AirTag tracking devices are now a thing. The little pucks tie into the Find My app and support UWB in the iPhone 11+ for precise location. Apple TV 4K got updated with an all new remote that doesn't suck and a faster CPU. The iMac gets a new design, multiple colours, M1 CPU and a keyboard with Touch ID that apparently is compatible with all M1 Macs. Only 24" screen units at the moment. I assume 27" or bigger screen units will come later with a beefier revision of the M1 CPU. The iPad Pro also got the M1 treatment and is essentially a MacBook Pro (even has 16GB of RAM and Thunderbolt) with 5G and a kick arse display on the 12.9" unit. Apple's Podcast app was updated and podcasters can now accept payments directly from listeners via the app, with Apple taking a 30% cut for the first year, then 15% onwards.
You know that Tesla that crashed in Texas over the weekend with nobody in the drivers seat, but killing the two occupants? According to data Tesla pulled from the car's telemetry, Elon Musk tweeted that Autopilot wasn't enabled, the car was never optioned with "full self driving" and Autopilot would need lane lines to operate and the street where the death took place didn't have lines on it - insinuating that the deaths were not Tesla's fault (and not showing any remorse for people dying in his product). How the fuck was the car moving then? Am I supposed to believe that a pair of 50-something and 60-something year old dudes were tricking the car to drive itself at insane speeds for a lark? I guess we will have to wait for the cops to subpoena Tesla, get the data and let them investigate before we know what really went on here.
Australian Microsoft MVP, Geoffrey Huntley, was kicked out of the program for sharing talking points sent out to MVPs by Microsoft. This isn't what the MVP program is supposed to be. MVPs are kinda like power users that are great communicators and had a level of recognition in the IT community that they aren't an extension of Microsoft marketing. Unfortunately it seems that has changed, with Microsoft telling MVPs to say specific things about how Azure is cheaper than AWS and to not share the document because it would reveal that Microsoft is turning the MVPs into PR stooges. Geoffrey didn't like that, exposed em anyways and got the boot. Hard to take any Microsoft MVPs seriously now to be honest.
Jesse Squires has a blog post discussing Apple's consistent co-operation with dodgy governments. On one hand Apple positions itself as the bastion of privacy and repeatedly gives its opinion on social issues. On the other hand, Apple bend over backwards to remove whatever the Chinese government ask them to from the App Store, let Donald Trump parade around the Mac Pro assembly line in Texas, dropped plans for end-to-end encrypted iCloud backups due to FBI pressure and countless other examples listed in the blog post. Owning a spine and being the richest company in the world seem to be mutually exclusive.
📻 Moon Over Marin - Dead Kennedys (Spotify playlist)
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The Sizzle is created on Wathaurong land and acknowledges the traditional owners of country throughout Australia, recognising their continuing connection to land, water and community. I pay my respect to them and their cultures and to elders both past and present.