Snap, once happy to let creators take a backseat to users’ friends and family, is making a new push to bring more creators onto its platform. The app is expanding its revenue sharing program and adding new public-facing features to help creators get started and get discovered in the app.

Snapchat first introduced mid-roll ads as a way for some of its Snap Stars to earn money from their Stories last year. Now, the company says that creators with at least 50,000 followers, 25 million monthly views and at least 10 Stories posts a month “may be eligible” to participate in the revenue-sharing arrangement. Presumably, the company is still reserving the right to greenlight individual users into the program, but the metrics at least give budding creators a target to shoot for.

The program isn’t the only way creators can earn money from Snap, but sharing in ad revenue has long been top creators’ preferred way to get paid as it tends to be the most reliable. The company also has a music-focused creator fund and pays users for popular Spotlight content.

Snap

For those who aren’t yet getting views in the millions, Snap is also adding new public-facing profiles and Stories, which will be available to any user over the age of 18. The changes allow users to share both private “friend” content and publicly viewable Stories from the same account, along with analytics and other metrics. As Snap notes, this gives users a pathway to becoming a more prolific creator even if they aren't yet eligible to become a Snap Star. Users can also save Stories posts and specific snaps to their public profile, the first time the app has enabled non-ephemeral snaps and Stories.

The features are also one of the most notable ways that Snap has blurred the lines between public content and friend content. The company has long bragged about its origins as a messaging app for “real friends” and said that disappearing messages reduce the kinds of social pressure often associated with its rivals. But those constraints aren’t necessarily conducive to successful — or well paid — creators. Now Snap is trying to find a ways to make both possible.

One of the most notorious ransomware gangs appears to have recently begun targeting Mac computers for the first time. In a series of tweets spotted by 9to5Mac, a group of security researchers known as the MalwareHunterTeam said on Saturday they recently found evidence of a Lockbit ransomware build designed to compromise macOS devices. As far as the group is aware, Saturday’s announcement marks the first public notice that Lockbit’s ransomware could be used against Apple computers, though it appears the gang has offered that capability since last fall.

“I think this is the first time one of the major ransomware players has taken aim at Apple’s OS,” security analyst Brett Callow said, pointing to the significance of the disclosure. As 9to5Mac notes, the LockBit gang has historically focused on Windows, Linux and virtual host machines. The reason being those operating systems are overwhelmingly used by the businesses the group’s partners target. For those who don’t know, the Lockbit gang runs what’s known as a “ransomware-as-a-service” operation. The group doesn’t directly involve itself in the business of extracting ransoms from businesses. What it does do is build and maintain the malware affiliates can pay to use against an organization. According to an indictment the US Department of Justice unsealed last fall, LockBit is “one of the most active and destructive ransomware variants in the world." As of late 2022, the software has infected the computer systems of at least 1,000 victims, including a Holiday Inn hotel in Turkey. It’s believed the gang’s partners have claimed tens of millions of dollars from victims.

Microsoft has begun integrating Bing AI capabilities into its popular keyboard app SwiftKey. While the third-party tool already includes some AI features, like learning from users' writing styles to make suggestions. Once a user clicks on the Bing button, which is located on the top left side of the keyboard, it offers three options: Search, Tone and Chat. 

Say you want to know which dessert pairs best with lasagna, just type that in to the search bar as you converse. Chat will suggest responses that it feels are in keeping with the messages or emails it's responding to. Tone, however, can help keep things more formal if you're replying to a work email and need a hand making things appear a little more professional.

Any iOS and Android users can set SwiftKey as their default keyboard across apps, like social media and email. Basically, if an app allows a third-party keyboard, you can use SwiftKey on it. Aside from AI technology, SwiftKey's other features include correcting spelling mistakes, task saving and a personalized toolbar. The Bing button lives on the left side of the keyboard and also autosuggests across the top as a person types.

SwiftKey can also access up to five chosen languages and, in the same release, Microsoft revealed updates to its translation services in the Bing App. Users translating words and phrases from English to French, Spanish or Italian will now see the masculine and feminine versions, versus the chatbot making assumptions.

Bing's inclusion into SwiftKey follows the lead of other Microsoft programs like Skype and Microsoft Start. Skype lets users message directly with Bing in a group chat or on-on-one, while Microsoft Start provides access to Bing across the app. 

Razer has launched a new streaming deck called the Stream Controller X, and it would most likely look familiar to experienced streamers and content creators. It has a very similar form factor to Elgato‘s Stream Deck MK.2, with its 15 LCD switchblade key buttons and a face plate that users can easily swap. The bevel’s spacing is a bit different, though, and according to Tom’s Hardware, it’s just slightly smaller than Elgato’s model. While both streaming decks are priced $150 at launch, Elgato’s has been on sale several times since then and has gone for as low as $120.

The Stream Controller X lets users program multiple actions into one button by dragging them into the custom action editor. Users can even program actions so that they can be triggered consecutively or simultaneously. They can also create custom profiles for various tasks and then automatically switch between them based on the program that’s currently open by enabling the Dynamic Mode. To make multi-tasking even easier, the device is compatible with some of the most popular streaming software and relevant tools, such as Twitch and Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator. Those programs come with ready-made profiles, so users don’t have to create their own. 

Like Razer’s first Stream Controller, the X model is still powered by Loupedeck. The older model was a rebadged version of the Loupedeck Live, though, and looks more like a distant cousin than a sibling to the Stream Controller X.

Apple is promising more eco-friendly batteries ahead of Earth Day. The company has committed to using 100 percent recycled cobalt in all Apple-designed batteries by 2025. It also expects to use completely recycled rare earth elements in its magnets by that point, and all in-house circuit board designs will use fully recycled gold plating and tin soldering.

Only 25 percent of the cobalt Apple used last year was recycled. While thats's up from 13 percent in 2021, that makes the new target more ambitious than others. Apple already uses 73 percent recycled rare earth elements and 38 percent recycled tin. Apple has custom battery designs in most of its portable products, including the iPhone, iPad and MacBook lines.

The company eventually hopes to make all products exclusively with recycled and renewable materials. It expects its products to be carbon neutral by 2030. As of 2022, just 20 percent of the material in Apple hardware was recycled or renewed.

Yes, this is partly about burnishing the company's image. You may be more likely to buy an iPhone or Apple Watch if you believe it's relatively gentle on the planet. However, the cobalt goal may be more significant than most. Cobalt is widely used in batteries, including in electric vehicles, but it also has significant environmental and social problems. The mining process contaminates the air, earth and water, and can lead to health issues for both miners and the general population. There are also concerns about miner exploitation in countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Companies have been developing cobalt-free batteries that could lessen the environmental impact across the tech industry. For now, though, efforts like Apple's could reduce the demand for additional cobalt and the associated mining.

Intel and ARM, arguably two of the most important players in modern chipmaking, are joining forces. On Wednesday, the companies announced a “multigeneration” agreement to optimize Intel’s upcoming 18A fabrication process for use with ARM designs and intellectual property. The deal won’t see Intel’s Foundry Services division produce chipsets for ARM. Instead, it will make it easier for ARM licensees, including the likes of Qualcomm and MediaTek, to hire Intel to make chips in the future.

To start, the firms plan to focus on optimizing Intel 18A for mobile system-on-a-chip designs. In the future, Intel and ARM say their partnership could extend to silicon designed for use in cars, Internet of Things devices and data centers. Additionally, the support Intel will offer ARM licensees will extend beyond wafer production to include “packaging, software and chiplets,” suggesting Intel envisions itself acting as a one-stop shop for companies that want it to produce their ARM designs.

Naturally, Intel is also quick to allude to the geopolitical ramifications of the agreement. “This collaboration will enable a more balanced global supply chain for foundry customers working in mobile SoC design on Arm-based CPU cores,” the company said. According to an estimate Counterpoint Research published last July, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) produces nearly 70 percent of all the chipsets that are critical to modern smartphones. On Monday, China concluded a three-day military exercise that involved the encirclement of Taiwan. The drills heightened fears of an impending war on the island. 

OpenAI is turning to the public to find bugs in ChatGPT, announcing a "Bug Bounty Program" to reward people who report any security flaws, vulnerabilities or other issues within the AI system. 

The bounty is open to anyone from actual researchers to general people who just like exploring technology. Rewards come in the form of cash prizes with "low-severity findings" starting at $200 and "exceptional discoveries" going all the way up to $20,000. Bugcrowd, a bug bounty platform, is handling submissions and payouts.

Google and Apple are among the tech companies that have previously implemented bug bounty programs. In 2019, Google paid out $6.5 million to people who reported issues, giving as much as $201,337 in one reward. Apple went even further to offer up to $2 million for anyone that finds "issues that bypass the specific protections of Lockdown Mode." 

ChatGPT has struggled with bugs — last month the entire system went offline after users reported seeing names of conversations they weren't a part of. Then, a few days later, a Twitter user posted that they had found more than 80 secret plugins while hacking ChatGPT.

Not all issues reported to OpenAI will warrant a cash prize, including jailbreaking or getting the model to say or pretend to do anything negative. The company's bug bounty announcement tries hard to show it cares about privacy and security, but also adds, "While we work hard to prevent risks, we can't predict every way people will use or misuse our technology in the real world." Time will tell if this initiative will do anything to prevent it. 

Google TV is becoming more like basic cable. The company announced today it’s adding content from several new providers to make browsing ad-supported live TV channels a central part of the platform. The news comes several months after the company was reportedly negotiating with media companies to add similar content to YouTube.

Starting today, Google TV is adding Free Ad-Supported Streaming Television (FAST) channels from Tubi, Plex and Haystack News to its existing FAST content from Pluto TV. In addition, Google is adding “built-in channels from Google TV that you can watch without even downloading or launching an app.” The company says the service now aggregates over 800 free channels.

FAST is the industry term for ad-supported “linear streaming content,” meaning it’s broadcast at specific times like traditional television. (Think standard afternoon programming on TNT or TBS.) Already embraced by competitors like Roku, FAST channels turn streaming into an experience akin to channel-surfing in the old days — further proving that live TV streaming has essentially become cable sent through a different pipe.

Google says the content will include shows like Westworld (which Warner Bros. Discovery removed from HBO Max), Law & Order: SVU and The Walking Dead. Additionally, it includes news content from NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox. It also has international programming in more than 10 languages, including Spanish, Japanese and Hindi. In addition, the programming is organized in an updated TV guide, which Google says makes browsing easier and faster. The Google TV Live tab will also include content from YouTube TV or Sling TV (if you subscribe), putting all your live TV content in one spot.

Although the Google TV changes arrive beginning today, the company says it will roll it out “over the coming weeks,” (a Google classic) so you may have to wait a bit before trying it. First, of course, you’ll need a Google TV device like Chromecast with Google TV or a television from Sony, TCL, Hisense and Philips with Google TV built-in. The company says the feature will trickle down to Android TV devices later this year.

Now is a good time to buy a high-performance tablet for your springtime travel — or some very early back-to-school prep. Microsoft is running a spring sale that offers up to $300 off Surface Pro 9 models, while Amazon is roughly matching many of those prices. Almost all versions are discounted, whether they're Intel- or ARM-based, and the bargains get larger with more advanced configurations. An Intel Core i7 model with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD is down to $1,600 (normally $1,900), while a Qualcomm SQ3 variant with 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD and 5G has dropped to the same price.

Other deals are still worth exploring. A $100 discount effectively gives entry-level Surface Pro 9 buyers a free upgrade to a 256GB SSD, and the sweet-spot Core i5 model with 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD is down to $1,300. If you simply must have the best, a Core i7 tablet with 32GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD is down to $2,300. Surface Pro Signature Keyboards are up to $75 off, too. 

The Surface Pro 9 unified Microsoft's Intel- and ARM-powered tablet designs for the first time, and the results are mostly positive. This is a surprisingly thin slate that still has the power for serious multitasking, and you can even upgrade the SSD (a rarity in tablets) if you need more storage. The SQ3 version also includes 5G support to keep you connected while you're camping or traveling on business.

We'll be frank: you'll probably want an Intel-based Surface Pro 9. It's not only faster than its ARM equivalent, but compatible with a much wider range of software. And yes, the virtually mandatory keyboard attachment isn't included in the price. Still, this is one of the precious few tablets that can truly be called a laptop replacement. It's fast enough for serious work, yet portable enough for note-taking (with the optional pen) and other handheld duties.

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Google announced a feature drop today for YouTube Premium users. Perhaps the most anticipated addition is iOS SharePlay support, which follows the release of Google’s equivalent feature in Meet video calls.

The company says iOS SharePlay support will arrive “in the coming weeks” for YouTube Premium subscribers. Apple launched SharePlay in 2021 in the wake of pandemic lockdowns, allowing people to watch media together through Apple’s video-calling service. However, YouTube is late to the party as a long list of video streaming services — including Disney+, HBO Max, Hulu and many others — have been compatible with SharePlay for months, if not years. (Netflix is a remaining holdout.) Assuming YouTube SharePlay works like Google Meet Live Sharing, only the person setting up the call would need a Google account subscribed to YouTube Premium; other participants wouldn’t.

Google is also adding YouTube video queuing to mobile devices. Premium subscribers can now add new videos to watch next — like they’ve been able to on the web since 2019. The mobile version of the feature initially appeared late last year in beta under the Android app’s “Try new features” section.

Also arriving “in the coming weeks” is enhanced 1080p streaming for YouTube Premium subscribers on iOS. Google acknowledged the feature was under testing in February after a small group of users reported seeing the option. It uses a higher bitrate (YouTube sends more data per second), which should lead to a better-looking picture. During the beta test, Google claimed the quality of standard 1080p streaming would be unaffected, meaning it wouldn’t nerf video quality for free users to drive subscriptions.

Premium subscribers on Android, iOS and the web will also soon see a new feature that lets them easily pick up YouTube videos where they left off on another device. Additionally, the new Smart Downloads feature on mobile will automatically add recommended videos to your library (when connected to WiFi) for offline viewing. Of course, if you don’t want to waste storage, you can turn off the feature in the app’s settings menu.