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Instagram seems to be trying to find ways to limit bad behavior without outright blocking posts or banning users.
The first feature is supposed to use artificial intelligence to flag comments that “may be considered offensive,” then gives those users the option to “undo” their comments before posting. The second addition is the ability to “restrict” users looking at your account — which is less obvious than outright blocking someone.
Apple officially stopped selling the 12-inch MacBook today, a computer that hasn’t had an update since June 2017 and that is also maybe one of the most contentious Macs in Apple’s lineup.
While the FCC and Congress hammer out new rules to (hopefully) banish robocalls forever, there are some short-term solutions that can help in the meantime — and one may arrive in just a few weeks.
The app is designed to work on patchy or weak internet connections and, at just 10MB, it is small enough to cater to lower-end devices that have limited storage or older phones.
In a Medium post, security researcher Jason Leitschuh detailed the vulnerability, writing that it may remain an issue even if users have uninstalled the Mac client.
The government is tightening rules around vehicle and driver accreditation, leading to a widescale driver shortage. Meanwhile, established carmakers, including BMW and state-owned Shouqi, are entering the fray. (Extra Crunch membership required.)
The Raspberry Pi 4 is a great little beast, but Tyler Ward identified a flaw in the USB Type-C connector. The Raspberry Pi Foundation confirmed to TechRepublic that the design flaw is real, and that your Raspberry Pi 4 might not work with all USB-C cables.
It’s not really a dealbreaker, but you can expect a future board revision with a proper implementation of the USB-C protocol. But if you find yourself scratching your head and you don’t understand why your Raspberry Pi is not powering up, now you know why.
The Raspberry Pi Foundation has released the schematics of the board. And there’s a missing CC resistor that let sophisticated chargers negotiate current with the device.
Given that USB-C is a complicated connector, some cables are electronically marked, which means that they have an integrated chip to support a wide range of devices.
For instance, you can use a MacBook Pro charger with plenty of USB-C devices. The charger just figures out how much power it needs to deliver.
But the Raspberry Pi 4 doesn’t support electronically marked cables, such as Apple’s USB-C cables or Google’s Pixel 3 cables. The device is incorrectly identified as an audio adapter accessory.
Fortunately, it doesn’t damage the Raspberry Pi 4 and it doesn’t create any fire hazard. The device just doesn’t power up.
"I expect this will be fixed in a future board revision, but for now users will need to apply one of the suggested workarounds. It's surprising this didn't show up in our (quite extensive) field testing program,” Raspberry Pi Foundation founder Eben Upton told TechRepublic.
A simple workaround is to buy a non e-marked cable or charger. The Raspberry Pi Foundation is selling an $8 USB-C charger for instance. In my testing, it has been working fine for the past couple of weeks.
Palo Alto-headquartered AppLovin says that by incorporating SafeDK technology, it will help its publishers ensure GDPR compliance and brand safety.
It also says SafeDK will continue to support existing customers, while its headquarters in Herzliya, Israel will become AppLovin’s first office in Israel. Co-founders Orly Shoavi and Ronnie Sternberg will remain on-board as the heads of SafeDK and general managers of AppLovin Israel.
The companies are not disclosing the financial terms of the deal, except to say that it was all-cash. According to Crunchbase, SafeDK has raised a total of $5.8 million from investors including Samsung Next Tel Aviv, Marius Nacht, StageOne Ventures and Kaedan Capital.
“We are delighted to be working with the AppLovin team to help mobile game publishers grow their businesses,” Shoavi said in a statement. “AppLovin has been a trusted partner for the biggest mobile game studios around the world and SafeDK’s technology will strengthen that trust.”
Nintendo’s latest mobile game is now available for iOS devices, a day before its official target launch date. The game is based on the Nintendo game created in 1990 for the NES and Game Boy, and re-released/re-made a bunch of times over the years for various Nintendo consoles.
Dr. Mario World, the iOS game available now, is, like its predecessors, a matching puzzle game in which you as Dr. Mario (or maybe you’re just a colleague of Dr. Mario? It’s somewhat unclear) cure ‘viruses’ by matching pill colors to the little jerks. This version has a number of additional gameplay features compared to the first, which was pretty Tetris-like in play. It also focuses on drag-and-drop mechanics, instead of manipulating pills like Tetris blocks as they fall.
For instance, you have other Doctors from the rich Mario fictional world to call upon for help, including Dr. Peach and Dr. Bowser, as well as assistants including Goomba, Koopa Troopa and others who apparently never either attained or aspired to professional medical doctor status. These have different skills that can make virus busting easier, and Nintendo plans to update the game with fresh doctors and assistants regularly.
Multiplayer is also part of Dr. Mario World, and you can go head-to-head or work together. Predictably if you’ve followed Nintendo’s foray into mobile titles, this one is free-to-play, with in-game purchases for unlocking more play time and unlacing additional characters and upgrades.
You can get access to Uber’s controversial Quiet Ride button that lets you ask your driver for silence if you’ll pay a 20% to 40% premium atop the UberX price. Today the Uber Comfort tier launches in 43 cities and smaller states in the US plus Ottawa, offering those willing to pay the premium access to newer mid-size cars with more legroom, higher rated drivers, and Rider Preferences for requesting specific climate control or no talking.
Before users hail an Uber Comfort car, they can request “quiet preferred”, “happy to chat” or leave the default of “no preference”, as well as warmer or colder temperature settings. These Rider Preferences launched in May as part of Uber’s pricier Black and SUV cars alongside a way to request help with luggage, but now they’re becoming more affordable.
The move allows Uber to charge more for slightly better vehicles and higher-rated drivers that used to be lumped in with its budget UberX tier. This also lets Uber compensate drivers better if they’re willing to forgo the small talk or crank the air conditioning. “Uber Comfort should result in fares for drivers that are at least 20% higher than UberX (not including surge or promotions) for a trip with the same time and distance” an Uber spokesperson tells me.
Some critics consider the Quiet Ride button an affront to the dignity of Uber’s contractors, saying it makes them act like robots when their jobs will soon be threatened by self-driving vehicles. But others just see it as enhanced customer service that’s reasonable to request given riders are paying for a driver’s professional services.
“The reception to Quiet Mode has been generally positive among drivers and riders” an Uber spokesperson tells me. “Riders appreciate the consistency and control they have over the type of their travel; business travelers in particular have shared how rider preferences have helped them be more productive en route to the airport, important meetings, or other work-related destinations. Drivers have shared how these new rider preferences have helped take the guesswork out of riders’ expectations, and helped them provide the best service possible.” They also noted that Quiet Mode is described in app as a “conversation preference” rather than a firm mandate to be silent.
To qualify for Uber Comfort, drivers need a car that meets higher and consistence vehicle make, model, year, and legroom requirements like the Toyota Camry, Honda Odyssey, or Chevy Tahoe. They also must maintain a 4.85 or higher rating to be eligible. If these drivers don’t want to receive Rider Preferences requests, they can opt out of being classified as Comfort.
Uber Comfort is now available in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Washington DC, Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Charleston, Charlotte, Dallas, Fresno, Hampton Roads, Houston, Honolulu, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Madison, Memphis, Milwaukee, Nashville, New Orleans, Omaha, Orange County, Palm Springs, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Portland, Raleigh-Durham, Richmond, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, San Diego, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Tucson, and Wichita plus Ottawa, Canada as well as the full states of Connecticut, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.
Here’s the breakdown of Uber’s tiers from cheapest to most expensive:
Uber Express Pool – The least pricey shared rides where you have to walk a few blocks
Uber Pool – Cheaper shared rides
UberX – Private rides without extra Rider Preferences or better vehicles
UberX Diamond – Better rated drivers and occasionally nicer cars but no Rider Preferences for top Uber Rewards loyalty members for no extra cost
Uber Comfort – 20% to 40% more than UberX for Rider Preferences like Quiet Rides plus better rated drivers, nicer cars, and minimum legroom requirements
Uber Select – Even more expensive for high-end cars but no Rider Preferences
Uber Black & SUV – The highest price for Rider Preferences including luggage help and premium town cars or big vehicles
Back in December, I recommended Uber add a Quiet Ride option that can be nice if you’re trying to work or rest during your trip. Users told me it was awkward having to ask drivers mid-ride for quiet since some would become offended or even hostile.
That’s especially problematic for women, some who said their male drivers’ probing questions would escalate to unwanted flirtation. Uber needs to do better at training drivers that this is unacceptable and weed them out of the system. But the reactive approach of waiting for negative ratings to come in after drivers have annoyed passenger can be augmented by allowing riders to ask for quiet ahead of time.
Bringing Rider Preferences to a wider swath if its vehicles could help Uber differentiate itself from competitors like Lyft and squeeze more cash out of passengers by training them to use its upgraded tiers as it tries to maintain momentum in the public market. Two months after its IPO, it’s finally recovered and exceeded its opening price.
Apple officially stopped selling the 12-inch MacBook today, a computer that hasn’t had an update since June 2017 and that is also maybe one of the most contentious Macs in Apple’s lineup. The 12-inch MacBook at one time seemed like Apple’s path forward (plenty of Apple fans and analysts saw it as a sign of things to come when it launched in 2015), but ultimately ended up representing some of Apple’s biggest challenges with its Macs in general.
The biggest indicator that Apple felt the MacBook was a showcase and crucial product was the name – it was just THE MacBook, without any addition epithets or qualifiers like “Air” or “Pro” (both of which predated its existence. And when it debuted, it brought a number of firsts for Apple’s laptop lineup, including USB-C for both data and power, a keyboard with butterfly mechanisms, a Force Touch trackpad and a new way of “terracing” batteries that allowed Apple to maximize the power available to the diminutive notebook without making any compromises on size.
For sheer portability and screen-to-size ratio, the MacBook was an absolute feat. But this computer was one of Apple’s boldest statements yet when it came to a separation from current standards and opinions about what users did and didn’t need in a laptop. It only came with a single USB-C port (‘just one!’ people gasped, and that’s for power, too!); the butterfly keyboard was strange and different. This last thing would later prove possibly Apple’s biggest technical gaffe in terms of fundamental component design, which has impact even today in that the company released brand new computers using butterfly keyboards and immediately added them to an extended keyboard replacement program.
The MacBook also always lagged significantly behind its Pro and Air companions in terms of processor power, thanks to the energy-sipping Intel chips required in its construction to minimize heat. As a former MacBook owner myself, it was enough that you noticed the chug when you were doing stuff that wasn’t necessarily heavy-duty, and painfully apparent if you used the little notebook simultaneously with a home desktop, for instance.
But the MacBook was also excellent in its own way. It was so portable as to be almost forgotten as an addition to a bag. It was maybe the ultimate pure writing notebook, because that’s not something that ever felt the lack of processor power under the hood. And as often maligned as it was for being a single-port machine (besides the headphone jack, which is now a luxury in the smartphone world), there was a certain amount of focus necessitated by this monk-like approach to I/O.
Ultimately, the MacBook resembles the original MacBook Air more than anything – an oddball that had both lovers and haters, but that didn’t meet the needs or expectations of the masses. Like the Air, the MacBook could rise from the ashes with a future incarnation, too – perhaps one made possible by the much-speculated future Apple transition to ARM processor architecture. Or maybe it’ll just make way for an ever-evolving iPad powered by the more sophisticated iPadOS coming this fall.
Regardless, the MacBook was an eccentric machine that I enjoyed using (and was potentially considering using again pending an update), so here’s hoping it’s not gone forever.
Microsoft is changing. Once a closed, monolithic organization with open hostility towards open sourced software, they now appear to be embracing it.
Along with some recent changes in attitude, including open sourcing Visual Studio Code, Windows are starting to embrace Linux. The Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) was an integrated virtual version of Linux within Windows.
A new version of WSL is on the way, and for some people, it’s going to change everything!
Why Would I Want Linux?
At first glance, a Linux kernel within the Windows operating system might not seem too important. After all, if you already use Windows, why bother with Linux?
It turns out there are many reasons you might want to use Linux. Its stability and customizable nature makes it widely used across all forms of software development. Almost everything you see online and every app you use has a Linux server as its backbone.
If you are interested in open source projects and software, Linux as an operating system embodies this philosophy fully. There are free Linux equivalents of most pieces of software. If you are interested in development, open source projects are always looking for more contributors.
Is a particular piece of software not working the way you want it to? Then contribute to the project to make it better!
Doesn’t Windows Already Have Linux?
Microsoft introduced the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) with the 2018 Windows 10 Anniversary Update as a way to run Linux software in the Windows operating system.
Since then, installing a Linux distribution has been simple. Just head to the Microsoft Store, and choose from a selection of distributions.
Once installed, you can run the Linux command line straight from the start menu. This first iteration is now known as WSL 1.
Why Not Use a Virtual Machine?
Running other operating systems within Windows is nothing new. You can run almost any operating system with a Virtual Machine (VM), so why bother with WSL?
The difference an integrated system makes is speed and convenience. VMs typically run slower than native operating systems.
Since Linux operates natively within Windows, you can launch a Bash terminal from the start menu, and access your Linux subsystem in a matter of moments.
Compare this to the time it takes to spin up a VM or a dual boot of Linux and Windows, and you will see a real difference.
Still, WSL 1 has some caveats. Despite working faster than a typical VM, it remains a virtual operating system. WSL 2 changes this.
How Is WSL 2 Different?
Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 (WSL 2) comes with an actual Linux kernel. Previously, Windows created an emulation of what the kernel does, and while it was highly optimized, it still wasn’t as good as the real thing.
The difference the kernel is going to make will be huge. According to Microsoft, there is a 20x increase in speed between WSL 1 and 2. Even if this turns out to be somewhat exaggerated, it will still be an incredible difference.
The idea of Windows shipping a Linux kernel to run within the Windows operating system is a big deal. It signifies the ongoing attitude changes at Microsoft towards open source software and operating systems.
Why Is the Kernel Important?
The kernel is the lowest level of software on an operating system. It is responsible for almost every way you interact with your computer. For example, every time you use the software on your computer, it is the kernel which translates your input into data the CPU can understand, and feeds you the output back.
Shipping the Linux kernel changes everything, as it means that any Linux specific tasks you are performing will be interacting with the Linux kernel. This level of compatibility pulls WSL 2 away from the concept of a typical VM.
Explaining what the kernel is and what it can do is all well and good, but it still doesn’t answer the question: why is this such a game changer?
Things You Can Do With a Kernel That You Couldn’t Before
Any file-intensive operations were a bottleneck for WSL 1, as Windows and Linux run different file systems.
Rather than making direct system calls, WSL 1 has to translate these calls into data Windows can understand.
With the Linux kernel in place, starting WSL 2 is significantly faster (demos show it booting in under two seconds). All of the previously mentioned speed issues are gone, as the operating system is running directly on the kernel.
Practical applications for this include running server solutions like Docker in a native Linux environment. This is a great benefit when developing for a remote Linux server.
Moreover, anything you would have typically used a full Linux system for will be possible within WSL 2, at near-native speeds.
Windows Terminal
WSL 2 will work hand-in-hand with another highly anticipated Microsoft project: the new Windows Terminal.
Designed as a complete reboot of using the command line on windows, Terminal’s design is cross-platform by nature.
As well as running hybrid tasks within a single terminal window, the ability to use Powershell for Windows and Bash for Linux in different tabs of the same terminal window will change everything for cross-platform developers.
Should I Switch to Windows?
So far, we’ve looked at this from a Windows perspective, but what if you already run Linux? Should you make the switch?
In all likelihood, the answer is no. If you are already running Linux, then you won’t see any benefits from switching now. Many Linux users prefer the fully open nature of the operating system.
Historically Microsoft hasn’t been kind to open source projects, and that history is well remembered by many.
If you use both operating systems, WSL 2 will be a great addition to the Windows side of your daily use, and for developers using both platforms daily, it’ll change everything about the way you can organize your workspace.
Operating the System
WSL isn’t new news, but these changes are significant enough to turn some heads. It was possible to load a Linux Desktop in WSL 1, so it seems highly likely it’ll be possible in WSL 2 also.
That said, if you don’t like Microsoft and want to stay open source, this isn’t for you. It would be understandable, and there are so many other great ways to stay open source!
Telegram stickers are a universe of their own, with people having entire conversations in cool graphics, trashy memes, or movie quotes. And it’s only possible because Telegram allows you to make your own stickers.
The best thing about making Telegram stickers is that you don’t have to have a developer account or pass a long and painful review (here’s looking at you, iMessage). You just send images to a bot and that’s about it.
So, if you’ve been meaning to do something with all of the in-jokes you and your work friends have accumulated, follow this guide explaining how to make your own Telegram stickers.
Step 1: Design Your Stickers
You don’t have to be a graphic designer to create Telegram stickers. If you are, that’s great—another free way for you to promote your art. But if you’re not, don’t let that stop you. Some of the best Telegram stickers are hilarious meme-like creations, thrown together out of quotes and photos. Your basic design skills will suffice for those.
The stickers you create have to follow unified design requirements. Those are super simple:
Telegram stickers must be PNG images with a transparent background, 512×512 pixels.
Each sticker should be a separate image file. Designing and uploading them is easier on desktop than on mobile, so you might want to use Telegram for Mac, Telegram for Windows, or Telegram Web.
The icon for your sticker pack is optional. If you’d like to have one, design a 100×100 PNG image with a transparent layer.
It’s important to understand that using things like movie quotes to create your stickers is a copyright infringement. Yes, that’s exactly how memes are made, but unlike a meme, your sticker pack will likely be taken off Telegram if the copyright owner complains. That said, there seems to be no copyright check when you upload your designs.
The average Telegram sticker pack includes 10 to 20 stickers, but you’re not limited in how many you want to upload. Some packs have over 100 stickers, and you can keep coming back and adding new ones even after you publish.
If you feel getting a Photoshop subscription just to design your own stickers would be overkill, here are free alternatives to Adobe software.
Step 2: Find the Telegram Sticker Bot
Once your very own Telegram stickers are ready to roll, find the Telegram sticker bot. You can do that either by following the link above or by opening Telegram and typing “stickers” into the search field. Click on the chat, and you’ll see the list of commands you can use:
/newpack to create a new Telegram sticker pack
/addsticker to add a sticker to an existing pack
/delsticker to remove a sticker from a pack
/ordersticker to reorder stickers in a pack
/stats to get usage stats for a specific sticker
/top to see the top stickers in your pack
/packstats to get usage stats for a sticker pack
/packtop to see your top sticker packs
/cancel to cancel whatever command you just used
Click Start to open the chat and start setting up your sticker pack.
Step 3: Upload Your Telegram Stickers
The Telegram sticker bot makes it easy to upload and publish your designs. Here’s what you need to do:
Type in the /newpack command and hit Enter.
The sticker bot will ask for the name of your pack. Type in the name and send it.
Now click on the File icon to upload your first sticker. It’s important that you upload it as a file, not as a photo. If you use the Camera icon, the bot will reject the image.
The bot will ask you to assign an emoji to your sticker. Choose an emoji that matches this sticker best and hit Enter to send it. You can assign a few, but Telegram recommends no more than two emoji per sticker.
Repeat steps 3-4 for every Telegram sticker you want to add.
When you’re done, type in the /publish command and send it.
If you want to add an icon for your sticker pack, upload it just like you uploaded the rest of the images and send it to the bot. If you don’t have an icon, just send the /skip command, and your first sticker will become an icon for this pack.
Finally, send the bot a short name for your sticker pack to be used in its URL. For example, mine is “Classic Alice,” so the URL is https://t.me/addstickers/ClassicAlice.
Done! Click on the link to your Telegram sticker pack to see how everything looks. If you have more than 10 stickers, you can scroll through them.
Start Sending Your Telegram Stickers
Telegram doesn’t have a sticker store or any other way for people to browse all existing stickers. This means your pack will be gathering dust until you and your friends start sending the stickers you made.
When you click on your pack’s URL, you’ll see two ways to start sharing your Telegram stickers.
Share: This will forward the link to your pack to a Telegram contact or group of your choosing.
Add Stickers: This will add the pack to your collection, so that you can send individual stickers to your Telegram contacts. Your friends can then see and add the pack by tapping on the sticker you sent. That is how they spread.
More Reasons to Start Using Telegram
Stickers alone would be enough to ditch other messaging apps in favor of Telegram, but there are more reasons why Telegram is the only messenger you need. From secret chats to the ability to fix typos in the messages you’ve already sent, Telegram has tons of features you’re likely to use.
Take Telegram bots, for example. These simple assistants can help you with just about anything—there’s even a bot that reminds you to straighten your back every 30 minutes. Check out some of the useful Telegram bots we’ve dug up, and you’ll be amazed at all of the things this underrated messenger can do.
Although Google Go is much younger than many other programming languages, it’s already very popular with big companies. What’s more, Go was designed with the future in mind — so developers will be in demand for many years to come. The Complete Google Go Developer Master Class Bundle helps you grab this opportunity, with over 50 hours of hands-on training. You can get the bundle now for just $29 at MakeUseOf Deals.
New Language
Most programming languages we use today were invented prior to 2000. Back then, supercomputers were less powerful than our smartphones are today.
In contrast, Google Go has been designed specifically for a world of multi-core processors and powerful servers. This bundle helps you master the languages through hands-on tutorials and fun projects. The training starts from scratch, showing you how to install Go and write your first commands.
The videos quickly move on to more exciting topics, from building web servers to creating databases. Along the way, you learn all the fundamentals: arrays, slices, loops, switches, functions, and more.
You should come away with the skills to start crafting your own programs and finding work as a junior developer. With lifetime access included, you can always come back to revise.
50 Hours for $29
Order now for $29 to start learning and get all seven courses, worth $1,400.
Facebook will take a cut of up to 30% on fan subscriptions, beginning on January 1, 2020.
The social network is revealing its plans as part of a broader slate of monetization-related announcements this week at VidCon. The news confirms a TechCrunch report earlier this year that Facebook would be taking a 30% share of subscription revenue.
Facebook first started rolling out fan subscriptions in early 2018, allowing creators to charge their fans $4.99 per month in exchange for access to exclusive content and a fan badge. During this initial testing period, Facebook didn’t keep any of the subscription revenue for itself, allowing creators to take everything, minus the fee collected by Apple and Google on mobile subscriptions.
Director of Media Monetization Kate Orseth told journalists at a briefing last week that Facebook is committed to allowing creators to keep 70% of subscription revenue (minus “applicable taxes and fees”). So when the mobile platforms collect their 30% fee on first-year subscriptions, Facebook won’t take a cut. Then, as the platforms lower their share to 15% in the second year, Facebook will take the other 15%.
Again, that’s all on mobile, which Orseth said represents the majority of subscriptions thus far. On desktop, Facebook will be able to take the full 30% from the start. (This compares to a 5% subscription fee collected by Patreon, a 30% fee collected by YouTube and a 50% fee collected by Twitch.) And Orseth noted that all of this only applies to new subscribers starting in January — Facebook won’t be taking a revenue share on subscribers who signed up before then.
In addition, Facebook says it’s allowing creators to launch exclusive groups for subscribers. And it’s expanding the Facebook Stars program, the virtual currency that allows users to tip game streamers — it’s now testing the feature with non-gaming video creators. The company says creators should earn 1 cent for each Star a fan sends to them. And yes, Facebook is also taking a cut here, though it says its share decreases as fans buy larger packs of Stars.
Facebook is also making a number of ad-related announcements. Among them: creators will be able to limit ads on a video to “non-interruptive” formats like pre-roll and image ads, so there are no ad breaks inserted. In addition, they’ll be able to share their audiences with advertisers in the Brand Collabs Manager for ad targeting. And they can start viewing their Instagram data in Facebook’s Creator Studio.
Orseth said the company’s goal is “to create suite of monetization products that can be used individually” or in a bundle. She suggested that while ad breaks work best for creators with a broad audience, subscriptions are better for those with a “hyperloyal audience” and brand collaborations “work well across the board.”
As part of the briefing, Orseth introduced journalists to Mark Ian Hoyle and Roxanne Hoyle, the parents behind the popular LadBaby Facebook Page, where they share videos of their family and children. The Hoyles said that by using the full suite of Facebook monetization tools, they’ve been able to focus on making videos (Mark still works as a freelance graphic designer as well), and to afford trips to make more videos.
Given the broader controversies over who gets to make money on major online platforms, Orseth and the Facebook team were also asked about eligibility for monetization. The company says that each product has its own eligibility requirements, and that for now, humans are reviewing each application to participate in the Brand Collabs Manager and Fan Subscriptions.
Facebook will take a cut of up to 30% on fan subscriptions, beginning on January 1, 2020.
The social network is revealing its plans as part of a broader slate of monetization-related announcements this week at VidCon. The news confirms a TechCrunch report earlier this year that Facebook would be taking a 30% share of subscription revenue.
Facebook first started rolling out fan subscriptions in early 2018, allowing creators to charge their fans $4.99 per month in exchange for access to exclusive content and a fan badge. During this initial testing period, Facebook didn’t keep any of the subscription revenue for itself, allowing creators to take everything, minus the fee collected by Apple and Google on mobile subscriptions.
Director of Media Monetization Kate Orseth told journalists at a briefing last week that Facebook is committed to allowing creators to keep 70% of subscription revenue (minus “applicable taxes and fees”). So when the mobile platforms collect their 30% fee on first-year subscriptions, Facebook won’t take a cut. Then, as the platforms lower their share to 15% in the second year, Facebook will take the other 15%.
Again, that’s all on mobile, which Orseth said represents the majority of subscriptions thus far. On desktop, Facebook will be able to take the full 30% from the start. (This compares to a 5% subscription fee collected by Patreon, a 30% fee collected by YouTube and a 50% fee collected by Twitch.) And Orseth noted that all of this only applies to new subscribers starting in January — Facebook won’t be taking a revenue share on subscribers who signed up before then.
In addition, Facebook says it’s allowing creators to launch exclusive groups for subscribers. And it’s expanding the Facebook Stars program, the virtual currency that allows users to tip game streamers — it’s now testing the feature with non-gaming video creators. The company says creators should earn 1 cent for each Star a fan sends to them. And yes, Facebook is also taking a cut here, though it says its share decreases as fans buy larger packs of Stars.
Facebook is also making a number of ad-related announcements. Among them: creators will be able to limit ads on a video to “non-interruptive” formats like pre-roll and image ads, so there are no ad breaks inserted. In addition, they’ll be able to share their audiences with advertisers in the Brand Collabs Manager for ad targeting. And they can start viewing their Instagram data in Facebook’s Creator Studio.
Orseth said the company’s goal is “to create suite of monetization products that can be used individually” or in a bundle. She suggested that while ad breaks work best for creators with a broad audience, subscriptions are better for those with a “hyperloyal audience” and brand collaborations “work well across the board.”
As part of the briefing, Orseth introduced journalists to Mark Ian Hoyle and Roxanne Hoyle, the parents behind the popular LadBaby Facebook Page, where they share videos of their family and children. The Hoyles said that by using the full suite of Facebook monetization tools, they’ve been able to focus on making videos (Mark still works as a freelance graphic designer as well), and to afford trips to make more videos.
Given the broader controversies over who gets to make money on major online platforms, Orseth and the Facebook team were also asked about eligibility for monetization. The company says that each product has its own eligibility requirements, and that for now, humans are reviewing each application to participate in the Brand Collabs Manager and Fan Subscriptions.
NiYo Solutions, a Bangalore-based ‘neo-bank’ that helps salaried employees access company benefits and other financial services, has raised $35 million in a new funding round to expand its business in the nation and explore international markets for some of its products.
The four-year-old startup, which serves small and medium businesses and other salaried employees across India, raised its Series B from Horizons Ventures, Tencent, and existing investor JS Capital. It has raised $49.2 million to date, with its $13.2 million Series A closing in January last year.
NiYO Solutions serves as a ‘neo-bank’ that relies on traditional financial institutions (Yes Bank and DCB banks, in its case) and offers additional features such as lending and insurance to customers. Blue collared salaried employees in India (and many other markets) continue to struggle in availing crucial financial services from banks that typically reserve them for privileged segment. With its payroll solution and other products, NiYO is trying to drive financial inclusion in the country, it said.
The startup also offers a global travel card with no mark up fee. Over 50,000 users have already signed up for the travel card — and NiYO intends to scale that figure to 500,000 by April next year. In an interview with TechCrunch, Vinay Bagri, co-founder and CEO of NiYO, said the startup is exploring bringing the travel card to other markets — though he did not share any names.
He said the startup will also use the fresh capital to build new product offerings and in expansion of its distribution and marketing efforts. It also wants to its customer base from about 1 million currently to grow to 5 million in the next three years. Bagri said NiYO is looking to acquire other startups that are a good fit for its vision.
Neo banks are increasingly becoming popular across the globe as traditional banks show little interest in addressing the needs of niche customer bases. Tide and N26 are showing remarkable growth in European markets, while Azlo, in the U.S., Tyro Payments and Volt Bank in Australia, are also among the top players.
In developing regions such as India, too, this tried and tested idea is increasingly being replicated. Open, another Bangalore-based neo-bank, helps businesses automate their finances. It raised $30 million last month.
In most organizations, employees are required to fill timesheets every week so the company can track the amount of time that people have spent working on various projects and tasks.
My kids are in middle/high school and I’ve been looking for a timesheet-style solution that would help me understand their studying patterns and learn how much time they spend on various subjects.
There are quite a few apps available for time tracking but I was looking for something simple and Google Forms fit the bill perfectly. The multiple-choice grid question is handy for quickly marking the time that they have spent on various subjects. I also added a Linear scale question for them to self-evaluate their daily screen time on a relative scale.
The Email Form Notifications add-on is enabled for this Google Form so parents get an instant email when the boys submit the study log form. The email contains all the form answers in a neatly formatted table. An instant push notification is sent on the mobile phone as well with IFTTT.
Google Forms write all the form responses in a Google Spreadsheet and that makes it even easier to analyze the study pattern visually. You can use one of the available charts or hit the “Explore” button in Google Sheets and ask questions in natural English about the answers stored in your spreadsheet.
For instance, you can say “Sum of Subjects [Physics] by Name last week” and it will instantly tell you the amount of time that each kid has spent on that subject last week. Or say “What percentage of Subjects [Physics] is not empty where name is Aryaman” to know the percentage of days when he touched a particular subject.
And because Google Forms work just fine on mobile devices, students can quickly fill the time log anywhere as long as they know the form’s URL.
Umar Javeed, Sukarma Thapar, two associates at Competition Commission of India — and Aaqib Javeed, brother of Umar who interned at the watchdog last year, filed the complaint, the document revealed. The revelation puts an end to months-long interest from industry executives, many of whom wondered if a major corporation was behind it.
The allegations
The case, filed against Google’s global unit and Indian arm on April 16 this year, makes several allegations including the possibility that Google used Android’s dominant position in India to hurt local companies. The accusation is that Google requires handset and tablet vendors to pre-install its own applications or services if they wish to get the full-blown version of Android. Google’s Android mobile operating system powered more than 98% of smartphones that shipped in the country last year, research firm Counterpoint said.
This accusation is partly true, if at all. To be sure, Google does offer a “bare Android” version, which a smartphone vendor could use and then they wouldn’t need to pre-install Google Mobile Services (GMS). Though by doing so, they will also lose access to Google Play Store, which is the largest app store in the Android ecosystem. Additionally, phone vendors do partner with other companies to pre-install their applications. In India itself, most Android phones sold by Amazon India and Flipkart include a suite of their apps preloaded on the them.
“OEMs can offer Android devices without preinstalling any Google apps. If OEMs choose to preinstall Google mobile apps, the MADA (Mobile Application Distribution Agreement) allows OEMs to preinstall a suite of Google mobile apps and services referred to as Google Mobile Services (GMS),” said Google in response.
The second allegation is that Google is bundling its apps and services in a way that they are able to talk to each other. “This conduct illegally prevented the development and market access of rival applications and services in violation of Section 4 read with Section 32 of the Act,” the trio wrote.
This also does not seem accurate. Very much every Android app is capable of talking to one another through APIs. Additionally, defunct software firm Cyanogen partnered with Microsoft to “deeply integrate” Cortana into its Android phones — replacing Google Assistant as the default virtual voice assistant. So it is unclear what advantage Google has here.
Google’s response: “This preinstallation obligation is limited in scope. It was pointed out that preinstalled Google app icons take up very little screen space. OEMs can and do use the remaining space to preinstall and promote both their own, and third-party apps. It was also submitted that the MADA preinstallation conditions are not exclusive. Nor are they exclusionary. The MADA leaves OEMs free to preinstall rival apps and offer them the same or even superior placement.”
The third accusation is that Google prevents smartphone and tablet manufacturers in India from developing and marketing modified and potentially competing versions of Android on other devices.
This is also arguably incorrect. Micromax, which once held tentpole position among smartphone vendors in India, partnered with Cyanogen in their heyday to launch and market Android smartphones running customized operating system. Chinese smartphone vendor OnePlus followed the same path briefly.
Google’s response: “Android users have considerable freedom to customise their phones and to install apps that compete with Google’s. Consumers can quickly and easily move or disable preinstalled apps, including Google’s apps. Disabling an app makes it disappear from the device screen, prevents it from running, and frees up device memory – while still allowing the user to restore the app at a later time or to factory reset the device to its original state.”
Additionally, Google says it requires OEMs to “adhere to, a minimum baseline compatibility standard” for Android called Compatibility Definition Document (COD) to ensure that apps written for Android run on their phones. Otherwise, this risks creating a “threat to the viability and quality of the platform.”
“If companies make changes to the Android source code that create incompatibilities, apps written for Android will not run on these incompatible variants. As a result, fewer developers will write apps for Android, threatening to make Android less attractive to users and, in turn, even fewer developers will support Android,” the company said.
The antitrust is ongoing, but based on an initial probe on the case, CCI has found that Google has “reduced the ability and incentive of device manufacturers to develop and sell devices” running Android forks, the watchdog said. Google’s condition to include “the entire GMS suite” to devices from OEMs that have opted for full-blown version of Android, amounts to “imposition of unfair condition on the device manufacturers,” the watchdog added.
The document also reveals that Google has provided CCI with some additional responses that have been kept confidential. A Google spokesperson declined to comment.
Hulu has added a Shuffle button to Seinfeld, allowing you to watch random episodes of Seinfeld out of order. While this is Hulu celebrating the 30th anniversary of Seinfeld, we can’t help thinking that a Shuffle button would be a great idea for other shows.
A Brief History of the Show About Nothing
On July 5, 1989, a little show called The Seinfeld Chronicles debuted on NBC. It was then renamed Seinfeld, and after a slow start, evolved into one of the best sitcoms of all time. The show ended in 1998 after nine seasons and 180 episodes.
That wasn’t the end of the story though, as the show has continued to be shown around the world. It’s also available to watch on Hulu, and has picked up a new generation of fans as a result. And now you can even shuffle Seinfeld episodes on Hulu.
How to Shuffle Seinfeld Episodes on Hulu
To shuffle episodes of Seinfeld on Hulu, simply head to the Seinfeld page on your Apple TV. Then, select the “Yada yada yada” option. This will open a playlist of random episodes that will play out of order, allowing you to dip in and out as and when you want.
? SHUFFLE BUTTON NEWS ?
In honor of #Seinfeld30 get ready to randomly watch your fav eps
Use Hulu on Apple TV? Here's how to ?:
1?? Head to the Seinfeld page
2?? Select the "Yada Yada Yada" option
3?? Enjoy a random playlist
Hulu’s Shuffle button for Seinfeld currently only works on Apple TV. However, Hulu’s tweet suggests it’s keen to add it to more platforms if the demand is there. So, if you regularly watch Hulu on Apple TV please shuffle a few episodes to help the rest of us out.
Let’s Add a Shuffle Button to More Shows
A Shuffle button obviously wouldn’t work for every show. It wouldn’t work for dramas where one episode leads directly into the next, for example. However, most sitcoms can be watched out of order, so we would love to see a Shuffle option for more shows.
The fact that people are still watching Seinfeld 30 years after it aired is testament to how good it is. And, barring the disappointing finale, it’s no surprise that Seinfeld is one of the best 90s sitcoms you can watch on Hulu right now.
HQ Trivia’s troubles continue after a failed mutiny to oust the CEO, a 92% decline in downloads since versus a year ago, and layoffs of 20% of its staff last week. Now TechCrunch has learned HQ has failed to install a new CEO after months of searching. Meanwhile, users continue to complain about delays for payouts of their prizes from the live mobile trivia game, and about being booted from the game for no reason while on the final question.
Notably, Jeopardy winner Alex Jacob claims he hasn’t been paid the $20,000 he won on HQ Trivia on June 10th. This could shake players faith in HQ and erode their incentive to compete.
Guys, I need your help. I won $20,000 on @hqtrivia on June 10 and still haven’t heard anything about payment. Sadly, I don’t think they’re going to pay.
Please RT to tell HQ they should honor their jackpots. If I’m wrong, I’ll happily delete this & give $100 to someone who RT’d! pic.twitter.com/FmpY6unK49
An HQ Trivia representative tells TechCrunch that the game has paid out $6.25 million to date and that 99% of players have been eligible to cash out within 48 hours of winning, but some winners may have to wait up to 90 days for it to ensure they didn’t break the rules to win. Given Jacob’s large jackpot, it’s possible the delay could be due to the company investigating to ensure he won fairly, though he’s clearly skilled at trivia given he won Jeopardy’s Tournament Of Champions in 2015. Jacob did not respond to requests for interview.
“We strive to make a game that is fair and fun for all players. As such, we have a rigorous process of reviewing winners for eligibility to receive cash prizes. Infrequently, we disqualify players for violating HQ‘s Terms of Service and Contest Rules” HQ Trivia’s press alias anonymously reponded to our request for comment. “It may take some eligible winners up to 90 days to receive cash prizes, however 99% of players have been able to cash out within 48 hours of winning a game and we have paid out a total of $6,252,634.58 USD to winners since launch.”
It seems that HQ’s internal problems are now metastasizing into public issues. Its team being short-staffed and distracted by weak morale could lengthen payout delays, which make players worry if they’ll ever get their cash. When they share those sentiments to social media, it could discourage others from playing. That, combined with concerns that bots and cheaters are winning the games, splitting the jackpots into tiny fractions so legitimate winners get less, has hurt the perception of HQ as a game where the smartest can win big.
Back in April, TechCrunch reported that 20 of HQ’s 35 staffers were preparing a petition to the board to remove CEO and co-founder Rus Yusupov for mismanagement. Yusupov caught wind of the plot and fired two of the leaders of the movement. However, HQ’s board decided it would bring in a new CEO. Board member and Tinder CEO Elie Seidman told TechCrunch that Yusupov had accepted he would be replaced by someone with the ability fire him and that a CEO search was ongoing. The startup’s lead investor Lightspeed has pledged to provide 18 months of funding once a new CEO was hired.
However, multiple sources tell TechCrunch that a new CEO has yet to be installed. One source tells me that management had promised a new CEO by the beginning of August, but that Yusupov had stalled the process seemingly to remain in power. HQ Trivia, Yusupov, and Seidman did not respond for requests for comment regarding the CEO search.
When asked about morale at the company, a source familiar with HQ’s internal situation told me “It’s terrible.” Yusupov is said to continue to be tough to work with, making decisions without full buy-in from the rest of the company. A substantial portion of the team was allegedly unaware of plans to launch a $9.99 subscription tier for HQ’s second game HQ Words until the company tweeted out the announcement.
Hopefully HQ Trivia can find a new captain to steer this ship back into smoother waters. The game has hundreds of thousands of players and many more with fond memories of competing. There’s still hope if it can evolve the product to give new users a taste of gameplay without waiting for the next scheduled match, find new revenue in expanded brand partnerships, fight off the bots and cheaters, and get everyone paid promptly. Perhaps there’s room for television tie-ins to bring HQ to a wider audience.
But before the startup can keep quizzing the world, HQ Trivia must endure its internal tests of resolve and find a champ to lead it.
Just in time for tonight’s Home Run Derby, Major League Baseball is rolling out a new feature on its Ballpark app that utilizes Apple’s Business Chat feature for a customized in-person experience. MLB says it’s the first league to roll out out the feature, letting users ask location specific questions. Though Apple Business Chat has been used for things like drink orders in the past.
Clicking into the Indians section will bring you Progressive Field, the center of this week’s festivities, where you can access the new All-Star Concierge feature. Developed alongside New York-based AI startup Satisfi Labs, the feature is designed to answer simple questions.
From there, it will either answer straight away or open the appropriate app, like Maps and Calendar. In the case of this week’s events, that could mean something as simple as the start time for the derby or something more specific like where to pick up a shuttle to a specific hotel.
The feature is being rolled out to start with tonight’s Home Run Derby and tomorrow’s All-Star game, but it should start arriving in more parks after the All-Star break as different stadiums begin to implement it. MLB has been experimenting with a number of different features to enhance the ballpark experience via smartphone, including, notably, the addition of an AR stat feature.
Instagram announced two new features today that it said are designed to combat online bullying.
In both cases, the Facebook-owned service seems to be trying to find ways to limit bad behavior without outright blocking posts or banning users.
“We can do more to prevent bullying from happening on Instagram, and we can do more to empower the targets of bullying to stand up for themselves,” wrote Instagram head Adam Mosseri in the announcement. “Today we’re announcing one new feature in both areas. These tools are grounded in a deep understanding of how people bully each other and how they respond to bullying on Instagram, but they’re only two steps on a longer path.”
The first feature is supposed to use artificial intelligence to flag comments that “may be considered offensive.” In those cases, users are asked, “Are you sure you want to post this?” and then given the option button to “undo” their comment before it posts.
This might seem like a relatively tame response, particularly since users can still go ahead and post the original comment if they want, but Mosseri said that in early tests, his team found that the prompt “encourages some people to undo their comment and share something less hurtful once they have had a chance to reflect.”
The other addition, which Mosseri said the service will start testing soon, is the ability to “restrict” users looking at your account.
“We’ve heard from young people in our community that they’re reluctant to block, unfollow, or report their bully because it could escalate the situation, especially if they interact with their bully in real life,” Mosseri wrote.
So by using this new option, you can limit another user’s interaction with your account without making it obvious. If you’ve restrict someone, their comments on your posts will only be visible to them, unless you approve a comment for general consumption. They also won’t be able to see if you’re active on Instagram or if you’ve read their direct messages.
Instagram announced two new features today that it said are designed to combat online bullying.
In both cases, the Facebook-owned service seems to be trying to find ways to limit bad behavior without outright blocking posts or banning users.
“We can do more to prevent bullying from happening on Instagram, and we can do more to empower the targets of bullying to stand up for themselves,” wrote Instagram head Adam Mosseri in the announcement. “Today we’re announcing one new feature in both areas. These tools are grounded in a deep understanding of how people bully each other and how they respond to bullying on Instagram, but they’re only two steps on a longer path.”
The first feature is supposed to use artificial intelligence to flag comments that “may be considered offensive.” In those cases, users are asked, “Are you sure you want to post this?” and then given the option button to “undo” their comment before it posts.
This might seem like a relatively tame response, particularly since users can still go ahead and post the original comment if they want, but Mosseri said that in early tests, his team found that the prompt “encourages some people to undo their comment and share something less hurtful once they have had a chance to reflect.”
The other addition, which Mosseri said the service will start testing soon, is the ability to “restrict” users looking at your account.
“We’ve heard from young people in our community that they’re reluctant to block, unfollow, or report their bully because it could escalate the situation, especially if they interact with their bully in real life,” Mosseri wrote.
So by using this new option, you can limit another user’s interaction with your account without making it obvious. If you’ve restrict someone, their comments on your posts will only be visible to them, unless you approve a comment for general consumption. They also won’t be able to see if you’re active on Instagram or if you’ve read their direct messages.
Before users hail an Uber Comfort car, they can request “quiet preferred”, “happy to chat” or leave the default of “no preference”, as well as warmer or colder temperature settings. These 
