Blog

Telegram Must Pay a $5 Million Fine for Violating German Laws News broke last Monday that Telegram received a fine of EUR 5.125 million after failing to comply with German laws. According to the statement of the Federal Office of Justice, Telegram did not fulfill two important conditions that the country's legislation requires for the operation of such an app. Telegram did not provide an organization in Germany through which it would receive official messages and also could not make a legal way to report illegal content. German officials said they were unable to hand over the required documents to Telegram representatives in Dubai. In view of this, there was a legal hitch. Telegram tried to settle this through a law firm in Germany, which he appointed as his representative, but this could not prevent the fine. A separate dissatisfaction with the authorities was caused by an overly liberal attitude towards the published content in Telegram, which led to the persecution of some individuals because of their contribution to the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. Germany is one of the countries that actively oppose hate speech and bullying on the Internet. In view of this, violators necessarily bear legal responsibility. Of course, this penalty is subject to appeal. It is worth noting that Telegramm has recently been fined 11 million rubles for publishing materials that were considered unreliable for the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Do you think it is fair to impose such a fine on Telegram? Do you appreciate this app for its independence and maximum openness in covering the most pressing topics and events? Please share your opinion below.  

• Lucas Anderson
• 2022-10-24

YouTube Introduced the Updated Design and User Interface YouTube has made a number of changes to the visual component, which also affected the user interface. All this is done with the aim of creating an application with an even cleaner and more user-friendly design in order to make its use even more convenient. One of the most innovative features is zooming, which allows you to resize the playback screen to better see its individual functional components. Video search will now become even easier for YouTube users. Precise search will allow you to view a series of video thumbnails while you move your finger or mouse over the video series, so you can find the desired fragment much faster. And updated video presentations, including Ambient Mode, will provide an even more comfortable viewing experience. With it, the color scheme of the application adapts to the content, so as not to distract the user and allow them to concentrate on viewing as much as possible. YouTube has released the 'Darker' Dark Mode color scheme, which provides the most concise display of elements outside of the video. Also, links in video descriptions will now be displayed as buttons, and the button format itself will also be changed. The color of the Subscribe button has also been updated from red, although this seems to be a rather controversial move for the time being since it is extremely important for the authors that the audience notice this button well. Meanwhile, YouTube representatives have made the necessary emphasis on this button, so you should not worry too much in advance. The color changes also affected the hashtags, turning them white instead of blue. Do you like YouTube interface updates? What other elements should be changed? Please share your thoughts below.  

• Abigail Rodriguez
• 2022-10-22

TikTok Is Still Trying to Make Livestream Shopping a Thing in the US Livestream shopping has been popular in a number of eastern countries for a while now. For this reason, it is not surprising that TikTok continues to try to break into the western market with this shopping approach. While the interest of users has been low so far, TikTok will still introduce a number of livestream commerce features to engage users, particularly in the US. TikTok reportedly plans to partner with a live shopping network called TalkShopLive in the US to make users more aware of its livestream shopping opportunities. TalkShopLive has been actively hosting shopping streams that cover a variety of different topics. Over time, it has become quite popular when it comes to product discovery, so it is understandable why TikTok decided to choose it. Because the platform involved numerous celebrities, such as Paul McCartney, Oprah Winfrey, and others, there has been a definite increase in the number of interested viewers. TikTok will allegedly cooperate with TalkShopLive to help reach more potential customers and shoppers interested in this service. What is more, TikTok is also looking for ways to partner with different influencer agencies to get more creators to become the faces of their livestream shopping feature. In such a way, TikTok is both searching for ways to make average shoppers interested and also wants to build connections with influences to show them how to earn money with the help of live shopping broadcasts. TikTok has already had success with live shopping in a number of Asian countries, particularly in Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia. It would definitely be interesting to see whether this trend becomes popular in the US. What do you think about such features? Do you like the idea of livestream shopping? Share your thoughts in the comments!

• Abigail Rodriguez
• 2022-10-12

Twitter Update: Users Will Now Be Able to Combine Videos, GIFs, and Images in One Tweet Twitter always has some surprises up its sleeves. Just recently, the social media platform experimented with the addition of the edit button and now there is yet another update. This time, the company made it possible to add different types of content to the same tweet. As a result of this update, users will now have an opportunity to add videos, GIFs, and images to a single post. Those who have previously used Twitter know that it was impossible to create such posts, so this is undeniably a welcome change. The best thing about this update is that it will be available to all users of the platform and not just those who subscribe to Twitter Blue. In the past, Twitter users had to choose whether they want to add several images to the post, a single GIF, or a single video. Now, there is no need to make this choice. According to the official blog post from Twitter, the company looks for more ways to help creators share content on the platform. The blog post mentions that “different types of visual content together in a single Tweet allows creators to express themselves beyond 280 characters and gives them more ways to tell their story.” This new feature will be available to both iOS and Android users. At the moment, there is no information on whether the desktop version of Twitter supports this change. Obviously, users will be able to see such tweets regardless of what devices they use, but the question of whether desktop users will be able to post such tweets remains. In addition to this feature, Twitter also works on introducing a new way to view vertical videos full-screen on the platform. At the moment, this feature is available to users of iOS devices who have English set as their default language. Are you an active user of Twitter? What do you think about this change? Please, share your thoughts in the comment section below.

• Abigail Rodriguez
• 2022-10-10

Google Search Now Shows Train Ticket Prices and Enables Ticket Purchases If you plan a trip by train and start with googling the tickets, it will be easier for you from now on. For select countries, Google now shows more than just the schedule of trains. It also shows the price of tickets and enable you to make a purchase by going directly to the merchant’s page. This makes planning your train trips a shorter experience. Google has had the same features with plane tickets for some time, and now trains are also getting covered. Not in all the world, though. SO far, there are four countries where Google has reached such an agreement with railroad systems: Japan, Germany, Italy (come on. drop an Axis joke), and Spain. If a user in any of these countries searches for a route between two locations on Google Flights or just on Google, it will also show them a train option if it’s available for this route. Not only will Google show train schedules. It will also display the ticket prices for selected routes. And if you click a tap on it, you’ll be redirected to the partner website where you can make a purchase in just one click. The feature will soon be available in other countries as well: Google already has this in check. It took Google quite long to start optimizing its travel search for trains, but now as it’s started, it’s unstoppable. Along with this, Google announced its plans for enhancing eco-conscious search. When it becomes active, users will be able to search for low-emission flights and eco-friendly hotels. Eco-friendliness is measured based on criteria by Global Sustainable Tourism Council and certifications by the U.S. Green Building Council. Have you already noticed these new features in route building with Google? What about prices it shows: are they correct? Was it easy to purchase a ticket by following the link? Tell us about your experience in the comments!

• Abigail Rodriguez
• 2022-10-04

How YouTube Will Monetize Shorts YouTube Shorts is the fastest-growing part of YouTube experience, being the response to TikTok’s success with its short entertaining content in portrait mode. And as Shorts becomes a serious driver in the entire YouTube growth, the video hosting company is on its way to monetizing these videos. And this is how it plans to do it. The integral part of any video hosting project is involving and motivating the creators. So, as NYT reports, YouTube will start with direct monetization options for video creators, with the service itself getting its fees. And these fees will be a serious business. In 2021, for example, the ad income made by YouTube was about $29 billion – an unreachable level even for as strong a competitor as TikTok. According to the audio record from some meeting at Google, Shorts creators will get as much as 45% of the ad revenue, while pre- and post-roll ads usually bring creators on YouTube 55%. This seems a setback for them, making earning on Shorts a slightly more problematic idea. At the same time, creating Shorts seems easier, as well as joining the Partner Program under which creators earn from ads. As for now, a regular channel should reach at least 4,000 hours of viewing to implement ads and have at least 1K subscribers to qualify for Partner Program. A Shorts channel will need much less viewing time, as reaching the necessary 4,000 will be harder. On the other hand, a viewer will see the ads in Shorts videos without spending hours on it. Given this, lowering the barrier makes more sense than making Shorts users struggle to reach the basic one – in terms of viewing hours, of course, not the subscriber number. Have you ever created a Shorts video on YouTube? What about starting a creator career? And if you prefer just viewing, how do you feel about the ads in Shorts? Give us your opinion on the matter in the comments if you please!

• Lucas Anderson
• 2022-10-03

Android Prepares New Sharing Features Sharing data across devices has always been one of the most important types of communication. Photos, videos, texts, random files, and even Wi-Fi passwords often need to be transferred to another laptop, phone, or tablet. Now, Android comes up with the updated “Nearby Share” feature that will make the multi-device life much easier. The feature that’s been around for a while enables Android users to easily find nearby devices and send different types of data, including system settings like stored Wi-Fi passwords. The most common way you usually share this data is sharing it across your own devices. If you have a tablet, you may want to send a picture from your phone to it to view it on its larger screen. The same may apply to files you receive in messengers that you only have installed on one of your devices. The recent update enables you to always accept invitations from your own devices. So files and other data will be accepted automatically. You don’t even have to activate your recipient device: Nearby Share will function even if the screen is off. The greatest thing is that these improvements will not be exclusive to Android 13. They will come to Android 12 and (hopefully) to Android 11. Alas, this only applies to Android devices, so accepting the transfer on your Chromebook is still done manually. This update comes with a bunch of other improvements, such as the ability to record jingles and make your Android device notify you when it hears it. It’s useful for people with hearing problems. Also, Google redesigns Keep and Workspace apps for bigger screens on which it is more convenient to work with documents and notes. Do you often use Nearby Share? Do you feel accepting the transfers automatically will be safe? How do you compare it to AirDrop by Apple? Share your thoughts with us in the comments!  

• Abigail Rodriguez
• 2022-09-21

Even the Nintendo Ex-Boss Is Excited about GTA VI Now that the development of GTA 6 is official, more and more people are anxious to see it sooner. It took nothing but the confirmation of the project to get them excited. And among those already looking forward to it is Reggie Fils-Aimé, formerly the head of Nintendo America. And when seasoned ones like him name this project among their anticipations, they must know something. Reggie Fils-Aimé has been the head of Nintendo in America since 2003, the Wii era if you remember. His behavior made him a celebrity in the gaming industry, and his achievements are still witnessed around each time you see someone with a Switch. Retired since 2019, he confesses he had never had the time to fully enjoy the previous GTA installments, including the famous GTA V/Online. Well, now the acclaimed manager will probably have enough time to enjoy the currently available GTA installments until the next one arrives. Though it’s been full nine years since the release of GTA V, the next game in the series is far from being ready. There hasn’t even been a trailer so far, though 2022 is the right year to finally publish it. Still, it seems that it will take years to develop even the concept, let alone the game itself. One thing is for sure: once it’s out, DLC and mods will flow for years. As far as we know, the game will take place in one city instead of the originally planned three (though later it may impress with some incredibly big DLC). It will also reportedly feature a female protagonist, which is a sort of breakthrough in the history of the series. Mr. Fils-Aimé will have to give some time to the previous installments, with their brutal and severe aesthetics, to see how much of a change it will be. And what about you? Do you feel as excited about the upcoming GTA VI as Mr. Fils-Aimé does? And are you ready to find some time for it to explore all the main storylines and side quests? Tell us what you expect from the next GTA in the comments!  

• Abigail Rodriguez
• 2022-09-12

YouTube Music Doesn’t Request Your Location Anymore YouTube Music is gaining popularity partly because of its rich content (which other service has so many bootlegs and rarities?), partly because of its constant updates and usability improvements. This one will make the YouTube Music experience a little bit more secure: now the app doesn’t require your exact location to function. Indeed, it felt strange that YouTube Music needed one’s precise location in order to play music. Okay, in theory it can be used to show the right ads (though YouTube Music Premium has none) and for improving personalized suggestions. But these results can be achieved with approximate location as well. And it’s not clear why the app needed it precise in order to offer location-based recommendations. Location-based recommendations indeed make some sense. For example, when you’re at home and it’s time you go to sleep, YouTube Music can offer you some relaxing playlist. If it detects you’re in a gym (your Google Fit data may corroborate you’re not there to sit and watch), it can give you something for an explosive workout. But, again, it doesn’t require location data that precise, according to the new way Google claims to have found. Instead, it uses your activities that you can check in your Home. Is it secure, though, to share this sensitive data with the app that obviously doesn’t need it? And doesn’t Google obtain it from other sources if you use Android or other Google apps on iOS? Obviously, these considerations have been spoken out loud enough, so YouTube listened to them. The latest update does not require your precise location; approximate one will do to recommend you some music popular in your region or matching the weather around you. Do you feel better now, after learning that YouTube Music won’t track your location and will delete all precise location-related data it has ever used? Tell us what you think about it; welcome to the comments section!  

• Abigail Rodriguez
• 2022-08-31

Professional Accounts on Twitter to Get New Feature Does it make sense to have a Professional account on Twitter? Yes, it does, and it makes more and more sense with each update. Now, Twitter prepares to add another bunch of features that make it easier to use these accounts for ecommerce. With this update, businesses will be able to choose a label for their links and much more. The new option that will appear on profiles of Professional accounts is in the “Spotlight” tab. Here, you can choose from a selection of CTAs to make the button on your profile page more visual and expressive. The selection will include some text labels which go straight to the core. With labels like “Make a reservation”, “View menu”, “Watch now”, or “Book an appointment”, businesses can provide links to corresponding pages on their websites, making interactions with customers much easier by skipping extra steps. The news was delivered to the public by Nima Owji, a blogger and an app researcher. Nima has been tracking Twitter apps for long, and he is often the one who first reveals some upcoming features. So it happened this time. Along with this, Twitter also tests new shopping features. Given how popular online shopping is becoming now, no wonder that the service does its best to make the experience easy and rich. It also has something to do with Professional accounts: the spotlights will feature the “Shop” option when it becomes available. Professional accounts were introduced by Twitter in April 2021, and since that time Twitter added some features that made using one reasonable. Since March 2022, these accounts are available to all creators and brands. They can now make use of additional panels that display detailed information about the business or the person. Are you using a Professional account on Twitter? Are you satisfied with its features? Do you think this new addition will improve the interactions between the business and the customer? Let’s discuss it; welcome to the comments section!  

• Abigail Rodriguez
• 2022-08-29

Call of Duty: Warzone Accused of Plagiarism Because of a Samoyed Skin Have you seen the Loyal Samoyed skin that would appear in the upcoming Floofy Fury bundle for Call of Duty: Vanguard or Warzone? Alas, hardly will you see it in the game. The cute yet imposing dog turned out to be, to put it lightly, “heavily inspired” by a work published by an artist named Sail Lin. Now the skin is removed from the pack (pun unintended), and the original image gains more popularity. After seeing the upcoming skin for the operator Kim Tae Young, Sail Lin (who is themselves a huge fan of CoD games) immediately recognized the work. As you can see on Lin’s page on ArtStation, the images are too similar to dismiss as a pure coincidence. When the story went public, Activision had to pull the skin off the update and apologize before Sail Lin. It’s not the first time when Sail Lin’s works inspire someone too heavily. In December 2021, Lin’s pictures were used without authorization by Shiba Metaverse, a project by the creators of Shiba Inu cryptocurrency. Pictures by Lin were used as NFT images. The NFT project simply banned Sail Lin, but the story was published on Twitter. Now, Lin’s works pop up again as the object of plagiarism. Given how much Call of Duty: Vanguard and Warsone rely on sales of cosmetic items, the inspiration for this has been sought for anywhere. In the recent three weeks, Activision was accused of “borrowing” concepts also from Projekt Melody (an AI-created hentai cam girl) and Deadrop, an indie vecrtical shooter by Midnight Society. It’s not clear yet whether Activision and Raven (the actual developer of the games in question) will address these accusations in a similar manner. We are really sorry that the skin of this fantastic Samoyed had to be removed from Call of Duty. Are you? Would you prefer Activision and Sail Lin to settle the matter differently? And would you like to see more of Lin’s works making it legally to AAA games? Tell us what you think in the comments!

• Lucas Anderson
• 2022-08-21

When to Expect Final Fantasy XIV Patch 6.2 Final Fantasy 14 players have been long waiting for the next patch to arrive, and finally, we have the date. The update named Buried Memory is scheduled on August 23. And it has a lot of new content for those who have already explored the main game, being more than a DLC but rather a new episode in the series which the game looks like. Buried Memory will have more content for the main quest in the game. There will be nine quests the names of which are not revealed yet. It’s known, though, that they will require at least Disciple of War or Magic level 90. To access them, you will also have to complete “A Satrap’s Duty”, a quest from the main scenario. Then the quests will unfold gradually: in order to access the next one, you’ll need to finish at least the first of them, “In Search of Azdaja”. Along with these quests, there will be some side content, like a new Chronicles of a New Era quest line, along with two standalone side quests – Tataru's Grand Endeavor and Tales of Newfound Adventure. These also require Disciple of War or Magic level 90 plus completion of preceding quests. The patch also brings numerous adjustments to existing quests, lots of new items to get and areas to explore, and inevitable bug fixes. Among the new content, there are new orchestrion rolls, furnishings, aquarium fish, and seed for flowerpots. Many players will especially appreciate the Island Sanctuary, the zone where you can (as the developers put it) create your own paradise: grow crops, collect materials, and turn it all into the most comforting environment. Given how grim and dangerous other areas are, this is a welcome addition. So is the addition of portraits that will personalize your gear to the max. If you are a Final Fantasy XIV player, are you already anticipating this update? Did you enjoy Endwalker, the previous big update? Do you hope this purchase will be worth it? Tell us your expectations (or impressions when you have bought it) in the comments!

• Abigail Rodriguez
• 2022-08-21