### Issue 1448 - Thursday 9th September, 2021

## In Today's Issue

- Twitter Communities are now a thing
- Microsoft snaps up Brisbane based video editing platform Clipchamp
- James Webb Space Telescope planned for launch December 18th
- Three docks of various varieties for your consideration
- Cheap ISS LEGO set, TP-Link filament LED smart bulbs, TCL 100" 4K TV, GoPro HERO9 bundle, Sony ZV-1 camera

## The News

### Twitter Communities are now a thing

Twitter's got a new feature - Communities. The Verge describes it as a rival to Facebook Groups and Reddit, designed to be a place for Twitter users to tweet about a specific topic. Each Community has moderators and Tweets made to the Community don't appear in your feed, just in the Community. You've also got to be a member of the community to like or reply to them (but I assume anyone can view). Right now it's only on iOS and the web, and the Communities themselves are invite only and there's only a handful of Communities Twitter set up.

### Microsoft snaps up Brisbane based video editing platform Clipchamp

I've never heard of it, but Brisbane-based Clipchamp has been acquired by Microsoft. It's not every day Aussie companies get snapped up by the 2nd biggest tech company in the world, so figured it's worth a mention. Clipchamp was founded in 2013 and is made for "non-creatives to put together videos that look professional, much in the same way Canva was originally created for those who weren't savvy with complicated image-editing software". Dunno how much Microsoft paid, but investors like Steve Baxter and the 92 employees are probably loving it. As to what Microsoft will do with Clipchamp, maybe they'll chuck it into Office 365 and call it Microsoft Clips or something.

### James Webb Space Telescope planned for launch December 18th

NASA and the European Space Agency have finally finished the successor to the famous Hubble Space Telescope. The James Webb Space Telescope (aka JWST) is about the size of a tennis court and has the mission of providing "improved infrared resolution and sensitivity over Hubble, and will enable a broad range of investigations across the fields of astronomy and cosmology, including observing some of the most distant events and objects in the universe, such as the formation of the first galaxies". Cool shit hey? Final tests and weather permitting, it's gonna launch it into space, 1.5 million kilometers from Earth (4 times the distance between the Earth & Moon) on December 18th 2021.

## Something I Saw On The Internet

### Three docks of various varieties for your consideration

- The Logi Dock is a USB-C dock (100W charging, HDMI & DP output, USB-C/USB-A ports, etc) with a built-in noise cancelling speaker & microphone setup for video conferencing. There's even a light that glows when it's time for a meeting. Shame there's no Ethernet on it.
- M1 iMac owners, here's a USB-C hub for your fancy new computer that attaches to the front of the unit so you don't have to give your computer a nasty ol' reach around to plug something in. It's available in a range of colours to match the iMac's.
- Keeping with the dock theme, check out this weird orb thing you can stick over an Apple Watch while it's charging that turns it into a big bedside clock. The more I look at it, the more I want one. Shame it costs AU$118. Looks like something you'd find on AliExpress.

## Bargains

- LEGO Ideas International Space Station 21321 - $79 at Amazon
- TP-Link Kasa Filament Smart Bulb Warm Amber 2000K, B22 or E27 - $4 at The Good Guys
- TCL 100P715 4K 100" TV - $6750 from Appliance Central
- GoPro HERO9, HERO9 Black Dual Battery Charger, 32GB SD, Spare Battery & 1-Year GoPro Subscription - $529.95 from GoPro
- Sony CyberShot ZV-1 - $839.20 from digiDIRECT's eBay store

## The End

📻 C-Thru - SUUNS

😎 The Sizzle is curated by Anthony "@decryption" Agius and emailed every weekday afternoon.

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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.​