The Daily Valet. - 5/11/22, Wednesday

✔️ The End of an iEra

Wednesday, May 11th Edition

Cory Ohlendorf, Editor in Chief of Valet.

The days of ripped and pirated music feel so long ago now, don’t they?

Cory Ohlendorf , Editor ⋯ @coryohlendorf

Today’s Big Story

The End of an iEra

Apple’s iconic MP3 players are on the way out, but some people are committed to keeping them running

Well, it was one hell of a ride, wasn’t it? On Tuesday, Apple announced that the iPod Touch, the last remaining iPod, would only be available while supplies last, marking the end of a 20-year era for the dedicated portable music player.

Technology writer Tripp Mickle says that the legendary music player “began with a modest goal: Let’s create a music product that makes people want to buy more Macintosh computers. Within a few years, it would change consumer electronics and the music industry and lead to Apple becoming the most valuable company in the world.”

Debuting a month after the September 11th terrorist attacks, it had a slightly slow start but then exploded in popularity in the years that followed, creating what became known as the iPod generation and selling about half a billion music players.

Of course, while the current iPod Touch has had its fans, the writing’s been on the wall for a while. The seventh-gen iPod Touch Apple just discontinued was introduced in 2019 via a press release. And despite people like tech writer Mitchell Clark begging for a simplistic music player designed for the age of streaming, it became pretty clear that Apple wasn’t looking to spend much time on the iPod.

Apple assured us that “the spirit of iPod lives on” in all of its devices that play music (i.e. the iPhone, iPad, HomePod Mini). And Apple Music—the seven-year-old service that’s essentially Apple’s Coke to Spotify’s Pepsi. After all, the days of buying and owning 99-cent songs on an iPod have given way to another monthly streaming subscription offering access to a catalog you don’t really own.

But some aren’t willing to let the iPod go. There’s a growing community of people who are repairing and, in some cases, upgrading old iPods to work even better than before. Rather than old, relatively delicate hard drives, these tweaked models read music off cheap, roomy SD cards. They also install bigger batteries into the space those hard drives used to take up.

↦ Buy: You can still find pre-owned and refurbished iPods (or all sizes) on eBay for as little as $27.99.

The Ripple Effects of Russia’s War

The invasion is impacting everything from stocks and gas to fertilizer

When Russia invaded Ukraine no one knew how long the ensuing conflict would last, or how deep the shockwaves sent through Europe or the rest of the world would be.

NPR reports that the war has triggered seismic repercussions in nearly every corner of the globe. There's now a fast-moving refugee crisis, unprecedented sanctions against a major economy and a shakeup of global relationships, including a reinvigorated NATO.

That means far from the battlegrounds in Ukraine, stores are running out of cooking oil, everyone seems to be paying more at the gas pump, and farmers are scrambling to buy fertilizer while nations are rethinking alliances.

A 21st century war in Europe—led by a nuclear power—is pushing the world toward a potentially profound realignment. Russia has more nuclear weapons than any other country in the world. Its military attack on Ukraine has notably reenergized NATO, and countries around the world have escalated military spending or have begun a consequential reevaluation of their defenses.

Gun Deaths Surge

The U.S. has the highest rate of gun-related deaths in more than 25 years

The surge in gun violence across the United States in 2020 pushed the firearm homicide rate that year to its highest level in a quarter-century, the CDC reported Tuesday.

“The COVID-19 pandemic might have exacerbated existing social and economic stressors that increase risk for homicide and suicide, particularly among certain racial and ethnic communities,” CDC researchers wrote in their report.

According to the Washington Post, young people, males, and the Black community have the highest firearm homicide rates. In a separate report [PDF] released last month, the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions similarly documented a nationwide spike in the firearm homicide rate in 2020, calling it “the largest one-year increase in modern history.”

TIME reports that firearms became the leading cause of death for American children and teenagers in 2020. It marks a significant shift—for over 60 years, car accidents were the leading cause of death for young people. Car accidents are now number two, while drug overdoses are number three.

A New, Affordable E-Bike Brand

It’s designed to replace ‘joyless’ car trips

High-end bike maker Specialized launched a new sub-brand called Globe on Tuesday. And it's dedicated to building high-quality electric utility bikes that are designed specifically to replace car trips.

“We are living in the last generation able to make a difference in the fight against climate change,” Saul Leiken, global category leader for Globe, told The Verge. Globe will be “an extension of the Specialized brand that will focus on bringing more fun to local living while reducing the number of car, truck and SUV trips needed for everyday transportation.”

So far, there's not a lot of details. The company did share a teaser image of the first model—a rugged looking frame carrying quite a load of cacti (that conveniently hides many of the most interesting parts of the bike). Orders are slated to begin in late 2022 for delivery starting early next year.

E-bikes are unique among two-wheeled vehicles thanks to their very real ability to replace car trips for the vast majority of owners—especially those trips that are under five miles. What do you think? Is there a chance more people will ditch their cars (or perhaps their second car) for a sturdy, zoomy bike?

↦ FYI: In 1989, Yamaha built one of the first electric bike prototypes, then invented the pedal-assist system in 1993.

In Other News

↦ Elon Musk Says He Would Reverse Twitter’s Ban of Donald Trump

↦ Celebrity Chef Mario Batali Acquitted of Sexual Misconduct

↦ 6 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Health Insurance Plan

Other Things We’re Talking About Today

Jack Harlow

Marni x UNIQLO

The Ratio coffeemaker

Make Amazing Asian Food at Home

The best Asian-authored cookbooks for your kitchen

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, a period dedicated to honoring and celebrating the history, culture and achievements of Americans hailing from across the Asian continent and the Pacific islands. And is there a better way to celebrate a culture than through its food? I don't think so.

Within a country's cuisine, you find stories and traditions alongside flavors and techniques you won't find anywhere else. As a lover of Asian food, I find myself searching out new restaurants to try as often as possible. But it's also a type of cooking that can be easily done at home once you get comfortable and stock your kitchen with the essentials.

And right now, there's no shortage of Asian chefs and food writers sharing stories and recipes of their cultures through cookbooks. From authentic Sichuan recipes to more modern interpretations of classic Korean and Filipino dishes, these books offer up recipes that are all but guaranteed to satisfy.

We highlight seven of our current favorites—they're not only easy to follow, but the books themselves are all beautiful additions to your kitchen.

↦ Read: The best Asian-authored cookbooks to make delicious and quick meals at home.

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