Welcome to issue #5 of the Dithering Digest! Thankfully we got our internet connection fixed fairly quickly so we are back in the modern age again! Fast internet access should be considered a human right at this point. We don’t realise just how much we rely on it until it is gone, similar to your water or electricity.
All’s well that ends well. So kick back and enjoy these articles we think will pique your geek interest. And don’t forget the joke at the end!
How to use hand gestures to trigger FaceTime reactions
A new feature added to iOS 17 is the ability to use hand gestures to trigger “reactions” in a FaceTime call. Even if you don’t plan to use this, it is good to be aware of as it may be switched on without you knowing! And that a could lead to embarrassment if you inadvertently set off one at an inappropriate time.
🔗 https://www.makeuseof.com/how-to-use-hand-gestures-to-trigger-facetime-reactions/
Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5 and a new Pico in the works?
This week Eben Upton of the Raspberry Pi Trading Company hinted at a new RP2040 chip with more RAM and some other requested features. No idea of when but the 2040 has been incredibly successful so an improvement on an already great chip would be most welcome.
Also they plan to ship the Compute Module 5 in 2024 and it should have a lot in common with the Compute Module 4, so all being well existing carrier boards will be compatible out of the box
End of the OpenAI Drama?
Sam Altman has been restored as the CEO of OpenAI after a tumultuous couple of weeks. Microsoft have also been added to the board in a non-voting role so hopefully that will give some stability after the recent upheaval.
Altman has said he bears no ill will to those who opposed him and caused his ousting, and that no employees left in the debacle. Hopefully they can get back to the incredible, if scary, innovation they are creating in the AI arena.
Chrome Zero-day security flaw - update immediately
Users of the Chrome browser are advised to update immediately as they have discovered a security flaw in the browser and it appears that it is being actively exploited in the wild.
To update your Chrome browser:
On your computer, open Chrome.
At the top right, click More .
Click Help. About Google Chrome.
Click Update Google Chrome. Important: If you can’t find this button, you’re on the latest version.
Click Relaunch.
🔗 https://www.howtogeek.com/google-chrome-zero-day-november-2023/
No link between internet use and poor mental health
Oxford boffins have concluded that there is no link between internet use and poor mental health. They studied data on millions of people across 168 countries and concluded that there was no notable effect on mental health as a result.
So fill your boots and keep on browsing!
🔗 https://www.theregister.com/2023/11/29/internet_mental_health_study/
Apple announces “Apps of the Year”
Apple has announced the winners of their annual “Apps of the Year” competition. There are several in here that I was not aware of, so I plan to have a play with them over the weekend and hopefully find a few gems.
🔗 https://www.macstories.net/news/apple-announces-apps-of-the-year/
Computer Joke of the Week
The guy who invented predictive text died last night. His funfair is next monkey.
See you all next week! Stay safe and keep dithering!
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