Friday News: Happy 2016!
6 book trends for 2016: Look into the future – It’s always fun to look back at the end of a year and see how all the forecasting posts panned out. Carolyn Kellogg has some predictable predictions (heh), like the trending of print (note: it frustrates me when print books are referred to as “books,” as if digital books are, well, NOT books), some scary predictions, like the possible extinction of long-form nonfiction, and some encouraging predictions, too:
Independent presses bring the vanguard
When the National Book Awards’ young writers prize, 5 under 35, was announced, it was clear where the best young fiction came from in 2015: the margins. For the first time in its 10-year history, three of the five honorees were published by independent presses: the Dorothy Project, Ig Publishing and Hawthorne Books. . . . Don’t miss works from Open Letter, Deep Vellum, Bellevue Literary Press, Catapult, Restless Books, Two Dollar Radio and Los Angeles’ Unnamed Press; like more established independents Graywolf and McSweeney’s, they are delivering so much genuinely exciting fiction that they make it look easy. – Los Angeles Times
These technology trends will dominate 2016 says IHS – Will this be the year of acronyms with no discernible meaning? IHS predicts that sensors will become more prevalent, that cybersecurity will be locked in an East v. West conflict, that wearable earbuds will become an actual thing, and, among other predictions, that Facebook will continue to rule the online world (this makes me so sad):
11. Facebook to dominate mobile advertising
Online advertising, in 2015, was driven by mobile and online video ads which grew a combined $39 billion. A key driver of mobile advertising was Facebook, which accounted for 53 percent of all ads on this platform. That number is expected to grow to 60 percent in 2016 as the social networking giant continues to dominate other leading tech companies such as Google, Yahoo, and Twitter. – CNBC
The Top 7 Content Marketing Trends That Will Dominate 2016 – Content marketing remains a growing concern to those of us who rely on the Internet for information, social engagement, and merchandise. There is some substantive overlap here with the tech trends for the new year, especially in regard to social media and publishing (e.g. Facebook), aggregated content, algorithms, and more interactive platforms:
6. Interactive content will emerge. With custom newsfeeds and tailored search results, users are already starting to grow accustomed to individualized results in the digital world. Soon, this will be applied to content, as users demand content that shifts or responds to user prompts. The unveiling of Oculus Rift (along with dozens of other virtual reality headsets) in 2016 could serve as the spark that finally introduces customizability and interactivity as a practical medium for content. Either way, expect to see the demand for individually tailored content grow. – Forbes
17 Of 2016’s Most Anticipated Books To Put On Your Wishlist Immediately – And for those of us who may just want to curl up with a good book, this list from Bustle’s Meredith Turtis looks promising. Sunil Yapa, Idra Nevy, and Helen Oyemi (author of the wonderful Boy, Snow, Bird), among others, there’s definitely a variety of stories to look forward to:
4. The Heart by Maylis de Kerangal (Feb 9; Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
Books in translation don’t always get the love they deserve, but I’m hoping that The Heart makes its way to the top of your TBR pile. Originally written in French and translated to English for 2016, this slim, heady book made my own heart both stop and swell at the same time when I got an early copy of it. In stunning prose that cuts like a scalpel, it takes place over 24 hours, following a heart transplant. It’s mesmerizing and cutting, and I’ve simply never read anything like it. I bet you’ll feel the same way. – Bustle
I can’t say I found any of those 17 books appealing, or unappealing. I read the list twice, and I’m still unsure what any of those books are about. I get trying to avoid spoilers, but I found that article was frustratingly vague about every single book.
@Lostshadows: You are so right, except for the comparison of one to Kelly Link, which tells me a little bit, these descriptions are so vague!
Happy and Healthy New Year to you as well ^^.
German computer magazine CT just had an article in their current issue about Audi using the HTC virtual reality goggles for selling their cars in shops, with all the chosen extras and options being visualised in real time.