### Issue 2215 - Wednesday 13th November, 2024

## In Today's Issue

- Bluesky adds 1 million users in a week
- LG show off a stretchable display
- Bitcoin hits a new all time high
- 2024 Shonky awards
- Cheap cameras, speakers, routers, tablet & monitor

## The News

### Bluesky adds 1 million users in a week

Did something happen a week ago? In a post to the service by the official Bluesky account the burgeoning social media platform announced it had added a million users since the US election. It's the largest weekly growth the service has experienced since launching. Not long ago the service saw a spike of 500k users in a single day, which coincided with Twitter's (X) announcement to allow previously banned users back on the platform. Despite now servicing a tick under 15m users it's a distant second to Meta's Threads, which recently racked up 275m monthly users. Built off the back on Instagram's shoulders users are seemingly frustrated by Threads continued efforts to push them towards an algorithmic listing feed of the much-lamented chronological listing of posts.

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### LG show off a stretchable display

Those whacky kids over at LG Display have been let loose to demonstrate the latest iteration of their "stretchable display". The 12" screen can be bent, twisted and stretched up to 18". This new version is significantly more malleable with 50% more stretchiness than the prior version shown in 2022. The display is made up of microLEDs (40 micro-metres) with a 100PPI and offers a rich, bright RGB experience. They demonstrated the unit on what could be a car's centre console, which when switching to different services, the radio for example a mechanism would rise beneath the display to emulate a large circular button that the display appears to vacuum wrap itself around. The user can then touch the "button" in a turning motion to control the volume emulating a tactile experience through a touch interface. I'd love for this to become a real thing as my disdain for pure touch interfaces, especially in cars is second to none.

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### Bitcoin hits a new all time high

Crypto bros are popping champagne corks this morning as Bitcoin sets a new all time high record of US$82k (AUD$125k). Why you ask; sadly it's most likely linked to Trump and his crypto-crony Bernie Moreno, the newly elected Republican senator for Ohio. Moreno made a boat load cash with a Web3 scheme trying to put car titles on the blockchain before running for the senate, which was funded largely by crypto leaders. His election is seen as a path to a larger adoption of virtual currency and the relaxing of any sanctions currently being drafted by the Democrats.

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## Something I Saw On The Internet

### 2024 Shonky awards

Choice have announced their 2024 Shonky awards this morning and unsurprisingly Meta is top of the pops. The main gripe they had was their failure to remove scam ads in a timely manner, instead earning a few more ad dollars serving it up to unwitting Aussies days after being reported. They also took aim at NIB for being dogs to single parents whom need to pay more than couple adding a dependant, the Daily Juice Co for their dodgy green juice that doesn't have a single vegetable in it, a knock off vacuum cleaner and some socks that look so dodgy I can't believe anyone would buy them in the first place.

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## Bargains

- Insta360 X4 360 Action Camera - $699 from Amazon
- Bose S1 Pro+ All-in-One Powered Portable Bluetooth Speaker Wireless PA System - $799 from Store DJ
- GL.inet Flint 2 (GL-MT6000) Wi-Fi 6 Performance Router - US$123 from GL.inet
- Samsung 34" Odyssey OLED G8 UWQHD 175Hz monitor - $1199 from Umart
- Lenovo Tab Plus - 11.5', 2K Display, 8GB RAM, 256G - $299 from Lenovo

## Image Of The Day

One of five cartoon stickers Kodak used to promote their products to school children. Limited numbers were sent to selected schools in Victoria and NSW to test reaction, they were also introduced into Kodak Consumer Service Centres. This cartoon shows a child kneeling to take a photo of a koala on a branch. This document belongs to the Kodak collection of products, promotional materials, photographs and working life artefacts collected from Kodak Australasia in 2005, when the Melbourne manufacturing plant at Coburg closed down. (Museums Victoria)

## The End

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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.