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A new study suggests that the universe will begin to shrink in approximately 7 billion years, a dramatic shift from the current expansion phase. The findings challenge the widely accepted model of a continuously expanding universe.

The article discusses the importance of rain and its impact on the environment, highlighting the various ways in which rain shapes the natural world and the lives of humans. It explores the role of rain in sustaining ecosystems, replenishing water sources, and supporting agriculture.

This article examines the impact of climate change on the biodiversity of marine ecosystems, highlighting the need for sustainable management strategies to mitigate the effects of rising temperatures, ocean acidification, and other environmental stressors on marine life.

The article explores how the digital age has changed the way we store and access our memories, highlighting that we no longer fully own or control our personal memories as they are increasingly mediated by online platforms and technologies.

The article discusses the growing concern over the risk of supply chain attacks and the importance of securing open-source software. It highlights the efforts of the Open Source Security Foundation (OpenSSF) to address this issue, including the introduction of new security practices and tools to help mitigate the threat.

This article is a case study on an overly complex C++ code, highlighting the pitfalls of over-engineering and the importance of simplicity and maintainability in software development.

The article discusses the evolution of X-ray technology, describing how it gained widespread adoption due to its ability to provide valuable medical insights, despite initial skepticism and concerns about safety. It highlights the key role played by pioneers in advancing X-ray technology and overcoming challenges to make it a standard diagnostic tool in modern healthcare.

Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have developed a new algorithm to simulate GKP codes, which are a promising approach for robust quantum computing. The algorithm could help advance the development of fault-tolerant quantum computers.

The article discusses the Gemini API, a speech generation service provided by Google AI. It covers the API's capabilities, including generating natural-sounding speech from text, and provides information on how developers can integrate the service into their applications.

Scientists have uncovered a new mechanism for the formation of planets in binary star systems. The study reveals that the gravitational interactions between the two stars can significantly influence the distribution and properties of planets that form around them.

Apple's iOS 26 beta 3 introduces changes to the 'Liquid Glass' feature, which was initially unveiled in the previous beta. The update dials back some of the more experimental aspects of the technology, likely based on user feedback and testing.

This article explores the challenges and personal growth that come from programming at the edge of one's abilities. It discusses the importance of stepping out of one's comfort zone, embracing uncertainty, and leveraging the learning process to continuously improve as a developer.

Do you use any, do you find them valuable, do they do something the foundation model companies are not doing?

I wondered this about a year ago and wanted to revisit the question.

Today I did some research on Product Hunt and also looked through various recent YC companies. What hit me immediately was - wow! - there are some really good designers (or maybe it's with AI now) putting together slick product demos and 1-3 min vids. Most of the products I came across are AI for various things like creating office docs, sending emails, creating presentations, web scraping, making mobile apps, managing meetings and relationships, etc.

However, when I get past the flashiness and start investigating a bit, I don't really see what's special or setting these products apart from a foundation model + rudimentary RAG in some cases. In fact, many file-related and memory-dependent applications can be done perfectly well via the base Open AI chat website today. To give credit where it's due, I think some of these products have better 'flows' via various prompt engineering tricks. Enough to justify a big monthly stipend over my existing OAI/Anthropic subscriptions, I don't know.

But my overall take when I see many of these, is that they are probably not startups, at least not ones that I see lasting. They have to go more and more niche to get away from the tentacles of increasingly capable foundation model capabilities. The big ones that seem to be enduring and doing well are Perplexity and Cursor, they seem to have grown quickly enough in the early days to attract a lot of resources and talent to keep building features. So maybe the foundation models can only do ~60% of what they do, while for the products/startups I described above, that number is more like 90%. My conclusion is to be somewhat bearish on 'GPT wrappers', perhaps until more creative ideas (e.g. physical-world use cases) come to fruition, because the SaaS space seems rough.

The article explores the concept of depreciation in both economic and personal contexts, discussing how the devaluation of assets and relationships can have significant emotional and philosophical implications for individuals.

The article explores the benefits of using Markdown for writing and formatting content, discussing its simplicity, readability, and wide-ranging compatibility with various platforms and tools.

Estimadle is a web-based tool that allows users to estimate the cost of construction projects. The tool utilizes a database of construction costs and user inputs to provide a detailed cost analysis for various types of construction projects.

The article discusses how consumer goods companies are reducing the size of product packages, such as cookies and chips, to maintain profit margins amid rising costs and inflation. This strategy aims to keep prices stable and retain customers, even though the amount of product in each package has decreased.

The article discusses the potential impact of ChatGPT on the field of robotics, highlighting how large language models could revolutionize robot control, reasoning, and autonomy, leading to significant advancements in robotics research and applications.