Issue 2308 - Tuesday 8 April 2025

The News

Big Tech f***ed around and now it’s finding out

Remember this photo I shared in one of my first Sizzles of the year?

Despite a little gain today, US-listed tech companies have been obliterated by the Trump tariffs (CNBC). While the tariffs exempt semiconductors, many of the things that the tech industry needs that contain semiconductors like graphic cards and servers are not exempt (WIRED, $). There’s been some noise about potential deals like Apple’s carve-out from the last Trump admin’s tariffs, but nothing yet as the phone and computer-maker looks to rush imports and shift them across countries to get slightly less worse deals (WSJ, $). Even crypto, which was supposed to be the counterweight to US government uncertainty, is being slammed (The Verge). In fact, the tariffs even killed Trump’s own TikTok deal that China was reportedly OK with (NYT, $)! While Big Tech got a few things that they want — such as loosened AI rules (Reuters) — you’d have to wonder how everyone in that photo is feeling now.

Channel 7‘s anti-EV investigation gets blowback

On Sunday, 7NEW’s Spotlight ran an episode ‘The EV Con’ (7PLUS) that investigated some Indonesian nickel mines which apparently make a lot of emissions, are unsafe and are being used by China to dominate the EV market. Stunningly — from a show best known for allegations it paid for drugs and sex workers, hosted by a former Shell employee and on an unabashedly pro-mining television network  — there have been claims that the episode wasn’t entirely fair.

One example: the show didn’t specifically name or prove that any major EV providers who sell in Australia actually use nickel from the plant or from Indonesia all together (TechAU). I’m not sure who’s right here but my gut says that some of the supply chains for some EVs are probably sketchy and could be improved. But that’s the same with everything including batteries or produced using global manufacturing processes (i.e. everything). There should be a push for improving global supply chains for EVs and everything else. But I don’t think that’s the real goal of some of the bad faith attacks on EVs, and nor do I think EVs are worse for the environment.

Superannuation cyber attack fall-out

The superannuation industry group had argued that improving the sector’s cybersecurity requirements would be too onerous before it became the subject of cyberattacks (AFR, $). On AustralianSuper, customers had reportedly tried and failed to get multi-factor auth to log into their accounts (ABC News) but apparently there is mandatory 2FA on doing anything significant i.e. transferring money. I guess that’s better than no 2FA but also even allowing access to the information in those accounts leaves people vulnerable to targeted, sophisticated phishing attacks. Am I really asking too much for expecting that companies who we trust with our retirement savings to send us a bloody text when we log in?

Also, just responding to some fair feedback from Sizzler AndyB: these definitely were cyber attacks, but I wouldn’t call them “hacks” like some outlets have. We’re not dealing with the Lazarus group here — this is about the most basic of cybersecurity defenses for one of the most cashed up industries in Australia.

Leftovers

Oh, Also

Does Tim Cook really not use an Apple Magic Mouse?

I was going to write something for the Apple Magic Mouse haters. There’s been a story floating around the internet about how Tim Cook apparently prefers a Logitech MX Master 3 over the much maligned Magic Mouse. Except, it’s not true. Despite having spread around the internet, the kernel of this story was an Mac Observer article that mistook something from a Verge article that was responding to a WSJ interview with Tim Cook.

I’m personally a Magic Mouse defender. I just spent 15 minutes looking for a very compelling post I once saw that argued that the designing the mouse so the charging port was on the bottom of the mouse makes sense and found this (Tumblr). I use a Magic Trackpad but, as always, I would love to see and hear what peripherals you use!

Bargains

Electrical & Electronics

Computing

Mobile

The End

😎 The Sizzle is written by Cam Wilson and emailed every weekday. It was created by Anthony “decryption” Agius.

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Always Was, Always Will Be Aboriginal Land

The Sizzle is created on Gadigal 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.