Sometimes a YouTube video deserves more nuanced feedback than a simple comment, or a “thumbs up” or a “thumbs down”. YouTube today is testing timed-specific emoji reactions for a small group of users. Viewers can throw out an emoji when a specific moment in a video resonates with them (or doesn’t).
Users can also get a feel for how others reacted throughout the duration of a video. There will be a separate reaction panel in the comment section of each video that will display emoji reactions by the moment, similar to features already offered by Facebook Live and Twitch.
“If you’re watching a video that is part of this experiment, you can react and see crowd reactions by opening the comment section of the video and tapping into the reaction panel. The test will also show you which moments other viewers are reacting to (which will be anonymized – we won't show who sent each reaction). We're testing multiple sets of reactions and will add or remove reactions based on how the experiment goes!,” wrote Meaghan, a representative from Team YouTube.
Google frequently experiments with new features on YouTube, but they don't always become permanent. YouTube recently tested letting users time their comments to specific points in a video and hiding the “dislike” button. As far as user engagement goes, YouTube is relatively light on options.
Emoji reactions have been hit-or-miss on other social media platforms. Twitter experimented with emoji reactions to tweets last year, and reactions were largely ambivalent. But unlike tweets, videos are a lengthier medium and more likely to elicit a multitude of reactions. YouTube creators are likely to receive more detailed user feedback via emoji as well, such as being able to nail down if a joke landed or bombed.
YouTube is testing emoji reactions on a small number of channels to start but will expand the feature depending on the reception. Users will have a wide array of emoji reactions at their disposal, including the face with tears of joy, a heart, the shocked face, the celebration party poppers, the “keep it 100” sign, a question mark, the idea light bulb and a screaming cat.
You might be mistaken for thinking Rode already made headphones. And that’s fair enough, it feels like something the company would already be doing. Yet, here we are with the first set from the Australian brand, the NTH-100. The $150 over-ear headphones might have been a long time coming, but if you’ve been following the company over the last couple of years, you’ll know it’s making a conscious effort to dominate the podcast and streaming world, and that’s who these headphones are aimed at.
At a glance, the NTH-100 seem pretty straightforward. An all-black pair of studio headphones with no Bluetooth or noise cancellation frills. Just a comfortable set of wired cans designed for home studio use. And for the most part, that’s exactly what they are, but Rode has tried to add enough details here to make them stand out in an otherwise busy segment.
Rode states that the drivers in the NTH-100 have been designed for accurate frequency response which makes sense if you are pitching these to streamers and creators. They certainly don’t sound overly loaded at the lower end and the mid-highs don’t artificially stand out which can often be the case in this category.
In fact, the NTH-100 sound surprisingly neutral. I was expecting them to be weighted toward… something, but they don’t seem to be doing much to the source material at all. I’ve worn them for everything from Zoom calls to Podcast recording and of course endless music listening and they serve each of these purposes well. I particularly like them for monitoring. I’m not sure why, but my dull voice seems to be accurately dull when I listen through these and I appreciate their honesty (it allows me to better spice it up at the edit stage, which is the whole point).
James Trew / Engadget
They also aren’t distracting to look at and that’s no bad thing. Bar the small circular gold Rode logo the only other aesthetic detail is the overly large “Ø” debossed into the side of each matte earcup (in gloss). It’s a little too large for my taste and feels a little conspicuous in an otherwise understated design but given it’s also black it doesn’t spoil their discreet look too much.
Neutral and discreet is cool and all but surely there’s a little seasoning here to make them interesting? And there is, mostly in their comfort. The Alcantara covering on the earpads feels luxurious, but it’s the “CoolTech” gel underneath that is the real treat. Rode states that this makes them colder on the ears and thus reduces wearing fatigue. I was skeptical, but when I put them on they really do feel noticeably chilly and that makes a big difference. Given these are aimed at editors, creators and streamers it’s entirely possible you’ll be wearing them for longer stretches so details like this can make a difference.
Likewise, a clever detail called “FitLock” removes the need to adjust them every time you put them on. Once you have them set just right, there’s a locking clip that will prevent them from accidentally re-adjusting them every time you handle them. It actually took me a little bit to get used to the idea that I might not have to check if they are positioned right every time I put them on.
Given that you’ll likely be wearing these at a desk, Rode saw fit to make sure you can attach the cable on either side. It’s a small detail, but one that can quickly induce buyer’s remorse if you have to decide between reorganizing your desk to have your audio interface on the other side or dealing with awkward cable spaghetti.
James Trew / Engadget
What’s less of a surprise is that Rode has designed the NTH-100 to slot right into its existing creator ecosystem. If you own a Rodecaster Pro or use Rode Connect or maybe just bought the “Colors” accessory for your NT-USB Mini you’ll know that the company is centering a lot of its products around multi-person podcasting and streaming and including colorful ways to mark which microphone (or headphones) belong to which audio channel and/or host . The NTH-100 are no exception with color tags included in the box.
If you want to take that a step further, or merely want to customize them a little so they’re not entirely black you will also be able to buy replacement cables in each of Rode’s four bright chosen colors. That’s an extra spend though of course.
All in all for $150 everything feels decidedly more expensive. The plastic material on the earcups might not be the most luxurious, but the overall build and sound quality should make them an appealing choice for those looking for something comfortable while getting some work done.
After a weekend of connection issues, Among Us is back online. “Ok servers look stable and good now!” developer Innersloth tweeted on Monday at 3:37PM ET. “Hopefully the sabotages don't come back – will keep u updated if anything changes.”
ok servers look stable and good now! hopefully the sabotages don't come back - will keep u updated if anything changes 🤞
For much of the weekend, Among Us players in North America and Europe could not connect to the game’s servers to play the popular Mafia-style title. When the connection issues first started, Innersloth blamed the problem on a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack. According to the game’s official Twitter account, the attack began late Friday afternoon, and it seemed to take most of the weekend for Innersloth’s small team to address the situation. “Can’t believe I’m working on a Saturday right now, I was supposed to go and get a croissant,” the studio said in one poignant but lighthearted tweet.
Following its meteoric rise in popularity at the start of the pandemic, Among Us has seen its fair share of disruptive attacks. Before this weekend’s DDoS attack, the most significant incident involved a hacker named Eris Loris who targeted the game with a spam campaign that may have affected as many as 5 million players.
After being converted from a streaming video service into a portal for comic books last year, DC Universe Infinite is finally rolling out to regions outside of the US this spring and summer.
Today, DC Comics announced that the service is now available in Canada, with support for Australia and New Zealand arriving later this week on March 29th. After that, the UK will get access on April 28th, followed by availability in Brazil and Mexico sometime later this summer.
DC Comics says subscribers in other countries will have the same access to the service's library of more than 25,000 comics books as those in the US, including early access to new Digital First comics such as Suicide Squad: King Shark and others. And just like in the US, new editions of printed comics will be added to the service six months after first going on sale in retail stores.
Meanwhile, to sweeten the deal, DC Comics is introducing discounted pricing for anyone who signs up during the first 30 days of DC Universe Inifinite's launch in their country, with customers able to keep that reduced pricing for as long as they maintain a paid subscription. So while prices vary a bit by region, you'll generally be looking at savings of around 30 to 35 percent if you take advantage of DC's introductory pricing.
At launch, an annual subscription to DC Universe Infinite will cost just $59.99 CAD, $64.99 AUD, $64.99 NZD or £36.99 BPS for the next 30 days, before jumping up to its regular price of $89.99 CAD, $99.99 AUD & $99.99 NZD or £54.99 per year. Alternatively, if you prefer to pay month by month, you can do that too with prices starting at $9.99 CAD, $9.99 AUD, $9.99 NZD or £6.99 BPS.
Instagram is taking some of the hassle out of supporting a noble cause. The social network is testing a feature that gives you the choice of backing a movement when you search for its hashtag. You'll see the option to either "spread the word" through direct messages or start a fundraiser to provide material aid.
The test is focused on a "handful" of hashtags linked to well-known social causes, including #BlackLivesMatter, #climatecrisis and #womensrights. Instagram said it consulted with a group of relevant organizations, such as GLAAD and the NAACP, before settling on this first list. The social media giant said it would collaborate with others to expand the range of eligible topics.
The experiment isn't surprising. A feature like this could encourage more people to use hashtags and DMs. That, in turn, could keep you on Instagram where you might be tempted to leave for TikTok, where "Donation Stickers" have long been an option for creators hoping to rally support.
TikTok could soon make it easier for you to rediscover videos you’ve watched in the past. According to Hammod Oh, a Twitter user who’s known for uncovering new features social media companies are working on behind the scenes, TikTok is testing a watch history tool that would allow people to see a list of videos that appeared in their For You feed. The tool would effectively allow you to rediscover clips you may have not liked either in a rush or by accident.
As TechCrunch points out, there are existing ways you can browse through your TikTok watch history, but they’re not exactly easy to use or accessible. One method involves navigating to the Discover page, tapping search, entering an asterisk and then toggling on the “watch videos” option in the search filters tab. By contrast, the watch history feature would be more easily accessible through the app’s settings menu.
It’s unclear how many people currently have access to the test, and when (and if) TikTok plans to roll out the feature to its wider userbase. The company declined to provide details about the feature when Engadget reached out. "We're always thinking about new ways to bring value to our community and enrich the TikTok experience," a spokesperson for the company said.
SpaceX will stop producing new Crew Dragon craft after it finishes manufacturing its fourth and final capsule, according to Reuters. After confirming the news, Elon Musk’s private space firm told the outlet it would continue to produce components for the spacecraft and that it would retain its capacity to manufacture additional Crew Dragon capsules should something come up.
Given the reusable nature of the Crew Dragon, it was always assumed SpaceX would produce a limited number of the spacecraft, but before today it wasn’t known just how many capsules the company planned to make before moving on to other projects.
Since its first crewed flight in 2020, Crew Dragon has flown five crews to space, including the first-ever all-civilian one at the end of last year. As part of its ongoing Commercial Crew program, NASA had planned to use the Space X capsule to ferry astronauts to the International Space Station across six separate missions, but recently said it would use the craft for as many as three more flights due to delays associated with Boeing’s Starliner craft.
The end of Crew Dragon manufacturing comes as SpaceX looks to get its next-generation Starship reusable heavy rocket certified and operational. The spacecraft is a key piece in all of SpaceX’s plans involving the Moon and Mars. After a handful of delays, Elon Musk recently said the company hoped to conduct Starship’s first orbital test in May.
Spotify has finally acted on its promise to add a COVID-19 content advisory label. As CNBCreports (and Engadget can confirm), you'll now see a tab for a COVID-19 Guide when you visit podcasts and other content discussing the new coronavirus. Tap it and you'll visit a section that points you to authoritative sources (such as the UK's National Health Service and the World Health Organization) as well as trustworthy content, including podcast episodes from BBC News and The Guardian.
Engadget
We've asked Spotify for comment. The advisory doesn't appear to be available everywhere — we couldn't see it in Canada as of this writing, for instance.
The section represents part of Spotify's response to criticism of Joe Rogan's podcast. The host has been accused of spreading COVID-19 misinformation through the Joe Rogan Experience, including a December 2021 episode where Dr. Robert Malone falsely claimed a "psychosis" fooled people into believing vaccines were effective against the virus. Spotify answered the backlash with both a promise of the content advisory as well as public content guidelines, but the label was expected to arrive within days, not months.
The content warning might not do much to improve Spotify's image. Numerous high-profile artists pulled or paused their work in protest over the misinformation existing in the first place, including Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and author Brené Brown — a label isn't likely to satisfy them and other critics who want Spotify to remove misinformation. While Spotify's efforts have addressed the concerns of some creators, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, there still appears to be some lasting damage.
Amazon improved its Echo Buds in nearly every way when it came out with the second generation last year, and at $120, they're a solid option for those who don't want to spend a ton on ANC earbuds. Now, Amazon's knocked 58 percent off the second-gen Echo Buds, bringing the models with the standard charging case down to only $50. That's $20 cheaper than they were during the holiday shopping season last year.
The online retailer learned from the shortcomings of its original Echo Buds and rectified many of them when redesigning the latest models. The buds are 20 percent smaller than the previous models, a bit lighter too, and the entire design is IPX4 rated against water splashes. Sound quality has been massively improved: audio sounds less compressed and you'll be able to hear the differences at low, medium and high volumes. In the Alexa companion app, you can mess around the the EQ if you wish while also customizing the settings for ANC mode, hands-free Alexa and Power Save mode.
Amazon switched from active noise reduction to true active noise cancelling on these buds and it made a world of difference. The buds block out surrounding noises and the Passthrough feature, which allows some environmental noise in, sounds more natural than that of other earbuds. Naturally, you're also getting Alexa voice commands on these buds, and the assistant can do more than it could before, controlling music and podcast playback, finding specific shows on Amazon Music and making recommendations for other content you may want to listen to.
Battery life is pretty decent as well — you'll get about five hours of listening time before the Echo Buds need more juice, and their case can give you two hours of listening time after only 15 minutes of charging. While call performance could be better, the second-gen Echo Buds are still a good option if you rely on Alexa for a lot of things or if you want a pair of ANC earbuds that won't break the bank.
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Plantronics' (now Poly's) long independent streak is coming to an end. Reutersreports HP is acquiring Poly in an all-cash deal worth $3.3 billion including debt. HP said the purchase would bolster its "hybrid work" offerings, such as headsets and videoconferencing hardware. The computing giant didn't say if Poly would still operate as a distinct brand or retain its CEO (we've asked HP for comment), but the deal is expected to close by the end of 2022.
Don't expect this to lead to HP-branded consumer headphones or earbuds. When Plantronics rebranded as Poly, the company was already transitioning from personal audio to work-oriented products like meeting room speakers and videoconferencing cameras. Only a handful of items (such as the Voyager headphone range) are designed with home use at least partly in mind. As it stands, HP already targets everyday users with its gaming-focused HyperX brand.
Whatever HP's intentions, the buyout closes an important chapter in audio history. Plantronics was one of the first companies to produce Bluetooth headsets, and developed an early reputation as a go-to brand for hands-free calling. However, its attempts at competing with consumer heavyweights like Apple, Bose and Sony never really panned out. While Plantronics created well-made headphones and earbuds that sometimes undercut the competition on price, it never reached the level of hype that helped its rivals succeed. The 2018 acquisition of Polycom and the subsequent Poly rebrand was, in a sense, an acknowledgment that Plantronics' strength was in the office rather than at home.
It's also no secret that Poly had entertained buyers. In 2018, Plantronics had been in talks with Logitech about a possible deal. That fell through, but it was already clear the firm was open to a merger. The HP move might represent a happy ending in that light, even if Poly is losing its independence in the process.
