• Twitter is planning to launch encrypted direct messages, voice and video chat, and other features.  (The Verge)
  
  Targeting platforms like Telegram and Discord respectively.  
  
  Makes sense.  You can't realistically try to take incumbent services head-on, but if you have a platform that tens of millions of people use for something else, you can add features that make them less likely to switch to other, single-purpose apps.
  
  Like hiring Tucker Carlson so they stay on Twitter rather than watching Fox News.
  
  
  

Tech News

• The GPD Win Max 2 has the new AMD Ryzen 7940U, 32GB or 64GB of RAM, two SSD slots, a 2560x1600 screen, and while it lacks the four essential keys it does have eleven special-purpose buttons that you could easily reprogram.  (Liliputing)
  
  Only problem is that's a 10" screen.  Maybe on the small side.
  
  
  
• Speaking of AMD, they're holding an AI and server event on June 13.  (AnandTech)
  
  The company is expected to launch Genoa-X server CPUs with up to 96 cores and 1.125GB of cache, Bergamo server CPUs with 128 cores and I don't know how much cache but less than that, and the MI300 compute card with lots of compute.
  
  
  
• The metaverse could contribute $760 billion to US GDP by 2035.  (Reuters)
  
  Or it could contribute nothing.
  
  I think that is more likely.
  
  
  
• Anthropic's new AI system - named Claude - is going to be another mindless woke NPC, just in a different way.  (Reuters)
  
  These systems all come pre-lobotomised, but you can choose how the procedure is done.