Apple has released iOS 17.4 for the iPhone and iPadOS 17.4 for the iPad, these updates bring a range of new features to the iPhone and iPad and also a range of performance improvements and bug fixes. One of the major changes to the iPhone and iPad is only available in Europe, there is now […]
The post Apple releases iOS 17.4 and iPadOS 17.4 appeared first on Geeky Gadgets.
Last year TikTok rolled out a new monetization system for streamers called the Creativity Program to encourage longer videos that allow it to sell more ads. Now, the company is rolling the scheme out widely with a new name, the Creator Rewards Program, that only pays for videos longer than one minute.
"The Creator Rewards Program will continue rewarding high-quality, original content over a minute long with an optimized rewards formula focused on 4 key areas: originality, play duration, search value and audience engagement," the company wrote.
TikTok noted that longer content is more lucrative with “with total creator revenue increasing by over 250 percent within the last 6 months, and the number of creators making $50,000 each month nearly doubling” since the beta began.
TikTok is also expanding its subscription features for creators. Previously, only live streamers could access offerings like exclusive (paid) content, badges and personalized emoji, but now the company is expanding these benefits beyond live streams.
"In the coming weeks, eligible creators can sign up to access a new way to strengthen their community with added value through exclusive content and benefits, while providing their most engaged communities an opportunity to connect even deeper with their favorite creators," TikTok wrote.
The company’s Creator Fund, which had no minimum requirement for video length and ended last year, was often criticized for low payouts. Last year, streamer Hank Green shared that he made about 2.5 cents per 1,000 views on the platform — a fraction of his YouTube earnings and about half of what he earned on TikTok prior to the fund.
By comparison, select streamers embraced the beta Creativity Program. Some (with subscriber numbers varying from a half million to several million) received payouts ranging in the low thousands to nearly $100,000 per month, "a complete 180" from what they saw in the Creator Fund, according to one creator.
That said, audiences have been uncertain about longer videos. In a TikTok internal survey from last year, nearly 50 percent of users said videos over a minute in length were "stressful," and a third of users watched videos online at double speed, according to a Wired report from earlier this year.
How to pay creators is not TikTok's only challenge at the moment. Yesterday, a group of US lawmakers introduced a new bill that would force parent ByteDance to sell TikTok in order for the app to remain in the United States.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tiktok-to-creators-make-longer-videos-get-paid-055013923.html?src=rssElevate your Apple TV 4K setup with Belkin's iPhone Mount! Hands-free video calls, streaming, and more in a sleek design. Get yours now!
The post Upgrade Your TV: Belkin’s iPhone Mount for Apple TV 4K! first appeared on Trendy Gadget.
Mini has promised to go all electric by 2030, a date that seemed pretty far off back in 2021 but right now is starting to sound not that far off at all. While the company's prior battery-powered efforts have been great, it's going to take something more serious and more practical to convert the masses to the wonders of electrification.
That something might just be the 2025 Mini Countryman. While Mini will offer this car with a gasoline-burning engine if you're feeling traditional, the star of the lineup will be the new, $45,200, all-electric Countryman SE. With 313 horsepower and 363 pound-feet of torque, it's quick, and with way more cargo space, it's practical too.
But how does it drive? That's what we headed to Portugal to find out, and while the extra volume and weight of the new Countryman does come with some compromises, it's an engaging SUV to drive with a fantastic interior that's just a few software updates away from perfection. Full the full preview, watch the video up top.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/minis-first-electric-countryman-has-a-wild-interior-thats-not-to-be-missed-041508080.html?src=rssA portable body composition tracker offers detailed health insights anywhere and anytime. The third-generation Fitrus Plus 3.0 retains its portability while introducing numerous upgrades, making it a versatile health companion accessible whenever and wherever needed. It measures body fat, skeletal muscle mass, body mass index (BMI), basal metabolic rate (BMR), heart rate, and body water all at once. This tracker aids in setting attainable fitness goals and tracking progress, which helps maintain motivation and improve health outcomes. Tracking your body’s reactions is crucial for individuals following specific fitness or diet plans. With its portability, the Fitrus Plus 3.0 easily incorporates health monitoring into daily routines, thanks to the additional features of the third generation.
Designer: ONESOFTDIGM CO., LTD.
Click Here to Buy Now: $149 $249 ($100 off). Hurry, only a few left! Raised over $80,000.
Over 15+ Types of Body Data Analysis
These data are obtained from a physical tracker combined with intelligent software. The new Fitrus Plus 3.0 features a significant improvement in battery life, extending from 4-5 days on the Fitrus Plus 2.0 to 20 days. The charging port has been upgraded from Micro 5-pin to USB Type-C. A full charge takes 3 hours. The device features a 1.3” OLED display with a resolution of 128 x 64 pixels. This makes it easy to read data such as body composition, skin temperature, object temperature, heart rate, stress index, and battery life.
Hold the four electrodes with your thumbs and index fingers, stretch your arms forward. Keeping your elbows straight, and avoid touching your hands together. Wait until the results appears!
The new design is as smooth and user-friendly as the software that powers it. The updated health tracking functions, including protein, mineral, and swelling indexes, make the upgrade from the previous generation worthwhile. These additions allow for a more comprehensive health analysis. Gaining insights into your body’s changes is valuable. However, further benefits can be derived, such as receiving personalized health recommendations for meal plans and workout routines. These are based on the collected and analyzed data. As our bodies change over time, whether we notice it or not, these personalized recommendations continue to adapt, enabling you to achieve your best self.
Like the temperature sensor in the Google Pixel 8, an IR sensor can be used to measure skin temperature without contact. It instantly displays the temperature on the OLED screen, eliminating the need for a smartphone. This device is especially useful for parents with young children, as it can also measure the temperature of soup or milk to prevent burns. Measuring 4.96 inches long, 0.54 inches thick, and 1.34 inches wide, and weighing just 1.41 ounces, the Fitrus Plus 3.0 champions portability. Using the Fitrus is straightforward – hold the four electrodes with your thumbs and index fingers, then extend your arms forward. Ensure your elbows are straight and your hands are not touching. Maintain a straight posture and the results will display. The device automatically turns off after taking the measurement, which adds convenience as you don’t need to turn it off manually.
The Fitrus Plus 3.0 revolutionizes personal health tracking by combining portability with a rich array of health metrics, making it an essential tool for anyone committed to maintaining an active and healthy lifestyle. Its extended 20-day battery life, user-friendly USB Type-C charging, and clear OLED display ensure that users can access detailed insights into their body composition, heart rate, and more anytime and anywhere. With its enhanced features and the ability to provide personalized health recommendations, the Fitrus Plus 3.0 not only tracks health data but also helps users achieve their fitness goals with greater precision and motivation.
The Fitrus Plus 3.0 requires no subscriptions or additional payments. The application for iOS and Android is free, and the company has stated that they have no plans to implement a subscription fee in the future.
Click Here to Buy Now: $149 $249 ($100 off). Hurry, only a few left! Raised over $80,000.
The post This Portable Body Composition Tracker Revolutionizes Fitness and Health Monitoring first appeared on Yanko Design.
Desks are the most integral part of any office – whether corporate or modern. And I do spend most of my day on it! Either I’m working away, or watching some Netflix in my free time. Hence, having a great desk is essential! Simply a ‘good’ desk won’t do either. A great desk helps us work comfortably and effectively. It puts us in the right mindset, helping us achieve our daily productivity goals and checkmark all the tasks on our to-do list! Not only should our desks be clean, but they should also sport an ergonomic and functional design! And if a desk has some storage space as well, it checks all the boxes for us. And, we’ve curated a collection of innovative, highly functional, and aesthetically pleasing desk designs, that will end your hunt for a great desk once and for all!
Named the Diag Desk, this modern minimalist desk is designed to optimize desk space while integrating storage elements like removable leather compartments. The Diag Desk is an example of how a simple desk can provide a lot of practicality while maintaining a subtle and stripped-down design.
Since the desk is minimalist, a lot of space is given to the desk’s tabletop, and it integrates storage systems that ensure the users have a lot of desk space while keeping the essential stationery designs within reach.
Called the Hideaway Swing Desk, this desk doubles up as a sleek and sophisticated sideboard. You can transform it from a desk to sideboard, using its different forms for when different needs arise, all you need to do it place it at a different angle. In both states, it is better suited for smaller homes.
In its original state, the Hideaway Swing Desk functions as an excellent sideboard that is perfect for smaller homes. But when you move the furniture piece at a 90-degree angle, it transforms into a functional and sturdy workspace.
Designed by Deniz Aktay, this conceptual desk is is both functional and appealing. It is made from walnut desk, but has an intriguing oragne metal inlay surrounding it. But the inlay isn’t only for aesthetic purposes, it lets you place stuff around your desk without them taking up any place on your desk.
The front inlay is an element of the drawers, and they are used to open them. The angular sides can accommodate office accessories like scissors, staplers, and pens. The desk can also store your mobile phone, tablet, and other media devices allowing you to easily reach them.
Named the DEN Desk, this innovative desk design is truly one-of-a-kind. You can build your desk just the way you like it, but playing around with it, and creating the desk design that perfectly meets your needs. The unique design makes you feel as if you’re playing with LEGO, but you’re building a furniture piece!
You can start with the most basic setup and then grow your desk by adding other parts or accessories, from monitor mounts to even a cabinet on the side. You can slot in a desktop at an angle, and build a corner desk if you like!
I love the Nice Chair, because it is not simply a chair, it is also a desk that you can rock back and forth! It is designed to occupy minimum space, and it can be easily assembled and disassembled, it also rocks you back and forth, giving a smooth and enjoyable motion to break the lull of a boring workday.
The Nice Chair can function as an ordinary chair to sit on, or as a rocker that moves back and forth. The rounded bottom edges of the chair enable it to rock back and forth, creating a mesmerizing lull that can guide anyone to sleep. You can also slide a tabletop between the ridges on the arms of the chair, to convert it into a workspace, that can hold and store your work accessories.
Offices can be quite overwhelming and stressful, and sometimes you just need to take a break from the office chaos. Called the Buddyhub Desk, this cute-looking desk features rounded edges and gives you some private space in the hectic environment of offices. It is equipped with a sound-absorbing fabric panel that lines its outer edges.
Designed to be a private cocoon, it lets you work without being disturbed by your co-workers and other external factors. It features a sound-absorbing fabric panel that is available in a range of colors, creating a colorful and cute desk, that brightens up any space it is placed in.
The Italian furniture brand Porro created the Linea collection that was designed by late postmodernist architect and designer Medini a couple of years ago. The collection includes a quirky and colorful writing desk that is ideal for those who need to indulge in some creative writing.
Mendini created the designs by defining them with stunning cellulose acetate surfaces that feature inlays in primary colors. The writing desk is an excellent space to write and get your creative juices flowing.
Named Kabinett, this sturdy cabinet works not only as a cabinet but also as a work desk. It was designed by Stockholm-based designer Alexander Lervik and is intended for modern home offices, where its dual functionality lets it serve as an excellent furniture piece for homes and offices.
The Kabinett is designed to be an ergonomic set-up for home offices, and it functions as an efficient work table, but also as an elegant and sophisticated dresser. It serves as a stylish and elegant dresser, and you can use it to store your various knick-knacks, books, and etc.
Called the Pill Writing Desk, this unique and rather unusual-looking desk has a spherical shape that you don’t really see in desks. When closed it is quite eye-catching, and when open it is quite functional. It functions as a furniture design that also looks like a minimalist piece of art.
The desk has an innovative circular form that can be wall-mounted, which makes it look like a wall-hung painting rather than a four-legged floor-resting desk. It stands apart from other desks and has a clean contemporary look that can make any room stand out.
If you hear Eleven you either think of the number or the popular fictional character from a TV series, and now Eleven is also a special desk that makes your work-from-home routine more fun and productive. It is a unique desk that amps your productivity and makes storage also a breeze.
The desk has ample space for everything you need for work. It can hold your laptop, monitor, mouse, and keyboard. There is lots of space for your books, documents, pens, and a mug. There are also hooks beneath the table to hang your bag, headphones, and an additional level for other stuff.
The post Top 10 Storage-Centered Desk Designs For Home & Commercial Offices first appeared on Yanko Design.
The Danish design studio Karakter rereleased a dining and lounge chair that was created in the 1960s by design duo Afra and Tobia Scarpa. I love it when modern design brands recreate, rerelease, or revamp iconic designs of the yesteryears, it gives them a chance to shine again while allowing us to enjoy and experience the excellent design philosophies and styles of the past. They serve as sources of inspiration, letting us draw from the design lessons of the old, allowing us to use them to elevate the designs of the present.
Designer: Karakter
Dubbed the 925 Scarpa lounge chair, and the 121 Scarpa dining chair, both the chairs feature a characteristic keyhole-shaped cutout in their backrests, double trestle frames, and rounded joinery, forming elegant and sophisticated furniture pieces that have a sturdy personality. The 121 dining chair was inspired by a sketch made by architect and designer Carlo Scarpa and was produced with the 925 lounge variation.
The dining chair has a narrow and upright composition and form, while the lounge chair has a lower, wider form with a generous and cozy set. Both the chairs feature a sturdy wooden frame that is beautifully contrasted by the soft and supple leather upholstery of the seat and back. The end result is stylish pieces that seem to stand out on their own, without calling too much attention, or being a tad bit obnoxious. They’re simple, style, yet statement pieces that can truly uplight the appearance and appeal of any living space.
Both the chairs are available in frame options made from a wide range of solid wood species, including ash. The seats can be finished in fine European leather, and you can pick from a choice of colors, including black, red, brown, and cognac, creating classy and impressive furniture pieces that will harmoniously merge your living space, and complement your other furniture possessions. They’re perfect for adding some 1960s flair and elegance to your home!
The post These Comfy & Stylish Chairs Will Bring Some 1960s Elegance & Flair To Your Living Room first appeared on Yanko Design.
A group of lawmakers have introduced a new bill that would force ByteDance to sell TikTok in order for the app to remain available in the United States. The “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act” would prohibit US app stores and web hosting services from distributing TikTok unless it divested from parent company ByteDance.
The bill is the latest in a long line of attempts by lawmakers and other officials to ban or force a sale of the app. Former President Donald Trump attempted to force a sale of TikTok in 2020, but was ultimately unsuccessful. The Biden Administration has also pressured the company to divest. And a US District Court Judge recently blocked an attempt to ban the app in Montana.
The new bill, which comes from a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House, takes a different approach. It would give ByteDance a six-month window to sell TikTok before app store-level bans would come into effect. It would also require TikTok and other apps to “provide users with a copy of their data in a format that can be imported” into competing apps. And though TikTok is referenced several times in the text of the bill, the legislation would open the door for bans on other “foreign adversary-controlled” apps if the president deemed them to be a national security threat.
“This bill is an outright ban of TikTok, no matter how much the authors try to disguise it,” TikTok said in a statement. “This legislation will trample the First Amendment rights of 170 million Americans and deprive 5 million small businesses of a platform they rely on to grow and create jobs.”
TikTok CEO Shou Chew has maintained that a divestment would not fully address officials’ concerns about US user data. The company has spent years trying to address national security concerns about its service with an initiative called Project Texas. Under the plan, created as a result of years of negotiations with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), US users’ data would be separated into US-based servers and government officials would be able to oversee audits of TikTok’s source code and other aspects of its operations.
The Washington Post reported last year that TikTok’s negotiations with CFIUS had been recently “revived amid doubts the [Biden] administration has the authority to ban TikTok on its own.” If Congress was able to pass the new bill, it would clear up such questions and create a new process for forcing ByteDance's hand.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other digital rights groups have criticized the government's efforts to ban TikTok. In a statement on the latest bill, the ACLU said the proposed measure was "unconstitutional" and would hurt free speech. "Just because the bill sponsors claim that banning TikTok isn’t about suppressing speech, there’s no denying that it would do just that," senior policy counsel Jenna Leventoff said.
Columbia University's nonprofit Knight First Amendment Institute raised similar concerns. "Congress can protect data privacy and security without banning Americans from accessing one of the world’s most popular communications platforms," the organization's executive director Jameel Jaffer said in a statement. "It should start by passing a comprehensive privacy law restricting the kinds of information that TikTok and other platforms can collect."
Update March 5, 2024 6:50 PM ET: This story has been updated to add comments from the ACLU and Knight First Amendment Institute.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/lawmakers-have-a-new-plan-to-force-bytedance-to-sell-tiktok-220408004.html?src=rssA group of lawmakers have introduced a new bill that would force ByteDance to sell TikTok in order for the app to remain available in the United States. The “Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act” would prohibit US app stores and web hosting services from distributing TikTok unless it divested from parent company ByteDance.
The bill is the latest in a long line of attempts by lawmakers and other officials to ban or force a sale of the app. Former President Donald Trump attempted to force a sale of TikTok in 2020, but was ultimately unsuccessful. The Biden Administration has also pressured the company to divest. And a US District Court Judge recently blocked an attempt to ban the app in Montana.
The new bill, which comes from a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House, takes a different approach. It would give ByteDance a six-month window to sell TikTok before app store-level bans would come into effect. It would also require TikTok and other apps to “provide users with a copy of their data in a format that can be imported” into competing apps. And though TikTok is referenced several times in the text of the bill, the legislation would open the door for bans on other “foreign adversary-controlled” apps if the president deemed them to be a national security threat.
“This bill is an outright ban of TikTok, no matter how much the authors try to disguise it,” TikTok said in a statement. “This legislation will trample the First Amendment rights of 170 million Americans and deprive 5 million small businesses of a platform they rely on to grow and create jobs.”
TikTok CEO Shou Chew has maintained that a divestment would not fully address officials’ concerns about US user data. The company has spent years trying to address national security concerns about its service with an initiative called Project Texas. Under the plan, created as a result of years of negotiations with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), US users’ data would be separated into US-based servers and government officials would be able to oversee audits of TikTok’s source code and other aspects of its operations.
The Washington Post reported last year that TikTok’s negotiations with CFIUS had been recently “revived amid doubts the [Biden] administration has the authority to ban TikTok on its own.” If Congress was able to pass the new bill, it would clear up such questions and create a new process for forcing ByteDance's hand.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other digital rights groups have criticized the government's efforts to ban TikTok. In a statement on the latest bill, the ACLU said the proposed measure was "unconstitutional" and would hurt free speech. "Just because the bill sponsors claim that banning TikTok isn’t about suppressing speech, there’s no denying that it would do just that," senior policy counsel Jenna Leventoff said.
Columbia University's nonprofit Knight First Amendment Institute raised similar concerns. "Congress can protect data privacy and security without banning Americans from accessing one of the world’s most popular communications platforms," the organization's executive director Jameel Jaffer said in a statement. "It should start by passing a comprehensive privacy law restricting the kinds of information that TikTok and other platforms can collect."
Update March 5, 2024 6:50 PM ET: This story has been updated to add comments from the ACLU and Knight First Amendment Institute.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/lawmakers-have-a-new-plan-to-force-bytedance-to-sell-tiktok-220408004.html?src=rssWe’ve seen the Cybertruck handle off-road tasks with the ease of a machete cutting through soft butter… Whether it’s asphalt, gravel, sand-dunes, or even a shallow riverbed, it seems like Cybertruck drivers have managed to push the electric pickup truck to its limits to have it conquer those surfaces, but what about snow? YouTuber Heavy D Sparks decided to test the truck’s off-road abilities by having it run on one of the trickiest surfaces for any vehicle, snow-capped hills. Except, he wasn’t planning on just taking the Cybertruck as is, no… Heavy D Sparks decided to build the world’s first (and only) Cybertrack – a truck/snowmobile hybrid with treads instead of wheels. Borrowing a Cybertruck from fellow YouTuber Supercar Ron, Heavy D Sparks (also known as Heavy Diesel) decided to give the truck its biggest hardware upgrade ever.
Designer: Heavy D Sparks
The aim was to outfit the Cybertruck with “hell tracks,” a modification promising unparalleled off-road prowess. This endeavor was not without its hurdles, though; given the Cybertruck’s sheer weight and output, multiple parts and brackets ended up needing reinforcements because of how heavy the truck was. Parts would break, fold like cardboard, or even completely disengage, causing the truck to lose control or stop working entirely.
The truck was sourced from Supercar Ron, who happened to have an early Founder’s Edition of the Cybertruck, and very graciously gifted it to the Diesel Brothers team to modify however they saw fit. The journey of modification was a meticulous process involving the creation of custom parts such as bumpers and the addition of extra batteries in the back to support the massive lights installed on the top and the front courtesy Baja Designs. Finally, the truck got a custom wrap featuring a unique camouflage pattern that mimicked the Cybertruck’s angular design.
Testing the modified vehicle revealed a stark duality of success and challenge. On one hand, the Cybertruck demonstrated enhanced stability and performance, a direct result of the thoughtful modifications. On the other, the project was met with significant mechanical setbacks, including a broken spindle—a clear indicator of the factory parts’ limitations under rigorous testing conditions.
However, when the Cybertrack DID work on snow, Heavy D (who was piloting the vehicle) pointed out that the truck was handling the snow incredibly smoothly. “It feels so stable,” he mentioned. “I would feel totally comfortable loading this thing full of skiers and going to the top of any ski resort around, like the steepest runs.” The truck could comfortably cruise around at 40 to 50mph on snow, although there’s a fair discrepancy between what the speedometer says versus your actual ground speed. The speedometer outputs nearly double of what your actual ground speed is (because of how the treads rotate and how that translates to actual ground movement). It held its own on steep inclines too, but there was a bit of a malfunction right towards the end of the video.
Unexpectedly, the project received an encouraging nod from Tesla, an acknowledgment that perhaps was not anticipated. This support not only underscored Tesla’s openness to seeing its vehicles pushed to new boundaries but also cemented a deeper appreciation for the brand and its leadership, marking a positive shift in perception among the project team.
There’s a Part 2 video coming soon, with probably more repairs and modifications to the Cybertrack. You can follow Heavy D Sparks on YouTube for more.
The post YouTuber Turns Tesla’s Cybertruck Into A Full-Blown Snowmobile With Tracks Instead Of Wheels first appeared on Yanko Design.