Tag Archives: celebrities

Apple Music’s year-end Replay is here to expose your listening habits

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Apple Music’s full year-end Replay experience has arrived. Although elements of the personalized recap are available year-round (including a continually updating playlist), the company spruces up its web interface this time of year for a sleeker presentation as you reflect on your 2023 listening habits. Apple Music also announced its Artist of the Year (Taylor Swift, who you may have heard of) and subscribers’ top choices in various categories.

If you listened to Apple Music this year, you can head to the service’s Replay 2023 website and log into your account to view a rundown of the music you enjoyed during the last 12 months. It lists your most-streamed artists, songs, albums, genres, playlists and stations.

It also includes a highlight video summarizing your habits, which you can share with friends and family or on social channels. If you reach any milestones, like listening to 25,000 minutes of music, it will reveal exactly when you hit them. Apple says Replay 2023 will also tell you if you rank among an artist’s top listeners.

Photo of Taylor Swift looking into the distance in front of a bluish-gray sky. The text
Apple

Taylor Swift had a busy year, and her Apple Music streams unsurprisingly reflect that. The platform’s Artist of the Year had 65 songs reach its Global Daily Top 100, more than any other artist. The pop icon was also the most streamed artist on the platform in 2023, setting a record for the most listeners in a single year. Meanwhile, Morgan Wallen’s “Last Night” took the top spot in Apple Music’s Top Songs of 2023: Global list. It was the first country song to top that chart since “Old Town Road” four years ago. “Last Night” enjoyed the most days at number one on the service’s Global Daily Top 100 chart.

World music has grown in popularity on the platform. Nigerian breakout artist Rema had the most Shazam’d song of the year with the Afrobeats tune “Calm Down.” Meanwhile, “Idol” by J-Pop duo Yoasobi was the most popular karaoke song using Apple Music’s Sing feature, and it also hit number seven on the year-end top songs chart, joined by fellow J-Pop track “Subtitle” by Official Hige Dandism. Música Mexicana also did well, with four tracks on the top 20 global songs list. These include “Ella Baila Sola” by Peso Pluma and Eslabon Armado, “un x100to” by Grupo Frontera and Bad Bunny, “PRC” by Peso Pluma and Natanael Cano and “Bebe Dame” from Fuerza Regida and Grupo Frontera.

Year-end rewinds have become a popular feature for streaming services, as people enjoy the self-expression and comedy that can come from sharing their tastes on social media. If recent years are any indication, you can expect Spotify and YouTube to reveal theirs within the coming days.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-musics-year-end-rewind-is-here-to-expose-your-listening-habits-204548370.html?src=rss

The 4K Chromecast with Google TV drops to a new low of $38 for Black Friday

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The Google Chromecast with Google TV 4K streaming stick has dropped to a record low price of $38 as part of a larger Black Friday deal on Amazon. That’s 24 percent off the MSRP of $50. This is the latest and greatest Chromecast stick and, as the name suggests, can be used to watch live TV with resolutions up to 4K HDR.

We appreciated the streaming stick in our official review, calling out the comfortable remote control that ships with the product and the excellent Google Assistant integration, which lets you skip that remote entirely and use your voice for controls. The stick also offers support for Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and good ‘ole HDR10. We also loved that this is a nearly lag-free device, especially when compared to rival products in the same price range. There's a reason, after all, that this stick easily made our list of the best streaming devices in 2023. 

It’s also extremely easy to use, and the integrated dongle makes for a simple installation process. Just plug and play. Once installed, you’ll be able to watch content from just about every major streaming platform out there, including a diverse array of free ad-supported stuff, with one major caveat. The system doesn’t allow access to Apple TV+, so you’ll have to find another way to watch that Kurt Russell Godzilla show.

We are in the middle of Black Friday festivities, so that’s not the only streaming stick on sale. Amazon is also offering the HD version of Google’s Chromecast streaming stick for just $20. That's a savings of 33 percent from the MSRP of $30. This is basically the same product as above, but without 4K.

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-4k-chromecast-with-google-tv-drops-to-a-new-low-of-38-for-black-friday-213041691.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Apple will adopt RCS in 2024

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Apple has announced it will begin supporting the RCS messaging standard at some point next year. RCS, or Rich Communication Services, was developed by the mobile industry as an upgrade on SMS and MMS. But Apple has been resistant to adopt it both because it prefers its home-grown iMessage platform, and because it’s not secure by default. It doesn’t help that Google has used RCS as a cudgel in its own text-message–bubble-color culture war with the iPhone maker.

In a statement, presumably typed through gritted teeth, Apple said RCS would offer better interoperability compared to SMS and MMS. But added that iMessage, which, unlike RCS, is end-to-end encrypted by default, remains the “best and most secure messaging experience.” It’s likely the change was, in part, motivated by the European Union, which has been turning its attention to the ways the technology industry makes life harder for consumers.

— Dan Cooper

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The biggest stories you might have missed

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Lucid’s Gravity electric SUV will have a max range of 440 miles

Microsoft’s Copilot AI is officially coming to Windows 10

Amazon will start selling Hyundais next year

You can click and collect (from your local dealership).

Promotional image featuring a white, featureless office block so favored by bland corporate types, in front of which are a series of car-sized Amazon packages.
Amazon

It’s hard to tell if there’s magic in buying a car, or if the dealership just puts on a show to make you think there is. We’ll find out for ourselves next year when Amazon enables direct car sales on its platform. The first automaker to sign up is Hyundai, who is, in return, adding Alexa to its 2025-era vehicles.

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YouTube’s first AI-generated music tools can clone artist voices and turn hums into melodies

John Legend and Charli XCX will let you use their vocal stylings.

YouTube’s newest feature uses an AI to cook up 30-second backing tracks using the voices of high-profile artists. With Dream Track, users specify a general idea for the system to knock out music and lyrics in the style of a selected star. That includes Charli XCX and John Legend, who have both signed up to lend their simulated pipes to your next short clip.

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Unity launches a suite of AI tools intended to simplify game creation

Unity Muse costs $30 a month.

Unity is now making its suite of AI-enhanced game development tools available to everyone for $30 a month. It’s designed to take a lot of the hard work out of making a new title, by automating the coding process. In the future, you can expect to see tools to create game graphics, set NPC behaviors and animate characters, which could be a very big deal indeed.

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Hackers use a new SEC rule to snitch on the company they infiltrated

Who’d have thought?

Earlier this year, the SEC mandated companies had four days to notify regulators if they suffer a material cybersecurity breach. So, when hackers accessed fintech company MeridianLink and saw the SEC hadn’t been notified, they took matters into their own hands. Reporting was a way to force the company to negotiate, but it’s still wild to think they reported their own hack to regulators.

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Kia’s latest EV concepts go big on geometrics and cabin vibes

Retro-futurism never looked so boxy.

Image of a Kia concept vehicle, a light green SUV on a light green background.
Kia

Kia’s concept vehicles merit attention because so many features wind up carrying over to the production model. So, if you’re curious about what a next-generation Kia will look like, take a gander at this gallery. Hope you love boxy shapes and straight lines.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-apple-will-adopt-rcs-in-2024-121529849.html?src=rss

YouTube’s first AI-generated music tools can clone artist voices and turn hums into melodies

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YouTube on Thursday unveiled some new experimental AI services, including a feature called Dream Track in YouTube Shorts. It creates up to 30-second soundtracks using AI-generation versions of artists' voices. Though musicians have mostly pushed back on AI (and their voices being used for training models without permission or compensation), YouTube got nine big names from the music industry to participate, including John Legend, Troye Sivan, CharliXCX and T-Pain. The company hoped to announce the feature at its Made on YouTube event in September, but it's been tied up in negotiations with recording companies over rights and payments.

Users can access Dream Track by typing an idea into the creation prompt and choosing from one of the participating artists. It uses Google DeepMind's Lyria — a new, powerful music generation model designed specifically for creating high-quality vocals and instrumentals while giving the user more control over the final product. Any content Lyria produces will also have a SynthID watermark, denoting it as such. 

Charlie Puth and T-Pain created sample Dream Tracks, which YouTube has shared as inspiration. However, many of the artists involved expressed their apprehension about AI but hoped that collaborative work could create positive, non-exploitative opportunities. "When I was first approached by YouTube I was cautious and still am, AI is going to transform the world and the music industry in ways we do not yet fully understand," singer CharliXCX said. "This experiment will offer a small insight into the creative opportunities that could be possible and I'm interested to see what comes out of it." 

Music AI Tools are also coming to YouTube, in collaboration with its Music AI Incubator. These tools can create guitar riffs from a hummed melody or turn a pop track into a reggaeton anthem. Producer and songwriter, Louis Bell, created a sample video to showcase it. 

YouTube is walking a fine line as it navigates the careful balance of introducing AI tools and protecting against misuse. The video platform recently announced new policies for labeling videos made using AI and letting public figures, such as musicians, report deepfakes. 

Dream Track is currently only available to a select group of creators and artists, whereas participants of the Music AI Incubator should be able to test the tools out later this year. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/youtubes-first-ai-generated-music-tools-can-clone-artist-voices-and-turn-hums-into-melodies-132025817.html?src=rss

This Masterclass Black Friday deal gives you two memberships for the price of one

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As part of a Black Friday deal, you can get two MasterClass annual memberships — one for yourself and one to give away as a gift — for the price of one. Memberships start at $120 per year, which lets you watch on one device at a time, $180 grants access to two devices simultaneously and allows for downloads, and a Family membership covers six devices. The free membership for gifting will be at the same level you buy for yourself. The deal is available now and ends at midnight on Black Friday.  

If you're looking for something that's not a "thing" to gift this year, MasterClass makes a nice option. A membership includes access to 180 different big name instructors teaching on topics they know a lot about. Classes on offer sound like an A-list roll call: Martin Scorsese and Jodie Foster teach lessons on filmmaking, Samuel L. Jackson and Helen Mirren cover acting, Questlove shows you how to DJ, and Margaret Atwood gives a seminar on writing. 

Classes range from around two to six hours and are broken up into shorter lessens, usually between 10 and 20 minutes. There are even exercises and community forums to get you actually doing the things the teachers teach. Recently, MasterClass added series as part of its lineup, such as GOAT, which are 20 minute episodes covering a single topic (such as making a grilled cheese or playing pickleball) that feel more like a mini documentary than a lesson. The mobile app also offers series of short, swipeable videos, for a highly polished TikTok feel. 

When I tried out MasterClass, it struck me that the learning platform was more like a streaming service than anything else — a really smart streaming service, where you get to watch masters talk about how they go about their craft. Even if you don't see yourself becoming a comedian, watching Steve Martin tell you how it's done is riveting nonetheless.  

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/this-masterclass-black-friday-deal-gives-you-two-memberships-for-the-price-of-one-170010173.html?src=rss

Netflix’s The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep animated film will feature Geralt’s original voice actor

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Netflix has given The Witcher fans their first look at a new animated film that's set to hit the streaming service in late 2024. The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep is based on A Little Sacrifice, a short story written by the universe's creator Andrzej Sapkowski. It will have Geralt of Rivia investigating a series of attacks in a seaside village in the midst of rising conflict between its human inhabitants and merpeople from the ocean. Netflix says the film is set between episodes 5 and 6 of the live-action series' first season, and it does show: The Geralt in the film resembles original Witcher actor Henry Cavill more than the Geralt in the games. 

The live action's stars Anya Chalotra and Joey Batey will also be reprising their roles as Yennefer of Vengerberg and Jaskier in the animated film. But Geralt will be voiced by Doug Cockle, who's known for voicing the White Wolf in the Witcher games. The movie is directed by Kang Hei Chul, who served as a storyboard artist for The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, which featured the story of Vesemir before he became Geralt's mentor. It was also animated by Studio MIR, the same South Korean studio that worked on Nightmare of the Wolf. 

The film may be the last time those who were particularly fond of Cavill as Geralt can see, well, a version of him play the role. He left the live-action show after its third season and is set to be replaced by Liam Hemsworth. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/netflixs-the-witcher-sirens-of-the-deep-animated-film-will-feature-geralts-original-voice-actor-120020251.html?src=rss

Netflix’s The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep animated film will feature Geralt’s original voice actor

Posted on by

Netflix has given The Witcher fans their first look at a new animated film that's set to hit the streaming service in late 2024. The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep is based on A Little Sacrifice, a short story written by the universe's creator Andrzej Sapkowski. It will have Geralt of Rivia investigating a series of attacks in a seaside village in the midst of rising conflict between its human inhabitants and merpeople from the ocean. Netflix says the film is set between episodes 5 and 6 of the live-action series' first season, and it does show: The Geralt in the film resembles original Witcher actor Henry Cavill more than the Geralt in the games. 

The live action's stars Anya Chalotra and Joey Batey will also be reprising their roles as Yennefer of Vengerberg and Jaskier in the animated film. But Geralt will be voiced by Doug Cockle, who's known for voicing the White Wolf in the Witcher games. The movie is directed by Kang Hei Chul, who served as a storyboard artist for The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf, which featured the story of Vesemir before he became Geralt's mentor. It was also animated by Studio MIR, the same South Korean studio that worked on Nightmare of the Wolf. 

The film may be the last time those who were particularly fond of Cavill as Geralt can see, well, a version of him play the role. He left the live-action show after its third season and is set to be replaced by Liam Hemsworth. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/netflixs-the-witcher-sirens-of-the-deep-animated-film-will-feature-geralts-original-voice-actor-120020251.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Humane’s Ai Pin wearable costs $699 and ships in early 2024

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Wearable startup Humane has officially unveiled its first device, the Ai Pin. For months, the company has drip fed information, only offering a glimpse of the device, wielded by Naomi Campbell, of all people, at Paris Fashion Week in October.

The Ai Pin is a pocket-worn wearable AI assistant that can reportedly perform the tasks our current phones and voice assistants do, but without a screen, instead operating primarily through voice commands and, occasionally, a virtual screen projected onto the user’s hand. It works independently of other devices, connected to its own phone network through T-Mobile, but on Humane’s own MVNO because that’s even more complicated.

The device will cost $700, and another $24 per month for unlimited talk, text and data, and will ship in early 2024.

TMA
Humane

We’re still waiting for deeper hands-on impressions and demonstrations of the technology. I’m skeptical, and not just because it’s been just over ten years since Google Glass tried to be a thing.

Have a great weekend, and make sure you check out our new TMA series on YouTube, where I try to make more work for our wonderful video team, every Saturday.

— Mat Smith

​​You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!​​

The stories you might have missed

The best cooking gifts

Meta may return to China with the release of a new, budget VR headset

Amazon reportedly plans to dump Android for a homemade Fire OS replacement

Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Mini review: excellent and expensive


Steam Deck OLED review

It’s just better.

The $550 Steam Deck OLED is not the Steam Deck 2. This is a mid-cycle refresh from Valve, similar to the Switch OLED upgrade, but there’s a lot more going on internally here. Its screen is better, its battery life is better and its chip and thermals are better — but it’s still a big ole handheld. The updated display is the device’s highlight, while things like faster charging, improved antennas and smoother controls are welcome bonuses.

Continue reading.

Teenage Engineering’s Field series is complete (and expensive)

The TP-7 and CM15 balance out the company’s pocket-sized studio gear.

Making even the most specced-out Steam Deck OLED look reasonably priced, Teenage Engineering has completed its Field series of studio gear, and the whole kit will set you back $5,900. Now, for the TE faithful who are still reading, its more playful design and solid hardware can be creativity inducing, according to Engadget’s James Trew.

Continue reading.

Omegle shuts down after 14 years of random chats

Some people used it to ‘commit unspeakably heinous crimes,’ its founder admits.

Omegle, a chat service that pairs users with a random person so they can talk via text or video, is shutting down. Leif K-Brooks, who launched the service when he was 18 years old, announced its closure and talked about its humble beginnings. He admitted “some people misused [the service], including to commit unspeakably heinous crimes.” Critics have raised concerns about the website’s safety over the past years, with some even calling it a “magnet for pedophiles.” 

Continue reading.

You can now buy a PS5 Slim in the US and Canada, if you’re lucky

Bundles include Spider-Man 2 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III.

Following the news that Sony has now sold over 46.6 million PS5 consoles, its refreshed hardware is bubbling up in stores. A standard model with a copy of Marvel’s 'Spider-Man 2 at no extra cost has hit Dell and Walmart, but the $500 bundle is going in and out of stock. The PS5 Slim (which isn’t the official name) will likely be available at other retailers soon.

Listings for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III bundles have appeared at Walmart too, but they cost $609 and come with your choice of accessory. Sony initially suggested the PS5 Slim would only be available in the US initially, but standard models have popped up in Canada.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-humanes-ai-pin-wearable-costs-699-and-ships-in-early-2024-121529700.html?src=rss

The Morning After: Humane’s Ai Pin wearable costs $699 and ships in early 2024

Posted on by

Wearable startup Humane has officially unveiled its first device, the Ai Pin. For months, the company has drip fed information, only offering a glimpse of the device, wielded by Naomi Campbell, of all people, at Paris Fashion Week in October.

The Ai Pin is a pocket-worn wearable AI assistant that can reportedly perform the tasks our current phones and voice assistants do, but without a screen, instead operating primarily through voice commands and, occasionally, a virtual screen projected onto the user’s hand. It works independently of other devices, connected to its own phone network through T-Mobile, but on Humane’s own MVNO because that’s even more complicated.

The device will cost $700, and another $24 per month for unlimited talk, text and data, and will ship in early 2024.

TMA
Humane

We’re still waiting for deeper hands-on impressions and demonstrations of the technology. I’m skeptical, and not just because it’s been just over ten years since Google Glass tried to be a thing.

Have a great weekend, and make sure you check out our new TMA series on YouTube, where I try to make more work for our wonderful video team, every Saturday.

— Mat Smith

​​You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!​​

The stories you might have missed

The best cooking gifts

Meta may return to China with the release of a new, budget VR headset

Amazon reportedly plans to dump Android for a homemade Fire OS replacement

Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Mini review: excellent and expensive


Steam Deck OLED review

It’s just better.

The $550 Steam Deck OLED is not the Steam Deck 2. This is a mid-cycle refresh from Valve, similar to the Switch OLED upgrade, but there’s a lot more going on internally here. Its screen is better, its battery life is better and its chip and thermals are better — but it’s still a big ole handheld. The updated display is the device’s highlight, while things like faster charging, improved antennas and smoother controls are welcome bonuses.

Continue reading.

Teenage Engineering’s Field series is complete (and expensive)

The TP-7 and CM15 balance out the company’s pocket-sized studio gear.

Making even the most specced-out Steam Deck OLED look reasonably priced, Teenage Engineering has completed its Field series of studio gear, and the whole kit will set you back $5,900. Now, for the TE faithful who are still reading, its more playful design and solid hardware can be creativity inducing, according to Engadget’s James Trew.

Continue reading.

Omegle shuts down after 14 years of random chats

Some people used it to ‘commit unspeakably heinous crimes,’ its founder admits.

Omegle, a chat service that pairs users with a random person so they can talk via text or video, is shutting down. Leif K-Brooks, who launched the service when he was 18 years old, announced its closure and talked about its humble beginnings. He admitted “some people misused [the service], including to commit unspeakably heinous crimes.” Critics have raised concerns about the website’s safety over the past years, with some even calling it a “magnet for pedophiles.” 

Continue reading.

You can now buy a PS5 Slim in the US and Canada, if you’re lucky

Bundles include Spider-Man 2 and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III.

Following the news that Sony has now sold over 46.6 million PS5 consoles, its refreshed hardware is bubbling up in stores. A standard model with a copy of Marvel’s 'Spider-Man 2 at no extra cost has hit Dell and Walmart, but the $500 bundle is going in and out of stock. The PS5 Slim (which isn’t the official name) will likely be available at other retailers soon.

Listings for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III bundles have appeared at Walmart too, but they cost $609 and come with your choice of accessory. Sony initially suggested the PS5 Slim would only be available in the US initially, but standard models have popped up in Canada.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-humanes-ai-pin-wearable-costs-699-and-ships-in-early-2024-121529700.html?src=rss

Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series gets its first trailer

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Five years in the making, Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender live-action remake is one step closer to gracing our screens. Netflix has released a new minute-and-a-half teaser that gives us a first look at the cast and key scenes. Plus, drum roll, please, we also finally have a release date: February 22, 2024.

At an event in June, all Netflix made public was a quick 37-second teaser showing the four nations' (Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation and Air Nomads) symbols and that the show would come out in 2024. At the time, cast members discussed memorable parts of filming Avatar: The Last Airbender, such as haircut day, but now we get to see their transformation firsthand. The cast includes Gordon Cormier as Aang, Kiawentiio as Katara, Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai and Ian Ousley as Sokka.

Despite a deeper look into the upcoming series, questions remain about how it will compare to the original. Back in 2020, co-creators of the original Avatar: The Last Airbender, Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko, left the project. "I realized I couldn't control the creative direction of the series, but I could control how I responded," DiMartino said at the time. "So, I chose to leave the project. It was the hardest professional decision I've ever had to make, and certainly not one that I took lightly, but it was necessary for my happiness and creative integrity." He added that the show had "potential" but wouldn't align with his vision for it.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/netflixs-live-action-avatar-the-last-airbender-series-gets-its-first-trailer-104024809.html?src=rss