The hottest Digital Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

Counting The Ways I Read...

Sounds Good! • 39 implied HN points • 30 Jan 24
📚 Literature Digital
  1. Reading is a diverse activity with many forms and methods.
  2. Different ways of reading include physical books, libraries, e-readers, audiobooks, and online platforms.
  3. It's important to explore various reading methods to discover what works best for you.

Announcing Aristotle in Your Pocket

What Is Called Thinking? • 29 implied HN points • 29 Jul 25
🚌 Education Digital
  1. There's a new digital library that has over 4,000 great books all in one place. It makes reading and learning easier and more enjoyable.
  2. This library connects different books, letting readers explore ideas and themes across various texts.
  3. The goal is to help people discover the joy of learning and make classic literature accessible to everyone.

Amazon's $43B ad business, explained

SatPost by Trung Phan • 329 implied HN points • 01 Sep 23
💼 Business Digital
  1. Amazon's ad business has grown significantly, reaching a revenue run rate of $43 billion annually, surpassing other social media platforms.
  2. Amazon's shift towards embracing ads was influenced by the need to reduce dependence on Google search slots and utilize its valuable first-party transaction data.
  3. Amazon ads have become highly profitable and could rival its AWS business in terms of generating absolute profits, signaling a significant shift in the digital advertising landscape.

Markdown imports and exports

Pine • 19 implied HN points • 21 Apr 24
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. Pine now allows you to import and export files in markdown format. This makes it easier to move your content in and out of the platform.
  2. When you use markdown, a horizontal line separates the card title from the body. If there's no line, the file name will be used as the title.
  3. The deck dropdown menu has quick access options for smoother navigation and usability. You can find what you need without searching too hard.
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Pro photography isn’t dead; it isn’t even sick

Perfecting Equilibrium • 58 implied HN points • 02 Apr 23
🎨 Art & Illustration Digital
  1. Professional photography is evolving with technology, focusing more on fast impact visuals for online consumption.
  2. The essence of photography lies in capturing memories and moments, not just producing technically perfect images.
  3. Movies and videos won't replace still photography as the power of photography is in freezing the decisive moment for study and reflection.

This is the Most Interesting Time in Human History. So far.

The Digital Anthropologist • 79 implied HN points • 22 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. This may be the most interesting time in human history due to the rapid advancements in digital technologies and societal changes.
  2. Humanity has always progressed through massive societal changes driven by revolutionary technologies, and the pace of such changes is accelerating.
  3. Key changes underway include a shift in our relationship with nature, advancements in genetic engineering for longer lifespans, the evolution of capitalism and democracy, and the impact of invisible technologies.

Jobs and Opps at openDemocracy, BBC Science Focus, FITV, PinkNews, and Many, Many More 🎄

Journo Resources - The Opportunities • 39 implied HN points • 12 Dec 23
💼 Business Digital
  1. The post shares job opportunities at various organizations including openDemocracy, BBC Science Focus, and more.
  2. There was a festive Christmas party held for the Journo Resources team to celebrate and connect in person.
  3. The newsletter is a thank you to the team for their hard work and vision for a better media landscape.

Syntax vs Semantics

Sunday Letters • 99 implied HN points • 13 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. There's a shift from focusing on strict rules in programming (syntax) to understanding meaning and context (semantics) with new AI models. This could change how we build software.
  2. Using language involves a lot of knowledge about the world, which helps AI understand context and meaning, not just following patterns.
  3. Just like the early internet, companies that don't adapt to new AI technologies and methods may soon seem irrelevant or 'invisible' in the digital space.

#83 Gradients

Design Lobster • 259 implied HN points • 30 Aug 21
🪑 Design Digital
  1. Gradients have become popular in digital design due to their ability to evoke depth and serenity, contrasting with the flat design trend of the past decade.
  2. By incorporating gradients into design, it can make users feel more at home in digital environments.
  3. Gradients can bring personality and joy to design, as seen in the expressive hues of Le Creuset cookware.

Russians With Attitude

Default Wisdom • 55 implied HN points • 14 Jan 25
🎙 Podcasts Digital
  1. We're living in a Digital Age where content consumption has shifted from traditional media to online platforms. It's important to adapt to these changes in how we review and share information.
  2. Podcasts are becoming a key way to connect and engage with audiences. They offer an accessible and convenient format for storytelling and sharing ideas.
  3. Personal experiences and unique perspectives add value to content creation. Sharing individual viewpoints can make discussions more relatable and interesting.

The Great Climate Tech Debate – “Digital” or “Frontier”?

Equal Ventures • 39 implied HN points • 04 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. The capital flow and returns in the cleantech market show that digital investments have outperformed frontier investments, with digital returning close to 3x the capital invested.
  2. Frontier tech companies in cleantech have faced challenges with manufacturing, production delays, and advancing technologies, leading to significant failures and losses.
  3. Successful companies in the cleantech bubble focused on digital and consumer products, leveraged existing technology for better user experience, and built strong brand relationships.

Why Do Humans Need Technology?

The Digital Anthropologist • 39 implied HN points • 24 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. Humans need technology for survival - without it, we would not be able to sustain ourselves.
  2. Technology shapes our evolution and impacts society - it is a core part of our identity and progress.
  3. As digital technologies advance, our cultural norms will determine their impact on humanity - we must adapt and evolve alongside our technology.

Two months til Filterworld / a new project

Kyle Chayka Industries • 115 implied HN points • 19 Nov 23
🎭️ Culture Digital
  1. The book 'Filterworld' by Kyle Chayka aims to explore rejecting digital algorithms and reclaiming humanity.
  2. Engaging with the book 'Filterworld' before its release can help boost its visibility and success.
  3. Kyle Chayka is starting a new project called 'One Thing' to focus on cultivating reader loyalty and curating authentic digital experiences.

AI vs. Humans

aidaily • 19 implied HN points • 12 Oct 23
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. AI cannot replace human creativity, innovation, and mentorship in the workplace.
  2. Some organizations are taking steps to protect their content from being misused by AI.
  3. While some AI applications are generating high revenues, others are facing challenges in sustaining growth.

Hey Unreported Truths readers: Which is more annoying: temporarily paywalled articles or subscriber drives?

Unreported Truths • 23 implied HN points • 07 Dec 24
📰 News Digital
  1. Paywalled articles and subscriber appeals can be annoying for readers. It's important to find a balance so readers feel appreciated without being overwhelmed.
  2. Subscriber churn is a natural part of reader-supported journalism. It’s crucial for content creators to encourage existing subscribers to stay engaged.
  3. The goal should be to spread true news widely, so any method that complicates this mission, like frequent paywalls, should be reconsidered.

Disney Loves (and Hates) Public Domain

SatPost by Trung Phan • 53 implied HN points • 05 Jan 24
💼 Business Digital
  1. Disney lost copyright on the 1928 'Steamboat Willie' version of Mickey Mouse, showing their contradictory relationship with public domain.
  2. Disney is a major user of public domain content but also supports copyright extension laws to protect their own works.
  3. The tension between copyright and creativity lies in finding the right balance for how long protections for works should last.

Lobster long-read #1: A short history of unlocking things

Design Lobster • 119 implied HN points • 12 Nov 20
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. Locks have evolved over time, from simple mechanisms like holes in doors to more complex designs with pins and tumblers, highlighting the importance of privacy and security in history.
  2. The mental model of a lock, where a key unlocks a 'private' space, is now applied to digital privacy, but the reality is that we entrust our digital possessions to third parties online.
  3. An alternative paradigm for online privacy involves incorporating detection mechanisms, like Apple's iOS alerts, to make visible the handling of our digital data by third parties and promote transparency.

6. Dancing between the physical and digital; big tech and macroeconomics

Insight Axis • 19 implied HN points • 03 Nov 22
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. Digital innovation is faster and more flexible than physical innovation, making digital iteration more efficient.
  2. Translating between the physical and digital worlds is essential, requiring 'on-ramps' for data input and 'off-ramps' for implementation.
  3. Information processing is crucial, with 'ramps' serving as gatekeepers between physical and digital realms in big tech and macroeconomics.

Newspaper Editors Are Unemployed

Cosy Moments • 18 implied HN points • 20 Nov 24
🎭️ Culture Digital
  1. Many newspaper and magazine editors are now jobless, which some people feel is a good thing. This change reflects a shift in how we consume news and who gets to be heard.
  2. Traditional media figures often had a lot of prestige but are now seen as outdated. Their influence has drastically decreased in a world that values different kinds of voices.
  3. With the rise of personal blogs and independent writing, anyone can share their thoughts without the control of editors. This leads to a more diverse range of opinions, even if it means some lower-quality content.

Time, Culture & The Digital Age

The Digital Anthropologist • 19 implied HN points • 27 Jan 23
🎭️ Culture Digital
  1. Humans and technology have always evolved together, impacting how we perceive and manage time.
  2. Historically, time management shifted with industrialization, affecting societal structures and workers' demands for fair hours and wages.
  3. In the Digital Age, time has become an economic unit tied to productivity, influencing work dynamics, laws about after-hours communication, and the rise of time-saving technologies like AI assistants.

The Technology Pressures on World Systems

The Digital Anthropologist • 19 implied HN points • 16 Jan 23
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. Human societies are currently experiencing an unprecedented number of technological revolutions driven by digital technologies.
  2. The simultaneous arrival of multiple revolutionary technologies is putting immense pressure on sociocultural and socioeconomic systems.
  3. To navigate through the current period of immense change, collaboration between different fields like anthropology, sociology, and technology is crucial.

Cultural Memory in the Digital

GOOD INTERNET • 17 implied HN points • 22 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Digital
  1. Cultural memory in the digital realm is different than traditional cultures, as the digital lacks mechanisms for long-term cultural memory.
  2. The digital environment is ever-changing and lacks the ability to canonize cultural artifacts, leading to a constant flux that challenges societal identity formation.
  3. Without reliable mechanisms for cultural memory in the digital age, there is a risk of losing collective identity and facing ongoing culture wars over historical meanings.

Diffusion large language model, GPT‑4.5, 3.7 Sonnet, Wan2.1 open-source video model, Phi-4-multimodal, Proxy Lite, Omni-capable text and voice engine, Poe Apps and App Creator, FastRTC,Scribe and more

AI Brews • 5 implied HN points • 28 Feb 25
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. GPT-4.5 has been released, improving pattern recognition and creative insights. This is a big step for AI technology and helps make better connections.
  2. New models like Claude 3.7 Sonnet and Mercury are making advancements in coding and video processing. These models are faster and more efficient than previous ones.
  3. Companies are launching tools that help with various tasks, like AI task management and seamless communication. These tools aim to reduce stress and improve productivity.

Unleash Scale-Scope for Competitive Advantage

User-Friendly • 20 implied HN points • 16 Oct 23
💼 Business Digital
  1. User experience, customer experience, digital transformation, and innovation are interconnected concepts in the business world
  2. Scale refers to the magnitude of change - either gradual evolution or radical disruption
  3. Scope pertains to the focus - either narrow and product-centric or broad and process-oriented

The Postfictional Eerie

GOOD INTERNET • 13 implied HN points • 20 Feb 24
🎭️ Culture Digital
  1. The digital realm constantly challenges our perception of reality and intent in what we see, read, and hear.
  2. Artificial intelligence's ability to correlate vast amounts of data blurs the lines between fiction and reality, creating eerie and weird experiences.
  3. Our interactions with AI and the digital world lead to a post-fictional era where the boundaries between what's real and fictional become increasingly blurred, creating an unsettling and eerie atmosphere.

✅ Monday briefing: WaddsCon, connections counter misinformation, print plummets, book review, saying sorry, royal communication, global risks, Wikipedia guidance, image to text, and more…

Wadds Inc. newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 17 Jan 22
📰 News Digital
  1. WaddsCon is looking for media case studies and new ideas to help improve media relations. If you have something to share, they want to hear from you.
  2. Connections and trustworthy communities can help fight misinformation. Most people just consume content, so good information sharing is really important.
  3. Most print media is losing readers, moving towards digital as audiences change. The only print that saw growth recently was The Metro as commuters returned to offices.

War in an Era of Intelligent Machines: Stirrups, Conoidal Bullets, 3D Printers, Lunar Nukes and Special Ops Forces

Dr. Pippa's Pen & Podcast • 19 implied HN points • 19 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. Technological advancements in the digital era are changing warfare dynamics rapidly.
  2. Historical innovations like metal stirrups and conoidal bullets have had significant impacts on military strategy.
  3. The shift towards automation and AI in warfare highlights a philosophical split between the East and the West.

AI, again

So Here’s a Thing • 1 HN point • 13 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. AI is used in various ways: from information aggregation to generating large pieces of text or images. It's essential to differentiate between the different levels of AI applications.
  2. Credit and compensation in the creative industry pose challenges in the era of AI. Determining the boundaries between inspiration and replication can be complex.
  3. Practicing pragmatism in dealing with AI as a creator is crucial. Adapting to the presence of AI while striving to maintain human creativity and growth is a balancing act.

Love your freeloaders and superfans

A Bit Gamey • 6 implied HN points • 03 Mar 24
💼 Business Digital
  1. Appreciate and nurture both casual fans (freeloaders) and dedicated supporters (superfans)
  2. Offer products at various price points to cater to different consumer preferences and increase revenue potential
  3. Providing free content is not a guaranteed path to wealth; creators need to creatively convert attention and reputation into income

Our Digital Disillusionment and Hope

The Digital Anthropologist • 1 HN point • 22 Nov 23
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. Society is becoming disillusioned with digital technologies, but history shows we've overcome similar challenges before.
  2. Despite current disillusionment, there is hope and potential for future solutions and improvements in technology.
  3. Technological advancements may not have met 20th-century promises yet, but progress takes time, and culture ultimately shapes how technology impacts society.

20230312

Curious futures (KGhosh) • 4 implied HN points • 12 Mar 23
🎭️ Culture Digital
  1. Modernity has two faces: 'the shine and the shadow'
  2. Market trends include results of a 4-day week pilot and digital literacy for ancient hardware
  3. Tech advancements like GPT-4 launch and cutesy finds like bumblebees solving puzzles

VOL 57: From Gutenberg to Google: How the Printing Press Shaped the Digital Age

MAP's Tech Newsletter. • 4 implied HN points • 18 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. The printing press revolutionized access to knowledge by making books more affordable and paved the way for the development of the Internet.
  2. Both the printing press and the Internet facilitated rapid spread of information and decentralized gatekeeping, impacting society in unforeseen ways.
  3. The impact of innovations like the printing press and the Internet on society is closely related to the speed and scale of communication they enable, influencing human technology and knowledge sharing.

Coming soon

Digital Opsessions • 0 implied HN points • 29 May 23
🕹 Technology Digital
  1. Om Prakash Saw is launching something soon on digitalops.substack.com
  2. The post includes a link to Om Prakash Saw's Substack profile
  3. The post encourages sharing through various platforms like Facebook, Email, and copying the link

The book is online

Digital Epidemiology • 0 implied HN points • 28 Mar 23
📚 Literature Digital
  1. The book 'Digital Epidemiology' is now available online at www.digitalepibook.com.
  2. Seven out of ten chapters have been released, with more to come.
  3. There may be an additional chapter focusing on AI in digital epidemiology, depending on reader interest and publisher negotiations.