Snow’s avatar app Zepeto registers 150M users, eyes China market

Some of you may recall the South Korean app Zepeto that went viral among Gen Z users a year and a half ago. The app, which renders selfies into animated avatars and lets people adorn their computer-generated manifestations with virtual items, appears to have sustained its relevance. It has amassed 150 million registered users, the company told TechCrunch recently, although its number of monthly active users, which is a better metric to gauge an app’s performance, hovers around 10 million.

China is by far the largest market for Zepeto, locally known as Zaizai (崽崽), an affectionate nickname for children. “Zaizai aspires to develop into a comprehensive ecosystem while also offering robust content across China,” affirmed CEO Daewook Kim.

The app has benefited from its pedigreed background. It was developed by the selfie app Snow, of which parent company Naver also owns the Asian messaging giant Line, though it was spun off from Snow this month into a subsidiary called Naver Z.

It’s not uncommon for a popular photo-editing tool to fade out as people move onto the next trending alternative, either because the new player arrives with more impressive visual capabilities or its marketing stunt creates a spell on many — or both. As such, apps that are disposable and serve utility purposes often have to think hard about retaining their users or engage aggressively to monetize them while the going is still good.

Zepeto did both.

Screenshot: a user shares videos of herself dancing and her Zepeto character dancing on Douyin

The app includes a social networking function where users can interact anonymously through their avatars in virtual spaces akin to The Sims. The challenge with that, of course, is building a big enough network that lures people to keep returning.

Zepeto also comprises of a series of mini games that are evocative of what Lee described as peaceful exploration people are enjoying in red-hot Animal Crossing.

In other words, the business is ripe for selling virtual items. Indeed, the leader in this category of business, Tencent, once generated the bulk of its income from the items it sold to decorate users’ virtual profiles and spaces, a business modeled on the South Korean internet pioneer Cyworld. That was before Tencent earned a wider global reputation by building WeChat and operating blockbuster video games.

Zepeto has so far generated some $10 million from 600 million pieces of virtual items sold. It stepped up the effort recently by launching a creative marketplace where third-party artists can offer their virtual lines of clothes and accessories. Called Zepeto Studio, the store clocked around $700,000 in sales in its first month. Many add-ons are branded — a common strategy for photo-enhancement apps — so you can sport things like virtual Nike apparel.

“We’ve partnered with global brands like Disney and Nike, as well as celebrities like BTS. We hope to continue to bring exciting partnerships to Zaizai Studio as well as better service to our creators,” said Rudy Lee, head of Zepeto’s global business, adding that the Studio feature for China is scheduled to launch mid-May.

Branded Nike apparel on Zepeto

If enough people keep using Zepeto, the third-party store can be a lucrative pursuit for designers. Among Zepeto’s 60,000 registered artists, the highest-paid creator pocketed some $9,000 in sales in the first month.

But as numbers grow, Zepeto is also getting cautious about keeping its marketplace civil. The firm maintains an internal moderation team that weeds out “political messaging, hate speech, or discriminatory messaging on the virtual clothes,” said Lee. The rule is particularly pertinent to its development in China where the flow of information is strictly controlled.

Another way to survive as a utility tool is to piggyback off another app’s success. We have written about the way PicsArt, a photo-editing app that rivals VSCO, managed to stay in the game by supporting TikTok-inspired stickers. Zepeto has taken notice. Many of its users are now sharing their animated avatars on Douyin, the Chinese edition of TikTok, observed Lee.

(This story was updated on May 7, 2020 to clarify that Zepeto was created by Snow and was later spun off into a subsidiary called Naver Z.) 

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Uber Eats Makes It Easier to Send Food to Friends

Uber Eats is making it easier to send food to friends. So there’s now no excuse to not order cupcakes for your mom on Mother’s Day. And this is a timely feature given that many of us are still locked down and unable to share a meal with the people we love.

How to Share an Uber Eats Tracking Link

While you have previously been able to send food to friends with Uber Eats, the company’s latest feature is designed to make it even easier to do so. And it’s the social distancing rules in place due to COVID-19 which has prompted the change.

Previously, when you ordered food for friends using the Uber Eats app, you, as the sender, had to track the order. Which meant keeping the recipient updated on the status of the delivery so that they would know when to expect its arrival.

#SendACup from @Starbucks to someone you’re celebrating this Mother’s Day. ???

You can now share a tracking link and let your loved ones know an order is on the way. ? pic.twitter.com/LwqIk49UMe

— Uber Eats (@UberEats) May 6, 2020

However, Uber Eats now lets you share the status of a delivery with others using a simple tracking link. This tracking link uses Uber Eats’ real-time tracking system to keep the person receiving the food updated. So that they’ll know exactly when to expect it.

When you place an order for someone else, an in-app pop-up will ask you whether you want to share the delivery with a friend. You then choose the person from your contacts, choose how to share it (by SMS, email, or a messaging app), and then share the link.

Giving Uber Eats an Edge Over the Competition

This is a minor new feature but one which makes the idea of sending food to friends more appealing. Because once you have placed the order and sent the link, you can relax and enjoy your day without worrying if and when the order has been delivered.

With the number of food delivery services growing all of the time, this gives Uber Eats an edge over the competition. Especially if you’re a generous soul who likes ordering food for friends. Or, on the contrary, like having your friends order food for you.

Read the full article: Uber Eats Makes It Easier to Send Food to Friends

Uber Eats Makes It Easier to Send Food to Friends

Uber Eats is making it easier to send food to friends. So there’s now no excuse to not order cupcakes for your mom on Mother’s Day. And this is a timely feature given that many of us are still locked down and unable to share a meal with the people we love.

How to Share an Uber Eats Tracking Link

While you have previously been able to send food to friends with Uber Eats, the company’s latest feature is designed to make it even easier to do so. And it’s the social distancing rules in place due to COVID-19 which has prompted the change.

Previously, when you ordered food for friends using the Uber Eats app, you, as the sender, had to track the order. Which meant keeping the recipient updated on the status of the delivery so that they would know when to expect its arrival.

#SendACup from @Starbucks to someone you’re celebrating this Mother’s Day. ???

You can now share a tracking link and let your loved ones know an order is on the way. ? pic.twitter.com/LwqIk49UMe

— Uber Eats (@UberEats) May 6, 2020

However, Uber Eats now lets you share the status of a delivery with others using a simple tracking link. This tracking link uses Uber Eats’ real-time tracking system to keep the person receiving the food updated. So that they’ll know exactly when to expect it.

When you place an order for someone else, an in-app pop-up will ask you whether you want to share the delivery with a friend. You then choose the person from your contacts, choose how to share it (by SMS, email, or a messaging app), and then share the link.

Giving Uber Eats an Edge Over the Competition

This is a minor new feature but one which makes the idea of sending food to friends more appealing. Because once you have placed the order and sent the link, you can relax and enjoy your day without worrying if and when the order has been delivered.

With the number of food delivery services growing all of the time, this gives Uber Eats an edge over the competition. Especially if you’re a generous soul who likes ordering food for friends. Or, on the contrary, like having your friends order food for you.

Read the full article: Uber Eats Makes It Easier to Send Food to Friends

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How to Block Facebook Page Invites and Game Requests

Facebook invites can get annoying quickly. While you probably don’t mind someone inviting you to like a page every once in a while, getting spammed with game or page invites constantly is a huge hassle.

So, in this article, we’ll show you how to turn off Facebook invites. While it’s not possible to flip a single switch and stop all invites on Facebook, you can disable a lot of them manually.

How to Stop Getting Invites on Facebook

Facebook has an entire page in its Settings panel dedicated to blocking. This is the best way to manage your blocked pages and stop new invites on Facebook.

To have a look, click the small arrowat the top-right of Facebook and choose Settings. On the resulting page, select Blocking from the left side. Here you’ll see several categories of content you can block.

To add a new blocked user or app, just enter a name in the box and select the match when it appears. Let’s quickly take a look at each blocking method in turn.

Block Users

This is the most heavy-handed blocking option. If you block someone on Facebook, they can’t see anything you post, invite you to events, chat with you, or send you a friend request.

Using this is overkill if you just want to stop receiving game invites from someone, as we’ll show how to block individual invites in a moment. Keep this option in mind if someone is overly creepy or annoying, though. We have previously detailed how to find out who has blocked you on Facebook.

Block Messages

Next is Block Messages, which prevents a friend from contacting you on Facebook Messenger. Use this if their messages are annoying, but you don’t want to fully block them from interacting with your timeline content.

Block App Invites

The next option is extremely useful if you have a friend who constantly begs you to play a game so they can get more lives or credits. Enter a friend’s name here, and you’ll automatically ignore all future app requests from them.

This is a good solution if you have one annoying friend who plays lots of games on Facebook.

Block Event Invites

Do you have a friend who invites you to parties and other get-togethers you don’t care about? You can block event invites from anyone on your friends list here.

Like apps, adding their name will ignore all event requests going forward.

Block Apps

Above, we mentioned how to block app requests from specific people. Further down is the flipside of that option: blocking an entire app, no matter who tries to invite you to it.

While this is useful for blocking all contact from popular Facebook games, it also lets you prevent other apps from using your Facebook information. While Facebook apps aren’t as popular as they once were, it’s worth blocking any that you don’t trust.

Block Pages

A page is a Facebook account for a brand, celebrity, company, or similar. If you need to for some reason, you can block a page on this options menu. Doing so prevents the page from interacting with you. If you’ve liked that page, blocking it will unlike and unfollow it for you.

You probably won’t need this one as much as the others unless you come across an abusive brand page, but it’s nice to have the option.

How to Block Page Invites on Facebook

There’s one major omission in the above list: stopping page invites on Facebook. Anyone who likes a page can invite their friends to like it as well, and Facebook even encourages you to do this sometimes. You’ve almost certainly been swarmed with page invites on Facebook at some point.

Unfortunately, there’s currently no way to turn off page invites on Facebook. Based on our testing, locking event invites doesn’t stop page invites.

Your only real options are using the tools above. If people invite you to a particular page all of the time, use the Block Pages tool to stop seeing content from it. Otherwise, if there’s a certain friend who invites you to like pages all the time, you may want to consider unfriending and/or blocking them.

If that’s not an option, consider posting a status update letting your friends know that you don’t want to receive page invites anymore. This probably won’t stop everything, but it’s worth a try.

Using the Apps and Websites Page

Facebook has a page dedicated to letting you manage how apps interact with your account. It shows all of the apps you’ve used Facebook to log into, so it’s worth reviewing while you’re managing blocking on your account.

Head to Settings > Apps and Websites on Facebook to access this. You’ll see three boxes under Preferences, which we’ll discuss in a moment.

How to Completely Block All Facebook Apps

If you want to prevent all apps and games from using your Facebook account, you can disable the Facebook App Platform.

This is found in the Apps, Websites, and Games box on the mentioned page. Turning it off lets you completely block apps and websites from using your Facebook account. Click the Edit button to change the setting.

A new window will open to explain what happens if you remove access for apps, websites, and games to use your Facebook account. Essentially, you won’t be able to use Facebook to sign into or connect anything. For just a few examples, that means the following integrations won’t work:

• Signing into websites and services like Spotify with your Facebook account.
• Playing games that require you to connect with Facebook.
• Using Facebook integration with services like the Nintendo Switch, which lets you find friends from and share screenshots to Facebook.

In addition, if you disable this, posts that apps and websites made to your account may be deleted. Doing so may also cause you to lose access to accounts that you use Facebook to log into.

While this is a viable way to block apps from accessing your data on Facebook, we recommend thinking this through carefully before using it. You should make sure you don’t have any important accounts or integrations using your Facebook account that you would miss.

How to Turn Off All Game and App Notifications

Also on the Apps and Websites page, you’ll see a second box titled Game and App Notifications. Click Edit, then Turn Off to hide all notifications from games and apps.

If you don’t care about any content from these apps or don’t want to block them individually using the above controls, this is a handy way to stop all notifications in one sweep. It doesn’t affect the games themselves, so you can continue to play them.

How to Manage What Facebook Apps Know About You

Finally, since you’re taking the time to block invites on Facebook, you should also check what apps have your information on the platform. With Facebook’s many privacy concerns, it’s smart to know what’s accessing your data.

On the Apps and Websites page, you’ll see three tabs at the top:

• Active means that you’ve logged into the app or service recently. It can request the info you’ve shared with it at any time.
• Expired indicates that you haven’t been active with the app for more than 90 days (or that Facebook has marked it as expired). The app may still be able to access anything you shared in the past, but can’t ask for new information.
• Removed apps are ones you’ve removed from your account since 2015. Like expired apps, they may have previous info but can’t access anything new.

You should review each service on the Active tab to make sure you still trust it. Open apps in the Expired section and you can click Renew Access to restore them.

For Active and Expired services, it’s possible to disable individual settings, such as preventing the app from seeing your friends list or turning off notifications. For apps you don’t use any more, check the boxes to the right and choose Remove.

The Easy Way to Block Facebook Invites

In this article, we’ve looked at how to block invites on Facebook. While it’s unfortunately not possible to stop getting page invites, you can control most other forms of Facebook invite. Using these tips will let you keep your notification box from overflowing with unwanted invitations.

For more tips on how to make Facebook usable, take a look at our article detailing how to fix common Facebook problems.

Read the full article: How to Block Facebook Page Invites and Game Requests

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The 25 Best Open Source Video Games in 2020

Are you tired of spending $60 on new games? Do you think spending money on triple-AAA titles is immoral and want to vote with your wallet? Then you should check out the best open source video games, most of which are available to play for free.

Why Open Source Video Games?

First of all, there are varying degrees of open source software. For this post, we’ll use a simplified definition: any game that allows the public to download its source code is an “open source game”. Open source sticklers may disagree, but we’re going to run with it.

Of the many reasons to opt for open source software, three hold particularly true for games:

1. Price. Open source games are usually free. I know, I know, open-source and free aren’t synonymous—but open source game developers tend to do it for fun and experience, not profits. Most are happy enough with recognition and donations.
2. Trust. Many commercial game development studios (e.g., Blizzard, EA, Ubisoft, Valve) have poor reputations. They’ve lost sight of their audiences, and some even say they’re killing the games industry. Open source developers are more in touch with real gamers.
3. Experience. If you want to create your own games, peeking at open source code can be a great way to learn new concepts and boost your skills. In some cases, you can also contribute fixes and features, thus leaving a tangible mark on your favorite games.

You might think that open source games are only for Linux users, but that simply isn’t true. That is one of the most enduring myths regarding open source software. You can play most open source games on several platforms. And besides, the only thing that matters is whether the game is fun, right?

NB: Games are listed in alphabetical order.

1. 0 A.D.

0 A.D. is a real-time strategy (RTS) game set in the 500 years leading up to Year Zero. It has all the trappings of an RTS, including base building, unit training, tech trees, and combat. You can play as one of 12 civilizations, and each game progresses between three phases: Village, Town, and City.

Does it look and feel a little like Age of Empires II? That’s because 0 A.D. began life as a total conversion mod concept for Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings, way back in 2001.

Single-player and multiplayer modes are both supported.

Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

2. Alien Arena

Alien Arena, formerly CodeRED: Alien Arena, is a fast-paced multiplayer first-person shooter in the vein of Quake and Unreal Tournament. Though objective-based game modes exist, it’s mainly about fragging (killing your opponents). And if you’re competitive, you’ll love the global stats leaderboard.

Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

3. Armagetron Advanced

Armagetron Advanced is a multiplayer 3D clone of Tron. You drive around on a “light cycle” that leaves a wall trail, and your goal is to get your enemies to crash before you do. It’s simple but fun, and three game modes spice it up even further.

Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

4. Battle for Wesnoth

Battle for Wesnoth is a turn-based strategy game that combines resource management with tactical combat. It’s played on a hexagonal map, and there is an RPG element as units can level up and grow stronger. Despite boasting simple game rules, it’s surprisingly deep.

The game also has a built-in map editor and the ability to create custom content (e.g., campaigns) through an add-on system. You can create add-ons using a mixture of Wesnoth Markup Language and Lua.

Available for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android.

5. Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead

Zombies, dungeons, and Lovecraftian horrors await you in Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead (CDDA), a turn-based open source roguelike survival game.

Unlike most roguelikes, CDDA doesn’t have a specific goal for you to attain. Survival is key. Like most survival games, you’re battling the elements of life alongside the zombies and other terrifying beasts. That alone grants CDDA incredible depth as well as a replay value that will keep you coming back for more.

Like other roguelikes, CDDA features ASCII graphics, which can overwhelm those new to the genre. There are, however, several replacement tilesets that make the quest through CDDA a little easier on the eye.

Available for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS.

6. Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup

Dungeon Crawl Stone Soup (DCSS) is arguably the best roguelike currently available. It’s the only roguelike consistently mentioned in the same tier as the Big Four: NetHack (1987), Angband (1990), ADOM (1994), and ToME (1998).

The best part of DCSS is that it maintains the insane gameplay depth that roguelike fans love, but delivers a much more newbie-friendly experience due to its emphasis on anti-frustration design principles. There is a learning curve, but it’s well worth the effort.

You can even spectate other DCSS players in real-time! How cool is that?

To learn more about where this genre came from, see our write-up on the evolution of the roguelike genre.

Available for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and Web.

7. Endless Sky

Endless Sky is a free, open source space exploration game. It is a remake of the now ancient game, Escape Velocity, but offers similar sandbox space trading and galaxy exploring simulation as Elite: Dangerous or Star Control. Others liken Endless Sky to a quick, downscaled fix of the enormous space-MMO, EVE Online.

Endless Sky includes an extensive single-player campaign, side-missions, shipbuilding, and, of course, intergalactic space battles.

Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

8. FreeCiv

FreeCiv is an open source clone of Civilization II, and that’s only because it started way back in 1997. You can play in both single-player and multiplayer modes, and we highly recommend using the web client.

The coolest thing is that FreeCiv has a “Longturn” mode, where 250 players take one single turn every day. It also supports a “Play by Email” mode, which is great when you want to play your turns as available.

Available for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Web.

9. Freedoom

Freedoom is an open source clone of Doom. The source code for Doom is open as well, but the assets (like graphics and sounds) are still licensed. Freedoom aims to create the free content portion that would allow the game to become “truly” open source and free.

To play Freedoom, you must also download a compatible Doom engine, such as ZDoom (recommended) or Crispy Doom.

Available for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android.

10. FlightGear

FlightGear is an open source flight simulator that was built originally as an alternative to Microsoft Flight Simulator. Many would say that FlightGear is the best free flight sim currently available, receiving favorable reviews across major gaming publications.

FlightGear includes live weather patterns taken from METAR data, meaning you can find yourself in the middle of a storm if you don’t check your maps before departing. There is also a multiplayer option that allows you to fly with friends (or someone can control the air traffic control tower).

Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

11. Hedgewars

Hedgewars is an open source clone of Worms—but it’s also so much more than that. It has taken the idea of a turn-based strategic artillery game and expanded it in all kinds of directions, especially when it comes to the weapons available in the game.

In addition to single-player missions and multiplayer mayhem, Hedgewars provides all kinds of customization: to your hedgehog, to game modes, and to game assets (through community-made content packs).

Available for Windows, Mac, Linux, and iOS.

12. MegaGlest

MegaGlest is a real-time strategy game that emphasizes big battles and epic adventures. Based on the now-defunct Glest, MegaGlest mixes fantasy and technology to create a unique experience. The engine is moddable enough to allow players to create total conversion mods.

Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

13. Minetest

Do you want to play Minecraft without paying the price tag? Or are you unhappy with Minecraft’s development vision and direction? Then check out Minetest, an open source clone that returns to the game’s roots.

It’s actively developed and supports user-created texture packs, mods, and subgames. The community is nowhere near as large as that of Minecraft, but it isn’t small either. There are hundreds of servers on which you can play—or you can stick to the single-player mode if you prefer.

Available for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android.

14. Nethack

Nethack is one of the most enduring roguelikes and is frequently cited as an inspiration for other games. And not just in the roguelike genre either.

In Nethack, you must work your way through 50 levels of a randomly generated dungeon. Your character will battle all manner of mythical beasts along the way to retrieving the Amulet of Yendor. The entire game world is created using ASCII graphics, meaning everything you do relates to a letter, number, or different glyph from your keyboard.

Nethack has a steep learning curve. It takes some players months, even years, to ascend the tower and retrieve the amulet. Yet, Nethack is extremely replayable as each and every run-through is completely different.

Available for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android.

15. OpenRA

Alongside titles like Age of Empires and Warcraft, Command and Conquer helped propel the real-time strategy genre into the limelight back in the 1990s. Red Alert is arguably the best game in the series to date, and not just for its nostalgia factor.

OpenRA is an open source reimplementation of Red Alert that stays true to the original game while incorporating all kinds of quality-of-life enhancements, such as production queues, hotkeys, unit stances, and my personal favorite, the attack-move command.

It also supports Tiberian Dawn (another C&C game) and Dune 2000 (another RTS by the same studio).

Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

16. OpenRCT2

OpenRCT2 is an open source revamp of RollerCoaster Tycoon 2, the 2002 simulation game that lets you create and manage amusement parks and, more importantly, design and build roller coasters.

Because the original game’s assets are still licensed, you must have a legitimate copy of RCT2 installed to play OpenRCT2. It only costs $10 though (on Steam or GOG), so it’s a minor inconvenience at worst.

Then why play OpenRCT2? First, it lets you play on non-Windows platforms. Second, you get additional features like interface theming, fast-forwarding, and improved performance. Third, you can play OpenRCT2 in multiplayer mode.

Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

17. OpenTTD

OpenTTD is an open source copy of Transport Tycoon Deluxe, a business simulation game where you manage a transport company in pursuit of maximum profits. OpenTTD offers many extra features and enhancements over the original game.

Notably, OpenTTD introduces multiplayer transport network building, as well as thousands of unique trains, buildings, tracks, ships, and more. Some extremely enterprising minds have even managed to use OpenTTD’s pathfinding as a form of programmable logic, similar to the “Redstone circuits” found in Minecraft.

It is no wonder that OpenTTD also appears on our list of the best old PC games still worth playing.

Available for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android.

18. RVGL

Does racing radio control cars through the streets, ramping off curbs, and grabbing powerups to smash your opponents sound like your thing? Then give RVGL a try, the open source reboot of the cult classic, Re-Volt.

RVGL allows you to enjoy RC car racing in much higher resolutions, as well as with anisotropic filtering and MSAA, extensive audio improvements, peer-to-peer multiplayer, and much more.

Available for Windows, Linux, and Android.

19. Sauerbraten

Cube 2: Sauerbraten is one of the first and best open source first-person shooters. Sauerbraten is all about deathmatch, which you can play in single-player and multiplayer modes.

The only downsides to Sauerbraten? A small player base that peaks around a few dozen concurrent players per day, and inactive development, with the latest update released in 2013.

Similar games include Assault Cube (also open source) and Urban Terror (not open source, but free and boasting a larger player base).

Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

20. SuperTuxKart

SuperTuxKart is what you’d get if you took Mario Kart and replaced all the characters with open source mascots. The gameplay is straightforward racing. You can play in single-player and multiplayer, plus various alternate modes (e.g., Battle, Time Trial).

Available for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android.

21. Teeworlds

Teeworlds is a side-scrolling physics-based 2D shooter, akin to what you’d get if you crossed Quake and Mario with a dash of Kirby. It emphasizes fast-paced action (but not Quake fast) and can be played in Deathmatch and Capture the Flag modes.

One unique feature is that everyone has a grappling hook, which you can use to fling yourself around the map… that is, once you master it.

Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

22. The Dark Mod

The Dark Mod is a first-person stealth game that’s reminiscent of the cult classic Thief. Set in a dark fantasy world, you play a thief who must steal goods—among other acts of thievery—while evading capture by guards. It offers heart-pounding fun with lots of replayability.

To play The Dark Mod, you must first install the base game, and then install missions. You can download some from the Missions page, or create your own missions using the built-in editor.

Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

23. The Saga of Ryzom

There aren’t many open source MMORPGs, which is The Saga of Ryzom’s claim to fame. This free-to-play MMORPG, which features a classless system with dynamic environments, is a shining example of how free games can attain high quality.

The Saga of Ryzom has a few cool features up its MMO-sleeve, too. Mobs will invade and swarm around player settlements, creating huge battles. There are in-depth harvesting and crafting trees. One thing we really like is that AI-controlled animals will attack other creatures, creating a realistic and engaging local environment.

Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

24. Warsow

Warsow is a fast-paced arena shooter heavily inspired by Quake with a focus on speed and movement. The development roadmap includes eSports-centric features like Warsow TV and global stats. Also notable are the stylish graphics, especially the cell-shaded characters.

Because the engine is open source and scriptable using AngelScript, you can create your own game modes and change the interface. But even without this, the base game is fun and well worth playing.

Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

25. Xonotic

Xonotic is a fast-paced arena shooter that borrows a lot from Unreal Tournament. There are 16 weapons that each uses one of four ammo types, and every weapon has two firing modes. Knowing how and when to use each firing mode is the key and lends to the game’s depth.

You can play between several different game modes (such as Capture the Flag, Keepaway, and Freeze Tag) on dozens of different maps, both official and community-made. It’s highly replayable, so if you like arena shooters, you won’t be able to put this one down.

Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux.

What Are the Best Open Source Games?

With so many amazing open source games to choose from, picking one is impossible. So it all comes down to the genres you love playing instead.

Remember, open source games cost time and money to create just like any other game. The only difference is that the developers value community more than profits.

If you want to help out, consider donating some of your own time or money. Open source developers don’t earn much, and even a $5 donation can help offset costs like web hosting. And if you have programming experience, you should consider contributing your expertise to open source projects.

Read the full article: The 25 Best Open Source Video Games in 2020

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Skype Video Not Working? How to Test and Troubleshoot Your Camera

Want to make a video call or join a video conferencing meeting only for Skype to not display your face? While this might be useful if you’re shy, it can be disconcerting to others—it’s also not professional.

There won’t be a video stream if there’s a problem between Skype and your webcam. If you’re struggling to get Skype video calling to work, here’s what you need to do.

Skype Video Calls Not Working? 8 Tips

If the video chat software doesn’t work, you could be missing out on vital work discussions. So, test your webcam and fix any problems before you sit down for the meet.

The following Skype video troubleshooting tips are for Windows 10, but most work with macOS, and Linux too.

1. Configure Skype for video calls.
2. Update the software to the latest version.
3. Check for webcam device driver updates.
4. Check if your webcam is disabled.
5. Use the right version of DirectX.
6. Check for other programs using the webcam.
7. Could your antivirus be blocking Skype video chat?
8. Examine the webcam for damage.

Let’s look at these suggestions in more detail and find out why your webcam is not working in Skype.

1. Configure Skype for Video Calls

Ensuring Skype is correctly configured for video calls is a smart move before you start conferencing.

With Skype open, click on the three-dot icon to open the menu and select Settings (or press Ctrl+,).

Click Audio & Video section, and you’ll see which of your camera devices is selected.

You can trace most of Skype’s problems to this screen. The problem is usually an incorrect camera selection, although it could just as easily be the webcam settings.

Start by selecting the correct camera. You’ll find the drop-down selector menu next to the Camera heading. Be sure to select the correct camera here. It will usually appear as a USB device whether it is built into your computer or not.

If Skype is configured to use the correct webcam, then you may have an issue with the webcam itself. The first thing to try is to start any software that shipped with your webcam. This can often be used to switch on your webcam and test it.

If your webcam has a hardware switch, turn it on.

Also, spend some time in the webcam software, checking the settings for any restrictions or configurations for video chat. For example, you might need to assign permission for Skype (or other apps) to access the camera.

2. Update Skype

With Skype correctly set up, it’s a smart idea to update the software. Microsoft issues regular updates for Skype, so hardware problems can be easily fixed this way.

To check your Skype version, click the three-button menu then Settings > Help & Feedback. In the right-hand pane, you will see the Skype version and year. The displayed year should be the current year. Windows users should be running Skype 8.59.0.77 or later.

Skype updates automatically on Windows, but you can force an update by uninstalling Skype and downloading the latest version.

To remove, press Start and type skype. In the displayed result, expand the list and click Uninstall.

In the Programs and Features screen, highlight Skype and select Uninstall from the menu.

It’s worth rebooting Windows once the software has been removed—you’re now ready to install Skype again.

Download: Skype for Desktop (Free)

3. Update Your Webcam Drivers

If you’re struggling to get a video chat open on Skype, start by updating your webcam drivers. You’ll need to know the current driver version first.

Check this in the device manager—right-click Start > Device Manager.

A yellow exclamation mark on the webcam indicates your issue is a resource conflict with another device. To check this, expand Cameras to see the device name.

Right-click, select Properties > Drivers, and make a note of the driver date and version.

To update, click Update Driver. If there is a new version of the driver available, this will be downloaded from the Windows Update servers.

In some cases, this may not work. For external webcams (connected by USB), check the manufacturer website for the latest driver update. If there is anything new to install, download, and follow the instructions.

4. Is Your Webcam Disabled?

Once you start a video chat with your friend, make sure that the webcam is enabled. Otherwise, Skype video calling will be disabled.

You can fix this in the Device Manager. Simply identify the camera, expand, right-click on the device name, and select Enable Device.

You may need to reboot your computer for this change to take effect properly.

5. Update DirectX to Fix Skype Video Calls

On Windows, DirectX is needed to ensure seamless multimedia performance. This covers mainly visual media, particularly games and videos. If your Skype video calls aren’t working, it’s worth updating DirectX as part of your troubleshooting process.

DirectX 9.0 and above is needed for Skype video calls. Press WIN+R and type dxdiag in the Run dialog to double-check your DirectX version.

If it’s too old (at the time of writing, DirectX 12 is the current version), update it.

Check our guide on how to download, install, and update DirectX on your Windows computer.

6. Check If Other Programs Are Using Your Webcam

Other applications could be using your webcam. If the light was already on before you started Skype, then some software is already using your webcam. This may cause issues with Skype capturing the same stream.

You can fix this by closing other applications, especially any other IM and internet dependent applications, and then restart Skype.

Note: This shouldn’t be the case with tools like ManyCam, which allow the use of multiple webcams on Skype. However, it is worth taking a moment to shut such tools down to rule them out.

7. Is Antivirus Software Blocking Skype Video Calls?

Modern antivirus software and firewalls can manage connections for individual devices attached to your computer. This feature helps to enhance your personal privacy, but sometimes it can be frustrating. If your Skype video call isn’t working, it could be because your security software is blocking the webcam.

To check this, open your antivirus software and check the settings for privacy protection. Look for a setting that is directly related to your computer’s camera and microphone.

Check the antivirus software documentation for the correct steps to permit Skype to access your webcam.

8. Is Your Webcam Broken?

If you’ve got this far and your Skype video call still won’t work, it’s possible that your webcam is defective. That’s a signal to replace your outdated cam with a new one that is guaranteed to work.

You can check this by trying the webcam with another app. Windows 10 has a built-in camera app for webcams, so try running this. Or launch another chat application and try the video chat option there.

Need a new webcam and don’t have time to order one? Check our guide to using your Android smartphone as a PC webcam.

You Fixed Your Skype Video Calls

With Skype’s video call feature working again, you’re ready to start making calls again. Perhaps you’re having a meeting with colleagues or recording a podcast. Either way, Skype is ideal. Just make sure you take the time to prepare so you can look good on your webcam.

Not happy with Skype? There are alternatives—try one of these online video chat apps instead.

Read the full article: Skype Video Not Working? How to Test and Troubleshoot Your Camera

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How to Win at Call of Duty: Warzone: 10 Tips and Tricks

Call of Duty: Warzone is a hugely popular free-to-play battle royale game which offers cross-play gaming on PC and consoles. Warzone takes place in the fictional city of Verdansk, a sprawling map where 150 people battle it out to be the sole survivor.

In terms of gaming, there’s nothing more satisfying than securing that coveted victory. So, if you want to increase your chances of winning in Call of Duty: Warzone, we’ve rounded up some of the best tips and tricks for beginners and intermediate players.

1. Play With Friends and Communicate Well

Ideally, you want to play with a squad full of people you know and to talk on microphones. This is made easier due to fact that PC and console players all take part in the same matches together (if you like this element, here are the best cross-play games worth buying).

Call of Duty: Warzone is much harder when you play with random people who won’t talk to you. With friends, you know the way they play and can build up a shorthand for communication.

This links to the fact that communication is so important. Your teammates can be far more effective if they know what you’re doing. When in battle, call out what is happening: armor off, player down, team wipe, and so on. This lets your friends know how much they need to engage, push, or be on their guard.

2. Land in a Tactical Map Position

There’s no single best place to land. This is because the flight path, the circle, and the contracts are random on every match. As soon as the game begins, bring up the map and have a look around. Where you want to land will depend on your play style.

For example, you could fly into a crowded area and engage in immediate gunfire to weed out the competition. Alternatively, you could go somewhere remote and outside the circle with the aim of quietly looting and completing contracts. Whatever you decide, mark it on the map and make sure your teammates are in full agreement before you make the jump.

3. Stay With Your Squad, But Not Too Close

You’re in a team for a reason. It’s so you can work together, protect each other’s back, revive when necessary, and so on. As such, you need to stick with your squad. If you go lone wolf and drive off somewhere then your team won’t be able to help you if you get cornered by a rival squad.

That said, you don’t want to stay too close because it makes it easier for a group of enemies to take you all out at once with a rocket. You also lose any element of surprise. Additionally, when you arrive to a new area and are confident it’s clear, spread out to begin looting so you don’t tread on one another’s steps.

4. Get Cash Fast

Getting money is vital in Call of Duty: Warzone. It’s easy to come by early and mid game by just looting buildings. You should also complete contracts as you go—these stack up, so you earn more money from them the more you complete.

Don’t hoard it, though. Head to Buy Stations to buy equipment like a precision airstrike or UAV (revealing nearby enemy locations). Drop cash for your team and pool money together if you want to buy something expensive. You will usually find a gas mask and armor while looting, so don’t buy these unless absolutely necessary.

And remember, you might want to keep some money in reserve to quickly buy back anyone who dies.

5. Don’t Be Scared of the Gas

The gas quickly shrinks the map size and it can be scary when it’s approaching. You should always be aware of where the gas is, if it’s moving, and at what speed. The last thing you want to do is get yourself killed by the gas because you couldn’t climb the rocks in front of you quick enough.

That said, don’t be scared of the gas, especially if you have a gas mask. Watch the gas line and pick off any enemies who are running from it, since they likely won’t have time to react. Also, in a close combat situation, you can quickly rotate through the gas to get the jump on enemies without taking significant damage.

6. Keep an Eye on the Mini Map

The mini map in the corner of your screen reveals vital information that you won’t necessarily see from the main game. It will highlight enemy vehicles in red—if it goes gray, you know they’ve all got out. It will also ping enemy players red when you deploy your UAV. The mini map can also help you navigate unknown parts of the map.

You should go into the settings and change your mini map from a circle to a square. It’s a small change, but it will let you see more around you and every additional bit of intel is helpful.

7. Use the Free Loadout Drops

Loadouts are how you pick up your custom weapons and are the only way to get perks. If you have a huge stack of money at the beginning of the game, you may as well buy a loadout so that you’re ready to go with all the kit you need.

That said, don’t rely on buying loadouts. You can quickly find decent weapons just by looting to keep you going until a free loadout drop arrives. This means you can spend your money on useful things like UAVs.

The free drops happen twice during the game and you will get an alert directing you to the nearest drop. Be careful though, since enemies in the area could be converging on the same spot and wipe you and your squad out.

8. Keep Your Eyes on the Sky

It can be easy to get so focussed on what’s happening in front of you that you forget to look up. Don’t succumb to this because lots of stuff happens in the sky in Call of Duty: Warzone.

First, if a player is respawning then they will be parachuting in. If you spot them early, you can plow enough bullets into them so that they die before even reaching the floor.

Secondly, capturing a recon or buying someone back will send up a white and red flare respectively. Look out for these and it’ll give you intel on what’s happening nearby, but you can also use it to take the enemies by surprise now that you know their location.

9. Only Kill When Necessary

You may be tempted to to try to kill every player that you see, but that’s not always the best thing to do. If someone is far away, consider whether it’s even worth engaging. Your gunfire is going to draw attention and you might not be best equipped to deal with the situation. If you do want to go for the kill, try sniping some of their team down before pushing in on the rest.

Late in the game, if some of your team are dead, it can be preferable to let larger groups of enemies run past you since it’s unlikely you’ll survive. Let another team engage with them so that overall numbers are reduced and you have a better chance of securing that win.

That said, enemy players will drop things like guns, ammo, and money, so if you’re in desperate need of them then it might be worth risking the kill.

We have listed similar advice in our list of tips to help you win at Apex Legends.

10. Secure the High Ground

As in any tactical shooter game, having the high ground gives you a great advantage. This is especially true as the final circle closes in, since you can target any enemies coming in from the gas and duck down from their view as necessary.

However, you do need to be careful of high ground like rooftops during the early game. While it’s enjoyable to be on a roof sniping other people, you’re also very exposed. Not only could someone climb a roof and snipe you back, but they could send an airstrike your way and kill your whole team with ease.

To Win at Call of Duty: Warzone Is to Win at Life

These are the essential tips and tricks we hope will help you win at Call of Duty: Warzone. Of course, there is always an element of luck involved, but with good planning and a well thought-out strategy, you can improve your chances of ending up in the winner’s circle more often than not.

Are you a big fan of battle royale games? If so, you should check out our Fortnite essentials cheat sheet.

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24 Ways to Volunteer Online From Your Home

Make the world a better place from the comfort of your own home with these online volunteering opportunities. Each website offers a different way for you to use your time, knowledge, or skills to improve the lives of other people.

And you can do all of them without setting a foot outside the door.

Create Audiobooks and Reading Materials

If you’re a fan of books, take advantage of these online volunteering opportunities to create audiobooks or proofread public domain texts.

1. LibriVox

LibriVox is a source of public domain audiobooks that anyone can download and listen to for free. If you have a microphone and some free recording software, volunteer your voice and record a chapter yourself.

2. Learning Ally

Learning Ally helps struggling learners achieve their full potential. Volunteer to record audiobooks from your home to aid aural learners in their studies. Alternatively, you can offer quality assurance and feedback to existing audiobooks instead.

3. Bookshare

Bookshare makes eBooks more accessible to children and adults with disabilities. Readers can listen to audio descriptions, read Braille, or enlarge and highlight the font. And you can help by volunteering remotely to scan books, proofread passages, or describe images.

4. Distributed Proofreaders

If you’ve ever read a free book from Project Gutenberg, then you’ve benefitted from the work of online volunteers at Distributed Proofreaders. Volunteer your own time to proofread public domain ebooks, manage projects, provide new content.

Contribute to Important Research Projects

Some of the most enjoyable virtual volunteering opportunities include taking part in research projects. These projects cover everything from cartography to zoology.

5. Zooniverse

Zooniverse is a popular platform for people-powered research. You don’t need any prior expertise or scientific knowledge. Just head to the Projects page and contribute your time to anything that takes your fancy: from animal recognition to solar storms.

6. Smithsonian Digital Volunteer

Join the Smithsonian Digital Volunteer program to preserve historical documents and keep them widely accessible. That might involve transcribing field notes, diaries, ledgers, logbooks, manuscripts, and more.

7. Amnesty Decoders

Register with Amnesty Decoders to research and expose human rights violations. You may need to analyze tweets, scour satellite imagery, or pore through countless documents. Contribute as much or as little time as you can to make companies accountable for their misdeeds.

8. Missing Maps

Some of the most vulnerable communities in the world aren’t even on the maps. This makes it difficult for crisis teams and first responders to get where they need to be in an emergency. Volunteer to trace satellite imagery into OpenStreetMap from your home and fill in the last blank spots on the globe.

Help Others to Study and Learn

Volunteer online to act as a tutor for those in need. That might mean helping students to study for their next exam. Or educating isolated seniors on interesting new topics.

9. Learn to Be

Learn to Be is a non-profit organization offering free or low-cost tutoring to children from kindergarten to 12th grade. You don’t need to be a teacher to volunteer as a tutor. Anyone can sign up and start helping students in one-to-one virtual study sessions.

10. School in the Cloud

Start your own Self-Organized Learning Environment (SOLE) to inspire creativity, curiosity, and wonder across the world. School in the Cloud provides all the resources you need to get started and find a modern way to teach people across the globe.

11. UPchieve

Volunteer as a coach with UPchieve to help high-school students from low-income backgrounds with math tutoring, homework, and test prep. Using a one-to-one virtual classroom, you can fit lessons around your own schedule.

12. Self Help VSC

Self Help VSC provides a place for homebound senior citizens to connect, learn, and play together online. As a virtual volunteer, you can lead a one-hour class or activity. Pick a topic of your choice and use your passion to share knowledge with an older generation.

Offer Your Abilities to Those Without Them

Technology is constantly advancing to help improve the lives of differently-abled people across the globe. Using the options below, you can volunteer your own abilities to help those people without them.

13. Be My Eyes

Be My Eyes is one of several volunteering apps you can use to help blind and low-vision users. You can help by checking expiration dates, distinguishing colors, or reading instructions.

14. BeSpecular

With BeSpecular, visually-impaired people will send you photos and voice messages asking you to act as their eyes. As a “Sightling” volunteer, you might need to do everything from identifying medicine bottles to matching outfits.

15. VocaliD

VocaliD specializes in creating unique virtual voices for brands and individuals without the ability to speak. You can record and volunteer your own voice to this project, to be blended and used by other people. Although you should know that VocaliD may profit off your voice while using it to help other people.

16. Translators Without Borders

If you speak a second language fluently, volunteer online to translate important documents for those who need them. That might include translating medical reports or crisis response documents. All you need to do is sign up to start helping people.

Mentor People Through Difficult Career Changes

There are a lot of people looking for new careers in need of advice or guidance. Offer your own wisdom by mentoring with these online volunteering opportunities.

17. Skills for Change

Skills for Change is a Canadian organization offering education and training opportunities for immigrants and refugees seeking work. You can work in a wide range of roles as a remote volunteer. As a mentor, you can offer advice about a career in your field.

18. CareerVillage

At CareerVillage, students can learn more about potential careers by asking real-world professionals. Sign up as a Professional to answer questions that come up around your line of work. In doing so, you might inspire young students to follow in your footsteps.

19. Hire Heroes USA

Hire Heroes USA helps military personnel transition to civilian life with new careers. This is a challenging prospect for most. But you can ease the journey by volunteering to run mock interviews, offer counseling advice, or help with complex application forms.

20. American Corporate Partners

American Corporate Partners (ACP) helps both military veterans and their loved ones to find new careers. Sign up as a mentor to remotely volunteer your time and career expertise. In doing so, you can help veterans find fulfilling new employment.

Reach Out to People Who Need You

Volunteering online doesn’t need to get complicated. Sometimes the best way to help someone is by reaching out and talking to them. Here are some online volunteering opportunities which allow you to do that.

21. Adopt a Nursing Home

This website lets you adopt a Texas nursing home and send letters of support to the residents and staff members there. These small tokens of humanity are incredibly valuable to people in the nursing home, who might struggle to connect with the outside world in other ways.

22. CHD Living

At CHD living you can adopt a grandparent to help them combat loneliness. As an online volunteer, you make video calls, share pictures, or swap stories. Hopefully, over time, you can build a wonderful new friendship.

23. StoriiTime

Support isolated seniors while improving your child’s literary and social skills with StoriiTime. This service sets up a free StoriiTime video call between your child and a senior citizen, allowing them to read to one another for everyone’s benefit.

24. USO

Send a message of support to armed forces members through the USO website. It only takes a moment to send your message—whether you write it yourself or use one of the preset options—but it could make a world of difference to the person on the other side.

Find More Volunteering Opportunities Online

You can take advantage of any of these online volunteering opportunities without setting foot outside your home. But there are plenty of real-world volunteering opportunities you can sign up for online.

Take a look at the best volunteering websites and filter the results to find opportunities near you.

Read the full article: 24 Ways to Volunteer Online From Your Home

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Facebook users are buying and selling pangolin parts, even though it’s illegal

In spite of their protected status under international laws, pangolins remain one of the most trafficked animals in the world—and at least some of that trade is taking place right out in the open on Facebook.

A new report from tech watchdog group the Tech Transparency Project details how Facebook users are engaged in the sale of illegally-trafficked pangolin parts, even though the practice is illegal and prohibited by Facebook itself.

In one example, a public page of Facebook called “Pangolin Scales for Sale in Vietnam” advertised the sale of the forbidden animal products, asking potential buyers to send a message to the seller over WhatsApp or email.

Another public Facebook page, “Rhino Horns And Pangolin scales For sale In China,” was created in March and directed customers to “embrace our businesses like never before” in the wake of the coronavirus. Other pages offered the sale of pangolin oils. Most of these sites were hiding in plain sight, easily found by using basic search terms like the Vietnamese word for “pangolin” or even the phrase “pangolins for sale” in English.

Facebook’s own platform rules prohibit the sale of live animals as well as anything that “promotes, encourages, or coordinates the poaching of endangered species and their parts.” The company joined an anti-wildlife trafficking coalition in March of 2018, but since that date reports have detailed the ongoing sales of everything from hornbill parts to tiger teeth through ads and direct sales facilitated by the platform.

Pangolins are again are in the spotlight right now as the global scientific community searches for answers about the pandemic’s origins. Wild animals carry coronaviruses and can transfer those potentially devastating diseases to humans, as is believed to be the case with a Chinese bat population and the 2002 SARS outbreak.

According to new research, some pangolins carry coronaviruses related to the one that causes COVID-19. Most scientists believe the novel coronavirus likely originated in bats, but how the virus spread from bats to humans is a mystery researchers are still seeking to understand.

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Google delays Android 11 by a month

Google today announced that it is extending the preview period of Android 11 by about a month. So instead of launching a beta this month, as it had previously planned, it’ll release a fourth developer preview today instead. The first beta will officially launch on June 3, during an Android-centric online event it’ll hold in lieu of its I/O developer conference.

“When we started planning Android 11, we didn’t expect the kinds of changes that would find their way to all of us, across nearly every region in the world,” Google’s Android team writes today. “These have challenged us to stay flexible and find new ways to work together, especially with our developer community. To help us meet those challenges we’re announcing an update to our release timeline.”

Google notes that it wants to meet the needs of the Android ecosystem, which has obviously started work on early app testing for Android 11 based on the company’s guidance, with the current environment during the coronavirus pandemic and the other priorities that come with that. Delaying the release by a month seems like a reasonable approach in this context.

Google says developers should target the Beta 1 release date of June 3 for releasing a compatible app to gather feedback from the larger group of Android Beta users. And that group will be larger because, like with previous releases, Google will make over-the-air updates available to users who opt in to the beta and have a compatible device. The list of compatible devices for the beta remains to be seen, but it’ll likely include all recent Pixel phones, starting with the Pixel 2.

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Tinder to add video dating next quarter, after slowing user growth due to coronavirus

Tinder will add a video dating feature in the second quarter of this year, parent company Match announced on Tuesday as part of its Q1 2020 earnings report. The company also detailed the coronavirus impact which slowed Tinder user growth in the quarter, as social distancing requirements and government lockdowns went into effect.

Match didn’t go into detail about its plans for video dating, but noted it has been testing the waters with video in its Plenty of Fish app. In the quarter, it accelerated the rollout of a one-to-many live streaming feature that has so far exceeded its expectations, the company said,

“As daters demonstrated strong willingness to video-date, our product and engineering teams around the world mobilized quickly to deploy one-to-one video chat capabilities on many of our platforms,” wrote Match Group CEO Shar Dubey, in the letter to shareholders.

Match-owned Hinge also introduced a video call feature called Date from Home this month.

But the company’s flagship dating service Tinder had not yet embraced video — despite that fact that its direct competitor Bumble has offered video for a year, and Facebook is launching virtual dating via Messenger for its Facebook Dating users.

Match explained the reason for its hesitance on video during its earnings calls with investors, saying that video features had been tried over the years, but never saw much adoption. The company believes that will change now, as “users are being forced to use it.” Users will see the benefits and likely continue to use video when the pandemic is over, the company said.

Overall, Match had a solid Q1 with revenue growth of 17% year-over-year to $545 million, and earnings per share growth of 31% to 55 cents. Both beat Wall St. expectations of $544.9 million and 34 cents per share, respectively.

But there were numerous signs of how the coronavirus took its toll on online dating.

Users’ unwillingness to go on in-person dates — the ultimate goal of online dating —  led to Tinder seeing first-time sequential subscriber declines from February to March, before things started to stabilize in April, Match said.

The majority of Match’s non-Tinder brands saw sequential declines in first-time subscribers in March as well, the company added.

Tinder ended the quarter with 6 million subscribers, up from 5.9 million in December 2019 — meaning it only added 100,000 new subscribers in the quarter. In the year-ago quarter, it had added 384,000 paid users. Tinder’s average revenue per user (ARPU) grew just 2%, mainly due to purchases of a la carte features.

The company also admitted it was “seeing some headwinds to ARPU” on Tinder due to fewer of those a la carte purchases and shifts to lower-priced subscriptions.

Despite these challenges, Tinder grew its direct revenue by 31% year-over-year and saw 28% year-over-year growth in subscribers. Non-Tinder brands saw direct revenue growth of just 2% year-over-year, and flat subscriber growth, by comparison.

“Tinder clearly remains a go-to app for meeting new people, which has become an even more critical service with so many people stuck at home,” noted Dubey, optimistically.

Like many other companies, Match declined to offer a full year financial outlook, saying there were too many unknowns with regard to the pandemic.

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Pinterest rolls out new board features including notes, dates and section suggestions

Pinterest is introducing new features that make it easier for those planning recipes, virtual events and other quarantine activities. These include the ability to add a date or notes to a board as well as automated ways to better organize your pins on a given board, with the aid of machine learning technology.

The company has seen increases in particular types of activities on its platform amid the quarantine. For example, it’s seen a more than 50% increase in people using the site to plan virtual events — like virtual birthday parties, baby showers or virtual educational activities.

Meanwhile, it has also seen people planning ahead for their post-quarantine projects, as well as an overall 60% increase in the number of boards created versus the same time last year. Engagement with boards is also up nearly 75% on a year-over-year basis and up nearly 50% month-over-month.

The addition of board notes will allow Pinterest users to annotate their saves with personal notes — like adding a list of ingredients accompany a pinned recipe, a list of tasks for a project, a to-do list or anything else they want to note.

Also new is the ability to add a date to a board. This can help with project planning or to just keep boards better organized by dates. When projects wrap, it may be easier to find the old boards to archive if they have a date attached.

Finally, Pinterest is upgrading its board technology to suggest sections to add to a board.

For example, if you have a fairly broad topic — like “kids’ activities” — Pinterest may now recommend organizing the pins into sections like “art projects,” “outdoor games” and others. And when you’re starting a new board, Pinterest may suggest sections to add as soon as you save your first pin.

The company says it’s using its data on billions of saved ideas combined with machine learning and Pinterest’s own PinSage technology, in order to determine how pins should be grouped. This problem is challenging, Pinterest notes, because it has to accurately cluster together similar pins and predict how a Pinner may want to organize their board.

These new board features are rolling out globally starting today on web, iOS and Android.

The new features are meant to help Pinterest respond to the changes in consumer behavior since the COVID-19 pandemic, where people had temporarily turned away from planning for travel or in-person events, and instead are using their boards to organize for quarantine-related activities, like a child’s homeschooling or virtual events.

The launches follow Pinterest’s report this week of a solid Q1 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The company grew its revenue 35% year-over-year to $272 million and grew its user base 26% year-over-year to 367 million, beating projections for both. However, it reported a loss of 10 cents per share, versus the expected loss of 9 cents per share.

But Wall Street wasn’t happy with Pinterest’s user growth, CNBC reported, which was up 6% year-over-year in the U.S., compared with 8% in the fourth quarter. Overall, Pinterest’s growth of 26% was the same annualized growth rate it saw in the fourth quarter — in other words, flat. This was unexpected, given Pinterest’s claims of pandemic-related record usage in March and the gains other social platforms have seen, including Facebook and Snapchat.

Pinterest also warned of a tough road ahead, due to pandemic-related advertising declines.

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