TLDR 2022-10-31
Elon's Twitter takeover π¦, iPhone 15 may ditch buttons π±, what your manager doesn't know π¨βπ»
Elon Musk wastes no time changing Twitter (4 minute read)
Elon Musk changed Twitter's homepage less than 24 hours after completing his acquisition of the company. The home page now redirects to the Explore page. Musk also ordered that the paid subscription feature be renamed to Subscriptions. These sorts of changes would have taken weeks of discussion to implement in the old Twitter. Musk fired top execs 'for cause' to avoid paying out the stock that they would otherwise receive. Managers are now deciding which staff will be laid off.
iPhone 15 Pro models could ditch mechanical volume and power buttons (2 minute read)
The next generation of iPhone Pro models might use solid-state toggles for their volume and power buttons. The buttons will provide force feedback to make users feel like they are pressing physical buttons. The base model iPhone 15 models will likely keep their mechanical buttons. Apple may be implementing the Dynamic Island feature on all models of the iPhone 15. The iPhone 15 is expected to be the first iPhone to have USB-C.
π
Science & Futuristic Technology
This implant turns brain waves into words (10 minute read)
Scientists from the University of California have developed a brain-to-text system that allows people to communicate using only their thoughts. It is the first system of its kind that allows people to broadcast whole words and not just letters. The system decodes users' intent to control the vocal tract. It involves implanting a flexible electrocorticography array across the surface of the cortex. The scientists are now working towards making the technology safe, stable, and reliable enough for everyday use at home.
Can a new form of cryptography solve the internetβs privacy problem? (8 minute read)
Callisto is a website that allows survivors of sexual assault to discover if their abuser is a repeat offender without identifying themselves to authorities. The site uses encryption to protect perpetrators' identities. It puts victims in contact with lawyers if perpetrators are named by two or more people. The same system could be used for many other applications to allow entities to report incidents without revealing any private information.
π»
Programming, Design & Data Science
rqlite (GitHub Repo)
rqlite is a distributed relational database that uses SQLite as its storage engine. It is simple to deploy and operate. rqlite can be used as part of a larger system or central store for critical relational data. It can also be used as a study example for understanding how distributed systems work.
stc (GitHub Repo)
stc is a TypeScript type checker written in Rust.
Europe prepares to rewrite the rules of the Internet (4 minute read)
The EU's Digital Markets Act will come into force on November 1. The DMA will force Amazon, Google, and Meta to make their platforms more open and interoperable. It requires dominant platforms to let in smaller competitors and to stop preferencing their own apps and services. Companies will have six months to comply with the DMA.
Things your manager might not know (12 minute read)
Managers might not be aware of everything going on in the workplace. This article discusses how to give managers the information they need to do their jobs. It covers several specific ways to help managers get the information they need. Helping managers benefits employees in many ways and it makes everyone's job a lot easier.
Get the most interesting stories in startups, tech, and programming delivered in a free daily email.
Join 1,600,000 readers for
one daily email