Microsoft's announced Copilot+ PCs, range of laptops utilising Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite & X Plus ARM64-based SoCs, including a new Surface, that Microsoft is pitching as computers that can do a bunch of AI stuff locally due to the beefy NPUs (neural processing units) on those SoCs. Most of the AI stuff we've seen before, but "Recall", which lets you "scroll across time to find the content you need in your timeline across any application, website, document, or more" by leveraging "your personal semantic index, built and stored entirely on your device", seems new. Microsoft claims these Snapdragon SoCs are 58% faster in the Cinebench 2024 Multi-Core benchmark than the M3 SoC in Apple's 15" MacBook Air. There's also a new "Prism" translation layer coming to Windows 11 24H2 that'll make running x86 apps on ARM64 "similar to Rosetta" on macOS. These devices start shipping (in the US at least) on June 18th so not long to wait to see if these claims are true.
While developing GPT-4o, OpenAI asked Scarlett Johansson if she'd like to be the voice for it because Sam Altman and his cronies seem to be obsessed with the movie Her and Scarlett is the voice of the AI in it. She said no, but it appears they used her voice anyways, as 2 days before GPT-4o went live they asked Scarlett again and she said no again, but they used the voice and Altman aloofly posted on X, "Her" (referencing the movie) on GPT-4o's release, presumably with a massive shit eating grin as he pressed "Tweet", reclining in his seat and thinking how he's the world's smartest person. When OpenAI received a letter from Scarlett's lawyers asking what the fuck is going on and all this was made public, OpenAI changed the voice used by GPT-4o. What is it going to take to drill the concept of consent into the thick skulls of these fucking morons?
Telstra is gonna sack 9% of its workforce - 2800 people - by the end of the year. According to an ASX statement, there will be a "reset of Telstra Enterprise" to "sharpen its focus" and save up to $350m, but it will cost $200m-$250m across the next two financial years to do this restructure, part of which is due to an "industry-leading redundancy package". The Communications Workers Union rightfully says that "you can't slash thousands of jobs without seriously impacting the delivery of services across the country" and that "this has completely come out of the blue". Meanwhile, Telstra still expects an FY24 EBITDA of over $8b. I know a decent chuck of diligent, honest, intelligent (and probably sexy, but I can't be sure I haven't met them all) Sizzle subscribers work for Telstra, so I hope you're all doing okay.
The developer of popular Chrome browser extension Hover Zoom+ posted on GitHub all the "proposals to monetize this extension", surprising me with how valuable a browser extension can be as you've got amazing control over a person's internet experience. They've received dozens of requests over the years. Most of them want to simply buy the extension for a few thousand dollars - presumably to do a bait and switch on the existing users. A couple want to integrate some sort of SDK to collect "anonymous data". One proposes "conducting a DNS error research". Some people ask about re-routing user traffic via various affiliate links. It would be so tempting for someone desperate for money or with a broken moral compass to take one of these offers and sell their users out when the extension auto-updates.
Acorn User Cover CD 9 May 2000, issue 220. (DFJustin / Internet Archive)
📻 Assassins - Lightning Bolt
😎 The Sizzle is curated by Anthony "decryption" Agius and emailed every weekday afternoon.
💬 Checked out the paid subscriber only forum? It's a tidy little place to discuss tech with like minded Aussies.
👋 Forums not your thing? The Sizzle has a Slack group you can procrastinate in and chat with other nerds bored at work.
💳 Paid subscriber looking to manage your billing info, change email address or cancel your subscription? Visit the customer portal.
🎁 Make someone's day and buy them a 12 month gift subscription to The Sizzle.
📚 Browse The Sizzle Archive. A few issues are missing and it's not searchable, but it's better than nothing.
🫂 Friends of The Sizzle is a small group of businesses or organisations operated by Sizzle subscribers. Support your fellow Sizzler!
💔 Tired of my bullshit? Unsubscribe and I'll never speak to you again.
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.