🪅 Heap Heap Hurray Ed. #179

Happy Friday! You're one step closer to the weekend!

#GigEconomy - Comedian Kunal Kamra started 2025 by attacking the quick commerce sector. He compared CEOs of quick commerce companies to ‘thugs’ who exploit delivery partners.

#Apple - The successor of the iPhone SE 3 will be called the iPhone 16E, according to Fixed Focus Digital. The next generation of entry-level iPhone is expected to arrive in March 2025. It’s unclear if the name would use a capital E or a small E, or Apple might end up calling it an iPhone 16 (SE) or iPhone 16 SE.

Meta To Unleash Millions Of AI Profiles On Facebook And Instagram
Meta, parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is planning to deploy millions of AI-generated profiles on its platforms. These profiles will have their own bios, pictures, and content, aiming to boost engagement and mimic real users. Meta's goal is to alter the social media landscape, but the move has sparked concerns among users who fear an influx of bots.

Tesla Cybertruck Explodes Outside Trump Hotel In Las Vegas
A Tesla Cybertruck exploded just outside of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, on New Year’s Day. One person is dead inside the truck, and seven minor injuries have been reported, according to Las Vegas Sheriff Kevin McMahill. Authorities have evacuated the hotel and are looking for “secondary devices” just in case. Tesla CEO Elon Musk claims the explosion has nothing to do with the truck itself.

Blinkit - Introduces 10-minute ambulance services in Gurugram.

Spotify - Introduces the Spotify Partner Program, a new monetization system for creators to grow their audience and earn revenue through video engagement, ads, and podcast listening.

Telegram - Adds third-party verification, customizable NFT gifts, and enhanced message search filters, along with new emoji reactions for service messages.

Apple - Different type of Changelog - what’s no longer there: They discontinued M1 model, replaced by M2 and M3 options.

Bluesky - Introduced Trending Topics feature, accessible via the search icon on the bottom bar of the app or the right sidebar on desktop.

X Premium+ - Increased monthly subscription price to $22, enabling ad-free experience and higher usage limits for Grok AI models, with additional revenue supporting creator payments and AI development.

Smolagents | A barebones library for agents. Agents write python code to call tools and orchestrate other agents.

Zasper | Supercharged IDE for Data Science

We know this space has been empty for a while - there really aren’t many quality hackathons or events to boast about at the moment.

The Unrewarded Labor Of "Glue Work"
Many large tech cos don't reward "glue work" like updating docs and addressing debt, as it's not seen as crucial to shipping features, despite being essential to project success and team efficiency. It's a tactical tool to be used by engineers to boost project success, but not a path to promotion.

Exploring New Front-end Features In 2025
The web platform is going through exciting times, and many things that required JavaScript in the past can today be achieved with one simple line of HTML and CSS. This post is a journey through new front-end features and what they are capable of.

Journal Rejections In Academia
Google researcher shares anecdote of rejected paper submissions to a top journal, highlighting the subjective nature of academic publishing and the importance of perseverance in the face of rejection.