Daily Crunch: Apple blames coronavirus for revenue miss

Apple says the coronavirus outbreak will hurt its manufacturing and sales, Jeff Bezos makes a big commitment to fighting climate change and SpaceX launches more Starlink satellites. Here’s your Daily Crunch for February 18, 2020.

1. Apple will miss revenue forecast as coronavirus impacts its manufacturing and sales

In a letter to investors, Apple said that it “do[es] not expect to meet the revenue guidance we provided for the March quarter” due to impacts stemming from the coronavirus that has shuttered large parts of China, and is reverberating through the global economy.

As China’s return to work has proved halting, and the coronavirus itself more intractable than some anticipated, the company’s change in guidance is almost unsurprising — but that hasn’t stopped Apple’s stock price from falling this morning.

2. Jeff Bezos announced a $10 billion fund to fight climate change

Jeff Bezos announced on Instagram that he’s creating a $10 billion fund to combat climate change. He said the Bezos Earth Fund will finance “scientists, activists, NGOs — any effort that offers a real possibility to help preserve and protect the natural world.”

3. SpaceX successfully launches 60 more Starlink satellites but misses booster landing

SpaceX has launched a batch of 60 Starlink satellites into orbit, marking its fifth overall launch of a group of 60 of the small spacecraft, and its third this year alone. This launch brings the total Starlink constellation to 300 satellites in orbit, extending SpaceX’s lead as the largest commercial satellite operator in the world.

4. Redbox enters the free, ad-supported streaming market

Oddly, Redbox Free Live TV isn’t live at all — at least, not in the way that you’d get with a TV streaming service like YouTube TV or Hulu with Live TV. Instead, it offers a curated set of ad-supported movies and TV shows, similar to The Roku Channel, IMDb TV or TiVo Plus.

5. How TikTok decides who to make famous

The co-founders of video startup Trash take a deep dive into the TikTok ecosystem, particularly its extensive content moderation. (Extra Crunch membership required.)

6. Atomico raises new $820M fund to back ‘mission-driven’ European founders at Series A and beyond

The London-headquartered VC firm’s previous fund closed at $765 million, so this is an increase over three years ago. However, the remit remains largely the same. Atomico says it plans to double down on its strategy of backing “mission-driven” European founders at Series A, but with the ability to invest in what it calls “breakout” companies at the Series B and C stage.

7. Black haircare startup Naza Beauty just raised $1 million from Alexis Ohanian’s Initialized Capital

At its most basic level, it’s like Drybar — with a menu of styles — but for women of color. On the tech side, Naza’s software functions as a booking and payments platform, which also learns the styles of each customer and then makes product recommendations.

The Daily Crunch is TechCrunch’s roundup of our biggest and most important stories. If you’d like to get this delivered to your inbox every day at around 9am Pacific, you can subscribe here.

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How Spotify ran the largest Google Dataflow job ever for Wrapped 2019

In early December, Spotify launched its annual personalized Wrapped playlist with its users’ most-streamed sounds of 2019. That has become a bit of a tradition and isn’t necessarily anything new, but for 2019, it also gave users a look back at how they used Spotify over the last decade. Because this was quite a large job, Spotify gave us a bit of a look under the covers of how it generated these lists for its ever-growing number of free and paid subscribers.

It’s no secret that Spotify is a big Google Cloud Platform user. Back in 2016, the music streaming service publicly said that it was going to move to Google Cloud, after all, and in 2018, it disclosed that it would spend at least $450 million on its Google Cloud infrastructure in the following three years.

It was also back in 2018, for that year’s Wrapped, that Spotify ran the largest Google Cloud Dataflow job ever run on the platform, a service the company started experimenting with a few years earlier. “Back in 2015, we built and open-sourced a big data processing Scala API for Apache Beam and Google Cloud Dataflow called Scio,” Spotify’s VP of Engineering Tyson Singer told me. “We chose Dataflow over Dataproc because it scales with less operational overhead and Dataflow fit with our expected needs for streaming processing. Now we have a great open-source toolset designed and optimized for Dataflow, which in addition to being used by most internal teams, is also used outside of Spotify.”

For Wrapped 2019, which includes the annual and decadal lists, Spotify ran a job that was five times larger than in 2018 — but it did so at three-quarters of the cost. Singer attributes this to his team’s familiarity with the platform. “With this type of global scale, complexity is a natural consequence. By working closely with Google Cloud’s engineering teams and specialists and drawing learnings from previous years, we were able to run one of the most sophisticated Dataflow jobs ever written.”

Still, even with this expertise, the team couldn’t just iterate on the full data set as it figured out how to best analyze the data and use it to tell the most interesting stories to its users. “Our jobs to process this would be large and complex; we needed to decouple the complexity and processing in order to not overwhelm Google Cloud Dataflow,” Singer said. “This meant that we had to get more creative when it came to going from idea, to data analysis, to producing unique stories per user, and we would have to scale this in time and at or below cost. If we weren’t careful, we risked being wasteful with resources and slowing down downstream teams.”

To handle this workload, Spotify not only split its internal teams into three groups (data processing, client-facing and design, and backend systems), but also split the data processing jobs into smaller pieces. That marked a very different approach for the team. “Last year Spotify had one huge job that used a specific feature within Dataflow called “Shuffle.” The idea here was that having a lot of data, we needed to sort through it, in order to understand who did what. While this is quite powerful, it can be costly if you have large amounts of data.”

This year, the company’s engineers minimized the use of Shuffle by using Google Cloud’s Bigtable as an intermediate storage layer. “Bigtable was used as a remediation tool between Dataflow jobs in order for them to process and store more data in a parallel way, rather than the need to always regroup the data,” said Singer. “By breaking down our Dataflow jobs into smaller components — and reusing core functionality — we were able to speed up our jobs and make them more resilient.”

Singer attributes at least a part of the cost savings to this technique of using Bigtable, but he also noted that the team decomposed the problem into data collection, aggregation and data transformation jobs, which it then split into multiple separate jobs. “This way, we were not only able to process more data in parallel, but be more selective about which jobs to rerun, keeping our costs down.”

Many of the techniques the engineers on Singer’s teams developed are currently in use across Spotify. “The great thing about how Wrapped works is that we are able to build out more tools to understand a user, while building a great product for them,” he said. “Our specialized techniques and expertise of Scio, Dataflow and big data processing, in general, is widely used to power Spotify’s portfolio of products.”

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Spotify mimics Apple’s design with new podcast show page updates

Spotify’s ongoing investments in the podcast-streaming side of its business helped boost podcast listening on its service by 200% last year. But today, only 16% of Spotify’s monthly listeners are engaging with podcats — a number the company today hopes to nudge higher by redesigning the podcast side of its streaming app. The new layout now makes it easier to view information about podcasts and improves discovery of new shows.

In particular, Spotify has given podcast show trailers a more prominent position in its app.

Show trailers help podcasts find new listeners by offering a concise introduction to the podcast and its creators. A good trailer hooks listeners on the show’s concept by selling its strengths, or even by offering a snippet of content that makes listeners hungry to hear more.

In the updated version of Spotify’s app, these trailers are labeled “trailer” and are highlighted at the top of the episode list, separated from the content as Apple does in its own podcasts app.

The belief here is that listeners need an easier way to check out the different podcasts out there, without having to commit to full episodes. That’s more important than ever as Spotify’s podcast library expands. The app’s catalog now has over 700,000 podcasts across all sorts of topics — a figure that’s growing quickly. In January, Spotify was at the Consumer Electronics Show touting its “over 500,000” podcasts. By the time of this month’s earnings, it was using the higher number.

Also to aid in discovery, Spotify is adding descriptive show categories underneath the show’s description. These will be simple labels, like “true crime,” “personal stories,” “travel,” “relationships,” and more. This change is also focused on catching up with market leader Apple Podcasts, which already categorizes its podcasts in a similar way.

The other major change is to the landing page for podcast shows in Spotify, which are getting a revamp to be more readable at a glance.

The updated layout has moved the descriptions up to the top of the page, so you don’t have to swipe on a show to read about it. Before, Spotify would display the podcast’s thumbnail image at the top, and you’d swipe left to view the description. Now, the layout looks more like — yes, you guessed it — Apple Podcasts.

The combined changes do make Spotify’s app more usable for podcast listening and discovery — especially for people who are used to Apple Podcasts’ design and layout, but are now making the jump to Spotify. However, Spotify’s real advantage in podcasts isn’t just how it can mimic Apple’s better design, but how it’s catering to creators, investing in originals and exclusives, personalizing its recommendations, and now, its ads.

Spotify says the redesign is rolling out to its mobile app, starting today.

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Facebook prototypes tabbed News Feed with Most Recent & Seen

Facebook may make it easier to escape its ranking algorithm and explore the News Feed in different formats. Facebook has internally prototyped a tabbed version of the News Feed for mobile that includes that the standard Most Relevant feed, the existing Most Recent feed of reverse chronological posts that was previously buried as a sidebar bookmark, and an Already Seen feed of posts you’ve previously viewed feed that historically was only available on desktop via the largely unknown URL facebook.com/seen

The tabbed feed is currently unlaunched, but If Facebook officially rolls it, it could make the social network feel more dynamic and alive since it’d be easier to access Most Recent to view what’s happening in real time. It could also help users track down an important post they lost that they might want to learn from or comment on. The tabbed interface would be the biggest change to News Feed since 2013 when Facebook announced but later scrapped the launch of a multi-feed with side bar options for just exploring Music, Photos, Close Friends, and more.

The tabbed News Feed prototype was spotted in the Facebook for Android code by master reverse engineering specialist Jane Manchun Wong who’s provided tips on core of new features to TechCrunch in the past. She was able to generate these screenshots that show the tabs for Relevant, Recent, and Seen above the News Feed. Tapping these reveals a Sort Your News Feed configuration window where you can choose between the feeds, see descriptions from them, or dive into the existing News Feed preferences about who you block or see first.

CEO Mark Zuckerberg reveals the later-scrapped multi-feed

When asked by TechCrunch, a Facebook spokesperson confirmed this is something it’s considering testing externally, but it’s just internally available for now. It’s exploring whether the tabbed interface would make Most Recent and Seen easier to access. “You can already view your Facebook News Feed chronologically. We’re testing ways to make it easier to find, as well as sort by posts you’ve already seen” the spokesperson tells TechCrunch.

Offering quicker ways to sort the feed could keep users scrolling longer. If they encounter a few boring posts chosen by the algorithm, want to see what friends are doing right now, or want to enjoy posts they already interacted with, a tabbed interface would give them an instant alternative beyond closing the app. While likely not the motive of this experiment, increasing time spent across these feeds could boost Facebook’s ad views at a time when it’s been hammered by Wall Street for slowing profit growth.

To many, Facebook’s algorithm can feel like an inscrutable black box that decides their content destiny. Feed it the wrong signals with pity Likes or guilty-pleasure video views and it can get confused about what you want. Facebook may finally deem us mature enough to have readily available controls over what we see.

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Facebook prototypes tabbed News Feed with Most Recent & Seen

Facebook may make it easier to escape its ranking algorithm and explore the News Feed in different formats. Facebook has internally prototyped a tabbed version of the News Feed for mobile that includes that the standard Most Relevant feed, the existing Most Recent feed of reverse chronological posts that was previously buried as a sidebar bookmark, and an Already Seen feed of posts you’ve previously viewed feed that historically was only available on desktop via the largely unknown URL facebook.com/seen

The tabbed feed is currently unlaunched, but If Facebook officially rolls it, it could make the social network feel more dynamic and alive since it’d be easier to access Most Recent to view what’s happening in real time. It could also help users track down an important post they lost that they might want to learn from or comment on. The tabbed interface would be the biggest change to News Feed since 2013 when Facebook announced but later scrapped the launch of a multi-feed with options for just exploring Music, Photos, Close Friends, and more.

The tabbed News Feed prototype was spotted in the Facebook for Android code by master reverse engineering specialist Jane Manchun Wong who’s provided tips on core of new features to TechCrunch in the past. She was able to generate these screenshots that show the tabs for Relevant, Recent, and Seen above the News Feed. Tapping these reveals a Sort Your News Feed configuration window where you can choose between the feeds, see descriptions from them, or dive into the existing News Feed preferences about who you block or see first.

When asked by TechCrunch, a Facebook spokesperson confirmed this is something it’s considering testing externally, but it’s just internally available for now. It’s exploring whether the tabbed interface would make Most Recent and Seen easier to access. “You can already view your Facebook News Feed chronologically. We’re testing ways to make it easier to find, as well as sort by posts you’ve already seen” the spokesperson tells TechCrunch.

Offering quicker ways to sort the feed could keep users scrolling longer. If they encounter a few boring posts chosen by the algorithm, want to see what friends are doing right now, or want to enjoy posts they already interacted with, a tabbed interface would give them an instant alternative beyond closing the app. While likely not the motive of this experiment, increasing time spent across these feeds could boost Facebook’s ad views at a time when it’s been hammered by Wall Street for slowing profit growth.

To many, Facebook’s algorithm can feel like an inscrutable black box that decides their content destiny. Feed it the wrong signals with pity Likes or guilty-pleasure video views and it can get confused about what you want. Facebook may finally deem us mature enough to have readily available controls over what we see.

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For the love of fangirls | Yve Blake

For the love of fangirls | Yve Blake

When you think of fangirls, what comes to mind: large swaths of fandom (usually for a boyband) whose feelings culminate in tears and joyful screams? Perhaps you grimace or roll your eyes at the thought. In this fun, lively talk, playwright Yve Blake asks us to reevaluate our reaction to the misunderstood passion and power of fangirls, emphasizing why we should all embrace our own unbridled enthusiasm.

Click the above link to download the TED talk.

Ring slightly overhauls security and privacy, but it’s still not enough

Security camera maker Ring is updating its service to improve account security and give more control when it comes to privacy. Once again, this is yet another update that makes the overall experience slightly better but the Amazon-owned company is still not doing enough to protect its users.

First, Ring is reversing its stance when it comes to two-factor authentication. Two-factor authentication is now mandatory — you can’t even opt out. So the next time you login on your Ring account, you’ll receive a six-digit code via email or text message to confirm your login request.

This is very different from what Ring founder Jamie Siminoff told me at CES in early January:

“So now, we’re going one step further, which is for two-factor authentication. We really want to make it an opt-out, not an opt-in. You still want to let people opt out of it because there are people that just don’t want it. You don’t want to force it, but you want to make it as forceful as you can be without hurting the customer experience.”

How Ring is rethinking privacy and security

Security experts all say that sending you a code by text message isn’t perfect. It’s better than no form of two-factor authentication, but text messages are not secure. They’re also tied to your phone number. That’s why SIM-swapping attacks are on the rise.

As for sending you a code via email, it really depends on your email account. If you haven’t enabled two-factor authentication on your email account, then Ring’s implementation of two-factor authentication is basically worthless. Ring should let you use app-based two-factor with the ability to turn off other methods in your account.

And that doesn’t solve Ring’s password issues. As Motherboard originally found out, Ring doesn’t prevent you from using a weak password and reusing passwords that have been compromised in security breaches from third-party services.

A couple of weeks ago, TechCrunch’s Zack Whittaker could create a Ring account with “12345678” and “password” as the password. He created another account with “password” a few minutes ago.

When it comes to privacy, the EFF called out Ring’s app as it shares a ton of information with third-party services, such as branch.io, mixpanel.com, appsflyer.com and facebook.com. Worse, Ring doesn’t require meaningful consent from the user.

You can now opt out of third-party services that help Ring serve personalized advertising. As for analytics, Ring is temporarily removing most third-party analytics services from its apps (but not all). The company plans on adding a menu to opt out of third-party analytics services in a future update.

Enabling third-party trackers and letting you opt out later isn’t GDPR compliant. So I hope the onboarding experience is going to change as well as the company shouldn’t enable these features without proper consent at all.

Ring could have used this opportunity to adopt a far stronger stance when it comes to privacy. The company sells devices that you set up in your garden, your living room and sometimes even your bedroom. Users certainly don’t want third-party companies to learn more about your interactions with Ring’s services. But it seems like Ring’s motto is still: “If we can do it, why shouldn’t we do it.”

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The 10 Best Nintendo Switch Controllers

The Nintendo Switch is an excellent games console that stands out from Xbox and PlayStation. This is thanks to its unique design that allows for couch and portable play. As you’d expect from Nintendo, the console has many great exclusive games, too.

While the Switch comes with a pair of Joy-Cons, there are actually many different controllers you can buy. The type of controller that’s best for you will depend on what genre of games you play, your preferred input method, and whether you have a pining for the past.

We’ve rounded up the best Nintendo Switch controllers available right now.

1. Nintendo Purple and Orange Joy-Con

Nintendo Neon Purple / Neon Orange Joy-Con Nintendo Neon Purple / Neon Orange Joy-Con Buy Now On Amazon $76.95

The funky Nintendo Neon Purple/Orange Joy-Con are the perfect way to bring some color to your gaming, especially if you opted for the gray Switch console. Remember, you can use the Joy-Con independently in each hand, or pop them together on the Joy-Con grip.

If you like the look of these, you should also check out the Pink and Green Joy-Con and the Blue and Yellow Joy-Con. It’s great to see Nintendo selling such interesting colors of the Joy-Con controllers.

2. HORI D-Pad Controller (Pikachu)

HORI Nintendo Switch D-Pad (Pikachu) HORI Nintendo Switch D-Pad (Pikachu) Buy Now On Amazon $24.25

The standard Joy-Con controllers are amazing, but the HORI D-Pad Controller (Pikachu) offers something a bit different. This brings a classic, full-sized directional pad to the Joy-Con. It’s something that many people think is missing from Nintendo’s official counterparts.

Note that this is only the left Joy-Con and is only suitable for the Switch’s handheld mode as it doesn’t contain motion sensing or rumble. Nevertheless, it’s awesome if you miss the D-pad. And it comes in a fun Pikachu design!

3. Nintendo Switch Pro Controller

The Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is company’s offering of something more akin to the Xbox and PlayStation controllers. If you find the standard Joy-Cons too small or uncomfortable, the Pro Controller is more traditional while still providing the same functionality.

With semi-transparent casing, this is a stylish piece of kit that supports rumble, Amiibo, and wireless play for up to 40 hours on a single charge. The battery is internal, but the controller comes with a charging cable to ensure you never have to miss a moment of gaming.

4. PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller

PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller Buy Now On Amazon $39.99

If you like the idea of Nintendo’s Pro Controller, but aren’t keen on the price tag, this PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller is for you. Save for the cool red and white design, you’d be hard-pressed to notice any difference in form. It’s even officially licensed by Nintendo.

The functionality is different, though; no rumble or Amiibo support, and AA batteries instead of an internal rechargeable one. If that isn’t an issue for you, but you still want the Pro experience, opt for this controller. The buttons are responsive, and it feels great to hold.

5. PowerA Wired Controller Plus

PowerA Wired Controller Plus PowerA Wired Controller Plus Buy Now On Amazon $19.99

The PowerA Wired Controller Plus gives you all the style and function of a Pro Controller, except it’s wired. It’s a solid choice if you need to buy a few extra cheaper controllers for some local multiplayer.

It comes with a fun Mario-inspired design—there’s also the PowerA Wired Controller Plus (Zelda), too—and swappable joysticks. While the controller doesn’t come with rumble or motion controls, it’s perfectly fine for games that don’t require it.

6. PowerA Wireless GameCube Style Controller

PowerA Wireless GameCube Style Controller PowerA Wireless GameCube Style Controller Buy Now On Amazon $35.79

If you have fond memories of playing Nintendo’s purple cube console, the PowerA Wireless GameCube Style Controller will blast you with nostalgia.

This is an officially licensed controller that has been updated for the Switch; it’s wireless and has all the necessary buttons. This controller is well suited for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, especially if you’ve memorized the control schemes from previous games.

7. HORI Zelda GameCube Style Controller

HORI Zelda GameCube Style Controller HORI Zelda GameCube Style Controller Buy Now On Amazon $20.96

The HORI Zelda GameCube Style Controller is another option based on Nintendo’s old console, but is slightly cheaper because it’s wired. That doesn’t make it any less of a great option, though.

It’s comfortable in the hand thanks to the textured grips and is great for competitive gaming due to the quick action triggers. Plus, perhaps best of all, it rocks a swanky black color scheme with a Zelda emblem.

8. 8Bitdo SF30 Pro Controller

8Bitdo SF30 Pro Controller 8Bitdo SF30 Pro Controller Buy Now On Amazon $44.99

The SNES controller is an iconic design, and the 8Bitdo SF30 Pro Controller brings it into the modern world. At a glance, this looks strikingly similar to the original SNES controller. Look closer, however, and you’ll see that 8Bitdo’s controller has all the necessary buttons and joysticks to be used on the Switch.

This is a fitting controller to use if you’re playing some classic Nintendo games on your Switch, which are available from the online store. That said, it can equally be used for any other game. It’s also wireless, supports rumble, and has motion controls. An excellent controller for the retro gamer.

9. 8Bitdo SN30 Pro+ Bluetooth Gamepad

8Bitdo SN30 Pro+ Bluetooth Gamepad 8Bitdo SN30 Pro+ Bluetooth Gamepad Buy Now On Amazon $48.33

If you want to combine retro and modern, check out the 8Bitdo SN30 Pro+ Bluetooth Gamepad. It’s styled after the SNES controller, but the extended hand grips make it nicer to hold for extended periods of time.

Like the SF30, the SN30 is wireless, supports rumble, and has a motion sensor. As well as the Switch, it’s also compatible with Windows, Mac, and Android.

10. 8Bitdo Lite Bluetooth Gamepad

8Bitdo Lite Bluetooth Gamepad - Yellow 8Bitdo Lite Bluetooth Gamepad - Yellow Buy Now On Amazon $24.99

The 8Bitdo Lite Bluetooth Gamepad is a vibrant, retro-inspired gamepad that aims to offer portability without skimping on functionality. It has two directional pads, wireless connectivity, and also functions on platforms other than just the Switch.

The fact that this controller is so sleek—it has no joysticks prodding out, so it can slip into a pocket—and light makes it the great on-the-go choice.

The Best Nintendo Switch Controllers for You

At least one of these controllers is sure to suit your Switch play style. Now that you’ve got all the necessary gear, it’s time to get playing some games.

Get using your new controllers with friends by playing our recommended best local multiplayer Switch games.

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How to Play YouTube Videos on Your Amazon Echo

You probably enjoy a variety of audio content on your Amazon Echo device, like music and podcasts. However, due to Amazon and Google’s ongoing tussle, listening to (or watching) YouTube on an Amazon Echo isn’t quite as easy.

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In this article, we’ll show you how to play YouTube videos on an Amazon Echo so you can enjoy YouTube-exclusive music or other content on your smart speaker. We’ll also show you how to watch YouTube videos on your Echo Show.

How to Play YouTube on Amazon Echo Using Bluetooth

As it turns out, you can’t just ask Alexa to play a YouTube video. Instead, you’ll need to pair your phone, tablet, or similar device to your Echo and treat it as a Bluetooth speaker.

Pairing Your Phone With Your Amazon Echo

To do this, start by saying “Alexa, pair Bluetooth”. This will put your Echo into pairing mode. Next, you’ll need to open the Bluetooth pairing settings on your phone.

On Android, you’ll find these at Settings > Connected devices. Hit Pair new device and after a moment, you should see your Echo appear in the list.

On an iPhone, visit Settings > Bluetooth and the device should appear on this page.

Tap it to pair the Echo speaker and your phone. You can provide access to your contacts and call history if prompted, but it’s not necessary.

During our testing, Alexa said that she couldn’t find any devices to pair with. However, they did pair successfully, so don’t despair if you hear this message.

Connect Your Devices to Play YouTube Audio

Once you have the devices paired, you’ll need to connect them to start playing audio through your Echo. To do this, you can say “Alexa, connect Bluetooth”. This will cause your Echo to connect to your phone, since it’s a previously paired device. Alexa will make a sound and say “Now connected to [Device Name]” if it’s successful.

If that doesn’t work, you can connect on your phone. Visit Settings > Connected devices on Android and tap your Echo’s name to connect. You may need to tap See all if you have many devices paired.

On an iPhone, visit Settings > Bluetooth and tap your Echo’s name to connect it.

After you’ve connected your phone and Echo speaker, any media audio you play on your phone will play through the Echo. Now you can open the YouTube app or website and play whatever you’d like to hear. If you own an Echo Dot, you may want to consider buying one of the best Echo Dot speakers to improve the audio quality.

To disconnect, say “Alexa, disconnect Bluetooth”. Alternatively, visit the menus mentioned above and tap the Echo’s name to disconnect it.

Limitations of the Echo as a Bluetooth Speaker

Echo voice commands are limited when you connect via Bluetooth. You can play/pause, skip to the next or previous video, and adjust the audio, but not much else. This isn’t quite as good as native support, but it’s better than nothing.

In addition, using YouTube this way is still subject to YouTube’s normal limitations. Notably, your video will stop if you turn the screen off. To get around this, you may want to consider joining YouTube Premium.

How to Use YouTube on an Echo Using a Workaround

If you’d prefer to better integrate YouTube content and your Amazon Echo, you can use an involved workaround for better control. This requires creating your own Alexa skill and using Google’s developer platform to access videos.

It takes a bit of effort, so check out the below video for a full walkthrough.

How to Watch YouTube Videos on an Echo Show

The above steps are great for listening to YouTube audio on an Echo speaker. But if you have an Echo Show you can watch YouTube videos as well. It only requires a small workaround.

First, if you have a first-generation Echo Show, you should first update it to enable full browsing functionality. Pull down from the top of your devices and go to Settings > Device Options to update the system software.

From there, you can simply say “Alexa, open YouTube”. Assuming it’s the first time you do this, you’ll be asked if you want to use the Silk browser or Firefox by default for this action. Either one works, but if you set Firefox as the browser, you can say this command again to jump right to it.

Once you have YouTube open in the browser, you can navigate just like you have the page open on your computer. Voice commands won’t work, but if you like, you can say “Alexa, play Drew Gooden on YouTube” and she’ll run a search for what you said. This will provide you with an easy shortcut to what you’re looking for.

You Can Now Play YouTube Videos on Your Echo

If you’re a diehard fan of YouTube, the Echo devices probably aren’t the best fit for you. But with these tips, you’ll still be able to listen to or watch YouTube videos on your Amazon Echo using Alexa.

For a full guide to listening to media through Alexa, here are all of the ways to play music using your Amazon Echo.

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This Microsoft Azure Certification Training Will Help You Master Cloud Computing

With every passing year, the cloud plays host to more apps and more data. For obvious reasons, recruiters are looking for people with the skills to keep these systems working smoothly. The Complete 2020 Microsoft Azure Certification Prep Bundle can help you become a certified expert in this field, with 10 courses working towards top technical exams. Right now, you can pick up the training for just $39 at MakeUseOf Deals.

Cloud Computing Mastery

Microsoft Azure is one of the most popular cloud computing platforms used by large and medium-sized businesses today. If you want to start a career in IT, learning Azure is a smart move.

This bundle helps you master the platform and improve your technical résumé, with over 51 hours of content. Through video lessons, you get full prep for five separate Microsoft exams on cloud architecture.

Along the way, you learn how to work with Microsoft Azure, develop cloud solutions, and handle everyday maintenance. The training also helps you dive into specialist topics, such as machine learning and big data.

Aside from exam prep, this bundle helps you build experience via hands-on projects. You should come away with the skills and confidence to land your first cloud computing job.

10 Courses for $39

This training is worth $1,839.99 in total, but you can grab the bundle now for only $39 with lifetime access included.

Read the full article: This Microsoft Azure Certification Training Will Help You Master Cloud Computing

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5+ Puzzle Apps and Sites Every Crossword Lover Needs to Know

Do you look forward to solving a crossword puzzle every day? You’ve come to the right place to find the best apps for any crossword fan.

The best crossword puzzles still appear in newspapers and magazines. But publishers are getting a little weird about it. For example, The New York Times now requires a separate subscription for the crossword online, even if you subscribe to the newspaper already.

In this article, we won’t be talking about the best free crossword apps. Instead, you’ll find the best apps for fans to get their daily crossword fix, a few apps for hints and guides, and a chance to solve the world’s biggest crossword.

1. The Crossword Fiend (Web): The Best Daily Newspaper Crosswords

The Crossword Fiend has daily and weekly round-ups of the best daily puzzles, complete with download links that you can solve on your own. It also has a daily review of these popular crosswords, sometimes with hints for tough clues in the original.

Currently, the website lists daily puzzles from The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Newsday, Puzzle Society, Universal Daily Crossword, along with several other weekly crosswords from other publications. You can open the original link or download them as PDF files or PUZ files.

Specialized crossword apps open PUZ files, which you’ll find in the next section. The default Adobe PDF reader now lets you edit files too, but there are several other free PDF editors worth trying.

Also check out the Links page for a treasure trove of pages that every crossword geek will love, including other sites, comics, recommended software, and more.

2. Crossword Solver (Windows, macOS), Alphacross (Android) and Across Lite (iOS): Import and Solve Crossword Puzzles

The default digital version of a crossword puzzle has its own file format: PUZ. Alphacross is one of the best Android apps to support these files, and Across Lite is highly recommended by iOS users. For desktop users, Crossword Solver is an excellent free program.

Once you download a PUZ file from a source like The Crossword Fiend, import it into the program. It’ll retain the full format of the puzzle, with features like clicking a number to see the corresponding clue or vice versa. These programs make the puzzle experience much better on screens, especially compared to PDFs.

The apps also support automatic downloads from popular crossword sources. The NYT crossword usually requires a subscription. Once you get used to the apps, you can start searching the web for original puzzles from crossword enthusiasts.

Download: Crossword Solver for Windows | macOS (Free)

Download: Alphacross for Android (Free)

Download: Across Lite for iOS (Free)

3. Cryptic Crossword Tutor (Android): Learn How to Solve Cryptic Crosswords

In a regular crossword puzzle, you try to find a word that means what the clue says. But there’s a different type of crossword that tests lateral thinking. Cryptic crossword puzzles are all the rage, but you might need a few lessons on its basic elements to solve it.

Cryptic Crossword Tutor (CCT) teaches the fundamentals of this genre in a simple format. The tutorial has three parts. In Basics, you will learn the difference through an example of how both types of crosswords would give a clue for the same word. There’s a cool “tap to reveal answer” button that makes the lesson fun and interactive.

The second part, Devices, is critical to solving cryptic crosswords yourself. It explains the various word-play mechanics like anagrams, acrostics, homophones, reversals, and the dreaded question mark. Finally, the Advanced section dives deep into some of the popular tricks in cryptic clues.

CCT also has a cryptic clue solver, but it didn’t work well when we tried it out. There are also solvers for anagrams and Wordfit puzzles, but you’ll find better apps for those. Stick to using this app to learn about cryptic crosswords.

Download: Cryptic Crossword Tutor for Android (Free)

4. Crossword Heaven (Web) and Crossword Clue Solver (Android, iOS): Solve Crossword Clues Online and Offline

Having trouble figuring out the answer to a clue? Go to Crossword Heaven and try your luck. Chances are, this puzzle-solving website knows the exact word you’re looking for.

The search itself is simple. You type the clue into the box given and your needs in the Answer box. A number (like “7”) denotes how many letters the word should have. If you have a few letters already solved, you can replace missing letters with question marks (for example, “CA???A?” for “CAPITAL”).

Unlike many dictionary-based apps, Crossword Heaven has a little more knowledge than just the English language. It knows some proper nouns and other useful information to help solve clues that rely on general knowledge, trivia, or popular culture.

Crossword Heaven works only online and doesn’t have a particularly mobile friendly view. But if you want a quick solution while on the move, Crossword Clue Solver has over 400,000 words in its offline app.

The search function works much like Crossword Heaven, but it’s not as great at solving clues. It’s largely dictionary-based, so general knowledge and popular culture questions aren’t going to work here. Still, after a few tries with different permutations and combinations, you should get the answer.

Download: Crossword Clue Solver for Android | iOS (Free)

5. The Big Crossword (Android, iOS): Over 1250 Clues in a Giant Puzzle

With 103×103 cells in a single grid and over 1,250 clues, this is one of the biggest crossword puzzles you will ever come across. Do you really think you can finish it all? And how fast can you really do it?

Teazel, makers of a few other crossword apps, put together this mega-puzzle for word game nuts. Tap any area to zoom into that section, and tap a number to see the clue for it. Most of these are straightforward, but there are also 140 cryptic clues to tease your brain. That’s the good old “classic” mode but there is also a “quest” mode.

In quest mode, clues are organized by categories, which is a cool and different way to approach a crossword puzzle. To unlock categories, you need to spend in-game points, which you can earn by playing the game regularly, watching ads, or buying them through in-app purchases.

There are a few hints too, like revealing the start and end letters or showing an anagram on the keyboard. From the minute you start The Big Crossword, a timer begins in the app, and it will keep ticking away till you finish the puzzle. How fast do you think you can do it?

Download: The Big Crossword for Android | iOS (Free)

The Best Mobile Crossword Apps

The mobile app stores are crowded with crossword puzzle apps. A lot of the famous crossword apps require a subscription for daily challenges or mess up the screen with ads. Avoid the bad ones with our guide to the best free apps to solve crosswords on mobile

Read the full article: 5+ Puzzle Apps and Sites Every Crossword Lover Needs to Know

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How surfboards connect us to nature | Yves Béhar

How surfboards connect us to nature | Yves Béhar

Here's how the surfboard changed our relationship to water, according to fuseproject founder Yves Béhar.

Click the above link to download the TED talk.

The power of the Afro pick | Jon Gray

The power of the Afro pick | Jon Gray

The Afro pick is much more than a styling tool. It's a major player in Black history, explains artist Jon Gray.

Click the above link to download the TED talk.

Why books are here to stay | Chip Kidd

Why books are here to stay | Chip Kidd

Despite the rise of e-books, physical books aren't going anywhere. Graphic designer Chip Kidd shares why their design is so lasting.

Click the above link to download the TED talk.

Why 1.5 billion people eat with chopsticks | Jennifer 8. Lee

Why 1.5 billion people eat with chopsticks | Jennifer 8. Lee

Author Jennifer 8. Lee explains how the chopstick spread from the East to the West -- and was designed to give you the perfect bite.

Click the above link to download the TED talk.

The function and fashion of eyeglasses | Debbie Millman

The function and fashion of eyeglasses | Debbie Millman

Glasses were originally created to overcome physical obstacles, but design evangelist Debbie Millman shares how they turned into a fashion statement.

Click the above link to download the TED talk.

How the compass unlocked the world | David Biello

How the compass unlocked the world | David Biello

"Everything that we think of as world history would not have taken place without the compass." TED science curator David Biello explains how the device changed our relationship to the world.

Click the above link to download the TED talk.

The evolution of the coffee cup lid | A.J. Jacobs

The evolution of the coffee cup lid | A.J. Jacobs

Author A.J. Jacobs shows how the coffee cup lid was perfectly designed to give you a full sensory experience while drinking.

Click the above link to download the TED talk.

Why pasta comes in all shapes and sizes | Paola Antonelli

Why pasta comes in all shapes and sizes | Paola Antonelli

Think twice when picking what pasta you want for dinner. The shape of your noodle makes a difference, explains Paola Antonelli, senior curator at The Museum of Modern Art.

Click the above link to download the TED talk.

Facebook asks for a moat of regulations it already meets

It’s suspiciously convenient that Facebook already fulfills most of the regulatory requirements it’s asking governments to lay on the rest of the tech industry. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg is in Brussels lobbying the European Union’s regulators as they form new laws to govern artificial intelligence, content moderation, and more. But if they follow Facebook’s suggestions, they might reinforce the social network’s power rather than keep it in check by hamstringing companies with fewer resources.

We already saw this happen with GDPR. The idea was to strengthen privacy and weaken exploitative data collection that tech giants like Facebook and Google depend on for their business models. The result was the Facebook and Google actually gained or only slightly lost EU market share while all other adtech vfendors got wrecked by the regulation, according to WhoTracksMe.

GDPR went into effect in May 2018, hurting other ad tech vendors’ EU market share much worse than Google and Facebook. Image credit: WhoTracksMe

Tech giants like Facebook have the profits lawyers, lobbyists, engineers, designers, scale, and steady cash flow to navigate regulatory changes. Unless new laws are squarely targeted at the abuses or dominance of these large companies, their collateral damage can loom large. Rather than spend time and money they don’t have in order to comply, some smaller competitors will fold, scale back, or sell out.

But at least in the case of GDPR, everyone had to add new transparency and opt out features. If Facebook’s slate of requests goes through, it will sail forward largely unpeturbed while rivals and upstarts scramble to get up to speed. I made this argument in March 2018 in my post “Regulation could protect Facebook, not punish it”. Then GDPR did exactly that.

Google gained market share and Facebook only lost a little in the EU following GDPR. Everyone else faired worse. Image via WhoTracksMe

That doesn’t mean these safeguards aren’t sensible for everyone to follow. But regulators need to consider what Facebook isn’t suggesting if it wants to address its scope and brazenness, and what timelines or penalties would be feasible for smaller players.

If we take a quick look at what Facebook is proposing, it becomes obvious that it’s self-servingly suggesting what it’s already accomplished:

• User-friendly channels for reporting content – Every post and entity on Facebook can already be flagged by users with an explanation of why
• External oversight of policies or enforcement – Facebook is finalizing its independent Oversight Board right now
• Periodic public reporting of enforcement data – Facebook publishes a twice-yearly report about enforcement of its Community Standards
• Publishing their content standards – Facebook publishes its standards and notes updates to them
• Consulting with stakeholders when making significant changes – Facebook consults a Safety Advisory Board and will have its new Oversight Board
• Creating a channel for users to appeal a company’s content removal decisions – Facebook’s Oversight Board will review content removal appeals
• Incentives to meet specific targets such as keeping the prevalence of violating content below some agreed threshold – Facebook already touts how 99% of child nudity content and 80% of hate speech removed was detected proactively, and that it deletes 99% of ISIS and Al Qaeda content

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg arrives at the European Parliament, prior to his audition on the data privacy scandal on May 22, 2018 at the European Union headquarters in Brussels. (Photo by JOHN THYS / AFP) (Photo credit should read JOHN THYS/AFP/Getty Images)

Finally, Facebook asks that the rules for what content should be prohibited on the internet “recognize user preferences and the variation among internet services, can be enforced at scale, and allow for flexibility across language, trends and context”. That’s a lot of leeway. Facebook already allows different content in different geographies to comply with local laws, lets Groups self-police themselves more than the News Feed, and Zuckerberg has voiced support for customizable filters on objectionable content with defaults set by local majorities.

“…Can be enforced at scale” is a last push for laws that wouldn’t require tons of human moderators to enforce that might further drag down Facebook’s share price. ‘100 billion piece of content come in per day, so don’t make us look at it all.’ Investments in safety for elections, content, and cybersecurity already dragged Facebook’s profits down from growth of 61% year-over-year in 2019 to just 7% in 2019.

To be clear, it’s great that Facebook is doing any of this already. Little is formally required. If the company was as evil as some make it out to be, it wouldn’t be doing any of this.

Facebook pushes EU for dilute and fuzzy internet content rules

Then again, Facebook earned $18 billion in profit in 2019 off our data while repeatedly proving it hasn’t adequately protected it. The $5 billion fine and settlement with FTC where Facebook has pledged to build more around privacy and transparency shows it’s still playing catch up given its role as a ubiquitous communications utility.

There’s plenty more for EU and hopefully US regulators to investigate. Should Facebook pay a tax on the use of AI? How does it treat and pay its human content moderators? Would requiring users be allowed to export their interoperable friends list promote much-needed competition in social networking that could let the market compel Facebook to act better?

As the EU internal market commissioner Thierry Breton told reporters following Zuckerberg’s meetings with regulators, “It’s not for us to adapt to those companies, but for them to adapt to us.”

Unemployment is the top risk of AI. I think a tax on its use by big companies could help pay for job retraining the world will desperately need

— Josh Constine (@JoshConstine) February 17, 2020

Friend portability is the must-have Facebook regulation

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