TLDR 2021-09-22

Netflix has released a VR game on App Lab for Oculus Quest for free. Eden Unearthed is a game that lets players control a futuristic motorbike and explore a world set in the far future. There is very little information available about the game outside its App Lab listing. A trailer for the game is linked in the article.

A video of what looks to be a pre-production version of the Pixel 6 Pro has been posted on Twitter. The device looks similar to the dummy units Google has installed in its NYC store, except with a different logo on its back. The logo indicates that the device is an early production test unit. Google is expected to reveal the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro sometime in November. The video is available in the article.

Scientists from India have discovered a bacteria that can remove toxic hexavalent chromium from water. Hexavalent chromium is a metal that can cause different kinds of cancers, liver ailments, and kidney issues. The bacteria can easily be added to water treatment processes and it is cheaper than chemical treatment. Deploying the bacteria would remove the need for extra separation processes. Water-borne diseases kill 3.4 million people around the world each year.

Scientists from Columbia University and Applied Science's Creative Machines Lab used different types of lasers to cook 3D-printed chicken. The researchers pureed raw chicken and used a 3D food printer to create square samples, after which they cooked it using pulses of blue or near-infrared laser light with different wavelengths. An infrared camera monitored the surface of the chicken at all times along with eight thermistors. The laser-cooked chicken was preferred in blind taste tests. A video of the process is available in the article.

The job market is on fire across the globe, with demand for employees outstripping supply. While the root causes of the heated hiring market are longer-term forces, the easing of lockdowns means it may cool down by early 2022. This article contains advice for tech workers, both junior and more experienced, on how to make the most out of this heated market while it lasts.

Theatre.js is an animation library for high-fidelity motion graphics. It can be used to animate 3D objects or HTML/SVG, design micro-interactions, choreograph generative interactive art, and more. GIF examples are available.

Google has purchased a 1.3 million-square-foot waterfront building in New York City. The company had signed an agreement to lease the Hudson Square office building in 2018. The lease terms included an option to buy the building. Google currently has 12,000 employees in New York and plans to add at least 2,000 more. The company recently rolled out an internal pay calculator to determine salary cuts for employees who choose to continue to work from home. Employees who choose remote work will have their pay adjusted according to their distance from Google's offices.

Facebook has announced two new Portals and upcoming software updates. The brand-new Portal Go can be taken out of its dock and carried around. It has a 10-inch display and will be sold for $199. The new Portal+ will feature an improved design and a 14-inch display at $349. Both Portals will have a 12-megapixel camera with an ultra-wide field of view and use Facebook's Smart Camera technology. They will also have built-in camera lens covers and buttons to disconnect the camera and the microphone. The new software updates include Household Mode and an updated Watch Together experience.