iFixit‘s teardowns are always worth a read, and its look at the iPad Mini 5 is no different. It showed that the device’s battery flex connector is now adhered to the cover bracket. This means it automatically disconnects when the bracket is removed. This should help prevent damaging the backlighting when fixing the new iPad Mini. Amongst other things, the teardown also revealed an upgraded front-facing camera module and updated battery connectors.

A single Phillips driver takes care of all the screws. Many components are modular and can be replaced independently, but the Lightning port is soldered to the logic board. Battery replacement is possible, but still unnecessarily difficult. Gobs of adhesive hold many parts and cables in place, complicating all repairs. Removing the home button is tough, and will be required for display replacement if you want to keep Touch ID functionality.

While lawmakers in the UK and U.S. lament fake news, and Mark Zuckerberg promises Facebook will do better, Singapore is taking action. The government there is looking to impose serious fines and even 10-years imprisonment on those who spread fake news. While users may be pleased something is being done, Bloomberg News reported that tech firms raised some concerns.

The new measures will require online sites to show corrections to false or misleading claims and take down falsehoods, according to a bill put forward in Parliament on Monday by the government…The bill also intends to impose criminal sanctions — including fines of up to S$1 million ($740,000) and 10 years in prison — against those who spread an online falsehood with intent to prejudice the public interest, and those who make a bot to spread an online falsehood. The sanctions will also apply to anyone providing services for the purpose of spreading falsehoods in return for a reward.

I think there is much to learn from Marie Kondo. Her Netflix series was an absolute favorite, and her book, ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up’, is a global bestseller. Indeed, her KonMari method is sneaking into various aspects of life.  Writing for The Next Web, Leona Henryson explained how relevant it is to UX design.

In her book, Kondo calls for questioning a thing’s purpose and establishing whether its purpose has been fulfilled since it has been bought. I feel it’s safe to say this inquisitive attitude towards an object’s place in the grand scheme of things is very similar to how UX designers make decisions. Excess is a problem in any interface out there, and a cluttered flow always damages the user experience…Kondo’s book teaches us to be straightforward about the purpose of certain things in our designs and to be brave about editing out the things our users won’t need.