Optus offers pissweak compo for outage, NBN to upgrade even more FTTN to FTTP, Tumblr not hitting targets, Steam Deck gets a hardware update, Woz suffers a minor stroke

Optus is offering "customers on eligible plans at least 200GB of extra data" and "customers on eligible Prepaid mobile plans unlimited data on the weekend for the rest of the year". That's it. Oh and we don't have any info whatsoever as to an official cause of the outage. I don't expect an explanation as to why the issue that caused the outage took place, but some information on what the actual problem was that took out a national telecommunications network for almost 9 hours would be nice.

NBN is gonna upgrade 53,000 premises to FTTP for free because their existing FTTN connection is so bad that it can't even reach 25mbit. Unlike the existing scheme where the FTTN to FTTP upgrade happens on demand if you order a 100mbit+ service and stick with it for a few years, this "Fibre Connect" program will kick off an ugprade regardless of the speed tier ordered. Dunno the areas yet, that'll be known early 2024.

Automattic's purchase of Tumblr isn't going too well. In a memo to staff, Automattic's CEO said that despite "600+ person years" of effort into Tumblr, it is yet to "have revenue and usage above its previous peaks". As a result, they're gonna start "working on how we can run Tumblr in the most smooth and efficient manner" - aka, layoffs and cost cutting. I hope they find a way to keep Tumblr sustainable, it would suck to see it die.

The Valve Steam Deck still isn't on sale in Australia (wtf man) but they've announced a new mild upgrade of the very popular handheld gaming device. It has an OLED screen now, with a 90Hz refresh rate, longer battery, superior thermals, wi-fi 6E, easier to customise and repair and a range of other little quality of life upgrades. It goes on sale in the US next week with prices starting at US$549. I would like one but I know I'll never play it enough to justify the cost and the risk of grey importing.

King of the nerds, Steve Wozniak, has suffered a "minor by real stroke". The 73 year old said he was "at his computer in the morning when he felt vertigo and dizziness" and was taken to hospital in Mexico, where he was due to speak at a conference. He's now back home in the USA. If a plane crash couldn't kill him, he'll handle a little stroke just fine. God speed Woz, get well soon!

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