Daily Crunch: Twitter revenue disappoints

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1. Twitter Q3 misses big on revenues of $824M and EPS of $0.05 on the back of adtech glitches

Twitter said the huge drop in performance “was impacted by revenue product issues, which we believe reduced year-over-year growth by approximately 3 or more percentage points, and greater-than-expected seasonality.”

The company has made a significant shift in the last year to tracking a new user metric of its own making — monetizable daily active users, which is the number of users who are being served ads. More established metrics like daily and monthly active users have stagnated and even declined in recent years.

2. Lowlights from Zuckerberg’s Libra testimony in Congress

“I don’t control Libra” was the central theme of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s testimony yesterday, while the House of Representatives unleashed critiques of his approach to cryptocurrency, privacy, encryption and running a giant corporation.

3. Announcing the Disrupt Berlin 2019 agenda

Disrupt Berlin will run on December 11 and December 12, when we’ll sit down with CEOs from big-name companies such as Away, UIPath and Naspers, as well as leading investors from Atomico, SoftBank and GV. (Tickets are available here.)

4. By tweeting from a SCIF, House lawmakers put national security at risk

If you thought storming into a highly secured government facility with your electronics but without permission was a smart idea, you’d be wrong. But that didn’t stop Rep. Matt Gaetz and close to three-dozen of his Republican colleagues from doing exactly that.

5. Virgin Galactic becomes the first public space tourism company on Monday

The company’s shareholders have approved a merger with Chamath Palihapitiya’s special Social Capital Hedosophia holding company, with a debut on the NYSE for the newly merged public entity scheduled for Monday.

6. Cybersecurity automation startup Tines scores $4.1M Series A led by Blossom Capital

Tines automates many of the repetitive manual tasks faced by security analysts so they can focus on other high-priority work. The founders have bootstrapped the company until now.

7. Bill McDermott aims to grow ServiceNow like he did SAP

During the company’s earnings call, outgoing CEO John Donahoe said that McDermott met all of the board’s criteria for its next leader — all in the service of building toward a $10 billion revenue goal. (Extra Crunch membership required.)

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Twitter Q3 misses big on revenues of $824M and EPS of $0.05 on the back of adtech glitches

Twitter today reported its earnings for the quarter that ended September 30, and the numbers delivered a big surprise, falling on both sales and earnings per share. Revenues came in at $824 million, and EPS at $0.05. That represents sales up 9% year-over-year but far below what analysts had been expecting: (non-GAAP, diluted) EPS of 20 cents per share and revenues of $874.03 million (or higher, $883 million, depending on which group of analysts you’re following). The stock is down around 20% in pre-market trading.

Twitter said the huge drop in performance “was impacted by revenue product issues, which we believe reduced year-over-year growth by approximately 3 or more percentage points, and greater-than-expected seasonality.” Specifically, it also noted that it discovered and took steps to fix bugs “that primarily affected our legacy Mobile Application Promotion (MAP) product, impacting our ability to target ads and share data with measurement and ad partners.” Also its adtech personalization was also not “operating as expected.” It also blamed the bad numbers on a slower summer for big events and launches compared to a year ago. 

Meanwhile, monetizable daily active users came in at 145 million, versus 124 million a year ago and 139 million in Q2. That actually exceeds the 14% growth analysts had been expecting (it’s up 17% year-on-year). Net income came in at $37 million.

“We drove strong growth in monetizable DAU (mDAU), up 17% year-over-year, driven by ongoing product improvements,” said Jack Dorsey in a statement. “We’re continuing to improve relevance while testing ways to make it easier for people to find what they are looking for on Twitter.  We also continue to make progress on health, improving our ability to proactively identify and remove abusive content, with more than 50% of the Tweets removed for abusive content in Q3 taken down without a bystander or first person report.”

Ned Segal, CFO, spoke more directly to the disappointing numbers:

“Despite its challenges, this quarter validates our strategy of investing to drive long-term growth. More work remains to deliver improved revenue products. We’ll continue to prioritize our ad products along with health and our investments to drive ongoing growth in mDAU. We remain confident that focusing on our most important priorities, and delivering higher performing, better ad formats will deliver better outcomes for all of our stakeholders for years to come.”

The company has made a significant shift in the last year to tracking a new user metric of its own making, monetizable daily active users, which tracks those who are being served ads.

Twitter’s argument is that these are the main users to watch, since their growth (or decline) is more closely linked to how Twitter’s business is doing. It helps also to take attention away from more established usage metrics such as daily and monthly active users, both of which had stagnated and even declined in recent years, which mark a longtime challenge for the company: Twitter is addictive and used almost religiously by some people, but ultimately the company had not managed to grow traction with a mass market.

The U.S. continues to be Twitter’s largest single market but is still outweighed by business outside those borders. Average U.S. mDAU was 30 million, compared to 26 million in the same period of the previous year and 29 million in the previous quarter, Twitter said, while average international mDAU was 115 million, compared to 98 million in the same period of the previous year and 110 million in the previous quarter.

Ad revenue was $702 million, up 8% year-over-year, with data licensing and other revenue coming in at $121 million, up 12%. U.S. revenue continues to outpace international, at $465 million versus $358 million.

For some context: Last quarter the company reported EPS also of $0.20 on revenues of $841 million; and actually down by one cent on a year ago, when the company reported earnings of $0.21 on sales of $758 million. 

More to come.

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LinkedIn’s degree problem

A couple of years ago, the co-founder and CEO of a blood-testing company was publicly taken to task for implying in articles and professional profiles that he has a PhD, when, in reality, he’d left a prestigious graduate group three years after enrolling, without a degree.

The CEO is hardly alone in intentionally or otherwise sowing confusion around his credentials, however. Over the years, we’ve mistakenly believed that a number of founders have obtained specific college degrees based on their LinkedIn bio, only to learn offline that they enrolled for some period of time in a particular program that they didn’t complete.

It happened most recently with the co-founder of a startup who one might surmise has a master’s degree from Harvard based on his LinkedIn profile, but does not. We also misunderstood the CEO of a robotics company to have a PhD based on her LinkedIn. It was our fault; it mentioned under the credit that she’d left to start a company. But anyone scanning the site might have come to the same wrong conclusion. (We pointed this out to her team, and mention of the PhD was deleted.)

In a higher-profile case, James Damore, the fired Google engineer who authored that infamous memo about the company’s diversity practices and whose LinkedIn page cited a PhD in systems biology, removed mention of the degree after Wired confirmed with Harvard that he was enrolled in the program but didn’t complete the doctorate.

Damore tried to defend his own LinkedIn profile, tweeting at the time, “I never told anyone I have a PhD. LinkedIn can’t distinguish between being in the PhD program and having a PhD (I forgot to update it).”

Though few on Twitter found him credible, he wasn’t mistaken on this front. In creating a profile on LinkedIn, the choices one is given are to a) list a completed degree and leave off anything partially completed, no matter how much time was invested in a program or how minuscule its acceptance rate or b) list an incomplete degree without a clear way of explaining that it’s no longer being pursued or whether it will ever be obtained.

LinkedIn doesn’t view the issue as its fault. Asked whether LinkedIn members might be posting incomplete degrees because of the company’s user interface, a spokesperson emailed us today, writing that LinkedIn’s user agreement and “professional community policy” guidelines are “clear that members should provide factual information about themselves on LinkedIn.”

Added this person: “People should definitely add their education details to their LinkedIn profile. The education section includes ‘Start Year’ and ‘End Year (or expected)’ fields. If a member has a partial degree, we recommend they clearly state the status of their degree within the ‘Degree’ and/or ‘Description’ fields.”

Still, that “description” field isn’t easy to find. And why LinkedIn — which has more than 600 million users — hasn’t added fields for partially completed degrees is a bit of a mystery, particularly given that so many people drop out.

A cynic might note that LinkedIn makes a lot of its revenue off recruitment services. Before it was acquired by Microsoft, and the companies’ financials were consolidated, 65% of LinkedIn’s revenue came from recruitment services. And often the more distinguished the degree, the more people will pay to associate themselves with the ostensible degree holder. (LinkedIn itself strongly encourages loading up one’s profile with education-related details, saying these attract “11x” more profile views.)

Yet Jeffrey Pfeffer, a renowned professor at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business who has written extensively about organization theory, suggests that human nature is just as big a factor in the problem.

Asked if he has reason to think more students are listing incomplete degrees on LinkedIn, he points us to research published in 2001 by the payroll and benefits company ADP. What it shows is that of 2.6 million background checks that ADP performed that year, 44% of applicants were discovered to have lied about their work histories, 41% lied about their education and 23% falsified credentials or licenses.

“People lie about everything all the time,” says Pfeffer. “I’m not sure that it’s any worse now than it was 10 or 20 or 30 years ago.”

It’s something recruiters even anticipate, he says, recalling a conversation with a top executive from the search giant Heidrick & Struggles, who Pfeffer had interviewed for one of the many books he has authored. “He said to me, ‘So many people make up credentials that we no longer use fudged credentials as a reason to disqualify a candidate.’ He said recruiters will correct what they find wrong with someone’s resume. But he said if recruiters used exaggerated — even made-up — credentials as a reason to disqualify people, they would never have enough candidates.”

Indeed, while LinkedIn’s limited menu may give more cover to people, Pfeffer cautions not to assign the company too much blame. It’s a little like shooting the messenger, he suggests.

“Sure, LinkedIn could play some role. But they could change the way they operate tomorrow, and people would still find a way to make themselves look more accomplished than they are.”

Maybe so. Given its reach, we’d prefer to see some changes and find out.

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The link between fishing cats and mangrove forest conservation | Ashwin Naidu

The link between fishing cats and mangrove forest conservation | Ashwin Naidu

Mangrove forests are crucial to the health of the planet, gobbling up CO2 from the atmosphere and providing a home for a diverse array of species. But these rich habitats are under continual threat from deforestation and industry. In an empowering talk, conservationist and TED Fellow Ashwin Naidu shares how community-driven efforts in South and Southeast Asia are helping to protect mangroves -- all with a little help from the mysterious and endangered fishing cat.

Click the above link to download the TED talk.

Mobile banking app Current raises $20M Series B, tops half a million users

Mobile banking app Current, which began as a teen debit card controlled by parents, expanded to offer personal checking accounts earlier this year. Now the company says it has grown to host over 500,000 accounts on its service and has closed on $20 million in Series B funding to further its growth.

The round included new investors Wellington Management Company, Galaxy Digital EOS VC Fund, and CMFG Ventures — the venture capital arm of the CUNA Mutual Group, a mutual insurance company serving credit unions and their 120 million members. Returning investors included QED Investors, Expa, and Elizabeth Street Ventures.

The first version of Current, which debuted in 2017, was focused on giving parents a more modern way to dole out allowances and reward their kids for chores. But over time, the product became more like a real bank account for teens, culminating with the addition of routing and account numbers late last year. This allowed working teens to direct their paycheck to Current, as they could with a traditional bank.

This year, Current launched personal checking using the same core technology powering its teen banking product. The product includes features like faster direct deposits, gas hold crediting, and merchant blocking without charging overdraft fees, hidden fees, or requiring minimum balances.

While the teen checking account users have an average of 15, the average age for the new personal checking account users is 27.

This puts Current in a more competitive market, where a number of banking apps are now targeting a younger, more mobile generation who begun to favor modern, feature-rich apps over brick-and-mortar banks. Among its rivals are apps like Step, Cleo, N26, Chime, Simple, Stash, and others.

Like many in this space, Current isn’t actually a bank — its banking services are provided by Choice Financial Group and Metropolitan Commercial Bank, which allows it to offer FDIC insurance up to $250,000. Instead, many of the banking apps focus instead on the feature set and user experience they can offer.

Both of Current’s products include a Visa co-branded debit card tied to the Current account. Along with the funding, Current and Visa are also announcing an expanded joint marketing partnership, which will help Current reach new customers.

“We believe everyone should have access to affordable financial services that improve the chances for a better life,” said Stuart Sopp, Current Founder and CEO. “We have made this a reality through rebuilding financial infrastructure with the Current Core. It allows us to build more products that offer new ways to interact with money. Our rapid growth to half a million accounts serves as a testament to the ways our products and cost savings are bringing better financial outcomes and we anticipate bringing those benefits to over 1,000,000 customers by mid-2020.”

To date, Current has raised $54 million in funding.

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9 Alternative Apps You Need to Quit Facebook for Good

Facebook’s reputation is in the gutter right now. Privacy scandals, unchecked snooping, and the mishandling of user data all mean that trust in the company has hit a new low.

The fact that Facebook owns other major services such as Instagram and WhatsApp only heightens concerns over its activities. So what do you need to do to quit Facebook completely?

In this article, we list the apps you’ll need if you want to quit the Facebook ecosystem entirely. They’re the best alternatives to Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

Reasons to Quit the Facebook Ecosystem

Many people are choosing to quit Facebook’s ecosystem completely. But why is this the case?

Firstly, Facebook’s acquisition of popular services means that these services may no longer live up to their original philosophies. For example, the founders of WhatsApp had promised users that the service would never serve ads, but plans are underway to do just that.

Secondly, Facebook’s successful advertising business gives it more incentive to harvest user data across a variety of services. This just makes the fallout even worse when data leaks occur. And Facebook’s security and privacy issues are a nightmare for some consumers.

When it comes to the security of that data, Facebook’s apparent intentions to link these apps through a central platform is another major cause for concern. Leaks from this integrated system could cause even more fallout for users.

Alternatives to Facebook

Facebook will continue to be a social media behemoth for the foreseeable future. No other platform measures up to its userbase. But there are some Facebook alternatives out there you can try…

MeWe: Privacy-Centric Social Network

If you’re specifically looking for a social network that values user privacy, MeWe may be for you. The social network vows to never serve ads, track users, or sell their data.

But how exactly would this free service make money then? MeWe offers a variety of small subscription plans for certain features, such as extra cloud storage and a secret chat app. It also has a business service called MeWePro that provides an alternative revenue source.

Download: MeWe for Android | iOS (Free)

Diaspora

Diaspora is another Facebook alternative that provides a decentralized platform. The creators of Diaspora identify three core values of the site: decentralization, freedom, and privacy.

Rather than one organization running the entire platform, Diaspora is spread across independent servers (which Diaspora calls “pods”). In fact, if you have the right knowledge, you can even start up your own server.

Users choose which pods they want to join and you don’t have to sign up with your real name. Most pods focus on certain topics, such as photography, nature, technology, or other interests.

Sign Up: Diaspora for Web (Free)

Vero

Vero addresses some of the biggest annoyances when using Facebook. Namyl, algorithm-influenced feeds, data mining, and advertisements.

The app’s creators vow that users won’t have to deal with these using Vero. Posts are shown chronologically for the audiences that you select. Meanwhile, there are no ads on the social network.

Vero also has messaging features, a sleek interface, and a variety of features that make it an interesting competitor for Facebook. In terms of monetization, the company plans to eventually introduce a subscription. However, the app continues to let users register for a free lifetime subscription.

Download: Vero for Android | iOS (Free)

Alternatives to WhatsApp

WhatsApp outpaces even Facebook in terms of popularity. But plans to monetize the app through ads and integrate it into the Facebook ecosystem further have many wondering about possible WhatsApp alternatives to use instead.

Consider using these messaging apps instead…

Telegram

Telegram is one of the most popular alternatives to WhatsApp. This messaging app prioritizes encryption, security, and seamless connectivity. The company’s promise to keep the app free forever, with no ads or subscription fees, is another appealing selling point.

Features such as syncing one cloud account across platforms and its availability on desktop mean that you won’t be sacrificing flexibility if you switch from WhatsApp to Telegram.

Download: Telegram for Android | iOS (Free)

Signal

Signal, an open-source messaging app owned by a non-profit foundation, prioritizes user privacy. However, it should be noted that a now-patched bug was discovered in September 2019. The bug left phone calls vulnerable to interception from hackers.

The app has attracted support from privacy groups and advocates thanks to its encryption protocols, support for disappearing messages, and the ability to directly download the APK instead of using an app store.

One thing that makes Signal significantly different to other messaging apps is that you can choose to make it your default SMS app.

Other great features include:

• The ability to add a lock screen to the app
• Advanced controls for notifications
• An incognito keyboard option

Download: Signal Private Messenger for Android | iOS (Free)

Wire

Wire is a messaging and collaboration platform created with the involvement of Skype co-founder Janus Friis. It features many of the core features we’ve come to expect from messaging apps, such as group chats and video calling, making it a solid WhatsApp alternative.

Wire provides a free, personal plan for private messaging, as well as paid professional plans for enterprises and businesses that want to use it for collaboration among employees.

Regardless of your plan, however, the service includes end-to-end encryption and a secure platform.

Download: Wire for Android | iOS | Desktop (Free, subscription available)

Alternatives to Instagram

While not created by Facebook, Instagram was acquired by the company in 2012. Since then it has played an increasingly prominent role in Facebook’s advertising platform.

If you want to use a photo-sharing platform that has access to a like-minded community, without being part of the Facebook brand, here are some Instagram alternatives to try…

VSCO

VSCO is a popular mobile photo-editing app that lets you share your creations with the VSCO community. Rather than relying on advertising, the developers monetize the app with an optional subscription plan. Free users still have access to a certain number of filters, editing tools, and community sharing.

Just like Instagram, you can follow other VSCO users and browse hashtags to discover pictures. The VSCO devs also curate photos from users that are then featured on the app’s Discover page.

Download: VSCO for Android | iOS (Free, subscription available)

EyeEm

EyeEm is a photo-sharing platform that caters mainly towards professional photographers. The platform lets you sell your images and receive feedback from other photographers.

Users maintain copyright over their images. However, if your images are accepted on the EyeEm market, the platform sells licenses at a predetermined price with a 50-50 earnings split between you and EyeEm.

However, sharing images on the marketplace is not required on the app. Photographers who do choose to sell can still sell their images elsewhere too.

Download: EyeEm for Android | iOS (Free)

500px

500px is another Instagram alternative aimed towards photographers who want to share their work. However, it also features the community aspects of Instagram, allowing you to follow other users and topics. When you log into the app, you have a home feed just like Instagram.

You can also complete various quests or challenges within the app. Much like EyeEm, you can choose whether you want to submit certain images to the platform’s licensing marketplace. Contributors get paid up to 60 percent of the license price.

Download: 500px for Android | iOS (Free, subscription available)

More Reasons to Use Alternatives to Facebook’s Apps

If you’re still not convinced that you need to quit the Facebook ecosystem, the company’s privacy issues could be the deciding factor. But is the company’s track record really that bad?

There are actually a variety of tools that keep track of Facebook’s privacy violations and understand the alternative options out there. Check out our guide listing the tools you need to understand the risks of using Facebook to find out more.

Read the full article: 9 Alternative Apps You Need to Quit Facebook for Good

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How to Get Started Playing Games With Apple Arcade

Gaming on the App Store is often disappointing. While there are some hidden gems, they’re hard to find among the overgrowth of games that are free to download but full of in-app purchases, banner ads, harsh wait times, and other nonsense.

If you’ve played any of those, you know that the large majority have lost something every game should be—fun.

But Apple Arcade wants to change that. The gaming subscription service allows you to access a growing roster games on your iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac for one monthly charge.

Let’s take a closer look at Apple Arcade and everything you need to get started.

Subscribing to Apple Arcade

The most important step before you install Apple Arcade is making sure you have the latest software installed on all your devices. That means at least iOS 13 for iPhone, iPadOS 13 for iPad, tvOS 13 on Apple TV, and macOS Catalina on a Mac.

On any of those four devices, head to the App Store app and select the Arcade tab.

You’ll then see a free 30-day trial offer. Sign in with your Apple ID and password to accept. After the trial period, the arcade subscription will automatically renew for $4.99 per month.

If you’re using the Family Sharing option, up to six family members can also access Apple Arcade without needing to purchase their own subscription.

To cancel the Apple Arcade subscription at any time, go to Settings > [Your Name] > Subscriptions on your iPhone or iPad. Select Apple Arcade, then scroll down to the bottom and choose Cancel Subscription.

Downloading Games on Apple Arcade

Once you’re ready to start playing, just head back to the Arcade tab on the App Store.

The design should look familiar to anyone who has browsed the App Store before. Apple features many games in different categories—like Action, Adventure, and Family—to make it easier to find something you’ll want to play.

To see everything that’s available on Apple Arcade, scroll down to the bottom of the section and select See All Games.

On each individual game page, you can read more about the title, see a promo video, check the age rating, and confirm whether you can use a controller. To download a game, select Get.

The game will appear on your device just like any other app and is ready to play. Apple includes all updates to the games as long as you have a subscription. Plus, all Apple Arcade games have no in-app purchases or ads.

Start Apple Arcade With These Three Games

When diving into Apple Arcade, you’ll probably ask the same question as with any new subscription service: “where do I start?”

Here are three high-quality titles, available on each device, that show showcase some of the best that Apple Arcade offers.

1. Oceanhorn 2: Knight of the Lost Realm

You can’t go wrong starting Apple Arcade with Oceanhorn 2: Knight of the Lost Realm. The original RPG, which arrived in 2013, was an instant classic thanks to beautiful graphics, an enchanting soundtrack, and its Legend of Zelda-like gameplay. And the long-awaited sequel delivers all that and more.

Set 1,000 years before the original, the game focuses on a young knight who must help save the world of Gaia. The family-friendly game looks beautiful on any Apple device, and is best played with a controller. It’s truly a high-quality title you’d expect to find on a gaming console.

Download: Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm on Apple Arcade

2. Assemble With Care

Even the most casual gamer knows of the Monument Valley series. And the developer of those two great games, ustwo, is also behind Apple Arcade’s Assemble With Care.

Think of the game as a puzzler with a big focus on a narrative story. You play as Maria, an antique restorer who arrives in the unique town of Bellariva. While helping to put together prized possessions, you’ll also need to help restore relationships that are broken. Even though the game is short, it will stick with you long after fixing the 12 different objects.

Download: Assemble With Care on Apple Arcade

3. Speed Demons

There’s no need to worry; fans of fast-paced gaming action will definitely be at home on Apple Arcade. Speed Demons in more than just your usual trip down the highway. The top-down racing game features more than 25 different cars to drive and eight distinct game modes.

You accelerate automatically, so it’s your job is to avoid all the traffic, which can be up to 100 vehicles on screen at a time. The controller-compatible game will always keep you on your toes as the highways in 19 different environments automatically generate to provide a different experience each time.

Download: Speed Demons on Apple Arcade

Playing Apple Arcade With a Controller

With the wide variety of different games available to play on Apple Arcade, devoted games should definitely consider purchasing a physical controller.

The big advantage is that your controller will work across iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac, allowing for a more unified gaming experience no matter where you’re playing. In many instances, using a controller gives you better split-second control for fast-paced titles.

A majority of Apple Arcade games support a controller. To confirm this, just look for the Controller Supported tag on the game’s page before downloading.

Starting all OS versions mentioned above, Apple has added support for two popular Bluetooth game controllers:

Xbox One Wireless Controller

The Xbox One Wireless Controller offers a textured grip that makes it easy to hold while gaming. You can also use a compatible headset with the 3.5mm stereo jack.

You’ll need to provide a set of AA batteries to use in the controller. For colors, Microsoft offers everything from the usual black to more unique colors and configurations that celebrate Fortnite, Gears of War 5, and more.

DualShock 4 Wireless Controller for PlayStation 4

Compared to the Xbox controller, the biggest plus of the DualShock 4 wireless controller is the built-in battery that you can recharge with a micro-USB cable. That will definitely save you some money on batteries in the long run.

The controller also features a built-in speaker and a stereo headset jack. Just like the Xbox controller, there are a number of different colors and designs to select from.

Apple Arcade titles also support any MFi controller. To find out more, take to a look at how to connect a game controller to your iPad or iPhone.

Game on With Apple Arcade

Whether you’re a pro or new to gaming on an Apple device, Apple Arcade features something for everyone. And no matter what game you choose to play, you’ll have definitely have fun.

If you’re looking for even more gaming action, make sure to take a look at some of the other great games on Apple Arcade.

Read the full article: How to Get Started Playing Games With Apple Arcade

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RAW vs. JPEG: Which Is Best for Your Photographs?

When you make the leap to a digital SLR or mirrorless camera, you’re faced with the choice of continuing to snap your photos as JPEGs or switching to RAW files instead. But which is best to use? In this article we pit RAW vs JPEG to find out.

What Is a RAW File?

Image Credit: Jeshoots.com/Unsplash

You can think of a RAW file as a digital negative, or as what you have before taking your photo into the darkroom. RAW files contains all of the data in an image for you to process later.

RAW files don’t come in a standard format. The closest is Adobe’s DNG format, which niche cameras and smartphones capable of shooting RAW files tend to embrace. This is not the format your Nikon, Canon, or Sony camera uses. Some cameras do shoot in a format known as RAW, but the overwhelming majority do not.

RAW files require specialized programs to view or edit them. Two Adobe programs, Lightroom and Photoshop, are the most well-known examples. Darktable and RawTherapee are two free options anyone can use without restriction or a subscription. These latter two options also have public source code, so anyone can view how the apps were made and make their own modifications.

Why Many Photographers Love RAW

Many people swear by RAW. Some will even state point blank that you should be shooting in RAW. Here are some of the big reasons the RAW format has so many advocates.

RAW Files Preserve More Data

RAW files store all of the data your camera captures when you snap a picture. These files are considered lossless formats, like WAV or FLAC audio files. When you shoot in RAW, you preserve all of the details your camera was able to capture.

Raw Files Are Better for Editing

Since RAW files are unprocessed, it’s your job to process them. You get to take all of that data that your camera stored and see what the image can become. This freedom allows you to restore details from bright or dark areas of a photo where there appeared to be none. You can save images that you would otherwise delete.

Technically, you’re not editing an existing image. Instead, you’re telling the computer how to arrange the data you’ve captured in order to create the image.

You Keep the Original Image Data

Image editors that manipulate RAW files are also known as non-destructive image editors. That’s because they don’t make changes to the original file. They save any tweaks you make to a separate file, and when you’re done, you export your image to another format (most likely a JPEG). Note, non-destructive editors can preserve your original JPEGs as well, but other image manipulation programs won’t.

The Downsides of RAW Files

Image Credit: João Silas/Unsplash

As great as RAW files are, they’re not without their drawbacks.

RAW Files Have a Slower Workflow

You have to convert RAW files into another format before you can send them to a printer, give them to family members over email, or share them with followers on social media.

This means sitting in front of a computer, waiting for images to import, editing those images, and them waiting for them to export into another format. With time and practice, you can speed this process up, but it still won’t be as quick as having images leave your camera already ready for use.

You Need to Know How to Process RAW Images

To take full advantage of RAW formats, you need to know how to process an image using a program such as Darktable. That means having an understanding of various photography concepts such as exposure, white balance, and dynamic range.

Your chosen image editor might automatically adjust aspects on the image for you, but if you’re not going to perform your own adjustments, you might be better off with the processing your camera manufacturer designed and tested. And if your image viewer supports RAW files, you may find that all of those unprocessed images look rather dull.

RAW Files Require More Storage Space

RAW files save all of the data your camera captured, so using them is akin to saving all of your images as JPEGs at the highest resolution and image quality setting, except slightly larger still. If you choose the RAW + JPEG setting to save your photos in both formats simultaneously, then you’re going to use up even more space on your memory card, computer, or cloud storage account. You will spend more time watching files transfer and may need to spend more money as a result.

What Are JPEGs?

JPEG stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group. This is the group that created the JPEG standard in 1992.

Since then, the JPEG format has become the standard way we capture and share digital images. Point and shoot cameras, smartphones, and flip phones all save photos in this format. When you view a photo in your web browser, the chances are you’re looking at a JPEG file. All of the images I’ve included in this post are JPEGs.

Reasons to Prefer JPEGs

Image Credit: John Matychuk/Unsplash

There are quite a few reasons JPEG files are commonly used everywhere.

JPEGs Come Ready to Go

JPEG files are ready to view, print, and share from the moment you capture them. Your camera does all of the processing for you. It’s the modern day equivalent of taking a picture with a Polaroid camera and having an photo you can hand to someone else in moments. Except with JPEGs, you can capture massive high-quality images for use in an art gallery or on a billboard.

JPEGs Open Everywhere

When you save your photos as JPEGs, you can rest easy knowing you can view them on whatever device using whatever program you want. This gives you more freedom to choose whatever photo manager or image manipulation program that most speaks to you, including many that were designed for RAW files. The same is true for the people who receive your images.

JPEGs Are Better for Fast Photography

When you’re covering a performance or sports event, you may find yourself inclined to shoot in JPEG even if it’s not your preferred choice. That’s in part because large RAW files take longer to save to your memory card. If you snap several photos in rapid succession, your camera may pump the brakes while it tries to save all those images. You can miss the shot you wanted during those precious moments.

Why Doesn’t Everyone Just Stick to JPEGs?

Image Credit: Patrick Hendry/Unsplash

As common as JPEGs are, there are a few key reasons why many photographers don’t trust the format for their workflow.

JPEGs Are a Lossy Format

JPEGs are meant to be easy to share and open everywhere, including on the web. That means striking the right balance between creating a beautiful image and a small file. Due to the image compression, you may suffer a loss in quality.

JPEGs Don’t Capture All of the Data

JPEGs cannot preserve all of the information that your camera is capable of capturing. The format can’t store quite as many colors, so you might notice a difference in shade or tone from what you can see in the raw version. Photos shot as JPEGs may also lose more details in the extremely bright or dark portions of a photo.

JPEGs Are Processed by the Camera

JPEGs are a finalized version of an image. While you can edit a JPEG, you’re making permanent changes to the file unless you save as a new copy. Some changes aren’t possible to make without actively manipulating the photo, like a digital artist using a photo as a base.

RAW vs. JPEG: Which Is Best?

So, which is best? RAW or JPEG? It depends. Why are you taking a photo, where, and under what conditions?

For example, if you’re taking pictures of a concert to print in a magazine, you may want to shoot in RAW. The difficult lighting may require you to process the image manually in order to get any decent shots. But if you’re taking photos of a fast-paced event, animals on the move, or kids running around, then you may value the fast bursts you can get with JPEGs.

Also, does sitting in front of a computer and tweaking images sounds miserable to you? In that case, go with JPEG. But if that’s your favorite part, then go for RAW.

Ultimately, if you want to take great photos, there are aspects that matter more than what file format you choose. You’ll first need to master the essentials, such as learning how to compose a photograph.

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Why You Should Start Using Custom Photoshop Workspaces

Picture yourself walking into work. You arrive at your desk only to find that someone at your workplace has decided to reorganize it for you. For the sake of efficiency, they have decreed that everyone will have to work with a standardized setup across the board.

Download our FREE "Adobe Photoshop Keyboard Shortcuts" cheat sheet today to discover every Photoshop keyboard command you absolutely have to know!

The problem is a standardized setup doesn’t work for everyone. Which is why everyone who uses Photoshop should be using a custom workspace. In this article we’ll explain how to get started using custom Photoshop workspaces.

Reasons to Use Custom Photoshop Workspaces

When launching Photoshop for the first time, the Essentials workspace appears for everyone. Along with the other preset workspaces, it offers a very generic build for anyone trying to learn how to use Photoshop.

However, these are training wheel workspaces, and you really need to start using a custom workspace to make Photoshop shine.

Make Photoshop Complement Your Workflow

In the right hands, Photoshop operates as a powerhouse of a program. On a professional level, videographers, graphic designers, photographers, web designers, 3D modelers, digital painters, and more use the software every day. As a result, Photoshop needs to accommodate these different work processes.

While the premade workspaces are OK, they cannot account for everyone. When you begin to customize Photoshop to be a better fit for your process, your workflow will start getting easier. Instead of having to work past the panels that don’t apply to you, everything you need to do your work will be there.

The ability to make and save multiple workspaces for different needs also allows for additional efficiency. Swapping between custom workspaces with a click of a button offers a ton of value.

Keep Your Computer Screen From Feeling Overcrowded

As Photoshop users encompass a diverse range of people, an equally diverse range of devices uses the software too. If you’re using a laptop, it goes without saying that a 13-inch screen will obviously have far less to work with than a 27-inch desktop monitor made for image processing.

Depending on the task at hand, a lack of screen space can easily create additional challenges and annoyances when the panels bleed over into your work area. Even if you’re the type to be able to work with any setup, eventually a work area can become too cluttered.

How to Get Started Using Custom Photoshop Workspaces

Now that you know why you should be using custom Photoshop workspaces, here’s how to get started.

In most cases, the crafting of a new workspace begins in a similar way as before. Open Photoshop, then go to Window > Workspace > Essentials (Default).

After you’ve selected a workspace, all changes made to the workspace remain until Photoshop resets to the saved workspace file. After you have made changes that you are happy with, you can keep your new workspace by using Window > Workspace > New Workspace and clicking Save after assigning it a new name. It will then pop up above Photoshop’s default workspaces.

Now that you know how to save a custom workspace, let’s look at how to customize your new work area.

Remove Unnecessary Panels

The first thing to do is remove any unnecessary panels. Drag panels out into the work area from their columns and close them by pressing X in the upper-right hand corner. You can also close panels by accessing the menu on any expanded panel and selecting close (or close tab group to remove multiple panel tabs at once).

If you accidentally close a panel, you can restore panels from the Window menu individually. You can also reset your workspace fully by going to Window > Workspace > Reset (insert name of the currently selected workspace). For a more detailed look on how to do both, here’s how to reset Photoshop back to its default appearance.

Dock Panels Together to Save Space

When it comes to organizing panels, a lot of the more personal arrangements come with the formation of groups and moving panel tabs around. As seen below, we have the option to arrange a number of panels in a group together.

Separate panels into individual groups if you ever need to isolate one from the rest. When moving any tab around, simply watch for the blue highlights of the placement indicator when trying to place a panel.

If you accidentally create a column or otherwise misplace your panel, pull it out of its location and move it to the desired spot. Do note that if you try to close the panel and then turn it back on, it will still return to its previous location unless you reset your workspace.

Expand and Shrink Panels to Your Liking

Expand your panels or hide them by pressing the double arrow icon at the top of any Photoshop column. If you want more control, stretch or shrink your panels to change your work area. Simply hover the mouse between a group or column until a double arrow appears.

Afterwards, you can make them bigger or smaller based on your personal preferences.

Change Your Thumbnail Graphics for Your Panels

Some panels allow you to adjust the thumbnail size under panel graphics. While not a super-mandatory customization, the thumbnail adjustment can be nice while working with panels such as channels or layers.

Whether you have a big monitor or a small laptop screen, you can adjust the thumbnail size to your liking.

The Benefits of Using Custom Photoshop Workspaces

When it comes to improving your workflow, the ability to personalize your workspace can make a big difference. Taking the time to create a custom workspace in Photoshop will give you a workspace you can carry with you from task-to-task. Potentially improving your productivity and efficiency.

Once you’re happy with your custom workspace, consider employing these Adobe Photoshop workflow tips to further improve your image editing.

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Apple’s Worst MacBook Problems (And How to Fix Them)

If you plan on getting a MacBook, research on the features and faults of Apple’s devices can go a long way in shaping your buying decision. You don’t want to purchase a new device only to find that it has a notorious problem.

But if you’ve already purchased a MacBook and notice an issue, there might be a way around it. Here are some of Apple’s biggest MacBook hardware blunders, and how to fix them if you’re affected.

1. Early Generations of the Butterfly Keyboard

When Apple launched the revamped 12-inch MacBook in 2015, it came with a noticeably different keyboard. According to the company, the redesign of the keyboard was meant to accommodate the sleek frame of the machine.

The butterfly mechanism underneath the keys certainly resulted in thinner keys than the traditional scissor mechanism. Over time, Apple implemented this design on the new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models as well. At the time of writing, Apple’s machine includes the third-generation butterfly keyboard.

However, for most Mac users, the butterfly keyboard has been more of a hindrance than a help. In particular, the space bar was highly unreliable. After a period of use, it felt like it was bottoming out on the right side, with only the left side responding to a press.

Apple’s keyboard also featured several instances of sticky keys. This was a result of the shallow depth of the keys, making it easy for them to get stuck within the grooves of the board.

Even worse, the keyboard was also sensitive to dust and debris. If dust particles get under the key, you can likely expect it not to function correctly again. These problems are present from the first generation to third-generation butterfly keyboards.

If you’re dealing with a case of dust or food debris under your keyboard, make use of a toothpick to remove it. We’ve also looked at what you can do to fix a stuck MacBook keyboard. People who’ve had constant cases of stuck keys or a malfunctioning space bar may qualify for Apple’s Keyboard Service Program.

2. MacBook Pro SSD Failure

If you bought a 13-inch MacBook Pro between 2017 and 2018, there’s a chance you might lose your data. You may also get locked out from accessing the drive.

As it turns out, Apple had issues with its batch of SSDs for this generation of laptops. According to Apple, some of its 128GB and 256GB 13-inch Macbook Pro units had a system fault which could trigger loss of data on the SSD. Knowing the warning signs that your SSD is about to fail can help you safeguard against issues like this.

To check if your laptop suffers from this fault, you need to identify the MacBook Pro model you have. Only the non-Touch Bar 13-inch laptops are affected by this.

Head to Apple’s Solid State Drive Service Program page and enter your device’s serial number to see if you’re eligible. If you are, then Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider will service your affected drive for free. We recommend backing up your Mac data immediately and going in for service as soon as possible, as you may irrecoverably lose data otherwise.

3. Delamination of Retina Display Coating

When talking about Mac missteps, it is impossible not to include the Retina display delamination. This was a problem in MacBook and MacBook Pro models manufactured from 2012 to 2017.

Apple’s Retina display is a marketing name for its high pixel density screens, which result in a clearer picture. Unfortunately, many of the MacBook models to first offer this display had faults with delamination, which occurs when a material breaks into layers.

At first, the fracture appears on the Retina display’s anti-reflective coating as smudges, until it spreads and forms a layer on the screen. When this happens, it’s much harder to use the display on your Mac.

According to Apple, impact or stress to the surface of the display can lead to this. However, people also identified that the coating applied to the Retina display was too weak. This, in turn, affects the ability of the surface to withstand stress.

There is no sure fix for the delamination of your Mac’s Retina display. At one point, Apple offered affected users replacement screens. However, this service has expired.

Unless you feel confident enough to replace the display yourself, you’re best off contacting Apple Support or an authorized service provider to look into replacement options.

4. The Touch Bar

Although some may swear by the usefulness of the Touch Bar in the MacBook Pro, this innovative feature has plenty of faults that make it a worthy addition to the list.

The Touch Bar was launched with the 2016 MacBook Pro. This strip of OLED screen, in place of the old function keys, provided dynamic controls for Mac programs. While it’s a fun feature and cool selling point in the store, it wasn’t all beneficial.

As the Touch Bar was a replacement for the function keys, the general anticipation was that it would improve efficiency. However, most found the Touch Bar more disappointing than anything.

Unlike the function keys, which were fast and responsive to instructions, the Touch Bar makes performing common actions slower. For example, adjusting brightness with a function key takes a split-second with muscle memory. In the case of the Touch Bar, you have to focus on the bar, aim your finger, and move a slider to perform the same action.

This is especially the case with the common Escape key, which can disappear with certain Touch Bar controls. Another fault is how easy it is to accidentally trigger actions by a mere brush of your fingers over the bar.

Unfortunately, unlike the other problems listed above, there is no official Apple recall or servicing for these issues. We recommend either making the Touch Bar more useful for you, or you can disable the Touch bar completely if you prefer.

Is Buying a Mac Still Worth It?

We’ve seen above that even Apple isn’t immune to hardware issues and blunders. Whether you buy an old or new Mac, there’s chance you could run into some of the problems above.

However, most other aspects of Apple’s computers are top-notch. These are relatively minor blemishes on otherwise solid computers, so you can still buy with confidence in most cases. If you have other issues with your Mac, have a look at the best free tools to fix common macOS issues.

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Upgrade Your Microsoft Office Skills With 62 Hours of Training for $29.99

If you work behind a desk, Microsoft software is almost certainly part of your workflow. By getting to know Office a little better, you can get things done faster and impress recruiters. The Complete Microsoft Office Training Bundle helps you learn all the major apps, with eight video courses and over 62 hours of content. You can currently get lifetime access to the training for just $29.99 at MakeUseOf Deals — and use coupon code 40LEARN40 for 40% off.

Complete Office Training

Most of us know how to do the basics in Excel, Word and PowerPoint. But these apps are packed with powerful features that you may never discover without some guidance.

This bundle helps you unearth these advanced tools, with 594 video tutorials. The training starts from scratch, showing you how to create workbooks and design simple slideshows. You then learn how to use functions in Excel, utilize animations in PowerPoint, and format your Word documents.

Alongside the video tutorials, the training offers plenty of downloadable exercises and tests. When you complete each course, you also get a certificate to add to your résumé.

Eight Courses for $29.99

This training is worth $249 in total, but you can grab the bundle now for just $29.99 with lifetime access included.

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Millions downloaded dozens of Android apps on Google Play infected with adware

Security researchers have found dozens of Android apps in the Google Play store serving ads to unsuspecting victims as part of a money-making scheme.

ESET researchers found 42 apps containing adware, which they say have been downloaded over 8 million times since they first debuted in July 2018.

These apps look normal but act sneakily. Once an unsuspecting user installs an adware-infected app, the app will serve full-screen ads on the device’s display at semi-random intervals. Often the apps will delete their shortcut icon, making it more difficult to remove. The adware-infected apps will also mimic Facebook and Google’s apps to avoid suspicion, likely as a way to detract from the actual ad-serving app and to keep the app the device for as long as possible.

In the background, the apps were also sending back data about the user’s device — including if certain apps are installed and if the device allows apps from non-app store sources — which could be used to install more malicious software on a device.

“The adware functionality is the same in all the apps we analyzed,” said Lukas Stefanko, one of ESET’s security researchers.

The researchers also found that the apps would check to see if an affected device was connected to Google’s servers in an effort to prevent detection. If the apps think they are being tested by Google Play’s security mechanisms, which ostensibly keep the app store free from malicious apps, the adware payload will not be triggered.

Some of those apps include Video Downloader Master, which had five million downloads; and Ringtone Maker Pro, SaveInsta and Tank Classic, which had 500,000 downloads each.

The researchers say a Vietnamese college student may be behind the adware campaign.

Google removed all of the offending apps but the researchers warned that many were still available from third-party app stores. A spokesperson confirmed all of the apps have been removed, but the search and mobile giant does not usually comment beyond acknowledging their removal.

Read more:

• New Android adware found in 200 apps on Google Play
• Sennheiser’s flawed headphone software opened PCs and Macs to HTTPS site spoofing
• Millions of Android users tricked into downloading dozens of adware apps from Google Play
• Scranos, a new rootkit malware, steals passwords and pushes YouTube clicks
• A top-tier app in Apple’s Mac App Store stole your browser history
• Android security: 0.04% of downloads on Google Play in 2018 were ‘potentially harmful apps’

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