Wikileaks’ Julian Assange turns up on stage in Nantucket – as a hologram

By Trevor Mogg Published October 1, 2014

Julian Assange turned up on a stage in Massachusetts on Sunday, even though he’s still firmly holed up in the Ecuadorean Embassy in London.

So how did he do that?

Recommended Videos

Thanks to tech company Hologram USA, the Wikileaks founder was able have his image reconstructed live on stage at The Nantucket Project, an annual bash that brings together “the world’s leading thinkers, visionaries, and performers” for some informal chit-chat and social shenanigans.

If the name of the company rings a bell, that might be because it was also behind the famous reappearance of Tupac in 2012. A legal spat concerning the Michael Jackson holographic performance in May also landed it in the news just the other day.

While Tupac and Jackson are sadly no longer with us, Assange is most definitely still knocking around, albeit within an Ecuadorian-owned building in London. However, due to his self-imposed confinement at the embassy – to avoid extradition to Sweden where he faces questioning over alleged sex assaults – Assange doesn’t get out much, or at all, to be exact.

While he’s been able to do print interviews and appear online from the embassy via services like Skype, this is the first time since he turned up at the embassy two years ago that he’s gone all 3D on us.

Interviewed by filmmaker Eugene Jarecki, the feat (excerpt below) involved a camera at the embassy, satellite trucks in London and Nantucket, and some very powerful projectors. The live interview saw a life-size Assange (well, it would’ve looked a bit silly if he was only 30 cm tall) appearing on stage alongside Jarecki.

From what we’ve seen of it, the talk seemed to go smoothly enough, apart from the very end when an attempt at a high five was scuppered by the six-second satellite delay, leaving both interviewer and interviewee looking a little uncomfortable.

The chat allowed Assange to expand on his recent criticism of Google, accusing it of being “engaged in a very ambitious project that is not normal….to gather as much information as possible on people, store it, index it and use it to sell advertising.” He added, “It’s very easy for the NSA to get its fangs into that,” and said the Mountain View company is so powerful it should be broken up into smaller units.

[Source: Hologram USA]

Topics

Contributing Editor

Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…

Computing

What happened to Amazon’s inaugural Project Kuiper launch?

Official Imagery for Amazon Project Kuiper.

Amazon is aiming to take on SpaceX’s Starlink internet service using thousands of its own Project Kuiper satellites in low-Earth orbit.

The first Project Kuiper satellites were suppsoed to launch aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida on April 9, but rough weather conditions forced the mission team to scrub the planned liftoff.

Cars

EVs top gas cars in German reliability report — but one weak spot won’t quit

future electric cars 2021 volkswagen id4 official 32

Electric vehicles are quietly crushing old stereotypes about being delicate or unreliable, and the data now backs it up in a big way. According to Germany’s ADAC — Europe’s largest roadside assistance provider — EVs are actually more reliable than their internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts. And this isn’t just a small study — it’s based on a staggering 3.6 million breakdowns in 2024 alone.
For cars registered between 2020 and 2022, EVs averaged just 4.2 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles, while ICE cars saw more than double that, at 10.4 per 1,000. Even with more EVs hitting the road, they only accounted for 1.2% of total breakdowns — a big win for the battery-powered crowd.
Among standout performers, some cars delivered exceptionally low breakdown rates. The Audi A4 clocked in at just 0.4 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles for 2022 models, with Tesla’s Model 3 right behind at 0.5. The Volkswagen ID.4, another popular EV, also impressed with a rate of 1.0 – as did the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross at 1.3. On the flip side, there were some major outliers: the Hyundai Ioniq 5 showed a surprisingly high 22.4 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles for its 2022 models, while the hybrid Toyota RAV4 posted 18.4.
Interestingly, the most common issue for both EVs and ICE vehicles was exactly the same: the humble 12-volt battery. Despite all the futuristic tech in EVs, it’s this old-school component that causes 50% of all EV breakdowns, and 45% for gas-powered cars. Meanwhile, EVs shine in categories like engine management and electrical systems — areas where traditional engines are more complex and failure-prone.
But EVs aren’t completely flawless. They had a slightly higher rate of tire-related issues — 1.3 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles compared to 0.9 for ICE cars. That could be due to their heavier weight and high torque, which can accelerate tire wear. Still, this trend is fading in newer EVs as tire tech and vehicle calibration improve.
Now, zooming out beyond Germany: a 2024 Consumer Reports study in the U.S. painted a different picture. It found that EVs, especially newer models, had more reliability issues than gas cars, citing tech glitches and inconsistent build quality. But it’s worth noting that the American data focused more on owner-reported problems, not just roadside breakdowns.
So, while the long-term story is still developing, especially for older EVs, Germany’s data suggests that when it comes to simply keeping you on the road, EVs are pulling ahead — quietly, efficiently, and with far fewer breakdowns than you might expect.

Cars

You can now lease a Hyundai EV on Amazon—and snag that $7,500 tax credit

amazon autos hyundai evs lease ioniq 6 n line seoul mobility show 2025 mk08

Amazon has changed how we shop for just about everything—from books to furniture to groceries. Now, it’s transforming the way we lease cars. Through Amazon Autos, you can now lease a brand-new Hyundai entirely online—and even better, you’ll qualify for the full $7,500 federal tax credit if you choose an electric model like the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, or Kona EV.
Here’s why that matters: As of January 2025, Hyundai’s EVs no longer qualify for the tax credit if you buy them outright, due to strict federal rules about battery sourcing and final assembly. But when you lease, the vehicle is technically owned by the leasing company (Hyundai Capital), which allows it to be classified as a “commercial vehicle” under U.S. tax law—making it eligible for the credit. That savings is typically passed on to you in the form of lower lease payments.
With Amazon’s new setup, you can browse Hyundai’s EV inventory, secure financing, trade in your current vehicle, and schedule a pickup—all without leaving the Amazon ecosystem.
It’s available in 68 markets across the U.S., and pricing is fully transparent—no hidden fees or haggling. While Hyundai is so far the only automaker fully participating, more are expected to join over time.
Pioneered by the likes of Tesla, purchasing or leasing vehicles online has been a growing trend since the Covid pandemic.
A 2024 study by iVendi found that 74% of car buyers expect to use some form of online process for their next purchase. In fact, 75% said online buying met or exceeded expectations, with convenience and access to information cited as top reasons. The 2024 EY Mobility Consumer Index echoed this trend, reporting that 25% of consumers now plan to buy their next vehicle online—up from 18% in 2021. Even among those who still prefer to finalize the purchase at a dealership, 87% use online tools for research beforehand.
Meanwhile, Deloitte’s 2025 Global Automotive Consumer Study reveals that while 86% of U.S. consumers still want to test-drive a vehicle in person, digital tools are now a critical part of the buying journey.
Bottom line? Amazon is making it easier than ever to lease an EV and claim that tax credit—without the dealership hassle. If you're ready to plug in, it might be time to add to cart.