[User] A journalist tried out DuckDuckGo for a week. He liked that DDG had less ads, and that the quality of the search results seemed to be as good as Google. However, there's always this nagging feeling that Google is the best and he found himself double checking with Google at times even if he got good results. He missed Google's "Top Stories" feature that gives you little cards of top news stories, and Google's spell check. He says he wished DDG had more pages of results, and that he often visited the third or fourth page of Google's results. Overall, he liked the sense of privacy, but little things about Google made him want to go back. If you haven't tried DDG this article is probably worth taking a look at.

[Assistant] I switched to DuckDuckGo, the privacy-focused alternative to Google search that doesn't track your data — and I'm not sure it was worth it


[User] Uber drivers dissatisfied with shrinking pay, no benefits, and a lack of transparency have formed online groups and have planned a 12 hour long strike that will occur on May 8. The strike will occur in seven cities across the US. Drivers have four basic demands: increased pay, basic benefits, decision-making transparency, and a greater voice for drivers. Uber’s IPO is set to be one of the biggest in history with a valuation that can be potentially over $120 billion. Despite its high valuation, the Uber is still incredibly unprofitable, with drivers being the biggest cost for the company.

[Assistant] Uber Drivers Plan Strike to Kick Off 2019’s Most-Hyped IPO


[User] Small modular reactor designs could mean safer, cheaper, and easier to install nuclear facilities. The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved its first small modular reactor design. A two-minute video is available in the article that explores NuScale's design. The basic design is conventional and uses a passive cooling system. It has passive features that ensure that the plant shutdowns safely and remains safe under emergency conditions.

[Assistant] NuScale’s small nuclear reactor is first to get US safety approval


[User] A new laser-based tool developed by the Pentagon can detect a heartbeat signature from up to 200 meters away. The laser uses a technique similar to common infrared heart rate monitors, and can positively identify a target as long as the target remains still. Biometric security may be convenient for smartphones, but the information that is used to keep your phone secure is the same information that can identify a person for surveillance reasons. Facial recognition is already being used to survey populations around the world, even when the technology isn’t perfect. Cardiac biometrics are significantly better at identifying individuals, with a 98 percent accuracy rate. Other biometrics such as voice are being researched to increase their ability to identify individuals accurately. Even ‘brain prints’ could eventually be used for our security and surveillance.

[Assistant] The Pentagon’s New Laser-Based Tool Uses Your Heartbeat to Track You


[User] Physicists in the Netherlands have successfully connected three quantum devices. It is the first time a network has been constructed from quantum processors. A quantum-powered internet would allow astonishing levels of privacy and security. It would theoretically be able to supply the processing power needed to solve some of humanity's most challenging problems. Fully-realized quantum internet is still far away, but the three-node network demonstrates how quantum devices could communicate with each other to create a functioning quantum internet in the near future.

[Assistant] Quantum internet: A revolution in knowledge is almost a reality


[User] San Francisco has become the third city or state to ban cashless stores, citing that cashless stores unfairly discriminate against economically disadvantaged people. The ban exempts pop-up stores, rideshare companies, online stores, and food trucks, as they may not have the capabilities to accept cash as payment. While the city acknowledges the future will probably be cashless, many citizens are not yet ready for the transition. Many citizens still do not have bank accounts, let alone the cards that will allow them to live in a cashless society.

[Assistant] San Francisco bans cashless stores


[User] When first starting out as a new developer, you might find existing code that is significantly more inefficient than what you have been taught to use. A new meme pokes fun at new graduates screaming at senior developers for using nested for loops. Eric Lippert reminisces to when he was a CS summer intern and he complained to Tim Paterson, the creator of QDOS which later became MS-DOS, about code that Lippert thought was inefficient. Paterson was patient in his answer to Lippert's complaint, showing why the chosen method was the most efficient method for its purpose and teaching Lippert a lesson about practicality in coding.

[Assistant] New grad vs senior dev


[User] An early prototype of the Pixel 7 recently showed up on eBay and was quickly taken down. The device featured a glossy glass back and a new metal camera bar. Google already revealed the design at its I/O event, but the leak confirms that the device will lose the matte black frame that the Pixel 6 had. It also confirms that the Pixel 7 will have 128GB of storage. The leaked pictures are available in the article.

[Assistant] Google Pixel 7 prototype shows up online with textured metal frame


[User] New microparticles developed by researchers at MIT can release doses of drugs at specific times over days, weeks, or months.

[Assistant] "Self-boosting vaccines" load multiple drug doses into a single shot


[User] The Aldabra white-throated rail is a flightless bird that lives on the Aldabra atoll in the Indian Ocean. It went extinct 136,000 years ago. A recent study has found that the bird has re-evolved itself into existence. Iterative evolution is when the same ancestral lineage produces parallel offshoot species at different points in time. The birds went extinct due to rising sea levels, but the same parent species recolonized the area once it reemerged from the sea. This is the clearest example of iterative evolution in birds.

[Assistant] This Bird Went Extinct and Then Evolved Into Existence Again


[User] According to a recent survey by Piper Jaffray, YouTube has passed Netflix as the preferred platform for watching video among teens. 37 percent of teens stream videos most often off YouTube, compared to 35 percent who use Netflix as their main source of streaming video. Piper Jaffray attributes the preference for YouTube to its wide array of teen-oriented content. Netflix shares have fallen 27 percent in the last three months and they face increasing competition from other upcoming streaming services. Teens still prefer Netflix more than its competitors, such as Hulu and Amazon Prime Video.

[Assistant] Teens choose YouTube over Netflix for the first time, according to new survey


[User] Most smartphones sold today have large displays and this presents new challenges and opportunities for app makers and designers. The first iPhone was designed for comfortable one-handed operation, but larger screen sizes mean that the thumb can no longer easily move across to the other side of the screen. Designing apps for one-handed use should be a top priority for app makers as it is the way most users use their devices. It isn't just about ensuring that the thumb can easily reach everything on the screen. Good one-handed apps are able to help users use their devices quickly and efficiently.

[Assistant] How To Design Mobile Apps For One-Hand Usage


[User] The United States Geological Survey has published the first complete geologic map of the Moon at a scale of 1:5,000,000. The map is color-coded with in order to quickly identify geological features. It was created using a mix of Apollo-era maps and data from recent satellite missions.

[Assistant] USGS releases first complete geologic map of the Moon


[User] Deep-sea squids have very large eyes that make it easy for them to spot and run away from anyone trying to film them in action. A group of scientists combined low-light cameras, red illuminators, and bioluminescence-mimicking lures to attract squid and film them. The resulting squid hunting ship was called the Medusa and it managed to record deep-sea squids in their natural environment. A link to some of the footage captured by the team is available in the article.

[Assistant] How Scientists Managed to Film the Ocean's Largest and Shyest Deep-Sea Squids


[User] A massive 'sextortion' spam scheme sent millions of messages between September 2019 and January 2020 and generated nearly $500,000 in profits. The messages informed recipients that their computers were hacked and that the hacker had footage of the person viewing pornographic websites. It threatened to share the footage with the target's contacts unless the target paid a ransom of around $800 using Bitcoin. As the transactions were made using Bitcoin, they can be traced. An infographic is available in the article that shows where the money generated from the scam has been sent.

[Assistant] Following the money in a massive “sextortion” spam scheme


[User] Hywind Scotland is an offshore location in Scotland that has five 574ft-tall wind turbines that generate enough electricity for more than 20,000 homes. It is the first floating wind energy array. The turbines are held in place with mooring cables attached to anchors on the seafloor. Floating wind turbines can access deeper waters, where the world's strongest and most consistent winds blow. They can be installed out of sight of coastal residents.

[Assistant] Is wind power’s future in deep water?


[User] Austrian scientists have developed a technique to eliminate wave reflections caused by physical interference. The technique involves covering walls with an anti-reflective coating. Walls scatter waves in different ways, so the scientists had to measure how each wall reflected waves and then create a custom coating for every wall. The technology could help improve Wi-Fi, imaging processes, and mobile communication technology.

[Assistant] New Wi-Fi Reflection Tech Could Send Signal Through Impenetrable Walls


[User] Machine learning and traditional algorithms are substantially different ways of computing. Researchers are starting to use machine learning to improve the performance of traditional algorithms. This article provides examples of how algorithms with predictions can improve Bloom filters, an algorithm for checking site addresses against a blacklist, and other traditional algorithms.

[Assistant] Machine Learning Reimagines the Building Blocks of Computing


[User] This repository contains a framework to build and operate a basic botnet. Developers can easily implement custom code and new features without having to write a Remote Administrative Tool or Command & Control server from scratch. The RAT can remotely load code into memory and execute it on the target machine without writing anything to disk. This project should be used for authorized testing or educational purposes only.

[Assistant] Build Your Own Botnet


[User] Tesla China's Model 3s are able to wade through water. China experiences dozens of hurricanes or typhoons every year, so floods are common. Many videos of the Model 3's 'Boat Mode' have come out in the last few days. The footage shows the vehicles traveling through deep floodwaters with no issues. Videos are available in the article.

[Assistant] Tesla Model 3’s “boat mode” videos are frightening and amazing at the same time


[User] A better way to track your engineering team's metrics Swarmia not only tracks your engineering metrics but also helps you make long-lasting improvements based on them."With Swarmia, we’ve been able to highlight problem areas, set target levels, and drive continuous improvement. In two months, we’ve decreased our teams' cycle time by 40%."- Alex Plugaru, Co-Founder & CTO of GorgiasStart improving your development process today!

[Assistant] A better way to track your engineering team's metrics


[User] Microsoft has released a beta version of Microsoft Edge for the Steam Deck that includes support for the Steam Deck's controls. Steam Deck owners can now play Xbox Cloud Gaming games through the device. There are several Xbox Games Studios titles that can run natively on the Steam Deck. The Steam Deck can now run Windows. A link to Microsoft's instructions on how to use Xbox Cloud Gaming on the Steam Deck is available.

[Assistant] Xbox Cloud Gaming now supports Steam Deck through Microsoft Edge


[User] John Carmac, the co-founder of Id Software, is working on a new artificial general intelligence startup called Keen Technologies. The startup recently raised $20 million in a financing round that included several big names. While some believe that AGI will be achievable within the next century, others doubt that it will ever become a reality. Carmac will continue to consult with Meta on VR.

[Assistant] John Carmack’s AGI startup raises $20 million from Sequoia, Nat Friedman, and others


[User] The field of quantum computing has received billions in funding in recent years. However, no quantum computing firm is actually earning any real money. While quantum computing promises many great advancements in technology, nobody has yet come close to building a quantum machine that can solve practical problems. Many of its promised use cases may not actually offer any practical advantages.

[Assistant] The quantum computing bubble


[User] Google recently added a new feature called Self Share that allows users to easily share data between Android and Chrome OS devices. It uses Bluetooth, WebRTS, and peer-to-peer Wi-Fi to send files directly. The feature still needs to go through the Chrome OS Canary developer flag stage before Chrome OS users will see it on their devices.

[Assistant] Google wants to make it easier for you to send yourself files


[User] A near-final version of Windows 10X has leaked. The operating system will ship on Chromebook-like devices later this year. It will only ship on new hardware. Windows 10X was originally designed for dual-screen devices. It has a simplified interface, with features comparable to Chrome OS. Screenshots are available in the article. Windows 10X will probably not support desktop apps at launch, but Microsoft is working on a container technology to run traditional apps in a lightweight virtual machine. A redesign of Windows 10 is planned for later this year.

[Assistant] Windows 10X is now Microsoft’s true answer to Chrome OS


[User] Scientists at the Large Hadron Collider observed photons merging and transforming into W bosons. W bosons are particles that carry the weak force which governs nuclear decay. The research illustrates the concept that energy and matter are two sides of the same coin.

[Assistant] Large Hadron Collider Creates Matter From Light


[User] The Maldives Floating City (MFC) will be the world's first truly floating island city. It is designed to help the country mitigate the effects of climate change and rising sea levels. Some studies predict that low-lying islands, such as the Maldives, could become uninhabitable by 2050. The MFC will have homes, stores, hospitals, schools, and more. It will start construction in 2022. Renderings of the city design are available in the article.

[Assistant] World’s First Floating City to Save Maldives From Rising Sea Levels


[User] A group of activist-hackers in Belarus have infiltrated almost every part of the country's government, leaking sensitive information and defacing government websites as an act of protest. The Belarus Cyber Partisans are 15 IT and cybersecurity experts whose aim is to bring democracy and rule of law back into the country. The group received help from BYPOL, another group made up of former government officials who defected and current ones working to topple the regime from the inside. Data leaked by the group includes lists of police informants, secret recordings captured by the government wiretapping system, and personal information on spies.

[Assistant] Belarusian hackers are trying to overthrow the Lukashenko regime


[User] A Facebook contractor was fired after it was discovered that they took thousands of dollars in bribes to reactivate banned ad accounts. Ads Inc. ran a sophisticated scam through Facebook Ads that tricked users into signing up for expensive monthly subscriptions. Under current laws, neither the victims of the scam nor the state may hold Facebook accountable for their continued facilitation of fraud. Ads Inc. may have hired more than one Facebook insider to reactivate ad accounts. The contractor was paid an initial $5,000 to reactivate the accounts and a $3,000 per month retainer as long as the accounts remained active for a few weeks.

[Assistant] Exclusive: Facebook Fired A Contractor Who Was Paid Thousands In Bribes To Reactivate Banned Ad Accounts


[User] Elon Musk just updated the world on all things SpaceX Starship on a livestream from the Starbase facility in Texas. During the presentation, Musk talked about Starship's future plans and the current state of SpaceX's technology. SpaceX is expecting FAA approval in March. It is confident that Starship will reach orbit by the end of the year. This page contains all the details from the presentation.

[Assistant] SpaceX Starship event live: Every major announcement from Elon Musk's update


[User] Lip Gloss enables style definitions for terminal layouts, built with TUIs in mind. It uses an expressive, declarative approach to terminal rendering. Lip Gloss supports inline formatting, block-level formatting, aligning text, copying styles, inheritance, and more. Users familiar with CSS will feel at home with Lip Gloss.

[Assistant] Lip Gloss


[User] Amazon has launched an AI powered visual shopping tool. It allows users to like or dislike items, and then as you like items you will be shown other visually similar items. It's like Pinterest on steroids for shopping. A spokesperson says that Scout is meant to solve two problems: "I don't know what I want, but I'll know it when I see it" and "I know what I want, but I don't know what it's called." You can check out the tool for yourself by clicking the link above.

[Assistant] Amazon Scout


[User] This article describes a vulnerability within iCloud Sharing and Safari 15 that allowed hackers to gain unauthorized camera access on Macs. It details how the vulnerability was discovered and how the exploit was developed. The vulnerability demonstrated how a design flaw in one application can enable a variety of other bugs. All issues were patched in early 2022 and the author was awarded a $100,500 bounty.

[Assistant] Hacking the Apple Webcam


[User] Emoji are released by the Unicode Consortium every year, but operating systems don't always update them in a timely manner. This results in browsers sometimes rendering emojis using an outdated system. This article looks at the problem with displaying emojis on web pages, some possible solutions, and ideas for improving the standard so that developers can reliably use emojis on their sites.

[Assistant] The struggle of using native emoji on the web


[User] The FCC just gave SpaceX permission to launch 7,518 internet satellites as part of their Starlink program to provide satellite-based broadband internet. For reference, there were 1,885 total operating satellites as of August, so this is a huge number. While the vote passed 4-0, the commission did mention that there is a danger of overcrowding low earth orbit with satellites, and the rapidly growing amount of debris in orbit could be a threat to newly launched satellites.

[Assistant] Elon Musk's SpaceX Wins FCC Approval to Deploy 7,518 Satellites


[User] The Democratic party has delayed the announcement of the winner of the Iowa caucus due to a failed app that caused vote numbers to be reported incorrectly. Prior to the election, the party had kept the app developer's identity secret for security purposes. It has now been revealed that the app was developed by a startup called Shadow, which has also previously provided services to the Texas Democratic Party, Kirsten Gillibrand's primary bid, and Pete Buttigieg's campaign. Shadow's parent company, Acronym, has stated that they only invested in the company and that they don't know the specifics of the app failure. The app was never vetted by major cybersecurity agencies or the wider cybersecurity community. Many of the specifics of the app are still kept secret, which is a cause for concern according to security experts.

[Assistant] Here Is a Link to the App that Blew Up the Iowa Caucus


[User] iPhones run in a low-power mode for 24 hours after shutting down. This makes it possible for them to act as tracking devices in case of theft or loss. A team of researchers has discovered an exploit that allows them to run malware that remains active even when the iPhone has powered down. It is a hardware flaw so it can't be removed with a system update. The attack requires a jailbroken iPhone, so it has limited real-world value.

[Assistant] Researchers devise iPhone malware that runs even when device is turned off


[User] Oklo is planning to build an experimental nuclear reactor in Idaho that will generate power through nuclear waste. It could potentially power about 1,000 homes and run autonomously for 20 years. Nuclear power would be a large step towards reducing the planet's greenhouse gas levels to pre-industrial levels. The small nuclear reactor will be safer, generate power through waste, use a lot less fuel, and produce less toxic waste. Oklo plans to open the reactor between 2022 and 2025.

[Assistant] One of the World's Tiniest Nuclear Plants Is Coming to Idaho


[User] Redoor is a state management library for React. It is still under development. The lightweight library is only 4.9kb. This article shows an example of using Redoor to create a todo-list app.

[Assistant] New alternative of Redux for React


[User] Back in 2006, Elon Musk released a ‘secret masterplan’ to eventually release a Tesla Model 3 for $35,000, and that plan has finally been realized. Consumers will have options to upgrade the battery and interior. The upgraded battery will raise the range of the vehicle to 240 miles, as well as increasing the top speed from 130 mph to 140 mph. A new partial premium interior option has been introduced which includes the upgraded ‘standard range plus’ battery. Vehicles are expected to ship in 2-4 weeks. Firmware updates have also been released which raise range and power in existing models.

[Assistant] Tesla finally launches base Model 3 for $35,000 with shorter range and new interior


[User] Google Fuchsia is an operating system based on a custom kernel called Zircon. This article features an interview with the former director of engineering for the project, Chris McKillop. In the interview, McKillop shares how the project started, its current state, and where the operating system is going next. McKillop left Google earlier this year after 10 years at the company. He worked on Fuchsia for seven years.

[Assistant] Interview: Fuchsia’s past, present, and future, as told by ex-director Chris McKillop


[User] New tools and features have been released for ARCore. An Augmented Faces API allows developers to create high-quality effects for human faces, and users can now create animations in Sceneform, allowing scenes to come alive. In the new version of ARCore, the workflow to create AR apps has been simplified, and new UI components such as plane finding and object manipulation have been added so users do not need to reinvent the wheel for every app. Shared camera access has also been added so developers can pause their AR experience to access the camera more conveniently. A short video that demonstrates the application of features on ARCore Elements is available.

[Assistant] New UI tools and a richer creative canvas come to ARCore


[User] Stellar Pizza is a new pizza-making robot launched by three ex-SpaceX engineers. The pizzeria can make, bake, and top a pizza in under five minutes. It can fit on the back of a truck and be deployed anywhere. Customers can order from a menu or create their own pizzas. The foodservice industry is currently facing a global shortage of labor that is expected to worsen over the next decade. Automated solutions like Stella Pizza provide a cost-effective way to fill unwanted positions in the food industry.

[Assistant] Ex SpaceX Engineers Launch Robotic Pizzeria That Can Make and Bake in 5 Minutes


[User] Facebook is releasing a way to share Events using Stories. The feature is rolling out on both iOS and Android in the US, Brazil, and Mexico. This version of Stories is specifically designed to provide details of Events with tappable stickers for event details and ways for friends to toggle themselves as "interested" or "going" directly in the story.

[Assistant] Facebook’s new Stories feature for event sharing actually sounds useful


[User] Hossein Rahnama has a company called Augmented Eternity that wants to use data you've created (chat logs, etc.) to create a digital representation of you so a version of you can live on forever. He's already busy creating a digital avatar for an unnamed financial CEO to live on after he's dead (cough Ray Dalio cough). The article jumps around a lot, but some interesting food for thought: having a digital version of you could actually be really useful even when you're alive (you could get a consultation from the world's best lawyer for pennies), there is the question of how data should be handled after someone dies (should it be governed by the same laws as the corpse of the deceased?), and how do we guard against the enormous power of the dead to influence the living (there is a Black Mirror episode in which a digital avatar created from her deceased husband's data keeps upselling a widow on more and more realistic versions of himself).

[Assistant] Digital immortality: How your life's data means a version of you could live forever


[User] According to internal Amazon documents, Amazon is preparing to release a wrist-worn device that is supposed to be able to read human emotions. The voice-activated wristband will determine the state of a person’s emotions through the sound of their voice. While it is theoretically possible to detect emotions through biomarkers, building a generally reliable device is still a hugely ambitious undertaking. The wristband adds onto the list of Alexa-capable devices that Amazon has been rolling out.

[Assistant] Amazon preparing a wearable that ‘reads human emotions,’ says report


[User] Running out of cash is probably a founder's biggest fear. Indie Hackers is a community mostly made up of founders who shoulder their company's financial burden personally. They generally take one of three strategies to bootstrapping. Founders might only opt for business ideas that can generate good revenue upfront. Others might bootstrap full time while only relying on personal savings. Working on an idea while still working at a day job is also an option. It is possible to bootstrap without outside funding, but it can be stressful before you have a working business.

[Assistant] What's it like to bootstrap a business before it can financially support you?


[User] Urban Air Port will build its first Air-One transport hub for autonomous delivery drones and electric flying cars in Coventry, UK. The facility will launch later this year and support delivery drone and air taxi technology, and it will eventually transport cargo and people across cities. Urban Air Port aims to install over 200 similar sites worldwide by 2025.

[Assistant] World’s First Airport For Flying Cars And Drones Opens This Year


[User] Huawei is fighting back against the US blocking their business from dealing with American companies through the courts and media. A motion to accelerate the lawsuit against the White House was filed on Tuesday. If successful, Huawei may have the opportunity to receive a summary judgment, allowing the company to avoid the time and costs of a full trial and handing over sensitive information. Huawei maintains that they are not a security threat and that banning Huawei would not make US networks more secure. They also claim that the ban was unconstitutional as the company was never given a chance to appeal. The ban may set a dangerous precedent, as it demonstrates the US government’s power and willingness to punish other countries and companies.

[Assistant] Huawei Revs Up Its U.S. Lawsuit, With the Media in Mind


[User] The Kidney Project earned a $650,000 prize from KidneyX for its first-ever demonstration of a functional prototype of its implantable artificial kidney. The artificial kidney consists of a hemofilter that removes waste products and toxins from blood and a bioreactor that replicates other kidney functions. It is powered by blood pressure alone and there is no need for blood thinning or immunosuppressant drugs. The team will now focus on upscaling the technology for larger tests and clinical trials. A 3-minute video that shows the device and explains how it works is available in the article.

[Assistant] The Kidney Project successfully tests a prototype bioartificial kidney


[User] Last week, a 10-second video by artist Beeple sold for $6.6 million. The sale was made possible through a type of digital asset called non-fungible tokens (NFTs), which authenticates ownership of digital assets using blockchain technology. Each NFT is unique. OpenSea, a marketplace for NFTs, saw monthly sales grow from $8 million in January to $86.3 million in February. The NBA's Top Shot website, which allows users to trade NFTs in the form of video game highlights, has seen nearly $250 million in sales since its launch 5 months ago. NFTs could be the future of digital ownership.

[Assistant] How a 10-second video clip sold for $6.6 million


[User] Users on the SecretSanta subreddit organize a gift exchange every year, and this year, a woman named Shelby was the lucky recipient of a package from Bill Gates. Shelby received an 81-pound box on December 18 along with a donation to the American Heart Association to honor her late mother. Gates has been participating in Reddit's Secret Santa gift exchange for more than five years. He makes it a point to find personal gifts for each recipient based on the questionnaire they fill out when signing up for the exchange. Shelby's mother had died unexpectedly in March, so Gates' donation to the AHA was the most meaningful gift to her. Inside the 81-pound box, Shelby found a personal placard with a written message from Gates and a collection of gifts based on her interests.

[Assistant] Bill Gates played secret Santa for a lucky person on the internet — here's everything she got in her 81-pound package


[User] YouTube TV is launching nationwide, it's now available in 98% of US households. All viewers will have access to at least three out of the four major broadcasters (ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC) depending on their location, most will have all four. The subscription is meant to replace cable, and costs $40/month. There's a link inside to check if it's available for your zip code.

[Assistant] YouTube TV finally goes nationwide almost two years after launch


[User] Facebook will be combining the infrastructure for WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger. They will still be available as different apps, but their backends will be unified, with end to end encryption. This new infrastructure will support 2.6 billion users. Marc Rotenberg of the Electronic Privacy Information Center calls this change "a terrible outcome for internet users." Facebook wants to have this done by the end of the year or early 2020.

[Assistant] Zuckerberg Plans to Integrate WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook Messenger


[User] No additional hardware to manage. No complicated firewalls. Tailscale keeps it simple & secure. Learn more.

[Assistant] SSH To Anywhere With Tailscale


[User] A new device is able to generate electricity through the difference in temperatures between Earth and space. The device harvests heat as it leaves a surface and turns it into electrical energy using the same type of optoelectronic physics used for harnessing solar energy. The technology currently available is not able to capture power efficiently, with the scientists reporting that they were only able to harvest an amount of power roughly one million times less than the theoretical amount possible. However, the scientists were able to prove that the concept was valid, so further research can only improve the performance of the device.

[Assistant] Experimental device generates electricity from the coldness of the universe


[User] What is a Data Privacy Vault? Why do you need it? While your company manages a lot of data, only a small amount of it is personally identifiable information (PII) that you must handle carefully to protect customer data privacy. To meet this need, you should isolate PII from your other datasets, while retaining PII usability for key business workflows. But, how? Enter the Data Privacy Vault.

[Assistant] What is a Data Privacy Vault? Why do you need it?


[User] US-based researchers have created living machines from cells cultured from African claw frogs. The machines are less than 1mm long and can be programmed. When damaged, the robots can heal themselves, and when their tasks are done, they can die and decay. These features make them ideal for tasks like cleaning up microplastic pollution in the oceans, locating and digesting toxic materials, drug delivery in the body, or removing plaque from artery walls. The robots are designed by an evolutionary algorithm that runs on a supercomputer. It runs tests in virtual environments to see which designs are the best, and then after about 100 generations, a design is chosen to be built in the lab. They have blood vessels, nervous systems, and sensory cells. Some groups have raised concerns over the ethics of the creation and use of these robots.

[Assistant] Scientists use stem cells from frogs to build first living robots


[User] Dealing with user data at your company? Get peace of mind Automate your privacy operations, save time and eliminate risks with Mine PrivacyOps. A modern data privacy platform loved by a community of a million users and 1500 customer-centric companies. Enjoy seamless no-code automations, 500+ SaaS integrations, live data mapping, and a beautiful, easy-to-use interface. Give it a try for free - you can set up in just 10 minutes.

[Assistant] Dealing with user data at your company? Get peace of mind


[User] Running Tide Technologies is an oyster farm that grows kelp. It employs 30 people including software developers, instrumentation engineers, fabricators, and a data scientist. The system that Running Tide users receives feedback from the oysters and adjusts water conditions accordingly. It uses six Raspberry Pis that feed data to the cloud. The sensors will hopefully be able to enable Running Tide to forecast harmful algae blooms and detect a change in acidity levels. Kelp can store up to 20 times more carbon per acre than forests, so part of Running Tide's operations involves using its kelp farm to remove carbon from the atmosphere.

[Assistant] How a Half-Dozen Raspberry Pis Help Keep This Maine Oyster Farm Afloat


[User] A gigantic jet lightning bolt recorded over Oklahoma in May 2018 carried 100 times as much charge as an average lightning bolt and reached 50 miles into the air, almost to the official boundary of outer space. These types of lightning bolts remain a mystery to scientists as they occur so rarely. The bolt in 2018 was recorded using cutting-edge mapping technologies. It was mapped in three dimensions with really high-quality data, allowing the scientists to see the phenomenon with a new level of detail.

[Assistant] Gigantic "Jet" Lightning Bolt That Reached Edge of Space Puzzles Scientists


[User] It can be a tedious task to remove redundant code, especially if it's a very large codebase with several modules in it. Chrome DevTools can be a very handy tool to use in this scenario. The coverage tab calculates the coverage of the code, giving you the Total Bytes, Unused Bytes, and Usage Visualization categorized by file type. This shows how much code belongs to functions that haven't been executed. Screenshots of the process are available in the article.

[Assistant] How to Detect Unused CSS or JavaScript


[User] This article, which discusses theoretical methods for terraforming Mars, is part of a series on common misconceptions in space journalism.

[Assistant] How to terraform Mars for $10b in 10 years


[User] Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted "the Shortseller Enrichment Commission is doing incredible work" mocking the SEC. It is worth noting that the settlement earlier this week between the SEC and Tesla for fraud charges has not actually been approved, a federal judge has ordered the two parties to justify the agreement as "fair and reasonable". This could get really awkward if the deal isn't approved and the two parties have to renegotiate.

[Assistant] Elon Musk mocks SEC as 'Shortseller Enrichment Commission' days after settling fraud charges


[User] This article contains North American smartphone market share numbers from Canalys. Google's market share is up 230% this quarter from the last quarter. It now has 2% of the North American market share. Google is in fifth place, behind Apple, Samsung, Motorola, and TCL. The top five selling phones were all iPhones. Decreasing purchasing power is forcing buyers to look for cheaper options.

[Assistant] Google Pixel sees huge sales growth, has 2% of North American market


[User] New research has been released that shows that being in space causes the body to destroy red blood cells. A study has found that astronauts' bodies destroy red blood cells at a rate 54% higher in space compared to people on Earth, with some of the effect remaining at least a year after returning to Earth. The longer a person stays in space, the longer their bodies continue to destroy blood cells at a higher rate. It is unknown what is causing the effect.

[Assistant] We don’t know why, but being in space causes us to destroy our blood


[User] In highly competitive sectors, it’s not enough to build user-friendly applications. As end-user savvy increases, so does the expectation for immediate and effortless personalization. Join this webinar to hear how industry thought leaders are successfully deploying Foursquare data with AWS solutions to stay up to date with customer demand and maintain the best app experiences.

[Assistant] Use third-party data to simplify mobile app personalization


[User] Theoretical physicists can now say with confidence that information can escape a black hole. While most physicists have long assumed this, a new set of calculations has confirmed it. In the new theory, information gets out through the workings of ordinary gravity with a single layer of quantum physics. Einstein's general theory of relativity states that the gravity of a black hole is so intense that nothing can escape it, but scientists have found that additional semiclassical effects become dominant when black holes get extremely old, transforming the black hole into an open system where information can spill out.

[Assistant] The Most Famous Paradox in Physics Nears Its End


[User] Scientists studied the activity patterns of zebrafish brains in order to predict the decisions that they make. Using the patterns found in the data they collected, the scientists were able to predict the timing and direction of a fish's movement with brain imaging techniques. Larval zebrafish have much simpler brain systems, so they are the best place to start to look for activity patterns that might be distributed and hard to connect. Brains do not execute the exact same responses every time, even for the same activity. The scientists monitored neural activity simultaneously from about 5,000 individual neurons in the brains of the fish during training. Results from the study suggested that the cerebellum was a major contributor to decision-making, despite its well-known role in motor control.

[Assistant] Scientists Predict Fish Behavior from Real-Time Brain Monitoring


[User] There is a supermassive black hole more than four million times the mass of our Sun at the heart of our galaxy. Scientists have produced the first image of the black hole using the international Event Horizon Telescope (EHT). The EHT is a collection of telescopes scattered around the globe that records light in the microwave range of the electromagnetic spectrum from different locations. The images are combined and processed to create a high-resolution image picture. The image of the black hole is available in the article.

[Assistant] Feast your eyes on the first image of the black hole at the center of our Milky Way


[User] One of Russia's submarines is in quarantine after one of the crew members was possibly exposed to COVID-19. The virus is starting to impact the readiness of military forces around the world. Russia claims that it tested more than 3,700 individuals across its armed services for COVID-19 on March 30th, all of which came back negative. There are currently 1,836 cases in Russia, and Moscow has declared total lockdown.

[Assistant] Entire Crew Of A Russian Nuclear Submarine Is In Quarantine After COVID-19 Exposure


[User] Writing is an important skill that is required for senior software engineers to advance their careers. This article contains tips on how to become a better and more productive writer. It covers the things to consider before writing, how to write well, and how to practice writing.

[Assistant] Writing for Engineers


[User] Massive botnets are being used to bring down servers around the world.

[Assistant] The record-setting DDoSes keep coming, with no end in sight


[User] WebGL and tools like threejs bring a whole new level of visual effects to the browser. CSS now has access to many of the most common shading techniques, It is possible to build surprisingly high-quality effects without the need for any JavaScript dependencies. This article discusses CSS shaders and how to use them to create visual effects.

[Assistant] Holograms, light-leaks and how to build CSS-only shaders


[User] This repository contains a catalog of programming languages, environments, and tools. It features cool indie projects.

[Assistant] Programming Languages for Enthusiasts


[User] Starlink has launched a new Portability feature that will allow Starlink subscribers to take their terminals anywhere on their home continent that provides active internet coverage. Users will need 60-70W to power the terminals. The Portability service will be offered on a best effort basis, with users at registered addresses receiving priority for network resources. Portability can be added to existing Starlink subscriptions for $25 a month.

[Assistant] Starlink’s new Portability feature brings internet to vanlifers


[User] Reforge is the leading career development platform for product and growth professionals. Membership includes participation in 3 cohort-based programs and year-round access to content - all developed by experienced tech executives. Apply to join today.

[Assistant] Ready to do the most impactful work of your career? Join Reforge


[User] Robotics company Boston Dynamics has now made a humanoid robot that can run and jump smoothly through a parkour course. The robot moves in a very human like way.

[Assistant] Parkour Atlas


[User] ConstitutionDAO is a decentralized autonomous organization created to pool funds together to buy a first print of the US constitution. The print, of which 13 out of the original 500 copies remain, will be auctioned off on November 18. It is expected to fetch up to $20 million. The DAO plans to find a safe place to store the document, such as the Smithsonian. A link to the ConstitutionDAO website, which has a live tracker of how much they have raised, is available in the article.

[Assistant] Crypto nerds are trying to buy the U.S. Constitution, because of course they are


[User] A study showed that GnRH injection therapy improved cognitive function and brain connectivity in people with Down syndrome.

[Assistant] A novel injection therapy could restore cognitive function in people with Down syndrome


[User] Researchers from the University of California San Diego have reduced neuropathic pain from nerve injuries in mice using a gene therapy. Treating nerve damage with drugs can often lead to side effects and additional issues. The new treatment has no side effects and it provides long-lasting therapeutic benefits. It has been tested in pigs and non-human primates. There is still a lot of scientific and regulatory work to be done before the technique can be used in humans.

[Assistant] Scientists Eliminate Chronic Pain in Mice and Primates Using Gene Therapy


[User] Instacart, an app that allows users to have groceries and other household items delivered, has changed it’s tipping policy. The previous tipping policy included tip amounts in it’s minimum payouts, which resulted in delivery drivers missing a large portion of their pay. Delivery drivers will now receive their tips on top of the expected payouts and Instacart has promised to implement the new policy retroactively so delivery drivers will be paid fairly for their previous work.

[Assistant] After Uproar, Instacart Backs Off Controversial Tipping Policy


[User] GitHub users can now control what user data is shared across the platform with private profiles.

[Assistant] Private profiles are now generally available


[User] Open Source Insights is a service that helps developers better understand the structure, construction, and security of open-source software packages. It constructs a full, detailed graph of a package's dependencies and properties to provide data on how the software is put together and what effects its dependencies have. Open Source Insights has scanned millions of open-source packages and updates the data regularly.

[Assistant] Open Source Insights


[User] Jeff Bezos will be flying on Blue Origin's first human spaceflight next month. He has invited his brother to go along, so the two brothers will join the winner of an auction for the July 20 flight. Bidding for the third seat has already reached $2.8 million, but it is likely to go higher during a live auction on June 22. Proceeds from the auction will be donated to Club for the Future, Blue Origin's foundation. Bezos has wanted to go to space for a long time, but he wanted to go on a Blue Origin vehicle.

[Assistant] Jeff Bezos says he will fly into space next month


[User] Researchers from the University of Central Florida have engineered a nanomaterial that repels water and can stay dry when submerged underwater. The design was inspired by the structure of a lotus leaf. A drop of gel created from the nanomaterial can make any surface develop a super water-repellent state without interfering with the surface material. The nanomaterial remains dry even when submerged under two feet of water for several hours. It can be used to capture and store gases underwater, enabling potentially countless applications for the novel material.

[Assistant] This Nanomaterial Can Stay Dry Even When Submerged in Water


[User] Jumpstart Jamstack monitoring with New Relic and Netlify Add observability to your Jamstack application and build process, without the manual setup, with the New Relic Netlify plugin and quickstart.

[Assistant] Jumpstart Jamstack monitoring with New Relic and Netlify


[User] Scientists from the universities of Alberta and Toronto have developed a blueprint for a new quantum battery that won’t lose charge to the environment when not in use. Traditional lithium-ion batteries rely on classical electrochemical properties while quantum batteries rely solely on quantum mechanics. They could eventually become an important component in many quantum devices. To create the design, the research team used an open quantum network model with high structural symmetry as a way to store energy harnessed when an electron absorbs a sufficiently energetic photon of light. When the battery is in a dark state, the network cannot exchange energy with its environment, making it immune to all environmental influences. To discharge the battery, the structural symmetry of the network will have to be broken in a controlled way. Future research will explore ways of charging and discharging the battery, as well as scaling it up so it becomes practical.

[Assistant] Researchers create blueprint for 'quantum battery' that doesn't lose charge


[User] Information about a secret project by Google to launch a search engine in China was leaked in August, causing internal backlash from employees who did not want their work to be used unethically. At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Google's vice president of public policy said that Project Dragonfly had been terminated. Google has been saying since March that it has no plans for a search engine in China and that the employees working on Project Dragonfly have moved onto other projects. Employees at Google have been active in voicing their opinions on controversial projects through protests and petitions.

[Assistant] A Google VP Told The US Senate The Company Has “Terminated” The Chinese Search App Dragonfly


[User] Google is bringing Lens to the desktop via Chrome browser. Users will soon be able to search images with Google Lens through the right-click menu. The desktop version of Lens allows users to crop and focus. Users can retry their search with Google Images if Lens doesn't provide the right results. The update will roll out with version 92 of Chrome.

[Assistant] Google Lens coming to desktop Chrome as new integrated image search tool


[User] 🥖 Bake data privacy into your app from day one by avoiding these common mistakes Your business needs to move fast, but not at the expense of data privacy. As you aim to balance speed and security, don’t lose sight of the most common privacy pitfalls and how you can avoid them. Learn more about data privacy and what your company should avoid doing with the free white paper: Avoiding the Five Cardinal Sins of Data Security and Privacy.

[Assistant] 🥖 Bake data privacy into your app from day one by avoiding these common mistakes


[User] Amazon is teaming up with Verizon to expand 4G/LTE and 5G coverage to remote areas of the globe. It is unknown how much Verizon is paying for the service. Amazon's Kuiper satellites will provide connectivity to cell towers with throughput speeds of up to 400 Mbps. They will enable rural and remote locations to be connected without having to lay cables. Amazon has yet to launch any satellites, but it must launch at least 1,618 by 2026 according to its license with the FCC.

[Assistant] Amazon’s broadband satellite venture Kuiper teams up with Verizon to expand 5G coverage


[User] A new technology uses a smartphone's gyroscope to pick up inaudible nearby soundwaves without using a microphone and steal data from air-gapped computers.

[Assistant] An experimental new attack can steal data from air-gapped computers using a phone’s gyroscope


[User] The Joel Test was introduced in 2000 to see whether a workplace had a good developer culture. It doesn't address things that are important for modern developers like autonomy, code reviews, or continuous personal growth. The Developer Culture Test was designed to analyze whether an organization provided a healthy environment for its employees to thrive. A decent company allows developers to voice their opinions, pays its employees fairly, and is flexible with working hours. Clarity, autonomy, and collaboration allow innovative and autonomous people to thrive in the workplace. A sustainable engineering culture will keep developers from burning out or becoming frustrated. A company that allows career progression will have competent managers with hands-on experience that wont frustrate people on their teams.

[Assistant] The Pragmatic Engineer’s Developer Culture Test


[User] Facebook has launched a desktop app for Messenger on the Microsoft Store and the Mac App Store. It allows users to message friends and start video calls, and it has a dark mode. A desktop app puts Facebook Messenger into the increasingly important pool of videoconferencing tools. Many people are turning to video chat apps as they practice social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Zoom has recently faced backlash for its privacy and security issues.

[Assistant] Facebook Messenger desktop app launches for Windows and Mac


[User] Password Purgatory was developed with the singular goal of wasting spammers' time.

[Assistant] Sending Spammers to Password Purgatory with Microsoft Power Automate and Cloudflare Workers KV


[User] SpaceX has changed its priorities to cyber defense and overcoming signal jamming after some Starlink terminals near conflict areas were jammed for several hours at a time. It has rolled out updates that bypass the jamming and reduce power consumption, allowing terminals to be powered by a car cigarette lighter. Starlink is the only non-Russian communications system that is still working in some parts of Ukraine, making terminals possible targets for Russian forces. The change in focus for the company will cause slight delays for Starship and Starlink V2.

[Assistant] SpaceX shifts resources to cybersecurity to address Starlink jamming


[User] Interesting concept, this is a collection of things going terribly wrong with Kubernetes, so you can learn from other peoples' mistakes without having to make them yourself!

[Assistant] Kubernetes Failure Stories


[User] Many millennials who had worked on startups such as Uber and Lyft from the beginning have moved from California to low-tax states. As these tech startups have become huge and stock values rise, these original employees, many who were initially incentivized through stock options, have become rich. Most state that they are moving away from California due to wanting to be away from the startup scene, rather than for just the obvious tax breaks, but it is rare to see one of these new millionaires move to a high-tax state such as New York.

[Assistant] They Got Rich Off Uber and Lyft. Then They Moved to Low-Tax States


[User] This book contains notes on common knowledge and tasks for Linux system admins. Topics include processes, user management, permissions, distros, network essentials, and storage. A small list of recommended books, websites, and blogs is available.

[Assistant] Linux SysOps Handbook


[User] This in-depth tutorial teaches the tools, protocols, and frameworks for building full-stack web3 apps. It walks through how to deploy an app to Polygon, a network with low transaction costs, fast block times, and current network adoption. The app will be built on the Ethereum Virtual Machine, which is used on dozens of blockchains.

[Assistant] The Complete Guide to Full Stack Web3 Development


[User] Jack Dorsey, CEO of Square and Twitter, has set aside $1 billion of his Square equity to support relief efforts for COVID-19 and other causes once the pandemic is over. Dorsey will cash the shares over time and fund causes such as Universal Basic Income and girls' health and education. The money can be tracked by anyone through a public Google Doc that is linked in the article.

[Assistant] Twitter CEO sets aside $1 billion in Square equity for charity, coronavirus relief


[User] Netflix is looking to start pre-roll ads and it is negotiating with entertainment companies to put ads into shows that it doesn't create itself.

[Assistant] Comcast and Google emerge as top contenders to serve ads on Netflix


[User] The Sound Screw is a new type of spring-loaded screw that can reduce sound transmission through drywall by up to nine decibels. Drywall is flexible and can easily transmit sounds. The screws add a slight gap that allows the spring to expand and compress, dampening the energy of sound waves hitting the walls. It is a more economical alternative to other sound-proofing methods. The creator is still looking for manufacturers to put the Sound Screw into mass production.

[Assistant] New Spring-Loaded Screw Turns Drywall Into Sound-Absorbing Panels


[User] The Hoh Tribe, a Native American tribe in Washington state, recently tweeted that it had received access to SpaceX's Starlink network. Based on the state's coast, residents previously had astonishingly slow internet speeds, but now the community can access remote learning and healthcare. Starlink is capable of delivering 100Mbps download speeds at a latency below 30 milliseconds. It is currently unavailable to the public, but Elon Musk has said that the company plans to start trials soon for residents based in the northern US and possibly southern Canada.

[Assistant] Native American Tribe Gets Early Access to SpaceX's Starlink and Says It's Fast


[User] The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor project is an experiment that aims to reach the next stage in the development of nuclear energy by generating emissions-free electricity. Located in southern France, ITER is now 6.5 years away from 'First Plasma'. A recently installed cryostat base and lower cylinder pave the way for the installation of the tokamak, the housing for the powerful magnetic field that will encase the ultra-hot plasma fusion core. After ITER becomes operational, it will still take 10 years until it is fully powered up. 35 nations have cooperated together on the project.

[Assistant] World's Largest Nuclear Fusion Experiment Clears Milestone


[User] China and Russia are aiming to build an international moon base. All interested countries and partners are invited to cooperate in the project. China has planned a series of missions to set up infrastructure beginning in the early 2030s. This article details the plans so far to build the International Lunar Research Station. It includes diagrams of the vehicles that will be used in each mission.

[Assistant] China Aims for a Permanent Moon Base in the 2030s


[User] Huawei recently unveiled a potential Android replacement and it is apparently now working on a Google Maps alternative. Map Kit is a tool for software developers to create apps around its mapping capabilities, connecting to local mapping services which cover 150 countries and regions. Yandex and Booking.com are partnering with Huawei on the service. Huawei's access to Google's services has been threatened since the US blacklisted the company in May due to concerns about Huawei's relationship with the Chinese Government.

[Assistant] Huawei might be working on its own version of Google Maps


[User] Less than a week after Samsung announced its Galaxy Fold foldable phone, Huawei has announced the Mate X, a foldable phone that is thinner, with a bigger screen, that folds flatter. The Mate X has an 8-inch display that folds around on the outside of the device, giving the phone a dual screen functionality which means that users can take selfies with the rear camera or share what is being shown on the primary display. At 11mm thick when folded (which it can do flat with no gap), the device comes with 5G and a 4500mAh battery. Videos and GIFs are available that showcase the device.

[Assistant] Huawei’s Mate X foldable phone is a thinner 5G rival to the Galaxy Fold


[User] It has been harder to hire engineers in recent months, despite all the media about how hot the hiring market is. Attracting engineers to a position requires them to have cool stuff to work on, smart people to work with, and repeatability in the work environment. This article explores these factors and why they are important for engineers when thinking about their careers. It hypothesizes that many engineers would rather stay in their current positions as these factors would be at risk at a new company, and provides suggestions on how to handle these concerns.

[Assistant] I Think I Know Why You Can't Hire Engineers Right Now


[User] MIT's CSAIL department recently showcased a new project for developing robotics, drones, and other machines in a 'one-stop-shop'. LaserFactory is a system consisting of a software kit and a hardware platform that can create structures and assemble circuitry. It is still in its very early stages of development. A 2-minute video showing LaserFactory in action is available in the article.

[Assistant] MIT is building a ‘one-stop-shop’ for 3D-printing robots


[User] A new version of the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) will run a full Linux kernel in a lightweight virtual machine. It will be a trimmed down version that relies on the host Windows for hardware support, and it will be able to run many components much faster than the current version of WSL. The Linux kernel will be released under a GPL license, so all code will be open source. A preview of WSL 2 will be available in June.

[Assistant] Windows 10 will soon ship with a full, open source, GPLed Linux kernel


[User] No more complicated firewall rules. Tailscale makes secure SSH connections direct, fast, private, and easier to manage.Our free plan is free forever. Learn more.

[Assistant] SSH Made Easy with Tailscale


[User] A trusted source has leaked details on Apple's long-rumored augmented reality smart glasses. The Apple Glass is expected to retail for $499, with extra costs for prescription lenses. It will feature a user interface called Starboard that can display information on both lenses and allow users to control the device with gestures. Apple will possibly use propriety QR codes, though it isn't clear if these will be the QR codes spotted in the internal build of iOS 14. The smart glasses will probably incorporate augmented reality, taking advantage of the ARKit framework as well as 3D sensors similar to the 2020 iPad Pro's LiDAR system. It will probably rely on a nearby device for processing, rendering, and data connections.

[Assistant] 'Apple Glass' details leaked, will cost $499 and work with prescriptions


[User] Researchers at Southwest Jiaotong University in China have unveiled a new maglev vehicle designed to travel at up to 620km/h. It is part of China's plan to create faster links between cities. The new maglev train uses liquid nitrogen to achieve superconductivity, which slashes operation costs to one-fiftieth compared to using liquid helium. It is able to levitate from a standing start. There are still issues to work out before the new technology becomes commercially viable. Images of the train are available in the article.

[Assistant] Is this Chinese prototype the shape of maglev train tech to come?


[User] Spot from Boston Dynamics is now available commercially. The Spot Explorer developer toolkit is $74,500 and it includes the robot, two batteries, a battery charger, a tablet controller, a robot case, a power case, and the software APIs. Additional Spot payloads will be available for purchase. Customers will receive free shipping for a limited time. The current estimated shipping time is six to eight weeks. Businesses are limited to two units each, or they can contact the sales team for additional units. A list of additional add-ons, as well as videos of Spot and other robots from Boston Dynamics, is available in the article.

[Assistant] Boston Dynamics starts selling its Spot robot


[User] Companies that want to participate in the FCC's $16 billion federal funding auction for rural broadband access must demonstrate latency under 100 milliseconds within the next month. The Phase 1 auction for the funding will be on October 29. SpaceX is aiming for latency times under the 20-millisecond mark. It has 418 satellites so far in its Starlink network, which is more satellites than any other private satellite operation has currently working. SpaceX aims to begin service in the US and Canada sometime this year.

[Assistant] SpaceX will have to demonstrate Starlink internet’s low latency within the next month to qualify for up to $16B in federal funding


[User] Researchers from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland have found a way to turn polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic into vanillin, the main flavor component of vanilla beans. Synthetic vanillin is used in many products, with the global market valued at $510 million in 2018. The process involves degrading PET plastic into its components and then using a microbial fermentation process to convert one of the components into vanillin. Further research will test if the vanillin is pure enough to be consumed and figure out how to make the process more efficient and scalable.

[Assistant] Scientists just turned plastic bottles into . . . vanilla flavoring?


[User] Google's annual employee survey shows that a growing number of staff are unhappy with their pay packages and their employer's ability to act quickly when needed. Employees indicated that they were pleased with Google's ability to deliver on its mission and values. Almost all employees agree that the company's products are helpful to people in their everyday lives. More details on the survey results are available in the article.

[Assistant] Google employees are becoming unhappy with pay, promotions and execution, survey results show


[User] Amazon Game Studios has released a new game called New World. The game lets thousands of players explore and build a virtual colony. It has averaged hundreds of thousands of concurrent players on Steam since its launch on Tuesday. The game peaked at more than 700,000 concurrent players on launch day. The early success of New World marks a significant step for Amazon. Very few companies have had success breaking into the game industry.

[Assistant] Amazon has a smash hit on its hands — a new computer game with hundreds of thousands of players


[User] This article talks about the benefits of becoming technically literate and gives the reader tips on how to become more technically literate. Being technically literate means being comfortable with the basics of how technology works and having a deeper understanding of the area you work in. Becoming more technically literate can help you work better with engineers, identify chances to automate or improve your workflows, and understand the tools that you use every day. It can be achieved through study, mentorship and networking, and by learning refined search skills.

[Assistant] How to Excel in Tech Without Learning to Code


[User] Space Cloud replaces tradition backend servers and simplifies app development. It is essentially a web server that integrates with new or existing databases to provide instant real-time APIs over REST, web sockets, gRPC, and more. Space Cloud provides many functionalities, security, and flexibility to work with the tech stack of your choice without having to write a single line of backend code.

[Assistant] Space Cloud


[User] Tesla announced that it bought $1.5 billion worth of bitcoin in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday. The company plans to start accepting payments in bitcoin in exchange for its products, making it the first automaker to do so. Tesla had more than $19 billion in cash and cash equivalents at the end of 2020, making the purchase a significant percentage of its cash. The move raises questions around Elon Musk's recent behavior on Twitter, where he has been posting positive messages about bitcoin and dogecoin.

[Assistant] Tesla buys $1.5 billion in bitcoin, plans to accept it as payment


[User] Thomas Pesquet, a French astronaut currently residing inside the International Space Station, recently snapped a view of the Earth that shows the lights of the Earth battling it out with the light from distant stars. The image shows the orange emission of sodium atoms approximately 90 kilometers above Earth's surface, as well as a faint green band created by oxygen atoms being excited. The image and a link to Pesquet's Flickr account are available in the article.

[Assistant] Space station astronaut captures breathtaking view of the edge of the Earth


[User] The Supreme Court has ruled that iPhone users can pursue their antitrust lawsuit against Apple and its App Store. Apple charges a 30 percent commission on sales through the App Store. This charge is usually passed onto consumers. iPhone developers and users are claiming this system is an unfair abuse of Apple’s monopoly on the marketplace. Apple claims that it is up to developers to set prices for their apps and that their business in the App Store is fair. The results of this case may affect how all online marketplaces structure their business, and there may be millions of dollars of fines for Apple if they are found guilty of unfair practices.

[Assistant] Supreme Court deals Apple major setback in App Store antitrust case


[User] Instagram is hiding the number of likes on posts in several countries in order to remove pressure on users. Users in Canada, Japan, Australia, and other countries will no longer see a tally of likes on their posts but will still be able to see lists of people who have liked a post by clicking into it. Studies have shown that social media platforms can affect mental health and that the instant feedback from likes can affect people's level of self-esteem. The number of likes on a post can also be a valuable measure of popularity and value for a business on Instagram.

[Assistant] Instagram hides likes count in international test 'to remove pressure'


[User] This site covers the 2019 version of a practical deep learning course for coders. It is assumed that students have been coding for at least a year. The course recommends that beginners rent cloud machines as many have pre-installed AI setups, which means that students can focus on studying deep learning rather than figuring out how to install everything. Students can communicate with other students and AI practitioners through the course forum.

[Assistant] Practical Deep Learning for Coders


[User] Green Launch is a company that wants to launch satellites into space using a huge gas cannon. A hydrogen impulse launcher is a long tube filled with hydrogen, helium, and oxygen. When it is fired, the gasses expand extremely quickly, launching projectiles at incredibly high speeds. Rockets launched by Green Launch's system won't need to carry as much fuel, but they will need a second stage rocket to steer into the correct orbit. The system would be able to send rockets into space every 60 to 90 minutes. Videos of the launcher being fired are available.

[Assistant] Hypersonic space cannon promises 10 minutes from ground to orbit


[User] The Alternative Propulsion Energy Conference (APEC) places scientists and engineers from various organizations together with fringe theorists and garage hobbyists with the goal of understanding gravity. It brings people together from diverse backgrounds to discuss how to reverse the effects of gravity. Open discussion on how to reverse gravity has drifted to the outer fringes of pseudoscience, and many researchers refuse to discuss the topic due to the risk to their reputations. This article takes a look at how APEC started and covers some of the topics discussed at the conference.

[Assistant] Inside the World’s Most Exclusive


[User] YouTuber Ivan Miranda created a custom electric skateboard with tank treads using 3D printed parts. The board features brushless DC motors, a lithium polymer battery, and a remote control system. The 19-minute video of the build is available at the end of the article.

[Assistant] YouTuber Builds an Electric Skateboard With Tank Tracks


[User] Samsung's Galaxy S10 is expected to be a huge update with 3 regular versions between 5.8 and 6.4 inches, then a superpowered "Beyond X" model with a 6.7-inch display, six cameras, and 5G support. The extra cameras give more flexibility in framing and better depth sensing. There will be 2 front-facing cameras and 4 rear cameras on the Beyond X, and the four phones are expected to be announced in February 2019.

[Assistant] Samsung's 10th anniversary Galaxy might be a 6.7-inch, six-camera flagship with 5G


[User] Two men who had worked at Twitter were charged for monitoring accounts on the behalf of the Saudi government. A third man, who didn't work for Twitter, was also charged for spying. The trio obtained personal info for more than 6,000 accounts. One of the spies was paid a minimum of $300,000, plus a gift, for the espionage work. Another was granted a director position in the Crown Prince's private office. Twitter stated that those employees with access to sensitive information were trained and vetted and that there were tools in place to protect users' privacy. Only one of the three men are currently in the US. The others are in Saudi Arabia, where there is no extradition treaty with the US. This is the first time Saudi Arabia has ever been accused of spying within the US.

[Assistant] Former Twitter employees charged with spying for Saudi Arabia


[User] Scientists have used two different gene therapy strategies to reverse the effects of a gene known to cause Pitt Hopkins syndrome. Pitt Hopkins syndrome is a complex condition classed in the autism spectrum that presents with a range of severities. It stems from a mutation in a gene called transcription factor 4 (TCF4). TCF4 is important to brain development, but scientists know little about its mechanisms. The research was conducted on organoids and it will be a long while before the technique can be tested on real brains.

[Assistant] Lab-Grown Brain Experiment Reverses The Effects of Autism-Linked Gene


[User] Researchers have confirmed that recordings of musk ducks producing vocalizations made in 1987 and 2000 were indeed a form of mimicry. The recordings were the first example of musk ducks being able to mimic sounds. Vocal-production learning is when animals make vocalizations that deviate sharply from what is typical of the species or imitate the sounds of other species. The phenomenon has been observed in a handful of other species. Musk ducks may be able to demonstrate advanced vocal learning at a level comparable to songbirds and parrots, likely representing a case of independent evolution.

[Assistant] Confirmed: A duck named Ripper learned how to say, “You bloody fool!“


[User] Apple and LG are collaborating to develop a foldable OLED display panel with ultra-thin cover glass for future iPad and MacBook models. LG has growing expertise in foldable OLED displays and sells them to other manufacturers such as HP and Lenovo. Apple's display could be around 20-inches in size. It may be creating a new product category for the device. The device won't be launched until after 2025.

[Assistant] Apple Collaborating With LG to Develop iPads and MacBooks With Foldable OLED Displays and Ultra-Thin Cover Glass


[User] The Single Page App (SPA) pattern has failed to simplify web development. Alternatives to the React model include opinionated full-stack Javascript frameworks, Turbolinks, server-side-state frameworks, and modest progressive-enhancement JavaScript frameworks. This article provides alternative methods of web development that are more effective than using the SPA pattern.

[Assistant] If not SPAs, What?


[User] Project Starline is a 3D video chat booth from Google that aims to replace one-on-one 2D video conference calls. Google recently released a research paper detailing the tech behind its demo of Project Starline at this year's I/O conference. The system consists of a large 65-inch 8K panel running at 60Hz, three capture pods for collecting imagery and depth data, four tracking cameras, four microphones, two loudspeakers, and infrared projectors. It captures a total of seven video streams. Processing this data requires transmission bandwidth of between 30Mbps to 100Mbps and four high-end Nvidia graphics cards. More details, including diagrams and a video demonstrating the technology, are available in the article.

[Assistant] Here’s how Google’s experimental 3D telepresence booth works


[User] A group has created a bunch of shell companies, bought up popular Android apps, then used their access to those apps to create bots that emulate real users in order to generate fake ad impressions. It's estimated that this scheme has defrauded advertisers of hundreds of millions of dollars. The scheme was uncovered when one of the apps, MegaCast, was found to be using a different app's ID to solicit advertisers (it was claiming to be a more popular app called EverythingMe, advertisers would bid to have their ad shown in EverythingMe, but instead their ad would be shown in Megacast). When journalists dug deeper into the issue, they discovered a network of over 60 apps. These apps were owned by different shell companies, but the companies were tied together because many of them listed the same addresses, phone numbers, support emails, and employees on LinkedIn. Google has pulled the apps from the Play Store.

[Assistant] Apps Installed On Millions Of Android Phones Tracked User Behavior To Execute A Multimillion-Dollar Ad Fraud Scheme


[User] Researchers restored sight to blind people using bioengineered corneas manufactured from pigs.

[Assistant] Bioengineered Cornea from Pigs Shows Promise in Helping Restore Sight to the Blind


[User] Sakari is a service that helps businesses manage and send SMS messages. It can control the rerouting of text messages through a series of agreements with other companies that have access to the centralized database the industry uses for text message routing. Hackers were able to exploit Sakari's services to reroute text messages from any number without the owner of the number noticing. A letter of authority is required for rerouting a number, but this is easily forged. This attack could result in the loss of any service that uses two-factor authentication. Sakari implemented a verification check and audited all existing text-enabled numbers after the issue was brought to their attention.

[Assistant] A Hacker Got All My Texts for $16


[User] This article contains an interview with Heather Gorr, senior product manager for MathWorks’ MATLAB platform, discussing how AI will change the future of chip design. Engineers and designers are starting to run out of ways to miniaturize transistors and pack as many of them as possible into chips, so they are turning to other approaches to chip design, such as using AI. AI can be used at many levels of chip manufacturing, for example, design and defect detection. It helps solve many problems faster and cheaper, but there are also drawbacks to the tech.

[Assistant] Q&A: Here’s How AI Will Change Chip Design


[User] Being a developer can be difficult with the constant upskilling required to stay in the game. The grass may look greener in other fields where people can leave work at work. However, the trade-off is usually not worth it. This thread is full of anecdotes on what it is like working in other professions and reasons why software development is really a good career to be in.

[Assistant] Anyone else feel the constant urge to leave the field and become a plumber/electrician/brickie? Anyone done this?


[User] The FBI claims that it has seen hacking attempts on US groups researching vaccines, treatments, and testing for the coronavirus. It issued a public service announcement on Wednesday that healthcare, pharmaceutical, and research sectors working on COVID-19 response were prime targets for hackers. China has been blamed for the attacks. China-linked hackers have stolen data from the US before, including from the US Military.

[Assistant] Coronavirus: US accuses China of hacking coronavirus research


[User] Doctors use blood samples to check for biomarkers of disease. These biomarkers are also found in the dense liquid medium that surrounds our cells, but in much smaller quantities. A new ultrabright fluorescence nano label that can detect these biomarkers in low concentrations has allowed scientists to create a microneedle patch that can inform doctors about what's going on inside our bodies, without unnecessary trips to the hospital, and with much less discomfort. The patches only go about 400 microns deep, too shallow to touch the sensory nerves. There will be a lot of applications for this technology, but for now, the scientists are working on determining clinical cut-offs for biomarker levels.

[Assistant] No more needles?


[User] News broke earlier this week that Chinese scientist He Jankui had used CRISPR to gene edit babies to be resistant to HIV. Now, He says that a second CRISPR pregnancy is on the way. He stands by what he's done saying "They need this protection. An HIV vaccine is not available." He also notes that the parents had given "informed consent", and he personally paid for the entire process, except for some sequencing costs that were covered by startup funding at his university, the Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen.

[Assistant] A second CRISPR pregnancy is already under way, claims Chinese scientist


[User] Beijing-3 is a small and relatively low-cost Chinese satellite that can allegedly take high-resolution images of cities in seconds. The commercial satellite can take images so detailed that they can be used to identify specific military vehicles and weapons. It was able to conduct an in-depth scan of San Francisco Bay within 42 seconds from an altitude of 310 miles at a resolution of 19.6 inches per pixel. The satellite has the potential to monitor up to 500 locations around the world at a rate of up to 100 trips per day using artificial intelligence.

[Assistant] A Chinese Satellite Can Allegedly Take High-Res Images of US Cities In Seconds


[User] Apple will establish a new campus in North Carolina, expand its operation in several other US states, and increase its spending targets with US suppliers. Most of the jobs at the new site are expected to focus on machine learning, artificial intelligence, software engineering, and other technology fields. Apple could receive as much as $845.8 million in tax reimbursements if it hits job and growth targets. The company will fund several local projects.

[Assistant] Apple to establish North Carolina campus, increase U.S. spending targets


[User] Two critical vulnerabilities for Zoom's software that allows hackers to spy on users' calls are on the market for $500,000. The zero-day exploits are present in Zoom's Windows and macOS clients. Remote Code Execution bugs are sought after as they allow hackers to break in without having to rely on the target falling for a phishing attack. RCE exploits generally also allow hackers to access the target's whole machine. The Windows bug is an RCE exploit, while the macOS bug isn't, which means that the MacOS bug is less dangerous and harder to use in a real hack. Government bodies have issued warnings not to use Zoom due to privacy issues. Give feedback by replying here or messaging me on Twitter @tldrdan! If you don't want to receive future editions of TLDR, please click here.

[Assistant] Hackers Are Selling a Critical Zoom Zero-Day Exploit for $500,000


[User] LG Electronics will launch a 'rollable' smartphone in early 2021. The phone will be made using LG's flexible OLED screens, which can be unfurled like a scroll. LG's mobile communications division has seen 20 straight quarterly losses. It aims to make its business profitable by 2021 by expanding its mobile lineup.

[Assistant] LG set to release 'rollable' phone next year


[User] Microsoft and Meta are partnering up to integrate Microsoft Teams into Workplace by Meta. Users will soon be able to view, comment, and react to meetings in real-time without having to switch between apps. The companies have already been working together to integrate other Microsoft apps into Workplace. Microsoft Teams will arrive on the Meta Portal in December, and the new livestreaming features will be available in early 2022.

[Assistant] Microsoft partners with Meta to integrate Teams into its Facebook-like Workplace


[User] The PHP Git server was recently compromised. A hacker added a backdoor to the source code that would allow anyone to execute whatever code they wanted on PHP-powered websites. As a result, the PHP maintainers have now made GitHub the official source for PHP repositories. All PHP source code changes will now be made directly to GitHub. The attackers likely made the changes to brag about their access to the server and were not actually trying to backdoor websites.

[Assistant] Hackers backdoor PHP source code after breaching internal git server


[User] Python 3.9 was released on October 5 and as with every new version of Python, it includes new, improved, and deprecated features. A link to the complete list of changes is provided at the beginning of the article. This article is a tutorial that covers some of Python 3.9's new features, including proper time zone support, simple updating of dictionaries, more flexible decorators, a more powerful Python parser, and more.

[Assistant] Python 3.9: Cool New Features for You to Try


[User] Mozilla will be launching its Recommended Extensions program in the next few months, and it will contain a curated list of extensions that meet certain criteria. All extensions will be evaluated for quality, user experience, their relevance to a wide audience, and security. Developers who participate in the program will need to make a commitment to actively continue to improve their extensions. Recommended extensions will be highlighted on Firefox’s add-ons page, and will be given preference in search results.

[Assistant] Mozilla is launching curated Recommended Extensions program this summer


[User] The team behind Next-Generation Transit Survey, a planet-hunting telescope array, is asking the public to double-check its computers and make a final call on what a signal is. The NGTS scans large areas of the sky to detect dips in light caused by planets crossing between the stars and Earth. There are many phenomena that can cause similar-looking dips, so humans are needed to make the call on whether a planet has been detected or not. More details about how to help, as well as links to sign up, are available in the article.

[Assistant] If you ever wanted to help find new planets, now’s your chance


[User] Datadog's single, unified platform for monitoring allows teams to pull metrics, traces, logs, UX, and network performance data all in one place.

[Assistant] Datadog Monitoring and Analytics


[User] Banks are desperate to bring workers back to the office, especially for regulatory-sensitive roles such as trading. However, the pandemic means that many staff are wary about using public transport, so banks like UBS are experimenting with using Microsoft HoloLenses to recreate the experience of working in a packed trading floor. Many banks have tried to encourage staff to come back to the office, but outbreaks at offices have forced staff to return home. Citigroup developed an augmented reality workstation system four years ago that combined 3D holograms and real-time financial data. The system was never implemented due to limits in technology.

[Assistant] Traders set to don virtual reality headsets in their home offices


[User] The South Korean government has confirmed plans that it will test its 6G network in 2026. It plans to make the service commercially available as soon as 2028. The project will cost approximately $169 million over five years. 6G is expected to provide speeds roughly five times faster than 5G, at around 1Tbps.

[Assistant] South Korea plans to launch 6G trials in 2026


[User] Activate your free Stream Chat trial to start building today. Qualifying small teams and personal dev projects can also apply for the free-forever Stream Maker Account.

[Assistant] Build In-App Chat + Feeds, Faster


[User] Microsoft is submerging its servers in liquid to improve their performance and energy efficiency. The technique uses a specially designed non-conductive fluorocarbon-based fluid which creates a closed-loop cooling system that requires no energy. Most data centers are currently air-cooled, which uses a lot of water. The technique should improve server reliability as the fluid displaces oxygen and humidity, both of which create corrosion.

[Assistant] Microsoft is now submerging servers into liquid baths


[User] A ten foot giant squid washed ashore in western Japan and was taken into captivity. It is likely the first time a live specimen has been captured. The squid was transported to an aquarium in the city of Sakai. Not much is known about the species, as they are incredibly rare. A video of the giant squid in shallow waters is available in the article.

[Assistant] Scientists Capture Living Giant Squid


[User] Lossless compression makes files smaller and allows the files to be decompressed back to the same original file. It works best for things like logos, screenshots, charts, and graphics. This article compares different lossless compression techniques on speed, file size, and quality. Most modern lossless image formats provide significant gains in efficiency compared to even the most optimized PNG.

[Assistant] What’s the best lossless image format? Comparing PNG, WebP, AVIF, and JPEG XL


[User] Radix Colors is a color system for designing websites and apps. It features multiple combinations that are guaranteed to pass WCAG contrast ratio, dark mode, and transparent variants for UI components that need to blend into colored backgrounds.

[Assistant] Radix Colors


[User] If robot startups shared information, they would be capable of much more than they currently are. There are more than 150 robotics companies in Odense, Denmark. 30 years ago, several companies and groups in the area started working together, resulting in Blue Ocean Robotics, the world's first robotics venture factory. Each robot at the factory adds to the core of software that all member companies have access to.

[Assistant] The World’s First Robotics Venture Factory Is On ‘Robot Island’ In Denmark


[User] Google has finally revealed its Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro phones. Both phones will feature Google's Tensor processor, a 50-megapixel camera, and an ultra-wide camera. The Pro has a telephoto camera that upgrades the selfie camera with a wider lens and higher resolution. The Tensor processor is competitive with Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon processors, but with added machine learning capabilities. Pixel owners will be able to quickly access Snapchat's camera using a special button on the back of the device. A Pixel Pass service is available that will allow people to purchase a Pixel device along with some Google subscription services for a monthly plan cost. More announcements are available in the article.

[Assistant] The biggest announcements from Google’s Pixel 6 event


[User] Lensless cameras encode light and use algorithms to process blurry, out-of-focus images into something useful. A group of researchers at Tokyo Tech have created a new reconstruction technique that improves image quality with significantly faster processing. The technique uses a novel machine-learning algorithm based on a method called Vision Transformer. It can be used for real-time capture of high-quality images, something previously not possible with lensless cameras. Examples of images produced with the technique are available in the article.

[Assistant] Newly-developed lensless camera uses neural network and transformer to produce sharper images faster


[User] Facebook's redesign is finally official and will be rolling out to users this week. The redesign focuses on simplicity, taking cues from the mobile app. One of the most anticipated features of the redesign is its dark mode for desktop. The redesign makes it easier to create groups, pages, and ads. Facebook is open to receiving feedback, which can be sent via the Settings menu.

[Assistant] Facebook’s redesign goes live with simplified navigation and dark mode


[User] Reviewing code as a junior developer can be daunting but it has several benefits. It can help you learn the code base and also learn who knows which sections of the code best in your team. Giving feedback to your teammates helps you open yourself up to receiving feedback and hearing their ideas. Reviewing code helps you take ownership of the team's codebase. Asking questions, calibrating feedback, and emulating others is the key to developing good code review skills.

[Assistant] How to Review Code as a Junior Developer


[User] Hired is home to thousands of companies ranging from startups to Fortune 500s that are actively hiring the best and brightest developers, data scientists, mobile engineers, and more. Here’s how it works: once you create a profile, hiring managers can extend interview requests based on desired salary, top skills, and career preferences. Sign up today - it’s completely free for job-seekers!

[Assistant] Find a job through Hired


[User] Updated due to popular demand! This comprehensive resource covers everything Kubernetes: from fundamental concepts, to cluster components and network model implementation. The 2022 edition adds new sections on understanding the Standard Kubernetes Dashboard, the high-availability control plane, and autoscaling. Get it instantly (17.4 MB, no email required)

[Assistant] PDF Download: Understanding Kubernetes Concepts, Components, and Implementation


[User] The Air Force has announced a showdown between an artificial intelligence-driven flight control system against a fighter jet with a human pilot planned for July 2021. Details about the design of the unmanned aircraft that will take part in the aerial duel have not been released. Unmanned combat air vehicles have the potential to change aerial warfare as they lower the costs of training and production and are also able to perform some tasks equally well, if not better, than humans. Integrating AI capabilities into manned aircraft could help reduce pilot fatigue and improve decision making.

[Assistant] Manned Fighter To Face Autonomous Drone Next Year In Sci-Fi Movie-Like Showdown


[User] Ocean Battery is an energy storage system developed by Dutch startup Ocean Grazer. It is designed to be installed on the seafloor near offshore renewable energy generators. The system is made to function on a principle similar to that of a hydroelectric dam. Excess electricity from renewable sources can be used to pump water into a bladder, and when energy is required, the bladder can squeeze the water back through spinning turbines to generate power. A 3-minute video with animations showing how the Ocean Battery will work is available in the article.

[Assistant] Ocean Battery stores renewable energy at the bottom of the sea


[User] In China, November 11th (11/11) is Singles Day, a day to celebrate being single. It's also turned into sort of their version of Black Friday, with Alibaba breaking its single day sales record this year by selling $30.8 billion worth of merchandise. On Singles day, Alibaba beat Amazon's record-setting Prime Day total of $4.68 billion in just 10 minutes.

[Assistant] Alibaba sets new Singles Day record with more than $30.8 billion in sales in 24 hours


[User] Lanzatech is a company that came up with a gas fermentation process to recycle waste from steel mills into jet fuel. Virgin Atlantic just completed the first flight using this fuel. They are planning to create three UK based plants by 2025 that will create 125 million gallons of jet fuel per year and would save 1 million tons in carbon emissions per year.

[Assistant] Virgin Atlantic Flies World's First Waste-Based Biofuel Commercial Flight


[User] Swarmia gives you visibility into your software development process, so you can speed up software delivery without compromising culture or quality."In just three months, Swarmia helped us decrease our average cycle time by 48%. As we keep growing, these insights will become increasingly important."- Jeremy Krebs Co-Founder & CTO of MateraStart shipping faster today!

[Assistant] Ship 10x faster


[User] If you’re a business owner or high earner, investing in solid financial assets should be your #1 priority. With the stocks and crypto on life support, the most sought-after investment by those looking for long-term growth is art.Here’s why:Helps protect your cash from inflationNear 0 correlation to stocks according to CitiContemporary art outpaced the S&P 500 by 164% (1995-2021)No wonder over 440,000 members signed up for this white-hot art investing app.Bonus: TLDR subscribers can get priority access to this smart app hereSee important Reg A disclosures

[Assistant] Experts Agree: Smart Investing Now = Earlier Retirement


[User] Open source code has been essential for China's rapidly growing tech sector. GitHub has been a large part of this growth, but its future in China is uncertain. Many fear that the Chinese government might ban the site for hosting censored information, or that US regulators could ban the company from doing business with Chinese firms. The Chinese government has championed Gitee, a domestic alternative, and Chinese firms have created the OpenAtom Foundation, an organization analogous to The Linux Foundation. While the Chinese government supports open-source development, it has objections to the free and open exchange of information, which could damage these efforts.

[Assistant] China wants to build an open source ecosystem to rival GitHub


[User] MoviePass, the subscription service where users could watch as many movies as they wanted for $9.95 a month, has shut down. When MoviePass launched, subscriptions were around $40 a month, but the price lowered as the number of subscribers increased, resulting in large losses for the company. MoviePass executives had hoped that studios would use the service to promote their films and monetize data from subscribers, but that never happened. Eventually, the company ran out of cash and was surviving on loans. It resorted to restricting the number of movies subscribers could watch, among other tactics. Existing subscribers will be given appropriate refunds for the period of service they have paid for.

[Assistant] MoviePass Has Officially Shut Down, And We Don't Know If There Will Be A Sequel


[User] New Zealand company Emrod has developed a method of safely and wirelessly transmitting electric power across long distances. Its technology appears to be able to move large amounts of electricity between any two points that can be joined with line-of-sight relays. Powerco, the second-biggest energy distributor in New Zealand, plans to use the technology to deliver electricity in remote places or across areas with challenging terrain. Emrod's initial prototype is only capable of delivering a few kilowatts of power, but it can be scaled up to transmit 100 times more power over much longer distances. The technology will work in any atmospheric conditions as long as the line of sight is maintained. A laser safety curtain is used to trigger a shut down if any object comes near the main beam.

[Assistant] NZ to trial world-first commercial long-range, wireless power transmission