The seven weird habits of highly successful people, from Bill Gates to Marissa Mayer and Warren Buffett February 4, 2016 Bill Gates has revealed that he used to keep tabs on his employees' movements to assess when they were and were not in work – and if, like him, they were diligently in on the weekend. But he's not the only business leader with a quirky obsession or two – here we take a look at some [...]
The best games of 2015: The year’s Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC video games rated December 9, 2015 Game of the Year: Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Under normal circumstances a game with as many glaring problems as Metal Gear Solid V wouldn’t get anywhere near our year-end list. There’s its hastily tied-up storyline, dubious representation of female characters (boobs!), underwhelming multiplayer element. But this isn’t an ordinary game. Its beautifully [...]
Davos 2016: As technology absorbs our mundane and routine tasks, we must realise our own higher calling January 14, 2016 Today, bits are reshaping the atoms around us. Emerging technologies in artificial intelligence, deep neural networking, and machine learning enable us to reimagine the possibilities of human creativity, innovation and productivity. Research institutions, businesses and governments explore the great new frontiers of human possibility. So many of our systems have evolved beyond what we thought [...]
Countdown to Christmas, Syria vote and Star Wars economics: Here’s what got us talking this week December 4, 2015 A ray of sunshine after the gloomiest November in 86 years: this was the week in which the Bank of England declared the end of the financial crisis. Even banks aren’t stressed any more… What got us talking this week 1. Festive fun Only 20 more sleeps until the big day, and don’t we know [...]
Quiz: How well do you know Google’s Alphabet? August 12, 2015 Is it as easy as ABC? As Google transformed into Alphabet, the rest of its vast empire that isn't the money-spinning search or advertising side took the spotlight. We've put together this fiendishly tough quiz so you can test just how well you know the mysterious and ever so slightly secretive Alphabet. Think you know [...]
Sculpture comeback in the square mile July 2, 2015 Have you seen the art popping up inthe Square Mile recently? Annual exhibition Sculpture in the City is back for its fifth year next week, adding a bit of colour to your day. Keep your eyes peeled for sculptures and artworks from artists like Ai Weiwei and Damien Hirst.
Ghost in the ad machine August 23, 2015 ZenithOptimedia’s Grant Millar talks stack-storytelling and AI WITH the rise of the algorithm in the advertising industry, it is becoming easier to tailor messaging around a consumer’s individual preferences. But as traditional segmentations are consigned to history and analytics continues its inexorable march, advertisers face pressure to defend their methods from criticism around privacy. Grant [...]
Gotta be in it to wine it: 26 miles, 20 wine tastings, 1 Medoc Marathon September 21, 2015 A burly man is trying to force me to eat an oyster. Beside me, a group of fancy dress Caesars are jostling with a herd of pantomime Norwegian cows (they have udders on their heads, for some reason). They are all drinking glasses of Sauvignon Blanc. I’ve just run 24 miles, I still have another [...]
Why mobile ad blocking is good for the advertising industry October 7, 2015 Over the last few weeks it has been impossible to read any trade publications without encountering an article on ad blockers. With the introduction of iOS 9 last month, mobile ad blocking risks rising, as users receive the opportunity to opt out of advertising. Rather than descend into a blind panic about ad blockers and [...]
Cameron’s kowtow: Submission is not the route to success in China October 22, 2015 It was 2012 when I was first asked to make a bribe in China, just shy of a year after moving there. On the counsel of a business licence consultant, I was “advised” to offer remuneration to a mid-ranking member of the local Communist Party Neighbourhood Committee for swaying a potential decision in our favour. [...]