Sick of paying Australian media outlets for the privilege of linking to their news stories, Meta is shutting down the News tab in Facebook and won't renew or make new deals with outlets under the news media bargaining code. Media outlets can still post links to their stuff on Facebook and have pages, it's just the News tab that nobody uses that'll be going. I went looking for it on the iOS app and it's hidden 3 taps deep, so yeah, nobody's missing it. The smooth brains will still be able to get "news" on Facebook via the clickbait that's commented on by thousands idiots while taking a shit and shoved in the Home feed as engagement filler between the sponsored posts. The Comms minister has said the government will "work through all available options under the News Media Bargaining Code" - which if they have the guts, means they can force Meta to make an agreement with the media companies even if Meta doesn't want to.
Microsoft's pushed out an update to Windows 11 that gives Copilot a big boost in functionality. It gains plugins so other companies can get in on the action, with Kayak and OpenTable some of the first to support it. Copilot also gets new "skills" that let you adjust your PC's settings quickly just by asking Copilot - e.g "Turn on/off battery saver", "launch live captions", "display IP address" and so on. The update has non Copilot features like being able to use your Android phone as a webcam, a "new Widgets board experience", Clipchamp silence removal and Generative Erase in the Photos app. Even though the update is live now, when you get it in Windows Update depends on the device you're using Windows 11 on and who manages it.
Also hot out of the press release machine is a list of 12 space projects the federal government is supporting with $9m of funding. All of them are related to NASA's Artemis mission to establish a permanent human presence on the Moon (aka, the middle of season 1 of For All Mankind). The major grants include $934k for Valiant Space in QLD to "develop a new non-toxic propulsion system that will support more sustainable and responsible use of space", NextAeero in VIC gets $1m to "design, manufacture and validate cutting-edge cryogenic rocket propellants", HEO in NSW will use $742k to "develop advanced cameras for imaging satellites to better track space debris and objects" and Nuemann Space in SA gets a cheeky mil to "develop a world-class spacecraft electric propulsion manufacturing and test facility". God speed to them all.
Big news in the Apple wanker scene (of which I am a member) is the atrocious quality of Apple's FineWoven iPhone cases and Watch bands now that they've been in people's pockets and bags for a few months. Apple pitched these as a replacement for genuine leather, citing that FineWoven's "durable microtwill", "designed with the earth in mind" due to its 68% recycled content is "significantly less carbon emissions compared to leather", But even the biggest Apple fans are complaining that the cases and bands are disintegrating after only a few months of normal use. You know it's bad when John Gruber, the world's biggest Apple apologist and most skilled human on the planet for turning a blind eye to anything negative towards Apple, says "FineWoven is a failure" and that he is "repulsed by Apple's FineWoven Apple Watch straps".
Here's five interesting discussions over on The Sizzle's paid subscriber forum for you to enjoy over the weekend. If you are not a paid subscriber but want to get involved, visit https://thesizzle.com.au/payme to get onboard.
Charge coupled device (CCD) sensor, direct surface view, 1000x magnification. Kevin Smith, MetPrep Ltd. (2011 Nikon Photomicrography Competition)
📻 Unreal Is Here - Chavez
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