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A Letter from Om Issue #01/2024
Hi! I am Om, and this is my letter where I share what’s on my mind, my latest writings, articles worth reading from around the web, my recommendations, and some of my photography.
In this issue, I’ll cover the following:
- What’s keeping me busy?
- My Recent writings.
- 5 Articles worth reading.
- A glimpse into my photography.
What am I up to?
Welcome to the first letter of 2024, which is coming at the very end of January 2024. As part of my plans for 2024, I’ve increased my blog activity. I’m attempting to write more often, though I haven’t yet achieved a daily writing cadence. I’ve made it easier for you to get these blog posts delivered directly to your email inbox. If you’re a subscriber to A Letter from Om, you’re not automatically subscribed to get the posts via email. You can, of course, sign up to do so, but otherwise, this occasional email will keep you up-to-date.
During the past month, I also had a chance to catch up with Ben Thompson, who writes Stratechery, a technology publication. He interviewed me for his podcast and published an interview about technology’s past, present, and future. The conversation sums up my thoughts about the state of technology and my renewed sense of optimism. As I said to Ben, ‘There is the reality of now and the reality of tomorrow, and they’re never in sync.’ We are all making best-case guesses — some fearing a dystopian future, and a handful of us, with hope and optimism. And, of course, we talked about Apple’s Vision Pro. (Subscription required.)
I won’t lie — Apple’s Vision Pro has been on my mind (and a little bit on my face) not just this month but over the past few months. My too-frequent writing about the device is less about the device itself and more about the future of computing, television, and movies. I also shared my thoughts about the Vision Pro with CNBC, vis-à-vis Meta’s Quest, and why it will all boil down to who will gain the trust of developers. Not surprisingly, both companies are on the outs with independent developers.
I’m sure there will be more words about Vision Pro in the days and weeks to come. Many in the media will furiously look for all its faults — and they should — but for me, this would be yet another step towards the increasingly invisible computer I talked about back in 2014.
My recent writings:
Shattered Glass of Modern Media (& Information) 25 years ago, I was part of the Forbes.com team that shed light on a young fabulist at The New Republic. Today, we are drowning in half-truths, plagiarism, and misinformation. Who knew that was a sign of things to come?
Pitchfork & the Death of the Critic The shuttering of the popular music website Pitchfork has led to a eulogy for the critic. However, I see things differently — the role of critics is adapting to our new algorithmic reality.
Bell Labs & Google: Bookends to the same sad story? Just because you invent the future, it doesn’t mean you get to enjoy the benefits from it, nor does it guarantee that future generations will remember your contributions.
Why do internet platforms do platform things After 25 years, internet platforms continue to behave badly towards their users — because they know they can get away with it.
Vision Pro’s long shadow over boring CES 2024 CES 2024, unlike its predecessors, lacked the usual impact because this was an in-between year, and no one knew what to build, or whom to copy.
I want my VisionPro (TV) Just as the Apple Watch is primarily a health-related device that also does other things, including phone calls, text messages, and making payments, the primary function of Vision Pro is ‘media’ — especially how we consume it on the go.
The greatest Gift is time A philosophical musing on friendship.
Is Optimism Tired Or Wired? These days, I think a lot about optimism, or rather the fact that it seems to have gone missing—in our society and our media.
Canceled Streams The mainstream spenders seem to have had enough of it — especially when it comes to streaming services.
5 Articles Worth Reading
From unicorns to unicorpses: Why billion-dollar startups and even VC firms keep imploding: Fortune magazine takes a look at the downturn in the tech economy and its impact on unicorns. Whether it’s the broader economy or unrealistic business plans, the reality is that the startup downturn isn’t done just yet.
Gen-AI: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Work (IMF): Artificial Intelligence will impact the global labor market, with advanced economies experiencing the benefits and drawbacks sooner than emerging markets. Labor income inequality may increase, the IMF predicts, in this deep dive. Worth a read!
David Bowie Shares His View on Internet and Its Impact on Humanity in this BBC Video
‘I don’t think we’ve seen even the tip of the iceberg. We’re on the cusp of something exhilarating and terrifying,’ Bowie said in 1999. (via Last Word on Nothing)
Why Creativity Doesn’t Pay: AI is going to be deflationary for any business that is built on the notion of billable hours. Consultants, lawyers, and advertising agencies now need to figure out their business model in a future increasingly enhanced (or shaped) by AI.
The Unending Quest To Build A Better Chicken (Noema): The quest to build a better chicken has led to the hyper-domestication of the bird for maximum meat production. That doesn’t mean it tastes any good. This is no different from lab-grown meat. So, why do we have so many qualms over ‘lab-grown meat’?
My Photography
A New Year, A New 365(+1) Project I have been inspired to undertake a ‘365’ photography project. If you’d like to follow along, I am sharing these images on my Glass account. Additionally, every weekend, I will compile all seven photos and distribute them through my email newsletter. If you haven’t subscribed yet, you can sign up here.
January 28, 2024. San Francisco