Subj : Google AI Mode ¨, hacking McDonald's ¨, Spotify's ghost artists ¨ To : tldr@synchro.net From : TLDR Date : Fri Dec 20 2024 11:34:39 --atVpj6BU Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Google is reportedly planning to add an AI Mode option to Search that wil= l enable users to get conversational answers instead of search results= =C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80= =8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0= =E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2= =A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C= =C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80= =8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2= =A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C= =C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80= =8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0= =E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2= =A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C=C2=A0=E2=80=8C= =C2=A0 Sign Up [1] |Advertise [2]|View Online [3]=20 =09=09TLDR= =20 TLDR 2024-12-20 =F0=9F=93=B1=20 BIG TECH & STARTUPS GO= OGLE TO OFFER AI-GENERATED CONVERSATIONAL ANSWERS IN SEARCH (2 MINUTE REA= D) [4]=20 Google is reportedly planning to add an AI Mode option to Sea= rch that will enable users to get conversational answers instead of searc= h results. AI Mode will be accessible via a tab near the top of the sea= rch results page. It will include links to external websites below its co= nversational answers. Other companies, such as Perplexity AI, Reddit, and= OpenAI also offer conversational AI search capabilities.=20 STARLINK'S= FIRST NATIONWIDE SATELLITE TEXTING SERVICE GOES LIVE IN NEW ZEALAND (2 M= INUTE READ) [5]=20 SpaceX's satellite-to-cell Starlink texting service = is now operational in New Zealand through telecommunications company One = NZ. Starlink texting can take up to 10 minutes or longer, but most mess= ages should be sent and received within three minutes during the initial = rollout. The service is only supported on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6, Sa= msung Galaxy Z Fold 6, Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, and OPPO Find X8 Pro - t= he list of eligible devices is expected to grow next year. The satellite = service is free for existing One NZ customers on paid-monthly plans.=20 = =F0=9F=9A=80=20 SCIENCE & FUTURISTIC TECHNOLOGY THE NEW GLENN R= OCKET'S SEVEN POWERFUL ENGINES MAY LIGHT UP AS SOON AS TODAY (3 MINUTE RE= AD) [6]=20 Blue Origin may ignite the seven main engines on its New Gle= nn rocket soon at Launch Complex-36 in Florida. It will be the final test= before the rocket goes on its debut flight. This will be the first time = Blue Origin has ever fired all of the BE-7 engines together. Blue Origin= could still launch New Glenn this year - some employees have been aske= d to work on Christmas Day.=20 =E2=80=98WORLD'S FIRST' GRID-SCALE NUCLE= AR FUSION POWER PLANT ANNOUNCED IN THE US (4 MINUTE READ) [7]=20 Virg= inia may become the site of the world's first grid-scale nuclear fusion p= ower plant - if all goes to plan. Commonwealth Fusion Systems is a startu= p that plans to make a multibillion-dollar investment into building the f= acility near Richmond. The plant will be able to produce enough energy to= power 150,000 homes. The path forward for the project is unlikely to be = smooth as the technology has not yet been proven viable.=20 = =F0=9F=92=BB=20 PROGRAMMING, DESIGN & DATA SCIENCE MIZU (WEBSITE) = [8]=20 Mizu is a lightweight and customizable JavaScript library that m= akes building powerful web apps easy. It allows developers to render co= ntent wherever it is needed however they want through user-friendly APIs.= Mizu is compatible across a wide range of JavaScript and TypeScript runt= imes and all major browsers. It adapts to developers' needs, whether they= 're serving content, generating static websites, or creating dynamic page= s in the browser, without the hassle of bundlers, transpilers, or countle= ss dependencies.=20 I'M LOVIN' IT: EXPLOITING MCDONALD'S APIS TO HIJACK= DELIVERIES AND ORDER FOOD FOR A PENNY (22 MINUTE READ) [9]=20 Flaws = in the API for the McDonald's McDelivery system in India enabled several = exploits such as the ability to order any number of menu items for = =E2=82=B91, the ability to retrieve the details of any order, the ability= to view admin KPI reports, and more. This article covers how these flaws= were discovered and how they could be exploited. It looks at the technol= ogies that the fast food company uses and explains how to secure them aga= inst attacks. McDonald's India has a bug bounty (McDonald's USA doesn't) = - the researcher was rewarded a $240 Amazon gift card.=20 =F0=9F=8E= =81=20 MISCELLANEOUS THE GHOSTS IN THE MACHINE (40 MINUTE READ) [1= 0]=20 Spotify is rumored to be filling its most popular playlists with= stock music attributed to pseudonymous musicians, or 'ghost' or 'fake'= artists, presumably to reduce royalty payouts. The company might be ma= king the tracks itself. Playlists created by the company are becoming cru= cial sources of revenue for independent artists and labels. Spotify denie= s claims that it is creating its own fake-artist tracks. This article loo= ks at these ghost artists and the evidence pointing to Spotify's role in = them.=20 THIS MAY BE THE BEST LOOK AT THE NINTENDO SWITCH 2 YET (3 MINU= TE READ) [11]=20 A Redditor claims that they have a final release Swi= tch 2 and its dock. A moderator said that the user offered sizable proof = of their claim. The Redditor confirmed that the Switch 2 will have magnet= ically attached JoyCons rather than the slide-on controls in the original= Switch. They say they will release pictures of their console on Christ= mas Day. Nintendo may be revealing the device as early as January.=20 = =E2=9A=A1=20 QUICK LINKS HUMANOID ROBOTS COMING SOON, INITIALLY UN= DER REMOTE CONTROL (9 MINUTE READ) [12]=20 1X Technologies' Neo human= oid robot is scheduled to debut in 2025 - it will not be fully autonomous= but will be paired with a human operator capable of directing the robot = from afar.=20 APPLE WATCH WITH ANDROID (9 MINUTE READ) [13]=20 It's= possible to make an Apple Watch work with an Android phone using open so= urce applications, interoperable protocols, and third-party services.=20 = CLAY (GITHUB REPO) [14]=20 Clay is a high performance 2D UI layout = library that features microsecond layout performance, a flex-box-like lay= out model for complex, responsive layouts, WebAssembly support, and more.= =20 LG'S TRANSPARENT TV IS FINALLY AVAILABLE TO BUY=E2=80=94FOR $60,000= (4 MINUTE READ) [15]=20 The LG Signature OLED T is a fully wireless = and transparent 77-inch OLED TV.=20 MICROSOFT WON'T LET CUSTOMERS OPT= OUT OF PASSKEY PUSH (5 MINUTE READ) [16]=20 Microsoft recently publi= shed a post lauding its success in convincing users to use passkeys inste= ad of passwords - it credited the uptake to unavoidable passkey solicitat= ions.=20 GOOGLE RELEASES ITS OWN =E2=80=98REASONING' AI MODEL (4 MINUTE= READ) [17]=20 Google's Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking Experimental, availab= le in AI Studio, has the ability to reason over complex problems in field= s such as programming, math, and physics.=20 Love TLDR? Tell your frie= nds and get rewards! Share your referral link below with friends to g= et free TLDR swag!=20 https://refer.tldr.tech/1fd848fa/ [18]=20 =09= =09 Track your referrals here. [19]=20 Want to advertise in TLDR? = =F0=9F=93=B0 If your company is interested in reaching an audience of= tech executives, decision-makers and engineers, you may want to ADVERTIS= E WITH US [20].=20 If you have any comments or feedback, just respond= to this email!=20 Thanks for reading,=20 Dan Ni & Stephen Flanders=20 = If you don't want to receive future editions of TLDR, please unsubscri= be from TLDR [21] or manage all of your TLDR newsletter subscriptions [22= ].=20 =20 Links: ------ [1] https://tldr.tech/signup?utm_source= =3Dtldr [2] https://advertise.tldr.tech/?utm_source=3Dtldr&utm_medium=3Dn= ewsletter&utm_campaign=3Dadvertisetopnav [3] https://a.tldrnewsletter.com= /web-version?ep=3D1&lc=3Db5bb39ac-a04f-11ee-8692-6388dbdd6fd1&p=3Dd9ae4f46-= beaa-11ef-8392-23dd71893638&pt=3Dcampaign&t=3D1734694479&s=3Db86db920636d1a= c4c97c825f32bbb4fa46df88a7f2e4c0d90f3b13ba2826a15c [4] https://www.pymnts= ..com/google/2024/google-to-offer-ai-generated-conversational-answers-in-sea= rch/?utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter [5] https://www.engadget.com/mobile/star= links-first-nationwide-satellite-texting-service-goes-live-in-new-zealand-1= 82343142.html?src=3Drss&utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter [6] https://arstechni= ca.com/space/2024/12/blue-origin-may-hot-fire-its-new-glenn-rocket-as-soon-= as-today/?utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter [7] https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/18/= climate/world-first-nuclear-fusion-power-plant-commmonwealth/index.html?utm= _source=3Dtldrnewsletter [8] https://mizu.sh/?utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter= [9] https://eaton-works.com/2024/12/19/mcdelivery-india-hack/?utm_source= =3Dtldrnewsletter [10] https://harpers.org/archive/2025/01/the-ghosts-in-= the-machine-liz-pelly-spotify-musicians/?utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter [11]= https://gizmodo.com/this-may-be-the-best-look-at-the-nintendo-switch-2-yet= -2000540930?utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter [12] https://www.theregister.com/= 2024/12/19/humanoid_robots_remote_contral/?utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter [1= 3] https://abishekmuthian.com/apple-watch-with-android/?utm_source=3Dtldrne= wsletter [14] https://github.com/nicbarker/clay?tab=3Dreadme-ov-file&utm_= source=3Dtldrnewsletter [15] https://gizmodo.com/lgs-transparent-tv-is-fi= nally-available-to-buy-for-60000-2000540501?utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter [= 16] https://www.theregister.com/2024/12/18/microsoft_passkey_push/?utm_sour= ce=3Dtldrnewsletter [17] https://techcrunch.com/2024/12/19/google-release= s-its-own-reasoning-ai-model/?utm_source=3Dtldrnewsletter [18] https://re= fer.tldr.tech/1fd848fa/ [19] https://hub.sparklp.co/sub_32edf8dd66ae/1 = [20] https://advertise.tldr.tech/?utm_source=3Dtldr&utm_medium=3Dnewsletter= &utm_campaign=3Dadvertisecta [21] https://a.tldrnewsletter.com/unsubscrib= e?ep=3D1&l=3Dcfa2d55a-b7be-11e8-a3c9-06b79b628af2&lc=3Db5bb39ac-a04f-11ee-8= 692-6388dbdd6fd1&p=3Dd9ae4f46-beaa-11ef-8392-23dd71893638&pt=3Dcampaign&pv= =3D4&spa=3D1734692449&t=3D1734694479&s=3D4948915d79330eb25484075efce0ec05fe= acf2d9945e05b904ffcc9a79a66bb7 [22] https://tldr.tech/tech/manage?email= =3Dtldr%40synchro.net --atVpj6BU Content-Type: text/html; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable TLDR
Google is = reportedly planning to add an AI Mode option to Search that will enable use= rs to get conversational answers instead of search results =E2=80=8C&n= bsp;=E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C&n= bsp;=E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C&n= bsp;=E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C&n= bsp;=E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C&n= bsp;=E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C&n= bsp; =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2= =80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2= =80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2= =80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2= =80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2=80=8C =E2= =80=8C =E2=80=8C 

TLDR

TLDR 2024-12-20

=F0=9F= =93=B1

Big Tech & Startups

Google to Offer AI-Generate= d Conversational Answers in Search (2 minute read)

Google is reportedly planning to add an= AI Mode option to Search that will enable users to get conversational answ= ers instead of search results. AI Mode will be accessible via a tab near th= e top of the search results page. It will include links to external website= s below its conversational answers. Other companies, such as Perplexity AI,= Reddit, and OpenAI also offer conversational AI search capabilities.
Starlink's first nationwide= satellite texting service goes live in New Zealand (2 minute read)

SpaceX's satellite-to-cell Starlink tex= ting service is now operational in New Zealand through telecommunications c= ompany One NZ. Starlink texting can take up to 10 minutes or longer, but mo= st messages should be sent and received within three minutes during the ini= tial rollout. The service is only supported on the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6,= Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, and OPPO Find X8 Pro - = the list of eligible devices is expected to grow next year. The satellite s= ervice is free for existing One NZ customers on paid-monthly plans.
=F0=9F= =9A=80

Science & Futuristic Technology

The New Glenn rocket's seve= n powerful engines may light up as soon as today (3 minute read)

Blue Origin may ignite the seven main e= ngines on its New Glenn rocket soon at Launch Complex-36 in Florida. It wil= l be the final test before the rocket goes on its debut flight. This will b= e the first time Blue Origin has ever fired all of the BE-7 engines togethe= r. Blue Origin could still launch New Glenn this year - some employees have= been asked to work on Christmas Day.
=E2=80=98World's first' gri= d-scale nuclear fusion power plant announced in the US (4 minute read)

Virginia may become the site of the wor= ld's first grid-scale nuclear fusion power plant - if all goes to plan. Com= monwealth Fusion Systems is a startup that plans to make a multibillion-dol= lar investment into building the facility near Richmond. The plant will be = able to produce enough energy to power 150,000 homes. The path forward for = the project is unlikely to be smooth as the technology has not yet been pro= ven viable.
=F0=9F= =92=BB

Programming, Design & Data Science

Mizu (Website)

Mizu is a lightweight and customizable = JavaScript library that makes building powerful web apps easy. It allows de= velopers to render content wherever it is needed however they want through = user-friendly APIs. Mizu is compatible across a wide range of JavaScript an= d TypeScript runtimes and all major browsers. It adapts to developers' need= s, whether they're serving content, generating static websites, or creating= dynamic pages in the browser, without the hassle of bundlers, transpilers,= or countless dependencies.
I'm Lovin' It: Exploiting M= cDonald's APIs to hijack deliveries and order food for a penny (22 minute r= ead)

Flaws in the API for the McDonald's McD= elivery system in India enabled several exploits such as the ability to ord= er any number of menu items for =E2=82=B91, the ability to retrieve the det= ails of any order, the ability to view admin KPI reports, and more. This ar= ticle covers how these flaws were discovered and how they could be exploite= d. It looks at the technologies that the fast food company uses and explain= s how to secure them against attacks. McDonald's India has a bug bounty (Mc= Donald's USA doesn't) - the researcher was rewarded a $240 Amazon gift card= ..
=F0=9F= =8E=81

Miscellaneous

<= /div>
The Ghosts in the Machine (= 40 minute read)

Spotify is rumored to be filling its mo= st popular playlists with stock music attributed to pseudonymous musicians,= or 'ghost' or 'fake' artists, presumably to reduce royalty payouts. The co= mpany might be making the tracks itself. Playlists created by the company a= re becoming crucial sources of revenue for independent artists and labels. = Spotify denies claims that it is creating its own fake-artist tracks. This = article looks at these ghost artists and the evidence pointing to Spotify's= role in them.
This May Be the Best Look a= t the Nintendo Switch 2 Yet (3 minute read)

A Redditor claims that they have a fina= l release Switch 2 and its dock. A moderator said that the user offered siz= able proof of their claim. The Redditor confirmed that the Switch 2 will ha= ve magnetically attached JoyCons rather than the slide-on controls in the o= riginal Switch. They say they will release pictures of their console on Chr= istmas Day. Nintendo may be revealing the device as early as January.
=E2=9A= =A1

Quick Links

Humanoid robots coming soon= , initially under remote control (9 minute read)

1X Technologies' Neo humanoid robot is = scheduled to debut in 2025 - it will not be fully autonomous but will be pa= ired with a human operator capable of directing the robot from afar.
Apple Watch with Android (9= minute read)

It's possible to make an Apple Watch wo= rk with an Android phone using open source applications, interoperable prot= ocols, and third-party services.
Clay (GitHub Repo)

Clay is a high performance 2D UI layout= library that features microsecond layout performance, a flex-box-like layo= ut model for complex, responsive layouts, WebAssembly support, and more.
LG's Transparent TV Is Fina= lly Available to Buy=E2=80=94for $60,000 (4 minute read)

The LG Signature OLED T is a fully wire= less and transparent 77-inch OLED TV.
Microsoft won't let custome= rs opt out of passkey push (5 minute read)

Microsoft recently published a post lau= ding its success in convincing users to use passkeys instead of passwords -= it credited the uptake to unavoidable passkey solicitations.
Google releases its own =E2= =80=98reasoning' AI model (4 minute read)

Google's Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking Expe= rimental, available in AI Studio, has the ability to reason over complex pr= oblems in fields such as programming, math, and physics.

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Thanks for reading,
Dan Ni & Stephen Flanders


If you don't want to receive fu= ture editions of TLDR, please unsubscribe = from TLDR or manage all of your TLDR newsletter subscriptions<= /a>.
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