Andy, Michael and Michael start off with another unobtanium console. This time, it’s the KFConsole, which keeps your fried chicken toasty while you play games. Michael and Michael bring in KFC stories from Japan and Hungary to compliment the gaming platform.
Funny to note that in this week’s selection, we have several newspaper articles from the Times — from New York, LA and the UK. A slightly new twist on augmented reality clothing comes from a NYT article that focuses on footwear, and the ability to see what the shoes might look like on your own feet. The LA times article showcases the VR possibilities of visiting the Disney Star Wars Galaxies Edge theme park. It also expands on the point of a metaverse experience where you have physical architecture, props & people to interact with, alongside a digital experience that enhances those IRL elements. One would say that it augments them.
For your blockchain entertainment, check out Conga Comics, and as an added entertainment bonus, read them out of order. In automotive entertainment, you can change the sound of your Tesla horn with this week’s update to anything you wish to record provided you have the optional pedestrian speaker feature. A favorite is the sound of European swallow delivered coconuts clapping.
A discussion on strategies raising awareness of email phishing attacks outlines an opportunity to show how sophisticated the trickery is these days. The hosts also provide a possibility to reward people who don’t fall for the attack.
As the global COVID-19 vaccinations begin to be administered, the idea of how to recognize who has had which shot is being addressed in multiple ways. Both the Apple and Google wallets provide a digital representation (perhaps supported by blockchain) of the vaccination record.
Winding up the show, Michael, Andy and Michael reflect on how actor James Doohan, Scotty of Star Trek, has managed to get into space aboard the ISS through a clever act and extend his 5 year mission.
There you have it – almost all of the favorite topics wrapped up in one episode to close out the year. To work in one more, the title of the episode surfaces close to the end of Tolkien’s Return of the King, where Sam comments on the events that lead to the naming of what became known as Sharkey’s End.
The Games At Work team is looking forward to starting our season X and wishing you a very healthy and happy New Year!
Selected Links
NME article: The KFConsole is real and is said to bring the end to console wars — https://www.nme.com/news/gaming-news/kfc-the-kfconsole-is-real-and-will-end-the-console-wars-2844512
LAD Bible article: More Than Three Million Japanese Families Will Eat KFC On Christmas Eve — https://www.ladbible.com/news/food-more-than-three-million-japanese-families-eat-kfc-on-christmas-eve-20201224
KFC in BP — https://mammut.hu/en/stores/kfc
Bud Light and Miller Lite consoles discussed in e298 — https://gamesatwork.biz/2020/11/23/episode-298-black-friday-light-beer/
New York Times article: Does the Shoe Fit? Try It On With Augmented Reality — https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/22/technology/augmented-reality-online-shopping.html
LA Times article: How the new virtual reality ‘Star Wars’ experience gets us closer to a theme park ‘metaverse’ — https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2020-12-28/virtual-reality-showcase-tales-from-galaxys-edge-is-my-favorite-star-wars-theme-park-experience
Conga Comics — https://congacomic.github.io
Mashable article: Tesla drivers can now set their horns to fart sounds — or record their own — https://mashable.com/article/tesla-horn-fart/
The Verge article: GoDaddy wins our 2020 award for most evil company email — https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/24/22199406/godaddy-wins-2020-stupidity-award
9 to 5 Mac article: COVID-19 vaccination proof can be added to Apple Wallet in Los Angeles — https://9to5mac.com/2020/12/28/covid-19-vaccination-proof-can-be-added-to-apple-wallet-in-los-angeles/
CNN video: ‘It didn’t hurt at all’: 91-year-old Briton on receiving Covid-19 vaccine” — https://edition.cnn.com/videos/world/2020/12/08/uk-coronavirus-covid-19-pfizer-biontech-vaccine-rollout-vanier-intv-intl-ldn-vpx.cnn
The Verge article: The ashes of Scotty from Star Trek are aboard the International Space Station — https://www.theverge.com/2020/12/27/22201874/ashes-james-doohan-scotty-star-trek-international-space-station
The Times article: Ashes of Star Trek’s Scotty smuggled on to International Space Station —https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/ashes-of-star-treks-scotty-smuggled-on-to-international-space-station-6lpgs05n6
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Such a fun episode, Michael & Andy! Loved your discussion on Life by You.