Ben Reyes

Designer & Developer, slowly changing the world bit by bit. Member of the @OpenRightsGroup & @EFF. Ex-@Zendesk. 🏳️‍🌈

I post predictions and observations.

[Ben Reyes @3en]

@RaffaelaLesch Just heard of your study. Raccoons are next level. I live on a small urban island in San Francisco. And we unfortunately had to evict two Racoons living in the walls. Caught them living with a cat! They still come and visit, nearly came in the house once whilst I was at the front door (but I couldn’t them in because my housemate would freak), and they say hi to me when I shine a light on my face but as soon as I start filming them they run away. My housemate tells me they team up with the neighborhood skunks as well.

[Ben Reyes @3en]

@cruise @Waymo 2024 and likely into 2025 San Francisco Cruise Ship activity appears to be picking up - @SFPort "Hosted 365,000 cruise passengers on the waterfront, which is the second highest year of passengers on record."

[Ben Reyes @3en]

Thesis: #SanFrancisco could see regeneration and renewed optimism helped by @cruise bridging the transportation gap (especially for neighbourhoods with closing retail stores). SF is the test city, and could temporarily reclaim the future forward progressive brand that draws people.

It will take longer for @cruise to go from city to city, but if they are able to bridge South San Francisco's Booming Bio-Tech and SF City. It could help with bringing more activity back to SF. Lots of execution risks, but @cruise is the most promising from real-world on-road observation.

[Ben Reyes @3en]

@cruise Cruise wasn't meant to be, but @Waymo continues to be prevalent in the city. Observations of general conversations about San Francisco have trended toward positive optimism. We likely crossed into more positive territory earlier in 2025, but perceptions are slower to change.

[Ben Reyes @3en]

Stelo @dexcom (Consumer CGM Health Device) facing shortages, suspicions that @ouraring recent integration/campaign is contributing to shortages.

Prediction: CGMs will become more mainstream in health tracking in next few years, despite initial slower-than-anticipated adoption

[Ben Reyes @3en]

@kevinroose @caseynewton I'm one of those daily chatbot users "outsourcing cognition". Had a TBI in 2019, it's a game changer and will be for those with disabilities and barriers. Even used it to do cognitive rehabilitation exercises, which would have cost maybe $200/hr

[Ben Reyes @3en]

Coming up to 12 years ago I bought a burger in London for Ɖ12,000 #Dogecoin. In todays money, that's $4,888

[Ben Reyes @3en]

@TISFFerry Is there any service today on Memorial Day. I checked weekend service and doesn’t seem to be running.

[Ben Reyes @3en]

@profgalloway Long time listener, first-time caller. On the topic of the challenge of the cognitive decline of your father. Whilst not a cure, this might help, recommend looking into Red Light Therapy, specifically @VielightInc with a decent amount of research incl. VA (I use personally for post-brain injury, can be used for healthy folks too, also available over the counter). Research: https://t.co/Jqkqq6PQPz

[Ben Reyes @3en]

@IsobelYeung Watched “The Prison Experiment” piece on @VICENews. Absolutely incredible, impactful reporting & story-telling. I hope you & the team win an award for this and future work. Long admired your work, & you keep coming with even more pieces that changes worldviews 👏🌏

[Ben Reyes @3en]

Hoping, someone @Apple reads this, and is either already working on something similar or runs with the idea. The last time I tweeted something like this in 2012 Apple released iCloud Keychain/Wifi Syncing in 2013. https://t.co/sVUjSpNuHz

[Ben Reyes @3en]

I kind of wish there was a way to store all of your Wifi Keychain Passwords in iCloud and have it sync across all Apple devices and iOS

[Ben Reyes @3en]

How I think @Apple could launch an “MVNO” service that’s actually useful and not an inherent threat to telcos.

🤔PROBLEM: US iPhones /w No SIM trays = Bad or Expensive eSIM Intl’ Roaming = Sub-par travel experiences
✅SOLUTION:
📞 Apple Virtual “eNumber”

- $12.95 per month (or free on Apple One Premier)
- Port your existing mobile # to Apple for use on FT/iMessage
- Works across any eSIM plan globally (relaying texts & calls via data over FT/iMessage)(& is the only secure way to map a virtual # to iMessage)
- Exclusive Apple partner carriers (allows you to relay text & calls directly over traditional cellular network vs. data)
- You select if you want your calls/texts routed via which carrier’s cellular or FT/iMessage. You also still have the carrier's local phone # too.
- And the icing on the cake: Access Apple’s new non-emergency Backup Satellite SMS service with this plan

[Ben Reyes @3en]

@ollieglass @andyy Or charge for bathroom use?

[Ben Reyes @3en]

@JamieSiminoff @ring @amazon Hey Jamie & RingHQ, can you seriously give some kudos to Kuba & Intercom Support/Labs Team for a fantastic experience. Seriously, top-notch customer experience and communication! As someone who spent 10 years in CS @Zendesk, I can't help but clap! 👏

[Ben Reyes @3en]

@CDCgov (via partners) are offering voluntary COVID tests @flySFO which I assume to be is variant surveillance for international travel. Two different samples. No details collected and a free antigen test handed out. I do recommend partaking, especially with the risks of variants

[Compass Family Services @compasssf]

Last Friday we had a BLAST with our friends at @Zendesk , Hellman & Friedman, and Primera. These volunteer superstars packed 1,000 hygiene and snack kits and toured our Compass programs. We can't wait to do it again!

[Ben Reyes @3en]

@Apple @phonak As a hearing-impaired person with In-the-canal (ITC) and an AirPods 1/2/3 Pro 1/2 user. I love Airpods but mostly wear my hearing aids 90% of the time. Love for there to be a way there to be "Announce notifications with Siri" on hearing aids. Even just one way.

[Ben Reyes @3en]

@ColinHayhurst @foxjust @jamescun Wasn't there an @AlibabaGroup crew in the apartment block we were in at the time?