Tag Archives: Software

Amazon is officially killing the Comixology app, forcing users over to Kindle

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Amazon has begun notifying Comixology users that they’ll no longer be able to read comics on the app come December 4. Comixology is merging with the Kindle app, and users’ libraries will soon only be accessible via the latter. The move caps off the ruination of Comixology that began nearly two years ago, when Amazon started chipping away at the platform’s native features and general usability in order to force a fit with its own ecosystem.

The Comixology app will officially be dead as of December 4, according to Amazon. From that point on, all of the comics, manga and graphic novels a user has purchased or borrowed on Comixology will live exclusively in the Kindle app. While Amazon says things like reading progress will be synced, you’ll have to redownload everything in the Kindle app if you want to pick up where you left off, even on the same device. There are filters to see “Comics & Manga” or “Books” only, for anyone not thrilled about having it all jumbled together.

The writing was on the wall for Comixology for some time, and while the termination of the app may not entirely come as a surprise for longtime users, it’s surely a bummer. Amazon has owned Comixology since 2014, but only in recent years has it really started to impose its influence on the product in a noticeable way.

The browser version of Comixology shut down in early 2022, and the alternative — using the Kindle app or Amazon’s own browser-based reader — made a lot of comics more or less unreadable. Integration with the Amazon store made for a clunky search experience when looking for specific titles, especially at first. And at the start of 2023, Amazon laid off thousands of employees, including Comixology staff, signaling doom for the service’s future.

Moving forward, the process of purchasing comics through Amazon’s Comixology storefront will be the same. Comixology Unlimited subscriptions will also remain intact, according to Amazon.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-is-officially-killing-the-comixology-app-forcing-users-over-to-kindle-213911500.html?src=rss

Meta calls for legislation to require parental approval for teens’ app downloads

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Meta has called for legislation that would require app stores to get parental approval before their teens download any app. That would effectively put more onus on parents, as well as Google and Apple, to protect younger users from apps that have the potential to cause harm.

"Parents should approve their teen’s app downloads, and we support federal legislation that requires app stores to get parents’ approval whenever their teens under 16 download apps," Antigone Davis, Meta's global head of safety, wrote. The company is proposing a plan that would see app stores notifying parents when their teen wants to download an app, in a similar way to how they are alerted when a kid wants to make an in-app purchase. The parent would then approve or deny the request.

Meta says its approach would let parents verify their teen's age when they set up a phone, rather than requiring everyone to verify their age multiple times across various apps. The company suggests legislation is needed to make sure all apps that teens use are held to the same standard. 

It notes that states are enacting "a patchwork of different laws," some requiring teens to get parental approval for different apps and others mandating age verification. However, "teens move interchangeably between many websites and apps, and social media laws that hold different platforms to different standards in different states will mean teens are inconsistently protected," Davis wrote.

Under current proposals, Meta argues that parents would need to navigate different signup methods and provide "potentially sensitive identification information" for themselves and their teens "to apps with inconsistent security and privacy practices." Indeed, experts say that such age verification practices threaten the privacy of all users.

Utah is enacting legislation that will require social media apps to obtain parental content before a teen can use them. That state and Arkansas both passed social media age verification laws. Following a lawsuit from tech companies, a federal judge struck down the Arkansas legislation a day before it was set to take effect in September. The Utah laws are scheduled to come into force in March.

In its call for federal legislation, this could be seen as a case of Meta trying to pass the buck to parents and app stores. A judge this week rejected attempts by Meta, YouTube parent Google and TikTok owner ByteDance to dismiss lawsuits blaming them for teens' social media addiction. In October, 41 states and the District of Columbia sued Meta for allegedly releasing "harmful features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children and teens to their mental and physical detriment," among other things.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/meta-calls-for-legislation-to-require-parental-approval-for-teens-app-downloads-171016744.html?src=rss

WhatsApp chats backed up to Google Drive will soon take up storage space

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You may want to check your Google account storage situation if you back up your WhatsApp conversations to Drive on Android. In 2018, WhatsApp and Google announced that you could save your WhatsApp chat history to Drive without it counting towards your storage quota. But starting in December 2023, backing up the messaging app to Drive will count towards your Google account cloud storage space if you're WhatsApp beta user. If you don't use the app's beta version, you won't be feeling the change in policy until next year when it "gradually" makes its way to all Android devices. 

Personal Google accounts come with 15GB of free cloud storage shared across Gmail, Drive and Photos. In its announcement, Google noted that that's "three times more than most mobile platforms." Apple's iCloud, for instance, only comes with 5GB of free space. Still, it's very much possible (and maybe even easy at this point) to hit or go beyond 15GB, depending on how many pictures and files you've backed up and uploaded.

Google has linked to its storage management tools in its post to make it easier to remove large files or photos you no longer need. You can also delete items from within WhatsApp, so they'll no longer be included in your next backup. Of course, you also have the option to purchase extra storage with Google One, which will set you back at least $2 a month for 100GB. The company promises to provide eligible users with "limited, one-time Google One promotions" soon, though, so it may be best to wait for those before getting a subscription. Take note that this change will only affect you if you back up your chat history using your personal account. If you have a Workspace account through your job or another organization, you don't have to worry about WhatsApp taking up a chunk of your cloud storage space. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/whatsapp-chats-backed-up-to-google-drive-will-soon-take-up-storage-space-055300237.html?src=rss

Headspace’s Black Friday deal knocks half off annual and monthly memberships

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Subscriptions to the Headspace app are half off this Black Friday for new and returning customers who have had memberships expire. Starting on November 14 through the 27th, the annual $70 fee will be slashed to $35. Alternatively, you could get a monthly subscription for $6.50 each pay period instead of $13.

A subscription to the mindfulness app will get you access to an entire suite of meditation programming, as well as sounds that can help you focus. But the app isn’t just for stress — it landed a spot on our best sleep app list. Users will also gain access to curated yoga and fitness videos that can help them stick to their fitness goals and in turn, improve overall wellness.

Headspace also offers video content and stress-relieving meditation programs specific for work and school. You can calm your nerves and learn how to connect with your peers by taking the advice of a professional before a presentation if you struggle with public speaking, for example. Or you could follow along with a 7-minute meditation clip to help you decompress after a long day at work. If you're new to meditation, you can start as a beginner through a four-week guided program assembled by a Headspace expert.

If you're navigating change or undergoing a stressful time, this Black Friday deal might be the perfect gateway into meditation and getting extra mental health support. If you're thinking about shopping for the holidays, Engadget has recommended a subscription to Headspace app as a thoughtful gift for teachers, or students alike.

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/headspaces-black-friday-deal-knocks-half-off-annual-and-monthly-memberships-140017944.html?src=rss

Venmo’s Groups feature could spell trouble for bill-splitting apps

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Starting today, Venmo is rolling out what it says is one of its most-requested features: the ability to manage and settle up shared expenses in groups. The aptly-named Groups feature seeks to make it easy for users to figure out how much money each person owes to someone else in the group, and then take care of the payments all in one app.

Venmo says it's easy for anyone in the group to add expenses and it will automatically figure out the amounts due. The feature is designed to be ongoing, so if you often go to dinner with the same bunch of friends or travel with your family every year, you'll be able to manage expenses within the same group for the long haul.

To create a group, go to the Me page, then the Groups tab. The feature will be enabled for some users in the latest version of the Venmo iOS and Android app. It will be available more broadly in the coming weeks. 

Managing and settling up shared expenses in a single app could spell trouble for other services that only support the former. Casual users of apps like Splitwise (which has more in-depth features like receipt scanning for paid members) and even Facebook Messenger's bill-splitting tool may prefer to handle everything in Venmo instead.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/venmos-groups-feature-could-spell-trouble-for-bill-splitting-apps-140045240.html?src=rss

Threads users can now opt out of automatically sharing posts to Facebook and Instagram

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Meta now lets Threads users avoid automatically sharing their posts with its other apps. When activated, the opt-out feature prevents Meta’s Twitter clone from sharing posts to Instagram and Facebook without user consent. Software engineer Alessandro Paluzzi spotted early signs of the privacy toggle earlier this month.

Threads users can turn off automatic cross-platform content sharing by heading to their profile page, selecting the menu at the top right, then Privacy > Suggesting posts on other apps, and toggling off Instagram and Facebook individually. Note that changing this feature only prevents your posts from being used in cross-promotions; you’ll still see other people’s Threads posts on Instagram and Facebook, irrespective of your privacy settings.

Some Threads users were upset about Meta automatically sharing their content from the nascent X competitor, mainly because people often use the apps to connect with different crowds (for example, Threads for news and politics with strangers, Facebook for extended family and old friends). TechCrunch highlighted several comments from people describing Threads posts automatically posted on other platforms as odd clickbait seemingly “designed to get comments” by stripping bold statements of context. In October, the company said it was “listening to feedback” in response to a Threads user’s complaint about automatic sharing to Meta’s more established platforms.

Meta is no stranger to using its existing stockpile of social apps to turbocharge its newest ones. It used easy onboarding and promotion via Instagram to vault Threads to the fastest app to reach 150 million downloads. Although growth appeared to slow after that, CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently said Threads had tallied nearly 100 million users. The Facebook founder said he sees a path for the Twitter clone to reach the one-billion user milestone.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/threads-users-can-now-opt-out-of-automatically-sharing-posts-to-facebook-and-instagram-172807726.html?src=rss

Spotify for TVs gets a new look and features to match the mobile app

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The Spotify TV app has been revamped to make the big-screen app experience resemble the popular mobile version of the digital music and podcast streaming service. The home page will have a “Now Playing View” and feature shortcuts to recently played content. The TV app will also recommend new songs and podcasts based on your listening history on the main screen, similar to what you might get on the mobile app.

The TV app home page doesn't just look different. You can now more easily switch between different Spotify accounts. The most recently active profile will always appear in the top right corner of a screen. Say you share a TV in the living room and you want to stop listening to your mom’s playlist – now you can select the profile image of a paired account when you want to switch.

In the past, if you listened to music on your TV through the app, you could only see the next song that was lined up. But now you can use the “Playback Queue” tool to select what you want to play next. Also, you can now turn on dark mode on your TV, meaning you can stream a curated playlist during your next house party and minimize the visuals and screen brightness.

The new Spotify TV app updates are available to free and premium subscribers using the app on supported Smart TVs, gaming consoles and media streaming devices. The effort to revitalize the user experience on the big screen isn't a huge shocker. Spotify rolled out similar updates for its Desktop app earlier this year in an effort to make streaming more enjoyable when you’re not using your phone.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/spotify-for-tvs-gets-a-new-look-and-features-to-match-the-mobile-app-195050535.html?src=rss

Spotify for TVs gets a new look and features to match the mobile app

Posted on by

The Spotify TV app has been revamped to make the big-screen app experience resemble the popular mobile version of the digital music and podcast streaming service. The home page will have a “Now Playing View” and feature shortcuts to recently played content. The TV app will also recommend new songs and podcasts based on your listening history on the main screen, similar to what you might get on the mobile app.

The TV app home page doesn't just look different. You can now more easily switch between different Spotify accounts. The most recently active profile will always appear in the top right corner of a screen. Say you share a TV in the living room and you want to stop listening to your mom’s playlist – now you can select the profile image of a paired account when you want to switch.

In the past, if you listened to music on your TV through the app, you could only see the next song that was lined up. But now you can use the “Playback Queue” tool to select what you want to play next. Also, you can now turn on dark mode on your TV, meaning you can stream a curated playlist during your next house party and minimize the visuals and screen brightness.

The new Spotify TV app updates are available to free and premium subscribers using the app on supported Smart TVs, gaming consoles and media streaming devices. The effort to revitalize the user experience on the big screen isn't a huge shocker. Spotify rolled out similar updates for its Desktop app earlier this year in an effort to make streaming more enjoyable when you’re not using your phone.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/spotify-for-tvs-gets-a-new-look-and-features-to-match-the-mobile-app-195050535.html?src=rss

The merged Disney Plus and Hulu app launches in beta next month

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You'll soon be able to use the one-app streaming experience Disney is creating between Disney+ and Hulu. On today's earnings call, CEO Bob Iger announced that the beta version of the Hulu on Disney+ combined app will be available in December for bundle subscribers. The full launch is expected in early spring, though Iger cautioned the company may not see the full benefits of the one-stop shop until 2025. The beta version will allow parents to setup profiles and content controls to ensure viewing remains age appropriate. Disney says a key reason for the beta is to give parents time to do this setup since the library of Hulu content significantly adds to the streaming options.

Disney announced in May that it planned to bring Hulu content into Disney+ before the end of 2023. The company has been clear that both apps will still be available as standalone options. What's more, Disney said it would purchase Comcast's remaining stake in Hulu last week, so the entertainment giant will be the sole owner of that service when the deal closes sometime next year. A combined app should be useful to bundle subscribers who are paying for both services in return for a discount on the monthly rate.

Disney added almost seven million Disney+ core subscribers is the fourth quarter of its 2023 fiscal year. The company says that streaming service now counts 112 million total customers. It increased the ad-free price in October and announced a crackdown on password sharing would begin in 2024. Given the higher margins, thanks in part to higher subscription fees across both Disney+ and ESPN+, Disney says it's still on track for its streaming business to be profitable by this time next year. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-merged-disney-and-hulu-app-launches-in-beta-next-month-220306792.html?src=rss

Microsoft reportedly plans to bring its AI-powered Copilot to Windows 10

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Microsoft allegedly plans to bring Copilot, its generative-AI-powered personal assistant, to late adopters. Windows Central’s Zac Bowden reports the Copilot button and sidebar from Windows 11 will “soon” arrive in Windows 10. The AI assistant for Windows 11 launched in beta in August and officially in September.

Bowden says the Windows 10 Copilot will include plugins that work across both operating systems. “I understand the experience and capabilities of Copilot across Windows 10 and Windows 11 will be roughly the same, including plugin compatibility across both versions of the OS,” the editor reported.

The move would add significant numbers to Copilot’s user base, as Windows 10 still runs on around one billion monthly active devices. Meanwhile, Windows 11, launched over two years ago, has around 400 million monthly active devices. Bowden suspects the move will also help Microsoft nudge developers into making Copilot plugins: “Microsoft will also have an easier time selling developers on the idea that they should build plugins for Copilot when they can say Copilot is available on 1.4 billion devices, compared to just 400 million on Windows 11.”

Engadget contacted Microsoft for comment but didn’t immediately receive a response. We’ll update this article if we hear back.

Bowden’s report also mentions that Microsoft is revisiting its strategy of moving on quickly from Windows 10. The company reportedly plans to add “select new features and services” previously exclusive to Windows 11 to the older OS. Windows 10 support is set to expire in October 2025, but Bowden’s sources say the company is having ongoing internal discussions about possibly extending that.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/microsoft-reportedly-plans-to-bring-its-ai-powered-copilot-to-windows-10-202010100.html?src=rss