For fans of GeoGuessr and similar. This paper claims that they can do semantic editing of images to preserve location privacy.

https://doi.org/10.48550/arxiv.2610.20055

> we propose GeoCloak, an agentic framework for semantics-preserving geolocation privacy protection. It acts as a clue-aware planner that analyzes each image to identify geolocation-relevant clues, dispatches targeted semantic edits to directly suppress peripheral clues

It mentions both my blog and OpenBenches.

#GeoGuessr #Privacy

I wrote a short guide on how to get more natural sounding voices on Linux. With thanks to @Edent for making me aware there were options beyond the default.

#A11y #Accessibility #Linux

https://codemacabre.com/notes/natural-screen-reader-voices/

A lovely comment on @openbenches

https://openbenches.org/bench/7135#comments

🆕 blog! “Book Review: Are You *Really* The Doctor? by Matthew Hutchinson”
★★★⯪☆

A few months ago, I went to see Dr Hutchinson record his stand-up comedy special for the BBC - it's about his experiences working in the NHS as a Black doctor. As the title of the book implies, some of the public can be a mite suspicious that anyone with even a hint of…

👀 Read more: https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/10/book-review-are-you-really-the-doctor-by-matthew-hutchinson/
⸻
#BookReview #NHS #racism

Fascinating to see this in the Libby Library app.

🆕 blog! “Book Review: Africa Is Not A Country - Breaking Stereotypes of Modern Africa by Dipo Faloyin”
★★★★⯪

It's hard to craft a book with so much righteous indignation - let alone make it funny, accessible, and informative. Nevertheless, Dipo Faloyin has succeeded in writing a spectacular takedown of the myths which are…

👀 Read more: https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/10/book-review-africa-is-not-a-country-breaking-stereotypes-of-modern-africa-by-dipo-faloyin/
⸻
#africa #BookReview

Checked in to Old School Yard, 111 Long Ln, United Kingdom

Nose swabs before the karaoke — with Sheila

https://swarmapp.com/user/56367/checkin/6ad26a8ac4c7bf7c1f7b2aa2?s=Jwc-OVQ4Sew2w8W2jal0ZBMHft8

Do you like my reply.

The Register called my demonstrating value talk "the single talk with the most information" at the recent Open Source Summit EU in Prague! Flattery aside, it's a really nice summary of the event. https://www.theregister.com/software/2026/10/16/open-source-sovereignty-gets-down-to-the-boring-business-of-making-it-work/5303206

🆕 blog! “Book Review: Africa Is Not A Country - Breaking Stereotypes of Modern Africa by Dipo Faloyin”
★★★★⯪

It's hard to craft a book with so much righteous indignation - let alone make it funny, accessible, and informative. Nevertheless, Dipo Faloyin has succeeded in writing a spectacular takedown of the myths which are…

👀 Read more: https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/10/book-review-africa-is-not-a-country-breaking-stereotypes-of-modern-africa-by-dipo-faloyin/
⸻
#africa #BookReview

OK, this is slightly weird from my #Zigbee sensors. All were installed at the same time, all have the same batteries, all started at 100% charge.

After less than a week, the one in the fridge is at 62% battery 🤯 I don't know if that's the cold, or the fact it's in big metal box?

The bathroom experiences the most dramatic changes in humidity / temperature - but it reports once per minute like the other devices. So why is it lower in battery?

All part of the #HomeAssistant fun!

I ran @pixelblip's program and got this.
Source: https://bbcmic.ro/?t=f4BXi #bbcbasic

Grrr. Android's Bluetooth filesharing deliberately restricts to specific MIME types.
So I can't Bluetooth share an ePub (which is just a ZIP file) without first renaming it to .zip.
I can't install QuickShare on the receiving Android device (generic eInk tablet with no Google Play).
There are no FOSS QuickShare apps that I can find.

Is the only solution installing yet-another sharing app on all my devices?

🆕 blog! “The Internet of Very Cheap Things”

Twelve years ago, I was complaining that IoT devices were too expensive. Last week I bought a colour changing Zigbee lighbulb for £4. Not a typo - less than a fiver.

While the aipocalypse is devouring RAM with its insatiable appetite, Moore's Law appears to be keeping up its end of the bargain when it comes to …

👀 Read more: https://shkspr.mobi/blog/2026/10/the-internet-of-very-cheap-things/
⸻
#gadget #InternetOfThings #IoT #SmartHome

Server listings now show compatible apps based on software!

https://fedidb.com/servers/pixelfed.social

#FediDB

If anyone has a 5 metre USB-A extension cable lying around, I'd dearly love to take it out of your big-box-of-emergency-cables and give it a loving new home.

Happy to pay postage (UK only).

Hoping it'll solve some of my Zigbee woes 😆

Managed a grand total of about seven minutes of sleep last night.
Probably best I don't have any heavy machinery to operate, eh?

O true apothecary,
Thy drugs are quick.

If anyone has a 5 metre USB-A extension cable lying around, I'd dearly love to take it out of your big-box-of-emergency-cables and give it a loving new home.

Happy to pay postage (UK only).

Hoping it'll solve some of my Zigbee woes 😆

OK, the #Zigbee mesh is building up. Positioning some lamps around the place seems to be working.
Slightly underwhelmed with its range though. I wish #LoRaWAN had taken off for #IoT.