TLDR 2022-01-11

Moxie Marlinspike is stepping down as CEO of Signal, leaving executive chairman Brian Acton to serve as acting CEO until a replacement is found. Signal, founded in 2014, is one of the most trusted apps for encrypted messaging. It has more than 40 million monthly users and it is regularly recommended by security experts. The company is a nonprofit, so it relies on donations and a recently launched sustainer program.

Tesla's Full Self-Driving beta has three driving profiles that vary in terms of aggressiveness. The Assertive option has a smaller follow distance, performs more frequent speed lane changes, will not exit passing lanes, and may perform rolling stops. The Chill mode has a larger follow distance and perform fewer lane changes, and the Average option has a medium follow distance and may perform rolling stops. It is unknown if the Assertive option changes how safe the vehicles are. A video showing the three modes in operation is available in the article.

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.

Surgeons in the US have successfully transplanted a genetically modified pig heart into a living human for the first time. The patient is alive and has not rejected the pig organ. The genetically modified heart had around 10 modifications to reduce the chances of rejection from a human immune system. Two transplants were performed last year on functionally dead patients who were kept alive for several days. The patient was too unwell to qualify for a regular heart transplant, so the experimental treatment was offered as a last resort.

Node.js provides a layer of abstraction that allows developers to write 100% pure JavaScript code and still access functions that are implemented in other libraries in the C++ language. This article explains how Node.js works, looking at its architecture and dependencies and how code is executed in the system.

4.5 million Americans quit their jobs at the end of November 2021. Resignation rates were highest among those who worked in fields that experienced extreme increases in demand due to the pandemic. Many developers feel burnt out due to an increased workload. The demand for developers has increased as more industries start relying on software. Many people have changed how they see their lives due to the pandemic. This article explores how these factors, among many others, have resulted in the Great Resignation, and how this will affect the labor market.

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.

A wide range of computer monitors was announced at CES 2022. Last year's monitors mainly featured a new HDMI 2.1 port, but this year, there were designs for a range of uses. Manufacturers responded to the shift to remote work during the pandemic by creating designs that suited a larger audience. This article presents some of the more interesting monitors to come out of CES this year, including Samsung's 55-inch curved Odyssey Ark monitor, LG's 16:18 aspect ratio monitor, and much more.