Tech RoundUp

A few things going on in tech.

The State of the Tech World

President Obama mentioned several technological topics during his #SOTU address Tuesday evening. First was net neutrality, pledging to “protect a free and open internet,” “hopeful” about an upcoming FCC vote. He commented on how the “next generation of digital innovators and entrepreneurs” will continue to use the internet to better our world.

The President brought up “the evolving threat of cyberattacks,” (evident in the infamous Interview Sony hack), saying the previous methods of defense have been “deeply flawed,” and calling for reform.

He commented also on global warming, “I’m not a scientist,” speaking for many as well, “I know a lot of really good scientists at NASA, and NOAA, and at our major universities. The best scientists in the world are all telling us that our activities are changing the climate.” Read here about a local company – Solstice Power – is helping provide positive change in that area.

‘”The Interview” to Stream on Netflix

As an “Act III” to the Sony hack saga, the Rogan/Franco flick The Interview arrives on Netflix this Saturday. The film grossed $6 million in theater ticket sales, low due to the limited release, thanks to the unprecendent. However the $42 million production price tag has already been exceeded due to online sales reaching $40 million. Everything now is gravy.

Variety reports Sony will stream the film for free on its website “Crackle,” but not before 2016.

Microsoft Reveals a Holographic Universe

The wireless headset “HoloLens,” an augmented reality projecting pair of glasses, seems like a hybrid between Ocolus Rift and Google Glass. The system adds or “augments” what the wearer sees in the real world with other digital images. It’s completely independent, not requiring a smartphone or home computer system connection to sync to.

The tech comes as a solution to two “problems” Google and Ocolus face: “Glassholes” alienate people because they seem interrupted from reality in front of them, while VR headset wearers are not safely able to move in the world around them. The HoloLens could give wearers a computer game feeling that they actually interact with in the world at large.

It will be exciting to see where this idea goes.

Kittens Blow Up Kickstarter, Set Record

The fastest, most exponential goal breaking fundraising project hit Kickstarter the other day in the form of – no joke – exploding kittens. CNN reports this viral campaign hit its $10,000 goal in just 20 minutes, followed by a $700,000 mark in just a few hours. The pledge meter has now surpassed $2.1 million – over 2,000%! And there’s almost a month more to go.

After the success of the Kickstarter-launched card game “Cards Against Humanity,” “Exploding Kittens” is the perfect storm of card games: basically Russian roulette with an exploding cat card, “laser beams, and sometimes goats.”

Not that they need the money at this point, but if you want to go down in history, click here to donate a few bucks. $20 gets you your own deck, “estimated delivery July” of this year.