Welcome to Backstory, a weekly newsletter turning global technology shifts into a three-minute read. This week, we’re talking about Apple’s new headset. – Mary Ames, Director of Strategy

THE BIG TAKE

Computers on Your Face

Apple released its long-awaited augmented reality headset this week. According to Apple, the device ushers in a new era of “spatial computing.” So far, the reviews have been mostly positive, with many leading pundits describing the headset as magic in action. New York magazine called Apple Vision Pro “a product that’s both immensely ambitious and immediately, undeniably weird.”  Substack writer Rusty Foster said the headset was “the most technologically advanced product ever created for viewing and annotating PDF documents.” Apple CEO Tim Cook was even criticized in the press for not wearing the device during the product announcement because it’s hard to “look cool” wearing the device. 

Wearing computers. Outside of the Apple hype cycle, the product raises some pressing questions about the future of computing. Instead of looking at screens, we are about to be wearing them. Given the degree of distraction built into the current technology ecosystem, this poses some serious challenges to our mental well-being. One pundit noted that “tech companies want us isolated and constantly staring at screens because it drives profit.” This device could continue this concerning trend to a large degree. 

Exciting horizons. It’s not all doom and gloom. Apple’s AR headset will kickstart a new ecosystem of innovation and technology products. The way we work and communicate will change in unforeseen ways. This happened when the iPhone was released and transformed how we use technology. Despite its hefty price tag, Apple seems to have nailed this next step in consumer technology. As long as we know the risks it presents to our mental and social health, Vision Pro should bring about an incredible new future.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Technology is the knack of so arranging the world that we don’t have to experience it.”

– Max Frisch, Swiss playwright

CHART OF THE WEEK

This week we are looking at the rise of Asia. In a vital piece for the Financial Times, columnist Martin Wolf argues that the rise of Asia (and the Middle East, to a degree) represents a  rebalancing of the world as European and American hegemony dwindles.

OUR VIEWS THIS WEEK

Digital wellbeing: It's time to get serious about well-being. Let’s face it: the world is still a very tense place. Technology is careening forward. The global economy is up and down. Complicating matters is that we have never been more addicted to scrolling on our phones. Getting off one’s phone is much easier said than done these days, but even thirty minutes a day can make a big difference in one’s mental health. This is especially true if that screen time break happens before bed. We explore more tips and tricks in this piece published by Xische about digital health.

No more teachers, no more books? For years, Silicon Valley has been pushing into classrooms around the world. Their promise is better learning, faster communication, and smarter students. But now there’s pushback in the United States, and it’s starting a fresh conversation about the role of educational technology. The digital classroom is not a given. Educators must find the right balance between emotional, intellectual, and technological education. We investigate the status of the classroom of the future in this piece from the Xische archive. 

SPOTTED ELSEWHERE

The world of UFOs. Coverage of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) has been ramping up in recent years. The latest allegations are the biggest to date. A whistleblower has given the US government extensive classified information about covert programs that he says possess retrieved intact and partially intact craft of non-human origin. It’s difficult to separate fact from fiction regarding UFOs, but the allegations are gaining steam. Society will soon have to start thinking about life beyond Earth. 

Renewable energy and waste. Climate change is forcing a significant shift in how energy is produced. Renewable energy from solar and wind has dropped in price in the last decade, making it a viable alternative to traditional forms of energy. However, as the BBC reports, solar panels have a brief life span, which could lead to a significant waste problem and more carbon creation. Harnessing the real power of solar energy will require a solution to this problem.

QUICK HITS

• Reasons to believe in the multiverse. 

• Driverless cars are wreaking havoc on San Francisco.

• The internet isn’t meant to be small.

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