Facebook plans to dish out over $1 billion to creators across its platforms through the end of 2022, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said. "We want to build the best platforms for millions of creators to make a living," he wrote in a Facebook post. "Investing in creators isn't new for us, but I'm excited to expand this work over time." The aim is to "reward creators for great content they create on Facebook and Instagram."
The company will pay all kinds of creators, including those who are just starting to share their own content and build an audience. Facebook will offer creators more ways to earn payouts when they hit certain milestones and provide "seed funding" for some of them to make content.
Facebook will add Bonus sections to the Instagram app later this summer and the Facebook app in the fall where creators can learn about various programs, including details on eligibility and how to apply. Some of those programs are already available to invited creators, such as bonuses for running ads on Facebook live streams, and for video and gaming creators who reach certain earnings milestones with Stars (Facebook's Twitch Bits-style tipping currency) over the next few months.
Facebook
As for Instagram, invited creators can receive bonuses when they sign up to run IGTV ads (they'll also get a cut of ad revenue), sell a certain number of badges on live streams and make great Reels that perform well. Facebook will roll out more incentive programs in the coming months. The payouts build on Facebook's other monetization options, including fan subscriptions, paid online events and creator shops.
A billion dollars is a significant war chest for Facebook as it looks to lure creators away from rival platforms like YouTube, Substack (with Bulletin newsletters), Twitch and TikTok. In June, Zuckerberg said Facebook won't take a cut of creators' earnings through 2022, perhaps providing them with more of an incentive to switch to Facebook's products. The company has signed exclusive deals with Facebook Gaming creators over the last few years, too.
Facebook has been rolling out more ways for creators to make and share content. It's clearer than ever that attracting and rewarding influencers is an important part of Facebook's strategy. If there were any doubt that the creator economy is thriving, that billion-dollar figure might be enough to change some skeptics' minds.
Windows 365, a new service announced today at the Microsoft Inspire conference, is basically an unintentional riff on the Yo Dawg meme: Microsoft put Windows in the cloud so you can run a Windows computer while you're running your computer. You can just call it a Cloud PC, as Microsoft does. It's basically an easy-to-use virtual machine that lets you hop into your own Windows 10 (and eventually Windows 11) installation on any device, be it a Mac, iPad, Linux device or Android tablet. Xzibit would be proud.
Microsoft
While Windows 365 doesn't come completely out of nowhere — rumors about some kind of Microsoft cloud PC effort have been swirling for months — its full scope is still surprising. It builds on Microsoft's Azure Virtual Desktop service, which lets tech-savvy folks also spin up their own virtual PCs, but it makes the entire process of managing a Windows installation in a far-off server far simpler. You just need to head to Windows365.com when it launches on August 2nd, choose a virtual machine configuration, and you'll be up and running. (Unfortunately, we don't yet know how much the service is going to cost, but Microsoft says it will reveal final pricing on August 1st.)
Windows 365 likely isn't going to mean much for most consumers, but it could be life-changing for IT departments and small businesses. Now, instead of managing local Windows installations on pricey notebooks, IT folks can get by with simpler hardware that taps into a scalable cloud. Windows 365 installations will be configurable with up to eight virtual CPUs, 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage at the time of launch. Microsoft is also exploring ways to bring in dedicated GPU power for more demanding users, Scott Manchester, the director of Program Management for Windows 365, tells us.
Smaller businesses, meanwhile, could set up Windows 365 instances for their handful of employees to use on shared devices. And instead of lugging a work device home, every Windows 365 user can securely hop back into their virtual desktops from their home PCs or tablets via the web or Microsoft's Remote Desktop app. During a brief demo of Windows 365, running apps and browsing the web didn't seem that different than a local PC. It's also fast enough to stream video without any noticeable artifacts, Manchester says. (Microsoft is also using technology that can render streaming video on a local machine, which it eventually passes over to your Cloud PC.) You'll also be able to roll back your Cloud PC to previous states, which should be helpful if you ever accidentally delete important files.
Microsoft
While the idea for Windows 365 came long before the pandemic, Microsoft workers spent the last year learning first-hand how useful a Cloud PC could be. They used a tool meant for hybrid work — where you can easily switch between working in an office or remotely — while stuck at home during the pandemic.
But why develop Windows 365 when Azure Virtual Desktop already exists? Manchester tells us that Microsoft noticed a whopping 80 percent of AVD customers were relying on third-party vendors to help manage their installations. "Ultimately, they were looking for Microsoft to be a one-stop-shop for them to get all the services they need to," he said said.
That statistic isn't very surprising. Virtualizing operating systems has been a useful local tool for developers over the last few decades, but it's typically been a bit too difficult for mainstream users to manage on their own. And even though a tool like Azure Virtual Desktop brought it to the cloud (Manchester assures us that's not going anywhere either), it's even more difficult to manage.
One thing Windows 365 doesn't mean, at least at this point, is the end of traditional computers. "I think we'll still continue to have great client PC experiences," said Melissa Grant, director of Product Marketing for Windows 365, in an interview. "You know we have a relationship with our laptops. It is our sort of home and hub for our computing experience. What we want to offer with Windows 365 is the ability to have that same familiar and consistent Windows experience across other devices."
Since 2017, all of Apple's retail stores have offered Today At Apple sessions, free workshops where you can learn, among other things, how to get the most out of the company's devices and software. In 2020, necessitated by the pandemic, Apple started offering those tutorials online, hosting the sessions over Cisco Webex. Starting today, the company is making Today at Apple tutorials available on YouTube.
Apple
The first one will teach you how to draw yourself as a Peanuts character in Pages. Krista Porter, a storyboard artist on The Snoopy Show, leads the nearly 10-minute long tutorial alongside Anthony, a creative pro at Apple's Carnegie Library location in Washington DC. Showrunner Mark Evestaff also makes an appearance in the video to talk about the Apple TV+ exclusive. We'll have to see how later episodes shape up, but at least in its current YouTube form, Today at Apple is as much a workshop series as it is a product advertisement.
That's not surprising. Today at Apple has had that slant for a while, but it's only one facet of the program as a whole. The move to YouTube also means the sessions don't function as a workshop where you can ask the instructor to clarify a point. So it's best to think of the program's YouTube availability as a way for the company to show people who might know about Today at Apple that it exists. Apple says it will upload more Today at Apple sessions to YouTube in the future.
SolarWinds vulnerabilities continue to be targeted by overseas hackers months after the US information technology company suffered a widespread cyberattack. On Tuesday, Microsoft said that a group operating out of China was using a zero-day remote code execution to attack SolarWinds software. If successfully exploited, the flaw in the IT company's Serv-U software allows hackers to perform actions like install and run malicious payloads or view and change data, Microsoft noted in a blog post.
As part of its investigation, Microsoft said it had observed the hacking group targeting organizations in the US military research and development and software sectors. The company has designated the actor as DEV-0322 in reference to its status as an unidentified "development group." Microsoft explained that it uses the label prior to reaching high confidence about the origin or identity of a hacker. The group operating out of China is using commercial VPN solutions and compromised consumer routers to carry out their attacks, Microsoft said. Those affected have been notified and assisted in their response, the company noted.
SolarWinds confirmed on the weekend that it was notified by Microsoft of a security vulnerability in its Serv-U software. The flaw was related to the product's managed file transfer and secured FTP, which it has since patched.
SolarWinds gained overnight notoriety in December after it became the subject of a supply chain cyberattack that impacted 18,000 of its customers, including nine US government agencies. US intelligence released a joint statement in January naming Russia as the most likely source of the hack. The following month, Reuters reported that suspected Chinese hackers had exploited a separate flaw in SolarWinds' software to to help breach US government computers last year. The latest vulnerability is not related to the so-called Sunburst supply chain attack, SolarWinds said.
Apple has quietly started selling a MagSafe Battery Pack for its iPhone 12 lineup. Spotted by 9to5Mac, the new accessory costs $99, with deliveries beginning early next week. Instead of a case you put on your iPhone, this latest battery pack attaches to the back of your device.
The accessory is available in a single size that features a 1,460mAh battery, meaning it can’t change any model in the iPhone 12 family to full. When using the battery pack on the go, it will charge your phone at about 5 watts. Plugging it into a power adapter while it’s still attached to your iPhone will increase that speed to about 15 watts. Either way, it’s not the fastest way to top up an iPhone 12, but it should still help in a pinch.
Apple
According to an official support document, you need iOS 14.7 to use the battery pack. Apple has yet to release that update. The company also recommends using a 20 watt or higher USB-C power adapter and USB-C to Lightning cable for charging the device.
When it’s attached to your iPhone, you’ll see how much power it has left to give on the battery widget you can add to your Home Screen and Today View. Interestingly, Apple also notes you may get a notification from your device that the accessory won’t charge it past 90 percent. You can bypass that limit enabling by low power mode through the Control Center.
Apple isn’t the first company to offer a battery pack that attaches magnetically to the iPhone 12 and its siblings. However, after Amazon removed many of the most popular brands on its marketplace earlier in the year, those have been harder to find. And if you visit the website now, you’ll find that many of the battery packs listed don’t have an estimated availability.
The Acer Chromebook Spin 713, one of our more recent Chrome OS favorites, is on sale at Best Buy. The retailer has discounted the laptop by $80, marking one of the first times we’ve seen it on sale since it came out earlier in the year. With the discount, the Spin 713 is currently $619 instead of $699. The model that Best Buy is selling features an 11th-generation Intel Core i5 processor with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of internal storage. It also comes with plenty of ports, including two USB-C Thunderbolt 4 connections, a microSD slot, as well as HDMI and headphone jacks.
Engadget gave the Spin 713 a score of 85 when we reviewed it last month. Part of what makes it stand out in the crowded Chrome OS market is that it features a display with a 3:2 aspect ratio. Most Chromebooks feature 16:9 displays, making them well-suited for watching video content but less than ideal if you need to do any work on them. The display on the Spin 713 is also bright and sharp with a pixel density of 200 pixels per inch. The taller screen also means you get a more generous trackpad than you’ll find on your average Chromebook. Combine that with a solid keyboard, a capable processor and just the right amount of RAM for Chrome OS and you have a device that’s solid. Aside from average battery life, one of the few complaints we had with the Spin 713 was the asking price. At $619, it's a better value.
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Microsoft is buying RiskIQ, a cybersecurity firm best known for working with organizations like Facebook and the US Postal Service to identify where and how they’re vulnerable to online attacks. The company didn’t disclose the terms of the deal, but according to Bloomberg, Microsoft agreed to pay approximately $500 million. Outside of its software, RiskIQ is known for publishing an annual report called the Evil Internet Minute that looks at just how much malicious activity can happen in 60 seconds or less.
Following last year’s SolarWinds data breach, which saw state-sponsored hackers access its source code, Microsoft has bought several companies to bolster its security offerings. Just last month, it acquired ReFirm Labs, a company that specializes in IoT resilience. The need for better enterprise security was highlighted (yet again) earlier this month with the Kaseya attack. While Kaseya has tried to downplay the severity of the event, security response firm Huntress has estimated that “thousands of small businesses” could be impacted by what happened.
Google is streamlining how Drive users backup and sync their files. The company is rolling out the new Drive for desktop app on Mac and Windows.
Drive for desktop will replace the Backup and Sync app (which supplanted the Google Drive desktop app in 2018) as well as Drive File Stream, which is for business users. Given that Google Workspace is now available to everyone, it doesn't make a lot of sense to have separate sync methods.
The new app combines the best parts of Backup and Sync and Drive File Stream, according to Google. You will be able to upload and sync your photos and videos across Google Photos as well as Drive. There's the option to sync external storage devices with the cloud as well. In addition, you'll be able to mirror Drive files on your computer, with locally stored versions of files for faster access.
On top of that, you can sync local folders such as your desktop and documents. There's also integration with Microsoft Outlook and Meet scheduling, and you'll be able to see who's editing Microsoft Office files in real time.
Drive File Stream users won't have to do much. Google renamed the app to Drive for desktop, and it will gain features from Backup and Sync in the coming months. Google will prompt Backup and Sync users to switch over to Drive for desktop. From October 1st, Backup and Sync will stop working, so you'll need to make the transition to keep backing up your files with Drive.
Apple’s iOS 15 is slated for release this fall, and this week we’ve got a hands-on with its public beta. According to Cherlynn Low, iPhone users have a lot to look forward to later this year. Meanwhile, Nicole Lee set up both the 8- and 5-inch Echo Shows in her house to check out Amazon’s updates, and she says the Echo Show 8 is now much improved for video calls. Also, Daniel Cooper found a lot to like about the Lenovo Legion 5, but he admits the laptop comes with some compromises.
After spending a few weeks testing the latest iOS 15 features, including SharePlay and Focus modes, Cherlynn Low concluded that Apple lovers will have a bunch of new things to try out this fall. As most of the changes are already available, it’s perhaps not surprising that the beta is fairly complete. While testing SharePlay, Cherlynn encountered a few minor glitches. It was difficult to figure out how to access the feature initially because the options only show up when a compatible media app is open during a chat. And both parties will need a subscription to stream together on Apple TV+ or Apple Music.
Cherlynn particularly liked the Focus modes, which let users create customized profiles that only allow notifications from selected apps or people to come through. You can also pick a Home screen that will only show the apps you want. In this mode, you won’t see any other pages — just the apps drawer and the Today screen — keeping distractions to a minimum.
Other upgrades include Live Text, which scans photos for usable text like foreign words on a menu to translate; richer and more detailed Maps; better Spotlight search and Share With You, which consolidates media your friends send you. Cherlynn said there’s much more to explore in the Weather, Safari and Wallet apps that should give fans a taste of the full release. She also spent time with the new watchOS 8 beta, which brings more health and fitness tools, improved communication and better integration with connected appliances to the Apple Watch.
Amazon didn’t change much on the new $129 Echo Show 8 and $85 Show 5, and Nicole Lee says that’s just fine. The two devices eschew the swiveling screen found in the Echo Show 10 and keep much of what worked in previous models: the minimalist design, an ambient light sensor to adjust brightness and color temperature and a camera shutter for privacy. The Echo Show 8 has a 1,280 x 800 resolution display while the Show 5 features a 960 x 480 screen, and the latter is clearly intended as more of a nightstand device. Nicole was particularly pleased by the sound quality on the Echo Show 8, which delivered powerful bass and impressive volume.
And because it now features an octa-core processor and a 13-megapixel wide-angle camera, the Echo Show 8 is now more useful for video calls. The camera also has digital panning and zooming technology so it can follow you during video calls, although in Nicole’s experience, this took a few seconds to kick in. But the Show 8 won’t be best for all your video needs as it lacks native YouTube as well as streaming support for Disney+, Paramount+ and HBO Max. If you’re already in the Amazon ecosystem, she says the Echo Show 8 delivers the most value for the money — but if you’re looking for something akin to an alarm clock, the Show 5 is a better choice.
Though Lenovo isn’t best known for its gaming laptops, Daniel Cooper points out that the new Legion 5 Pro laptop is clearly trying to capture more of that attention. With AMD’s Ryzen 7 5800H and NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 3070 graphics, the machine is powerful — and at $1,530, it’s relatively affordable as well. Daniel points out that the 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD are underwhelming, but they can be upgraded, and the 16-inch, 165Hz QHD IPS display holds its own in bright light and reduces glare.
When it comes to design, users get a solid aluminum chassis with a professional looking matte grey paint job, plus a plethora of ports including four USB-A, two USB-C, HDMI, Ethernet and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Daniel said that typing on Lenovo’s TrueStrike keyboard is a unique experience: the “soft landing” switches makes each actuation feel a bit deeper than the keys 1.5mm depth. He was less fond of the 720p webcam, which produces fuzzy images with light blooms, and the heat produced by the fan system was noticeable. However, the big compromise on the Legion 5 is the battery life — the machine lasted only 4 hours and 43 minutes during testing, which makes it most useful when near an outlet.
Cherlynn Low acknowledges that designing a stylish fitness tracker is difficult. Fitbit has tried it a few times before but their most recent attempt, the Luxe, is indeed chic — but Cherlynn says its size is actually the most impressive thing about it. Measuring 0.4 x 1.43 inches, the Luxe manages to include a heart rate sensor, oxygen saturation monitoring, sleep tracking, water resistance and basic phone syncing all in its tiny frame.
However, the downside is that small footprint results in a tiny screen as well. The 0.76-inch AMOLED panel, which runs at a 124 x 206 resolution, is hard to read. Cherlynn said that the text showing workout stats, cardio zone information and notifications might be frustratingly small for some. That aside, she had no problem using the Luxe to track workouts and sleep data; it works as promised and the UI is similar to other Fitbit devices without physical buttons. The touchscreen was responsive and she was able to get seven days of battery life — and that was even with connected GPS turned on for a bit. Overall, Cherlynn calls the Luxe well-made and capable, but best for those looking for a petite tracker.
Amazon reduced the price of Apple's AirPods Pro to $190 during Prime Day last month, and now you can get the same sale price through Woot. The Amazon-owned retailer has an exclusive deal for Prime members that knocks $60 off the normal price of the AirPods Pro — and while that's not the cheapest we've seen them (they hit $169 during Black Friday last year), it's still a solid sale for those that missed the previous opportunity.
While the AirPods Pro are nearly two years old at this point, they remain the best sounding earbuds that Apple makes. The Pros have a built-in amplifier and they use Adaptive EQ, which automatically tunes low- and mid-frequencies to each wearer's ear. They also fit much better than standard AirPods thanks to their replaceable ear tips and they make decent workout earbuds thanks to their IPX4 water resistance.
We also appreciate the active noise-cancellation on the AirPods Pro — it's strong enough to block out the noises around you in your home or at the offie, and you can quickly jump into Transparency Mode when you need to participate in a conversation. And like other Apple headphones, the AirPods Pro use the embedded H1 chip to work seamlessly with Apple products. Those who primarily use iPhones, iPads and Mac computers will enjoy how easy it is to switch between taking a call with your AirPods Pro from your iPhone to listening to music from your MacBook Air.
In fact, we think the AirPods Pro are the best wireless earbuds for Apple lovers — but there are a few out there that are better for sound and other features. If you're not a Prime member or simply aren't sold on the AirPods Pro, you could consider the $150 Jabra Elite 75t or the new, $280 Sony WF-1000XM4, both of which have good sound quality, excellent ANC and solid battery lives. But if you do go for Woot's deal, just remember that Woot may be owned by Amazon, but it has a totally different return policy that's more specific and less forgiving. We recommend checking it out before making your final decision.
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