Notices by Sumocat 🐈‍⬛ (sumocat@mastodon.world)

@WarnerCrocker “I mourned the loss of Tablet PCs.” — It’s more the loss of the community than the form factor. My office upgraded us to 2-in-1s that we would rightfully call Tablet PCs back in the day. Old me would celebrate this, yet current me has no interest in it as a tablet because the UI remains half-assed, while TEO, ritePen, and every other tool that made my Tablet PC experience worthwhile are dead. That, the community that built those tools, is the loss we mourn.

@WarnerCrocker @dennyhenke The other guests also paid to get in. This “break” extends to the protestors outside the party. Tim Apple knew better than anyone he paid to attend an idiot’s party. He should be neither surprised nor pissed about the outcome.

@dennyhenke @WarnerCrocker Apple is getting credit/blame for cutting a deal when every computer and smartphone maker got the exemption, including Framework and Fairphone. Even Lenovo, the Chinese company that bought two American brands, is exempt. There was no deal. Trump is just an idiot loser.

“A potentially bigger problem is Beijing’s decision to restrict its exports of critical minerals to the United States.” — To verbalize a cartoon I saw: In a trade war, The Art of War beats the art of the deal.

From: @politico
https://flipboard.com/@politico/politics-u9ikh4qkz/-/a-pWeuaMr0QzGP_GM-h1qJZw%3Aa%3A3195449-%2F0

@WarnerCrocker “The next day, 6,100 mostly Hispanic names and their attached Social Security numbers were added to the Death Master File…” — So stupidly transparent.

Hard to disagree given we elected a clown as leader 🍊🤡.
You only have one chance to make a first impression, and China’s President Xi’s first impression had Trump bragging how he bombed Iraq when the strike was in Syria. Clowns can be scary but ours is just sad.

From: @verge
https://mastodon.social/@verge/114318508088744984

@WarnerCrocker @andycarolan Yes, you’re seeing it with or without ads, which means ads are not the culprit. That’s why I’m suggesting a glitch on your end.

@WarnerCrocker @andycarolan That site doesn’t even serve ads. You have a browser glitch on your end, or perhaps a sticky key if you’re on a keyboard.

@WarnerCrocker This is not that dumb of a scam in Virginia. We got rid of payment options at toll plazas, so anyone who drives through without an ez-pass gets billed to their car registration via plate readers. Scam looks a lot dumber when you’re no longer in VA.

I’ve been thinking regularly about Gene Hackman (#RIP) lately, particularly his role as Lex Luthor in the Superman movies. Lex Luthor, greatest criminal mind of our time. The crime? Drop California into the ocean to turn his cheap inland property into prime oceanfront real estate. And also nuke Hackensack, NJ, but that’s just a distraction. And later sell out all of humanity to own Australia. So outlandish that anyone would create such overwhelming chaos just to cash in on waterfront property.

Good reminder that DEI is actually DEIA: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility, and covered by Apple’s diversity and inclusion efforts. Accessibility is a signature feature for Apple, and it shows in their score.

From: @sixcolors
https://zeppelin.flights/@sixcolors/114071514758015738

@WarnerCrocker Took a few tries, but I also got it. Seems like a triumph of machine learning.

"…in the U.S. government, probationary employees refer to new hires — as well as officials who recently moved or were promoted into new positions." — This means purging probationary employees from U.S. gov creates more probationary employees as the remaining workforce shifts to fill the gaps. Tuck this fact in your pocket for later.

https://defensescoop.com/2025/02/21/dod-cuts-probationary-workforce-statement-doge-hiring-freeze/

@WarnerCrocker I mean, data speed and power consumption are directly related, and Qualcomm builds for benchmarks, so C1 will be slower. I’m just saying it’s better to concede that point and aim for efficiency. That turning off 5G remains a good way to stretch battery life shows there’s an opportunity here.

Watched the iPhone 16e video over lunch, looking at comparison now. I like how the camera array distinguishes the models 3-2-1. Selling C1 modem on efficiency is a smart move, competing where Qualcomm does not. Didn’t think I’d need a reason other than size to scratch this off consideration, but lack of MagSafe doesn’t work for me (which shows how I’ve flipped on that). More price shaving shown with 4-core GPU, presumably binned. Still, definitely seems worthy of 16 name.
#iPhone #iPhone16e

In an earlier time, a secret demand like this, intruding on users in every nation, would have met stiff rebuke from major nations. Today, I don’t know that mutually assured destruction of privacy is off the table. Mostly mutual. The wealthy can afford to protect their own privacy.

From: @macrumors
https://mastodon.social/@macrumors/113962183827205231

@WarnerCrocker Head spinning is the point. Half-assed ideas, false starts, none of it needs to go anywhere as long as it distracts from what Vance is doing.

“The S25 Ultra downgrades the smart stylus into a dumb one without Bluetooth connectivity and air control features.” — I’m so old I remember when a smart stylus meant an active digitizer, and a dumb stylus was just a stick.

From: @verge
https://mastodon.social/@verge/113929263574829077

@WarnerCrocker I appreciate everyone’s service in beta testing AI. Hopefully Apple will ship another iPhone mini so I can join you. 🤪

That said, I’m really tempted to get a new Mac Mini for media storage. Would give me limited exposure to AI, perhaps an inoculating dose? 🤔

@WarnerCrocker I wish they wouldn’t. That’s a lot of people getting hurt when Trump cuts funding to their buyouts.