I would have loved having one of these back in my D&D, GURPS, Aftermath #TTRPG days, but it won’t come cheap. Starting at $100 for the plastic model and going up from there, the Timestop D-20 will roll up to 12 D4 through D20 and has graphics for crits, and can even roll up to a D100. Oh yeah, it even tells time! #gaming #nerdculture #gadgets #tech #lofi #watches gizmodo.com/this-d-20…
technology
I guess it’s fair that #Macworld’s David Price put ‘confirmed’ in quotes, but it is potentially misleading. Sure, a Barclays analyst has seen clear evidence that the #iPhone #SE4 is likely shipping early next year, but nothing is for sure with the #Apple of today. Mid-range phones are hot these days, however, so I think this #rumor has merit. As always, we must wait and see. #tech www.macworld.com/article/2…
If you want to buy a new TV but would prefer that it were stupid, as I have for years now, then get one from Sceptre, an American electronics firm that makes Dumb TVs. We got our 55" 4K TV for $330 and, while it’s not amazing, it works great with our Apple TV box. Then you can avoid the coming madness illustrated below. #tech #advertising #television arstechnica.com/gadgets/2…
If you need any more evidence that granting an opaque black box of magical faux brains domain over data to remake at will, give this lede a quick read. AI is artificial. It is NOT intelligent, but it’s clearly dangerous. #tech #ai #law #copyright #robotapocalypse www.wired.com/story/new…
capitalism
editorial
Um. Wow. Okay… So, it’s a banana… and it’s taped to a wall… with a strip of standard silver duct tape. And it just sold at auction for $6.24 MILLION DOLLARS. Aside from being the easiest art to forge, I applaud artist Maurizio Cattelan for creating “Comedian” since it pokes the art industrial complex in the eye and the winning bid makes fools of every last art “speculator” out there. It also peeks under the veneer of stupid we’re running on these days. #art #banana #stupid www.nbcnews.com/news/us-n…
Good news, everyone! In #iOS 18.2, slated to release in a few weeks, you’ll be able to set more default apps to replace #Apple’s own apps, and in one easy-to-find place. In the US, you’ll be able to change email, messaging, calling, browser, passwords, keyboards, and a few more esoteric functions. This expands Apple’s efforts to improve customization in iOS with the release of iOS 18 and is very welcome. #tech #iPhone 9to5mac.com/2024/11/2…
I’m an American so, while the ZX Spectrum was here, it didn’t blow up like the C64, Atari, and Apple ][, and I was a TRS-80 kid ;) This looks really cool, though. You can build it yourself or order a pre-built for $99 on Crowd Supply. #retrocomputing #tech #ZXSpectrum
ESP32 Rainbow is an homage to the ZX Spectrum with an integrated display (crowdfunding) liliputing.com/esp32-rai…
LOLZ. I have a hard time believing that #Qualcomm can catch up to #Apple Silicon’s performance and efficiency levels any time soon. Has anyone evaluated the M-series generational performance gains against Moore’s Law yet? I bet those are some interesting numbers. Meanwhile, the Q hasn’t been a big draw in #Windows laptops, what with compatibility issues and lackluster performance and efficiency. #tech #ARM liliputing.com/qualcomm-…
Lame. Get a new #M4MacMini or sidegrade to #Linux and continue to benefit from your existing investment for years to come. Unsurprising, though. #Microsoft’s user market share has been slowly but steadily dropping for years now. I expect that to accelerate. #tech #windows10 www.theverge.com/2024/11/2…
Wut!? How so very bizarre. Then again, who of us wouldn’t want to fight a billionaire over the shit they pull. #videogames #internet #capitalism
Billionaire Waits Outside Supermarket To Fight Call Of Duty Fan kotaku.com/call-duty…
Wow. The hypocrisy is so thick I can’t see my own hand facepalming. #uspol #TFG www.salon.com/2024/11/2…
I’m sorry, but this is just yet another bucket full of stupid into the seemingly bottomless pit of live-action remakes of beloved animated properties coming from major studios. Animation is a medium, not a sub-standard genre. #animation #film #HowToTrainYourDragon #DreamWorks www.awn.com/news/hicc…
I’d say #Bluesky is doing pretty well against #Threads considering that it doesn’t have a #Facebook/#Instagram/#WhatsApp/#Meta/Lizardoid behind it. #socialmedia #AIsucks #EmbraceRetroTech www.engadget.com/social-me…
Well, it seems that #RiotGames is hitting back at reports that they wasted $250 million on two seasons of their #Netflix animated series, #Arcane. In short, they’re calling bullshit. The show was always supposed to be two seasons, and not the five being reported. And the cost? Apparently 80% of that is going to the #animation wizards at French studio #Fortiche, and the price tag is in service to the art and paying artists what they deserve. Fair. gizmodo.com/arcane-se…
I’ll freely admit that I avoided starting it because I expected to be forever disappointed by yet another excellent show being cancelled early and didn’t want to be left hanging. I was, however, convinced to give it a go by a fellow Mastodonian, and I …
technology
Oh my! I am soooooo in love with this at first look!! Japanese #PC case maker #SilverStone is rolling out a new 80’s-inspired desktop case design that was supposed to be an April Fool’s joke earlier this year. Apparently enough people demanded the NEC PC-9800 clone be made real they actually followed through!! It will be going on sale in Japan next year for $130 (US), but nowhere else… for now. #tech arstechnica.com/gadgets/2…
journalism
Apple
technology
When it comes to #tech press, one thing bothers me above all else; high-end reportage that ignores the bulk of users. The vast majority of people getting a #Mac probably don’t even know what a virtual machine is, much less need one. Despite this, nerd journos almost exclusively focus on the much smaller professional slice of the market. #Apple #Journalism www.macworld.com/article/2…
In short, if you want to buy a new computer and use it like an average person, go ahead and get an M4 Mac Mini base model. Grab yourself a Samsung T7 external SSD in 1 or 2TB capacity, and rest easy that your $700+ will last you for years to come. The M4 is a little terror that sips power. Your email, messaging, social media, and streaming sessions …
television
animation
Despite being cancelled after the second season (apparently the bill for production has been upwards of $250 million and it shows) #Arcane on #Netflix is an absolute, unquestionable masterpiece of #storytelling, #animation, #television, and just plain ol' #artistic excellence, and all from a little know French animation studio called #Fortiche. Even if they got to finish it, you’d never want it to end, but I understand it wraps up rather well anyway.
music
Now playing at Nothing Manor, The Police’s final album remastered and re-released in 2003, Synchronicity. #music #albums #thepolice
PROTIP: Albums are snapshots in musical time. Listen to the entire album and feel the groove, read the lyrics at the same time, and experience a little time travel 😁
If you’re old and know old #HiFi gear, you’ll be aware of the legendary #Bose #901. The good news is that they’re coming back. The bad news is that you can’t buy them. Bose will be doggedly continuing their doucheiness by only making twelve (yes, 12) sets and you can bet they won’t be cheap and, like limited run hypercars, are likely already sold. Dipshits. #audio #music gizmodo.com/bose-is-b…
politics
capitalism
As one might say, “Must be nice.” I mean, it’s not like dropping a cool quarter million plus to go on a #cruise for four years is an option for all of the people whom #TFG is likely to cause harm with his addled concepts of ideas. It certainly appears to be a thing, though. #escape #uspol www.salon.com/2024/11/1…
Apple
technology
Miffed by the power button of the new #Apple #M4 #MacMini? You’re likely a disgruntled PC user who is accustomed to having to reboot your machine frequently and are being enticed by the micro machine’s diminutive allure. Primarily, anyone who’s used a Mac for any time knows they almost never need to touch the damned thing. Sleep mode consumes an almost non-existent 1.6W of power. I reboot mine about once every 3-4 weeks. #tech #ButtonGate boingboing.net/2024/11/1…
So… a #bear trashed a Rolls Royce in #California’s Florida, San Bernardino (old Angelenos call it San Berdoo) but it turns out it wasn’t a bear but instead some #dipshit in a bear costume trying to defraud their insurance company. #fraud #JustWow boingboing.net/2024/11/1…
animation
Check out the pilot for The Art of Murder, a fully #animated #series concept from Choc Chip Studios, on #YouTube. Everything about the #animation is excellent (i.e., charatcter design, backgrounds, key framing, voice actors, soundtrack, etc.). However, pacing is a tad sluggish, there’s a little too much exposition, and I’m not overly keen on the musical numbers. I am impressed and will be following to support the artists. Nice work, peeps! youtu.be/wBaNOjORA…
video games
This is fantastic news! It appears that #Apple is finally starting to take gaming on #Mac seriously, at least in one small but significant genre; #JRPGs. On December 9th 2024 they’ll be dropping the Final Fantasy IV 3D remake and The After Years into Apple Arcade, followed on January 9th 2025 by the first Final Fantasy and Trials of Mana. The new iPad Mini would be perfect for these games! #videogames www.theverge.com/2024/11/1…
If I were still #podcasting, I’d likely get this. It’s a slick little package, and I like #Rode’s #audio gear. For $150 you get two wireless lavolier mics, a charging case, and choice of a USB-C or Lightning wireless adapter, though I only found a link for the USB-C model on Amazon. This and an iPhone makes for a nicely compact filming rig. #iPhone #Android www.engadget.com/audio/rod…