Windows 11 24H2 is starting to roll out to all Windows 11 users today. It includes stuff like "an Energy Saver feature that replaces the older Battery Saver settings, support for Wi-Fi 7 and 80Gbps USB4 Version 2.0 ports, text labels for common actions like copy and paste in the right-click/context menu, and tweaks to how the Quick Settings panels work" as well as "significant updates to the compiler, kernel, and scheduler, as well as improved performance and compatibility for the operating system's Arm-to-x86 app translation layer". Microsoft's "what's new for IT pros" post has more detail on the update. PCs that support Copilot+ will get new features in November, like Recall, "Click to Do", improved Windows Search, super resolution in Photos and generative fill and erase in Paint. Microsoft also announced "Copilot's next phase" that seems like a Microsoft skin on top of OpenAI's GPT4o model.
It's disappointing to see that Raymond Hill has pulled the uBlock Origin Lite extension from the Firefox add-ons store due to Mozilla fucking him around with store reviews. You can still get the Lite and the Full versions of uBlock Origin from ublockorigin.com and add it to Firefox yourself. In a similar vein, popular third party YouTube app Juno (made by the same guy that created the Apollo Reddit app) was removed from Apple's App Store after YouTube complained, saying "Juno does not adhere to YouTube guidelines and modifies the website in a way they don’t approve of, and alludes to their trademarks and iconography". Unlike uBlock Origin, you don't have any other way to install Juno on an iOS device so too bad if you enjoyed using it.
Two Harvard students hacked Meta's Rayban sunnies to do instant facial recognition on passers by hooking the camera output to Pimeyes. In a demo video posted to X, one of the students says "you just put the glasses on, and then as you walk by people, the glasses will detect when somebody's face is in frame", "after a few seconds, their personal information pops up on your phone". They even admit that "they were able to identify dozens of people without their knowledge". Shit like this is why we need stronger data protection and digital privacy laws, so the data that makes this so easy to achieve can't just be used by two students for fucks sake.
If you're active on Bluesky, Mastodon and Threads, you might be interested in an iOS app called Croissant. It'll let you cross-post to Bluesky, Threads and Mastodon at the same time, even to multiple accounts. John Voorhees at MacStories has been using it for a week and says "I've been loving it", Dan Moren at SixColors reckons "it absolutely saved my sanity". I personally think cross-posting the same thing multiple social media networks is kinda lame, but if your primary use of social media is to update lots of people about what you or your business is up to and not shitposting, Croissant looks worth the few bucks they're asking for.
Apple fashion accessory catalog (Erica Fischer / Internet Archive)
📻 The Flaming Lips - She Don't Use Jelly
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