Apple A17 Pro chip is the star of the first iPad mini update in three years (2 minute read)
Apple quietly announced a new version of the iPad mini via a press release yesterday. The seventh-generation device looks mostly identical to its predecessor, but it features an Apple A17 Pro chip, the same processor used in the iPhone 15 Pro. The new iPad mini is available for preorder now starting at $499 for the base 128GB model. It will be the only iPad mini capable of supporting Apple Intelligence, which will be rolling out within the next few weeks. The device will only work with either the Apple Pencil Pro or the cheaper USB-C Apple Pencil and not the first- or second-generation Apple Pencils.
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SpaceX tells FCC it has a plan to make Starlink about 10 times faster (4 minute read)
SpaceX has submitted an application to the US Federal Communications Commission seeking approval for changes to Starlink that will enable gigabit-per-second broadband service. The changes include lowering the altitude of satellites to increase the potential maximum number of orbital planes and satellites per plane. SpaceX plans to send 29,988 or less second-generation satellites into orbit - the FCC has so far approved 7,500 Gen2 satellites. To obtain approval for the changes, SpaceX will have to demonstrate that the changes won't negatively affect other spectrum users and satellite operators.
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Science & Futuristic Technology
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Sustainable building effort reaches new heights with wooden skyscrapers (8 minute read)
Mass timber replaces steel beams and concrete with manufactured wood elements that can extend more than half the length of a football field. The process of creating the elements involves gluing smaller pieces of wood together in layers under pressure in large specialized presses. Beams created with this process can be stronger than steel by weight. Mass timber buildings tend to be manufactured like automobiles, with all the separate pieces shipped to a final location for assembly, making the building process more simple.
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The exciting research that may cure Parkinson's (12 minute read)
GeneCode, a pharmaceutical company, received a €16 million funding option from the European Innovation Council Accelerator last year to support the development of a novel drug designed to combat neurodegeneration in Parkinson's patients. Preliminary evidence suggests that the drug may alleviate symptoms, protect neurons from further damage, and help restore neurons for a healthier, longer life. The drug binds to receptors in the brain and sends chemical signals that stimulate dopamine production, which helps neurons with axons stay active and maintain synaptic connections with other neurons. GeneCode has almost completed animal experiments, but it still needs to certify that the drug can be consistently and safely produced to ensure future quality assurance and perform toxicology studies before the drug can begin clinical trials in humans.
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Programming, Design & Data Science
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Number Flow (GitHub Repo)
Number Flow is a React component for transitioning, formatting, and localizing numbers. It is dependency-free, accessible, and customizable. The component doesn't support scientific and engineering notations. A video showing examples of how the component can be used is available in the repository.
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Tech Alliance Wants to Make It Possible to Export, Import Passkeys (3 minute read)
Passkeys are currently confined to companies' software ecosystems, forcing users to create duplicate keys. The FIDO Alliance, an association made up of the top tech companies, has announced an industry effort for a new protocol and format for exchanging passkey data. This would allow users to share and sync the same collection of keys across platforms. The draft specifications for the protocol focus on ways to prevent hackers from abusing the interoperability to steal passkeys.
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Reflections on Palantir (35 minute read)
Palantir's stock is currently on a tear, with the company nearing a $100 billion market cap. The company was unpopular in the past as it was seen as developing spy tech, NSA surveillance, or worse. There's a lot about the company that people don't understand - this article, written by someone who has worked at the company for eight years, attempts to explain some of this. It discusses what working at the company is like, the company culture, the type of people who work in the field, the morality of working at companies like Palantir, the opportunities AI brings, and more.
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The internet's homepage (24 minute read)
Digg was something like the homepage of the internet in its early days. The best and most popular stuff made it to the homepage, which was seen by tens of millions of people every month. The site featured voting mechanisms and a commenting system, which were brand-new concepts when it launched. This article contains an interview with Digg's creator, Kevin Rose, where he talks about why he built the site the way he did, the legacy of some of the tools he helped create, the death of the homepage and the rise of the news feed, and what happens when a company goes from a fun idea to a potential cash cow. Rose believes that there's a case for Digg to make a comeback, but only in a very different corporate form.
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