Author: Staff Writer

Apple revises App Store new rules.

Staff Writer

Apple quietly updated its App Store guidelines on Monday, while the keynote address of WWDC was happening in San Jose, to allow for mobile apps like Valve’s Steam Link game streaming service, according to Reuters. Steam owner Valve said last week Apple had initially rejected Steam Link, which lets consumers access and stream their PC game library onto a mobile device, due to apparent “business” conflicts. The change does not void Apple’s long-standing policy that no iOS app may host an app store of its own and allow users to purchase and download…

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Uber is launching its bike-share company Jump in Europe

Staff Writer
COVID 19 Read consumer

In the two months since Uber bought bike-share startup Jump, the company’s bright red bikes have already rolled out across a few US cities — and now they’re coming to Europe. Onstage at today’s NOAH Conference in Berlin, Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi announced that the company would be expanding beyond its traditional taxi rides with plans to roll out electric bike rentals in the German capital by the end of the summer, with more European cities to come. It’s a move that raises eyebrows for a few reasons. European cities are already flooded with…

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Instagram new consideration of doing away with video length constraints

Staff Writer
Instagram Fundraiser

Instagram is considering doing away with video length constraints, according to The Wall Street Journal, which published a report about “a new feature” that would let users post long-form clips of up to an hour. That would open new creative flexibility for users and bring Instagram closer in line with YouTube and its own parent company, Facebook. The plan is described as tentative, so Instagram could ultimately decide against radically extending the maximum running time of videos on its platform. The new feature “will focus on vertical video” according to…

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Facebook New Agreement on Data Sharing With Chinese Firms

Staff Writer
facebook

Facebook has confirmed it has a data-sharing partnership with Chinese firms including Huawei, a company US intelligence previously flagged as a security threat. The agreements gave the Chinese firms some access to users’ data to help them build Facebook “experiences” on their own platforms. Facebook said all the data collected remained on users’ phones not servers. The company is already under scrutiny over how it uses members’ information. Facebook has been blocked in China since 2009 but the company has been trying to find other ways to access the massive…

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Instagram new feature to share posts directly to their stories

Staff Writer

The line between Instagram posts and stories is getting even thinner today. There’s a new feature that will let users share posts — both from their own account and from public accounts they follow — directly to their story as a sticker. Instagram imagines the feature will be used to help promote friends and brands you like on your own story, making it easier to share, say, a band’s tour announcement with your followers. (It’s easier than saving or screenshotting the image itself since people are going to do it…

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Google new plan to remove “Secure” Indicator From HTTPS Pages.

Staff Writer

Google announced plans to drop the “Secure” indicator from the Chrome URL address bar and only show a lock icon when the user is navigating to an HTTPS-secured website. The move is scheduled to take effect with the release of Chrome 69, scheduled for September, this year. Emily Schechter, Product Manager for Chrome Security, said the company is now comfortable making this move as a large chunk of Chrome’s traffic is now via HTTPS. Since most traffic is HTTPS anyway, it’s not necessary to draw the user’s attention to the…

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Microsoft new budget of $400 Surface tablets.

Staff Writer

Microsoft is working on a new line of budget Surface tablets to better compete with Apple’s low-cost iPad options, according to a report from Bloomberg. According to the report, the new Surface tablets won’t just be smaller, cheaper Surface Pros. Rather, Microsoft is said to be completely redesigning the devices, with 10-inch screens instead of the 12-inch size currently found on the Surface Pro, rounded corners that more resemble an iPad than the more rectangular Surface design, and USB-C for charging. Most importantly, priced at $400, they will be more…

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Facebook launches new educative portal for the Generation Z

Staff Writer

Facebook launches a Youth Portal for the Generation Z to demystify and educate them on all things Facebook. The portal which is in itself a first for Facebook is a step in the right direction in the consumption and relation with the social media platform for the Generation Z. The teens are known for their independence and knowledge, Gen Z’ers is capable of learning something themselves either through a more efficient or a non-traditional route. “We’re excited to launch our Youth Portal, a central place for teens to fellow teens in…

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YouTube new section for displaying additional credits for songs

Staff Writer

YouTube will now provide additional information for songs with a section called “music in this video,” found within the “show more” area that can be expanded underneath videos. The new “music in this video” section will be available on over half a billion videos, and it will provide a more in-depth look at the credits associated with a song. For example in  for Camila Cabello’s “Havana,” the “music in this video” section shows all the contributing artists (in this case, Young Thug), the songwriters involved, the labels and publishers who…

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New WhatsApp Updates for Groups

Staff Writer
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Groups have been an important part of the WhatsApp experience, whether it’s family members connecting across the globe or childhood friends staying in touch over the years. There are also people coming together in groups on WhatsApp like new parents looking for support, students organizing study sessions, and even city leaders coordinating relief efforts after natural disasters. Today, we’re sharing improvements that we’ve made to groups. What’s New Group description: A short blurb found under group info that allows you to set the purpose, guidelines, or topics for the group.…

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