TLDR 2022-02-08

Apple buys AI Music 🎵, Samsung tablets leak 📱,  Thiel leaves FB 👋,

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Big Tech & Startups

Read Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S8 press release two days before it’s live (3 minute read)

Samsung's next Unpacked event is set for February 9, but details about the Galaxy Tab S8 have already leaked. Three new models are expected: an 11-inch Galaxy Tab S8, a 12.4-inch S8 Plus, and a 14.6-inch S8 Ultra. All models will support Wi-Fi 6E and 45-watt fast charging. The S8 Plus and Ultra will come with a new S Pen stylus and have OLED screens. Renders of the devices are available in the article. The Tab 8 lineup will launch on February 25 beginning with select markets.

Apple Acquires AI Music Startup That Can Generate Dynamic Soundtracks (2 minute read)

Apple has acquired AI Music, a startup that uses artificial intelligence to generate personalized soundtracks and adaptive music. AI Music can generate dynamic soundtracks that change based on user interaction, for example, it can adjust its tune based on a listener's heartbeat. The company previously advertised its technology as a way for advertisers to create audio to match user context and moods. There are many ways Apple could use this technology, for example, it could provide royalty-free songs for slideshows or music for Apple Fitness+.
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Science & Futuristic Technology

At Last: New Synthetic Tooth Enamel Is Harder and Stronger Than the Real Thing (2 minute read)

Tooth enamel is the hardest biological material in the human body thanks to its complex structure. The material has exceptional damage resistance even with only a thin coating. A team of scientists have engineered enamel with the same complex structure as natural enamel at multiple scales. A series of tests demonstrated that the artificial tooth enamel was harder and stronger than natural enamel.

Next-generation spinal implants help people with severe paralysis walk, cycle, and swim (3 minute read)

A new spinal stimulation device has enabled three men paralyzed in motorcycle accidents to stroll outside with a walker within a few months. The device stimulates nerves to send signals beyond the injury site to trigger leg movements. For now, users have to select a desired movement on a tablet, which then routes the command to a pulse generator implanted in the abdomen that activates electrodes along the spine. The process can take up to ten minutes. A clinical trial for the device with up to 100 participants is scheduled for 2024.
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Programming, Design & Data Science

PHP: The Right Way (Website)

This website contains an easy-to-read, quick reference for popular PHP coding standards. It aims to introduce PHP developers to multiple options while explaining the difference in approach and use case. Many different translations are available. The website also links to tutorials and other resources.

Managing people 🤯 (8 minute read)

It is easy to burn out employees as you learn how to manage groups of people. This article contains advice for managers of small teams and startups on how to manage people. It covers topics such as responsibility, leadership, processes, trust, decision layering, and much more.
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Miscellaneous

Amazon more than doubles top base pay of corporate and tech workers (3 minute read)

Amazon has increased the maximum base pay of workers in corporate and technology roles up to $350,000. It will increase overall compensation ranges for most jobs globally. Amazon has historically offered lower base pay than other tech giants, making up the difference with restricted stock units instead. These other compensation components will stay following the pay increase. The labor market has become more competitive in the past year, forcing the company to increase its compensation to attract and retain staff.

Peter Thiel to step down from board of Facebook parent Meta (2 minute read)

Peter Thiel, an early Facebook investor and board member since 2005, is leaving the company's board. Thiel made his initial fortune as the co-founder of PayPal. He started a Founders Fund, which has backed companies like Stripe, Affirm, and Airbnb. Thiel is still chairman at Palantir Technologies, which he co-founded in 2003. He will continue to serve on Meta's board until the company's 2022 annual stockholder's meeting. Facebook's recent first-quarter forecast sent the company's stock down by 26%, its worst drop on record.
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