Author: Irene Hawkins

Irene grew up in Dayton, Ohio, and now lives in New York as a full-time environmentalist and a part-time journalist. She was previously an editor at local online newspaper, where she wrote about topics including technology, finance and the media industry.

Amazon joins the game streaming race with Luna. This new game streaming service lets gamers play PC games remotely on computers and mobile devices. With Luna, Amazon hopes to compete with Google Stadia and Microsoft’s Project xCloud.  Amazon Luna Kotaku reports that a Luna subscription gives you access to the Luna+ game channel, a curated PC game library. Grab the games you want and play them on any device you want. The report said that you could play games on Fire TV, PC, Mac, and iOS. You can also expect to use Luna on Android in the coming weeks. For…

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The good news is that the hit PS4 game Spider-Man is coming to the PS5. The better news is that you can get it on the PS5’s launch day as a bundle with Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition. However, the bad news is that you can’t play your PS4 saved games on the PS5 version. Since Sony also hasn’t said anything about playing PS4 games on the PS5, it’s still unclear if you can carry over PS4 saves to the PS5.  Spider-Man on the PS4 and PS5 In a tweet, Insomniac Games said that gamers couldn’t carry over their PS4…

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Soon, Google Maps could show you COVID-19 data in states, counties, and cities. With the update, you’ll see a COVID toggle in your app. Tick that to see a seven-day average of COVID-19 cases in areas per 10,000 people. You’ll know the case rates in an area through its color. Moreover, a label should tell you whether cases in the area are rising or dropping. Check your Maps apps on Android or iOS this week.  Google Maps and COVID-19 Data In a blog post, Google said that the new COVID layer should help people “make more informed decisions” about traveling…

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Since it’s a pain to track several online accounts, most of us already use password managers. With these apps, you can just store your passwords and let the tool log in for you. Password managers are so reliable that many experts also advise to use them. Now, 1Password wants to give its users virtual credit cards, under a new program.  1Password’s Virtual Credit Cards Gizmodo reports that 1Password has partnered with Privacy.com to offer users virtual credit cards. According to the report, virtual credit cards could help users protect themselves from fraud.  https://twitter.com/Gizmodo/status/1308904152316235776?s=20 To get a virtual card, you need…

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Instagram is giving its TikTok clone, Reels, a new upgrade. With the update, users can now make 30-second Reels videos, instead of the standard 15 seconds. TikTok already lets users create videos up to a minute long.  Instagram Reels The Verge reports that Instagram is also extending its Reels timer from three to ten seconds. Moreover, Instagram should now allow Reels users to cut or delete any clip to smooth out the editing process.   https://twitter.com/verge/status/1308983005747318785?s=20 Is Reels a TikTok-Killer? While Instagram has not released data about the number of people using Reels, it seems to focus on the feature. Robby…

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Apple might be serious about not letting you play Fortnite on iOS anymore. After deleting the game from the App Store, Apple won’t even let you sign in to the game using your Apple ID. You’ll need to update your login information or risk getting shut out of the game.  Apple vs. Fortnite Gizmodo reports that Apple won’t let users log in to Fortnite using their Apple ID starting from September 11. On Wednesday, Epic Games had tweeted out the news as well. The company also warned users of this change on its website. In the notice, Epic said that…

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Steam can now give players gaming news while they play games. This feature is part of Steam’s experimental news hub. With this hub, gamers can receive gaming news chosen by Steam’s Curator system.  Gaming News on Steam In a blog post, Steam announced that its news hub is nearly ready to roll. The app had released an update that lets users browse gaming and tech news from various sources. You can also follow the sources you trust, and they will appear in your Steam News Hub.  The first group of top sites comes in seven languages. With varied language choices,…

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It seems every social media app out there is making a TikTok clone. Instagram tried it with Reels. Now, Facebook is trying out a new app called Collab.  Facebook Collab Gizmodo reports that Facebook’s Collab is an iOS app geared toward musicians. With Collab, three users can sync their sounds to create a version of modern hit songs. While Collab may seem similar to TikTok’s Duets, Facebook’s app lets three users sync up. TikTok only lets two users sync up. https://twitter.com/Gizmodo/status/1308566757272170502?s=20 However, users can duet TikTok videos infinitely.  More on Collab Facebook’s New Product Experimentation (NPE) team created Collab. In…

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If you’ve fully invested in an Amazon smart home, you might want to try the new Amazon Sidewalk. According to the company, Sidewalk can help your Amazon devices stay connected even outdoors.  Amazon Sidewalk In a blog post, Amazon said that Sidewalk is a “neighborhood network” that should help “your devices work better,” both indoors and in the yard. For example, with Sidewalk, you can still receive motion alerts from your security cameras if your Wi-Fi goes down. If your driveway’s smart lights are too far from your Wi-Fi, Sidewalk can connect them.  https://twitter.com/Gizmodo/status/1308204372011159553?s=20 How Does Amazon Sidewalk Work? In…

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During the pandemic, YouTube had to relieve its human moderators. Now, though, YouTube is bringing them back to correct the errors by their AI replacements. The new AI moderators had flagged or removed content by mistake.  YouTube Content Moderation The company told The Financial Times about the effects of AI moderation on their content. In the report, YouTube said that using AI drove up incorrect content removal or takedowns. https://twitter.com/verge/status/1308236597612216320?s=20 In March, YouTube had said that they would lean on their AI to flag or remove content. The AI moderators would delete content on hate speech or fake news. How…

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