Today’s Byte Size News

iOS 18's Mysterious Safari Assistant

Those of you who keep your eyeballs glued to the world of Apple (don't lie, we know you're out there) have something new to whisper about. We've heard rumors of iOS 18 featuring a so-called Safari browsing assistant. Alas, the details about this mysterious helper are as elusive as Bigfoot on a foggy night. Apple is admittedly also cranking up their tech-hamster wheel on an 'Encrypted Visual Search' feature in the meantime. Mark it on your calendars, the big unveil will reportedly take place at Apple's WWDC keynote on June 10. Oh, the juicy anticipation!

Google Waves a Magic Wand Over Google Photos

Google has kindly dared to play the fairy godmother and endowed all Google Photos users with 'previously exclusive' editing features, for free. Goodies in the freebie basket include AI-powered wizards like Magic Editor, Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur and Portrait Light. Magic is fun, but it has its terms and conditions: these widgets only work on devices running Android 8.0 or iOS 15 or higher and on Chromebook Plus devices that boast at least 3GB RAM and ChromeOS version 118+. The rollout starts on May 15, so don't hold your breath—patience is a virtue, remember?

Astranis’s Plan for Super Fast Space Internet

Just when you thought satellites couldn't get cooler, Astranis pops out of the woodwork with their new Omega 'Microgeo' Satellites. These beasties promise faster broadband from high orbit than your own hard-working neighborhood satellite. Tiny but mighty, these satellites are a dream for those looking to surf the web at lightspeed (metaphorically speaking, of course). The ambitious plan is to launch as many as a whopping 24 per year to orbit, starting in 2026. Buckle up, folks, high-speed space-internet is on the horizon.

Vaccine Hope For Cancer Patients? Moderna Thinks so!

Pharmaceutical powerhouse Moderna may just have a ray of hope for treating melanoma and other head and neck cancers. Their mRNA cancer vaccine showed a survival rate boost during an early trial when combined with immunotherapy treatments. This unexpected star quality sent Moderna's share price on its very own space mission. We'll keep you updated on how this story develops.

Shell History: The Unsung Hero of Productivity

Apparently, Shell History is the productivity Superman that's been hiding amongst us all along, doubling as a documentation and command reference. ZSH users can easily follow the lead of these tips to turbo-charge their shell history usage. It's about time someone sang praises for the unsung hero of productivity, don't you think?

Client Libraries Without APIs: What Sorcery is This?

Ever stumbled upon a client library with, hold your breath, no API? Well, csvbase uses one: it pulls dataframes using any dataframe library that uses the fsspec standard file system interface library. This might seem like tech-jargon, but it comes with built-in adaptors for a bunch of handy platforms. It's like finding a magic lamp in the coding desert.

Deciphering Google’s High-Tech DNA

In the ocean of tech giants, Google has always claimed the crowning glory for AI infrastructure. It's the Troy of AI platforms, and its infrastructure has helped companies transform with sheer bravado. But what might this mean about Google's innate ability to compete? Will they keep the same business model or pull a chameleon? One thing's for sure, their love for overwhelming infrastructure seems to be stubbornly sticking to their DNA.

Browsers Sprout Wings After EU’s DMA Choice Screen Mandate

A month since the Digital Markets Act plopped into application, it seems to be giving smaller browser makers a good old leg-up. The new rules require internet gatekeepers to display browser choice screens pointing users to the alternate universe of other browsers. Seems like this browser horoscope has made several companies “see stars” as they share stories of increased interest. Albeit, some regional mobile users are still waiting for their choice screens. But doesn’t anticipation double the joy?