🪅 Heap Heap Hurray Ed. #4

Daily dispatches from the world of technology.

April 30, 2024

Good morning! Wishing you a terrific Tuesday filled with smiles.

The 4 Ps for Change and Release: Planning Prevents Poor Performance.

— Unknown

Geek Goss 🤭

#TechScandal - MKBHD catches the Rabbit R1 AI gadget in a juicy scandal—it claims not to track you, but oops! Its weather app might be spying on your location. New Jersey as just an 'example'? Fans are buzzing with privacy panic!

#CentenarianBabyBlunder - American Airlines repeatedly mistakes a 101-year-old woman for a baby due to a hilarious tech glitch in their system! Patricia, aged 101, faces boarding challenges as the airline's computers register her birth year as 2022 instead of 1922, sparking laughs and logistical nightmares.

#AWSCostTrap - Tech nightmare strikes! A simple S3 bucket turns into a $1,300 disaster after an open-source tool blunder sends millions of requests its way. The shocking twist? Anyone can hike your AWS bill with just a bucket name—no account needed. This costly gaffe exposes massive security holes and stirs up data leak fears!

⌛ The Past 24 hours

Ola, an Indian ride-hailing company, announced a significant shift towards profitability by dismissing 180 employees and replacing CEO Hemant Bakshi just four months into his tenure. Founder Bhavish Aggarwal cites restructuring for future growth and AI focus.

Google has disbanded its Python development team as part of a strategic realignment aimed at optimizing technological investments and focusing on core projects.

Google unveils 'Pause Ads' on YouTube, unskippable interruptions triggered by pausing videos. Initial tests on connected TVs yield promising results, hinting at wider adoption. Critics fear increased ad saturation as Google seeks to capitalize on ad revenue growth.

IBM announces $6.4 billion acquisition of HashiCorp, aiming to bolster its cloud-based software offerings amidst surging demand for AI-driven solutions. Despite IBM's slight revenue miss in Q1, its software business shows resilience, signaling strategic focus amid economic uncertainties.

👩🏾‍💻 Bit Boutique

twenty | Building a modern alternative to Salesforce, powered by the community.

🎲 Miscellaneous

Received 100+ responses from founders on their tech stacks via Twitter. Notably, over half of the projects utilize JavaScript frameworks. Here's a snapshot of the diverse range of technologies powering innovative ventures.

Harper accidentally created a meme search engine while exploring vector embeddings and AI technologies. By utilizing siglip/CLIP and vector encoding, they developed a tool to find similar images based on text descriptions. Despite initial confusion, the project provided fascinating insights into how AI can enhance image searches. Full details and source code are available for exploration.

Are you tired of feeling undervalued as a developer in a developing country? A 39-year-old Brazilian developer shares their journey and offers tips to boost your earning potential. They've worked for various companies, preferring remote work due to higher pay. Despite challenges, the rewards of finding remote work can lead to better opportunities and a higher quality of life.