🪅 Heap Heap Hurray Ed. #240

Let's hit Monday with a positive mindset!

#OpenAI - Their new image generation model has the internet going crazy - all of them attempting to generate Studio Ghibli’s iconic art style. Those GPUs are melting and the CEO had to put a rate limit on image generation requests, the demand was just too high, and now free users are limited to just three images per day. 🖼️

#Signal - The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg was mistakenly added to a group chat on the encrypted messaging app Signal. He was given access to highly sensitive discussions about a possible attack on the Yemeni Houthis. The chats were leaked, but it resulted in some unexpected advertisment for the Signal App. The downloads for the app seem to have spiked after this! 💬

India Waives Import Duties On EV Battery Components
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has rolled off import duties on EV battery components, reducing them to zero. The withdrawal comes with the United States’ escalated trade pressure and threatening tariffs on key Indian exports.

IBM Shifts US Jobs To India Amid Layoffs
IBM, a multinational tech giant known for its cloud and AI solutions, has been laying off US employees while simultaneously increasing its workforce in India. According to IBM's own job listings, the company has more than tripled its open positions in India since January, while US job listings have remained stagnant. Current and former employees have come forward to confirm that jobs are being shifted to India, with some even being asked to train their Indian replacements before being let go.

Elon Musk's XAI Acquires X In $113 Billion Deal
Elon Musk’s AI startup, xAI, has acquired his social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in an all-stock deal. Musk launched xAI in 2023 to compete with OpenAI, a startup he co-founded with Sam Altman. The combination values xAI at $80 billion and X at $33 billion.

WhatsApp - Added option to set WhatsApp as default app for texting and calling on iOS.

WhatsApp - Added support for adding temporary music clips to status updates, with access to a library of millions of songs.

Instagram - Added option to play Reels at 2x speed by long-pressing on the screen.

Instagram - Added option to re-post content to followers' feeds, allowing users to add their own text and amplify posts similar to retweeting.

Facebook - Introduces "Friends" tab, a distraction-free feed showcasing content only from friends.

X (formerly Twitter) - Integrates Grok AI chatbot for enhanced conversational capabilities on Telegram.

Google - Adds trip planning to AI Overviews, allowing users to generate travel itineraries with locations, photos, and more, and introduces hotel price alerts for global users.

Excel - Introduces value tokens, visual badges that appear in cells to indicate the type of data stored, such as geography, currency, and more.

Mcp Server Cloudflare | Use Claude Desktop, or any MCP Client, to use natural language to accomplish things on your Cloudflare accountll

Bright | React Server Component for syntax highlighting

Chat2 Db | AI-driven database tool and SQL client, The hottest GUI client, supporting MySQL, Oracle, PostgreSQL, DB2, SQL Server, DB2, SQLite, H2, ClickHouse, and more.

From Code To Leadership
Early in his Amazon career, a software engineer thought technical superiority was key to advancement. He spent hours producing code, mastering design patterns, and understanding tech. However, he soon realized that to climb the corporate ladder, he needed to develop soft skills, such as communication, people skills, and management.

Next.js Troubles Mount
Next.js has been the preferred framework for React developers, promising performance, SEO benefits, and a streamlined developer experience. Yet, lately, more companies are ditching it and not considering a return. Hackers are exploiting critical points and have found vulnerabilities in the framework.

Writing For Devs
Software blogging pro shares lessons learned from 9 years of writing for developers, including techniques to increase readership and avoid common mistakes, on Refactoring English.