Adam Mosseri, Instagram boss, spoke about the controversy growing on its platform:

We definitely have a number of photographers who have been upset. I want to be clear: though we are leaning into video, we still value photos. Photos will always be a part of Instagram. Source: Instagram showed people too many videos last year, admits Adam Mosseri - The Verge

If you like photography, go elsewhere than Instagram. They focus on user engagement, not photography. There are so many great platforms these days that are built for photography enthusiasts.

I’m super happy to see Ivory going out to light and all. I was on the beta, downloaded the official release and played with it a bit. It’s really a great client. For now, I’ll let things settle down and see how Tapbots delivers on its promise. I’m focusing on Micro.blog for now, but I’m curious about Mastodon ecosystem evolution. I don’t want a new Twitter in disguise. Micro.blog in its current form is a very good compromise.

I’m seriously warming up to Readwise Reader. I get the feeling that I’ll be able to build a database of references and notes while I’m reading. The close proximity to Readwise is also a plus. It’s really geeky stuff for power readers, which I’m probably not. I’m waiting for the filtered view builder, they are working on a simplified and more visual version. Filtering the feed’s content by removing things like “Deal” or “Special Deal” would help remove some noise. I also keep an eye on the mobile app.

Sometimes I’m reminded that I wish I had picked out “Digital Citizen” instead of “Numeric Citizen” as my “nom de plume”. In English, Digital has a better significance than Numeric. Am I correct? 🧐

My Taxi Ride to The Past

I recently took a taxi ride to leave the airport as Uber taxis were unavailable and plagued with longer than usual delays. We were directed to the traditional taxi lines. I couldn’t use an app on my iPhone to call a taxi instead.

Boy, it was a trip in the past. The taxi driver had no Google or Waze open to know where to go, only his memory and his knowledge of the city. The taxi timer was this old and ugly box installed on his car dash, partially blocking his view.

It was disorienting not to get any feedback about how long the trip would go, what was the best road alternatives along the way, and not having a driver reputation score.

You would think that Uber would kick the butt of taxi companies so they evolve the customer experience and get their shit together to build a competitive experience, but no. They seem to have given up a long time ago.

My message to taxi companies: enjoy the ride while it last.

More details are emerging about the rumoured Apple’s headset… and this is troubling…

Using the headset will “feel familiar to Apple users,” with an interface that is close to identical to the look of an ‌iPhone‌ or an ‌iPad‌. There will be a Home screen with app icons that can be rearranged, as well as customizable widgets. Source: Apple’s Mixed Reality Headset to Feature iOS-Like Interface, Advanced Hand Tracking, and Will Work as Second Display for Mac - MacRumors

Oh boy… I would expect a brand-new metaphor for the brand-new form factor. Otherwise, by using a familiar interface, it’s as if Apple is locked into their own creation.

Likely to be named “Reality Pro,” the headset will be able to switch between augmented reality and virtual reality. Augmented reality will overlay virtual objects on the real world, while virtual reality is an entirely virtual environment that shuts out the wearer’s surroundings. Augmented reality functions will work through a pass-through mode that will use the exterior cameras on the headset, and swapping between AR and VR will be done with a Digital Crown-like control knob.

“Reality Pro”!!!?? Someone must be kidding about that one, right? What an awful name! What about “viewPod”? Or something less “Macintosh Performa 620”-type of thing, please.

For those who wear glasses, Apple will provide custom lenses that are able to sit within the enclosure, and Apple is expecting users to wear AirPods to get an audio experience on par with the visual experience that the headset provides, though it will have built-in speakers.

I do.

As previously rumored, the headset will have an external battery pack to prevent it from overheating on a user’s face due to the high-end Mac chips used for the device. The battery is approximately the size of two iPhone 14 Pro Max models stacked on top of one another, and it will power the headset for around two hours. An external battery will allow users to swap one battery and charge another to use the device for a longer period of time.

No. Just no. It’s a proof of concept sold to consumers.

For 2023, Apple is reportedly working on a larger 15-inch MacBook Air to join its Mac lineup. The new MacBook Air will feature the upcoming M3 chip, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The 15-inch MacBook Air is expected to feature the same design as the current 13.6-inch model but with a larger display and longer battery life thanks to the efficiency of the M3 chip and the inclusion of a larger battery. Source: What’s Next for the Mac: M3 iMac, 15-Inch MacBook Air, Mac Pro, and More - MacRumors

The possible 15-inch MacBook Air makes a lot of sense from a product line perspective (non pro machine with high portability but a larger screen). Where I disagree with Gurman is the possibility of the device getting an M3 chip. This is way too early. The rest of the product line is still on the just-released M2. When the Mac Pro finally makes the switch, then the M3 is a higher probability. In other words, I expect to see the 15-inch MacBook Air to get the same M2 chip as the current but smaller ones.

OK, I’m mind blown. I went to see the latest Avatar movie today. I was blown away. It’s probably the most beautiful, entertaining, touching, impressive and well-balanced movie I have ever seen. I’m just in awe of the ingenuity and craftsmanship that went into this movie. Wow.