TLDR 2021-04-29

Play Something is a new feature for Netflix that automatically suggests new shows and movies. It shows algorithmically curated content based on profile history. The feature has been in testing for months under a variety of names. It is now available for all users.

Verizon is exploring a sale of Yahoo and AOL for a potential $4 billion to $5 billion. Apollo Global Management is rumored to be involved in the deal. Yahoo and AOL merged into a new venture called Oath after their acquisitions by Verizon. Oath was later renamed the Verizon Media Group after it failed to remain competitive in the domestic digital advertising industry.

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.

Researchers with the BrainGate Consortium successfully demonstrated a high-bandwidth wireless brain-computer interface in two tetraplegic patients. The BrainGate wireless system uses a transmitter that sits on top of the user's head and wirelessly connects to an implant electrode array inside the motor cortex. It has a battery that lasts for 36 hours and it can continuously transmit data while operating.

This article provides an overview of 8 new useful features that are in ECMAScript 2021. It provides a description of each feature along with examples of how to use them.

tfquery is a framework for running SQL queries on Terraform code. It can analyze Terraform infrastructure, locate resources, run security compliance checks, and more. tfquery allows developers to have full coverage of their infrastructure without being locked to a specific provider.

Netflix unveiled a virtual streamer this week as the host of a weekly show on the company's YouTube channel. N-ko Mei Kurono is a sheep-human lifeform. Virtual YouTubers (Vtubers) are animated hosts who are usually operated by a single human using motion capture software to transform them into a cartoony character on-screen. Netflix is using its Vtuber to promote its anime offerings. It plans to launch 40 anime series in 2021.

Mighty is a browser for macOS that uses cloud servers so users can load hundreds of tabs without their computers slowing down. The thin client uses no more than 500MB of RAM, running the cloud browser at 4K and 60 frames per second. Users will need a 100Mbps connection. Access to the servers costs $30 a month. Mighty promises to keep user data private.