Author: Padraig Fahy

  • Notable UI/UX changes coming to Mastodon in 4.3.0

    Notable UI/UX changes coming to Mastodon in 4.3.0

    💡

    UPDATE: 2024-04-24: Updated with additional changes that Mastodon are making to profiles.
    UPDATE 2024-02-03 01:22: I forgot to add that there were changes to the look of the emails that users receive when they sign up to Mastodon.

    Old look for ‘Welcome aboard’ email.

    New look for ‘Welcome aboard’ email.

    ORIGINAL 2024-02-01 22:41: Mastodon are showing off some new changes coming to Mastodon in version 4.3.0

    In the screenshot below, you will see Mastodon.ie on the left on Version 4.2.5 and on the right, you will see Mastodon.social on version 4.3.0-nightly.

    I will try to go through as much as I can find, but if you find something that I didn’t, please message me @padraig@mastodon.ie

    The compose window looks a bit different now:

    • The compose window now matches the theme.
    • The privacy option and language option have been moved above the other options.
    • The emoji button have been moved down beside the attachment, poll, CW buttons
    • There are new icons for attachment, language, poll, CW.
    • The post button is now within the compose box.
    A new yellow/black stripes for the ‘Content Warning’ option.
    New Privacy Options
    • Public gets the description updated from “Visible for all” to “Anyone on and off Mastodon”
    • Unlisted has been changed to Quiet public with the description being changed from “Visible for all, but opted-out of discovery features” to “Fewer algorithmic fanfares”
      • They have an information i beside Quiet Public with the message “This behaves exactly like public, except the post will not appear in live feeds or hashtags, explore, or Mastodon search, even if you are opted-in account-wide.” That is honestly the best way to describe that. Better, clearer language is always appreciated.
    • Followers Only becomes Followers, with the description updated from “Visible for followers only” to “Only your followers”
    • Mentioned people only has been changed to Specific people, with the description changed from “Visible for mentioned users only” to “Everyone mentioned the post”

    These are really simply, effective ways for new and existing users to understand what they are choosing.

    💡

    UPDATE 2024-04-25

    It looks like Mastodon has been working on profile, as this has been changed. Now it includes a ‘Share’ button which uses the device ‘Share’ prompt.

    New profile look April 2024

    Clicking on mastodon.social now shows an explainer about handles. Clicking ‘ActivityPub-powered platforms’ expands the box to include the following:

    ActivityPub is like the language Mastodon speaks with other social networks.
    It lets you connect and interact with people not just on Mastodon, but across different social apps too.

    Explainer about how handles work

    💡

    This is old information from February 2024, but I am leaving it here for prosperity.

    My testaccount420 on mastodon.social showing the Copy link to profile button (Feb 2024)
    • A new button has been added Copy link to profile, which will provide the full link to the profile https://mastodon.social/@testaccount420
    • It seems you can go to any profile and copy the link of the profile
    My mastodon.ie profile viewed on mastodon.social showing the new copy link to profile button
    Out with the hamburgers and in with the meatballs.
    New and larger icons for ‘Advanced’ view and a darker Dark them (#Transrights😉)

    Notifications settings have been updated, which now allow you to filter out specific notifications, such as new accounts or unsolicited private messages.

    Looking around, there doesn’t appear to be any other visual changes.

    What do you think of the changes?

  • PlayStation State of Play – January 31st, 2024 Notes

    PlayStation State of Play – January 31st, 2024 Notes

    PlayStation State of Play Notes – 31st January 2024

    • Kicking off with a trailer for Helldivers 2 – Releasing February 8th for PS5 and PC.
    • New extended gameplay trailer for Stellar Blade – Releasing April 26th for PS5.
    • New Sonic game. Looks like a new version of Sonic Generations. It’s SHADOW! Sonic x Shadow Generations – Releasing August 2024 on PS5 and PS4
    • New trailer for Zenless Zone Zero from Hoyoverse (Genshin Impact, Honkai Star Rail) officially in development for PS5, but still no god damn release date…
    • New trailer for Foamstars (What would happen if Sony made Splatoon?) – Releasing on the 6th February on PS5 & PS4
    • Dave The Diver is coming to PS5 in April with Godzilla DLC coming in May
    • New trailer from Stunlock Studios – V Rising is coming to PS5 later this year
    • New extended gameplay trailer from Konami and it’s for a new original title in the Silent Hill franchise. Silent Hill: The Short Message a full storied free-to-play game coming to PS5 and it’s available today!
    • A new gameplay trailer for Silent Hill 2 now in development for PS5
    • New trailer from the creators of Bioshock – Judas – In development for PS5
    • New trailer from VertigoGames in collaboration with Deep Silver – It’s a PSVR2 game – Metro Awakening VR – Available later this year
    • New game from Urbanwolf Games for PSVR2 – Legendary Tales ARPG – Releasing on February 8th
    • New trailer from Capcom – Dragon’s Dogma II – Releasing March 22nd for PS5
    • New extended gameplay trailer for Rise of the Ronin – Releasing March 29th on PS5
    • New trailer from Ballistic Moon, a game rebuilt and enhanced for PS5 and PC – Until Dawn – Releasing later this year
    • New extended trailer for Death Stranding 2: On The Beach – Releasing in 2025
    • And a new IP from Kojima, in the ‘Action Espionage’ genre titled Metal Ge Physint – No trailer or anything… Just that Kojima and Sony are working on it.
    • Another PlayStation State of Play is coming on February 6th, focusing solely on FINAL FANTASY VII REBIRTH ahead of it’s release on the 29th February
  • WWE Royal Rumble 2024 Results [SPOILERS]

    WWE Royal Rumble 2024 Results [SPOILERS]

    The Royal Rumble has been and gone and here are the results from last nights show.

    Spoilers ahead!

    [Pictured is Naomi, who returned to WWE, a year and a half after walking out]

    Predictions:

    WWE Royal Rumble 2024 Predictions
    • Women’s Royal Rumble Match
      • WINNER: Bayley
    • Roman Reigns (C) vs LA Knight vs AJ Styles vs Randy Orton in a Fatal 4-way match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship
      • WINNER: Roman Reigns retains!
    • Logan Paul (C) vs Kevin Owens for the United States Championship
      • WINNER: Logan Paul via disqualification
    • Men’s Royal Rumble Match
      • WINNER: Cody Rhodes

    And that was the show. What did you think of it?

  • WWE Royal Rumble 2024 Predictions

    WWE Royal Rumble 2024 Predictions

    For the 37th time in WWE’s history, it’s time for the Royal Rumble, and the road to WrestleMania 40 begins tonight.

    There are 2 rumbles and 2 title matches tonight.

    WWE have deliberately not confirmed many entries for the Rumble matches, which makes things very difficult to predict.

    At the time of writing, only 17 men and 10 women have been confirmed for the Royal Rumble matches.

    Rumble Matches

    • Men’s Royal Rumble Match – 30 man over-the-top rope battle royal.
      • PREDICTION: It’s very difficult to predict who would be the stand-out here. I will predict 3 people. CM Punk, Cody Rhodes and Lexis King 🤣
    • Women’s Royal Rumble Match – 30 women over-the-top rope battle royal.
      • PREDICTION: Becky Lynch, (Hopefully a returning) Naomi and Gigi Dolin.

    Title Matches

    • Logan Paul (C) vs Kevin Owens in a singles match for the United States Championship
      • PREDICTION: This could well be match of the night, but I think Logan is going to be holding the title until at least Mania and probably will have a rematch with Kevin Owens. Logan to retain!
    • Roman Reigns (C) vs LA Knight vs AJ Styles vs Randy Orton in a Fatal 4-Way for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship
      • PREDICTION: Roman is going to retain. There is no way that he is going to lose the title now before Mania. He is going to be keeping this until Survivor Series at the very least so that way, he can say that he beat Hulk Hogan. Roman to retain

    And those are my predictions for tonight.

  • [The JukeBox] #94 – Robert Miles – One and One

    [The JukeBox] #94 – Robert Miles – One and One

    Time to head to 1996 for a Robert Miles song that always played second fiddle to Children.

    The song was initially written and recorded by Polish singer Edyta Górniak, but it wouldn’t be released until a year AFTER the Robert Miles’ cover.

    The female vocalist in this song is Maria Nayler. Nayler mostly contributed to songs in the same way that she did for One and One. At the time of writing, she hasn’t released any of her own music.

    One and One was not part of Miles’ debut album Dreamland until a month after the initial European release of the album. It would be included with the US version and subsequent re-releases.

    My father was a massive fan of Robert Miles and was very sad when Miles passed away in 2017. Most weekends in our house had some Robert Miles tune blasting out of the Pioneer IS-21MD.

    YouTube

    Spotify

    Lyrics

    The sky isn’t always blue
    The sun doesn’t always shine
    It’s alright to fall apart sometimes,

    I am not always you
    And you are not always mine
    It’s alright to fall apart sometimes

    After all is said and done
    One and one still is one
    When we cry,
    when we laugh
    I am half, you are half

    The heart isn’t always true
    And I am not always fine
    We all have an angry heart sometimes

    After all is said and done
    One and one still is one
    When we cry, when we laugh
    I am half, you are half

    Look how far we have come
    One and one still is

    One moon (one moon)
    One star (one star)
    I love the one we are
    One thread (one thread)
    One line (one line)
    Let’s stand still in time

    One moon (one moon)
    One star (one star)
    I love the one we are
    One thread (one thread)
    One line (one line)
    That runs through our lives

    After all is said and done
    One and one still is one
    When we cry, when we laugh
    I am half, you are half

    Look how far we have come
    One and one still is one ah
    Ooh

  • No longer shackled to Google

    No longer shackled to Google

    (mostly)

    Last week I asked whether Fastmail was a good alternative to Google Workspace and while the sole response was a ‘Yes’, I did my research on it before signing up.

    I set up a free trial account with Fastmail and got to importing my emails from Google Workspace.

    Maybe it was just fate, but when I went into the Google Admin Console, there was a banner with a message stating that “The price of Google Workspace Business Starter subscription will be increasing on or after 14 Feb 2024.”

    It was going from €5.20 per user per month (excl VAT) to €6.90 per user per month (excl VAT). Including VAT of 23% that would be €6.40 and €8.49 respectively.

    Fastmail works slightly differently, for the equivalent plan, which is their Standard plan, per month it would be $5. Then they add on the tax (23%) and bill you in USD, which equals $6.15. In Euro, that would be €5.61. That is cheaper than Google’s old price, including VAT!

    I ended up buying Fastmail for the year at $50 which is $4.17 per month. Including tax, that is $61.50 and $5.13 and converting that to Euro: €56.18 and €4.68.

    Even if you are paying monthly, that is still a good deal.

    “But what about Google Drive, Google Photos, etc?”

    Most of that stuff is on my non-Workspace Gmail account that I am (slowly) moving over to my own Nextcloud instance. But I’ll probably keep that as backup (for now)

    I stopped using Google Analytics back in March 2022 and replaced with self-hosted Matomo

    “What about YouTube?”

    A while back, I switched to using Piped, an alternative, privacy-focused front-end for YouTube. I don’t have it self-hosted and probably won’t as there seems to be a bit of a set-up with it.

    Surely, you are still using Google Chrome? You liked Vivaldi and Arc, right?

    Nope. Not any more. I switched to Firefox about 6 months ago and haven’t looked back. I loved Vivaldi and Arc, but I have felt that there was something off with all of them a while back and decided to switch.

    Not only that, but I’ll keep Vivaldi installed on my computers whenever I need to test something in a different browser.

    Okay, but you are using Google for searching.

    Nah, I have switched to DuckDuckGo. I know it’s had some bad press with hiding search results over the last while, but it’s not enough to consider me ditching it.

    There are Google products that I will probably continue using with my free Gmail accounts. Mainly Google Maps. It’s probably the strongest maps app that I have used. I really love the idea of using OpenStreetMap, but Street View is a killer feature that I love using. (And I love playing GeoGuessr)

    The last year for my using online tools and services has been a whirlwind, and in a good way has me not shackled to Google. While it’s great for people who live in the ecosystem, it simply isn’t for me.

    Will I be telling people to stop using Google services? No. Absolutely not.
    You may have one reason or another for using that service, and if you don’t care about the privacy concerns or advertisements, then that is cool too. Times have changed online, and I needed to change too.