TLDR 2022-03-24

Apple is planning new form factors for the MacBook Air and entry-level iPad for 2023. The 2023 MacBook Air will have a variant with a screen size of around 15-inches and the 13.3-inch MacBook Air will have a slightly larger screen. The entry-level iPad will also upgrade to a slightly larger display. Apple considered releasing a 15-inch MacBook Air in 2008 but instead chose to make a smaller 11-inch model.

Google is letting a few developers offer their own payment systems in a pilot test. Spotify will be the first company in the test. The test will help Google increase its understanding of user choice billing. Google plans to allow additional billing systems in South Korea in response to legislation passed in the country last year.

Snap has acquired NextMind, a neurotech startup that created a headband that lets wearers control computer input with their thoughts. It plans to incorporate the technology into future versions of its Spectacles AR glasses. NextMind will discontinue its $400 headband developer kit. A video explaining NextMind's approach to developing a brain-computer interface is available in the article.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota have developed a non-hormonal form of male birth control and plans to start early human trials by the end of the year. The contraceptive kept lab mice sterile for up to six weeks with seemingly no side effects. It works by targeting how the body interacts with vitamin A. The treatment is estimated to be 99% effective and the effects appear to be completely reversible.

TUIC is a high-performance proxy built on top of the QUIC protocol. QUIC (Quick UDP Internet Connections) is a general-purpose transport layer network protocol that improves the performance of connection-oriented web applications that use TCP. TUIC features two relay modes, user-space congestion control, smooth session transfer on network switching, and more.

Metarank is a machine learning tool that personalizes product listings, articles, recommendations, and search results to boost sales. It can be integrated into apps without any machine learning expertise. A demo is available.

Instacart is now offering software services to grocery stores. Its platform will offer software management services for e-commerce, fulfillment, ads, insights, and other data. Gig work companies generally struggle to make profits. Offering software as a service could create more profits for the company and increase investor confidence.

YouTube is now streaming nearly 4,000 free TV shows with ads. The platform also has a lineup of free movies with ads. YouTube plans to add up to 100 shows and movies each week. The new offerings allow YouTube to take on a number of major competitors like Roku, a company that Google has had public disputes with.