, our social DNA. To master social media--and to make online content that impacts the world--you must start with the Social Organism.With the scope and ambition of The Second Machine Age and James Gleick's The Information, The Social Organism is an indispensable guide for business leaders, marketing professionals, and anyone serious about understanding our digital world--a guide not just to social media, but to human life today and where it is headed next.
Girl Forgotten
by April HenryPiper Gray starts a true-crime podcast investigating a seventeen-year-old cold case in this thrilling YA murder mystery by New York Times bestselling author April Henry. Seventeen years ago, Layla Trello was murdered and her killer was never found. Enter true-crime fan Piper Gray who is determined to reopen Layla&’s case and get some answers. With the help of Jonas—who has a secret of his own—Piper starts a podcast investigating Layla&’s murder. But as she digs deeper into the mysteries of the past, Piper begins receiving anonymous threats telling her to back off the investigation, or else. The killer is still out there, and Piper must uncover their identity before they silence her forever.
FORTNITE (Official): The Ultimate Trivia Book
by Epic GamesAre you a true Fortnite expert? Find out in this official Epic Games trivia book, featuring the authentic Fortnite holographic seal.Packed with hundreds of quiz questions in five different levels of difficulty, this official trivia book from Epic Games is jam-packed with Battle Royale brainteasers to test your Fortnite expertise. Whether you're new to the game or an old hand, these questions will level up your knowledge and provide hours of fun. Are you up for the challenge? Your trivia test starts here!
The Seventh Sense: Power, Fortune, and Survival in the Age of Networks
by Joshua Cooper RamoEndless terror. Refugee waves. An unfixable global economy. Surprising election results. New billion-dollar fortunes. Miracle medical advances. What if they were all connected? What if you could understand why? The Seventh Sense is the story of what all of today's successful figures see and feel: the forces that are invisible to most of us but explain everything from explosive technological change to uneasy political ripples. The secret to power now is understanding our new age of networks. Not merely the Internet, but also webs of trade, finance, and even DNA. Based on his years of advising generals, CEOs, and politicians, Ramo takes us into the opaque heart of our world's rapidly connected systems and teaches us what the losers are not yet seeing -- and what the victors of this age already know.
The Distraction Addiction: Getting the Information You Need and the Communication You Want, Without Enraging Your Family, Annoying Your Colleagues, and Destroying Your Soul
by Alex Soojung-Kim PangThe question of our time: can we reclaim our lives in an age that feels busier and more distracting by the day? We've all found ourselves checking email at the dinner table, holding our breath while waiting for Outlook to load, or sitting hunched in front of a screen for an hour longer than we intended. Mobile devices and the web have invaded our lives, and this is a big idea book that addresses one of the biggest questions of our age: can we stay connected without diminishing our intelligence, attention spans, and ability to really live? Can we have it all? Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, a renowned Stanford technology guru, says yes. The Distraction Addiction is packed with fascinating studies, compelling research, and crucial takeaways. Whether it's breathing while Facebook refreshes, or finding creative ways to take a few hours away from the digital crush, this book is about the ways to tune in without tuning out.
The Soul of A New Machine (Modern Library)
by Tracy KidderTracy Kidder's "riveting" (Washington Post) story of one company's efforts to bring a new microcomputer to market won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award and has become essential reading for understanding the history of the American tech industry. Computers have changed since 1981, when The Soul of a New Machine first examined the culture of the computer revolution. What has not changed is the feverish pace of the high-tech industry, the go-for-broke approach to business that has caused so many computer companies to win big (or go belly up), and the cult of pursuing mind-bending technological innovations.The Soul of a New Machine is an essential chapter in the history of the machine that revolutionized the world in the twentieth century. "Fascinating...A surprisingly gripping account of people at work." --Wall Street Journal
Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World's Most Wanted Hacker
by Kevin MitnickThe thrilling memoir of the world's most wanted computer hacker. Kevin Mitnick was the most elusive computer break-in artist in history. He accessed computers and networks at the world's biggest companies -- and no matter how fast the authorities were, Mitnick was faster, sprinting through phone switches, computer systems, and cellular networks. As the FBI's net finally began to tighten, Mitnick went on the run, engaging in an increasingly sophisticated game of hide-and-seek that escalated through false identities, a host of cities, and plenty of close shaves, to an ultimate showdown with the Feds, who would stop at nothing to bring him down. Ghost in the Wires is a thrilling true story of intrigue, suspense, and unbelievable escapes -- and a portrait of a visionary who forced the authorities to rethink the way they pursued him, and forced companies to rethink the way they protect their most sensitive information. "Mitnick manages to make breaking computer code sound as action-packed as robbing a bank." -- NPR
Dot.Bomb: My Days and Nights at an Internet Goliath
by J. David KuoIn the tradition of Liar's Poker and Barbarians at the Gate, dot.bomb is a gripping insider's account of e-business gone berserk -- the unforgettable story of the rise and crash of a major Internet startup.
Perfect Store, The: Inside eBay
by Adam CohenWhen Pierre Omidyar launched a clunky website from a spare bedroom over Labor Day weekend of 1995, he wanted to see if he could use the Internet to create a perfect market. He never guessed his old-computer parts and Beanie Baby exchange would revolutionize the world of commerce. Now, Adam Cohen, the only journalist ever to get full access to the company, tells the remarkable story of eBay's rise. He describes how eBay built the most passionate community ever to form in cyberspace and forged a business that triumphed over larger, better-funded rivals. And he explores the ever-widening array of enlistees in the eBay revolution, from a stay-at-home mom who had to rent a warehouse for her thriving business selling bubble-wrap on eBay to the young MBA who started eBay Motors (which within months of its launch was on track to sell $1 billion in cars a year), to collectors nervously bidding thousands of dollars on antique clothing-irons. Adam Cohen's fascinating look inside eBay is essential reading for anyone trying to figure out what's next. If you want to truly understand the Internet economy, The Perfect Store is indispensable.
The Illusion of Intimacy: Problems in the World of Online Dating
by John C. BridgesThis book examines online dating from the "inside," using in-depth interviews with dating website members to reveal—and keenly analyze—what relationships and romance in the 21st century are really like.The members of the current generation of "digital guinea pigs" are true social pioneers as they embrace digital technology to create a new realm of mating, dating, and intimacy in America. Ironically, "digital dating" frequently results in an outcome that is exactly opposite to its participants' intended purposes. The Illusion of Intimacy: Problems in the World of Online Dating is more than a thorough investigation of the realities of modern relationships, many of which begin online—one in five, according to Match.com; the book introduces the reader to some of the natives and industry "users" who make up its clientele. Author John C. Bridges shows how they have adapted to technology to find new interactions, meet new partners, and share new experiences. The research focuses on the dating sites ranked in the top five by actual members of these sites who interviewed with the author to share their personal stories and experiences, all documented by saved emails and text messages.
Cyber Warfare: How Conflicts in Cyberspace Are Challenging America and Changing the World (The Changing Face of War)
by Paul RosenzweigThis book provides an up-to-date, accessible guide to the growing threats in cyberspace that affects everyone from private individuals to businesses to national governments.Cyber Warfare: How Conflicts In Cyberspace Are Challenging America and Changing The World is a comprehensive and highly topical one-stop source for cyber conflict issues that provides scholarly treatment of the subject in a readable format. The book provides a level-headed, concrete analytical foundation for thinking about cybersecurity law and policy questions, covering the entire range of cyber issues in the 21st century, including topics such as malicious software, encryption, hardware intrusions, privacy and civil liberties concerns, and other interesting aspects of the problem.In Part I, the author describes the nature of cyber threats, including the threat of cyber warfare. Part II describes the policies and practices currently in place, while Part III proposes optimal responses to the challenges we face. The work should be considered essential reading for national and homeland security professionals as well as students and lay readers wanting to understand of the scope of our shared cybersecurity problem.
Workplace Communication for the 21st Century [2 volumes]: Tools and Strategies That Impact the Bottom Line [2 volumes]
by Jason S. WrenchWritten in clear, non-technical language, this book explains how employees and employers can maximize internal and external organizational communication—for both personal benefit and to the entity as a whole.Workplace Communication for the 21st Century: Tools and Strategies That Impact the Bottom Line explains and simplifies what organizational communication scholars have learned, presenting this knowledge so that it can be easily applied to generate tangible benefits to employees and employers as they face everyday challenges in the real world.This two-volume work discusses internal organizational and external organizational communication separately, first explaining how communication functions within the confines of a modern organization, then addressing how organizations interact with various stakeholders, such as customers, clients, and regulatory agencies. The expert contributors provide a thorough and insightful view on organizational communication and supply a range of strategies that will be useful to practitioners and academics alike.
Social Media Playbook for Business: Reaching Your Online Community with Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and More
by Tom FunkThis practical guide can help any business or organization make sense of the social media buzz and build a successful online community.Social media can be an incredibly powerful marketing tool that brings a company or organization huge rewards. But for beginners in this new world, the potential risks are also high. Consumers are particularly passionate in the online world; the most active social networkers are poised to be your brand's gushing fans—or your most scathing critics. Both multimillion-dollar profits and self-inflicted PR fiascos are possible via social media.This guidebook begins by defining "social media," "social networking," and other terms that may be ambiguous, then details what recent market research reveals about the scope and growth rate of the social media landscape. Real-world examples of both large and small organizations who have successfully implemented social media strategies are showcased, and the hype and failed promise of famous flash-in-the-pan social networks are examined. The author outlines a comprehensive strategy for success with social media, including practical information on watching metrics, establishing beachheads, determining your driver, building a checklist of driver "amplifications," and combating the "what now?" factor.
The New Handshake: Sales Meets Social Media
by Joan C. Curtis Barbara GiamancoThis book offers an up-to-date and definitive explanation of how to build relationships via social media in the sales process and is a guide to encouraging sales people to embrace these revolutionary techniques.With more than 400 million active users on Facebook alone (50 percent of whom log in on any given day), today's social media-oriented climate has redefined the way people communicate and interact. It's also changed the way consumers operate in the marketplace. Unfortunately, as a whole, sales professionals have been slow to embrace the new technology. In The New Handshake: Sales Meets Social Media, coauthors Curtis and Giamanco present Sales 2.0, a significant expansion from selling via the traditional face-to-face or telephone sales methods. The book begins by examining the impact of the communication revolution on sales as well as the history of selling. It contains case examples that justify incorporating social media in business. The final chapters of the book describe each social network, explain how they work, and create a road map for a social media sales strategy—including how to empower salespeople to overcome their resistance to change.
Writing for the Internet: A Guide to Real Communication in Virtual Space (Non-ser.)
by Craig Baehr Robert C. Jr.This book is a landmark guide full of practical examples and sound advice for communicating online concisely and effectively.Intended for students—and everyone else who writes for online media—Writing for the Internet: A Guide to Real Communication in Virtual Space is a landmark collection of grounded and practical applications about writing effectively and concisely. It covers just about everything one needs to know about a broad array of topics including online publishing, new media news writing, blogging, micro-blogging, Internet writing technologies, and social media/ownership. At the same time, it addresses theories, methods, and practices used by Internet writers and online journalists from a wide range of backgrounds.The book introduces students who will be writing online—and this includes all disciplines of every possible major—to the basic tenets of good online writing habits and principles. It will help bloggers hone their thoughts and express them in writing that works in real-time media. And it will help those who wish to take advantage of the extraordinary profit-making potential the Internet represents.
Enterprise Security for the Executive: Setting the Tone from the Top (Non-ser.)
by Jennifer BayukA guide to security written for business executives to help them better lead security efforts.Enterprise Security for the Executive: Setting the Tone from the Top is designed to help business executives become familiar with security concepts and techniques to make sure they are able to manage and support the efforts of their security team. It is the first such work to define the leadership role for executives in any business's security apparatus.In Enterprise Security for the Executive, author Jennifer Bayuk, a highly regarded information security specialist and sought-after consultant and speaker, explains protocols and technologies at just the right level of depth for the busy executive—in their language, not the tech-speak of the security professional. Throughout, the book draws a number of fact-based scenarios to illustrate security management basics, including 30 security "horror stories," and other analogies and terminology not commonly shared outside of the security profession.
Enterprise 2.0 [2 volumes]: How Technology, eCommerce, and Web 2.0 Are Transforming Business Virtually [2 volumes]
by Bloomsbury PublishingThis information-packed, two-volume set offers readers a single source for insight into the evolution of business functions and opportunities created by technologies related to Web 2.0.Every day, business leaders read about the shift in essential business practices and consumer-buying behavior brought about by the Internet. This two-volume set introduces readers to these shifts and shows them the way forward. Enterprise 2.0: How Technology, eCommerce, and Web 2.0 Are Transforming Business Virtually considers two levels of impact for organizations embracing Enterprise 2.0—macro and micro. Volume one considers the strategic components of the Enterprise, with emphasis on the specific tools available; applications in the organization such as content management, public relations, and cloud computing; and guidelines for protecting the organization, including legal best practices. Volume two considers the behavioral components of the Enterprise, including human resource implications and consumer behavior related to social media. The managerial implications of Enterprise 2.0 are also explored, with a focus on the use of virtual teams, recruiting with social media, and organizational behavior in a virtual environment, among other topics.
Inventing Software: The Rise of Computer-Related Patents (Non-ser.)
by Kenneth NicholsSince the introduction of personal computers, software has emerged as a driving force in the global economy and a major industry in its own right. During this time, the U.S. government has reversed its prior policy against software patents and is now issuing thousands of such patents each year, provoking heated controversy among programmers, lawyers, scholars, and software companies. This book is the first to step outside of the highly-polarized debate and examine the current state of the law, its suitability to the realities of software development, and its implications for day-to-day software development.Written by a former lawyer and working software developer, Inventing Software provides a comprehensive overview of software patents, from the lofty perspectives of legal history and computing theory to the technical details and issues of actual patents. People interested in the legal aspect of software patents will find detailed technical analysis of actual patented software, the legal strategies behind the wording of the patents, and an analysis of the ease or difficulty of detecting infringements. Software developers will find ways to integrate patent planning into their standard software engineering practices, and a practical guide for studying and appraising their competitors' patents and safeguarding the value of their own. Intended primarily for programmers and software industry executives and managers, Inventing Software will also be useful, illuminating reading for attorneys and software company investors.
Home and Small Business Guide to Protecting Your Computer Network, Electronic Assets, and Privacy
by Philip AlexanderIn the news on a daily basis are reports of lost or stolen computer data, hacker successes, identity thefts, virus and spyware problems, and network incursions of various kinds. Many people, especially nonprofessional administrators of home or small business networks, feel helpless. In this book, technical security expert Philip Alexander explains in layman's terms how to keep networks and individual computers safe from the bad guys. In presenting solutions to these problems and many others, the book is a lifeline to those who know their computer systems are vulnerable to smart thieves and hackers—not to mention tech-savvy kids or employees who are swapping music files, stealing software, or otherwise making a mockery of the word security.In his job protecting data and combating financial fraud, Philip Alexander knows well which power tools are required to keep hackers and thieves at bay. With his gift for putting technical solutions in everyday language, Alexander helps readers with home and/or small business networks protect their data, their identities, and their privacy using the latest techniques. In addition, readers will learn how to protect PDAs and smartphones, how to make hardware thefts more unlikely, how to sniff out scammers and the motives of offshore tech support personnel who ask too many questions, and how to keep personal information safer when shopping over the Internet or telephone.
Too Busy to Shop: Marketing to Multi-Minding Women
by Kelley M. SkolodaResearch indicates that most women do it at least ten times every five minutes. What is it? Multi-minding—mentally juggling a complex mix of family, career, and self-care decisions at any given moment, with little time for commercial messages to seep into the mix. How do marketers reach women, who still make 85% of all consumer purchasing decisions? This book, based on research, interviews, and Kelley Skoloda's twenty years of leading-edge work in brand marketing with major clients, explains how to connect with multi-minding women, gain their trust, and tap into their purchasing power.Multi-minding is a cultural phenomenon that is here to stay. A multi-minding woman, even if she appears to be relaxing in front of a late-night television show, reading a magazine in the pediatrician's office, or tackling a complicated analytic study at work, is at the same time thinking about and preparing for the other dimensions of her life. She's weighing the benefits of changing her 401k plan, plotting out her organic vegetable garden, ticking off birthday-party logistics, and longing for a neck massage. That's why one study shows women feel they are packing 38 hours of activity into a 24-hour period. But studies also show that most women feel marketers are ignoring their needs. That's a big mistake considering women spend $3.3 trillion annually on consumer products. Too Busy to Shop explains what marketers need to know about multi-minding—a word coined by Skoloda and Ketchum—and its implications for companies seeking to speak to women buyers. Besides theory and insight, readers get how-tos and action items designed to ensure women view their brands favorably and hear the marketing message. The book also contains insiders' views of some of the most successful marketing-to-women campaigns of recent times. In short, Too Busy to Shop helps marketers understand multi-minding in depth—an essential task if they want to reach today's overloaded female consumer.