∞ Netflix Introduces Dialogue-Only Subtitles
Fifty percent of Americans say they watch content with subtitles most of the time. It’s a habit we see reflected on Netflix too—nearly half of all viewing hours on Netflix in the US happen with subtitles or captions on, so we’re making the experience even better for members.
Just in time for all the twists, inner monologues, and intense eye contact in the final season of YOU — we’re introducing a new option: original language subtitles that show only the spoken dialogue.
I grew up watching TV with dialogue-only subtitles. Glad to see this is trending in America too, and better support from Netflix.
424
Today, April 24, is Global Close Your Rings Day. I did a morning run, then went to the Palo Alto Apple Store to collect this shiny pin:
My rings were all closed later today.
A few years ago, I had a long streak of closing my rings. Then I was on an international flight and lost my streak. Even since, I haven't been able to care closing my rings. But today, 424, feels special enough to start a new streak.
Exactly one year ago, some people decided my team was replaceable and laid us off. Even though I was able to find a job quickly, I don't think I healed that quick. A year and a job later, am I fine now? Maybe my rings in the following months can tell.
My bank: You just got paid! $5,000.00 is now in your account.
Me: No. That was just me transferring my own $5,000.00 from another bank to you.
My pet peeve: Airbnb houses not providing an electric kettle or a rice cooker. So I always leave a private note to the host.
∞ Google Fi Wireless Turns 10
Improvements to connectivity, coverage and more, especially on iOS
... we’re broadening access to this feature with data-only eSIMs, which means you can quickly and easily connect newer, eSIM-compatible devices like Android tablets and iPads with data on the go, without needing a physical SIM card.
... making international 5G available on iPhone in addition to Android phones.
Sweet deals! Their Unlimited Plus plan is now Unlimited Premium, upgrading high-speed data from 50GB to 100GB.
Now, I just need to wait for the Apple Watch support, if it is ever coming.
P.S. You can use my referral code X7N6XX to get $60 off your bills (I will get $60 too).
New Open Source Package: SwiftTitleCase
I just released a new open source package, SwiftTitleCase. This package contains a Swift function that tries its best to transform strings to AP style title case.
Example usage:
import SwiftTitleCase
let titleCased = "mango baby is a product under mango umbrella".titleCase()
print(titleCased) // Mango Baby Is a Product Under Mango Umbrella
Why SwiftTitleCase?
Mango Umbrella has an in-house client app managing its content. I needed a convenience button that automatically transforms my blog post's titles to AP style title case. So I wrote a basic function just doing that.
Why "tries its best"?
Currently the implementation only handles the basic rules. It doesn't attempt to identify parts of speech contextually. For example, if "up" is used as an adverb rather than a preposition, this package would still lowercase it (unless it's the first or last word). Contributions welcome!
∞ How Asian Groceries Are Reshaping America
Priya Krishna writes,
Last year, Americans bought half a billion packets of Shin Ramyun, the spicy, beefy Korean instant noodle.
Half a billion packets in a year? W.A.T.
∞ SF Zoo’s Panda Plan Is on Track — but Tariff May Raise the Price
Han Li, reporting for The San Francisco Standard:
Zoo CEO Tanya Peterson says she’s optimistic about the pandas’ arrival despite the mounting geopolitical tensions. She’s less certain whether the arrangement will be subject to tariffs but is prepared to make the case for an exemption.
Peterson is expected to announce the official panda arrival timeline at Thursday’s Recreation and Park Commission meeting. She revealed that the animals will need to undergo a quarantine and acclimation period after their arrival, likely at the end of the year. If everything goes according to plan, the zoo’s panda zone will open to the public next April.
On What Drives Me
Recently, I had conversations with several people about what's next for me. When I mentioned making iOS apps in my spare time, they were usually surprised. Totally understandable, after all, my day job is in the Python developer tooling space. iOS apps, consumer products, front end, design... these are so different concepts and require different skills. Am I being inconsistent when I say I'm passionate about supporting Python developers while considering going full-time indie under Mango Umbrella?
Not long ago, this app review of Mango Baby appeared:
Due to some complications, our daughter had to spend time in the NICU when she was born, and when she was released we were told we had to keep close track of her milk intake. With breastfeeding problems related to the NICU stay, we also needed to keep track of my wife's pumping volume.
Enter Mango Baby. I don't know even where to begin. My wife isn't too tech savvy but the beautiful user interface made it easy for her to navigate the app and easily log things. The syncing is seamless, where we can see updates on each other's devices in real time.
Reading these words drives me to continue developing Mango Baby, despite my day job consuming most of my energy and time, and despite our own child being almost 7, well past the age when I needed the app myself. I can’t let Mango Baby rot. Every bit of feedback from new parents reminds me there's a real human behind it, plus the little one(s) they're caring for, potentially in the NICU!
In previous roles, I supported Python for tens of thousands of in-house developers. I know my work, the collective of my lines of code and blobs of documentation have reached most of them. It’s a larger audience than Mango Baby users. Yet what drove me wasn't the numbers but the interactions with these developers. I loved reading and answering their questions, not just because the process helped me to think and identify areas to improve, but also planted motivational seeds in my brain. They made me enjoy my job more, even at times when the work itself became repetitive or unchallenging.
Last year, after my team were laid off, I read so many kind words and reactions from colleagues supporting us (most posted in internal spaces that I technically shouldn't have seen). I still remember them. These images still have an effect in me, even though I had to move on.
I’ve also worked on consumer products reaching hundreds of millions, but never interacted directly with any users. I did enjoy working with my teammates on ambitious projects like rendering Google search results using UIKit, or collaborating with designers on what we can and can’t do as a carrier without the Apple carrier bundle. Yet without direct user interactions, I failed to find long lasting motivations, even though I know my work affected exponentially more lives.
What drives me isn't magnificent or high impact. It is also not something from my inner self, like willpower. I have that sometimes, but willpower runs out. What sustains are the interactions with people, IRL or virtual. These connections drive me forward.
I’m starting a new career chapter soon, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I’m sure the company mission alone will motivate me for a long time, even leave me little to no time for Mango. Still, I hope to find old and new interactions, in or outside of the company, to have a sustained impact in me.
Message to Steve
Dear Steve,
You might have received an email about resetting your Disney+ password. That was me, and I'm sorry! Your account was still signed in on the Samsung TV in Maui, and despite my best 10-minute struggle with the remote, I couldn't figure out how to properly sign you out.
Don't worry, your account was locked so I only saw your name and your thoughtfully chosen avatar (which I really like, by the way!). Eventually, I gave up and decided to delete the app and reinstall it. And just like that, you vanished from my life.
Miss you,
Yilei