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Pipe Operator (|>)

This repository outlines a proposal for adding a useful pipe operator for JavaScript. Pipe operators have the convenience and ease of method chaining with the wide applicability of expression nesting when performing consecutive operations on values in JavaScript. This proposal favors Hack-style pipe operators as they are based on the concept of expression.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

YouTube to Make New Originals Available for Free, Ad-Supported Viewing With 'Single Slate' Strategy

Youtube's new original shows will be freely available in an ad-supported format. Its current original shows like "Cobra Kai" and "Step Up: High Water" will remain behind the Youtube Premium paywall for now, but will be moved to an ad-supported model by 2020. Youtube Premium is Youtube's Netflix competitor that costs $12/month, I'm editorializing here this isn't in the article, my sense from reading this is that the subscription service isn't doing well so they're pivoting to just making everything free and ad-supported.

1Big Tech & Startups

SoundCloud finally lets more musicians monetize four years later

Musicians over the age of 18, who pay Soundcloud $8 a month for hosting, and get over 5000 streams per month will now be able to monetize their music through ads on the platform. The company moves very slowly for a tech company, having rolled out a beta of this feature 4 years ago. They aren't doing very well financially, having laid off 40% of their staff last year, and they aren't expected to be profitable until 2020.

1Big Tech & Startups

A Hacker Got All My Texts for $16 (12 minute read)

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.

4Miscellaneous

IQ rates are dropping in many developed countries and that doesn't bode well for humanity

IQ scores have started to decline in many leading nations. While the debate is still ongoing regarding the relationship between IQ scores and intelligence, studies have shown that IQ scores correlate to education levels, longevity, economic growth, and scientific innovation. In general, IQ scores have been trending upwards since the measure was invented, and has only recently started trending downwards. It is unknown why IQ scores are now dropping, but there are many theories ranging from changing societal norms to the effects of global warming on the nutrition of foods.

4Miscellaneous

Israeli scientists say they’ve paved way to turn off the brain’s ‘hunger switch’

Israeli researchers have identified the precise molecular details of the brain's hunger switch, making it possible to design targeted drugs to suppress appetite without the adverse side effects of current treatments. Pharmaceutical companies have been racing to make drugs to manipulate the switch, but current drugs bind with several receptors, causing undesired side effects. While the research was based on people with a genetic condition affecting the switch, the results could benefit the general population of people struggling with weight loss.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

System UIcons (Website)

This site contains a collection of 220 system UI icons. Developers can search for the icon they need and easily add the image to their site via SVG code, CDN link, or by hosting the icon directly.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

CSS Spider (Website)

CSS Spider is a Chrome plugin that allows developers to view and edit CSS by hovering over elements. Code can be copied and exported to codepen with a click. There is a 35-second video showing how to use the plugin on the site.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Adorable redesigned emoji—including Clippy—included in latest Windows 11 update

Microsoft will add redesigned emoji in the next Windows 11 update. The new emoji match up better with Apple's, Google's, and Samsung's designs. There are a few Microsoft-specific touches, such as a Clippy design for the paperclip emoji. The update is optional for now. It will be installed automatically for users next month. Windows 10 users will not be getting the new emoji designs. A small selection of the new designs are available in the article.

1Big Tech & Startups

Ciphey (GitHub Repo)

Ciphey is a fully automated decryption tool. It uses natural language processing and artificial intelligence to determine the type of encryption used and to detect when the text is decrypted. Over 20 types of encryptions and multiple languages are supported. It is much faster and simpler to use compared to similar tools.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

You Deserve Privacy Online. Here's How You Could Actually Get It

This op-ed by Tim Cook calls for US Congress to pass comprehensive federal privacy legislation. Companies should avoid collecting identifying information if possible, tell people what data is collected and why, and allow people to delete their personal data. This legislation should also target online data brokers, who buy your purchasing data from online retailers and sells it to other buyers, all without your knowledge. Cook wants the FTC to shine a light on this practice.

4Miscellaneous

Volvo to test full-size driverless bus in Singapore

Singapore is ranked No. 2 globally in openness and preparedness for autonomic vehicles and will begin testing on a full-sized autonomous electric bus later this year. The bus, developed by Volvo, will start testing within the next few weeks or months and will be initially used on a university campus. It is hoped that further testing can be done on public roads after regulatory approvals in the next few years. The city-state aims to deploy autonomous buses in three different districts by 2022.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Disney bans Netflix ads from all of its TV channels except ESPN

Disney has banned Netflix ads from all of its TV platforms except for ESPN in preparation for its launch of Disney+ on November 12. The company had originally considered banning ads for all Disney+ competitors, including Amazon Prime Video. Amazon is currently not planning to offer support for Disney+ on its Amazon Fire TV Platform. Disney+ will cost $6.99 per month, or $69.99 for a full year, and will be ad-free. The service will offer a bundle deal that includes access to ESPN+ and Hulu. Disney took full control of Hulu in May.

1Big Tech & Startups

Netflix Picks France to Test First Linear Offering

France will be the first country to receive Netflix's first channel offering. Direct will be a linear channel that airs shows in real-time. It will only be available via web browser. France was chosen as the testing country for this feature due to its consumption of traditional TV. Many people in France prefer a laid back experience where they don't have to choose shows. The feature may also appeal to older demographics, which make up a significant portion of households in France.

1Big Tech & Startups

Lab-grown fish just got real. San Diego startup shows off first slaughter-free yellowtail

BlueNalu, a San Diego based food-tech startup, unveiled its lab-created yellowtail fish product at a small event in San Diego Bay last week. The fish meat is grown through cell cultures in a food manufacturing facility. Making food in labs is already common practice and produces popular products such as Greek yogurt, Oreos, ketchup, and more. BlueNalu's fish can withstand different cooking methods, including steaming, frying, and marinating. It can even be eaten raw. The startup hopes to launch its product into a test market within two years. Pictures of the meat prepared in dishes, as well as an infographic about how the fish meat is produced, are available in the article.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Blue Origin Employees Say They Don’t Think Its Rocket Is Safe, Wouldn’t Ride In

A group of current and former employees of Blue Origin recently wrote an article questioning the company's commitment to safety. The article describes a work culture that overstretches teams and prioritizes speed over safety. Although they didn't list any single safety issues, the authors said that they wouldn't feel safe riding in a Blue Origin rocket. A lack of overarching safety regulations made it easier for safety issues to fly under the radar.

4Miscellaneous

Nikola founder charged with securities fraud over allegedly fake truck demo

The New York federal court has charged Nikola founder Trevor Milton with securities fraud. Milton allegedly made a series of false claims about the company while raising more than $500 million in investments. He used a staged video to create a false impression that the Nikola One semi-truck prototype was able to move under its own power when the vehicle was simply rolling downhill. Milton also claimed that the company was producing its own hydrogen fuels at below market rates and that it had many billions of dollars worth of committed truck orders.

4Miscellaneous

Upgrade your memory with a surgically implanted chip!

Over the last five years, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has been experimenting with devices intended to restore the memory-generation capacity of people with traumatic brain injuries. This resulted in a device that monitors the brain’s electrical activity and provides a boost whenever signals are too weak to form memories. Studies showed that memory retention improved as much as 37 percent in the patients who used the device. The device was only tested on epileptic patients who already had electrodes implanted in their brains to monitor seizures. As the device requires brain surgery in order to be used, it is unlikely that it will be on the consumer market any time soon.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

OpenAI’s $100M startup fund will make ‘big early bets’ with Microsoft as partner

The OpenAI Startup Fund is a new $100 million startup fund for investing in early-stage AI companies that tackle major problems. It plans to only invest in a small number of companies. The fund will look for companies that take on issues like healthcare, climate change, and education. It may also consider companies that focus on productivity. Companies who are selected for funding will receive early access to new OpenAI systems and Azure resources from Microsoft. Microsoft is one of the partners and investors in the fund.

4Miscellaneous

Cardboard SDK (GitHub Repo)

Cardboard SDK provides everything required to create VR experiences for Google Cardboard. It supports VR features such as motion tracking, stereoscopic rendering, and user interaction via the viewer button.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Google announces Equiano, a privately funded subsea cable that connects Europe with Africa

Google announced that it will begin building its third fully privately funded subsea cable that will connect Europe with Africa. The cable will begin at Lisbon in Portugal and run down the west coast of Africa to connect to South Africa. Nine branching units will be built into the cable to connect the rest of Africa at a later date. The first stage of development should finish in 2021. Google and many other large tech companies, such as Facebook and Microsoft, have invested heavily in internet infrastructure projects in order to create more users and steadier connections to increase their bottom line.

1Big Tech & Startups

This is the Osom OV1, a new phone from Essential’s former engineers and designers

Osom has released new details about its upcoming OV1 phone meant to compete with flagships from Apple, Google, and Samsung. The device will have a stainless steel and titanium housing, a ceramic back, Corning Victus cover glass, and a Qualcomm processor. Osom was founded by Essential's employees after the startup went under. The OV1 was scheduled to be fully revealed this week but Osom pushed back the announcement and ship date to upgrade the phone's processors. Many more details about the phone are available in the article.

1Big Tech & Startups

A better way to track your engineering team's metrics (Sponsor)

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!

0Sponsor

See the tiny new Apple stores inside Target

Apple and Target have teamed up to put Tiny Apple stores inside Targets. There are currently 17 Tiny Apple stores nationwide, with many more planned. The employees at these kiosks will have special product training, but it doesn't look like the kiosks offer any sort of technical support. Apple is also getting a special section on Target's website and app. A picture of one of the Tiny Apple stores is available in the article.

1Big Tech & Startups

Apple's 'Netflix for Magazines' Getting a Chilly Reception

Apple bought an app called Texture in March, which gave Netflix-style unlimited access to about 200 magazines for a monthly subscription. Now it's going to relaunch it as a premium product within Apple News for $10/month. Apple is trying to get papers like the Wall Street Journal and New York Times to join, but there is concern that this service could cannibalize their existing subscribers. Still, Apple News is a default app on 1.3 billion devices, so it's possible they will be the ones to figure out Netflix for news.

1Big Tech & Startups

China's Xi Jinping personally halted Ant's record-breaking $37 billion IPO after boss Jack Ma snubbed government leaders, report says

President Xi Jinping halted Ant Group's initial public offering after Jack Ma criticized government leaders. The listing was expected to be the largest in history, but new lending rules led to the offering being suspended. Big private businesses that rack up wealth and power in the country are seen as a challenge to authority. Ma had criticized global banking rules and had wanted to use innovation to help solve China's financial problems. Xi and other government officials were enraged by Ma's comments and suspended the IPO on November 3. Ant Group had already secured over $3 trillion in orders from investors at the time.

1Big Tech & Startups

Python MQTT Tutorial: Store IoT Metrics with a Time Series Database (Sponsor)

Learn how to create a smart sensor using Python that transmits measurements using MQTT to store them in InfluxDB. You’ll also learn about the InfluxDB ecosystem that provides the database and UI tools that can visualize and query your data. Learn more.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

World's Largest Nuclear Fusion Experiment Clears Milestone

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.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Huawei’s foldable Mate X2 leaks just before launch

Huawei has unveiled the Mate X2, a new foldable device with a large screen that unfolds from the inside. The phone features a second screen on the outside for use when the device is folded. As it is a Huawei device, the Mate X2 will launch without support for Google's apps or services. The phone will be available in China starting at around $2,785 for 256GB of storage or around $2,940 for 512GB of storage. Images of the device are available in the article.

1Big Tech & Startups

Remotion (GitHub Repo)

Remotion is a suite of libraries for creating videos programmatically using React. With Remotion, you can render whatever you want with your favorite web technologies, using programming to create new effects. Three example videos are available. The source code for the example videos is provided.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Amazon will soon let you make campaign contributions through your Alexa device

People will soon be able to make campaign donations to selected 2020 presidential candidates through Amazon Alexa devices. Donations can only be made to principal campaign committees. Eligible candidates must have a US-based address, bank account, credit card, and phone number. Candidates will have to register as merchants, submit some Federal Election Commission forms, and send a list of variations of the candidate's name. Donations can be made by talking to Alexa. All donations will be processed through Amazon Pay, and donors will receive email receipts.

1Big Tech & Startups

Walmart’s unannounced cloud gaming service detailed in confidential Epic emails

Project Storm is Walmart's attempt at a cloud gaming service. It is unclear if it will ever launch. Back in 2019, Walmart pitched the service to Epic Games to get Fortnite on board. Epic co-founder Mark Rein reported a positive experience when trying out a demo of the service on an Android phone. Epic ended up partnering with Nvidia to launch Fortnite on GeForce Now, which is currently the only way to play the game on iOS.

1Big Tech & Startups

Coronavirus: Japan to close all schools to halt spread

Japan will close all of its schools on Monday to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The closure will affect around 13 million students and continue until late March. More cases have been reported outside than inside China for the second day running, and the World Health Organization head has said that the outbreak has now reached a decisive point. Over 80,000 people in 40 countries have now been infected, with nearly 2,800 dead, mostly in China's Hubei province. The first weeks of March will be an extremely critical period for preventing virus transmission. Some patients in China and Japan may be falling ill for a second time with the virus. It is possible the virus is reinfecting patients, but it is also likely that tests have been inaccurate or are detecting the previous infection.

4Miscellaneous

Up (Github Repo)

Up is an open source commandline tool that lets you write Linux pipes and preview the results in real time. This makes it a lot easier to write scripts using grep, awk, wc, etc. by providing instant scrollable feedback.

1Big Tech & Startups

Life of a Netflix Partner Engineer — The case of the extra 40 ms

The role of a Partner Engineer at Netflix is to help device manufacturers launch the Netflix application on their devices. At the end of 2017, Netflix was implementing its app on a new Android TV device which experienced a serious stuttering issue. This article follows a Netflix Partner Engineer as they track down the bug, figure out the real root cause, and then work towards a fix.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Amazon opens its first Amazon Fresh physical grocery store in LA

Amazon has opened its first Amazon Fresh supermarket in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles. The supermarket is a new grocery store experience designed from the ground up, targeting a different type of customer to Amazon's Whole Foods and Go stores. Amazon Fresh will stock a range of big brands along with Amazon's own-label lines. The stores will use Amazon's Dash Cart feature and Prime Members who shop at the store will receive free delivery. Employees at the store will have to follow Amazon's own set of health guidelines to control the spread of the novel coronavirus. A list of confirmed Amazon Fresh locations is available at the beginning of the article.

4Miscellaneous

China Is Leading the Next Step in Fighting Malaria in Africa

A Chinese philanthropist and his company, New South, have set their sights on Kenya in their mission to eradicate malaria. The company produces medicine that combats malaria and wants to make the world know that Chinese medicines are of high quality and not inferior. It aims to use a Mass Drug Administration approach, where antimalarial medication is given to everybody in an area all at once to combat the disease. Theoretically, this would wipe out the disease in the area. MDA has been used successfully before. However, skeptics argue that the approach increases the chance of the disease developing drug resistance. Doctors in Kenya welcome the treatment as malaria is a heavy burden on the country’s medical system.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Spiders eating snakes, oh my! Here are the photographs to prove it

Some spiders occasionally eat snakes. They have been documented eating a variety of animals, including worms, insects, fish, reptiles, and small mammals. 30 species of spiders have been observed to eat snakes in the wild, with 11 more demonstrating the ability in captivity or staged field experiments. Widow spiders, tarantulas, and large orb-weaving spiders account for 80 percent of all reported instances to date. Pictures of spiders eating snakes are available in the article.

4Miscellaneous

Apple kills the non-Touch Bar MacBook Pro, discounts the Air

Apple has updated the MacBook Pro, with the 13-inch base model sporting an 8th generation quad-core Intel chip, and all models now featuring the Touch Bar and Touch ID. The 12-inch MacBook has been removed from the product lineup, and the MacBook Air has had a slight update to its display and a new $1,099 price tag. No other updates were made to the MacBook Air. The MacBook Pro now starts at $1,299 with a 128GB SSD, or $1,499 with a 256GB SSD.

1Big Tech & Startups

T-Mobile begins blocking iPhone users from enabling iCloud Private Relay in the US

Apple's iCloud Private Relay feature, introduced in iOS 15, gives users an additional layer of privacy by ensuring that no one can view the websites they visit. T-Mobile has blocked the feature for users in Europe and the US when connected to cellular data. The change is still rolling out, so some users will still be able to access the feature. Several carriers have voiced concerns that the feature could impact their ability to efficiently manage telecommunication networks.

4Miscellaneous

The European Space Agency is building its own reusable rocket

The European Space Agency has announced plans to build its own reusable rocket engine. Last year, the French space agency CNES unveiled the Prometheus engine design. The ESA has now fully funded the project and aims to reduce the cost to produce the engine to a tenth of the cost compared to current options. Manufacturing has already been completed for several parts for the rocket and testing of some of the hardware components will soon begin in Germany. The ESA aims to complete the first combustion chamber model this month and assemble a full demonstration version of the engine for testing by 2021.

4Miscellaneous

Watch crazy video of Tesla Model 3 autonomously picking up owner in parking lot

Tesla’s new Enhanced Summon mode has been rolled out to beta testers, who are reporting that the feature is a bit ‘hit or miss’ mostly due to the system being too cautious. The feature allows vehicle owners to get their cars to drive to their position or to a selected position as long as the owner is within 150m of their vehicle. Tesla vehicles already have a Summon feature, but this only allows owners to move their cars backward or forwards in their parking spaces. A video showing Enhanced Summon being used is available.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

MIT tests autonomous 'Roboat' that can carry two passengers

MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory have unveiled the Roboat II, its second generation of autonomous 'roboats' that can assemble themselves into a series of floating structures. The Roboat II can carry up to two passengers. It features four propellers to move in any direction, LiDAR, GPS, and inertial sensors for navigation. While the boat is only two meters long, it is modular, so multiple boats will be able to self-assemble into a larger vessel. The team at MIT is now working on a version that can carry four to six passengers and deal with more serious challenges, such as disturbances from currents and waves.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Nightmare Google Photos bug sent private videos to the wrong people

Between November 21 and November 25, 2019, a bug in Google Takeout resulted in users getting other users' videos when downloading archives of their Google data. Google has sent emails to affected Takeout users alerting them of the issue. The emails were only sent to Google Takeout users who attempted to archive their data, and the unrelated users whose videos were sent to others have yet to receive notifications. Google says that the issue has now been resolved and only affected less than 0.01% of users who were using the Takeouts service.

1Big Tech & Startups

WHO report claims alcohol is responsible for one in 20 deaths worldwide

More than 3 million people died as a result of harmful alcohol consumption in 2016 according to a World Health Organisation report. That is about 5% of all worldwide deaths, and it accounted for 13.5% of deaths for people in their 20s. 75% of the deaths were males, injury caused 30% of alcohol-related deaths, digestive diseases caused 20%, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, infectious diseases, cancers, mental disorders and alcohol abuse conditions round out the other causes.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Japanese Railroad Builds Giant Gundam-Style Robot to Fix Power Lines

West Japan Rail Company is using a giant Gundam-style robot to fix remote railway power lines. The robot is piloted by a human wearing a virtual reality setup. The robot is still just a prototype and won't be put to work widely until 2024. A video of the robot doing its job is available in the article.

4Miscellaneous

Microsoft surprises with new foldable Surface Duo phone running Android

Microsoft has announced a new foldable Surface Duo phone that runs Android. It resembles the dual-screen Surface Neo, except that its displays are smaller. Each display is 5.6 inches and can rotate 360 degrees, allowing it to unfold into an 8.3-inch tablet mode. The displays can run different apps at the same time, or one of the displays can be used as a keyboard or game controller. Some details on the phone are unknown, such as whether the device will have a rear camera. The device will be out during the holidays in 2020.

1Big Tech & Startups

GameSnacks brings quick, casual games to any device

Many games don't load well on low memory devices and 2G or 3G networks. Google has introduced GameSnacks to address this issue. GameSnacks games are fast, easy to play, and available on any device that connects to the internet. It will be available for people in Indonesia through Gojek. GameSnacks achieves fast performance through reducing the size of the initially-loaded HTML page by compressing elements and waiting to load them when necessary. Google has reached out to developers to contact the GameSnacks team if they want to create games and apps for the platform.

1Big Tech & Startups

YouTube wins naming rights for 6,000-seat event venue at Hollywood Park

YouTube Theater is a new live event venue in Inglewood, California. It will host concerts, comedy shows, YouTube creator events, esports competitions, and community shows. The 6,000-seat venue is at the site of the former Hollywood Park Racetrack. It has a 6,100-square-foot stage and a 3,500-square-foot private club. The theater will have a large-scale digital YouTube 'play' button icon outside that can turn into an immersive video screen. It is set to open later this summer.

1Big Tech & Startups

Ikea is going to sell robotic furniture to maximize space for city dwellers

Ikea has announced the release of a new storage system which can transform into different types of furniture depending on what is required. ‘Rognan’ is controlled by a touchpad and is designed to allow people to make the most of the space they have in their apartments. It will launch first in Hong Kong and Japan, where apartments are famously limited in space. No announcements have been made yet about the price.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Chinese start-up Mobike loses more than 200,000 bikes

Chinese start-up Mobike revealed that 205,600 shared bikes were lost to theft and vandalism during 2019. Shared bikes have become commonplace in cities worldwide. Mobike has a credit score system that rewards and punishes users for good and bad behavior. Offenders may be charged for damage, banned from the service, or reported to the police. Shared bikes are meant for short trips across cities, but some users take them home or discard them in rivers and canals. Mobike has pulled its bikes out of Manchester, Newcastle, and Gateshead after a series of incidents, and Hong Kong-based rival Gobee has pulled out of Europe altogether due to mass destruction of its bike fleet.

1Big Tech & Startups

Walking around without a protective face mask? (Twitter Video)

We live in strange times, and now many villages and cities in China are using drones equipped with speakers to patrol and communicate with civilians during the coronavirus outbreak. This two-minute video shows drone footage with audio of the drone operator telling civilians to wear their face masks and to stay home. The text in the footage claims that the video is from Inner Mongolia. There is some discussion in the thread saying that the video is civilian-made and not from official sources, as civilians have been receiving communications with opposing information.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

A Snapchat-owned location app just added a leaderboard comparing who stays home the most

Snapchat-owned location app Zenly is gamifying social distancing with a leaderboard for people who have spent the most time at home. Zenly usually encourages people to share locations to meet up with friends, but it has switched up its incentives and is now encouraging people to stay at home. The app also shows an overlay that shows the number of coronavirus cases in a state or country.

1Big Tech & Startups

French startup promises cruelty-free foie gras, grown in a lab

French startup Gourmey has produced foie gras in the lab and plans to set up a production facility in central Paris to produce it in large quantities. Farmed foie gras is controversial, with many countries banning the practice. However, it is still a prized delicacy, especially in France. There is a ready market for ethical foie gras alternatives. Gourmey plans to eventually produce a full range of lab-grown meats. It recently received $10 million in funding from a group of venture capital firms.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

What it feels like to be laid off on Zoom during this crisis

Many tech employees have been laid off due to the coronavirus outbreak, and the layoffs continue as the situation goes on. The tech industry has transitioned offline, using platforms like Zoom to hold meetings. Now the layoff announcements have moved to these virtual meeting rooms. Employees at TripActions joined a virtual meeting on Tuesday morning, along with around 100 other team members, and were told that they were being laid off. Companies are now downsizing in order to survive lockdowns. People are frustrated, especially at having to receive the news over virtual group meetings.

4Miscellaneous

DNA Jumps Between Animal Species. No One Knows How Often (12 minute read)

Herrings and smelts, two unrelated species of fish, share the same gene for producing antifreeze proteins, providing proof that horizontal gene transfer is possible. The two species of fish are unable to produce offspring, so the gene wasn't inherited through normal sexual channels. Other animals also show transposable elements, with the vast majority found in fish. The antifreeze gene was likely transferred through a process similar to sperm-mediated gene transfer, a technique used by genetic engineers. Other gene transfers may be caused by parasites, but more research is required to test this theory.

4Miscellaneous

Spotify’s offering first-time premium users three months free until June 30th

New Spotify users will now get three free months of Spotify Premium if they sign up before June 30. Returning users who canceled their plans before April 14 will be able to sign up for $9.99 for three months. Spotify's most recent earnings report stated that its ad-supported revenues fell short of its forecast. April 14 was the date by which most people had canceled their premium subscriptions, presumably to recoup lost money because of the pandemic. One in six people who canceled in the US cited COVID-19 as a reason and a majority planned to renew their accounts once their economic situation improves.

1Big Tech & Startups

A.I. could open new routes to psychiatric treatments by mapping psychedelic trips in the brain

Researchers used artificial intelligence to map people's subjective experiences while using psychedelics to specific regions of the brain. The study involved analyzing self-reported psychedelic drug experiences and linking the most commonly used words with receptors in the brain known to bind to each drug. It found new links and patterns that confirm existing research. The insights could lead to new ways to produce desired treatment effects for a range of psychiatric conditions.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Drone Beats Ambulance in Race to Deliver First Aid to Patients

A team in Iraq and Australia have developed another way to use drones in healthcare as part of a system that detects when an elderly person has fallen. Fall detection devices were attached to healthy volunteers during a test and then triggered in crowded, hard to reach areas. Teams with drones and ambulances were alerted at the same time. The drones carried first aid kits to the patient's location, where a caregiver would then administer first aid. On average, the drones arrived 105 seconds faster than the ambulances, which is a significant amount of time especially in incidents where patients aren't breathing or where the patient's heart stops beating. Further improvements such as automated loading of supplies and faster drones could potentially shave another five to 40 seconds off the response time.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

World’s largest nuclear fusion project begins assembly in France

The world's largest nuclear fusion project has begun in France. It will weigh 23,000 tonnes, with 200km of superconducting cables connecting 3,000 tonnes of superconducting magnets. All the components will be kept at -269C inside the cryogenic plant. The Iter project will cost €20bn and promises clean, unlimited power. It is intended to be a proof-of-concept of large-scale fusion rather than a design for a commercial reactor.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Wildtype is opening up a pre-order list for select chefs as it focuses on lab-grown, sushi-grade salmon

Wildtype is a startup that makes lab-grown salmon. The company is still at least five years from commercial production but it is already looking to partner with select chefs around the country. Wildtype has produced lab-grown meat similar to the meat that would be ordered at a sushi restaurant. The startup developed its own technology for developing scaffolding for the cells to grow on that would replicate the taste and texture of wild-caught salmon. Images of Wildtype's lab-grown salmon are available in the article.

1Big Tech & Startups

NASA's OSIRIS-REx successfully collected bits of an orbiting asteroid

Tuesday afternoon marked the first time that a NASA mission has managed to intercept, interact with, and collect samples from an asteroid. The $800 million OSIRIS-REx spacecraft collected a small sample of regolith from the passing asteroid, 101955 Bennu. Asteroids like Bennu contain original materials from the solar nebula that collapsed to form our sun and planets. They may also give clues to how life started. Carbonite minerals were found on Bennu, suggesting that the asteroid was once part of an even larger asteroid with liquid water.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

iPhone 12 lineup’s pricing and release dates detailed in new leak

Details about what Apple could announce at its October 13th event have been leaked. Apple will announce four new iPhones: an iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, and iPhone 12 Pro Max. All four phones will have 5G support, Super Retina XDR displays, and will be able to film in the Dolby Vision HDR standard. More details about each phone are available in the article. Apple will also announce new wireless MagSafe chargers and a $99 HomePod mini. While the source of the leak has a good track record, it is always best to take rumors like this with a pinch of salt.

1Big Tech & Startups

Nvidia Unveils Big Accelerator Memory: Solid-State Storage for GPUs

Nvidia's Big Accelerator Memory (BaM) method can make GPUs seamlessly work with SSDs. BaM will be particularly useful for workloads that use large datasets. To process large datasets efficiently, GPUs either need vast amounts of expensive special-purpose memory or efficient access to solid-state storage. BaM will allow Nvidia GPUs to fetch large amounts of data from SSDs and use it independently from the CPU, making graphics cards more self-sufficient than they are today.

4Miscellaneous

Mysterious Clouds on Mars Formed by ‘Meteoric Smoke,’ Study Says

A new type of cloud has been discovered on Mars that is created from debris that burns up in the planet’s atmosphere. This ‘meteoric smoke’ stimulates cloud formation at altitudes between 30 and 60 kilometers. The clouds form best during cold weather when ice vapor can build around the interplanetary dust particles in the middle atmosphere. A similar process can also happen in Earth’s skies when meteoric dust falls into our atmosphere. Three to four tons of alien dust enters Mars’ atmosphere every sol, but only a fraction ever reaches lower altitudes. This process may explain cloud formation during Mars’ early years, and a similar process may be happening on any number of other planets outside our solar system as well.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Facebook rolls out 3D photos that use AI to simulate depth

Facebook is rolling out a new feature called 3D photos, which uses AI to make it so you can add make-believe depth to photos. The effect basically allows you to rotate photos and peek behind objects (there's an example gif inside), it's pretty cool kind of like looking through a window and being able to see a picture from different angles. Currently the feature only works on iPhone 7 and above, but will eventually be rolled out ot other phones.

1Big Tech & Startups

Elon Musk activates Starlink satellite service in Ukraine after Vice PM calls upon him

Elon Musk activated Starlink's satellite internet service in Ukraine after Mykhailo Fedorov, the Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, tweeted at Musk asking for help. Musk replied 10 hours after the plea for help stating that the service was now active and that more terminals were en route. Starlink now has more than 1,500 satellites in operation providing service around the globe. The original tweet from Fedorov and Musk's response is available in the article.

1Big Tech & Startups

We ate Impossible Foods' faux pork and it was good as hell

Impossible Foods has debuted its plant-based pork at an invite-only event at Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay. In a review, the pork was sampled in a variety of dishes, including banh mi, meatballs, noodles, spring rolls, and shumai. The pork was described to be delicious and has the same texture as real pork. Impossible says its plant-based pork has 40 percent fewer calories than real pork, and it doesn't contain any gluten, animal hormones, or antibiotics. The Impossible Sausage will make its debut in Burger King's breakfast croissants later this month.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Cameo launches Cameo Calls, a service for fans to video chat with celebs

Cameo Calls lets fans chat one-on-one with influencers and celebrities. Users can book calls through Cameo's website or app. The talent sets the duration, time, and price of the call. There is a dedicated photo opp at the end of each call. Cameo thinks that Cameo Calls could replace celebrity meet-and-greets. While the sessions are only a few minutes long, the fan receives a more personal experience.

1Big Tech & Startups

Call for retraction of 400 scientific papers amid fears organs came from Chinese prisoners

An investigation into organ studies from China has resulted in over 400 scientific papers identified as non-compliant with the ethical standards required by medical journals. Organ transplants used in these studies may not have been consented to by the donors. There are large discrepancies in the rate of transplants between official government statistics (10,000 transplants per year) and hospital statistics (60,000-100,000 transplants a year). These discrepancies may be due to organ harvesting from executed prisoners.

4Miscellaneous

10 developers on what makes their games’ ‘hand-drawn’ (18 minute read)

Many games have taken on a hand-drawn art style over the years. Hand-drawn can mean a lot of different things to different people. In this article, 10 developers talk about what makes their games 'hand-drawn'. The developers discuss the process and techniques used to create the art in their games.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Amazon Is Making a Rival to Apple’s AirPods as Its First Alexa Wearable

Amazon is looking to release wireless earbuds in the second half of 2019. The earbuds will have Alexa access, which means that users will be able to use their voice to order goods, play music, and access information on the go. There will also be physical gesture controls. Amazon's earbuds will require pairing with a phone for Alexa access. Earbuds are the fastest growing wearable market, with Apple's AirPods generating $17.4 billion in revenue last financial year.

1Big Tech & Startups

Twitch source code and creator payouts reportedly part of massive leak

An anonymous poster released a 125GB torrent on 4chan containing the entirety of Twitch's platform and client source code commit history, details regarding creator payouts, an unreleased Steam competitor from Amazon Game Studios, and other code and software related to the platform. User password and address information was not included in the leak. The leak was labeled as 'part one', indicating that there is more to come. Twitch has confirmed that it suffered a data breach.

1Big Tech & Startups

Researchers Have Successfully Made First-Ever Robotic Arm That Can Be Controlled By Your Mind

Researchers have successfully made a robotic arm that can continually track and follow a computer cursor controlled by one’s thoughts. It uses a non-invasive brain-computer interface (BCI) developed at Carnegie Mellon University. Previous versions of BCIs have required invasive procedures to get high-resolution signals. The new approach to building BCIs improved BCI learning by nearly 60 percent for traditional tasks and continuous tracking of a computer cursor by over 500 percent. It has been tested on 68 able-bodied human subjects and the team plans to conduct clinical trials on patients in the near future.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Facebook Plans Global Financial System Based on Cryptocurrency

Facebook has revealed plans to build an alternative financial system based on a cryptocurrency. Libra was announced with 27 partners, including Mastercard and Uber. Facebook aims to launch the cryptocurrency with 100 partners next year. The company hopes that Libra will become the foundation for a financial system that is not controlled by banks. Libra will be backed by government currencies, so it will not fluctuate more than real-world money, unlike Bitcoin. The project will be run by a non-profit entity in Switzerland, independent of Facebook, as Facebook is distancing itself from direct management of Libra. This is in order to protect the privacy of people who use the currency. Facebook promises that users’ financial data will never be used to target ads on its platform.

1Big Tech & Startups

Facebook’s dating app will let you list your secret crushes

Facebook’s new dating app, which is currently only in a testing phase in a few select countries, has a new feature which will let users list up to nine ‘secret crushes’ from their friends list. If one of their friends also lists them as a secret crush, Facebook will send a notification to both users and match them. Facebook Dating usually avoids listing friends as potential matches. While there seems to be no method of monetization during its testing phase, there is big money in the dating app marketplace. Analysts predict that the dating app industry could be worth $12 billion by 2020. The Match Group, who owns Tinder, OkCupid, Match.com, and many other dating sites, brought in $1.7 billion last year from memberships, advertising, and premium features.

1Big Tech & Startups

Singapore Shows What Serious Urban Farming Looks Like

Singapore imports almost 90 percent of its food. In 2019, Singapore launched its 30 by 30 initiative with the aim of producing 30 percent of its nutritional needs locally by 2030. When the project started, the city had 220 farms, meeting 14 percent of its demand for leafy vegetables, 26 percent for eggs, and 10 percent for fish. 30 by 30 is increasing its demand for tech-based solutions due to the limited land in Singapore. This article explores some of Singapore's farms and their solutions to increasing food production.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Hong Kong protestors are once again using mesh networks to preempt an internet shutdown

As the Hong Kong protests continue, the possibility of an internet shutdown has led protestors to start using mesh networking technologies again. These networks played an important role during Hong Kong's 2014 democracy protests. Apps such as FireChat and Bridgefy link phones directly to each other through Bluetooth, allowing users to communicate through a network of devices rather than the internet. Private communication is encrypted, but public chat rooms are not. There are ways to monitor devices and identify them, and Bluetooth is not the most secure protocol. Bridgefy's CEO says that it's highly unlikely but not impossible for the government to trace messages to individual users, but users should still exercise caution.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Stranger Things, JavaScript Edition

JavaScript is full of tricks and weirdness, and this article brings up some interesting examples. The article looks at six different scenarios where JavaScript code behaves strangely. It starts each scenario with an example and then explains what is happening that makes the code behave that way.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Freelancing in Finland (GitHub Repo)

In Finland, most information provided by authorities regarding freelancing is for the general population, and specific information for developers is sparse. This guide is a summary of relevant information for people who wish to work as freelance software developers in Finland. It includes information for foreigners who want to start a new company, links to freelancer employment organizations, information on how to apply for startup grants, and other handy tips that will make becoming a freelancer an easier process.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Scientists Successfully Turn Breast Cancer Cells Into Fat to Stop Them From Spreading

Researchers have used a combination of two drugs that are already FDA approved to turn breast cancer cells into fat cells. Cancer sometimes uses a process called epithelial to mesenchymal transition, and its opposite, mesenchymal to epithelial transition, to spread throughout the body. The process is normally used for the healing or growth of organs. Trametinib is a drug that increases the transition process of cells, and Rosiglitazone, in combination with Trametinib, helps stem cells convert into fat cells. The combination of the drugs convert human breast cancer cells permanently into fat cells in mice studies. As both drugs are already FDA approved, it should be easier to get the treatment into clinical trials for humans.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Microsoft purchases Bethesda Softworks in industry-changing acquisition

Microsoft has announced that it is buying the corporate parents of Bethesda Softworks, ZeniMax Media. The acquisition cost Microsoft $7.5 billion. Elder Scrolls Online will continue to be supported exactly as it was. Bethesda is currently working on two of the PS5's biggest console exclusives for next year. All of Bethesda's gaming lineup will be a part of the Xbox Game Pass. Microsoft has purchased a string of game studios in recent years, including Double Fine, Undead Labs, Playground Games, Ninja Theory, Compulsion Games, and Obsidian Entertainment.

1Big Tech & Startups

What TPMs Do and What Software Engineers Can Learn From Them (12 minute read)

Technical Program Managers (TPMs) perform many leadership functions in a company. The exact duties of the role change from company to company, but they usually involve leading large teams and strategy. This article discusses the TPM role, what it entails, how to start working as one, and much more.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Gene engineers make super-size plants that are 40% larger

Genetic engineers have created tobacco plants that are 40% larger than normal by genetically modifying them to photosynthesize more efficiently. It's the first time scientists have been able to enlarge plants by this much. Tobacco was chosen because it grows quickly and is easy to genetically modify, but the technique will soon be applied to food crops like potatoes, soybeans, and cowpeas.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Amazon jumps into the pharmacy business with online prescription fulfillment, free delivery for Prime members

Amazon Pharmacy has launched in the US. The service will allow customers to order prescription medications for home delivery, with free delivery for Amazon Prime members. Amazon has been trying to enter into the $300 billion pharmacy market for several years, acquiring PillPack in 2018 for its pharmacy software, fulfillment centers, and relationship with health plans. Amazon Pharmacy will accept most forms of insurance and it has tools to verify physician orders to detect fraud. Some personal information will be collected as it is required by law to provide pharmacy care. Amazon will not deliver Schedule II controlled medications and it won't be offering vitamins and supplements through the service. Pharmacy data will be kept separate from other data that Amazon collects.

1Big Tech & Startups

Twitter’s Jack Dorsey wants to build an app store for social media algorithms

Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey wants people to be able to choose which algorithm controls their social media content from a marketplace, rather than relying on a single company to get it right. This will be a part of how decentralized social networks will work. Companies will have access to much more data on a decentralized network. They will compete based on how they can serve relevant content to users. Decentralization could help platforms deal with laws around user-created content. Twitter has been developing Bluesky, a decentralized social network, since the end of 2019. It is still firmly in the research phase.

1Big Tech & Startups

A neural network can help spot Covid-19 in chest x-rays

COVID-Net is a convolutional neural network that is trained to identify signs of COVID-19 in chest x-rays. It is being released as an incomplete solution and the firm that created the system is encouraging others to help make it complete. Other research teams have announced AI tools that can diagnose COVID-19 from x-rays, but none of these tools have been made fully available to the public. While COVID-Net as yet to prove itself, public releases have historically proven to be effective methods of improving software.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Leaked pics reveal Google smart debit card to rival Apple’s

Google is developing its own physical and virtual debit cards. The cards will be co-branded with different bank partners, including CITI and Stanford Federal Credit Union. Combined with Google Pay, it will be Google's answer to Apple Pay and the Apple Card. This might mean that Google will become a financial services company and start offering other services that banks usually offer. Google's vast access to data means it could more accurately manage risk than traditional financial institutions.

1Big Tech & Startups

Ask HN: Any certification that is worth it? Legitimately helped your career? (Hacker News Thread)

This Hacker News thread discusses certifications that legitimately helped in people's careers. The top suggestions include Offensive Security's OSCP course, Microsoft's MCSE, and Amazon AWS certifications. One post is a warning about how too many certifications can have an adverse effect as hiring managers may see them as a waste of time compared to real-world projects.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

ipfs-deploy (GitHub Repo)

ipfs-deploy is designed to make it as easy as possible to deploy a static website to IPFS. It can be run without installation with npx. Users can deploy quickly to a service that doesn’t require signup using the default settings, or users can specify which services they wish to deploy to. At the moment, ipfs-deploy can be used with Infura.io, Pinata.cloud, and Cloudflare DNS.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

The struggle of using native emoji on the web (10 minute read)

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.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

NASA head warns: Expect a major asteroid impact in your lifetime

At the International Academy of Astronautics Planetary Defense Conference, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine opened his keynote with a warning about the likely scenario that we will have to deal with an asteroid impact within our lifetimes. In 2013, a 20 meter meteor exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia, damaging thousands of buildings and sending more than 1,500 people to the hospital. There were three of these events in the 20th century, with one in 1908 causing damage to more than 2,000 square kilometers. NASA is currently attempting to track 90 percent of asteroids 140 meters and larger. It has enlisted the help of SpaceX to develop a rocket that will hopefully be able to steer asteroids off their course if they are aimed at Earth. NASA currently knows of no asteroid or comet that is on a collision course with Earth.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Large chunks of a Chinese rocket missed New York City by about 15 minutes

China launched its Long March 5B rocket last week. The rocket has no second stage and so its large core stage fell back to the Earth after it separated from its payload. It is the largest vehicle to make an uncontrolled reentry into Earth's atmosphere since 1991. Some of the components of the rocket engine likely survived. China has previously shown a disregard for debris from its rocket launches. If the rocket had reentered the atmosphere 15 to 20 minutes earlier, it is possible the rocket's debris could have rained down on New York City.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

Hotwire: HTML Over The Wire (12 minute read)

Hotwire is an approach to building modern web applications by sending HTML instead of JSON over the wire. It keeps template rendering on the server and allows for development in any programming language. This article discusses using Hotwire with a JVM backend. It includes code and examples.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Bose built the first hearing aids that won't require a doctor's visit in the US

Bose's SoundControl wearables are the first FDA-approved hearing aids that can be sold directly to customers. Customers will be able to purchase the wearables without visiting a doctor or obtaining a prescription. The hearing aids have a CustomTune feature that personalizes volume levels, tone, treble, and bass. It also has a Focus feature that allows wearers to concentrate on specific areas. The batteries should last four days with 14 hours of use per day. SoundControl will be available in selected areas on May 18 for $850.

1Big Tech & Startups

Mark Zuckerberg warns staff Facebook will be ‘turning up the heat’ to weed out underperformers

Meta is cutting back on hiring as slow growth and macroeconomic headwinds push the company to downgrade its economic outlook. It will hire 30% fewer engineers this year than planned. The company will also start weeding out staff who are unable to meet certain KPIs. Meta ended the first quarter of 2022 with 28% more full-time employees than it had a year earlier. It started a hiring freeze in May as user growth and ad revenue started decreasing.

1Big Tech & Startups

Beautiful Codes (Website)

This site lets you edit the look of your code, then download it as a PNG. You can change the background color, font, theme, and more. The site displays a preview of the code.

3Programming, Design & Data Science

Reddit is bringing back r/Place, its April Fools’ Day art experiment

Reddit is bringing back r/Place for four days beginning on April 1 at 9 AM ET. r/Place launched on April 1, 2017, as an April Fools' Day experience. It featured a large white grid on which Reddit users could place colored pixels one at a time every five minutes. The project attracted more than one million users who put down some 16 million tiles. An image of the original r/Place artwork is available in the article.

4Miscellaneous

Crazy-looking Hyperion XP-1 fuel cell hypercar seen driving on public roads

Hyperion's hydrogen-powered XP-1 hypercar claims a 1,000-mile range per tank of hydrogen, 1,500 horsepower, a 0-60 time of 2.2 seconds, and a top speed of 221 mph. There are no batteries on-board to store energy, which reduces weight. As there was no physical CES show this year, Hyperion decided to drive the XP-1 up and down the Vegas Strip. The vehicle will be available to the public starting in 2022. Pictures and a video of the vehicle are available in the article.

2Science and Futuristic Technology

A company that makes $600,000 prefab smart homes got so popular in 2020 it had to turn away customers

The Passive House LivingHomes is a line of three environmentally friendly homes by Plant Prefab, a prefab home maker. Plant Prefab's homes have a fresh air system, efficient water heaters, heat recovery ventilators, insulation, and strong windows and doors. Prefab homes have seen increased interest since the start of the pandemic. Plant Prefab had to start turning away business at one point last year due to overwhelming interest. Images and descriptions of Plant Prefab's three homes are available in the article.

4Miscellaneous