Google has a bunch of new phones, watches and accessories. The Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro were leaked heavily, but now we have official specs. They've got a "Tensor G3" custom SoC that allows Google to promise up to 7 years of firmware and security updates - one of the major gripes from nerds about Android phones. The other unexpected feature is a sensor that can "scan objects like beverages and surfaces to read their temperature" and Google is "applying to the FDA to allow its use for body temperature sensing". There's a new Pixel Watch 2 that's got more battery life, a faster SoC, better sensors and WearOS 4. Finally, an update to the Pixel Buds Pro that adds "Bluetooth Super Wideband" and "Google's Clear Calling feature" for better call quality. Always On has pricing and release dates for the new Google stuff. For existing Pixel users, Android 14 is out now.
Qantas has told the Australian Freight & Trade Alliance that its implementation of a "new, fully integrated cloud-based system" for managing freight "did not go as planned" on the 24th of September, which "required reverting several functions to manual processes" and created "significant backlogs across the key terminals of Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane". The Sydney Morning Herald reckons there are reports of "coffins and human remains" left on the tarmac, along with customers complaining of "unrefrigerated fresh produce and pharmaceuticals" being ruined, but Qantas denies it. Dunno what the system is, how much it cost or how long they've been working on it, but when your fuck up appears in the newspaper, you know it's bad. My condolences to the nerds at Qantas Freight.
Megan Gray noticed a slide presented during the USA vs. Google trial that makes her believe "Google likely alters queries billions of times a day in trillions of different variations". For example, "you search for 'children's clothing' Google converts it, without your knowledge, to a search for 'NIKOLAI-brand kidswear', making a behind-the-scenes substitution of your actual query with a different query that just happens to generate more money for the company, and will generate results you weren't searching for at all. It's not possible for you to opt out of the substitution". The slide the author of this article saw isn't public and they only saw it briefly during a closed court room session, so they could be misinterpreting what they saw (it's not like Google's search algorithm is easy to understand), but hey, it's Google so we/I assume malice.
Happy birthday to The Sizzle! Eight years ago I sent out the first issue and look at me now, still throwing shit at the wall and praying that something sticks. I regularly think about cancelling everyone's subscriptions, refunding the left over credit and doing something else with my life. I don't have to write The Sizzle every day, I can stop at any time, nobody dies if I stop writing, it's not important, who gives a shit about Google's new phones or that Qantas can't computer! Then I think about what I would do instead of The Sizzle and realise this is the best job in the world. Where else would I get paid ~$65k/year to talk shit about computers without anyone telling me what to do? It's a lovely coincidence that people happen to still like what I'm doing after all these years.
Dennis Fong poses with games featured on his service Ultimate Arena including Half Life Counter-Strike by Valve Corporation, Unreal Tournament, and Unreal Tournament 2003 by Epic Games at his office in Menlo Park, Calif., on August 25, 2003. Fong was the world's greatest Quake and Doom player. He was undefeated in tournaments through high school. He started a couple of companies aimed at gamers, but they didn't take off as expected. But he and his boss Mike Cassidy are at it again. They started Ultimate Arena, a company that lets gamers play top selling games in duels for money. The gamers can bet a certain limited amount of money in quick matches or enter longer tournaments. (Anne-Marie McReynolds/Digital First Media/The Mercury News via Getty Images)
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