### Issue 1708 - Friday 7th October, 2022

## In Today's Issue

- New Pixel phones and Pixel watch
- Twitter gets new features like edits, status and mixed media
- IT jobs very much in demand, govt tweaks data sharing laws for telcos impacted by data breaches, Elon & Twitter lawsuit put on hold
- Millions of perfectly good HDDs are shredded due to privacy paranoia
- Friday Forum Update
- Cheap Logitech gaming mouse, Google Play gift cards, SanDisk USB flash drives, Pixel 7 pre-orders, Elgato Stream Deck, Sony headphones, Logitech webcam

## The News

### New Pixel phones and Pixel watch

Google dropped new Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro smartphones along with the Pixel Watch overnight. Main difference over the Pixel 6 is a new Google Tensor G2 SoC that enables a range of fancy AI/ML based features like background noise reduction for incoming phone calls, unblur older and existing photos to improve quality and vastly improved low-light photo quality. RRP for the Pixel 7 starts at $999 and $1299 for the Pixel 7 Pro. Google also announced the Pixel Watch. Costs $549, comes in a single 41mm size, features a circular front, supports NFC/Google Wallet, has an always-on display, LTE available for an extra $100, runs Wear OS 3.5 and deep FitBit integration. The Pixel tablet got mentioned again, but not much details others than the same Tensor G2 SoC as the phones and that it'll ship in 2023.

### Twitter gets new features like edits, status and mixed media

Besides forcing Elon Musk to buy it, Twitter has been busy releasing new features. The main one is the ability for Twitter Blue subscribers to edit their tweets (finally). You've got 30 min to make the edit and once the edit is done "there will be a pencil icon next to the date, along with text that lets readers know the last time the tweet was edited. Clicking on the icon shows you a page with the edited tweet, as well as a history of the edits". There's new features for non-Twitter Blue subscribers too. You can post GIFs, images and videos in the same tweet (cool) or add a status tag like "Hot take", "Unpopular opinion" or "Don't @ me" to each tweet (cringe).

### IT jobs very much in demand, govt tweaks data sharing laws for telcos impacted by data breaches, Elon & Twitter lawsuit put on hold

- The National Skills Commission released a list of the most in-demand jobs in Australia right now. It probably won't surprise you to learn that "software and applications programmers and ICT business and systems analysts are two of the 10 most in-demand occupations, with 7,841 vacancies and 3,830 vacancies, respectively". Basically every IT job you can think of is on that list.
- In the wake of Optus shitting the bed, the government has announced amendments to "Telecommunications Regulations 2021" that allows telcos to legally share info of customers impacted by a data breach with governments and banks to "implement credit monitoring and other identity protections for customers affected" and "detect and assist in preventing fraud".
- The trial between Elon Musk and Twitter has been officially postponed until October 28th. The two parties are yet to come to an agreement over the conditions of surrender. Elon wants Twitter to drop the lawsuit and make it subject to finance as conditions of purchase, but Twitter wants him to agree to his original offer.

## Something I Saw On The Internet

### Millions of perfectly good HDDs are shredded due to privacy paranoia

We know by now that everything stored in the cloud isn't floating in the sky but is actually on a hard drive in a datacentre somewhere. Unfortunately when the time comes to upgrade those drives, instead of selling them to wholesalers so they get a second life and more time being useful, they are shredded. Companies like Microsoft and government departments are so paranoid and scared of people being able to recover data off those drives despite wiping software (DBAN, Blancco, etc) working well, sensitive data encrypted and no reported cases of data leaking from properly wiped drives, they still prefer to destroy perfectly good drives.

## Friday Forum Update

Here's five interesting discussions over on The Sizzle's paid subscriber forum for you to enjoy over the weekend. If you are not a paid subscriber but want to get involved, visit https://thesizzle.com.au/payme to get onboard.

- jessedc wants to know if MVNO telcos have worse coverage/shittier service than the actual network owner
- coljac got a new EV (BYD Atto 3) and wants to know what the old EV he's replacing (1st-gen Nissan LEAF) is worth now
- LiamJM is sticking antennas on his van to improve mobile reception and is after some advice
- wolfjay made their own static HTML blog/website with a fancy design and wanted to show it off
- adamxweb started a thread asking what Mac apps other Sizzle users find indispensable

## Bargains

- Logitech G203 LIGHTSYNC Gaming Mouse (Blue) - $25.76 from LogitechShop's eBay store
- 10% off Google Play gift cards at Woolworths online gift card store
- SanDisk Ultra Fit USB 3.1 flash drives 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, 512GB - $9/$15/$21/$35/$74 from Amazon
- Pre-order Google Pixel 7/7 Pro from JB and get a bonus Chromecast TV 4K & Google Nest Hub 2nd-gen
- Pre-order Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro from Google and get $250/$300 of Google Store credit
- Pre-order Pixel 7 Pro from Telstra and get a Google Nest Hub (2nd-gen), Pixel Buds A-Series & Pixel Stand
- Elgato Stream Deck MK.2 Black - $199 from Amazon
- Elgato Stream Deck Pedal - $115 from Amazon
- Sony WH-1000XM5 wireless headphones - $510 from Amazon
- Logitech C922 Pro Stream Webcam - $97 from JB or Amazon

## The End

📻 All The Good Girls Go To Hell - In Hearts Wake, WAAX

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## Always Was, Always Will Be Aboriginal Land

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.