Hey is the latest “I hate email, fix my email, argh email” fad/solution
Evidence that COVIDSafe has a bug that prevents it working properly on iOS
EndeavorRX is the first prescription only video game approved by the FDA
Don’t forget that on Dec 31st Adobe Flash is officially dead
Cheap Sonos One/One SL speakers, Tile Pro tracker, TP-Link smart plugs, Dell 27" monitor, Vodafone SIM
Seen something called Hey and people asking for invites to it across social media the past 24 hours? It's an email service by the people who make the Basecamp suite of collaboration apps. It's not a mail client, but rather an email service, like Gmail or Fastmail and you get a new email address - something@hey.com, that also has its own client (a website). It's designed around the philosophy of email being annoying, with features like emails from first time senders landing in a holding area and notifications on a per-sender basis. I actually like emails but lots of people hate their inboxes, so maybe Hey will give them some peace. Here's a 30 min video tour of Hey if you're keen to learn more but don’t know anyone with an invite.
Software developer Richard Nelson has shown how COVIDSafe still doesn't work properly on iOS. When in "locked" mode (i.e: turned on, screen off, like in a pocket for example) iOS is unable to get a new ID from the COVIDSafe server every two hours like it's supposed to. This results in your phone picking up other devices near it, but other devices can't see you. If you're hanging out with iOS using mates, nobody is gonna see anyone! Apparently this is a clear bug with COVIDSafe, not a fault with iOS. Luckily the app is still kinda useless in the scheme of things, with "no state or territory health authorities have uncovered any otherwise unidentified contacts using COVIDSafe to date". Richard published the nerdy in-depth details about this bug on Google Docs.
The USA's FDA has approved a prescription only video game - the first time ever this has happened. EndeavorRX can be prescribed by doctors and "given" to children between 8 and 12 to treat ADHD. According to the prescription game's developers, "EndeavorRx has been shown to improve attention function as measured by computer-based testing in children ages 8-12 years old with primarily inattentive or combined-type ADHD who have a demonstrated attention issue". Here's a video of the game. I don't know how it's supposed to help, but hey, the FDA approved it and kids across the US will be told by their parents to play it. Wonder if the box it comes in (if it comes in a box??) will get a pharmacy label slapped on it?
Back in 2017 Adobe announced that on December 31st, 2020, you won't be able to download the standalone Flash Player from Adobe's website and Flash will no longer receive security updates. That's not too far away and Adobe wants to remind us that it's still happening and you can't change their mind. It's been a long time since I've run into any Flash based stuff on the web so I hope this doesn't ruin anyone's workflows. If it does ruin your workflow, well, fuck, time to evaluate what you're doing with your life. That said, Flash was a low barrier to entry for many game developers that are luckily largely preserved over at Newgrounds, who built their own Flash-compatible player so that when Adobe end of life Flash, there's still a way to play them!
Pair of Sonos One or Sonos One SL speakers - $484/$420 from Amazon
Latest version Tile Pro Bluetooth tracker, 2-pack - $59 at JB Hi-Fi
TP-Link HS100/HS110 wi-fi smart plugs (the 110 will log energy consumption, very handy) - $23.80/$29.25 from Amazon
Dell S2719DC USB-C 2560x1440 27” monitor - $699 and a bonus $80 Good Guys store credit
$40 Vodafone SIM for $9.90 direct from Vodafone
🎶 Sucker - 28 Days
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