Newsletter: week of 5/12

Sorry for the slight delay, and hello from 30,000 feet once again!

Last week, I was in Changdu, China, visiting the XGIMI headquarters and factory. Full disclosure: XGIMI is a channel sponsor, and the company sponsored my trip. But even from channel sponsors, I only take brand trips that offer exclusive access or give me an experience I can only have by being somewhere specific. This one offered me all that, plus, I got to be in a room full of projector reporters with unlimited time to ask incredibly nerdy questions.

I learned a LOT about this technology—why 4K is so hard to achieve in this medium, how many different forms of light technology exist, and the major players in the projector race. I also got to see how the company creates its products from inception to shipping. There is so much tech packed into those little light boxes, and now I have the vocab to nerd out about it.

On this trip, I also learned a lot about China, a country that the USA has raised me to fear. Truthfully, I was worried about going there, but instead of being this big, scary monster, the China I found was filled with incredible food, rich culture, a large queer scene, and very patient, kind people. I also saw that it is worlds ahead of the US in terms of harnessing technology, such as our phones, to simplify everyday life. Paying for things is done via bar codes and QR codes, and everyone understands how to use translation apps (thank god). There are bad eggs in every society, and the country has many humanitarian problems that I was not exposed to, but I no longer fear the country as I once did.

That said, I am ready to get home and would not recommend traveling 28 hours each way for a three-day trip. Bud, I'm cooked.

Here is everything else I read, watched, and listened to this week.

I'm due for new over-ear cans, and I'm very tempted to buy the new ones from Sony, but for the love of god... change the name! (via @nothing on threads)

What I read this week:

Meta Battles an ‘Epidemic of Scams’ as Criminals Flood Instagram and Facebook
When my grandma was alive, I worried a lot about her getting tricked, online or via phone, into handing over credit card information and money, and that was before the boom in AI-generated content. Sadly, it's no surprise that Meta continues to choose profit over users' well-being despite these tools for deception getting better.

The Life of the Most-Used Citi Bike in New York City
The 7,000 miles that Citi Bike #32606 traveled would be enough to go from Times Square to the Santa Monica Pier in Los Angeles and back again 🤯.

Modern Chrome - Nikon recipe set
This is a really beautiful recipe and not typically something I would "read", but I so appreciate how Serban took the time to explain his process.

Gmail "+newsletter" hack for organizing your inbox upon arrival
Why did no one tell me about this sooner...?

What I watched this week:

Inside the Apple Intelligence Disaster!!
Learned a lot in this one, what a mess...

Goodbye - Outdoor Boys
End of an era 😭

DIE EXTREMSTE WASSERRUTSCHE DER WELT - KOMPLETT aus Glas! 💀🤯
I met Felix on the China trip. We danced, sang karaoke, and hung out of bus windows together. I can confirm that he is an incredible human, and I've been binging his videos ever since.

How a routine hire at a Houston tech firm uncovered an alleged North Korea scheme
Imagine watching this and recognizing the interviewee as your coworker.

What I listened to this week:

Avicii Forever
An excellent walk down memory lane

And while we're walking there... Two Door Cinema Club - What You Know

Shaboozey - Fire And Gasoline (COLORS ENCORE)

Charley Crockett - One Trick Pony

Some quick housekeeping: I never know where to link songs to (Spotify, Tidal, YouTube, YouTube Music??) I'm a YT Music babe, but what is everyone else using?

Okay, folks, that's all I've got!
This week, I'll be jamming on some social content and gearing up for a video about this $15 camera that I think everyone should buy for summer 2025 (AKA being the camera enabler that I am hehe). Hope you're weekend is off to a great start!
-Becca