Microsoft’s Phone Link app now lets you use iMessage from your PC (2 minute read)
Microsoft has released a new version of its Phone Link app to Windows Insiders that allows iPhone users to connect their devices to a Windows laptop or PC. The new features enable users to send and receive messages, make and receive calls, and view notifications on Windows 11. Some features are not available such as sending pictures in messages or participating in group messages. Users will only be able to see the messages sent or received using Phone Link and the app will not display the full message history. The feature will not differentiate between text messages and iMessage messages.
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Science & Futuristic Technology
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Scientists target ‘biocomputing’ breakthrough with use of human brain cells (5 minute read)
An international team of scientists led by Johns Hopkins University has proposed the development of a biological computer powered by human brain cells that could outperform existing silicon-based machines while using less energy. This 'organoid intelligence' would be made of neural structures grown from stem cells connected to sensors and output devices and trained with machine learning. It could take decades to develop this technology into a commercial product, and there are ethical considerations regarding the potential for the computer to gain consciousness. All ethical issues will be continuously assessed by teams of scientists, ethicists, and the public.
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Inside the lab that’s growing mushroom computers (5 minute read)
Fungal computers are a new development in computing technology that use mycelium, the web-like root structure of the fungus, to act as conductors and electronic components. Compared to conventional computers, mushroom computers are more fault tolerant, reconfigurable, and consume very little energy. They can mimic the spiking activities and patterns used by neurons in the brain to communicate signals. Stimulating mycelium at two points increases conductivity between them, allowing memory to be established.
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Programming, Design & Data Science
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The lone developer problem (2 minute read)
The 'lone developer problem' is when a single programmer builds something, making it difficult for others to maintain later. Solo programmers often understand and build systems that make sense to them but not to future readers. This can be an issue even for great programmers. To avoid this solo developers could bring in another developer to review the code, try code pairing, or open-source the code. It is not always necessary to solve this problem as it's not always necessary to write good code.
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qr-code (GitHub Repo)
qr-code is a self-contained web component that requires no framework or dependencies. It can be customized and animated with several preset options or custom designs. Animations can be triggered by user interactions and turned off once the QR code interaction is complete.
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Meet the space billionaire who is interested in something other than rockets (4 minute read)
Jed McCaleb, a billionaire who made his fortune in blockchain development and cryptocurrency, has taken a major step towards realizing his vision of a space station in low-Earth orbit. His space habitation company Vast acquired Launcher last week. The acquisition will add Launcher's 80 employees to the 40 already at Vast. Vast's plan is to build space stations featuring artificial gravity. The company is currently in the engineering phase, conducting trade studies that will determine the final design.
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Amazon is letting employees use their stock to finance home purchases and even second homes (2 minute read)
Equity Unlocker, a program from online mortgage lender Better.com, allows employees to use their vested equity as a down payment for a home loan without needing to sell their shares. It will be available first to Amazon employees in Florida, New York, and Washington state. Equity Unlocker allows employees to finance their homes without actually selling their shares. It can be used for secondary vacation homes or investment properties. To protect itself, Better.com will charge a higher rate on the mortgages of employees pledging stock. The program is currently exclusive to Amazon, but Better aims to make it available to employees of public and private companies nationwide.
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