The Daily Index — Tuesday, December 17, 2024 · TLDR Index

Across today’s newsletters

Today’s Index

TLDR

TEMU IS THE MOST DOWNLOADED APP ON THE US APP STORE IN 2024

Apple has released a list of top apps and games for 2024. Temu was the most downloaded free app in the US App Store. TikTok made the list at No. 3 behind Threads. ChatGPT made the list at No. 4 - it didn't make the top 10 last year. The full lists can be found on the App Store's Today page.

techcrunch.com · 2 min

TLDR AI

VEO 2 AND IMAGEN 3

Google has announced a new video model and a new image generation model. Both are stunning improvements over the previous iterations.

blog.google · 8 min

TLDR Web Dev

IN SEARCH OF A FASTER SQLITE

Researchers from the University of Helsinki and Cambridge developed Limbo, a Rust-based rewrite of SQLite. Their approach uses asynchronous I/O using io_uring, eliminating the blocking behavior of traditional SQLite's synchronous I/O calls. This, coupled with storage disaggregation, reduces tail latency (up to 100x improvement at p999), leading to more efficient concurrency in multi-tenant serverless environments.

avi.im · 6 min

TLDR Crypto

MICROSTRATEGY ACQUIRES ANOTHER 15,350 BITCOIN FOR $1.5 BILLION, TAKING HOLDINGS TO 439,000 BTC

MicroStrategy has acquired an additional 15,350 BTC for $1.5 billion at an average price of $100,386, bringing its total holdings to 439,000 BTC (approximately 2.1% of the total supply) worth over $45 billion. About 39% of its position was accumulated in just the past six weeks. The company, which will join the Nasdaq 100 index on December 23, continues its aggressive acquisition strategy through a combination of share sales and debt, with $42 billion in planned capital raises, while analysts at Bernstein suggest the company could be eligible for S&P 500 inclusion in 2025 following new accounting rules for crypto valuations. MicroStrategy's stock has gained over 490% year-to-date.

links.tldrnewsletter.com · 4 min

TLDR Product

SHINY OBJECT SYNDROME: DEFENDING AGAINST IT AS A PRODUCT MANAGER

Shiny object syndrome is the destructive tendency to abandon existing work in favor of trendy new features or technologies. While staying current is important, chasing every innovation can derail product strategy and waste resources. The solution lies in creating structured validation processes, setting clear expectations around the roadmap, and establishing proper channels for new ideas.

prodpad.com · 16 min

TLDR

T-MOBILE USERS CAN TRY STARLINK-ENABLED PHONE SERVICE FOR FREE DURING BETA

T-Mobile has open registration for the beta of its T-Mobile Starlink service, which will enable text messaging via satellites in dead zones not covered by cell towers. The service uses Starlink's low-Earth orbit satellites to provide coverage. SpaceX has so far launched over 300 satellites with direct-to-cell capabilities. The beta will begin in early 2025. It will be open to all T-Mobile postpaid customers for free, but capacity is limited.

arstechnica.com · 3 min

TLDR

EUROPE'S STARLINK COMPETITOR IS GO

The EU's IRIS2 constellation is expected to come online by 2030. The Starlink competitor will provide secure connectivity to Europe and bring high-speed internet to dead zones. SpaceRISE, a consortium led by European satellite network operators and supported by European satcom subcontractors, has been given a 12-year concession contract to develop, deploy, and operate the IRIS2 constellation. The EU's partnership with SpaceRISE is intended to demonstrate the power of public-private collaboration in driving innovation and delivering tangible benefits to all Europeans.

theverge.com · 2 min

TLDR

SAMSUNG'S PREMIUM LASER TV BECOMES WORLD'S FIRST CERTIFIED 8K PROJECTOR

Samsung's yet-to-be-launched The Premiere 8K projector is the industry's first recipient of the 8K Association's new certification and logo. The projector excelled across all key categories. There aren't many details available about the upcoming premium ultra-short-throw projector, but Samsung has released a few official images. Samsung will likely reveal more details, including pricing and availability, at CES 2025.

newatlas.com · 3 min

TLDR

ASK HN: SWES HOW DO YOU FUTURE-PROOF YOUR CAREER IN LIGHT OF LLMS? (HACKER NEWS THREAD)

Large language models are becoming a part of software engineering. The technology could replace a lot of engineers, so younger engineers may feel like they need to find a way to future-proof their careers. The technology is still very new and can't produce professional code. There's also a lot more to being an engineer than coding, so many senior developers feel confident that it will be a while until AI can replace software engineers, if ever.

news.ycombinator.com