michael.carroll, Author at The Sociable

michael.carroll

Michael Carroll is the author of the acclaimed Quantum Prophecy novels and many other books and comics, including Judge Dredd for 2000AD. He lives in Dublin, Ireland. He is married and has no children: their names are Nathaniel and Clementine. Find out more at michaelowencarroll.com

Entertainment

Michael Carroll’s 95% spoiler free review of The Avengers

michael.carroll10 years ago

4.21K

Judge Dredd author for 2000 AD, Michael Carroll, reviews Marvel's The Avengers (Avengers Assemble). Don't worry-it's 90% spoiler free!

Gaming

1982 > go to 2012. Happy Birthday Sinclair ZX Spectrum – Part Two

michael.carroll10 years ago

4.87K

In 1982 the Sinclair ZX Spectrum brought affordable home computing to the masses, and – as mentioned in part 1 – hundreds of new software companies were formed.

Gaming

1982 > go to 2012. Happy Birthday Sinclair ZX Spectrum – Part One

michael.carroll10 years ago

3.72K

The Sinclair ZX Spectrum home computer was launched in the UK on April 23rd 1982, thirty years ago.

Entertainment

Anticipating The Avengers

michael.carroll10 years ago

3.65K

Michael Carroll takes a look at Marval's Avengers film & tells us of his love for the comics & why we should never call it Avengers Assemble!

Meme

Somewhat App-rehensive

michael.carroll10 years ago

2.64K

Michael Carroll, author of the acclaimed Quantum Prophecy novels, & comics - including Judge Dredd for 2000AD, takes a wry look at the iPad

Brains Byte Back

We explore how our brains, psychology, and society are impacted by the ever-evolving technology that surrounds us. If you want to be better prepared for the new information age, have a healthier relationship with technology, and get more out of life using top technology and psychology hacks, this is the podcast for you! Every other Friday we bring you interviews with leading experts in the fields of technology and psychology combined, with past guest speakers such as New York Times journalists, MIT Professors, and C-suite executives of top tech companies.

Episode Description below⬇️

Leave an iTunes review here – https://apple.co/3i60XWu

Subscribe on Youtube here – https://bit.ly/3o1M4Z3

Less than 9% of the 300 million tonnes of plastic produced every year is actually recycled. In order to change this, we must first see a change in consumer behavior.

In today’s episode of the Brains Byte Back podcast, we explore how the Everything as a Service (XaaS) economy stands to be a vital tool to create a more sustainable society, alongside how this economy is impacting consumer culture on a wider level.

To do this we are joined by Lincoln Lincoln, Head of Global Sales & Customer Success at CloudBlue.

We kick off the show by discussing the rise of subscription services, and Lincoln shares the example of Stellantis, a global automaker that he claims generates 20% of its revenue from subscription services for its cars.

With this new approach to a subscription-based model, Lincoln argues that the days of buying a car with a one-time purchase and watch it depreciate as you drive it out of the forecourt are over.

He also shares how features in cars are now sold as subscriptions, such as BMW announcing that heated seats can now be used as a pay-as-you-go service, so you can turn it on during winter, and off during the summer. Meaning you only pay for what you want, when you want it.

Additionally Lincoln highlights how the XaaS economy is raising our expectations and demands as consumers.

He draws on the example of the exercise bike company Peloton, and advocates that no longer do we buy a simple exercise bike, but we now expect this bike to challenge our fitness goals and produce content that motivates us.

And finally, we discuss how subscription services stand to increase sustainability by encouraging the production of products that stand the test of time, and discourage models such as planned obsolescence.

Lincoln advocates that this is because in this modern economy, rather than selling a product as a one-time purchase, when it is sold as a subscription, the consumer benefits because they pay as they go, and the manufacturer is encouraged to create an asset or product that works for as long as possible.