Category: feature

Keep up with the latest in the world of tech by reading our weekly tech news roundup. From the James Webb Space Telescope Images to TikTok Changes and more, we have you covered!

James Webb Space Telescope Releases Stunning First Shots

The James Webb Space Telescope released its first full-color images this week. The stunning photos give the world an otherworldly view of what’s happening beyond our blue planet. The telescope (JWST) is considered the new heavyweight of space telescopes, so likewise, such images were to be expected. Already hailed as the future of astronomy and astrophysics, the telescope is bringing footage to earth from nearly a million miles away. Prior to the JWST, it wax the Hubble Telescope played the leading role in space exploration. With only the first few images shared, the rest of the world waits eagerly for more postcards from space.

Alphabet Works on Larger Drones to Handle Heavier Deliveries

Wing, which is the drone delivery company operated by Google parent Alphabet, is working on a new prototype. The company this week unveiled a series of new drone aircraft meant for handling a variety of payloads. Likewise, the drones will share the same components as the current aircraft in operation. At this time, they have been used in delivering pharmaceuticals and other small packages in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Wing CEO Adam Woodworth stated the following, “Just as the ideal vehicle for carrying a ton of gravel would be a dump truck rather than a sedan, the ideal aircraft to carry a bottle of medication is not the same as the best one to deliver a gallon of milk, and neither is suited to deliver a refrigerator.”

Match Group Brings Tinder’s Background Check to More Dating Apps

In case you didn’t know, the biggest player in the dating app game is Match Group; now you know. Likewise, with the success of Tinder’s background check feature, Match Group has announced plans to bring the same feature to its other dating apps. The feature will now be available on Stir (the app for single parents) and, of course, Match. Similar to Tinder, the app will allow users planning to meet up to use the 3rd party service Garbo to run a background check. The feature adds another level of safety for app users and gives valuable information and safety tips. 

Instagrams Latest Update Allows Users to Publish Feed Posts Exclusively for Subscribers

As major social media platforms look for ways to monetize besides advertising, Instagram has unveiled its latest series of tools. The social platform will now allow creators on the app to publish content that is strictly for paid subscribers. This feature had previously been made available for stories, but now users can give paying supporters even more content. Likewise, the update will add a new subscriber hone tab on creator profiles that will allow subscribers to filter photos and Reels. In addition, subscriptions range based on the user from $0.99 to $99.99. Along with providing exclusive story and feed content, creators can also go live exclusively with subscribers. 

WhatsApp Support comes to Meta and Ray Ban’s Stories Glasses

Meta is bringing you even more ways to see the world. The company has announced that WhatsApp support will be coming to its Ray-Bans Stories glasses. Likewise, this latest update will allow users to make calls hands-free and send texts all via your eyewear. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated this week that users will also be able to directly apply to messages from WhatsApp and Messenger using voice commands. These updates will now allow the company to integrate Stories further into the Meta ecosystem. Of course, Stories will continue to maintain its main feature, which is to take video and images.

TikTok Adds New Ways to Control For You Page

Users of TikTok will have a new way to control the For You page. The popular video platform announced this week the ability to block certain words and hashtags from your feed. This latest feature will automatically filter out any selected words or tags users do not want to allow for a more focused scroll. The platform is also rolling out two new automated moderation and filtering tools. One, called Content Levels, ranks content based on “thematic maturity” and is designed to keep mature content of all types from being shown to young users.

Metal accents can complement the home in a myriad of ways. From pots and pans to statues and table accents it’s important to keep the shining. When it comes to your metal decor and polishing your homeware, we have some helpful tips. Read on for this week’s blog on the best way to keep your metal decor shining in style!

What to Use:

When it comes to metal homeware items like copper, you can polish them with products you may already have in your home. Items like baking soda, lemon juice, and even ketchup can work as a polish alternative. For deep cleaning, baking soda will want to be your go-to, although acidic fruits can be the most simple choice with just a dash of salt.

When it comes to brass items you will want to take a different three-step approach. This is when your DIY skills will once again come in handy. To make the solution, dissolve one teaspoon of salt into one-half cup of vinegar, then add flour until the mixture becomes a paste. Once you have mixed your oast together, rub it onto the brass. From there you will want to leave it on the metal for about 10 minutes before rinsing it off with warm water and using your hand or a soft cloth and buff it dry.

When to Use:

It is always best to have preventative measures when polishing your homeware. One great way to get the jump on any potential tarnish is with baby or mineral oil. Of course, you will want to have cleaned your metal homeware items before polishing them. Likewise, once you have done so, you can almost instantly see the difference.

When it comes to the frequency of how often you clean your homeware items, it will always be based on how much you use them. For items that are stationary, there is not always a need for frequent cleaning. 

You always have the option to buy storebought products as well! If DIYing is not your thing there are plenty of alternatives that you can purchase to use.

At the end of the day, how you clean your homeware products is up to YOU. We hope these helpful tips will add some ease to your household cleaning routine.

Stay connected in the world of tech! This week we’re giving the rundown on Twitter CoTweets, Spacial Audio on Netflix, and more. Read on for this week’s blog of tech news from around the world!!

Spacial Audio comes to Netflix content like Stranger Things and other originals

This week, Netflix announced that shows like Stranger Things will now have the option for spatial audio. This latest feature will allow for more immersive sound on select original content. The goal for Netflix is to improve the experience for those using the app on mobile or with Bluetooth headphone technology. The streaming giant has collaborated with Sennheiser on converting the sound mixes for its content into an expansive spatial audio presentation. According to Netflix, spatial audio “is compatible with all devices, all streaming plans, and does not require surround sound speakers or home theater equipment.”

Volkswagen Puts $20 Billion Towards Building its own EV batteries

Volkswagen is the attest automaker to invest a large budget towards developing EV vehicles. The German automaker has announced that $20.38 billion is to be invested in electric vehicle battery production. The company believes the initiative will help to create 20,000 jobs and generate billions in revenue. In addition, Volkswagen plans to create a new company called Power Co that will oversee its efforts toward EV battery production. Likewise, Power Co will help VW to manage its entire battery supply chain from research to development. In addition, the new company will also aid in the development of new technologies.

Twitter Test Co-Tweets Feature for Co-Authored Posts

CoTweets is the latest feature in development at Twitter. The company has recently started testing its latest feature with users on its social network this week. CoTweets allows two accounts to coauthor a tweet together. The company confirmed that the feature is in the works and live for some users and has been since earlier this year. “We’re continuing to explore new ways for people to collaborate on Twitter,” explains Twitter spokesperson Joseph J. Nuñez “We’re testing CoTweets for a limited time to learn how people and brands may use this feature to grow and reach new audiences, and strengthen their collaborations with other accounts.”

New Apple Feature Brings Extreme Privacy to User Devices 

Apple has announced its latest privacy feature for increased security against state-sponsored tracking. Lockdown Mode is a new setting available on iOS 16 and macOS Ventura meant to help keep the Apple devices of journalists, activists, and politicians more secure. The setting hardens an iPhone, iPad, or Mac’s defenses that may compromise a device. In addition, Lockdown Mode includes message blocking features like attachment types, and link previews. The iOS 16 and macOS Ventura are also set to include support for new passkey technology.

Amazon Prime Users Get GrubHub Plus For Free for One Year

If you love Amazon Prime and Gurbhub, this is the collab you have been waiting for. Amazon Prime has announced that users will get one year free of GrubHub Plus. The new benefit comes as a part of the Prime subscription which offers free food delivery on orders of $12 or more. Typically the GrubHub Plus subscription comes at a cost of $9.99 per month. Likewise, Amazon has stated that free deliveries will be available from hundreds of thousands of restaurants across over 4,00 cities in the US.

Satellites Successfully Launched by Virgin Orbit During First Night Mission

Virgin Orbit has had its first successful satellite launch. The company announced that a rocket carrying seven satellites completed a successful launch on July 2. The satellites were brought into the low orbit of Earth with the help of the companies Boeing 747 carrier aircraft. Likewise, the LauncherOne rocket was attached to the carrier in order to complete the mission. Called Straight Up, after the 1988 Paula Abdul song, the mission involved seven research satellites as part of NASA’s Space Test Program. 

Californians are no stranger to water conservation. In an ever-changing climate, we as Angelenos can do our part to beat the drought by forming water conservation best practices. Since 2020, water usage has increased by 17.6%. That is a lot of water! While most should know water conservation hacks like we know there will be traffic on the 405 during rush hour, an occasional refresher course is needed. Read on for helpful tips on conserving water.

Indoor Conservation Tips

When it comes to inside your home there are a number of easy and practical water conservation practices you can adopt. From quick maintenance fixes to better personal practices, below are some easy-to-remember tips.

• Fix leaks, including leaky toilets
• Install high-efficiency toilets, aerators on bathroom faucets, and water-efficient shower heads
• Take shorter (5-minute) showers
• Track your water bill and meter to curtail water use
• Turn off the water when brushing teeth or shaving
• Use dishwashers and washing machines with full loads only

Outdoor Conservation Tips

The outdoors is just as important if not more than your indoor water conservation efforts. Everything from the plants you grow to how you clean and maintain your outdoor area matters. Make your efforts count with a few of the helpful tips listed below.

• Plant drought-tolerant/resistant plants and trees
• Recycle indoor water to use on plants
• Refrain from watering your home landscape when it rains
• Replace your grass/turf with water-wise plants
• Use a broom to clean driveways, patios, and sidewalks instead of water from a hose
• Water your outdoor landscape earlier in the day when temperatures are cooler

We have the latest bite-sized round-up of the tech news you want to know. From Android Automotive in BMW to Snapchat + and more! Read this week’s blog and stay connected with the tech news happening around the world!

Android Automotive Comes to BMW

With the recent success of Google’s Android Automotive, another big automaker is bringing its tech to a car near you. BMW has announced it will adopt the platform in future vehicle models. Likewise, the company will develop its BMW Operating System software using Android Automotive beginning in March 2023. BMW Group’s lead developer for the digital driving experience, Stephan Durach, said it’s about having a second technological approach. “We are integrating the best aspects of all worlds — that could be our own in-house developments, Open Source or commercial software products, depending on what the specific solution looks like,” said Durach.

Robot Umpires May Come to Major League Baseball by 2024

The MLB has announced its plans to introduce robot umpires to its fields by 2024. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred told ESPN this week that they view it as a way to speed up games. The “Automated Ball-Strike System” (robot umpires) will work one of two ways. One is the fully automated version, in which the AI-powered system calls every pitch a ball or a strike and relays the call to the umpire. Or the MLB could decide to use the AI as a review system, like VAR in soccer or the Hawk-Eye system used in professional tennis. Likewise, each side gets a certain number of challenges, which are then adjudicated by the automated system. 

Paid Subscription Lands on Snapchat for Power Users

This week, Snapchat kicked off its latest endeavor, a paid subscription service. Snapchat Plus will unlock exclusive and early access features for users starting at $3.99 a month. Snapchat + is geared toward “the people who spend most of their time communicating with their closest friends on Snap.” This statement comes courtesy of the company’s SVP of Product, Jacob Andreou. The project marks the social media platforms’ first time making money outside of advertising, though Andreou says there aren’t expectations for Plus to become a “material new revenue source.”

Facebook Groups Gets a Revamp with a Discord Aesthetic

Social media giant, Facebook has announced that its FB Groups service will be getting a new design. The style of Facebook Groups brings with it a new left-aligned sidebar and channels list for Groups. In addition, Meta has also added a new sidebar that lists your groups with rounded square icons. Like with Discord and Slack, you’ll be able to pin groups so that they show up first on the list. Individual groups will have a new menu that seems lifted right from Discord. The menu organizes things like channels, Messenger conversations, and events one after another. 

Wayfair to Have Products Delivered by Self-Driving Truck Waymo

The autonomous vehicle company Waymo will soon be offering its service to eCommerce home goods retailer Wayfair. Waymo will deliver home goods for Wayfair using its fleet of autonomous semi-trailer trucks, the company announced Tuesday. Deliveries will take place in a pilot program conducted by Waymo and JB Hunt Transport Services to test out self-driving trucks along certain shipping routes in Texas. The trucks will operate autonomously with supervision from two Waymo employees, a commercially licensed driver, and a software engineer, from the cab of the vehicle.