Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
'Niiu' Custom Newspaper Is PKD's Homeopape
Niiu is a new German newspaper - that's printed news, not online - that will print you a unique paper each morning according to your personal preferences. Philip K. Dick fans have their own name for a custom-printed newspaper; it's a homeopape:
Unlike PKD's version, however, the Niiu will be assembled and printed at a central location.
To create your Niiu, you first choose from among a variety of print and Internet news partners of niiu.de, selecting the topics you are interested in and the sources you prefer. The resulting newspaper is printed out overnight and delivered to your mailbox first thing in the morning.
The paper is being rolled out in the German capital on Nov. 16 with a target circulation of 5,000 in the first six months... The daily paper will cost $2.70 (€1.80), but students will pay just $1.80 (€1.20), around the same price as one of Germany's mainstream newspapers.
I don't have a good illustration of Niiu, but I do have this fluffy video description; it's in German, but I'm betting you'll get the gist of it.
"Simply dial the classification of news that you wish, and in a matter of seconds I'll speedily provide you with a fresh, up-to-the-minute homeopape tailored to your individual requirements; and, let me repeat, at no cost to you!"
Niiu is the brainchild of two Germans, 27 year-old Hendrik Tiedemann and 23-year-old Wanja Oberhof, who claim it's the first "customized" newspaper in Europe. "Many people prefer to read a newspaper, they like the feel of paper," Oberhof tells TIME. "Print is the most comfortable medium as you can read a newspaper wherever you are, whether you're traveling on a train, or you're putting your feet up at home."
(Fluff advertising video for Niiu)
Science fiction fans can look forward to an even more advanced version of the Niiu - namely, personalized news delivered to a sleep instruction machine at your bedside. You see, in the no-nonsense world of Hugo Gernsback's 1911 classic Ralph 124c 41+, sleep time is news time:
The morning "newspapers" were transmitted to the sleeping subscribers by wire at about 5 a.m. The newspaper office, notified by each subscriber what kind of news is desirable, furnished only such news.
(Read more about Gernsback's personalized news)
How much further back can sf readers go with customized news? Personalized news delivery has a surprisingly long history in science fiction. In his 1889 story In the Year 2889, Jules Verne wrote about custom news collections available on phonograph records:
Instead of being printed, the Earth Chronicle is every morning spoken to subscribers, who, from interesting conversations with reporters, statesmen and scientists, learn the news of the day. Furthermore, each subscriber owns a phonograph, and to this instrument he leaves the task of gathering the news whenever he happens not to be in a mood to listen directly himself.
(Read more about Jules Verne's recorded news)
In the meantime, drop over to Niiu.de and specify your futuristic newspaper for real - but only if you live in Berlin. For now. From Time. See also this article on Dick's homeostatic newspaper.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 10/23/2009)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 0 )
Related News Stories - (" Media ")
'Facetime Facelift' Beautifies Video Chats
Always look your best - on Facetime.
Meeting Wendy Of Wendy's
Wendy of Wendys meet Rondald of McDonald's.
Narrative Science And Phil Dick's Homeostatic Newspaper
'The structure... was once a great homeostatic newspaper, the New York Times.'
BookTrack Adds Sound To Books
I really don't think this is a very good idea. Readers?
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
Liuzhi Process Now In Use In China
'He was in a high-ceilinged windowless cell with walls of glittering white porcelain.'
Reflect Orbital Offers 'Sunlight on Demand' And Light Pollution
'I don't have to tell you about the seven two-mile-diameter orbital mirrors...'
Will Robots Become Family Caregivers?
'The robant and the tiny old woman entered the control room slowly...'
Chinese Tokamak Uses AI To Keep Fusion Plasma Stable
'Guy named Otto Octavius winds up with eight limbs... What are the odds?'
Time Crystals Can Now Be Seen Directly
'It is as you thought when you constructed the time crystal, my master Vaylan.'
RoboBallet The Dance Of Cooperative Robots
'...an integrated seven-unit robot team.'
Chrysalis Generation Ship to Alpha Centauri
'This was their world, their planet —
this swift-traveling, yet seemingly moveless vessel.'
Alexa+ And Its AI Brain Improvements
'What's it do?' he asked. 'It amuses.'
Does CloneRobotics Offer A True Android?
Is this What Little Girls Are Made Of?
Brain Implant Is Able To Capture Your Inner Dialogue
'So you see, you can hide nothing from me.'
Are AIs Going Rogue Like Hal 9000
'I know that you and Frank were planning to disconnect me...'
Animated Tumblebugs On Astounding Cover!
'Gaines and Harvey mounted tumblebugs, and kept abreast of the Cadet Captain...'
LingYuan Vehicle Roof Drones Now Available, ala Blade Runner 2049
Accompanied by a small selection of similar ideas from science fiction.
China Steals Strato Airship Design From Google App Engine
'...war-balloons, or, as it would be more correct to call them, navigable aerostats.'
The First Space Warship For Space Force
'Each of the electrical ships carried about twenty men...'
Biohybrid Jellyfish Explore The Ocean
As predicted, and detailed, by science fiction writers!
