I’m still doing this because the world is flooded with overpriced, crappy, subpar software. It hurts people and it hurts the economy.
Reminds me of when 37signals would redesign popular sites like FedEx. Part of it was a way to get attention for what they could do, but I bet it was also because Jason couldn’t stand how bad some websites were.
New episode of Core Intuition about this week’s tweaks to the CTF, plus a discussion of how Micro.blog is using AI. We talk about my decision to have a global AI setting and how some customers feel very strongly that AI use should be limited.
Finally checked out the Carpenter Hotel’s coffee shop yesterday. Nice place. Had a little break from the rain outside.
Great teardown video from iFixit on the Rabbit and Humane devices. The closing line also highlights why these need to be standalone devices:
Both at best should’ve been an app. But that might have more to do with the restrictions on Apple and Android’s app stores than anything else.
Easy to access, simple hardware is not only fun but also the only way to really push anything forward at the moment. We wouldn’t say that because the iPhone can run games the Nintendo Switch shouldn’t exist.
Recorded another very short video for YouTube about how we’re starting to use the auto-generated photo descriptions in the new post screen. As you can see in the video, it’s still a little clunky. I’ll improve the timing and UI flow as we use it more.
I’ve been working on a Gaza-related blog post off and on for months, mostly threw it out and rewrote it this week. Sometimes I draft a post and it feels good to write it down, so I never actually post it. Other times I can’t let a topic go until it’s published.
Admittedly I’m not a subscriber so haven’t read the full text for M.G. Siegler’s Vision Pro article this week, but the opening paragraph is not fooling around:
Arguing about the shipment projections for Apple’s Vision Pro is sort of like arguing about how many tickets were sold on the fateful Hindenburg journey. For one thing, we’re going to find out the number one way or another, eventually. For another, we’re sort of overlooking the massive airship exploding in the sky.
How is it May already? Reminder that Micro Camp is coming up in just a little over two weeks! We’ll get the full schedule up later, but the plan is to start at noon Pacific. It’s free. We’ll have a livestream and chat. micro.camp
The API folks at OpenAI continue to do great work. You can just tell when developers have their act together. Felt the same way the first time I used Stripe. The latest improvement is vision models in the batch API (Twitter X link), which should eventually bring down my costs.
The “it should’ve been an app” arguments would resonate with me more if Apple let you replace Siri. There’s just no way to get enough integration on iOS. It is hard to innovate around Apple and Google, but I’m glad some developers are trying to, because that’s how we get new things.
Palestinians and Israelis in the business, as well as foreign trainers and judges who know the region, say that Arabian horses have another effect that is almost magical: They coax Israelis and Palestinians into the same arenas, where the conflict briefly melts away and everyone admires the horses as they strut, dance, gallop and compete for trophies.
Neat video from Brandon Sanderson at C2E2. I’m tempted to go to Salt Lake City for the Wind and Truth release. None of the books I’m reading are hitting… I’m pushing through, but part of me wants to just start re-reading all of The Stormlight Archive.
Timing matters. This is part of what Malcolm Gladwell’s book Outliers is about.
As I get older, I’m increasingly aware of how easy it is to become bitter and set in my ways. There are many episodes of Core Intuition where I complain about Swift or SwiftUI. Why do we need a new programming language when the old one is still perfectly fine? 🤪
The tech and startup world has had no shortage of over-hyped sidetracks. Blockchain is the most recent flop. Just because a technology is novel, doesn’t mean a practical purpose and business model will emerge.
I almost never jump on trends because you can waste so much time chasing productivity gains that you actually end up going backwards. I run my servers with old tech. I use tried and true programming languages and frameworks. I am not cutting edge.
Some people think generative AI is in the same line as other problematic new technologies, fads that come and go, leaving a string of wrecked businesses and broken apps in their wake. I understand the hesitation. We have been inundated with tech companies that don’t care about data privacy, don’t care about how energy use affects the climate, and don’t care as much about user control as they do about profit.
It is with this backdrop that I get to the point: this AI shit is real. It will change almost everything. I’m not expecting to see another truly game-changing technology for the rest of my career. This is the one.
That doesn’t mean we should move fast and break things. I’m trying to be thoughtful about this. The new photos search and accessibility feature we introduced in Micro.blog today is a first step, and perhaps we won’t take the next step for another year or longer. It’s useful today, as a tool to help people do more with their time, and that’s enough for now.
Great blog post from Om Malik on the current AI hardware from Humane and Rabbit, and where things are going.
I posted a video on YouTube today with where we’re going in Micro.blog to use AI in a limited way to help with search and accessibility.
Great effort from the Lakers. That was a good one. Looking forward to Nuggets vs. Timberwolves! 🏀
Recorded a new video to release tomorrow, with a walkthrough of what is possible with photos and AI. Just a first step, nothing earth-shattering you haven’t seen before, but I really like how it’s coming together in Micro.blog. Our robot overlords made me post this. 🤖
Watched the first episode of Fallout last night. Really good. I never played the game, so no idea how closely the show is inspired by it, but I like what they’ve done so far. 📺
It was going to be confusing for DMA-required changes on iOS to not also apply to iPadOS, especially for developers with universal apps. I assume syncing them up won’t be a major problem for Apple, hopefully for iOS 18. MacStories has the latest EU news on this.
When I find myself questioning whether I’m on the right side of an issue, it can be a little comforting to realize that there is no right side. Some things are just a mess. Humans are imperfect, but we’re trying our best. ❤️
Wish I could permanently remove that red dot from the Threads favicon. Life is better with most app icon badges and notifications hidden, and this one is really glaring.
Thanks @numericcitizen for a new YouTube video about what’s new in Micro.blog! Covers updates to newsletter updates, Bluesky support, AI setting, blogrolls, and more.
Uploading photos to Micro.blog? Don’t forget about Mimi Uploader. We will be rolling out some AI-based features in Micro.blog soon for photos, but you can already use Mimi today to help generate photo alt text.
Check out the iOS app Bound if you ever have a bunch of downloaded audiobook files that can’t fit in Audible, Libby, etc. I’m using it with the MP3s for Dragonsteel Prime and it works great.
It remains good advice not to judge an album (or a book, or almost anything) too quickly. From Oliver Darcy at CNN on Tortured Poets:
One week later, my view of the album has entirely reversed. After spending more time with the two-hour sonic feast, more methodically touring through its subtleties and nuances, I am ready to declare that it is one of Swift’s best works yet. Anecdotally, it seems others are also identifying with this experience, initially expressing tepid feelings toward the album, and then realizing after a few listens it has really grown on them.
Biden was great at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. And Colin Jost was excellent: funny but also meaningful and sincere. Really well done. 🇺🇸
One of the most confusing parts of Micro.blog is the Account → Edit Sources page. It is also one of the most powerful and unique parts of how Micro.blog was designed. If you’re confused by it, how can we improve it? I’ve made a couple tweaks here and there this year, but need a fresh look.
Manuel Moreale blogs that the web is not dying:
Let’s imagine we ban TikTok. And Facebook. And Instagram. And Threads. And all the other huge platforms. There would still be one global town square left. It’s called the web. The web itself IS the global town square.
