TechSlice 2023-11-13

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BIG TECH & STARTUPS

Amazon reportedly blocks 'junk ads' on Apple product pages (2 minute read)

Amazon is reportedly treating Apple's product pages differently by keeping them free of unrelated ads, indicating a special arrangement between the two companies. While the Federal Trade Commission accused Amazon of worsening search quality with excessive ads, Apple's product pages, such as "iPhone" and "iPad," are notably clean. An email from 2018 revealed that Apple requested Amazon to maintain ad-free product pages, aiming to avoid driving sales to competing brands.

Meta, YouTube face criminal spying complaints in Ireland (7 minute read)

Meta (formerly Facebook) and YouTube are facing criminal charges in Italy for alleged non-compliance with a child protection law. The charges claim that the platforms failed to remove explicit content involving minors promptly. Italian authorities are investigating executives from Meta and YouTube in connection with these allegations. The companies could potentially face significant fines if found guilty.

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SCIENCE & FUTURISTIC TECHNOLOGY

SpaceX hopes for second Starship flight test next week (2 minute read)

SpaceX plans to relaunch its Starship rocket, the most powerful ever built, on November 17 after a failed attempt in April. The rocket, designed for crewed missions to Mars, experienced engine failures and did not separate correctly in the previous test, resulting in a spectacular explosion. The Federal Aviation Administration has completed its safety review, but regulatory approval is pending from the US Fish and Wildlife Service for the upcoming launch, which aims to test Starship's separation system and achieve a near-orbit altitude before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean.

World’s biggest tidal energy ‘kite’ could single-handedly power a small town (2 minute read)

A giant underwater "kite" called Dragon 12, designed by Saab and developed by Swedish startup Minesto, is set to be installed off the Faroe Islands. With a wingspan of 12 meters, it is expected to generate 1.2MW of clean electricity, enough for about 1,000 homes. Minesto's innovative tidal stream technology is modular, scalable, and designed to move in a figure-of-eight motion through the water, making it more efficient and less disruptive to marine life compared to traditional tidal energy methods.

AI that reads brain scans shows promise for finding Alzheimer’s genes (4 minute read)

Researchers are using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze brain images for Alzheimer's disease. One algorithm sorts through brain images to identify characteristics of Alzheimer's, while another machine-learning method identifies important structural features. The goal is to use these AI-generated visual 'biomarkers' to analyze large databases, pinpoint genes contributing to the disease, and aid in the creation of treatments and predictive models for identifying those at risk.

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PROGRAMMING, DESIGN & DATA SCIENCE

Creating Accessible UI Animations (14 minute read)

The article provides insights into creating accessible user interface (UI) animations to ensure an inclusive digital experience. It emphasizes the importance of considering accessibility in UI animation design, offering tips on using reduced motion, providing alternatives, and ensuring compatibility with assistive technologies. The guide covers various aspects of accessible UI animations, including avoiding triggering vestibular disorders and utilizing ARIA roles for improved screen reader compatibility.

HTML First – Six principles for building simple, maintainable, web software (4 minute read)

HTML First is a set of principles designed to simplify web software development by leveraging the default capabilities of modern web browsers, the simplicity of HTML's attribute syntax, and the web's ViewSource affordance. The main goals include widening the pool of web programmers by making coding more accessible, reducing the cost of software development, and enhancing the enjoyment and seamlessness of building web software. The approach emphasizes using HTML as the foundation for defining content, structure, styling, and behaviors.

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MISCELLANEOUS

Tesla will sue you for $50,000 if you try to resell your Cybertruck in the first year (2 minute read)

Customers receiving the first Tesla Cybertrucks in November are prohibited from reselling the vehicles during the first year, according to Tesla's terms and conditions. The company may seek injunctive relief or demand liquidated damages of $50,000 or more if this condition is violated, and customers may be barred from purchasing future vehicles. Tesla may buy back the Cybertruck at the original price, deducting $0.25/mile driven and repair costs, or allow the customer to sell it to someone else if Tesla declines repurchase.

Google dragged to UK watchdog over Chrome's upcoming IP address cloaking (4 minute read)

The Movement for an Open Web (MOW) has filed a complaint with the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) against Google's IP Protection proposal, part of the company's plan to prevent marketers from tracking Chrome users. IP Protection anonymizes IP addresses using a proxy system, similar to Apple's Privacy Relay. MOW argues that the project violates Google's commitments to the CMA and is an anti-competitive technology that removes important data from Google's competitors while allowing the company to continue using it.

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QUICK LINKS

Highly invasive backdoor snuck into open source packages targets developers (4 minute read)

"Malicious malware disguised as an obfuscation tool, known as 'pyobfgood,' has been downloaded thousands of times, targeting Python developers and providing attackers extensive control over the compromised machines."

4 futuristic things the Humane Ai Pin can do as a smartphone alternative (3 minute read)

Humane's Ai Pin, a screenless AI wearable, projects visuals on the palm, relies on voice commands, offers real-time translation and nutrition information, prioritizes privacy, and starts at $699 with a $24 monthly cellular plan, with orders opening on November 16.

Why the Dying DVD Business Could Be Headed for a Resurrection (3 minute read)

The decline of DVDs and Blu-rays, marked by Netflix's move away from DVD services and Best Buy discontinuing sales, may find a potential resurgence in physical media, inspired by shifts in major streaming services and a revival seen in the music industry's interest in collectible formats, such as vinyl records.

Electric vehicles are hitting a road block: Car dealers (7 minute read)

Many U.S. car buyers report that dealerships are unprepared for the electric transition, posing a challenge to the Biden administration's goal of having two-thirds of new cars sold in the United States be electric by 2032, as dealers often lack extensive training on how to sell EVs or understand the technology, potentially jeopardizing the country's electric transition.

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