🪅 Heap Heap Hurray Ed. #140

Let's hit Monday with a positive mindset!

#1PercentClub - Sharan Hegde, the founder of 1% Club, a fintech platform, just laid off 15% of his workforce, citing cost-cutting measures. And get this, he's defending it on LinkedIn, saying it's their first cost-cutting exercise since inception and that they're targetting AI-driven cost savings. But, the internet is having none of it, with people questioning the company's financial literacy.

#Intel - Chip giant Intel has cut back on staff perks to help right its financials. Staff will no longer get a four-year sabbatical, and the air shuttle has been shuttered.

#SearchApp - Google has left Android users puzzled after the most recent update to the Google mobile app causes links shared from the app to now be prepended with a mysterious search[dot]app domain.

#PS5ProInIndia - Sony’s mid-gen console refresh of PS5 has been launched globally. However, it now seems but it seems the product is not so global yet. According to a statement from Sony PS5 Pro will miss out on several countries. India is on that list.

#EndOfLife - Microsoft is making it harder to download Windows 10 - even from their official Downloads page.

Freshworks' Hefty Layoffs Spark Outrage Among Tech Industry Leaders
Freshworks, a company that offers a suite of software products for businesses, including customer relationship management and IT helpdesk solutions. Sridhar Vembu, CEO of Zoho, took to social media to criticize Freshworks for laying off 660 employees, calling it "naked greed" due to the company's still-growing revenue and profit.

Swiggy And Zomato's Business Practices Under Scrutiny By Competition Commission
Swiggy and Zomato, two major food delivery and quick commerce giants, are facing allegations of violating competition laws by offering exclusive deals, imposing pricing restrictions, and threatening rankings to restaurant partners. The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has been investigating their practices and may impose penalties or order changes to their business practices.

Oneplus Releases Oxygenos 15 For Oneplus 12 - Here’s A List Of New Features
OnePlus is a popular smartphone brand, known for their high-end devices with impressive specifications and futuristic designs. They've rolled out OxygenOS 15 for their OnePlus 12 series, which brings a host of new features and improvements, including enhanced animations, visual effects, and theme customization.

Pinterest Achieves Record High In Usage And Revenue
Pinterest, a visual discovery and planning website, has announced its Q3 2024 performance update, posting a significant increase in revenue and reaching a new record high in usage. The platform added 15 million new users, taking its total active user base to 537 million Marketers are taking note of the increased user engagement, with Pinterest's focus on facilitating more shopping options and improving its digital matching and try-on options making it a more valuable destination for shoppers.

The Beatles Revive Old Demo With AI, Nominated For Two Grammys
The Beatles are a legendary British rock band formed in Liverpool, England in 1960. They are known for their innovative music, cultural impact, and distinctive songwriting. They have been nominated for two Grammys. Their final song, “Now and Then,” was restored last year with the help of - wait for it - AI !!

Youtube Music Premium Early Adopters Prepare For Price Hike
YouTube is sending emails to early adopters of the YouTube Music Premium service. The early adopters enjoyed discounted pricing - but they will now have to pay the same amount as existing users.

Mac - AirPlay now allows selecting a single window or app for display on another screen.

Apple iPhone - Correctly displays Android user's message reactions in RCS messages on iOS devices.

Apple iPhone - Introduces new code that reboots devices after four days of being in a locked state, making it harder for unauthorized access and forensic examination.

Google Slides - Modern templates introduced for a wide range of use cases, including sales pitches, product roadmaps, and team games.

Google Vids - Create engaging corporate videos with AI-powered video marketing tool, available for Google Workspace users.

Google Maps - Adds Five New Navigation Vehicles and Customization Options

Instagram - Now waits for users to scroll before replacing videos with new content, ending the "rug pull" behavior.

Edge Js | Run .NET and Node.js code in-process on Windows, macOS, and Linux

Docling | Get your documents ready for gen AI

Masterclass In Shell Scripting Techniques
This article shares the author's experience of creating a shell script for the One Billion Row Challenge, highlighting 6 techniques used to make it robust, safe, and fun to use, including comprehensive error handling and input validation, detailed progress reporting, strategic error handling, platform-specific adaptations, and more.

Strengthen Your Soft Skills By Focusing On Others' Strengths
Focusing on others' strengths can help you shift from being annoyed by messy people to being empowered by their positive qualities. By highlighting their strengths, you can build stronger teams, improve communication, and increase productivity.

Stop Saying Just
Have you fallen victim to the pitfalls of the word "just" in software engineering discussions? It may seem harmless, but it implies simplicity, reinforces imposter syndrome, and reduces ideation. Learn how to rephrase your sentences to spark better responses and improve collaboration.