TLDR 2021-02-18

Chromebooks pass Macs 💻, Mammoth DNA extracted 🦣, getting a remote job 💼

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Big Tech & Startups

Amazon built an Alexa cuckoo clock and wants your help backing new projects like this one (2 minute read)

Amazon's 'Built It' program is a Kickstarter-like effort where customers can choose to back a product, and if there is enough support within 30 days, Amazon will build it. Customers will only be charged if the product is developed and ships. Prices are raised once the product has been released. There are currently three concepts available, and more ideas are coming.

Chromebooks outsold Macs worldwide in 2020, cutting into Windows market share (3 minute read)

Chromebooks outsold Macs in 2020. Windows still retained the majority market share. The growth means that app and game developers can no longer ignore Chrome OS, and businesses should start setting aside resources to ensure that the Chrome OS experience is comparable to Windows and macOS. Chrome OS's success was largely limited to US schools before the pandemic, but it looks like demand has expanded beyond that market.
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Science & Futuristic Technology

US Military to Have 3D-Printing Factories in Shipping Containers (2 minute read)

The US Department of Defense has contracted ExOne, the global leader in industrial sand and metal 3D printers, to develop a self-contained 3D-printing factory that operates from a shipping container. These portable 3D-printing facilities would be deployed whenever needed for a wide variety of military-focused purposes. The regular-sized shipping containers will be quick to deploy, and won't require a lot of technical knowledge to maneuver. ExOne's printers will be able to print using over 20 different metal, ceramic, or composite materials.

Scientists Extract and Sequence Million-Year-Old Mammoth DNA (4 minute read)

A team of 22 researchers from nine countries has sequenced ancient DNA from the remains of three different mammoth species. The DNA was estimated to be 0.7-1.2 million years old, the oldest that has ever been recovered and sequenced. One of the mammoths was found to belong to an unknown genetic lineage, which was unexpected considering its similarities to another mammoth from the same area. Many of the cold adaptations in woolly mammoths were already present in their ancestors. It may be possible to sequence even older DNA if it can be found and recovered.
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Programming, Design & Data Science

Blitz.js (Website)

Blitz is a full-stack React framework that features a "Zero-API" data layer abstraction that lets you import server code directly into React components. New Blitz apps have basic components like user sign up, log in, and password reset already built in. Blitz was designed for tiny to large database-backed applications with one or more graphical user interfaces.

Ray.so (Website)

Ray.so lets developers create code snippet images. Users can edit the theme and change the syntax highlighting to any language.
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Miscellaneous

Taking a Fall: The 120-MPH, 35,000 Feet, 3-Minutes-To-Impact Survival Guide (9 minute read)

This article talks about how to survive falling from a plane. If you are falling from a plane, it's best to fall with the plane as you'll have a semi-protective cocoon to protect you, which is better than nothing at all. Otherwise, you should find a good place to land. Look for somewhere soft, and try to avoid water. The article is full of stories of people who have survived falling from planes.

Ask HN: Advice for finding an entry-level remote job? (Hacker News Thread)

Looking for remote-based work when you are first starting out can be confusing. As with all job searching, it's important to use tailored resumes. For entry-level work, customer service and support roles are in demand. Technical writing and software QA are also fields that regularly hire remotely. There can be many different paths to getting remote work online, and this thread is full of anecdotes of how other people gained employment online.
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