#best new gadgets to buy

[gadget-emporia]

Best Buy New Gadgets – Reasons to Invest in the Latest Tech Gadgets 

There is no denying that new tech gadgets are announced all the time. Best buy new gadgets will not only help you in making your life easier, but they can help you stay safe and healthy as well. If you ever feel why you should invest in the latest tech gadgets and let’s just go back to the stone age, here are some reasons to change your mind.  

Convenience:

We have overcome the era of managing numerous gadgets or navigating through weird interfaces. Modern gadgets help simplify our lives. For instance, the smartphone is one such gadget. From the essential tools that help in communicating to the all-in-one life managers – there is an app for that. It is easy to integrate the conveniences into the daily life. With intuitive interfaces and seamless connectivity, you can perform the daily tasks once they are done through multiple devices and trips to different locations on a single device. Users can manage security systems and appliances using voice commands by tapping their phones.  

Increasing Productivity:

This is another crucial factor in why you should invest in best-buy new gadgets. The latest gadgets are designed to integrate work processes in a single device. This makes the work much more efficient. The cloud-connected devices can help you keep all the files at your fingertips. Some AI-powered assistants schedule the meetings. You can set reminders and outline emails – eliminating the mental stress. With such technologies, you won’t just buy a device but upgrade yourself to ensure things are done as and when they should.  

Stay Connected with the World:

We are living in an interconnected world. It is crucial to stay in touch. Distance doesn’t matter anymore, especially with chats and video calls. We can now see and talk in real-time, even if the person is miles away. Choosing new tech gadgets to buy, like smartwatches, helps you stay connected but not stick to your phone. Such inconspicuous devices alert you to important messages or calls, ensuring you don’t miss a beat. Currently, the devices are designed in such a way that they are integrated with social media for a seamless and instant sharing experience with your network.  

Health and Wellness Integration:

The new tech gadgets to buy are not just for fun and work but can also help you improve your health and fitness. There are fitness trackers that monitor heart rates, sleep patterns, and stress levels that lead to lifestyle changes. There are ECG capabilities and fall detection. These are life-saving features of smartwatches for those with health concerns.  

Even our phones can become health buddies with apps that can guide you with meditation sessions, track nutrition or connect you with telemedicine services. Investing in these technologies, you can opt for a healthier and much more balanced life instead of a simple gadget-buying experience. The data and insights motivate you to make positive changes.  

[giftshub]

Buy tech gadgets shop In delhi | Gifts hub

Buy tech gadgets shop In delhi | Gifts Hub, Delhi, is the all-in-one destination for the latest and coolest electronic gadgets. Name it, from the newest to wireless accessories and cool tech gifts; we have them all. We maintain an extensive inventory of top-of-the-line gadgets from leading manufacturers so that every choice fits all pockets. It's one place where one can shop for themselves or gift someone on a special occasion. Gifts Hub guarantees unmatchable quality and innovation.

[techtoio]

The Best Tablets for Every Budget: A Buying Guide

Introduction

Tablets bridge the gap between smartphones and laptops, offering portability with a larger screen size and advanced functionality. As technology continues to evolve, the market is flooded with options that cater to different needs and budgets. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the top choices in various price ranges, ensuring you find the perfect tablet that meets your requirements without breaking the bank. Read to continue link

[lifestyleloot]

Top 30 Innovative Kitchen Gadgets for 2024: Revolutionize Your Culinary Experience

Welcome to the 2024 Innovative Kitchen Gadgets Revolution! Gone are the days when the kitchen was just a room for cooking. Welcome to 2024, where kitchens are practically space stations, and the gadgets? Well, they’re nothing short of sci-fi! You thought your smartphone was the peak of technology? Wait till you meet these kitchen gadgets – they’re so advanced, they might start giving you life…

[ytmarketing001]

Get ready to take your espionage game to the next level with this must-see video showcasing the latest and greatest in spy gadgets technology. In this video, we'll discuss the top 10 covert tech gadgets every spy enthusiast that needs to see.

👉Subscribe to my channel to stay tuned:    / @techwidgets720  

Each spy gadget product featured in this video is available for purchase, so you can start spying like a pro in no time. Whether you're a professional spy or just a curious individual, these gadgets will give you the tools you need to gather information discreetly. From spy cameras to tracking devices, these gadgets will help you stay ahead of the game.

These gadgets are essential for keeping an eye on your techy life. If you're constantly worrying about where your phone is, who's been watching your videos, or what you said in your last conversation, then you need to add these spy gadgets to your arsenal.

In this exciting countdown, we'll showcase the most innovative and advanced spy gadgets available today. From hidden cameras to lock pick sets, each gadget serves a specific purpose in enhancing your spy skills. Get ready to discover the ultimate tools of the trade!

If you're a spy lover or just interested in technology, then you need to check out this video. We'll take a look at some of the best covert tech gadgets on the market, and why you should be wearing them (or having them installed) in your life.

We hope you found this video both informative and intriguing. If you enjoyed it, don't forget to give it a thumbs up and subscribe to our channel for more exciting content. Let us know in the comments which banned gadget surprised you the most or if there are any other gadgets you'd like us to explore in future videos.

[wisewonders2]

Best Place to Buy Formal Shoes Online | Wise Wonders

Shop for men and women formal shoes at the best place online named Wise Wonders. See the latest styles like british, us and many more.

[needtricks-blog]

5 Must Have Mobile Accessories in 2023

5 Must Have Mobile Accessories in 2023. In the fast-paced world we live in, mobile phones have become a necessity for everyone. From basic communication to online shopping, we rely heavily on our phones. (more…) “”

[morallygreymf]

merry ☃️࿌ིྀ྇⋆ᘓમ૨ıડτന੨ડ⋆࿌ིྀ྇☃️ to those who celebrate it yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay

[satoritech]

Christmas tech gift guide 2022 – our best last-minute gadgets to buy right now

Christmas tech gift guide 2022 – our best last-minute gadgets to buy right now

CHRISTMAS is nearly here, so it’s time to fill those stockings to the brim with gadget goodness.We’ve rounded up our favourite tech gadgets that you can buy for Christmas 2022, and we’ve tested every single one of them – so you don’t have to.Christ Read Full Text

[jasmines-library]

Heyy

May I pleaseee request a Damian x reader hc whereee they're friends? Just hc on how it would work out, especially if reader is super hyper and kinda-sorta weird? Thank youuu‼️

⛤⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽⛧☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅⛤

Note:Hey! This idea is so cute! sorry for the mega wait!

⛧ BATFAM MASTERLIST ⛧

⛤⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽⛧☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅⛤

first thing's first: Damian is hyper.

whilst he may put on a calm and collected front to seem disinterested when he's with his brothers, as soon as he is with you, he is the total opposite.

and, with your high energy, it's the perfect combination for mischief.

The pair of you are complete trouble makers.

the two of you were always finding a way to cause chaos around the bunker. Weather that was shifting objects a few inches to throw people off, replacing the sugar with salt, stealing all of Jason's chargers or taking the batteries out of all of the TV remotes, you always found a way to do something mischievous.

If you two weren't at the manor, Damian would find a way to spoil you.

He would constantly buy you things. Never with his own money of course. He would either haggle Bruce for money or simply steal it. Or in his words 'borrow it for an extended period of time with little to no intentions of paying it back'. Not that Bruce noticed anyway.

He would treat you to trinkets or chocolates that the two of you would eat at all of the best spots in Gotham.

Damian would know many spots for the two of you to hang out in that he discovers on his patrol.

If you knew about his identity, it would add a whole new level to your friendship.

He would probably deny your accusations at first. But when he opens up to it the two of you would get up to even more mischief.

Dami would proudly show you all of the gadgets in the cave or even help with basic training. He would be rather protective so would want to make sure that you can keep yourself safe.

He would take you to cool spots across the city and tell you stories of the villains and criminals he had defeated there.

Damian would treasure your friendship more than anything. If he could lock it in a safe he would.

He would 100% do anything you needed without batting an eye.

⛤⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽⛧☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅⛤

BATFAM TAGS

@aestheticdaisies @hearts4robs @xxrougefangxx @hell-o-kittys @harleycao @batfamsstuff @alicedawitchbish @killxz @rosecentury

⛤⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽⛧☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅⛤

[naviiq]

sugardaddy!gojo is the kind of man who knows how to spoil you, both with his money and, more importantly, with his time and attention. imagine a luxurious dinner at a fancy rooftop restaurant where the world feels like it's just the two of you. while the city skyline twinkles, he leans in and whispers something sweet in your ear, his hand resting casually on your knee under the table. he’s the type to show up with a new designer bag, just because he thought it would look perfect on you, or a trip to an exotic beach destination for no reason other than the fact that you deserve it. but the best part? he’s not showing off. he’s just genuinely enjoying making your life easier, more comfortable.

sugardaddy!gojo loves the way your face lights up when he surprises you with something special. whether it’s a rare perfume you’ve had your eye on for ages or a long shopping spree, just to see your eyes sparkle. he’s the kind of guy who knows exactly what you want before you even say it, reading your expressions and picking up on the smallest details. he’ll laugh, looking at you with that smirk, teasing you about how easy it is to make you happy, but deep down, he cherishes these moments. your happiness is like his favorite thing to collect, more valuable than any expensive piece of jewelry or car.

when you’re with sugardaddy!gojo, everything feels like a VIP experience. he’ll arrange surprise dates in places no one else can access, giving you that feeling of being the center of his world. he’s not just throwing money at you, he’s offering you his undivided attention, ensuring every moment feels tailored to you. the way he pampers you with thoughtful gestures, whether it's picking up your favorite snack when you’ve had a long day or sending you a handwritten note to let you know he’s thinking about you, shows just how much he truly cares. it’s not about the price tag; it’s about making you feel special in a way that no one else can.

sugardaddy!gojo who sends you cute little texts throughout the day, voice messages that are full of sweet words. when you’re together, he knows just how to spoil you with affection. whether it’s holding your hand and brushing his thumb over your knuckles, or pulling you into a tight hug just to make sure you feel his warmth. he’s the kind of guy who showers you with attention without overwhelming you.

at the end of the day, sugardaddy!gojo isn’t about flaunting his wealth; it’s about making you feel seen, loved, and appreciated. when you're in his arms, tucked away in his cozy penthouse or curled up with him on a lazy sunday morning, you know that the best thing he’s offering isn’t just the luxury— it’s the way he cares for you with all the softness, affection, and dedication that money can’t buy. his time, his love, his touch, and his unwavering attention to detail are the real gifts he gives.

but sugardaddy!gojo is all about the finer things in life and making sure you're living in luxury, too. he spoils you in ways that feel effortless, always showing up with gifts you didn’t even ask for but absolutely need. designer clothes, shiny new gadgets, that one rare necklace you mentioned in passing months ago, nothing is too much when it comes to you. he loves to watch your eyes light up when he surprises you, and the way you thank him with a kiss on the cheek makes it all worth it.

whenever you’re together, sugardaddy!gojo makes sure you’re always the center of attention. whether you’re out at a fancy dinner or tucked away in a private lounge, he’ll keep his eyes on you, making you feel like the only person in the room. during dinner, he leans in close, his voice low as he whispers something flirty. he always makes sure to remind you just how beautiful you are, like you’ve never heard it enough.

after the night winds down, you find yourself alone in his penthouse. as soon as the door shuts, sugardaddy!gojo’s lips are on yours— no hesitation, no waiting. it’s slow at first, soft, his fingers gently brushing your cheek as he kisses you like he’s savoring every moment. but then his hands slide down your back, pulling you closer, and you feel the heat between you both rise. you’re pressed against him, his hips gently rutting into yours and the kiss deepens, his lips moving against yours with hurry.

he lifts you with ease, pinning you against the wall with a firm grip on your hips, his lips trailing down your neck as you gasp softly, tilting your head to the side for better access. his hands move to the hem of your dress, fingers slipping beneath it to caress the soft skin of your thighs.

then he moves you toward the bed, hands roaming over your body. with each touch, he’s marking you— his way of reminding you that you're his in every sense of the word. the night goes on with moans and gasps, and the occasional cry as you ride your pleasure out on his long, mean cock.

[deathmetalunicorn1]

How would the One Piece Straw Hat pirates interact with Yor Forger reader?

-It was a chance meeting, when you met Luffy the first time; you were going after a target, working as a bounty hunter, after you landed in this new and strange world, one you seemed to fit in with, with your raw strength.

-Your target ran into Luffy, knocking the take-out box he was eating out of his hands, sending it to the floor before you leapt over Luffy, dodging him as he was lamenting his food before he chased after the two of you.

-You leapt up, twirling in the air as if you were dancing as you took out your target. Luffy was sparkly eyed, “So cool! You were amazing!!” you were panicking that you had been seen by him, remembering your old life where you had to leave no witnesses.

-It was like night and day with you, when you were on a job you were so icy, so serious, but you were so sweet to Luffy, offering to buy him another takeout, which made him cheer loudly before he asked you to join his crew, “We need an assassin!”

-You were flattered, but you were grateful for his assistance in giving you more stable work and a home, and you instantly agreed.

-When you arrived on the ship, Sanji and Brook were both cheering loudly, seeing another beauty on board, and while a bit shy at first with them, you grew to like them, finding them amusing.

-Zoro could instantly tell that you were way stronger than you let on, as did Jinbei and Robin, as if they could sense your power, but as Usopp and Chopper reported, after they followed you, you were kind of an air head, trying to learn to cook alongside Nami and Sanji.

-Nami liked you, you had a vibe about you that was just soothing to her, you were intelligent but also a bit ditzy, you were a hard worker, and you never gave up.

-Franky thought you were interesting, as you were amazed by his inventions, Usopp’s as well, telling them how you came from another world, telling them about the gadget you remember seeing.

-When another pirate ship attacked, everyone was ready to go on the assault before Luffy beamed brightly, “Y/N! Show us what you can do!” you were startled by his praise before you beamed brightly, pulling out your weapons with a bright smile, “I’ll do my best!”

-You stepped up onto the ledge of the ship, inhaling deeply while the others were all watching, curious as to what you were able to do before you took off like a shot.

-Screams quickly filled the air as you shot around, your weapons catching the light here and there as you shot through the enemy crew, using your deadly precision.

-As you struck down the last one you leapt up, landing in a crouch position on your ship. Several of your crew members were wide-eyed and their jaws on the floor, stunned by your skills as you squeaked lightly, looking a bit embarrassed, “Forgive me- I’m not used to others watching!”

-Their loud cheer took you off guard, surprising you as Luffy and Chopper leapt into your arms, all of them praising you on how amazing you were. You couldn’t help but smile, hugging them back- you were so happy to find such lovely people in this new world!!

[giftshub]

One Of The Best Online Gifts Store in India | gifts hub

One Of The Best Online Gifts Store in India. Looking for the perfect gift to surprise your loved ones? Look no further than Gifts Hub, one of India's premier online gift stores! We offer a wide selection of unique and thoughtful gifts for every occasion. Whether it's birthdays, anniversaries, festivals, or just because—our curated collection has something for everyone. Gifts hub.

[techtoio]

How to Choose the Best Drone for Your Aerial Photography

Introduction

In the dynamic world of aerial photography, drones have revolutionized how we capture stunning landscapes, events, and unique perspectives from above. Whether you are a hobbyist or a professional photographer, choosing the right drone is crucial for achieving the best results. With a myriad of options available, making an informed decision can be overwhelming. This guide from TechtoIO aims to simplify the process, providing you with comprehensive insights on how to choose the best drone for your aerial photography needs. Read to continue link

[mostlysignssomeportents]

The paradox of choice screens

I'm coming to BURNING MAN! On TUESDAY (Aug 27) at 1PM, I'm giving a talk called "DISENSHITTIFY OR DIE!" at PALENQUE NORTE (7&E). On WEDNESDAY (Aug 28) at NOON, I'm doing a "Talking Caterpillar" Q&A at LIMINAL LABS (830&C).

It's official: the DOJ has won its case, and Google is a convicted monopolist. Over the next six months, we're gonna move into the "remedy" phase, where we figure out what the court is going to order Google to do to address its illegal monopoly power:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/08/07/revealed-preferences/#extinguish-v-improve

That's just the beginning, of course. Even if the court orders some big, muscular remedies, we can expect Google to appeal (they've already said they would) and that could drag out the case for years. But that can be a feature, not a bug: a years-long appeal will see Google on its very best behavior, with massive, attendant culture changes inside the company. A Google that's fighting for its life in the appeals court isn't going to be the kind of company that promotes a guy whose strategy for increasing revenue is to make Google Search deliberately worse, so that you will have to do more searches (and see more ads) to get the info you're seeking:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/24/naming-names/#prabhakar-raghavan

It's hard to overstate how much good stuff can emerge from a company that's mired itself in antitrust hell with extended appeals. In 1982, IBM wriggled off the antitrust hook after a 12-year fight that completely transformed the company's approach to business. After more than a decade of being micromanaged by lawyers who wanted to be sure that the company didn't screw up its appeal and anger antitrust enforcers, IBM's executives were totally transformed. When the company made its first PC, it decided to use commodity components (meaning anyone could build a similar PC by buying the same parts), and to buy its OS from an outside vendor called Micros-Soft (meaning competing PCs could use the same OS), and it turned a blind eye to the company that cloned the PC ROM, enabling companies like Dell, Compaq and Gateway to enter the market with "PC clones" that cost less and did more than the official IBM PC:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/08/ibm-pc-compatible-how-adversarial-interoperability-saved-pcs-monopolization

The big question, of course, is whether the court will order Google to break up, say, by selling off Android, its ad-tech stack, and Chrome. That's a question I'll address on another day. For today, I want to think about how to de-monopolize browsers, the key portal to the internet. The world has two extremely dominant browsers, Safari and Chrome, and each of them are owned by an operating system vendor that pre-installs their own browser on their devices and pre-selects them as the default.

Defaults matter. That's a huge part of Judge Mehta's finding in the Google case, where the court saw evidence from Google's own internal research suggesting that people rarely change defaults, meaning that whatever the gadget does out of the box it will likely do forever. This puts a lie to Google's longstanding defense of its monopoly power: "choice is just a click away." Sure, it's just a click away – a click, you're pretty sure no one is ever going to make.

This means that any remedy to Google's browser dominance is going to involve a lot of wrangling about defaults. That's not a new wrangle, either. For many years, regulators and tech companies have tinkered with "choice screens" that were nominally designed to encourage users to try out different browsers and brake the inertia of the big two browsers that came bundled with OSes.

These choice screens have a mixed record. Google's 2019 Android setup choice screen for the European Mobile Application Distribution Agreement somehow managed to result in the vast majority of users sticking with Chrome. Microsoft had a similar experience in 2010 with BrowserChoice.eu, its response to the EU's 2000s-era antitrust action:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BrowserChoice.eu

Does this mean that choice screens don't work? Maybe. The idea of choice screens comes to us from the "choice architecture" world of "nudging," a technocratic pseudoscience that grew to prominence by offering the promise that regulators could make big changes without having to do any real regulating:

https://verfassungsblog.de/nudging-after-the-replication-crisis/

Nudge research is mired in the "replication crisis" (where foundational research findings turn out to be nonreplicable, due to bad research methodology, sloppy analysis, etc) and nudge researchers keep getting caught committing academic fraud:

https://www.ft.com/content/846cc7a5-12ee-4a44-830e-11ad00f224f9

When the first nudgers were caught committing fraud, more than a decade ago, they were assumed to be outliers in an otherwise honest and exciting field:

https://www.npr.org/2016/10/01/496093672/power-poses-co-author-i-do-not-believe-the-effects-are-real

Today, it's hard to find much to salvage from the field. To the extent the field is taken seriously today, it's often due to its critics repeating the claims of its boosters, a process Lee Vinsel calls "criti-hype":

https://sts-news.medium.com/youre-doing-it-wrong-notes-on-criticism-and-technology-hype-18b08b4307e5

For example, the term "dark patterns" lumps together really sneaky tactics with blunt acts of fraud. When you click an "opt out of cookies" button and get a screen that says "Success!" but which has a tiny little "confirm" button on it that you have to click to actually opt out, that's not a "dark pattern," it's just a scam:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/03/27/beware-of-the-leopard/#relentless

By ascribing widespread negative effects to subtle psychological manipulation ("dark patterns") rather than obvious and blatant fraud, we inadvertently elevate "nudging" to a real science, rather than a cult led by scammy fake scientists.

All this raises some empirical questions about choice screens: do they work (in the sense of getting people to break away from defaults), and if so, what's the best way to make them work?

This is an area with a pretty good literature, as it turns out, thanks in part due to some natural experiments, like when Russia forced Google to offer choice screens for Android in 2017, but didn't let Google design that screen. The Russian policy produced a significant switch away from Google's own apps to Russian versions, primarily made by Yandex:

https://cepr.org/publications/dp17779

In 2023, Mozilla Research published a detailed study in which 12,000 people from Germany, Spain and Poland set up simulated mobile and desktop devices with different kinds of choice screens, a project spurred on by the EU's Digital Markets Act, which is going to mandate choice screens starting this year:

https://research.mozilla.org/browser-competition/choicescreen/

I'm spending this week reviewing choice screen literature, and I've just read the Mozilla paper, which I found very interesting, albeit limited. The biggest limitation is that the researchers are getting users to simulate setting up a new device and then asking them how satisfied they are with the experience. That's certainly a question worth researching, but a far more important question is "How do users feel about the setup choices they made later, after living with them on the devices they use every day?" Unfortunately, that's a much more expensive and difficult question to answer, and beyond the scope of this paper.

With that limitation in mind, I'm going to break down the paper's findings here and draw some conclusions about what we should be looking for in any kind of choice screen remedy that comes out of the DOJ antitrust victory over Google.

The first thing note is that people report liking choice screens. When users get to choose their browsers, they expect to be happy with that choice; by contrast, users are skeptical that they'll like the default browser the vendor chose for them. Users don't consider choice screens to be burdensome, and adding a choice screen doesn't appreciably increase setup time.

There are some nuances to this. Users like choice screens during device setup but they don't like choice screens that pop up the first time they use a browser. That makes total sense: "choosing a browser" is colorably part of the "setting up your gadget" task. By contrast, the first time you open a browser on a new device, it's probably to get something else done (e.g. look up how to install a piece of software you used on your old device) and being interrupted with a choice screen at that moment is an unwelcome interruption. This is the psychology behind those obnoxious cookie-consent pop-ups that website bombard you with when you first visit them: you've clicked to that website because you need something it has, and being stuck with a privacy opt-out screen at that moment is predictably frustrating (which is why companies do it, and also why the DMA is going to punish companies that do).

The researchers experimented with different kinds of choice screens, varying the number of browsers on offer and the amount of information given on each. Again, users report that they prefer more choices and more information, and indeed, more choice and more info is correlated with choosing indie, non-default browsers, but this effect size is small (<10%), and no matter what kind of choice screen users get, most of them come away from the experience without absorbing any knowledge about indie browsers.

The order in which browsers are presented has a much larger effect than how many browsers or how much detail is present. People say they want lots of choices, but they usually choose one of the first four options. That said, users who get choice screens say it changes which browser they'd choose as a default.

Some of these contradictions appear to stem from users' fuzziness on what "default browser" means. For an OS vendor, "default browser" is the browser that pops up when you click a link in an email or social media. For most users, "default browser" means "the browser pinned to my home screen."

Where does all this leave us? I think it cashes out to this: choice screens will probably make a appreciable, but not massive, difference in browser dominance. They're cheap to implement, have no major downsides, and are easy to monitor. Choice screens might be needed to address Chrome's dominance even if the court orders Google to break off Chrome and stand it up as a separate business (we don't want any browser monopolies, even if they're not owned by a search monopolist!). So yeah, we should probably make a lot of noise to the effect that the court should order a choice screen, as part of a remedy.

That choice screen should be presented during device setup, with the choices presented in random order – with this caveat: Chrome should never appear in the top four choices.

All of that would help address the browser duopoly, even if it doesn't solve it. I would love to see more market-share for Firefox, which is the browser I've used every day for more than a decade, on my laptop and my phone. Of course, Mozilla has a role to play here. The company says it's going to refocus on browser quality, at the expense of the various side-hustles it's tried, which have ranged from uninteresting to catastrophically flawed:

https://www.fastcompany.com/91167564/mozilla-wants-you-to-love-firefox-again

For example, there was the tool to automatically remove your information from scummy data brokers, that they outsourced to a scummy data-broker:

https://www.theverge.com/2024/3/22/24109116/mozilla-ends-onerep-data-removal-partnership

And there's the "Privacy Preserving Attribution" tracking system that helps advertisers target you with surveillance advertising (in a way that's less invasive than existing techniques). Mozilla rolled this into Firefox on an opt out basis, and made opting out absurdly complicated, suggesting that it knew that it was imposing something on its users that they wouldn't freely choose:

https://blog.privacyguides.org/2024/07/14/mozilla-disappoints-us-yet-again-2/

They've been committing these kinds of unforced errors for more than a decade, seeking some kind of balance between monopolistic web companies and its users' desire to have a browser that protects them from invasive and unfair practices:

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/may/14/firefox-closed-source-drm-video-browser-cory-doctorow

These compromises represent the fallacy that Mozilla's future depends on keeping bullying entertainment companies and Big Tech happy, so it can go on serving its users. At the same time, these compromises have alienated Mozilla's core users, the technical people who were its fiercest evangelists. Those core users are the authority on technical questions for the normies in their life, and they know exactly how cursed it is for Moz to be making these awful compromises.

Moz has hemorrhaged users over the past decade, meaning they have even less leverage over the corporations demanding that they make more compromises. This sets up a doom loop: make a bad compromise, lose users, become more vulnerable to demands for even worse compromises. "This capitulation puts us in a great position to make a stand in some hypothetical future where we don't instantly capitulate again" is a pretty unconvincing proposition.

After the past decade's heartbreaks, seeing Moz under new leadership makes me cautiously hopeful. Like I say, I am dependent on Firefox and want an independent, principled browser vendor that sees their role as producing a "user agent" that is faithful to its users' interests above all else:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/05/07/treacherous-computing/#rewilding-the-internet

Of course, Moz depends on Google's payment for default search placement for 90% of its revenue. If Google can't pay for this in the future, the org is going to have to find another source of revenue. Perhaps that will be the EU, or foundations, or users. In any of these cases, the org will find it much easier to raise funds if it is standing up for its users – not compromising on their interests.

Community voting for SXSW is live! If you wanna hear RIDA QADRI and me talk about how GIG WORKERS can DISENSHITTIFY their jobs with INTEROPERABILITY, VOTE FOR THIS ONE!

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/08/12/defaults-matter/#make-up-your-mind-already

Image: ICMA Photos (modified) https://www.flickr.com/photos/icma/3635981474/

CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/

[harfanfare]

I like to think that romance with Idia widely differs depending on the time you’ve been in a romantic relationship.

1. “Just started dating” stage.

If you're reading Idia fanfiction, there is an 80% chance this is the stage your relationship is on.

Idia is… treating you like a very precious stranger. He's on his toes and seeks your approval in whatever he's doing. He is going to great lengths to understand the theory of dating and your hobbies - so you can maybe share even more interests - but won’t really act on anything.

He’s constantly surprised by every romantic move you make and you have numerous occasions to adore his cherry blush and various puckles of hair igniting with pink and red. He stutters a lot and can’t focus on anything in your presence.

Idia will outright reject any suggestions for bolder moves. He’s unprepared, and although guilt is eating him from the inside, he is not up to anything you two weren’t doing as friends. Well, maybe handholding, kissing, and cuddling get a (hard) pass, but you are the only one initiating these things.

He will try his best to reciprocate effort, though.

2. “Have been dating for a while” stage.

It’s an interphase between two very different stages, so he’s a funny mix: a very shy outsider and a cocky genius at the same time.

Gaming sessions will be the centre of your couple's time. Idia regularly invites you to his dorm, sometimes even on spontaneous sessions when a new event comes up or he has found a new game that looks very cool. You share snacks, drinks, and clothes (read: you have unwritten permission to claim his blouses).

This boy would be dead without you and Ortho, and with that knowledge, you make it your mission to (somehow) tidy up his room, buy some cosmetics, healthier food, etc. If you are up to organizing a “self-care evening”, he will be hesitant at first but will be looking forward to it after a while, with some older anime. (I like to think it would be a magical girl series like Sailor Moon, Tokyo Mew Mew or Chobits, or some shoujo).

In exchange, he might construct some little gadgets (maybe anime-themed?) for you, helps you get the merch you want, and supports you in your games.

At this point, he doesn’t weigh his words much. He’s still easy to fluster, but he comes with comebacks right away. The most flirty he gets on the phone when it’s late at night and you are using a chat to talk, especially when you are not in the same room. 3. Long-term relationship stage.

He knows you are doomed to him and shamelessly takes advantage of that.

He has no claims against calling you in the middle of the night to watch him sharing his screen when he pulls for a character he wants to get in the gacha system. He believes your presence brings him luck, so he must have you when he does crucial things!

Idia disses your taste in fictional men. Sometimes, he reads the dialogues out loud from the otome games you play. He may alter them, which can make you either huff or laugh. If you read or write fanfiction, he might read them too, giving you an out loud commentary on some fragments and asking you if you are that desperate for dates so you are sending fanfiction to inspire him. If you say yes, he will hum and return to whatever he was doing before, but he might plan something out that you will preferably be able to do in his room.

Chatroom with him and Ortho is quite calm, almost polite, but your private chatroom with Idia is the most chaotic one you’ve ever been. You learned to not leave your phone openly if you don’t want to explain some inside joke with a layered backstory. An app you use to chat with Idia is the one your screen time is counted on most, and writing with Idia is your guilty pleasure.

If you are interested in IT, he might program you an app or something to help you with it! He will give you the best feedback ever, and although it may be harsh, the last thing he wants is to discourage you from learning further.

On one anniversary of your dating, he will gift you this kind of couple bracelet which lights up if the other person touches it. He created them himself. When he receives signals throughout the day, he thinks of them as a promise from you, that no distance can sever your bond.

If you bring up some serious talk, you will be bullied with memes. It’s Idia’s coping mechanism. He will plan his future with you, don’t worry, but wait for him to muster up the courage to get on one knee and ask the question.