HiTechEdge

Tag: The Verge

  • Instagram’s New Collabs Feature Allows Users to Co-Author Posts

    Instagram’s New Collabs Feature Allows Users to Co-Author Posts

    Instagram is unveiling a new feature, Collabs, that will allow separate accounts to co-author posts and share resulting likes.

    Co-authoring posts and collaborating on projects is a popular way for social media content creators to build their brand and attract users. Instagram’s new Collabs feature is likely to be a big hit, allowing users to collaborate on posts and Reels, according to The Verge.

    Collabs are accessed via tagging, giving the second account the option to accept or reject the Collab. Once the two accounts are involved in the Collab, views, likes and comments will be shared between the two accounts.

  • Google TV Expanding Multiple Accounts and Personalization

    Google TV Expanding Multiple Accounts and Personalization

    Google TV is making some major improvements, adding more personalized profiles, suggestions and watchlists.

    Google TV already supported multiple accounts, but the watchlists, suggestions and Google Assistant-based features are linked to the primary profile. According to The Verge, Google is preparing to remedy that, offering a true personalized experience.

    The new features will ensure each profile sees its own watchlist and suggestions, and has its own Google Assistant features.

    Google told The Verge that the new features will begin rolling out next month.

  • Lead Google Stadia Exec Moves to Google Cloud

    Lead Google Stadia Exec Moves to Google Cloud

    Stadia’s status continues to perplex as a top exec moves from Google’s gaming platform to Google Cloud.

    Stadia is Google’s cloud gaming service. The service has gone through a number of changes, not the least of which was Google shutting down its own in-house game studio.

    According to The Verge, Jack Buser, Stadia’s Director for Games, has been moved to Google Cloud. The company provided the following statement to Google:

    Gaming is an incredibly important vertical at Google and we’re seeing huge momentum across all products and services. Jack’s new role will allow us to better bring customers the best of Google across our Cloud services, Stadia, YouTube, and more. Stadia continues to be led by its GM Phil Harrison, and Stadia’s business development and partner management teams will continue to be led by Michael Abbattista, who took over the role in 2020.

    As The Verge points out, though disconcerting, the move doesn’t necessarily spell trouble for Stadia. Google made it clear when it shut down its own in-house game studio that it wanted to provide a platform for partner companies to develop games for.

    In that content, Buser’s move to Google Cloud may make sense and demonstrate Google’s commitment to leveraging the power of its cloud platform to bolster Stadia.

  • Google’s Pixel 6 Won’t Include a Charging Brick

    Google’s Pixel 6 Won’t Include a Charging Brick

    Google is on the verge of releasing the Pixel 6, but reports indicate the phone will not ship with a charging brick.

    The Pixel 6 is Google’s highly anticipated next version of its flagship line of smartphones. Following the lead of Apple and Samsung, Google appears poised to sell the phone without the customary charging brick, according to The Verge.

    While some users may be put off by not having a charging brick included, Google’s decision is not all that surprising. Device manufacturers are looking for ways to reduce costs, as well as cut down on electronic waste. In the meantime, after years of smartphones and tablets saturating the market, most users have more charging bricks than they can use.

    Either way, Google won’t be the last company to take this route.

  • Samsung Will Remove Ads From Its Stock Apps

    Samsung Will Remove Ads From Its Stock Apps

    Samsung has finally decided to stop putting ads in its stock Android apps…something it should never have been doing in the first place.

    Samsung is one of the biggest Android smartphone makers and is considered a high-end smartphone manufacturer that competes head-to-head with the likes of Apple. Despite that, and despite prices upwards of $1,000, Samsung seemed to think it was a good idea to include ads that were, as The Verge described, the“kind of ad that’s normally at the bottom of a crappy, overloaded website.”

    It’s truly amazing that a company charging a premium for its devices would think bombarding its users with ads is an acceptable business model. Fortunately, Samsung has seen the light and informed The Verge it plans to stop.

    “Samsung has made a decision to cease the advertisement on proprietary apps including Samsung Weather, Samsung Pay, and Samsung Theme,” the company said in a statement to The Verge. “The update will be ready by later this year.”

    “Our priority is to deliver innovative mobile experiences for our consumers based on their needs and wants,” the company continued. “We value feedback from our users and continue our commitment to provide them with the best possible experience from our Galaxy products and services.”

  • ITC Judge Finds Goole Infringed Sonos’ Patents in Preliminary Ruling

    ITC Judge Finds Goole Infringed Sonos’ Patents in Preliminary Ruling

    A judge has dealt Google a major blow in a preliminary ruling, finding the company infringed Sonos’ patents.

    The International Trade Commission (ITC) judge sided with Sonos, in a suit the company brought against Google over its smart speaker patents. Sonos accused Google of abusing the partnership between the two companies to steal its technology.

    Sonos acknowledged this ruling was merely the opening salvo in what is sure to be a long battle. In a statement to The Verge, a Sonos spokesperson said the ruling “is only a first step in a lengthy battle,” but an “important milestone in the ongoing effort to defend Sonos’ technology against Google.”

    Google is denying any wrongdoing, issuing its own statement to The Verge:

    “We do not use Sonos’ technology, and we compete on the quality of our products and the merits of our ideas. We disagree with this preliminary ruling and will continue to make our case in the upcoming review process.”

    Should the ITC uphold the ruling, Sonos is asking for a sales ban against Pixel phones, Chromecasts and Nest Hubs.

  • Apple Making a Play for NFL Sunday Ticket

    Apple Making a Play for NFL Sunday Ticket

    Apple may be preparing to enter the the streaming TV big leagues, with a play for the NFL Sunday Ticket.

    In the battle for the streaming TV market, sports is one of the most important keys to success. A strong emphasis on sports has allowed fuboTV to quickly go from a small upstart to one of the major competitors at the top of the streaming food chain.

    Apple appears ready to get in on the action, and is in early talks for the rights to the NFL Sunday Ticket, according to The Information, via The Verge. The NFL Sunday Ticket would give Apple the ability to broadcast all football games not available on local stations.

    Sports Business Journal’s John Ourand says the negotiations have not officially begun, but the NFL has had preliminary talks with companies, including Apple.

    If Apple is able to secure NFL Sunday Ticket, it would be a game-changer for the company’s Apple TV+ service.

  • Microsoft Employees Receiving $1,500 Bonus

    Microsoft Employees Receiving $1,500 Bonus

    Microsoft employees are receiving a $1,500 bonus, an acknowledgement of the unusual fiscal year the company experienced.

    Like many companies, Microsoft has had to adapt to a new normal in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges, however, the company has experienced significant growth, driven largely by its cloud business.

    The company is now giving its employees a $1,500 pandemic bonus, “in recognition of the unique and challenging fiscal year that Microsoft just completed,” according to The Verge.

    Interestingly, employees of LinkedIn, GitHub, and ZeniMax — all Microsoft-owned companies – will not be eligible for the bonus.

  • Microsoft Getting Back Into Retail

    Microsoft Getting Back Into Retail

    Microsoft appears to be reversing course, getting back into retail with its flagship New York City, London and Sydney locations.

    Microsoft famously announced in June 2020 it was closing its retail locations throughout the US. Unlike Apple, whose stores are some of the most profitable retail space in the country, Microsoft was never able to achieve the same degree of success.

    When the company announced it was closing its stores, it said it would keep a few locations — New York City, London and Sydney — open as “Microsoft Experience Centers.” The stores would showcase Microsoft’s products, but would not actually sell anything to customers.

    The company is now reversing course, and will begin selling products at its Experience Centers. The company confirmed the change of plans in a statement to The Verge.

    “Our Microsoft Experience Centers were created to provide customers a way to experience our products in person,” said Travis Walter, Microsoft’s head of retail stores. “We use these spaces to test and experiment, and continue to evolve the experience based on customer feedback. Starting July 1st, customers will be able to purchase select Microsoft products at the New York, London and Sydney locations.”

  • Another Wave of DMCA Takedowns About to Hit Twitch

    Another Wave of DMCA Takedowns About to Hit Twitch

    Twitch has notified users that another wave of DMCA takedowns is about to hit, to the tune of roughly 1,000 notices.

    Many Twitch users play music in the background while they’re streaming. Unfortunately, in many cases, that music is covered by copyright law. Beginning last May, Twitch started seeing a massive surge in the number of takedown requests. The first such large wave was last May, followed by another in October, with Twitch deleting the offending content.

    According to an email seen by The Verge, Twitch streamers should prepare for another round.

    “We recently received a batch of DMCA takedown notifications with about 1,000 individual claims from music publishers,” reads the email. “All of the claims are for VODs, and the vast majority target streamers listening to background music while playing video games or IRL streaming.”

    As The Verge points out, Twitch did not initially offer very good tools to help streamers manage their content and deal with the takedowns. The company has since apologized and improved its tools.

    Those improvements will hopefully help this takedown will go a bit smoother than the first two.