Links
Google Walks Back a Crazy Change
Ron Amadeo: After public outcry, Google will reinstate Play Store app permissions list
The app permissions list is a factual, computer-generated record of what permissions an app can request, while the Data Safety section is written by the developer. You can't cheat the app permissions list, while Data Safety runs on the
Links
Martin Shkreli Wants to Help Me Save Money on Medicine? It's a Web3 Project?! How Could Anyone Be Skeptical?
Molly White: After five years in prison for a Ponzi scheme and a lifetime ban from the pharmaceutical industry, Martin Shkreli announces his new venture: a web3 drug discovery platform
Web3 projects and Shkreli were basically made for each other, so I guess this should come as no surprise. From the press release:
"For
Links
On "the Best Laptop"
John Gruber: Wirecutter’s ‘Best’ Laptop
My longstanding complaint about The Wirecutter is that they institutionally fetishize price over quality.
And:
They do have a “Mac or Windows (or Something Else)?” preface to the whole comparison, but if you’re going to name a “best laptop”, putting aside OS preference, it’s incompetent not to
Links
Epidemic Sound Sues Meta for Massive Copyright Infringement
Meta Hit With Massive Piracy Lawsuit Over Epidemic Sound Royalty-Free Music
“Epidemic knows of over 950 of its music tracks that have been reproduced, stored, made available to, and distributed to its users by Meta through its Music Library or through its other content sharing tools without a license. Epidemic is confident that further
Links
Rage Against the Standards
Gruber snarking on consortiums working on open standards:
The good news is, Bluetooth is an open industry standard, governed by a consortium.
Hear me out here, but I actually think it's good that Bluetooth exists, and I think it's good that USB-C, Qi, Wi-Fi, and Matter are net good
Links
What Counts as Broadband Could be Changing
Jon Brodkin for ArsTechnica:
Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel is aiming to increase the agency's broadband speed standard from 25Mbps to 100Mbps on the download side and from 3Mbps to 20Mbps for uploads.
And:
The 25/3Mbps metric was adopted in January 2015 under then-Chairman Tom Wheeler and was never updated
Links
A Gerenational Change
Pew has polling out showing a pretty remarkable difference in how young and old Republicans see climate policy in the U.S. Stealing just one chart as an example:
I can't find anything breaking down "leans Democratic" age groups, and I'm hesitant to extrapolate too much from young people
Links
The Glorious Decimation of Smoking
I enjoyed this thread on things what were normal in the '90s but are non-existent now, and the thing the immediately came to mind for me was smoking indoors. You would go to a restaurant and you'd be asked two things:
1. How many people are in your party?
2. Smoking
Links
Eventually You Need to Upgrade
Nintendo Life: XEL - Promising Zelda-Style Sci-Fi Adventuring That Falls Short On Switch
Sections of the map will slowly spawn into existences as you approach, breaking the immersion that the developers are working so hard to create. The worst technical issue, however, is the stuttering frame rate that shows up when groups of enemies
Links
Renewables Accounted for Nearly 1/3 of U.S. Energy Usage in April
Elizabeth Weise USA TODAY: 'A 'Wow' moment': US renewable energy hit record 28% in April. What's driving the change?
The percentage of U.S. electricity produced by renewable energy from wind, solar and hydroelectric dams has been steadily rising, from 8.6% in April 2001 to this April'
Links
Everything is a Subscription Because the Line Must Keep Going Up
Andrew J. Hawkins: The future of cars is a subscription nightmare
“For automakers to achieve their revenue aspirations by charging consumers extra for features and services, they have work to do,” Cox’s Michelle Krebs said.
I don't have the answer here, but I think there's something fundamentally wrong with how
Links
We're Still Talking About How Bad this Metal Gear Character was 7 Years Later
Ashley Bardhan: Metal Gear Turned 35, But Quiet’s Character Design Marks A Timeless Controversy
That’s what Quiet’s bullshit vocal cord parasites really are. Not a plot point created by a genius to make us feel ashamed of our words and deeds and counter the exceedingly tired confines we impose on women in
Links
Forget SaaS, let's talk about GaSaaS
Allen Pike: Giving a Shit as a Service (via Michael Tsai)
In some ways, that’s the fundamental value proposition of a small boutique, whether it be a furniture shop or a software studio. Giving a shit as a service. Sure, you can always get a commodity good from off the shelf – when you’re
Links
Political Emails Bypassing Spam Filters…as a Service!
Ashley Belanger: Gmail users “hard pass” on plan to let political emails bypass spam filters
Earlier this month, Google sent a request to the Federal Election Commission seeking an advisory opinion on the potential launch of a pilot program that would allow political committees to bypass spam filters and instead deliver political emails to the
Links
Apple Getting NFL Sunday Ticket Would Be Perfect
Dylan Byers: Is Apple's Eddy Cue About to Get NFL's Sunday Ticket? (via MacRumors)
The race for the Ticket has therefore come down to Apple and Amazon, and while nothing has been signed or agreed to, I have been given ample reason to believe that Apple is the most likely winner
Links
Bored, Mad, and Posting Like Your Great-Uncle
Charlie Warzel: Elon Musk Is an Honorary Facebook Boomer
I’d like to talk about Elon Musk’s obsession with bots and how it actually illustrates the ways he is an extremely shallow thinker when it comes to online dynamics.
And:
Instead of facing the reality that many people dislike him as a result of
Links
Heardle Joins Spotify
Ariel Shapiro: Spotify acquires music trivia game Heardle
Spotify announced Tuesday that it has purchased Heardle, one of the many themed trivia games that cropped up in the wake of Wordle’s blockbuster success. Heardle is Spotify’s first game acquisition, and the company hopes it will play a dual role: in addition to keeping
Links
250 Hours of Extra Life
Yasmeen Serhan: How the Rest of the World Is Doing RTO
When I asked experts about the main reasons driving preferences for hybrid and remote work, the most common answer had to do with commuting. Although those who live within walking distance of their workplace may find it convenient to return to the office, many