iCloud has been available on the web for a long time, but you might not have rushed to use it given a basic and sometimes clunky interface. You might have a reason to give it another look, though. Apple has introduced a beta iCloud web client that presents far more info at a glance, with a customizable tile layout that reflects your priorities. It's easier to switch between apps thanks to launchers on the home page and menu bar, and you can quickly start tasks (such as writing email or adding calendar events) thanks to another menu option.

The revamp also improves access to iCloud+ features like custom email domains and Hide My Email. And if you're panicking at the thought of lost info, a "Data Recovery" tool will help you reclaim bookmarks, calendars, contacts and iCloud Drive files deleted within the last 30 days. Except for iCloud Drive, you can restore from specific moments in time. Some features still need to be controlled through Apple hardware, including Family Sharing, HomeKit Secure Video and Private Relay.

Apple hasn't said when the new iCloud web interface might leave beta testing. We've asked the company for comment and will let you know if we hear back. However, the tech firm pitches this as an upgrade for customers whose only Apple product might be an iPhone — you can more readily access content and manage services through your Windows PC's browser.

This redesign probably won't persuade Android users to switch, and the individual web apps haven't changed much. The beta may encourage you to stick to the Apple ecosystem, though. Combined with web access to services like Music and TV+, it also shows that Apple is eager to court users who can't (or just don't want to) run dedicated apps on their platforms of choice.

Sony isn't just upgrading its wireless earbuds with eco-friendly plastic. The company now promises that its LinkBuds, LinkBuds S and WF-1000XM4 models will receive multipoint audio support this fall. As with some rival buds, this lets you juggle the audio between two Bluetooth devices. You can switch to a call on your phone while you're watching video on your tablet, for instance.

The improvement requires new firmware available through Sony's Headphones Connect app. The LinkBuds family will get the multipoint update by November, while the WF-1000XM4 should make the leap sometime this winter.

As The Vergepointed out, the WF-1000XM4 upgrade is somewhat unexpected. Sony started selling that model in mid-2021, and hadn't even teased the prospect of a multipoint update. While the news still won't be much consolation if you own budget buds like the WF-C500, this at least ensures that you won't feel left out if you splurged on wireless audio in the past year.

The upgrade gives Sony an edge over some of the competition, at least. While you'll get seamless audio switching on challengers like Apple's AirPods lineup, you're frequently limited to one brand's ecosystem. Sony's multipoint functionality could make more sense if you don't want to be tied to certain platforms or products just to avoid wading through Bluetooth device menus.

It took a while, but you no longer need to use an app just to check on your home through a current-gen Nest camera. As The Vergeexplains, Google has introduced a home.google.com portal in preview that offers web viewing for the latest Nest Cam and Nest Doorbell models. You can't watch recorded video, but you can catch the live feed, zoom in and turn cameras on or off.

The functionality is rolling out within the next week for battery-powered and wired Nest Cam models (including floodlight, Indoor, Outdoor and IQ variants) as well as the battery-based Nest Doorbell and its two wired counterparts (the Nest Hello and Doorbell second-gen). You can wake any battery devices.

Google already offered a web view for Nest cameras, but that support didn't carry over to the products released in 2021. General Manager Rishi Chandra told customers a web view would be available this year. It's not certain what prevented these newer models from simply using the old home.nest.com portal, but it's safe to say this was frustrating when numerous competing cameras had web support.

Whatever the reason, the web viewer makes recent Nest cameras and doorbells more useful. You can check on the front door or a pet rom your work computer rather than pulling out your phone. Google also stresses that it will continue to add "more popular camera features" over time, so you might not need the mobile app as much going forward.

Lyft is once again rethinking its monthly subscription plan, and this time the cost might be easier to justify. The company has re-launched its Pink membership at $10 per month or $99 per year, or about half the previous price. You lose the discounts on all rides. Instead, the focus is on perks that may save you money in the long run. You now get free priority pickups that, according to Lyft, save an average of $3 to $4 per trip. You'll also receive "at least" a 5 percent discount on Preferred, Lux and XL rides, three free cancellations per month, a free bike or scooter unlock each month, free Sixt car rental upgrades, GrubHub+ discounts and roadside assistance for your own car up to four times every year.

The company still hopes you'll pay more. For $199 per year, Lyft Pink All Access includes unlimited 45-minute "classic" bike rides, unlimited e-bike and scooter unlocks (with discounted rates) and three yearly bike or scooter guest passes. If you regularly get around town on two wheels, this could represent a significant savings.

Drivers still get paid the same regardless of your discounts, Lyft says. You'll also receive a discount on rides if priority pickups aren't available when you book. Bike and scooter bonuses aren't available everywhere, however. You'll need to use them in a handful of US cities, including Denver, Los Angeles and New York City.

There's no mystery behind the reasons for the Pink re-do. This is Lyft's answer to Uber One, which costs the same $10 per month and shares the focus on "priority" service. Where Uber splits its attention between ridesharing and food deliveries, though, Lyft concentrates on transportation. Whichever service suits your tastes, the goal is the same — this is meant to ensure your loyalty while providing a recurring boost to the company's bottom line.

As promised, Ken Block has released his first Gymkhana video with an electric car — and this time, the vehicle is almost as important as the hooning. The "Electrikhana" sees Block drift around Las Vegas landmarks in a one-of-a-kind Audi S1 Hoonitron. It borrows design cues from the well-known Sport Quattro S1 while using a dual-motor system (with an 800V architecture), a carbon fiber shell and FIA-grade safety measures. Think of it as a souped-up cousin to the E-tron GT. Audi is shy on the exact performance figures, but it's safe to say they're enough for donuts around hotel lobbies and boxing rings.

And the video itself? It brings Ken Block's signature antics to Sin City, including drifts in tight spaces and plenty of tire smoke. The lower center of gravity inherent to EVs certainly hasn't affected the handling, as Block has no problems maneuvering in some tricky situations. However, what's most notable is what you don't hear — the switch to an EV means the noises are largely limited to tire squeal and the S1 Hoonitron's strange motor whine.

The video is a not-very-subtle plug for Audi's lineup and racing heritage, and you certainly won't be recreating these feats away from a track. However, it represents a milestone for the cultural acceptance of EVs. Where electric cars used to be associated mainly with eco-conscious drivers, they're quickly becoming the machines of choice for performance-minded enthusiasts thanks to their instant torque and supercar-beating low-end acceleration. Block's Electrikhana helps show that EVs are viable for twists and turns, too.

Nothing only just released its first phone months ago, but that isn't stopping the company from establishing a physical retail presence. The company is opening its first Nothing Store on 4 Peter Street in London's fashion-oriented Soho neighborhood sometime "before Christmas" this year. The company is promising a "boutique" rather than the usual tech shop experience, and touts design flourishes inspired by classic chains like Italy's Olivetti.

The store will offer all of Nothing's currently small lineup, including the Phone 1, Ear 1 and upcoming Ear Stick. To no one's surprise, there will be incentives to line up for opening day — you can get free merch and buy one of 100 limited edition Ear Sticks.

The store is a gamble for a two-year-old startup competing against heavyweights in audio and mobile, some of which (such as Apple and Samsung) have much larger retail presences. While Nothing's store won't be big, it's also sitting in one of the posher parts of London. Where the average retail rent in the city is about £64 per square foot, Soho's is estimated at just under £150. That's a lot to spend when it's unclear how customers will respond.

This strategy is familiar, mind you. Apple has long focused on opening stores in high-traffic (and sometimes iconic) locations to catch the eyes of shoppers who wouldn't otherwise browse technology, and other companies have used similar approaches. Nothing Stores could theoretically make the brand more recognizable, not to mention reinforce its style-oriented image.

Shutterstock is eager to embrace AI-generated art. As The Vergereports, the photo provider has widened its deal with OpenAI to begin selling stock images built using the DALL-E 2 AI generator. The approach will offer "direct access" to DALL-E through the Shutterstock website, and compensate creators whose pictures played a role in developing the technology through a new Contributor Fund. The company also plans to pay royalties to artists when the AI uses their work.

OpenAI licensed Shutterstock pictures and data to train DALL-E's text-to-image generation models in 2021. The expanded deal represents one of the first practical uses of the tech through OpenAI's programming kit.

The DALL-E integration will be available sometime in the "coming months." Crucially, Shutterstock will also ban AI-generated art that wasn't produced through OpenAI's platform. That will protect the companies' business models, of course, but it will also ensure that Shutterstock can identify the content used and pay the producers accordingly. Payments will arrive every six months and include revenue from both training data and image royalties.

This is the first major compensation-based deal of its kind, and could help settle questions of whether or not AI-generated art is borrowed or stolen. Other companies have been more cautious. Shutterstock rival Getty Images has completely banned AI-made images over copyright concerns, and is even using filters to stop that content from getting through. Google, meanwhile, is keeping its Imagen tool private until (and unless) it can find a "responsible" way to make the system available to the public.

There are lingering issues. It's not clear just how Shutterstock will pay creators. Artists will likely earn less from these AI-licensing payments than if customers pay for the original images DALL-E uses to create its amalgamations. While this deal is a step toward harmony between AI and the creative world, it's not the definitive solution.

Your Venmo money is now useful for much more than covering your share of last night's pizza. As promised last year, Amazon is rolling out the option to use either your Venmo balance, a linked bank account or an associated debit card for payments. You can make Venmo the default if you like, and that service's purchase protection still applies in addition to Amazon's own safeguards.

The Venmo option is available to some Amazon shoppers today. It should be widely available in the US by Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving), the company says. You can add the choice through Amazon's website or mobile app.

The support doesn't come as a shock. Venmo has close to 90 million users as of this writing. The new payment choice could encourage that large audience to use Venmo more often in general, especially for shopping. For Amazon, meanwhile, this opens the door to customers who rarely use conventional payment methods.

This Amazon move also comes as PayPal increasingly makes Venmo a catch-all platform. You can use Venmo to pay for Lyft rides, manage cryptocurrency and even cash checks. Now, you can do a large chunk of your online shopping. Venmo still isn't a full-scale replacement for traditional banking at this stage, but it's noticeably closer.

Fallout 5 is nowhere near release, but Bethesda might have something to tide you over. VGCreports the game developer has unveiled plans to release a "next-gen" (really, current-gen) update for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC in 2023. The upgrade will offer high frame rate and 4K quality features, and include new (if currently unspecified) Creation Club content.

This isn't the first time Bethesda has spruced up visuals for Fallout 4. An update for the Xbox One X enabled 4K in the 2015-era title, but only at 30 frames per second. The company took advantage of FPS Boost on Xbox Series X and S to deliver 60FPS gameplay last year, but apparently capped the resolution at 1080p. While it's not clear exactly what improvements you'll see this time around, it won't be surprising if there are fewer compromises.

The strategy is familiar, at least. As with CD Projekt Red's The Witcher 3 patch, it's an effort to sustain interest in an old game while work continues on a long-awaited sequel. No, this likely won't spur sales, but it might keep Fallout 4 in players' minds (and to a degree, Fallout 76) until there's a new release. If nothing else, it's another way to mark the series' 25th anniversary.

Apple is matching its wave of software updates with a not-so-pleasant price hike. As 9to5Macreports, the company has raised the prices of Apple Music and Apple TV+. Music now costs $11 per month for individual plans (up from $10) in the US, or $109 per year. The Family plan now costs $17 per month instead of $15. TV+ sees the largest relative jump — the price has increased from $5 per month to $7, and from $50 per year to $69.

Accordingly, Apple has hiked prices for its multi-service One bundles. You now pay $17 per month for an Individual plan versus the earlier $15. Family users now pay $23 per month instead of $20, and Premier customers pay $33 per month where they previously paid $30.

A company spokesperson attributes the increases to licensing costs in a statement to 9to5. The more expensive plans will let artists and writers "earn more" from streaming music, Apple claims. The TV+ increase also reflects the size of the service, the representative adds. The video offering had "just a few shows and movies" when it launched three years ago, and now has a much larger catalog.

This won't thrill you if you're cross-shopping services. Spotify still asks $10 per month for its regular plan, and $16 for a six-user family account. You won't get lossless or spatial audio, but it's a better bargain if you're more interested in the lowest possible price. Things are murkier with video services. The higher pricing still makes Apple TV+ more affordable than Amazon Prime Video and ad-free Netflix (particularly if you want 4K HDR), and more specialized services like Disney+ and Hulu will charge extra in December. It's just a question of whether or not shows like Ted Lasso and Slow Horses are worth the outlay.

The larger One prices may be easier to swallow. It's difficult to find all-in-one bundles that combine music, video, cloud storage and other services, particularly if you want something Apple-friendly. And like it or not, you probably won't find alternatives that include fitness apps or magazine subscriptions.