### Issue 2165 - Monday 2nd September, 2024

## In Today's Issue

- RIP Anandtech, one of the best tech websites ever to have done it
- Brazil blocks X nationwide, potential fines for anyone that posts on it
- Trump threatens Zuck with jail, explains why Zuck sent grovelling letter last week
- If you like reading The Sizzle you may also like my blog
- Cheap Xbox SSD, Gamesmen 10% off site-wide, 1080p portable USB-C monitor, SK Hynix SSD, Surface Pro 11th-gen, AirPods Pro 2, Samsung 27" 4K monitor, Audio Technica SoundBurger, Red Dead Redemption 2, Sonoff Zigbee temp & humidity sensors

## The News

### RIP Anandtech, one of the best tech websites ever to have done it

It brings me great sadness to report that Anandtech has ceased publishing new content after 27 years of excellent computer hardware coverage. I grew up with Anandtech all those years and I'm fairly certain I gained more practical computer knowledge from Anandtech than I did from any class at TAFE or uni. It sucks seeing sites I respect drop like flies. If a publication like Anandtech couldn't make a buck with their quality output, the system is fucked and we need to take a long hard look at what's happened here. The good news is that publisher Future PLC will be keeping the site up indefinitely, so at least the content isn't lost to time and will also keep the forums going.

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### Brazil blocks X nationwide, potential fines for anyone that posts on it

The Brazilians followed through on their threat to ban X if it doesn't appoint a legal representative. Anatel, what I think is their equivalent of ACMA, ordered ISPs to block X (how exactly I dunno, could be a basic DNS block or something more advanced) as well as telling Apple and Google to remove X from their Brazilian app stores. There's also fines for individuals using a VPN to access X. Their justification for not having a local representative is that last time they did, that person had all their bank accounts frozen and was at risk of jail, plus the judge's "illegal orders to censor his political opponents". Bluesky's loving it, gaining 1 million new users in 3 days.

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### Trump threatens Zuck with jail, explains why Zuck sent grovelling letter last week

Donald Trump has a book coming out soon where he says Mark Zuckerberg was "plotting to install shameful Lock Boxes in a true PLOT AGAINST THE PRESIDENT", referencing a $420m donation Zuck made to fund election infrastructure (lol USA broken country where billionaire funds election infrastructure), then threatening that "we are watching him closely, and if he does anything illegal this time he will spend the rest of his life in prison — as will others who cheat in the 2024 Presidential Election". Getting ahead of this book's release is probably why Zuck wrote that random letter about how he regrets complying with White House suggestions to censor/limit some COVID-19 bullshit floating around Meta's platforms.

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## Something I Saw On The Internet

### If you like reading The Sizzle you may also like my blog

Did you know that I have a blog I mainly use it as a place to work through any nonsense going on in my head. Some of the recent posts I've made include why pre-paid eftpos & Visa gift cards are a great way to get heaps of Qantas frequent flyer points, how I set my Dad up with a smartphone running LineageOS and going into way too much detail (down to megapixels per dollar!) on a new monitor(s) purchase. The most popular posts of all time on my blog, if you haven't already checked them out, are how to set up an automated media piracy server, my experience with two (now three, ugh) failed EV charging startups and a now outdated post comparing the total cost of ownership between a Tesla Model 3 and Toyota Camry Hybrid. I really need to update that one.

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## Bargains

- Seagate 2TB Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S - $359.18 from Amazon Germany
- 10% off site-wide (some exclusions but not many) from The Gamesmen's online store today only
- ZSUS 15.6" 1080p 144Hz portable USB-C/HDMI monitor - $113 from Aliexpress
- SK Hynix Platinum P41 2TB PCIe NVMe Gen4 M.2 2280 SSD - $198.99 from Amazon
- Microsoft Surface Pro (11th Edition) Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD - $1624 + delivery from digiDirect
- Apple AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) - $294 from MyDeal
- Samsung LS27A800UJEXXY ViewFinity S8 27" 4K IPS monitor with 90W USB-C charging - $328 from Wireless1
- Audio Technica SoundBurger record player - $199 from JB Hi-Fi
- Red Dead Redemption 2 for PC - $35.98 on Steam
- 2x SONOFF SNZB-02D Zigbee temp & humidity sensors - $33 from Banggood

## Image Of The Day

EN.00702 Bionic Ear Prototype Components. Led by Professor Graeme Clark, an interdisciplinary team at the University of Melbourne undertook the research and development of the bionic ear in the 1970s. The first "gold box" prototype was implanted on 1st August 1978 by Professor Graeme Clark and Professor Brian Pyman on Rod Saunders, at the Eye & Ear Hospital. (The University of Melbourne Engineering and Information Technology Collection)

## The End

📻 Art vs Science - I Saw You

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