That's the premise Magic is working on.
It's not a password or a passphrase generator.
But aims to make life easy for both developers and users.
If remembering passwords is difficult for users, imagine the overload for developers who may have to login to hundreds of sites, over time. There's no way to memorise this, so the fallback is to go in for authentication through a trusted source.
Either locally through the browser or rely on massive entities like Google and Facebook.
The problem is not inconvenience alone. Password lock-in is a great way to ensure that users don't leave.
And migrating to another provider presents the same issues.
So, what is Magic doing differently?
First of all, it's decentralising the whole stack. And logins happen via 'magic' email links. No passwords required.
The user has a public key, which is the identifier. That is paired with a private key, stored in a blockchain, without which access is impossible.
This will probably be adopted by developers first because they understand technology better as well as the risks of getting hacked.
But there are sites like Medium, Slack and The Browser, which only ask for user emails and then send the login link.
If more sites begin to enable this kind of login, it could create a domino effect.
And the ties that bind us can finally be broken for good.
Should traffic lights remain simple?
They serve a clear purpose. Everyone who drives knows what they mean.
Can they be improved upon?
Of course they can. It's just three lights one below the other - and the only innovation has been to add some animation within the light or install countdowns.
The countdowns have been effective in getting people to be more compliant. And they'll watch it go down to zero and step on the accelerator the moment it turns green.
A Russian company has conceived of a new way to approach the design of the lights.
It's a single rectangular panel and the whole panel can change colour, so the visibility increases.
The panel can be divided into sections with a countdown meter at the bottom and programmed to show diversions, pedestrian crossings etc.
The real question is, how much more effective will it be? And are we trying to solve the wrong problem with design?
We know that coordinated signals between stretches to speed up traffic have not been successful beyond a point.
The new design conceptualizations introduce an element of novelty, for sure. And they look great. But it does nothing to drive compliance.
Designers see old and established ways of functioning as boring. They want to bring about change, for no other reason than the lights 'looking' predictable.
Maybe that's the point. Because right now, no one can hack a traffic light.
And that's a blessing.
Or do you feel differently?
A post-omelet story
What happens to all the eggshells after the eggs are eaten?
Well, they're coming back to decorate walls.
Around 250,000 tons of eggshells are discarded worldwide every year.
There are experiments being done with the waste to create dental implants because nature's materials are far more versatile but we're simply throwing it away.
Nature Squared, a company based in the Philippines is transforming it, as well as other bio waste from grass, seeds, bark, nuts, seashells, and feathers into useful building products like wall tiles.
They're hardy, easy to maintain and have a unique look and feel.
The project began with using waste from local bakeries to create the first set of tiles and when that worked out, they've expanded the horizon.
Collaborating with some of the leading luxury brands in the world to create finishes that withstand wear and tear as well as striking looks.
On the website are tiles that look like peacock feathers moulded into a tile, or the shine of seashells reflected on walls.
Some of the interiors of rooms on yachts look as if giant tapestries of dried leaves have been baked into the walls.
This is definitely a welcome trend.
When nature becomes fashionable, people will probably give it the respect it deserves.
Every week, I'll plant a few ideas in your mind on branding, behavior and markets. Triggers for your thoughts. Spread the word to your friends. All you have to do is click the link and enter an email address.
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