OpenAI gutted its desktop app, new ChatGPT Work, 1Password in Claude
Plus, Bill Shatner's heavy metal band (for reals), protect yourself from QR code scams, get ready for more Trek coming this week, and I have merchy merch merch.
I’m David Gewirtz. Welcome to this week’s Advanced Geekery newsletter. It’s been an exciting week. Let’s dive in.
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My articles
Here’s a quick recap of the articles I published in the last week on ZDNET.
I loved ChatGPT Desktop until OpenAI gutted it to make room for Codex and Work: OpenAI just merged the ChatGPT desktop app with Codex, and removed my favorite productivity features. What were they thinking?
I let ChatGPT Work and Claude Cowork loose on my files - only one made me nervous: How does ChatGPT Work compare with Claude Cowork for desktop automation? My testing reveals similar results, similar strengths, and one major reason Claude feels considerably safer right now.
1Password’s new Agentic Mode lets Claude log into your accounts without seeing your credentials: 1Password wants to solve one of AI’s biggest practical problems: secure logins. Its Claude integration can enter passwords and MFA codes without exposing credentials to Anthropic or the model.
Project of the week
Now that the reviews are done on these great Anycubic printers, it’s time to pack them up for donation. This will make space for an exciting printer I’ll be looking at in the next few weeks. Stay tuned. I have a few big projects ready to roll out.
Must-watch YouTube
Moving on, let’s queue up some interesting YouTube videos for your entertainment and edification.
Are 3D printed houses already failing? This video contends there are some structural difficulties, but the real problems have more to do with traditional problems like financing, corrupt builders, and regulatory hurdles.
This deep-dive video explains why single-staircase apartment buildings are banned in many states, and how reducing the regulatory restrictions might help solve some of the housing crisis. Interesting backgrounder.
All production may have ceased on Star Trek TV shows, but there are still three seasons in the can. Season 4 of Strange New Worlds kicks off on Thursday, and if you’d like to come up to speed before watching, here’s a recap for you.
Merch of the week
After a quiet hiatus, my Etsy merch store is back with a bunch of new geekerly sayings. I’ll be adding more each week. This week, though, I wanted to kick off this Merch of the Week section with a philosophy I’m sure almost all Advanced Geekery readers and viewers will identify with: I void warranties recreationally.
Hey, and I have a favor to ask. In order to get the shop to rank, reviews are really important. After you decide you want one of the shirts (they come in lots of colors and sizes) and place your order, please leave a review. The more reviews, the better. I just ordered mine and it should be here in a few days.
Note: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, but not this week.
Interesting reads
And now, some good stuff from around the Internet, well worth checking out.
Irwin Allen made some of my all-time favorite science fiction TV, including Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Time Tunnel, and Land of the Giants. Now, a Star Trek showrunner is trying to bring them back. Let’s hope they don’t suffer the same fate as the not-rebooted Stargate series Amazon squelched for no good reason (but I’m not bitter).
Then there’s 95-year-old William Shatner, who’s doing more in his 90s than many of us do in middle age. Headline of the week: The Greatest Star Trek Icon Just Created A Vulgar Heavy Metal Band. Gotta love the dude.
On a less fun, but far more essential note, ZDNET’s Charlie Osborne shows how to spot quishing (QR code phishing) scams before it’s too late. Scary stuff. Must read.
Send in your projects
I’d like to regularly spotlight a reader project or two here. Your project doesn’t have to be a big Kickstarter launch. If you’ve built something cool, it has some pretty pictures, and you’re proud of it, I might be able to share it here.
If you have a photogenic reader project, send an email to me at david@zatz.com with the subject “READER PROJECT,” a few pictures, and a short one-paragraph description. If you have a social media link or a link to the project, include that, too.
Both my EPs are now streaming
Available on all your favorite streaming services.
More clicky
I’ve got a lot happening all over the web. Here are links to my various stuff:
House of the Head: home for my published music
ZATZ Labs: where I host my published software projects
Feel free to dig around, visit, and say hey!
Leave some comments
Substack supports comments, so feel free to leave some. I promise to read them. Just, please, let’s keep our personal politics out of any discussion.
That should do it for this week. This newsletter is really starting to pick up subscribers. Please help it out by sharing links on all your socials.
Have a great week!