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IBM and Microsoft support the Vatican’s guidelines for ethical AI
IBM and Microsoft have signed the Vatican's "Rome Call for AI Ethics," a pledge to develop artificial intelligence in a way that protects all people and the planet, Financial Times reports. Microsoft President Brad Smith and John Kelly, IBM's executive vice-president, are among the first global tech leaders to sign the document.
Vatican launches $110 'click to pray' wearable rosary
The Vatican is hoping to attract tech-savvy youngsters to the Catholic Church with the launch of a "Click to Pray" eRosary -- a wearable device connected to a mobile app that's activated by making the sign of the cross.
The Sistine Chapel's masterpiece frescoes have been digitized
To prepare for future restoration projects, the Sistine Chapel's world-famous frescoes and mosaic floor have gotten the up-close-and-personal treatment by way of an army of DSLRs. The last time the Sistine's masterworks were documented photographically (both by Michelangelo and other artists) it was a 14-year-long job that wrapped in 1994, according to Reuters. This time out, photographers spread 65 nights of work across five years, resulting in 270,000 digital still photos.
Pope Francis is starting his own Instagram account (update: live)
The Catholic church under Pope Francis is already quick to use the internet to spread its message, but it's about to kick things up a notch: the Vatican has announced that the Pope will launch his own Instagram account, "Franciscus," on March 19th. It's not certain what he'll be snapping, but it's likely that it'll take a different approach than the Vatican's existing Instagram account. The big question is whether or not the Pope will take photos himself -- it'd be great to see a few papal selfies as Lent winds to a close, but we won't be shocked if it mostly amounts to others posting on his behalf. Update (3/19): Sure enough, the Pope's account is live.
Vatican uses Telegram to guide Catholics during Lent
When Pope Francis says he sees the internet as a blessing, he's not just talking a big game. As part of a broader "Keep Lent" campaign beginning Wednesday, the Vatican is sending its daily readings of Gospel verses through a Telegram channel, @pgpompei -- last year's choice of messaging service (WhatsApp) just isn't as good, it seems. You don't have to fire up Telegram to listen, but the move shows that the Catholic leadership wants to follow its younger laypeople to the social services they're using at the moment, rather than sticking to "safe" choices like Facebook or Twitter. Just don't expect the Pope to get a Peach account any time soon.
Roman schoolkids give the pope a drone of his own
From pizza to Fiats, people love giving gifts to Pope Francis. Most recently, students from a Jesuit school in Rome presented the Holy See with a customized quadcopter painted in the colors of the Vatican flag and replete with the Papal emblem. According to a statement from the school, the UAV symbolizes "the values of technology in the service of man." The school continued, "drones have proved useful to check the condition of structures [in quake-ravaged Nepal] and study paths from bringing relief to people who need this in remote villages." There's no word yet on whether Pope Francis will have the time for flying lessons. There's a chance that he may auction off the UAV to raise money for the poor, as he did back in January with the Fiat and a number of other expensive gifts. Or, like the pizza, he could just be saving it for later. [Image credit: The Associated Press]
Pope Francis sees the internet as a blessing for communication
Some may see the internet primarily as a source of anger or a dangerously addictive distraction, but not Pope Francis. In a message for the Catholic Church's World Communications Day, the pontiff called the internet a "gift from God" for social outreach. It helps people meet, experience differing opinions and feel a sense of unity, he says. However, he's also aware of the potential for abuse. Digital citizens can choose to see only things that reinforce their existing views, and they risk isolating themselves from real people. The internet is potentially "rich in humanity" and kindness, but only if we put in that effort -- something we'd do well to remember regardless of our belief systems.
Vatican and Oxford libraries scan ancient works, let scholars stay in their armchairs
Two of the world's most hallowed libraries are about to get even quieter, having been given $3 million to go with the flow and put some of their oldest collections online. The Vatican Library and Oxford University's Bodleian Library will together offer up 1.5 million pages of hoary text, including Gutenberg's Latin Bible from the 15th Century, a 1,200-year-old Hebrew codex called the "Sifra," and enough Greek philosophy to make even Homer seem succinct. At the end of a five-year flatbed scanner marathon, these digital copies will be accessible to speakers of dead languages everywhere, and hopefully for less than sacrilegious prices.
The Pope desires a solar-powered Popemobile, might just get one
Remember how W said Americans were addicted to fossil fuels? Well, Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger (better known by his crew as '265-Cal') is addicted to renewable energy. First he had photovoltaic arrays installed on the roof of an auditorium in the Vatican. Then he had a solar cooling system built into the Vatican cafeteria. Now, the Pope wants his mobile bulletproof shell to be solar-powered. While we'd love to see some PV cells rocking out on the roof of the custom Benz, they probably wouldn't power a whole lot more than his DC Papal reading lights -- to that end, we're hoping he goes the practical route and installs a PV array on top of the Popegarage and simply juices the batteries between sessions of humbly waving to the teeming masses. Whatever he and his crack team of energy specialists figure out, we're sure you'll be able to read all about it in the next volume of The Energy of the Sun in the Vatican, a book that actually exists. [Photo remixed from Catholic Westminster's flickr]
Papal productions going HD for better views of the Holy See
The Vatican has recently unveiled a new six million dollar HD mobile unit, hinting that if seeing is believing, they'd prefer representation in 1080p. To help blunt the cost on the nation's coffers, the Knights of Columbus pledged one million Euros to the initiative ($1.36 million dollars) while Sony also cut the walled-enclave a matching discount -- possibly as a further mea culpa for the Manchester gunfight scene. The new equipment is slated to be fully operational just in time for Pope's Christmas broadcasts and from then on would be rolled out during special Vatican events. Thinking ahead to the future, the system is also designed to be easily 3D upgradable, which head of Sony Italia Gildas Pelliet was sure to mention "can be done in a very discreet, subtle way" while still engaging future audiences with the Pope's message. Combined with his texting habits, a recent YouTube channel, and the Pope2You online portal, Pope Benedict XIV has done quite a lot in his five-year tenure to help one of the oldest institutions get up to speed with today's technology -- let alone for an 83-year-old man.
Vatican approves iPhone app
The Vatican's Pontifical Council for Social Communications has approved an iPhone app called iBreviary, which is apparently a virtual version of the liturgical book. The app itself was created by an iTalian (and yes, pun intended) priest, and during a trial release in Italy, was downloaded 10,000 times. Now, the app has made it to the worldwide app store (in English, Spanish, French, and Latin, with Portugese and German coming in a later version), and is available for 74p (or 99 cents on the US store). A while back, we heard about an iPhone saving a wedding, and who knows -- maybe this app will save a mass. If you've been looking to keep from having to carry a breviary and Apple's handset in your pocket, your day has come.
iPhone cult status examined
It is one of the biggest clichés in tech writing: Apple engenders a cult like following the likes of which no other current technology company can. It is true that Apple fans can be a bit... rabid, but that seems to be a shallow look at the phenomenon. That is why I was so interested to read this piece by Rocco Palmo on Busted Halo, an 'online magazine for spiritual seekers in their 20s and 30s.' Mr. Palmo is a devout Catholic and runs a gossipy blog dedicated to the goings on in the upper echelons of the Catholic Church by the name of Whispers in the Loggia. His article, entitled 'iPhone... God Machine or Tech Temptation' takes a look at the desire which Apple products, and the iPhone in particular, inspires in people. Palmo argues that this lust isn't a bad thing, for a number of reasons. Furthermore he says that it is Apple's creativity that draws people to its products and the fact that they just work.I can't do the piece justice, so take a moment and give it a read. Even if you don't agree with him, you'll have to admit that it is an interesting take on the Cult of Mac.
The Pope gets an iPod
First it was the Queen, now The Pope has received an iPod. The Catholic News Service is reporting that Pope Benedict XVI recently visited the Vatican Radio headquarters to celebrate the station's 75th anniversary, where the employees presented him with a white iPod nano with "To His Holiness, Benedict XVI" engraved on the back. So, what's on the Pope's iPod? Beethoven, Mozart, Chopin, Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky, plus Vatican Radio programming in English, Italian and German.When asked what the thought of the little device, The Holy Father replied, "I'm just waiting for podcasts from Howard Stern." That last part was a joke.[Via MacDailyNews]
