Subj : Google layoffs 💼, China's SpaceX competitor 🚀, hacking on GitHub Actions 👨‍💻 To : tldr@synchro.net From : TLDR Date : Fri Jan 12 2024 11:37 am --_qu_ibh2 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Google has eliminated around a thousand positions across its Pixel, Nest,= Fitbit, Core engineering, and Assistant teams.=C2=A0 Sign Up [1]|Hire= [2]|Advertise [3]|View Online [4]=20 =09=09TLDR =09=09TOGETHER WIT= H [Wiz] [5] TLDR 2024-01-12 AWS SECURITY BEST PRACTICES [CHEAT S= HEET] (SPONSOR) [5]=20 Rampant cloud usage requires an advanced securit= y playbook.=C2=A0 Wiz put together these AWS security best practices [5] = from leading cloud security orgs.=C2=A0Benchmark your strategy and improv= e your security posture across your AWS footprint with:=C2=A0=C2=A0 = =09* Techniques to enforce least privilege across all identities=C2=A0 = =09* How to limit uncontrolled exposure of sensitive assets=C2=A0 =09* Pl= aybooks to extend protection of Kubernetes clusters (EKS)=C2=A0 =09* Plus= critical recommendations by resource type (IAM, S3, Cloudtrail)=C2=A0 = All of these advanced best practices for AWS are compiled in this chec= klist. [5] =F0=9F=93=B1 BIG TECH & STARTUPS GOOGLE CONFIRMS= IT JUST LAID OFF AROUND A THOUSAND EMPLOYEES (2 MINUTE READ) [6]=20 = Google has eliminated around a thousand positions across its Pixel, Nest,= Fitbit, Core engineering, and Assistant teams. The company may still be = planning further layoffs. Google's parent company Alphabet employed 182,3= 85 employees as of September 30 last year. The layoffs so far represent a= round half a percent of the company's total employees.=20 =E2=80= =9CSUCH SIGNAL, MUCH WOW=E2=80=9D: STARLINK=E2=80=99S FIRST TEXTS VIA = =E2=80=9CCELLPHONE TOWERS IN SPACE=E2=80=9D (1 MINUTE READ) [7]=20 Spac= eX has successfully sent and received its first text messages using the T= -Mobile network spectrum through one of its new direct-to-cell satellites= .. The new satellites are expected to provide text messaging services arou= nd the world sometime this year, with voice and data services beginning s= ometime in 2025. They are equipped with custom silicon, phased array ante= nnas, and advanced software algorithms. The satellite-to-phone service sh= ould work just about anywhere on the planet, but it will be most useful i= n areas with no coverage due to terrain limitations, land-use restriction= s, and other factors.=20 =F0=9F=9A=80=20 SCIENCE & FUTURISTIC TECHN= OLOGY MEET THE ETH, AN EXPANDABLE ELECTRIC RV THAT TURNS INTO AN OFF-= GRID LUXURY MINI-HOME (3 MINUTE READ) [8]=20 The Electric Transformer= House is an expandable luxury mini-home with 400 square feet of living s= pace, solar panels, and much more. The RV features a luxurious interior, = smart tech, and clean energy for off-grid capabilities. It has a gourmet = kitchen, a spacious living and dining room, and a private bedroom. Its co= ckpit features a flexible dashboard/office desk, integrated entertainment= , drive assist tech, and a Starlink connection. Pictures and videos showi= ng the RV in both its vehicle and mini-home modes are available in the ar= ticle.=20 CHINESE RIVAL TO SPACEX PULLS OFF ROCKET LAUNCH AT SEA (1 MIN= UTE READ) [9]=20 Orienspace declared a complete success after launchi= ng a rocket at sea into low-Earth orbit on Thursday. Its rocket deposited= a total of three satellites into orbit using its Gravity 1 commercial la= unch system. The three-stage, 100-foot-tall spacecraft is the world's l= argest solid launch vehicle. Launching from the sea offers several advant= ages, including less chance of damage and lower costs.=20 =F0=9F=92= =BB PROGRAMMING, DESIGN & DATA SCIENCE GITHUB ACTIONS AS A TIME-= SHARING SUPERCOMPUTER (12 MINUTE READ) [10]=20 GitHub Actions can be us= ed for batch jobs. Developers can submit work to the service and receive = the results later on asynchronously. actions-batch is a command-line tool= that is essentially an API that turns GitHub Actions into a time-sharing= computer. It creates new GitHub repositories, writes a workflow that run= s 'job.sh' upon commits, and triggers jobs when a local bash file is writ= ten to the repository as 'job.sh'. actions-batch can be used for jobs lik= e building kernels and running machine learning inference using Llama2. = GOOGLE CHALLENGES CLOUD RIVALS BY MAKING IT FREE FOR CUSTOMERS TO = TRANSFER DATA WHEN THEY LEAVE (2 MINUTE READ) [11]=20 Google's cloud un= it will stop charging data transfer fees when customers want to leave. Th= e change applies to all customers globally. Data transfer fees are a prof= itable source of revenue for tech companies and they can reduce churn as = they punish clients for going elsewhere. Google is part of the Bandwidth = Alliance, a group of companies whose aim is to reduce or eliminate data t= ransfer fees. Alibaba, Microsoft, and Oracle are also members of the alli= ance.=20 =F0=9F=8E=81 MISCELLANEOUS CHROME USERS NOW WORTH 30= % LESS MONEY THANKS TO GOOGLE'S COOKIE KILLING, AD FIRM SAYS (6 MINUTE RE= AD) [12]=20 Google disabled tracking cookies for 30 million Chrome user= s last week, about 1% of the browser's user base. Analysts estimate that = the change made cookieless users bring in 30% less revenue. Google plans= to block cookies for all users by the end of the year and replace them= with a new tracking system called the Privacy Sandbox. The new system = will keep all user data on users' devices but let companies still know wh= at topics they're interested in.=20 UNDERSTANDING BRIDGE-BASED RANKING = (11 MINUTE READ) [13]=20 Bridge-based ranking is a way to score and ran= k content by adjusting for user polarization. The algorithm works by atte= mpting to model why content receives the reactions it gets and then corre= cting for bias. It can cancel out the effects of bias. This article expla= ins Bridge-Based Ranking and shows how and why it works. Bridge-based r= anking allows communities to self-moderate by preventing influence from u= ser polarization.=20 =E2=9A=A1 QUICK LINKS APPLE VISION PRO L= AUNCH QUANTITIES RUMORED TO BE FAR TIGHTER THAN PREVIOUSLY ESTIMATED (2 M= INUTE READ) [14]=20 Renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo thinks that App= le will have between 60,000 and 80,000 Apple Vision Pro units available o= n launch day.=20 META REPORTEDLY LAID OFF 60 TECHNICAL PROGRAM MANAGE= RS AT INSTAGRAM (1 MINUTE READ) [15]=20 The affected employees will b= e given the chance to be interviewed to be considered for a position as a= product manager.=20 LOTS OF PPL WERE ASKING, WHY NOT AN APP? (4 MINUTE= READ) [16]=20 Making the Rabbit R1 a piece of hardware allowed the com= pany to create something capable of all the potentials of its LAM technol= ogy while lowering entry barriers for early adopters.=20 MICROSOFT BR= IEFLY TOPS APPLE AS MOST VALUABLE PUBLIC COMPANY (1 MINUTE READ) [17]=20 = Microsoft's shares rose in 2023 partly due to hope from investors tha= t the company would be able to expand by selling AI services to businesse= s.=20 DISCORD IS LAYING OFF 17 PERCENT OF EMPLOYEES (3 MINUTE READ) [18= ]=20 While Discord isn't in dire financial straits, it has yet to becom= e profitable and is still trying to revive user growth after the pandem= ic surge.=20 THE GOLDEN AGE OF KOTLIN AND ITS UNCERTAIN FUTURE (9 MINUT= E READ) [19]=20 If Kotlin doesn't make a significant move by 2025, it= s popularity will decline and reach a critical point.=20 WANT THE BEST= OF TLDR? =F0=9F=8F=86 Refer a friend to TLDR using the referral link = below, and we will send you the TLDR Hall of Fame, our 50 best stories of= all time! YOUR REFERRAL LINK - https://tldr.tech/tech?ref=3D6061602 [= 20] WANT MORE TLDR? We also write newsletters for FOUNDERS [21], = AI [22], INFORMATION SECURITY [23], DESIGN [24], MARKETING [25], CRYPTO [= 26], and WEB DEV [27]! We help cutting edge companies hire world cl= ass technical talent through our job listings. If you're hiring software = engineers, AI/ML engineers, product managers, designers or other tech tal= ent, CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE [2].=20 If your company is interested in= reaching an audience of tech executives, decision-makers and engineers, = you may want to ADVERTISE WITH US [3]. If you have any comments or f= eedback, just respond to this email!=20 Thanks for reading,=20 Dan Ni [2= 8] and Stephen Flanders [29]=20 If you don't want to receive future edit= ions of TLDR, please=C2=A0click here to unsubscribe [30].=20 Lin= ks: ------ [1] https://tldr.tech/signup?utm_source=3Dtldr&ref=3D606= 1602 [2] https://share.hsforms.com/1hmOFVmqOTrON_SRvaRqEbQee466?utm_sourc= e=3Dtldr&utm_medium=3Dnewsletter [3] https://advertise.tldr.tech?utm_= source=3Dtldr&utm_medium=3Dnewsletter [4] https://actions.tldrnewslet= ter.com/web-version?ep=3D1&lc=3Db5bb39ac-a04f-11ee-8692-6388dbdd6fd1&am= p;p=3D73e33494-b120-11ee-bd53-49dea43174bb&pt=3Dcampaign&t=3D170505= 9436&s=3D84eb20c1e6908fc4e6480fa5c493dea3902ae65cf9bfcb8125094d920f6246= 6c [5] https://www.wiz.io/lp/aws-security-best-practices-cheat-sheet?utm_= source=3Dtldrtech&utm_medium=3Dpaid-email&utm_campaign=3DFY24Q3_INB= _FORM_AWS-Security-Best-Practices&sfcid=3D701Py000002vvmnIAA&utm_te= rm=3DFY24Q4-TldrTech-nl&utm_content=3DAWSBestPractices [6] https://ww= w.theverge.com/2024/1/11/24034124/google-layoffs-engineering-assistant-hard= ware?utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter [7] https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/= 2024/01/starlink-shows-off-first-texts-to-t-mobile-phones-sent-via-spacex-s= atellite/?utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter [8] https://electrek.co/2024/01/11/= eth-electric-rv-expands-off-grid-luxury-home/?utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter= [9] https://themessenger.com/tech/china-rocket-launch-orienspace-gravity= 1?utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter [10] https://blog.alexellis.io/github-actio= ns-timesharing-supercomputer/?utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter [11] https://ww= w.cnbc.com/2024/01/11/google-vows-not-to-charge-data-transfer-fees-when-clo= ud-customers-exit.html?utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter [12] https://gizmodo.c= om/google-chrome-users-worth-less-money-cooking-killing-1851159736?utm_sour= ce=3Dtldrnewsletter [13] https://jonathanwarden.com/understanding-bridge-= based-ranking/?utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter [14] https://appleinsider.com/= articles/24/01/11/apple-vision-pro-launch-quantities-rumored-to-be-far-tigh= ter-than-previously-estimated?utm_medium=3Drss&utm_source=3Dtldrnewslet= ter [15] https://www.engadget.com/meta-reportedly-laid-off-60-technical-p= rogram-managers-at-instagram-095558424.html?_fsig=3DCyHkz9PjksvUblRErn5sjg-= -%7EA&utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter [16] https://twitter.com/jessecheng= lyu/status/1745555882291646689?utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter [17] https://w= ww.cnbc.com/2024/01/11/microsoft-replaces-apple-as-most-valuable-public-com= pany.html?utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter [18] https://www.theverge.com/2024/= 1/11/24034705/discord-layoffs-17-percent-employees?utm_source=3Dtldrnewslet= ter [19] https://shiftmag.dev/kotlin-vs-java-2392/?utm_source=3Dtldrnewsl= etter [20] https://tldr.tech/tech?ref=3D6061602 [21] https://tldr.tech/= founders [22] https://tldr.tech/ai [23] https://tldr.tech/infosec [24= ] https://tldr.tech/design [25] https://tldr.tech/marketing [26] https:= //tldr.tech/crypto [27] https://tldr.tech/webdev [28] https://twitter.c= om/tldrdan [29] https://twitter.com/SteveFlanders22 [30] https://action= s.tldrnewsletter.com/unsubscribe?ep=3D1&l=3Dcfa2d55a-b7be-11e8-a3c9-06b= 79b628af2&lc=3Db5bb39ac-a04f-11ee-8692-6388dbdd6fd1&p=3D73e33494-b1= 20-11ee-bd53-49dea43174bb&pt=3Dcampaign&pv=3D4&spa=3D1705057219= &t=3D1705059436&s=3Dc20d284699a1099a7fcacb33e29ed3d3c42c4727ef76ebe= cf71b4e1b8693a1da --_qu_ibh2 Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Google has eliminated around a thousand positions across its Pixel, Nest= , Fitbit, Core engineering, and Assistant teams. 

=
TL<= span data-darkreader-inline-color=3D"" style=3D"color: rgb(101, 195, 173) != important; --darkreader-inline-color:#6ec7b2; font-size:30px;">DR

Together With 3D"Wiz"

TLDR 2024-01-12

AWS Security Best Practices= [Cheat Sheet] (Sponsor)

Rampant cloud usage requires an advance= d security playbook. 

Wiz put together these AWS security best practices from lea= ding cloud security orgs. Benchmark your strategy and improve your sec= urity posture across your AWS footprint with:  

  • Techni= ques to enforce least privilege across all identities 
  • How to = limit uncontrolled exposure of sensitive assets 
  • Playbooks to = extend protection of Kubernetes clusters (EKS) 
  • Plus critical = recommendations by resource type (IAM, S3, Cloudtrail) 

Al= l of these advanced best practices for AWS are compiled in this checklist. =20 =20

<= /td>
<= tr>
=F0=9F= =93=B1

Big Tech & Startups

<= /table>
<= td class=3D"container" style=3D"padding: 15px 15px;">
Google confirms it just lai= d off around a thousand employees (2 minute read)

Google has eliminated around a thousand= positions across its Pixel, Nest, Fitbit, Core engineering, and Assistant = teams. The company may still be planning further layoffs. Google's parent c= ompany Alphabet employed 182,385 employees as of September 30 last year. Th= e layoffs so far represent around half a percent of the company's total emp= loyees.
=E2=80=9CSuch signal, much = wow=E2=80=9D: Starlink=E2=80=99s first texts via =E2=80=9Ccellphone towers = in space=E2=80=9D (1 minute read)

SpaceX has successfully sent and receiv= ed its first text messages using the T-Mobile network spectrum through one = of its new direct-to-cell satellites. The new satellites are expected to pr= ovide text messaging services around the world sometime this year, with voi= ce and data services beginning sometime in 2025. They are equipped with cus= tom silicon, phased array antennas, and advanced software algorithms. The s= atellite-to-phone service should work just about anywhere on the planet, bu= t it will be most useful in areas with no coverage due to terrain limitatio= ns, land-use restrictions, and other factors.
=F0=9F= =9A=80

Science & Futuristic Technology

<= /table>
<= td class=3D"container" style=3D"padding: 15px 15px;">
Meet the eTH, an expandable= electric RV that turns into an off-grid luxury mini-home (3 minute read)

The Electric Transformer House is an ex= pandable luxury mini-home with 400 square feet of living space, solar panel= s, and much more. The RV features a luxurious interior, smart tech, and cle= an energy for off-grid capabilities. It has a gourmet kitchen, a spacious l= iving and dining room, and a private bedroom. Its cockpit features a flexib= le dashboard/office desk, integrated entertainment, drive assist tech, and = a Starlink connection. Pictures and videos showing the RV in both its vehic= le and mini-home modes are available in the article.
Chinese Rival to SpaceX Pul= ls Off Rocket Launch at Sea (1 minute read)

Orienspace declared a complete success = after launching a rocket at sea into low-Earth orbit on Thursday. Its rocke= t deposited a total of three satellites into orbit using its Gravity 1 comm= ercial launch system. The three-stage, 100-foot-tall spacecraft is the worl= d's largest solid launch vehicle. Launching from the sea offers several adv= antages, including less chance of damage and lower costs.
=F0=9F= =92=BB

Programming, Design & Data Science

<= /table>
<= td class=3D"container" style=3D"padding: 15px 15px;">
GitHub Actions as a time-sh= aring supercomputer (12 minute read)

GitHub Actions can be used for batch jo= bs. Developers can submit work to the service and receive the results later= on asynchronously. actions-batch is a command-line tool that is essentiall= y an API that turns GitHub Actions into a time-sharing computer. It creates= new GitHub repositories, writes a workflow that runs 'job.sh' upon commits= , and triggers jobs when a local bash file is written to the repository as = 'job.sh'. actions-batch can be used for jobs like building kernels and runn= ing machine learning inference using Llama2.
Google challenges cloud riv= als by making it free for customers to transfer data when they leave (2 min= ute read)

Google's cloud unit will stop charging = data transfer fees when customers want to leave. The change applies to all = customers globally. Data transfer fees are a profitable source of revenue f= or tech companies and they can reduce churn as they punish clients for goin= g elsewhere. Google is part of the Bandwidth Alliance, a group of companies= whose aim is to reduce or eliminate data transfer fees. Alibaba, Microsoft= , and Oracle are also members of the alliance.
=F0=9F= =8E=81

Miscellaneous

<= /div>
<= /table>
Chrome Users Now Worth 30% = Less Money Thanks to Google's Cookie Killing, Ad Firm Says (6 minute read)<= /strong>

Google disabled tracking cookies for 30= million Chrome users last week, about 1% of the browser's user base. Analy= sts estimate that the change made cookieless users bring in 30% less revenu= e. Google plans to block cookies for all users by the end of the year and r= eplace them with a new tracking system called the Privacy Sandbox. The new = system will keep all user data on users' devices but let companies still kn= ow what topics they're interested in.
Understanding Bridge-Based = Ranking (11 minute read)

Bridge-based ranking is a way to score = and rank content by adjusting for user polarization. The algorithm works by= attempting to model why content receives the reactions it gets and then co= rrecting for bias. It can cancel out the effects of bias. This article expl= ains Bridge-Based Ranking and shows how and why it works. Bridge-based rank= ing allows communities to self-moderate by preventing influence from user p= olarization.
=E2=9A= =A1
<= tbody>

Quick Links

<= /table>
Apple Vision Pro launch qua= ntities rumored to be far tighter than previously estimated (2 minute read)=

Renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo thi= nks that Apple will have between 60,000 and 80,000 Apple Vision Pro units a= vailable on launch day.
Meta reportedly laid off 60= technical program managers at Instagram (1 minute read)

The affected employees will be given th= e chance to be interviewed to be considered for a position as a product man= ager.
Lots of ppl were asking, wh= y not an app? (4 minute read)

Making the Rabbit R1 a piece of hardwar= e allowed the company to create something capable of all the potentials of = its LAM technology while lowering entry barriers for early adopters.
Microsoft briefly tops Appl= e as most valuable public company (1 minute read)

Microsoft's shares rose in 2023 partly = due to hope from investors that the company would be able to expand by sell= ing AI services to businesses.
Discord is laying off 17 pe= rcent of employees (3 minute read)

While Discord isn't in dire financial s= traits, it has yet to become profitable and is still trying to revive user = growth after the pandemic surge.
The golden age of Kotlin an= d its uncertain future (9 minute read)

If Kotlin doesn't make a significant mo= ve by 2025, its popularity will decline and reach a critical point.

Want the best of TLDR? =F0=9F=8F=86

Refer a friend to TLDR using the referral link below, and we will send y= ou the TLDR Hall of Fame, our 50 best stories of all time!

Your Referral Link -=20 https://t= ldr.tech/tech?ref=3D6061602

Want more TLDR?

We also write newsletters for founders, AI, information security, desig= n, marketing, crypto, and web dev!

We help cutting edge companies hire world class technical talent through ou= r job listings. If you're hiring software engineers, AI/ML engineers, produ= ct managers, designers or other tech talent, click here to learn more= ..
I= f your company is interested in reaching an audience of tech executives, de= cision-makers and engineers, you may want to adve= rtise with us.

If you have = any comments or feedback, just respond to this email!

Thanks for reading,
Dan Ni and Stephe= n Flanders

If you don't want to receive future editions of TLDR, plea= se click here to unsubscribe<= /a>.

=3D"" --_qu_ibh2-- .