Why Use a Shaving Brush instead of 'Modern Technology'
Perhaps you’ve caught a glimpse of one in an old movie, a vintage barbershop, your grandfather’s medicine cabinet, even that “how to wet shave” video that piqued your interest: a shaving brush. But isn’t it an obsolete tool of yesteryear? An out-of-date method replaced by modern technology? Well, in short, no. A shaving brush is still a necessary element of a great classic wet shave. West Coast Shaving offers a few thoughts on the importance of a shaving brush to a great shave.
Just remember, that like with different types of razor blade, there are many different types of shaving brushes too. Apart from the stiffer or softer bristles (soaps vs shaving creams), there are also real hair and vegan friendly synthetic hair brushes.
#traditionalshaving #wetshaving #shaving
Now I'm not sure ;-) I see I'd deleted my comment as I realised I had seen your post on the Nostr network via the Nostr-ACtivityPub bridge (I thought it was a post on Nostr). So I'm replying now using the Snort.Social web client from Nostr.
Age of AI: Everything you need to know about artificial (imitation) intelligence
AI is appearing in seemingly every corner of modern life, from music and media to business and productivity, even dating. There’s so much it can be hard to keep up — so read on to find out everything from the latest big developments to the terms and companies you need to know in order to stay current in this fast-moving field.
AI is not at all new, actually, but there is no real "intelligence" in it. We've seen it get lots of things very wrong, as does not really understand context. That said, lots of humans also get things very wrong. So it is safe to say that AI can be useful if you are aware of its limitations (like with any tool).
This is an interesting high level article that just explains what it is, its shortcomings, some key AI terminology, and it ends by briefly comparing some top players in AI.
#technology #AI
Google Photos app starting to tag the back of heads, and adding a manual Cinematic Photo feature
https://www.androidpolice.com/google-photos-face-tagging-improvements/
Seems Google is intending to keep Google Photos, as they have been adding quite a few new features lately.
One is a prompt that has started to pop up for somewhere the back of a head is only visible, and some are seeing a good 80+ percent success rate in recognition.
I'm still only seeing the random automatic cinematic photos, but supposedly there is a manual option rolling out for some. The cinematic effect does really make a photo pop out (the feature uses machine-learning smarts to add simulated depth and motion to static photos, ideally giving them a cinematic feeling).
#technology #photos #cinematic #tagging
It’s not just Apollo: other Reddit apps are shutting down, too
https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/8/23754616/reddit-third-party-apps-api-shutdown-rif-reddplanet-sync
It us pretty sad for the apps as well as users, but on the flip side it seems Reddit has some serious cash flow issues whether too many staff or heavy hosting costs. Thus was probably inevitable. Seems the trend though is working against massive centralised services.
Logitech is killing off the Blue mic brand, will sell Yeti and Astro under Logitech G
https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/8/23589618/logitech-blue-now-yeti-astro-merge-logitech-g-brands
That explains all the discounts recently...
Good point. I can imagine they do masses of API calls.
Well Documented Code Helps Revive Decades-Old Commodore Project: Moral Of The Story, If You Want To Keep It, Print It On Paper
https://hackaday.com/2023/06/07/well-documented-code-helps-revive-decades-old-commodore-project/
Luckily, Stephen’s younger self went to some extremes documenting the project, starting with a map he created which was inspired by Dungeons and Dragons. There are printed notes from a Commodore 64 printer, including all the assembly instructions, augmented with his handwritten notes to explain how everything worked. He also has handwritten notes including character set plans, disk sector use plans, menus, player commands, character stats and equipment, all saved on paper. The early code was written using a machine language monitor, since [Stephen] didn’t know about the existence of assemblers at the time. Eventually he discovered them, attempted to rebuild the code on a Commodore 128 and then an Amiga, but never got everything working together. There is some working code still on floppy disk, but a lot of it doesn’t work together either.
Goes to show again the value of printing on paper for long term storage. I experienced the same thing when I wanted to resuscitate a program I'd written on the HP-41CV about 35 years ago. I'd also kept all my handwritten notes, and with a few fixes, I got it going again, and I published the code on Github. I also remember having printed out and filing all the Clipper source code that I worked on in my professional career in the 1990's - more because we filed everything, and not because I was specifically thinking about the longevity of it being accessible.
#technology #Commodore64 #gaming #archiving
30 of the best Harvard University courses you can take online for free: Find free courses on Python, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and more
https://mashable.com/uk/deals/free-harvard-university-courses
Harvard University might seem like a mystical place that is out of reach for mere mortals, but that's not the case.
A wide range of online classes from Harvard University are available to take through edX. Anyone can enrol, and some of the best courses are even available for free. That might sound too good to be true, but there really isn't a catch. Sure, some of these courses are not exactly beginner-friendly, but if you have a genuine passion for a subject, this could be the perfect opportunity to pursue that passion.
This list was curated by Mashable and you can enrol for free and start learning at your own pace. You can even receive a verified certificate of completion for a small fee, if you really want something to stick on your CV.
Learning and education need not cost money, but it does require some effort and education by learners if they really want to grow. Many public libraries also offer free Internet access, so it is not true to say the lack of money is what holds one back from learning.
#technology #learning #education #free #HarvardUniversity
WhatsApp launches Channels feature for broadcast messages, long after Telegram, but plans to monetise it
https://techcrunch.com/2023/06/08/whatsapp-launches-channels-feature-for-broadcast-messages/
Seems the broadcast feature will work very similarly to Telegram's broadcast channels in that an unlimited number of users can subscribe, but communication is broadcast one-way without any replies or comments from subscribers.
This is very useful for especially government, disaster management, news services, etc where millions of users can potentially tune-in, unlike with groups. Broadcast channels are also easier to manage as there is no moderation required.
But the differences come in with WhatsApp wanting to monetise these channels, and also limit them so that individuals are not able to use them. On Telegram's side, they have always been free, and even individuals could just create one and get going with them.
So WhatsApp continues to try keeping up with Telegram, but they always seem to be two steps or more behind with so many features. Yet we do know that the best features, the best security (I'm speaking broader than Telegram), most interoperable protocols, have never featured in the mass users' choice of what they use (just think VHS vs Betamax).
If corporates want to ever escape the ongoing squeeze of money out of them, they need to think open networks, interoperability, etc.
#technology #WhatsApp #broadcasting
A green bush on fire? No, it is a chance reflection in a restaurant window, reflecting the fireplace inside! It was all the more amazing as it was raining outside.
#illusion #weird
Now you can have working QR codes that look like artwork: Redditor creates working anime QR codes using Stable Diffusion
On Tuesday, a Reddit user named "nhciao" posted a series of artistic QR codes created using the Stable Diffusion AI image-synthesis model that can still be read as functional QR codes by smartphone camera apps. The functional pieces reflect artistic styles in anime and Asian art.
#technology #QRcodes #anime
Certainly in South Africa, investigative journalism has proven to be our last bastion of democracy by exposing repeated high level corruption and misuse of state resources. Although things look bad, it could have been even worse without this exposure. Many have lost their lives in doing it.
https://www.openrightsgroup.org/blog/snowden-revelations-ten-years-on/
#Snowden
20 of the best Python courses you can take online for free: Kickstart a new career in coding without spending a penny
https://mashable.com/uk/deals/free-python-programming-courses
Why is Python such a popular choice for programming beginners? Well, Python has a relatively simple syntax, making it a perfect option for anyone who is just starting out in the field of programming. Python is also very versatile, meaning that you can use it for a wide range of tasks in multiple industries.
You can find a wide range of beginner-friendly Python courses for free on Udemy. Mashable has lined up a selection of standout options to help you pursue your passion, kickstart a new career, or simply have fun learning something new.
I'd stopped programming a good 20 or 25 years ago, and was working in other languages, but I managed to pick up Python really quickly. It is an easy and fun language to learn.
#technology #programming #Python #freecourses #education
How to Test Your Computer’s PSU With a Normal Multimeter
https://www.howtogeek.com/833959/how-to-test-your-computers-psu-with-a-multimeter/
If you have a digital multimeter on hand, it’s pretty straightforward to test your PSU and rule out power gremlins as the source of your computer problems. Standalone PSU testers are great, and we always have one on hand to get quick results. They can even give you useful values like the Power Good (PG) value that shows you how quickly your PSU comes up to full power—that’s something a multimeter can’t do.
But lots of people have digital multimeters on hand already and don’t have a PSU tester lying around. So while it’s nice to have a PSU tester for those little extra features like the PG value, you can get almost all the same data with a more hands-on approach using a multimeter.
These tests will work fine for the start-up and idle voltages, but won't be testing the PSU under high load (which is only applicable really when gaming or rendering video files, and the PC fails during those types of activities). I'd also do the inverse of these tests to test all the ground wires are good, i.e. put the red probe in one of the working positive voltage pins, and then use the black probe to test all the ground pins.
#technology #hardware #PSU
Apple’s AirPods are about to get much smarter with Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness
https://www.theverge.com/2023/6/5/23749428/apple-airpods-pro-adaptive-audio-announced-wwdc-2023
All I ever wanted from AirPods was replaceable batteries... I'd buy again tomorrow then
Even Nostr has a Reddit type alternative called Nvote
https://void.cat/d/EViRoYNhAsVuPiYE7wy9St.webp
Nvote is a decentralized, vote-driven community similar to services like Reddit and HackerNews. Nvote is powered by Nostr (yes Nostr is more than just posting short or long-form social media text posts).
Why should I want to use this instead of a centralized service like Reddit?
* It's lightweight. No ads, no JavaScript. No images except in posts. (inline images can be disabled in settings)
* Full feature compatibility with privacy browsers like TorBrowser with JavaScript disabled.
* Community-based spam prevention with no centralized moderators.
* Publicly available activity data to help the community identify vote manipulation and astroturfing.
* Anyone can host a Nostr relay and mirror the data.
* Relays and clients can be run locally or be made public for other people to share.
* Ability to disable spam filters or even modify the client with custom filters.
* You don't have to rely on a single relay for content. You can configure the client to use other relays as data providers.
* Backend data is owned by nobody and can be digested by alternative clients without the need for special API permissions.
Yes, the service does need some love as it is mostly autoposting from Reddit by the looks of it, but there are a few users commenting I see.
#terchnology #Reddit #Nostr #Nvote #alternativeto
How Many FPS Can the Human Eye See? Read This if You Think Chasing Ever Higher Monitor Refresh Rates is the Best Option
https://www.howtogeek.com/888948/how-many-fps-can-the-human-eye-see/
How many FPS can the human eye see? That’s a tough question because the human eye doesn’t really see in “frames per second,” and everyone’s eyes are different. We’ll talk about the biology, but the real question is what the upper limit is when it comes to FPS on monitors. At what point do you stop noticing FPS increases?
In the end, for competitive gaming needs, it's worth getting a monitor with a refresh rate higher than 60Hz—the higher, the better. You'll begin to get diminishing returns past 144Hz, however, the only way to know for sure is to try out the monitor with the highest refresh rate that you can find!
Of course, monitors are also not just about refresh rates, so the resolution, brightness, contrast, etc also all play a role too.
#technology #monitors
R200,000 City Blitz becomes South Africa's cheapest electric car at 20c/km and 150km range with max speed 80km/h
Aimed at small businesses, mines and urban delivery services, the tiny Chinese vehicle is imported by EV Africa, a subsidiary of motor retail and car hire giant Combined Motor Holdings (CMH).
The affordable, eco-friendly City Blitz is available in four models, all supported by four-year/60,000km warranties. The models are a 2-seater, 4-setaer, a pickup, and a commercial panel van. City Blitz models have a claimed range of up to 150km and the 10kWh lithium battery can be fully charged at a regular wall socket in four to six hours (my house runs for around 10 hours off a 10kWh lithium battery, but this is not intended for V2G).
An impressive standard spec sheet features everything you need such as electric windows, air-conditioning, a large LED infotainment screen, front and rear window defrost, daytime running lights, and more!
The range will be sold at motorcycle, boat and leisure shops and supported by parts outlets across the country. There are no airbags, but the City Blitz is built with a monocoque cage to provide safety in a rollover or collision.
So yes, no freeway driving, but it should be fine on M-highways which have a speed limit of 80km/h. Compared to a petrol car operating at about R1.20/km, this is way cheaper.
This is a serious contender as a 2nd vehicle for inner-city commuting.
#technology #EV #SouthAfrica #environment
Amethyst app is seeing the long-text blog fine on Nostr