Raph Koster launches new metaverse project, shoes2.0, best-selling US books for 2006, Eastercon back on…

• 1 – Ten Predictions about the Cell Phone Industry in 2007
  “As the year 2006 winds to a close, I suspect a key question on your mind is: What will happen in the wireless industry in 2007? This article makes ten predictions.” Does what it say on the tin – no surprises, but interesting anyway.
  (tags: internet wireless strategy predictions technology industry mobile phone cell 2007)
• 2 – Raph Koster Launches New Virtual World Studio
  “Raph Koster, revered designer of massively multiplayer online games like Ultima Online and Star Wars Galaxies (as well as being handy with a guitar and a line of verse) has announced his long-awaited startup.”
  (tags: announcement studio development world synthetic virtual Koster Raph company startup metaverse)
• 3 – Smart soles
  “The soles of his new shoes have several hollow bladders, connected via narrow tubes, and filled with a deformable and electrically-activated liquid – such as an ester or amide of a phosphorous-based acid.” Shoes2.0, huh?
  (tags: versatility marketing support technology pumps trainers soles shoe smart patent future)
• 4 – 2006 Best Sellers (books, that is)
  “The real nonfiction shocker this year is that Freakonomics, an irreverent look at economics first published in 2005, has continued to sell so well in hardcover.” An interesting line-up.
  (tags: industry publishing list rankings America US bestsellers books)
• 5 – The SF Site Featured Review: Icarus, by Roger Levy
  An excellent and perceptive review of Levy’s latest; as always, says everything about the book that I wish the review I’d already submitted had said. A fine novel, nonetheless; go read.
  (tags: dystopia novel literature sf scifi fiction science Icarus Levy Roger review book)
• 6 – Uncle Zip’s Window
  “people ask me: Mike, what is this thing they call the Nova Swing ?” Looks like Michael James Harrison has joined the blogging massive…
  (tags: blogging blog writer author genre sf scifi fiction science Harrison John M)
• 7 – Contemplation officially becomes Eastercon 2007
  Eastercon is back on! w00t!
  (tags: 2007 Easter Contemplation Eastercon convention sf scifi fiction science UK)