TikTok has started migrating its European users’ data to its long-promised center in Ireland. The video-focused social network has announced that its Ireland data center is finally operational as part of its larger progress update for Project Clover. TikTok announced the data privacy and security initiative back in March shortly after the European Commission banned staff members from using its…
Spotify is experimenting with the offerings of its Premium service. Over the last few days, several Spotify users on the free tier noticed they no longer had access to in-app lyrics. Instead, they were greeted by a notification bubble saying, “Enjoy lyrics on Spotify…
TikTok appears ready to move the platform closer to a full-fledged social network. As spotted by Axios, the company has posted new job listings for positions focused on social networking features and expanded direct messaging. A “Product manager – TikTok social”…
The Android logo gets a new look and a 3D bugdroid
September 6, 2023
Android 14 is fast approaching. But before Google publicly releases the next big version of the mobile operating system alongside its latest Pixel devices, the company has revealed a refreshed Android logo.
In a blog post, Android consumer brand management director Jason Fournier wrote that the company wanted the bugdroid to “appear as dynamic as Android itself.” By overhauling the full-body…
Playing Starfield on a midrange Razer Blade 15 laptop
September 5, 2023
I’ve been making my way through the galaxy mission by mission, playing Starfield, the big new franchise from Microsoft’s Bethesda Game Studios division.
It’s been fun exploring the vast galaxy and I’ve got a long way to go to see the 1,000 planets among the stars in…
The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is $300 off right now
September 5, 2023
There’s a Labor Day treat in store for anyone who has been on the fence about picking up one of Samsung’s latest foldable smartphones as there’s a sale taking place right now. You can snap up the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 for $300 less than usual at the moment. The…
Spotify reportedly locks white noise podcasters out of an ad program
September 5, 2023
Spotify is said to have had a thorny relationship with the makers of white noise podcasts for some time, and now the company seems to be taking more action against them. According to Bloomberg, white noise podcasters will no longer be eligible for Spotify’s Ambassador Ads program as of October 1.
Under that program, Spotify pays podcasters to read ads for the company’s own products. Its goal…
HP's first 16-inch Pavilion Plus laptop offers NVIDIA RTX graphics
September 1, 2023
HP’s Pavilion Plus lineup offers some of the best mid-range laptop models out there, thanks to features like 16:10 displays with slim bezels, good keyboards/touchpads and solid specs. Now, the company has released its first 16-inch model, the HP Pavilion Plus 16, offering…
Apple Watch Series 8 falls to $310 at Amazon
September 1, 2023
The Apple Watch Series 8 is on sale at Amazon again, and it has even reached a new low for certain colors. You can get the 41mm Series 8 with Midnight or Starlight aluminum cases and bands for $310, which is the lowest we’ve seen them go for at Amazon. The model with a Red…
It looks like Instagram is about to significantly increase the maximum length of Reels posts, according to reputable mobile developer and leaker Alessandro Paluzzi. The current hard limit for these videos is three minutes, but screenshots provided by Paluzzi indicate a forthcoming leap to 10 minutes. This would effectively transform the social media site into a more robust video-sharing platform…
