### Issue 1694 - Thursday 15th September, 2022

## In Today's Issue

- Hacker finds ANCAP safety testing specific code in Tesla vehicle firmware
- Google loses appeal against EU punishment for forcing Chrome & Search on Android phones
- Discord adds "Forum Channels" to chat platform
- Everything I learnt about public EV charging with two failed startups
- Cheap 4K Blu-Rays, UBNT UDM SE, Telstra pre-paid SIM, Sennheiser headphones, Target & Kmart gift cards, Nintendo Switch

## The News

### Hacker finds ANCAP safety testing specific code in Tesla vehicle firmware

Last week Tesla and ANCAP were proudly proclaiming that the Model Y is the safest car ever to be put through the testing program. Not long after that announcement, a Tesla hacker calling themselves Green "found unusual details that could point to a program to allow the electric car maker to detect safety testing programs", specifically called out "ANCAP support in their code" and wonders why Tesla "give testing houses one-off builds with the testing house in the name (with tweaked settings?)" Dunno what the code does exactly, but the mere fact Tesla is giving crash testing agencies special code that isn't on production vehicles and the cars happen to get excellent marks on those tests. ANCAP is investigating.

### Google loses appeal against EU punishment for forcing Chrome & Search on Android phones

Google lost its appeal against the EU's 4.34 billion euro fine for forcing OEMs to include Chrome and Google Search on devices with the Play Store. The fine was reduced to 4.125 billion euro, but the EU General Court still reckons Google acted unlawfully. Suck shit Google. Meanwhile, the EU and the UK are holding up another Big Tech company's progress towards ultimate domination - Microsoft's $75b acquisition of Activision Blzzard, announced 8 months ago. They're concerned that it'll mean fewer cross-platform titles, with Microsoft stitching up popular game franchises for its own consoles, leaving Sony and Nintendo out in the cold. It'll probably end up like Nvidia's attempt to buy ARM, which died due to regulators expressing similar concerns.

### Discord adds "Forum Channels" to chat platform

Popular chat/community platform Discord has a new feature called Forum Channels. They "appear like sub-channels and can be used by server owners to branch off conversations about particular topics or to avoid having to create yet another channel for focused conversations". When I was a young man we had IRC channels and vBulletin forums to do this. Everything changes, but nothing changes! Time is a flat circle! Discord's FAQ has a post explaining how to use Forum Channels so people who used the internet in the 90s can get their head around what the kids are doing in 2022.

## Something I Saw On The Internet

### Everything I learnt about public EV charging with two failed startups

In 2019 I co-founded an electric car charging startup called EV Up. It didn't go well. In 2020 I tried again with Park N Plug. It has also not gone well. Almost 3 years of work, not a single charger installed. I'd call that a failure. I haven't 100% given up, but in as attempt to salvage something from all the effort I put into those two businesses I wrote a lengthy blog post compiling all my knowledge on the topic of public EV charging in a single location. It's kinda boring, but the LinkedIn crowd liked it and it got me a few free lunches with rich dudes and a spot on a panel at an automotive dealer conference next week (2:55PM - prime time!).

## Bargains

- Heaps of various 4K Blu-Rays - $15.98 each at JB Hi-Fi
- Ubiquiti Dream Machine Special Edition - $804.33 from Sydneytec's eBay store
- Telstra $300 365-day 200GB pre-paid SIM - $229.50 from Oz Tech Biz
- Sennheiser HD 660 S Open Back Headphones - $499 from Minidisc
- 5% off Target & Kmart gift cards from Card.Gift
- Nintendo Switch OLED Model (White) - $422.75 from Big W's eBay store

## The End

📻 Pennies - Smashing Pumpkins

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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.