Americans are regularly checking a second screen while watching TV, according to a new report from Nielsen which examined the media consumption habits of U.S. adults in the second quarter of 2018. Today, 28 percent of adults say they “sometimes” use a digital device, like a phone or tablet, when watching TV. A much larger 45 percent report they use a second screen “very often” or “always.”
The figures go to show how addicted U.S. consumers are to their smartphones – we don’t even put them down when tuning in to a favorite show or to watch a movie.
In fact, very few people – only 12 percent – reported they “never” use another device while watching TV.
Of course, there are other reasons why some people want to actively use their smartphone while watching television, beyond the need to scroll through Instagram during the commercial breaks.
Sometimes, people may want to actively engage with other fans or participate in an online conversation if they’re watching a TV program or other event live. For instance, they may want to tweet out their support for their team during a football game, or may want to react in real-time to a shocking turn of events on “Game of Thrones.”
Nielsen’s report noted this, as well. It said digital devices have actually impacted how we consume and interact with media today. That is, we’re using the second screen to augment the overall TV viewing experience, not detract from it.
In fact, most of the activities that take place on our devices while watching TV are related to the content.
For example, 71 percent said they use their device to look up something related to the TV content, while 41 percent said they text, email or message someone about the content. 35 percent said they shop for a product or service being advertised and 28 percent write or read social media posts about the content they’re viewing.
15 percent even use the device to direct them to a new program – meaning, they’ve tuned to different content after seeing something posted online.
Digital devices aren’t the only ways people simultaneous consume media. Surprisingly, a small handful of people listen to audio while watching TV, the report also found.
But this is a much smaller group, for obvious reasons – it can be difficult to process two different sources of information at the same time. Still, 6 percent said they often watch and listen to different content simultaneously – which is arguably an impressive, if very odd, skill to possess. But over half said they would never use TV and audio at the same time.
The report also looked at how people consume media – which hasn’t changed as much as you would think, despite the increased use of digital devices.
Instead, “prime time” is still a popular time of time for watching TV, including live and time-shifted programming as well as TV-connected devices like media players and game consoles.
In Q2 2018, U.S. adults spent 38 out of a possible 60 minutes on media consumption from 9 PM to 10 PM, including live and time-shifted TV, TV-connected devices, radio and digital devices (computer, smartphone, tablet).
9 PM was also the peak TV hour, with over half of consumers watching linear TV or interacting with TV connected devices like game consoles or streaming content through Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast or Fire TV.
If you’ve been browsing the App Store for long enough, chances are you’ve seen djay at some point. Algoriddim, the company behind djay, currently has eight different apps in the App Store. Today, the company is releasing a brand new version that is going to replace all previous apps at once.
The reason why this new app is going to take center stage is because Algoriddim is switching to a freemium model. You can download the app for free on your iPhone and iPad, and you can buy a subscription to unlock all features on both platforms.
In other words, djay is following the subscription trend of the App Store. Previous independent apps, such as Ulysses, Bear and Carrot Weather have switched to subscriptions.
The app truly shines on the new iPad Pro. You can plug a display using a USB-C cable and project video loops on the display. You can also plug a supported MIDI controller directly to your iPad using USB-C.
Just like in the previous version, Spotify Premium users can access their Spotify library from the app. This turns your iPad into a comfortable device to set up cue points. You can load a song, scroll, find the right moment and put a cue point. Everything is synchronized with the Mac version of djay.
Subscriptions provide many advantages. Developers can expect predictable revenue and can release new updates more regularly — there’s no need to wait for 12 new features in order to package them all in a paid update.
Users can access apps on multiple platforms with a single subscription. They also always get the most recent version of the apps as they don’t have to consider upgrading to the next major version or keeping the previous version.
This model works quite well for very active users. For instance, I use Ulysses every day so it makes sense that I’d pay a few dollars per month for it. But some people may only use djay a few times a year. So you’ll have to consider whether subscribing is worth it for you.
Let’s look at this new version of djay more specifically. After a free trial of the pro version, you can access basic features for free forever. Those features include access to your iTunes and Spotify libraries, the basic two-deck screen, Automix AI and limited hardware controller support.
The pro version includes smart playlists, two-deck and four-deck screens, the ability to set cues, video mixing, better hardware support as well as a new looper feature. Interestingly, you can now download and play with all samples and loops in the integrated store — there’s no need to pay for additional content.
Existing apps are going to be unlisted from the store. Algoriddim will still release updates for the time being, but it’s clear that the new version represents the future of djay. Pro subscriptions cost $40 per year. Existing djay users will pay $10 for the first year.
Facebook today announced a redesign of its “Life Events” feature, which allows people to share significant milestones in their life, like an engagement, graduation, a new job, a move to a new city, and more. The feature has existed since the launch of Timeline, but has to date offered a fairly nondescript type of post. Today, that’s changing, Facebook says. Now, users will be able to add animated photos or videos, photos from the people or Page you’ve tagged (like those of your partner or your new workplace), or you you can pick an image from Facebook’s own art collection, if you don’t have your own.
The photos and videos you post will also have subtle animations, like slowly zooming in, to give the post more attention. And you can still pick an icon to represent the life event, as before.
The idea behind the redesign is to give these sorts of posts a better way to stand out from other posts, the company explains
Of course, Facebook likely wants to increase the feature’s adoption, too, as it’s a straightforward way to collect profile data on an individual that they may not have otherwise filled out – like where they live, where they work, or their alma mater, for example.
Facebook will also now alert your friends directly when you’ve shared some life events, it says.
For certain types of life events – like changes in your current city, work, education, and relationship status – your friends may receive a notification to let them know about the news. This ensures they won’t miss the update if they were just casually scrolling their News Feed. And it’s a way to make sure the event gets seen by your broader network of Facebook friends – including those acquaintances whose updates don’t regularly show in your News Feed, as Facebook’s algorithms have determined you aren’t close.
In addition, when you react to a life event someone else posted with a like, wow, heart, etc., Facebook now shows all the other reactions from friends alongside your own.
Perhaps most importantly, is that Facebook is finally giving life events a place of importance on users’ profiles.
While the feature for years has been touted as a way to remember significant events, it’s actually been fairly difficult to relocate your older life event posts from years ago. With the update, however, life events will have their own dedicated section on user profiles. (You can opt to hide a life event here by tapping the “…” button then selecting “Hide from Timeline,” if you choose).
This will give people visiting your profile for the first time a way to get to know you, by way of the most important moments you’ve shared through this feature. That may not be something everyone is comfortable with, though, so you’ll want to check to see if there are any older life event posts you need to hide or delete.
The updated life events are rolling out worldwide on iOS, Android and desktop beginning today, and completing in the days ahead.
In my never-ending quest to wrap everything in brown leather, I’m pleased with this AirPod case from Nomad. It’s simple: just a plastic case covered with brown (or black) leather. But I like it.
This will be short.
The Nomad AirPod Rugged Case adds a little character to the sterile AirPod housing. Instead of medical-grade white, the case covers the AirPods in pleasant leather.
The case does two things. One, it makes your AirPod case stand out from the rest, ensuring a friend doesn’t mistake your AirPods for their AirPods. Two, the leather adds nice texture to the case making it a bit easier to grasp.
That’s it. Short. For $29.99, the Nomad AirPod Rugged Case is a lovely upgrade for the AirPods.
Hello, Las Vegas! We are all heading to LV for CES next month and instead of spending all our cash on a booth we’ll be wandering the halls and want to meet you as far away from the Convention Center as possible without ending up in the Grand Canyon.
And we need your help.
While I have some ideas, I’d love it if someone could recommend a nice place to host about 150 people with drinks, food, and other goodies. We’ll have beer, exhibitors, and some good times.
If you have any ideas or would like to take part as a sponsor or exhibitor, please drop me a line at john@techcrunch.com. I’m thinking something nice out in Old Las Vegas or somewhere off the strip where we don’t have to push through crowds of people in lanyards. This event will be open to all of you so get your blue suede dancing shoes ready.
According to a new report from Bloomberg, Apple is thinking about multiple scenarios when it comes to tariffs and iPhone production. Right now, iPhones are not affected directly by the trade war between China and the U.S.
But if U.S. President Donald Trump decides to raise tariffs on smartphones, it could be a big deal for the company. Apple manufactures most of its iPhones in China right now and works with Foxconn for the final assembly of those devices.
In some countries with high tariffs, Apple has worked with suppliers outside of China. For instance, Taiwanese manufacturer Wistron has built an assembly facility in Bengaluru, India. At first, the plan was to manufacture iPhone SE devices in India.
Similarly, Foxconn opened a facility in Brazil back in 2011. But results have been disappointing as devices were still much more expensive in Brazil than in the U.S.
But the U.S. is such a key market for Apple that tariffs on U.S. imports could have significant consequences. According to Bloomberg, Apple would keep the same supply chain even if the U.S. decides on a 10 percent tariff on smartphones. If might move production away from China with a 25 percent tariff.
It’s unclear if all production would move to another country or just production for the U.S. But nothing is changing for now. It’s just executives playing a little game of “what if.”
Did you know that you can cut, copy, and paste Trello cards much like you manipulate text? That’s just one of the Trello tricks and shortcuts hidden in plain sight. The app seems to have quite a few of those, and we’ll explore seven of them below.
Let’s keep lists and boards aside for now and focus on tips that will help you manage your Trello cards.
1. Insert New Cards Anywhere
Usually, you click on the Add another card button at the end of a list to insert a new card.
If you want the card to show up in a different position instead of the bottom of the list, you have to move it there after you create it. That’s not ideal when you have too many cards to create in random positions across a Trello board.
Why not try this simple time-saving trick instead? Double-click in the blank space between two cards to add a card right there. For example, if you want to insert a card at #4 on a list, you have to double-click in the space between cards #3 and #5.
2. Reposition Cards While Creating Them
When a list has too many cards, you might not want to scroll up and down to insert cards in specific positions. Thanks to this next Trello trick, you don’t have to. It lets you move cards quickly while creating them.
While adding a card, type in the caret symbol (^) followed by the position where you want the card to appear on the list and hit Enter. For example, if you want to move the new card to the third position on the current list, your text should look like this: CardName ^3. You’ll get an autocomplete menu to help you along.
You can move the card to a different list on the same board by typing in the list name after the caret symbol. It will move into the same position as the current one, but on your chosen list. Also, you can move the card to the top or bottom of the current list by appending ^top or ^bottom to the card name.
Mind you, this caret symbol trick works only when you’re creating a card and not when you’re editing it.
3. Filter Cards by Label
If you’re searching for Trello cards with a specific label, say, Mac, you can use the search operator label to do so. Your query has to read label:mac. You can also use the query label:green, where green is the color of the label mac.
These search queries are perfect if you want to retrieve all cards matching a specific label across all your Trello boards. But at the board level, there’s a better way to find all cards with the label in question.
All you have to do is click on Show Menu > Filter Cards and select the correct label from the list displayed. (Feel free to select multiple labels.) This hides all cards from that board except the ones matching your chosen label. Since they appear in their regular positions on the board, they’re easier to scan.
Cannot find the Show Menu button? It shows up right below your gravatar at the top right on a Trello board.
Let’s see how you can reveal the card count temporarily without installing an extension. From any board, click on Show Menu > Filter Cards or simply press the F key.
Next, in the search box that appears in the fly-out sidebar, type in any one of these symbols: !, $, ^, &, *, (, ), ?, /. You’ll then see the card count for each list appear below the list name.
Actually, the card count appears no matter what you type in the search field and also when you filter cards by label as we discussed above. But in some cases, the cards disappear temporarily. They reappear as soon as you clear the search box.
5. Get Card Updates
Want to get updates whenever any of your Trello team members make changes to specific cards? You can keep an eye on those cards with the Watch button. You’ll find it in the Actions list on the card back.
When you’re “watching” a card, Trello will notify you when there’s a new comment on the card or when someone moves or archives the card. You’ll also receive notifications about card due dates and such.
6. Drag and Drop Items
You can use the drag and drop action to move quite a few items around on your Trello boards.
For starters, you can drop URLs onto cards to attach them. The same works for file attachments; you can drag and drop any number of them in bulk onto cards.
On a card back, you can reorder checklists as well as checklist items by dragging and dropping them into place.
You can even update the due dates for cards by dropping the cards onto the relevant dates in the calendar view. This feature comes in handy if you manage your life with a Trello calendar.
After you’ve enabled the Power-Up, you’ll see a Calendar button to the left of the Show Menu button. Clicking on the former reveals the calendar view, which is where the drag-and-drop trick works. Of course, only those cards with due dates assigned to them show up in this view.
7. Connect Cards
Did you know that you can interlink relevant cards to avoid switching back and forth between them? Let’s see how this works.
First, click on any card to open it and on the card back, click on Attachment in the sidebar. In the Attach a link field, paste in the URL of the Trello card you’d like to attach to the current one and hit the Attach button.
The attached card then shows up under Trello Attachments in the current card. It displays important information such as the card name, the list it belongs to, the card label, the due date, etc.
You can even jump to the attached card by clicking on it in the attachment. If you click on the Connect cards link below the attachment, you can ask Trello to “relate” or reverse link the two cards. This links the current card as an attachment in the other card. Click on the Relate Both Cards button to proceed.
For more than a billion users across the globe, WhatsApp is the preferred way to communicate. It’s used for everything from communicating with loved ones to conducting business. And if you’re constantly on WhatsApp, you may want to use a bigger screen.
This is where WhatsApp Desktop comes in. WhatsApp Desktop is similar to WhatsApp Web, but it works natively as an app on your PC or Mac. It’s more reliable, faster, and much better than using WhatsApp in a browser.
So, if you’re using WhatsApp Desktop, here are some tips to help you along the way.
1. Customize Notifications
By default, WhatsApp will bug you with audio-visual notifications every time you get a message. But thankfully, there’s a way to customize notifications.
Click on the drop-down button next to your profile icon and select Settings. Here, choose Notifications.
The first thing you should do is disable the Sounds option. If you don’t want the message content visible on your Mac (especially useful if you’re in a shared working space), uncheck the Show Previews option. To disable the alerts altogether, uncheck the Desktop Alerts option.
You can also mute WhatsApp Desktop for an hour or a day using the drop-down option at the bottom of the page.
2. Use Emoji Commands
If you’re a serial emoji user, WhatsApp Desktop is a must have. When you’ve selected a chat, press the Shift + Tab keyboard shortcut to highlight the emoji picker and press Enter to open it (this is also where you’ll find GIFs and Stickers).
But you don’t even need to do that. WhatsApp Desktop supports Slack-like emoji autocomplete.
Say you want to enter a laughing emoji. You start out with a colon (:) followed by the emoji name. By the time you’ve written “:laugh” you’ll see all five laughter related emojis. Use the arrow keys to move between the options and press Enter to add it to the message.
3. Navigate Faster Using the Tab Key
WhatsApp Desktop is designed with the keyboard ninja in mind. And it’s all hinged on the Tab key.
After launching the app, the first Tab press highlights the Search area. The next one highlights the current chat on the list. The one after that highlights the emoji picker and the one after that, the message box. The last Tab press is redundant, as pressing the Enter key from the list view directly highlights the message box.
It’s the first two Tab presses which are the most useful. Whenever you want to jump to a new conversation, just press the Tab button, start typing the name, select it from the list by pressing Enter, and just start typing the message.
Anytime you’re navigating a section, or a top-level element, you can use the Tab key. For instance, after selecting the emoji picker, you can use the Tab key to quickly move over to the GIF section or the Stickers section.
4. Convert Emoticons to Emojis
WhatsApp Desktop supports old-school emoticons and automatically converts them into emojis. So if you’re stuck in the golden days of AOL chat, you can still hold a conversation in emojis on WhatsApp.
Just enter the emoticon like you normally would. All the popular options like :-), :-(, :-p. <3, and so on are supported. When you press the Enter key, they’ll show up as an emoji in the chat.
5. Use Text Formatting
In 2017, WhatsApp added support for text formatting. This means you can now use Markdown-style modifiers to convert text into bold, italics, strikethrough, and underline. Yes, finally a real reason to learn Markdown.
You can use the same modifiers here. In fact, it’s so much easier to do on WhatsApp Desktop because modifiers like asterisks and tilde are easier to reach on a full sized keyboard.
To turn text bold, wrap it in asterisks. For italics, use underscores. To strikethrough a message, use tilde keys on both ends. To change the font so it looks like a monospace font, add three backticks on both ends.
6. Shortcuts for WhatsApp Desktop
WhatsApp Desktop is designed to be used with a keyboard most of the time. And there’s a lot that you can do with just keyboard shortcuts. There’s no need to go looking around in menus.
Control/Command + N: Start a new chat.
Control/Command + Shift + N: Create a new group.
Control/Command + Shift + [/]: Move between chats.
Control/Command + E: Archive a chat.
Control/Command + Shift + M: Mute a chat.
Control/Command + Shift + U: Change the read status of the chat.
Control/Command + Backspace/Delete: Delete a chat.
Control/Command + P: Open your profile.
If you’re using a Mac, use the Command key instead of Control.
7. Try ChatMate for WhatsApp (Mac)
If you’re using a Mac, you should try ChatMate for WhatsApp. It’s a third party app that brings a better WhatsApp experience customized for the Mac.
For instance, it has a dark mode that goes well with the new Dark theme in macOS Mojave (one of the many new features in macOS Mojave). Plus, it has a Do Not Disturb mode, Touch Bar support, and you can lock up ChatMate as well.
The rest of the WhatsApp experience works pretty much the same on Desktop as on mobile. You can still use broadcast lists, send voice notes, view WhatsApp Status from your contacts, and more. It’s actually easier to attach photos and documents, as you can just drag and drop any media directly to a WhatsApp conversation.
However, you can’t make voice or video calls, or upload to your WhatsApp Status from WhatsApp Desktop.
If you’re using WhatsApp Desktop, you can use the above features on your Mac or PC to increase your WhatsApp productivity. And the desktop app could even make it easier to locate and use new WhatsApp features.
When Christmas time rolls around, there is plenty to do. You have decorating, baking, wrapping, and of course, shopping for ugly Christmas sweaters!
This trend has become and remained popular for years. There’s even a National Ugly Christmas Sweater Day on December 21 each year. So, whether you’re buying for yourself or the whole family, you need to know where to go.
Here are the best online shops for ugly Christmas sweaters to help you find the craziest, silliest, or most obnoxious sweater you can.
With ugly Christmas sweaters this common at this time of year, you shouldn’t be surprised that there’s a website dedicated to them. Ugly Christmas Sweater.com is your one-stop shop for sweaters that bring the “ha, ha, ha” to “ho, ho, ho.”
You can browse by categories like men’s, women’s, or new sweaters. But you can also go all out this year with a naughty or 3D sweater. That’s right, 3D sweaters bring even more holiday cheer because they pop when you walk in as well as when you leave. These hilarious wearables offer stuffed characters like a moose, dinosaur, unicorn, or Santa in a chimney.
Ugly Christmas Sweater.com offers items for kids, pajama jumpsuits, ugly socks, adult humor sweaters, and much more. So, if you’ve been searching for a light-up sweater with the leg lamp from A Christmas Story, this is your shop.
Who better to come up with an ugly Christmas sweater than elves who’ve had a little too much eggnog. Tipsy Elves offers a great variety of sweaters for the entire family from the adults to the kids to the pooches.
You can browse by category and filter by gender, size, and type to narrow down your options. Are you ready for an interactive sweater with a stocking for your wine bottle? Or, maybe Santa Claus wearing a thong is more your speed? How about decorating yourself instead of a tree with garland and ornaments? Tipsy Elves has all of these options and more.
Tipsy Elves has more than just ugly Christmas sweaters. You can check out products for Hanukkah, clever Christmas gifts, ski suits, and items for holidays like Thanksgiving and St. Patrick’s Day too. If you’re looking for something nice, naughty, or even in between to wear this Christmas, the Tipsy Elves have it.
Ragstock has an interesting selection of ugly Christmas sweaters that range from new to vintage. So, if you’re looking for something a little different this year, this online shop is worth a look.
With a drunken Santa or a mug shot of Rudolph, the new sweaters have a good amount of humor. If you decide to go the vintage route, you can wear a Santa holding a Pepsi-Cola or just don some good old-fashioned snowflake patterns.
Ragstock also offers accessories, jackets, pajamas, hats, and other products you can wear year-round. And for a really cool stocking stuffer for your pal, pick up the Ragstock Christmas Sweater Coloring Book when you shop (proceeds go to Toys for Tots, a charity for children).
Now, if you happen to be doing some Christmas shopping on Amazon, then head to the Ugly Christmas Sweaters section and pick out something for yourself.
While the options may be a bit cleaner in humor than other sites, you can still grab that sweater with a dog peeing on a snowman if that’s your style. You can make yourself look like an elf or have a cat in a Santa hat leaning on a shelf. And yes, Amazon does have some light-up sweaters to brighten up your holiday.
There may not be endless possibilities of ugly Christmas sweaters on Amazon. But if you’re already there shopping, take a peek because you never know when that perfect sweater may pop up.
Kohl’s is another great spot to check for ugly Christmas sweaters if you’re already buying holiday gifts there.
Browse through men’s, women’s, juniors, and kid’s apparel. You can get the Budweiser Christmas sweater for him, Santa Claus riding a bike for her, and Mickey Mouse or Mario at Christmas time for the kids.
Along with ugly Christmas sweaters, there are short- and long-sleeved T-shirts for those in warmer locations and pajamas for those staying in this holiday season. Kohl’s may not have the ugliest Christmas sweaters you can find, but they get the job done in a tasteful way.
One more spot you might already be shopping at is Macy’s. Their ugly Christmas sweater collection is definitely worth a look.
There are about a dozen options for men and over 50 for women, so just filter the sweaters by gender. Then, take a look at holiday-decorated spaceships, dinosaurs, sheep, and Darth Vader for your tasteful but ugly sweater this Christmas.
If you want Santa on a skateboard, wearing sunglasses, or hanging out on a beach chair, you’ll find your ugly Christmas sweater at Macy’s.
Get the supplies for your ugly Christmas sweater party and what you’re going to wear at the same time at Party City. You’ll find a cool collection of sweaters for men, women, and kids tucked into its own section.
Many sweaters are complete with pictures and words, which makes for a jollier time. Show everyone your spirit with a cat and “Meowy Christmas,” let the party know you’re “Too Lit to Quit,” or pretend you’re Cousin Eddy from the movie Christmas Vacation with a “That There’s an RV” sweater.
Party City also has decorations for your noggin like tinsel headbands or garland glasses. You’ll even find hats, scarves, skirts, ponchos, and T-shirts with the same ugly Christmas sweater themes. So, get that partially eaten gingerbread on your sweater with your head as the cookie over at Party City.
Go Get Ugly With a Fun New Sweater!
If you’re ready to get downright ugly this Christmas season, then these online shops are just the Santa’s little helpers you need! And remember, check out the shipping options and order soon so that you don’t miss out this Christmas.
What’s the capital of Ukraine, Kiev or Kyiv? Does traditional mayonnaise contain lemon juice? And was Steven Colbert a serious candidate in the 2008 US presidential elections?
Welcome to Wikipedia edit wars.
What Is an Edit War?
If you’re old enough, you may remember a time when the information on Wikipedia was somewhat unreliable. You could never be sure what you were reading was absolute fact, especially regarding niche topics.
Today, the reliability problem has largely disappeared. More than 35 million people have registered to edit an article on the English-language version site. Of those, 300,000 have edited Wikipedia more than 10 times, and 150,000 have made an edit in the last month.
Because of the numbers involved, it should come as no surprise to learn that editors sometimes disagree with each other. They tweak articles ad nauseam, with compromises not always forthcoming. When this situation arises, you’ve got an edit war.
Here are 10 of the funniest, strangest, and most notorious edit wars. We’ll leave you to make up your own mind about which side is right!
1. Aluminium vs. Aluminum
Aluminium or Aluminum? People often characterize it as a battle of British English versus American English, but that’s not entirely true.
English chemist Sir Humphry Davy is credited with naming the metal. He initially chose aluminum, keeping the spelling in line with platinum, molybdenum, and tantalum, all of which were named after their oxides.
Later in 1812, British scientist Thomas Young suggested aluminium. He argued it should match potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium, and strontium. Scientists had discovered them around the same time.
Surprisingly, American scientists were the first to adopt the “-ium” ending. It spread throughout the world in the 19th century and is still use outside North America today. The US migration back to the “-um” ending began in the 1860s.
In 1990, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) declared aluminium to be the correct spelling, and the world’s scientific community officially adopted it.
This edit war has 6,000 changes and counting.
2. Grand Theft Auto IV: Niko Bellic
Niko Bellic is the main protagonist of Grand Theft Auto IV.
In the game’s backstory, Niko fights in an unnamed war. Given the storyline and the in-game references, it’s widely considered to be the Bosnian conflict of the early and mid-1990s.
However, despite much analysis, it’s impossible to pin his nationality to one of the participating countries. Wikipedia editors have repeatedly removed references to Niko as Serbian, Slovak, or Bosnian.
Even GTA IV’s executive producer, Dan Houser, weighed in on the debate. He refused to commit, vaguely saying that Niko was from “from that grey part of broken-down Eastern Europe.”
Niko’s nationality has been changed 12,000 times so far.
3. Tropical Storm Zeta
Hurricanes can happen outside of hurricane season. Though they're rare.
Hurricane Alice formed on December 30th, 1954.
Tropical Storm Zeta Hit December 30th, 2005.
The two storms are the only known Atlantic storms to span two calendar years.
— Kendra "Gloom is My Beat" Pierre-Louis (@KendraWrites) November 30, 2017
In theory, hurricane seasons are well-defined. The season in the Atlantic basin—which affects Florida and the Gulf of Mexico—officially runs from June 1 to November 30. However, in practice, experts measure the season from when the first hurricane forms to when the last hurricane dissipates.
Almost all hurricanes fall within the official date range. However, 2005 was different. The final storm of the year was Tropical Storm Zeta. It formed on December 30 and dissipated on January 7. It became only the second Atlantic tropical storm in history to span two years.
Zeta posed a dilemma for Wikipedia editors. Should it be categorized as the last storm of 2005 or the first storm of 2006? The decision has been changed 3,500 times and counting.
Although the spelling “Kiev” was first seen in England in 1804, Kyiv is the correct version.
After Ukraine’s independence in 1991, it published rules on the translation of geographic names. The document asserted that Kyiv was the official spelling.
Everyone in the international community now uses Kyiv, including the United Nations and the European Union.
Most news publications have also switched over. Two of the last holdouts are the BBC and the New York Times.
5. How Tall Was Andre the Giant?
WWF legend Andre the Giant was one of the most popular wrestlers of the 70s and 80s. He suffered from gigantism, leaving him towering above his opponents in the ring.
But the debate over precisely how much he towered over them won’t go away. The Wikipedia page has been changed 4,000 times.
Andre’s real height has never been fully agreed upon. Some say he barely grew above his late-teenage height of 6’10”, while the WWE’s official documents vary between 7’4″ and 7’5″.
6. Iron Maiden: Rock Band or Torture Device?
For any word, term, or phrase which has multiple meanings, Wikipedia editors need to agree on the main page.
For example, if you search for “E.U.,” you’ll end up on the page for the European Union. The editors have rightly agreed that it’s more famous that Edinburgh University, the Europa Universalis strategy game, and a small commune in Northern France. The other articles are available through the term’s disambiguation page.
However, in the case of Iron Maiden, the Wiki community is divided over whether the British heavy metal band or the German torture device from the Middle Ages is more well-known.
Editors have changed the article that serves as the main page for the search term “Iron Maiden” almost 10,000 times. There’s no end in sight.
7. Sulfur vs. Sulphur
Another US versus UK spelling conundrum with more than 4,000 edits.
Sulfur has been in use since the 5th century BC in Ancient Greece, whereas Sulphur was the Latin spelling. The “-hur” version wasn’t seen in more modern times until its reintroduction in France in the 14th century.
In the 20th century, the US stuck with the Greek version; Britain used the Latin spelling.
In 1990, the IUPAC ruled Sulfur was correct. Britain’s Royal Society of Chemistry migrated in 1992.
8. The Year 2000
Ah, 1999 and the turn of the millennium. Santana’s smooth was number one and everyone wanted a Furby for Christmas. And who could forget the Millennium Bug; it’s still one of the worst programming errors of all time.
Except none of that is true. By now, it’s a well-worn fact that because there was no year 0, the new millennium started at midnight on December 31st, 2000, making January 2001 the first month of the 3rd millennium AD.
Despite the facts, it seems some Wikipedia editors can’t agree. The text has seen more than 3,000 changes.
9. Mayonnaise
People are willing to fight for their condiment of choice. In the case of mayonnaise, it seems no one can decide whether lemon juice should form part of a traditional recipe.
The oldest lemon-containing recipe goes back to 1820, but there’s a less emulsified version of mayo without lemon dating from 1815.
At the moment, Wikipedia calls lemon juice “optional.” But given the information has already been changed 3,000 times, it is unlikely to stay that way for long.
We’ll leave with an ongoing debate about which music genre Aphex Twin’s records fall into.
Specifically, no one can reach agreement on whether his music is “intelligent dance music” (IDM). Even the name of the genre itself has generated controversy (are other types of dance music “stupid”?).
Aphex Twin himself has rejected the term. However, despite 3,500 edits, Wikipedia still lists IDM as one of his associated genres.
Learn More About Wikipedia
Okay. Now it’s over to you. Where do you stand on the 10 arguments? Make sure you let us know in the comments below.
Throughout my house, I have Amazon Echo Dots connected to stereo systems. In my office, I have a Dot connected to an Onkyo receiver and amp. In my basement, I have one hooked up to a small bookshelf system. Outside on the deck, a Dot serves audio to a small amp that powers outside speakers. There’s more, but the point is made. The Dot is a great device to add voice services to existing speakers. But with its built-in speaker, I’m paying for features I’m not using.
That’s why Amazon made the Echo Input.
The premise is simple: The Input is a Dot without a speaker. It has a mic, two buttons, and most importantly, a 3.5mm output. This output lets the Input serve media to amps and powered speakers — just like I’m doing so with a Dot.
Since the Input doesn’t have a speaker, it’s much smaller. It’s only a half an inch thick. It’s a tiny thing, and I found it does the job as well as a Dot
Plug it in, set it up, and the Input adds voice services to speaker systems. From Bluetooth speakers to bookshelf speakers, it’s a great way to bring the convenance of Alexa to speakers.
The device is basic. To be clear this is not a Hifi device. To me, that’s okay on most speaker systems since I’m just streaming Spotify and NPR. Hopefully Amazon makes good on producing the Input’s HI-Fi cousin, the $199 Echo Link. This device was announced a few months back and does the same job as the Input, but features TOSLINK and coaxial digital audio outputs for connections to a proper DAC. The $299 Echo Link Amp does the same but features a built in amplifier to directly power a set of speakers. The Input is great for smaller speaker, but the Echo Link should provide a higher fidelity experience — and now that Tidal is available on the Echo, there’s a proper source too.
The Echo Link is said to be released on December 13.
For $35 the Echo Link does its job well. However, during the holidays, the Echo Dot is only $29.99 or less and features the same 3.5mm output. Unless size is a concern, I would recommend buying the Dot while it’s on sale just in case you need the speaker at a later time.
Every year, YouTube compiles a video designed to represent the past 12 months on YouTube. It’s called YouTube Rewind, and it traditionally features famous YouTubers, video clips, music, and cultural trends that defined YouTube during that year.
2018 is no exception. However, YouTube Rewind 2018 is currently the second most-disliked YouTube video of all time. And it’s expected to sail past Justin Bieber’s Baby within the next few days. So, why exactly is YouTube Rewind 2018 universally hated?
The YouTube Rewind 2018 Video
The first time I watched YouTube Rewind I failed to recognize most of the people in it. But I quickly realized I’m not the generation YouTube is targeting with this. However, the number of dislikes and negative comments suggest YouTube missed the mark here.
At the time of writing, YouTube Rewind 2018 has racked up 8.6 million dislikes over the course of four days. Justin Bieber’s Baby has racked up 9.7 million dislikes in the eight years since it was uploaded to YouTube in 2010. YouTube Rewind is crushing it.
Why All the Hate for YouTube?
There are several reasons for the hate, but the biggest is the disconnect between what YouTube thinks represents YouTube in 2018, and what YouTubers and their audiences think represents YouTube in 2018.
YouTube views 2018 as being about Will Smith, Fortnite, the Royal Wedding, and other mainstream fare. There was no mention of Logan Paul and KSI boxing, PewDiePie battling T-Series for the most subscribers, and Shane Dawson experimenting with the format.
PewDiePie’s non-appearance, while justified from a business perspective, has fuelled much of the hate. Like him or loathe him, the YouTube star boasts 76 million subscribers, which makes him a force to be reckoned with. Unless you’re YouTube.
What YouTube Aspires To Be…
YouTube Rewind 2018 isn’t so much a representation of what happened on YouTube in 2018 as what YouTube wants to be in 2019. It’s a happy-go-lucky place where fresh-faced YouTubers mix with actual celebrities, and where brands spend money on advertising.
This disconnect between what YouTube aspires to be, and what YouTubers and their fans actually do on the platform is set to be a running battle for years to come. Which should at least make reading YouTube comments more fun than usual.
Instagram now lets you send voice messages to other users. Given that voice messaging is a thing on virtually every other app of Instagram’s size and stature, this has been a long time coming. However, it also moves Instagram further away from its origins.
How to Send a Voice Message on Instagram
To send a voice message on Instagram, just open an existing conversation or start a new conversation. Then, press and hold the microphone icon, and record your message. When you’ve finished recording, your voice message will appear in the chat as a waveform.
Voice messages can be up to one minute long, and you can send them in both private conversations and group chats. You’ll have to be very sure the message is appropriate for everyone in a group before sending it though, or you may regret recording it.
Starting today, you can send voice messages in Direct. Talk the way you want to be heard, whether by whispering what you’re up to or shouting a compliment. pic.twitter.com/3rkdQneNXO
Be warned that a voice message will be sent automatically when you release the microphone button. So, if you change your mind while recording it, or aren’t entirely happy with what you’ve said, be sure to slide your finger to the trash can instead.
This feature could be useful for people who prefer to message rather than speak live, who don’t have their hands free to type, or who don’t have time to get into a full-blown conversation. But it will probably be mostly used for fun and frivolous reasons.
Every App Now Does the Exact Same Thing
It has taken Instagram a long time to add voice messaging. Facebook, Instagram’s parent company, added voice messaging to Messenger several years ago. But then unlike Messenger, WhatsApp, et al, Instagram was never intended to be about messaging.
All of these popular apps seem to be copying off each other to the point that it’s difficult to tell them apart. The only discernible difference is their respective attitudes to privacy and security, which led us to suggest Telegram is the only messaging app you need.
