Facebook is revamping its in-app video hub to give its content an Instagram-style makeover. The changes will bring Reels’ editing tools to all Facebook videos, as well as a new “Explore” section to highlight trending clips and other recommendations.
It also comes with a new name. The tab previously known as “Facebook Watch” will now simply be called “Video.” The section, which will host short-form clips like Reels as well as live video and longer form content, will continue to live at the top of the Facebook app.
The new branding comes as Facebook’s video strategy has changed dramatically since the “Watch” section debuted in 2017. At the time, the company was heavily pushing TV shows and other longform content created for Facebook. Now, much of Meta’s video ambitions center around its TikTok competitor, Reels, and other algorithmically-recommended clips. Mark Zuckerberg has been saying for the last year that his goal is to shift Facebook into becoming more of a “discovery engine” that surfaces more content outside of users’ social graphs.
Some of those themes are apparent in Facebook’s new video tab, which has a new “Explore” section similar to the Explore grid on Instagram. There, users will find clusters of trending video and other recommendations grouped by hashtag.
Meta is also taking steps to integrate Reels on Facebook more closely with those Instagram. Facebook has encouraged users to cross-post Reels from Instagram to Facebook for some time. Now, the company is also unifying comments across the two apps so users no longer need to switch to the Instagram app in order to comment on a Reel that originated on Instagram.
The changes are beginning to roll out now to the Facebook app and website.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/facebooks-redesigned-video-tab-emphasizes-reels-and-recommendations-150059104.html?src=rss
One of the last traces of the early Xbox era is going away. Microsoft has revealed it's replacing Xbox Live Gold with a Game Pass Core tier on September 14th. The $60 per year (or $10 per month) subscription is necessary to play many (but not all) online multiplayer games on consoles, as before, but it also represents a shift in how the company doles out bonus games.
The company is sunsetting Games with Gold, which offered a steady flow of titles for Live subscribers. Instead, you'll get a base collection of more than 25 games with new entries two to three times per year. Most of them are first-party games like Doom Eternal, Forza Horizon 4 and Halo 5, although you will find the occasional third-party project like Among Us and Human Fall Flat.
If you're already an Xbox Live Gold member, you'll automatically switch to Game Pass Core when it's available. Games with Gold ends on September 1st. However, you'll still have access to any Xbox One games you claimed if you're either a Core or Ultimate member. Redeemed Xbox 360 games are yours to keep even if your subscription lapses.
The change might be disappointing if you liked Games with Gold's more frequent catalog expansions. While you do get some hits, it's a not-so-subtle way to steer you toward an Ultimate subscription with a much larger selection (including some day-one titles), cloud gaming and an EA Play membership. In that sense, PlayStation Plus Essential (which still offers bonus games every month) may be more appealing if you're open to Sony hardware.
With that said, Sony pulled the PlayStation Plus Collection this spring. Unless you got the selections through other promos, you'll have to pay to revisit some of the PS4 era's best games. Microsoft isn't strictly mimicking Sony's strategy (it's mainly a bid to showcase first-party releases), but this is a rough equivalent if you're just looking for an instant library.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/xbox-game-pass-core-replaces-live-gold-on-september-14th-143904124.html?src=rss
Ford is shaving up to $10,000 off the cost of an F-150 Lightning across all variants, bringing the electric truck somewhat closer to its initial pricing. The base F-150 Lightning Pro is dropping by nearly $10,000 to $49,995. Savings are more modest at the other end of the scale, with the company cutting just over $6,000 from the top-end Platinum Extended Range model's price. That trim now has an MSRP of $91,995.
The automaker says upgraded plant capacity, its ongoing efforts in scaling cost and production and improved battery raw material costs are helping it to bring prices back down. Its Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Michigan is closed for now while it upgrades the facility in the aim of producing 150,000 F-150 Lightning trucks there each year. The company says there will be greater availability of the EV as early as October.
Ford increased the price of every trim last August and again for the base model in December and March due to supply issues and increased material costs. For the last few months, the F-150 Lightning Pro has cost around 50 percent more than its initial pricing.
The company hasn't been able to bring the F-150 Lightning back to its original starting price of $40,000 just yet, though these price cuts will be welcome news to those who have been on the fence about getting one. Folks who place an order for a XLT, Lariat or Platinum trim by July 31st will get a $1,000 bonus, while Ford notes that buyers will be eligible for as much as $7,500 in tax credits. Orders are now open to everyone.
The price of the F-150 Lightning is dropping just after Tesla started production of the Cybertruck over the weekend. Tesla has cut prices of its EVs several times this year to help it increase delivery figures and make it more competitive in an increasingly crowded market. As it happens, F-150 Lightning owners will be able to top up their vehicle's battery at more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers across the US and Canada starting in early 2024.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ford-drops-f-150-lightning-prices-by-up-to-10000-140701730.html?src=rss
This is a good moment to upgrade your kitchen tech. Amazon is running a sale on Instant Pot appliances that includes steep discounts for shoppers both with and without Prime. Most notably, the Instant Pot 6-quart 5-in1- Dutch oven is down to just $120, or 48 percent off. The Instant Pot Rio (aka the Duo) 7-in-1 cooker, meanwhile, is down to a record low price of $80 (20 percent off).
One of our favorite air fryers, the Instant Vortex Plus, has dropped to $90 (25 percent off) for all customers. The sale also offers good bargains for some of the company's less familiar devices, including toaster oven combos, coffee makers and air purifiers.
The Instant Pot line remains popular for a key reason: they're very helpful "all-in-one" cookers. They offer pressure cooking, slow cooking, yogurt making and other features in an uncomplicated device that doesn't require constant attention. You can make tender pulled pork without waiting several hours, or a sumptuous stew without hovering over a conventional pot. The Vortex Plus, in turn, is an intuitive and large air fryer that can quickly prepare chicken and other meals without as much smoke or odor as some rivals.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/instant-pot-cookers-and-air-fryers-are-up-to-48-percent-off-right-now-133918616.html?src=rss
Russian authorities are banning government employees from using Apple devices for official state use, according to the Financial Times. As of Monday, the country’s trade ministry will prohibit the use of iPhones for all “work purposes.” Other agencies, including Russia’s telecommunications and mass media ministry, either have similar mandates already in place or plan to enforce some soon. The Financial Times reports the ban covers all Apple products – no, not Yuri’s AirPods, too? Well, officials will apparently be able to continue using those for personal use.
The ban comes after Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) claimed at the start of June it had uncovered a “spying operation by US intelligence agencies” involving Apple devices. The FSB said thousands of iPhones, including those in use by the country’s diplomatic missions in NATO countries, had been “infected” with monitoring software. The FSB claimed — without showing evidence — that Apple had worked closely with US signal intelligence to provide agents “with a wide range of control tools.” The company denies this. The move comes when Russia is also trying to reduce its dependence on foreign-made tech.
To celebrate Nintendo’s first home console’s anniversary, we’ve taken a closer look at some of the major ways it’s shaped gaming since 1983. That includes innovations (at the time!) like the d-pad, the idea of gaming franchises and game characters and mascots that have stood the test of time.
Ahead of its full launch later this year, there's plenty to test out in the latest iOS beta. Its new StandBy feature might not be a smart display killer, but it’s possibly a free alternative. Other highlights include a revitalized FaceTime experience, a streamlined Messages app and a long-overdue solution for sharing contact details.
To the shock of none, Elon Musk tweeted the company was suffering an approximate 50 percent drop in advertising revenue and heavy debt burden. According to an estimate research firm Sensor Tower shared with Bloomberg, advertising spending fell by 89 percent to $7.6 million during a two-month period earlier this year. The admission comes in the same week Twitter’s ad-revenue sharing program began paying out some creators, including a handful of controversial far-right influencers. On Friday, Musk also claimed the social network could see “all-time high device user seconds usage” sometime this week.
Writing in his latest newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports there “should be another launch” after the company’s annual iPhone event in September, with a new slate of Macs likely the focus of whatever Apple has planned. “October is too early for new high-end MacBook Pros or desktops, so the first beneficiaries of the new [M3] chip should be the next iMac, 13-inch MacBook Air and 13-inch MacBook Pro,” he notes.
In the past, Apple has typically announced new iPad models alongside its latest Macs, but it sounds like that won’t be the case this time. “I wouldn’t expect any major upgrades until the M3 iPad Pros with OLED screens arrive next year,” Gurman writes.
Ubisoft has teamed up with OWO to release an Assassin's Creed Mirage edition haptic feedback shirt. You'll apparently be able to feel parkour, impacts and "exclusive sensations never felt before" — yes, really. You might want to close the door while you're playing, from the sound of it. OWO's shirt includes haptic points on your chest, stomach, lower back and arms. The trick is an algorithm that adjusts nine wave parameters to simulate interactions ranging from the wind to a dagger. Details of pricing and release date are TBC, but it will work with PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC. The game comes out October 12th, and the OWO shirt will include a game code. OWO's Founder Edition shirt sold for a heady €499 ($560).
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-russia-bans-apple-devices-for-state-officials-111540456.html?src=rss
Meta's practice of tracking Instagram and Facebook users violates their privacy, Norway's data protection regulator said in a press release today. If the company doesn't take remedial action, it will be fined one million crowns ($100,000) per day from August 4th until November 3rd. "It is so clear that this is illegal that we need to intervene now and immediately," said Tobias Judin, head of Norway's privacy commission, Datatilsynet.
The move follows a European court ruling banning Meta from harvesting user data like location, behavior and more for advertising. Datatilsynet has referred its actions to Europe's Data Protection Board, which could widen the fine across Europe. The aim is to put "additional pressure" on Meta, Judin said. (Norway is a member of the European single market, but not technically an EU member.)
Meta told Reuters that it's reviewing Datatilsynet's decision and that the decision wouldn't immediately impact its services. "We continue to constructively engage with the Irish DPC, our lead regulator in the EU, regarding our compliance with its decision," a spokesperson said. "The debate around legal bases has been ongoing for some time and businesses continue to face a lack of regulatory certainty in this area."
Meta is facing pressure across Europe over its data privacy actions. Earlier this month, Ireland's data regulator (DPC) ruled that Meta can't gather user data for behavioral advertising. And back in May, it was hit with a record-breaking €1.2 billion ($1.3 billion) fine for transferring EU user data to its servers in the US.
In addition, Meta's new Twitter rival Threads is not yet available in the European Union due to privacy concerns. When Threads debuted, Meta said that it was "not yet prepared the service for a European launch outside the UK, which is not fully governed by GDPR or EU privacy rules." Meta is even going so far as to block EU users from accessing the new social media site with a VPN.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-facing-a-100000-daily-fine-if-it-doesnt-fix-privacy-issues-in-norway-102557370.html?src=rss
Why Foxconn Pulls Out $19.5 Bn JV Contract With Vedanta Group
As soon as possible Foxconn is likely to sign the contract to manufacture both advanced and legacy node chips in India
After desisting the $19.5 billion JV contract with Vedanta Group, the Taiwan based electronics contract manufacturer Foxconn is now reported to have several rounds of discussions with TSMC and Japan’s TMH group for technology partnerships. As per the report of the Economic Times, the discussions are being carried out by Foxconn to set-up semiconductor fabrication units in India.
Samsung designed the 27-inch ViewFinity S9 5K monitor for creatives, with HDR 600 support, a matte display to reduce glares and Eye Saver Mode for long days tolling away. The company's first 5K monitor also has a 5,120 x 2,880 resolution, 99 percent DCI-P3 and 221 pixels per inch. Plus, you can calibrate the ViewFinity S9 5K monitor through the SmartThings app in either Basic mode, which adjusts gamma settings and white balance, or Professional mode, which controls luminance and color temperature or space. It includes a 4K camera and is compatible with either a PC or Mac.
Interestingly, the ViewFinity S9 5K monitor costs exactly the same as its competitor, the 27-inch Apple Studio Display — which first came out in early 2022. At the time, we gave the Studio Display an 80 rating due to features such as a so-so webcam, 60Hz refresh rate and single-zone backlighting. The ViewFinity S9 5K has the same refresh rate but offers a few better features than Apple's Studio Display (or at least includes them without any extra cost). Apple is charging another $400 to adjust your monitor's height and angle and a whopping $2,299 if you also want a nano-texture glass display. Plus, the S9 5K has a 4K webcam versus Apple's 12MP option. All in all, unless you're an Apple or nothing shopper, Samsung's ViewFinity S9 5K might be a better choice for the price. Check it out for yourself in stores this August.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsungs-viewfinity-s9-5k-display-will-cost-1599-when-it-arrives-in-august-093926336.html?src=rss
When Instagram launched Threads on July 5th, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg took to Twitter for the first time in 11 years. The tweet, which did not include any text, saw Zuckerberg reference the Spider-Man pointing meme to take a jab at Elon Musk. It turns out the use of that meme was more apt than the Facebook founder could have imagined.
As highlighted by TechCrunch, the release of Instagram’s Threads translated into a boon for another app of the same name. Threads, a Slack alternative that has been around since 2019, saw more than 880,000 downloads on iOS between July 6th and July 12th, according to an estimate Data.ai shared with the outlet. Where previously it had “few downloads” before that period, Threads became the 52nd most downloaded App Store program globally. In a handful of European Union countries, including Germany, Spain and Italy, it even managed to crack the top 10. That might have something to do with the fact Instagram’s Threads isn’t available in the EU, and Meta has since started blocking people who try to access the service through a VPN.
In addition, owing to the fact it owns threads.com, Threads (the Slack alternative) has enjoyed a “significant” increase in traffic to its website. In fact, the company has since added a badge to its frontpage that declares it’s “not associated with Instagram.” Over on Twitter, you’ll find a similar disclaimer. “We have no affiliation with Meta. But you’re welcome to stick around!” the company’s profile states.
Of course, Meta and Threads aren’t the first companies to employ the same branding. As TechCrunch notes, there are more than a few companies called Lightyear, including a solar electric vehicle startup, an online course platform and two separate fintech firms. Still, it’s funny a coincidence when you consider Threads, the workplace chat app, was co-founded by Rousseau Kazi, a former Facebook product manager. Oh, and Meta used to operate an Instagram companion app also confusingly named Threads. I suppose there’s no originality left in Silicon Valley.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/metas-threads-sent-another-app-named-threads-to-the-top-of-the-app-store-charts-214007131.html?src=rss
Russian authorities have begun to ban government employees from using Apple devices for official state use, according to the Financial Times. As of Monday, the country’s trade ministry will prohibit the use of iPhones for all “work purposes.” Other agencies, including Russia’s telecommunications and mass media ministry, either have similar mandates already in place or plan to begin enforcing ones soon. The Times reports the ban covers all Apple products. In some cases, however, officials can continue using those devices for personal use, provided they don’t open work correspondence on them.
Apple did not immediately respond to Engadget’s comment request. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last February, the company cut off access to Apple Pay. It later halted all product sales in Russia. At the time, Apple made clear the decision was in response to the invasion, noting it stood “with all of the people” hurt by the incursion.
The ban comes after Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) claimed at the start of June that it had uncovered a “spying operation by US intelligence agencies” involving Apple devices. The FSB said thousands of iPhones, including those in use by the country’s diplomatic missions in NATO countries, had been “infected” with monitoring software. The FSB went on to claim — without showing evidence — that Apple had worked closely with US signal intelligence to provide agents “with a wide range of control tools.” The tech giant denied those allegations, stating it had “never worked with any government to build a backdoor into any Apple product, and never will.”
More broadly, the move is reflective of a desire by Russia’s government to lessen its dependence on foreign-made technology. As The Times notes, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree last year ordering institutions involved in “critical information infrastructure” to migrate to domestically developed software by 2025.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/russia-bans-state-officials-from-using-apple-devices-over-us-spying-concerns-183732151.html?src=rss
