Blog Spotlight - Totally stressed out? Sync to Paper
When feeling overwhelmed with a challenging task, or just life in general - sync to paper. Reverting to a physical medium will force a context switch. The removal of technology removed distractions. And writing with a pen slows you down a bit, adding intentionality to the action.
Paper is the cheapest retina display you'll ever use.
-Scott Hanselman
Even if you don’t come back to what you’ve written, the process itself might help to ground the chaos.
News Highlights
1. Adobe gives up on $20 billion acquisition of Figma
Adobe abandons its $20bn acquisition of Figma as there was “no clear path to receive necessary regulatory approvals”. The deal had faced probes from both the UK and EU competition regulators for fears it would impact the product design, image editing, and illustration markets.
Adobe will pay Figma $1 billion in a termination fee under the terms of the merger agreement.
2. Insomniac Hackers Release Stolen Data, Leak Wolverine Videos, Future Projects and More
A ransomware group has released stolen Insomniac Games files when Sony refused to pay a $2M ransom. Leaked files included their planned release schedule for new games:
Marvel's Venom in 2025
Marvel's Wolverine in 2026
Marvel's Spider-Man 3 in 2028
a new Ratchet & Clank in 2029
Marvel's X-Men in 2030
In addition, leaked sales data revealed that a 2014 Xbox One game Sunset Overdrive earned the developer just $567.
3. Apple to pull Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 this week due to ITC ban
Today, December 21st, Apple stopped Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 sales in the US. The decision follows a patent dispute with medical device maker Masimo over its SpO2 sensor.
Apple is currently looking for solutions to get the watches back to customers in US and not excluding a potential appeal in the Federal Circuit.
4. Scientists Contact Whales in World-First Communication Experiment
A team of scientists from UC Davis, the Alaska Whale Foundation, and SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) had a 20-minute conversation with a humpback whale. In a landmark experiment, scientists broadcasted a whale’s “contact call” into the ocean, at varying intervals. One whale responded, engaging in an intentional exchange.
SETI is using these animal experiments to improve their search for extraterrestrial intelligence.
Book Club: Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
Atomic Habits is a guide to breaking bad behavior and adopting good ones using four simple steps. Focusing on small, incremental daily routines that can be turned into positive systems over time.
Make it obvious. The habits need to be effortless and require no active thinking or extra steps to get started. If you need to take your vitamins, make sure they’re in an obvious place, not the back end of the cupboard.
Make it attractive. Make the habit enjoyable. Bundle the activity with something you want to do. If you want to start running, do it while listening to your favorite podcast.
Make it easy. Reducing friction to perform good habits makes them more sustainable. Pack your gym back in the evening, so that in the morning you can just grab it and go.
Make It Satisfying. Rewards are crucial for forming new habits. Do something that brings you joy right after you perform your habit, to make it more tangible.
Small habits, performed consistently, will compound and can lead to significant transformations.