Thursday, September 28, 2023

Apple launches a Wallet feature in the UK using the country's Open Banking API, showing users their current account balances, deposits, and payment history (Benjamin Mayo/9to5Mac)

Benjamin Mayo / 9to5Mac:
Apple launches a Wallet feature in the UK using the country's Open Banking API, showing users their current account balances, deposits, and payment history  —  Apple is soft launching a new iPhone Wallet app integration today that is powered by the United Kingdom's Open Banking API.



GameStop names Ryan Cohen as CEO effective immediately and says he won't receive compensation for his work as CEO, president, and executive chairman (Mike Calia/CNBC)

Mike Calia / CNBC:
GameStop names Ryan Cohen as CEO effective immediately and says he won't receive compensation for his work as CEO, president, and executive chairman  —  GameStop said Thursday morning that billionaire activist investor Ryan Cohen would take over as the video game retailer's chief executive.



WhatsApp may soon roll out improved status feature

WhatsApp is reportedly working on an improved feature called status, which will allow users to set an expiration for their text status information. This will give users more control over their profiles and prevent outdated or irrelevant information from persisting. In other news, WhatsApp will no longer support certain older smartphone models starting from October 24, 2023, in order to focus on supporting the latest operating systems. Users will be notified and reminded to upgrade their devices to continue using WhatsApp. https://ift.tt/cE2bjox

Elon Musk’s X has a new competitor, a ‘news’ app

Artifact, the news aggregator app created by Instagram co-founders, has introduced a new feature that allows users to create posts directly on the platform. This feature expands on the recently launched Links feature and aims to enhance personalization algorithms. Users can share various types of content, including thoughts, reviews, recipes, and design inspirations. The posts will appear in a visual feed and can be shared on different platforms. With this new feature, Artifact is entering the realm of social media platforms like Twitter and Meta's Threads. https://ift.tt/Rk1Sw3z

How TikTok Shop's growth in Indonesia, meant to be a template for a global expansion, ended in a ban amid backlash from rivals and an "activist" minister (Bloomberg)

Bloomberg:
How TikTok Shop's growth in Indonesia, meant to be a template for a global expansion, ended in a ban amid backlash from rivals and an “activist” minister  —  - Company ordered to split off TikTok Shop in its No. 1 market  — Indonesia puts pressure on TikTok to protect local merchants



A look at the rise of online feminism in China, driven by content on apps like Weibo, Douyin, WeChat, and Douban, despite increased scrutiny from the platforms (Wanqing Zhang/Rest of World)

Wanqing Zhang / Rest of World:
A look at the rise of online feminism in China, driven by content on apps like Weibo, Douyin, WeChat, and Douban, despite increased scrutiny from the platforms  —  Lying in bed one night in 2021, Zhang Zirui was swiping through Chinese social media app Weibo when she came across a post that gave her pause.



Wednesday, September 27, 2023

Hands-on with Mercedes-Benz's Drive Pilot, the first and only Level 3 system approved for sale in the US and EU, available only on freeways mapped by Mercedes (Daniel Golson/The Verge)

Daniel Golson / The Verge:
Hands-on with Mercedes-Benz's Drive Pilot, the first and only Level 3 system approved for sale in the US and EU, available only on freeways mapped by Mercedes  —  Drive Pilot is a Level 3 autonomous system, meaning you can take your hands off the wheel and — more notably — eyes off the road during certain conditions.



Itel S23+, itel P55 Power 5G smartphones launched in India: Price, specs and more

Itel has unveiled two new affordable smartphones, the itel S23+ and itel P55 Power, with 5G connectivity and MediaTek chipsets. The itel S23+ is priced at Rs 13,999 and features a 6.78-inch FHD+ AMOLED display, 8GB+256GB storage, a 50MP main camera, and a 32MP selfie shooter. The itel P55 Power comes in two variants, priced at Rs 9,699 and Rs 9,999, and offers a MediaTek Dimensity 6080 chipset, up to 6GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a 50MP dual rear camera. Itel aims to make 5G technology accessible and affordable for the masses in India. https://ift.tt/GVvgmjz

Researchers say X removed the ability for users to report election misinformation, a feature launched in the US, Australia, and some other countries in 2021 (Byron Kaye/Reuters)

Byron Kaye / Reuters:
Researchers say X removed the ability for users to report election misinformation, a feature launched in the US, Australia, and some other countries in 2021  —  Elon Musk's X, formerly called Twitter, disabled a feature that let users report misinformation about elections …



China releases a list of 26 app stores, including from Samsung, Huawei, and Xiaomi, that comply with its new rules; Apple's App Store is not on the list (Josh Ye/Reuters)

Josh Ye / Reuters:
China releases a list of 26 app stores, including from Samsung, Huawei, and Xiaomi, that comply with its new rules; Apple's App Store is not on the list  —  China's cyberspace regulator released on Wednesday names of the first batch of mobile app stores that have completed filing business details …



Xiaomi 13T, 13T Pro smartphones with Leica camera, fast charging support launched

Xiaomi has launched its latest flagship smartphones, the Xiaomi 13T and Xiaomi 13T Pro, in Europe. The devices feature Leica co-engineered triple rear cameras, MediaTek chipsets, and a 5000 mAh battery. The Xiaomi 13T starts at 649 Euros, while the Xiaomi 13T Pro starts at 799 Euros. The smartphones are available in Alpine Blue, Meadow Green, and Black color options. They come with a 6.67-inch 1.5K AMOLED display, up to 16GB of RAM, and run on Android 13 with MIUI 14. They also have IP68 rating and support fast charging. https://ift.tt/Sdnxy6X

How to disable Chrome's new targeted ad tracking feature

Google introduced a new targeted ad tracking system in Chrome, which has raised concerns among privacy advocates. This system aims to curate user interests based on browsing history, replacing third-party cookies. If you want to disable this feature, follow the below step-by-step guide. https://ift.tt/On9lTNZ

Russia's finance minister says Russian companies have begun using bitcoin and other digital currencies in international payments to counter Western sanctions (Gleb Bryanski/Reuters)

Gleb Bryanski / Reuters : Russia's finance minister says Russian companies have begun using bitcoin and other digital currencies in i...