One of the most persistent myths that techno-fetishism maintains around new technologies has to do with so-called “free software” and “open source software”. The words “free” and “open” create connotations, …
Look at these mugs!
Why has an application become so popular that we have to wonder about the mental state of the subjugated? The well-known “FaceApp” (of the russian wireless lab) has been available …
blockchain: towards a legislative technology
In the previous issue (Cyborg #14) we made a brief reference to blockchain. Using the example of the first and basic application of blockchain technology, cryptocurrencies and specifically bitcoin, we …
Ali Baba alone
Amazon’s well-known chinese competitor, alibaba, introduced its marketable cloud, primarily for use within china, in 2009. In the middle of last year it started offering cloud services for commercial use …
blockchain: the protocol of the gods
If we had to name a key and critical characteristic of human relationships, it would certainly be trust. And surely no introduction is needed regarding its importance and criticality. However, …
The digitization of begging
What prospect does a beggar have in a society that makes extensive use of digital communication media? It is a question you would never ask yourself; yet it crossed the …
Instant Response
What would the (capitalist) world be like in the 21st century if companies didn’t care about getting better? Google is one of them. Its engineers are working on an application …
Fake2Fake
Do they have humor or time for games in university research centers? Are they rushing to patent digital applications? Or do they simply participate in completing what Debord had (discovered? …
Diagnosis of pocket
The passenger lost consciousness on the airplane during the flight. To his good fortune, his fellow traveler was Eric Topol. Topol is a cardiologist—but he didn’t perform chest compressions. He …
the product is you!
The “social networking”, its platforms and companies, have taken over the field of social relations from the outset; primarily in the developed world, but not exclusively there. Customs and traditions …
DNA sequencer
It may look like a large photocopier, but it’s not. According to its specifications, Illumina’s HiSeq X machine can produce the complete sequence of 16 human genomes in every 3-day …
The culture of honesty:
This is the declared goal of the Chinese state in a plan that formalizes what capitalist enterprises are already doing, only placing it under official state control by unifying it …