### Issue 1775 - Tuesday 31st January, 2023

Another heads up for paid subscribers that your Sizzle subscriptions will be going up in price as of tomorrow (01/02/2023). Your next renewal will be $6/m or $60/yr instead of $5/m or $50/yr.

As I explained a few weeks ago, this is due to having to start collecting 10% GST as I've crossed the $75,000 threshold plus general cost of living expenses as I've never increased the price of The Sizzle since it began in 2015.

## In Today's Issue

- Mercedes-Benz gets permission to sell level 3 robocars in US & SF tells robotaxis to slow their roll
- Apple told by NLRB its secrecy when applied to employee conditions goes too far
- The big 3 won't be at E3 this year, Australia's cyber ambassador resigns, AIGF is back, eBooks added to Australian lending rights scheme, global smartphone shipments drop 18%
- SpeedcamAnywhere lets you dob in speeding cars (in the UK)
- dghdf5h

## The News

### Mercedes-Benz gets permission to sell level 3 robocars in US & SF tells robotaxis to slow their roll

Mercedes-Benz has received permission from the US state of Nevada to sell cars with Drive Pilot - the first commercially available level 3 autonomous driving feature. Mercedes reckons "the car does all the driving but the driver needs to stand by to take control at a moment's notice" and will only operate at a max of 40mph (~65km/h) on "suitable freeway sections and where there is high traffic density". Meanwhile, San Francisco's government wants Waymo and Cruise to ease up on expanding their robotaxi service in the city as there's too many incidents of unattended cars causing traffic chaos and dangerous interactions with emergency vehicles.

### Apple told by NLRB its secrecy when applied to employee conditions goes too far

Apple got busted by the USA's National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) over an email sent in 2021 where Tim Cook said people leaking confidential info about Apple "do not belong" and that they are "doing everything in our power to identify those who leaked", in response to news about Apple employees upset about pay equity, working from home and other non-product related HR issues. According to the NLRB, "various work rules, handbook rules, and confidentiality rules" imposed by Apple "tend to interfere with, restrain or coerce employees" from exercising their rights to collective action. The NLRB can't fine Apple or punish them, but it can force Apple to change their policies.

### The big 3 won't be at E3 this year, Australia's cyber ambassador resigns, AIGF is back, eBooks added to Australian lending rights scheme, global smartphone shipments drop 18%

- E3 is sliding into irrelevance, with Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo all deciding it's not worth the time and effort exhibiting at what used to be the world's premiere games expo. What's even the point of E3 then?
- Did you know Australia had a cyber ambassador? Neither did I and I probably wrote about their appointment! Anyways, Tobias Feakin has retired from the gig. Dunno if anyone has taken over.
- The Australian Interactive Games Fund (AIGF) is returning, this time with a $12m pot of cash to "increase investment to support digital games developers and small and medium independent games studios".
- eBooks will now be treated like physical books when loaned via public libraries, with authors compensated financially via the Public Lending Right scheme every time someone checks out their work.
- IDC latest numbers for global smartphone shipments saw an 18.3% decline year-over-year for Q4 2022 - the largest ever decline in a single quarter. It's the lowest annual shipment of smartphones since 2013.

## Something I Saw On The Internet

### SpeedcamAnywhere lets you dob in speeding cars (in the UK)

SpeedcamAnywhere is an Android app that purports to "accurately and verifiably measure vehicle speeds using a mobile phone camera" in the UK. It takes a "short video clip of a passing vehicle which is uploaded to the AI server. The server can measure the vehicle speed from the video, check vehicle speeds against speed limits, and provide a report showing evidence of the vehicle speed". It can even do licence plate recognition to look up the make and model of the vehicle and work out the extra pollution and traffic noise the car is generated by going over the speed limit. What a cheeky little ratbag of an app.

## Bargains

- $20 Apple gift cards - $17 at Coles
- Xiaomi 34" 3440x1440 144Hz Curved Gaming Monitor - $489 from E-Bargain-Intl's eBay store
- GL.inet GL-MT3000 (Beryl AX) travel router - $135.15 from Amazon
- Imuto 20,000mAh powerbank with 100W USB-C output - $84.49 from Amazon
- THEA500 Mini ("a compact reimagining of the Amiga 500 home computer") - $164.26 from Amazon UK
- Voll P44 Bookshelf Speakers & A50 Amplifier Bundle - $149 from Voll Audio

## Image Of The Day

IBM Toronto Data Center, King Street, 1963 (IBM 1401 Demo Lab and Restoration Project)

## The End

📻 The Jones - Pile

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

💬 Checked out the paid subscriber only forum? It's a tidy little place to discuss tech with like minded Aussies.

👋 Forums not your thing? The Sizzle has a Slack group you can procrastinate in and chat with other nerds bored at work.

💳 Paid subscriber looking to manage your billing info, change email address or cancel your subscription? Visit the customer portal.

📚 Browse The Sizzle Archive. A few issues are missing and it's not searchable, but it's better than nothing.

🫂 Friends of The Sizzle is a small group of businesses or organisations operated by Sizzle subscribers. Support your fellow Sizzler!

💔 Tired of my bullshit? Unsubscribe and I'll never speak to you again.

## 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.