This week Microsoft introduced new Surface tablets, a new Surface Duo 2 phone, and a new Surface Laptop Studio that are all scheduled to hit the streets soon. But the company also unveiled a new Surface Adaptive Kit that’s designed to make those devices, and many others, easier to use for people with disabilities. The […]
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If your Google Clock alarms aren’t sounding, trying disabling Spotify ringtones
Clock apps might not be the most exciting apps available for smartphones, but they can be kind of important if you rely on them to set alarms to help you wake up in the morning or remember to do other things like take medication, leave for work, or make an important phone call. But over […]
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Lilbits: New chips from Apple, Intel, and AMD plus little PCs, both new and old
A small desktop computer that went on sale in China recently is powered by a previously unannounced AMD processor that sure looks like it could be a version of the chip used for the latest Xbox game consoles. Perhaps this is what’s happening to chips that didn’t quite make the cut. Rival chip maker Intel […]
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Lilbits: What the FLoC?
Google plans to end support for third-party tracking cookies in the Chrome browser, which is ostensibly a response to users’ growing demands for privacy. But Google is first and foremost a company that makes its money by advertising… and these days that’s primarily targeted advertising. So the company plans to keep doing that. Instead of cookies […]
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Lilbits: ROG Phone 5, LG Rollable, and Spotify HiFi
Asus is holding an event to officially launch its next gaming smartphone on March 10th. But DXOMARK went ahead and published a review of the phone’s audio capabilities a few weeks early, and the review gives us our best look yet at the unusual design of the Asus ROG Phone 5 and its matrix of […]
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The Epic Games Store is now an app store too (starting with Spotify)
The Epic Games Store made a splash when it first launched as a Steam competitor in early 2019, at least partly due to Epic’s decision to give away at least one game for free every week. But now it looks like Epic isn’t stopping with games. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney just announced the first non-game […]
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13 companies form coalition to protest Apple, Google app store policies
Epic has been engaged in a high-profile battle with Apple and Google over their app store policies. But the game maker isn’t the only company dissatisfied with Apple and Google taking a 30-percent cut of sales, insisting that all revenue generated from apps in their stores is subject to this “app tax,” and holding other […]
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Lilbits: Movies Anywhere… together, and streaming Spotify from a PC to a Chromecast
Movie theaters are closed, house parties are ill-advised, and we’re all basically stuck at home watching TV in isolation (or out and about and risking infections, I suppose). So it’s unsurprising that this has turned out to be the year when “watch parties” have become a trend in online video. Hulu and Plex rolled out […]
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Lilbits 5-27-2020: Device shipments dropping
With the global economy in a bit of a shaky state as countries around the world respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s probably no surprise that Gartner is predicting a significant drop in PC, tablet, and mobile phone shipments for 2020. What is a little surprise is that the dip is only expected to be 13.6 […]
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Daily Deals (5-14-2020)
The Epic Games Store’s latest free game of the week is GTA V… but the website has been down for much of the morning as it buckles under demand. So you might have to try again later. While you’re waiting, you can snag a 3-month subscription to Spotify Premium for free if you’ve never paid […]
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This DIY soap dispenser plays 20-seconds of music while you wash your hands
Health experts advise washing your hands with soap for 20 seconds to reduce the risk of spreading the coronavirus and COVID-19. And over the last few weeks we’ve seen a bunch of ways to help you get to 20 without counting — you could sing part of a song, recite the introduction to a favorite […]
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Comments Off on Apple and Spotify bring podcasts to Amazon Echo devices (and other Alexa-enabled gadgets)
Apple and Spotify bring podcasts to Amazon Echo devices (and other Alexa-enabled gadgets)
Comments Off on Apple and Spotify bring podcasts to Amazon Echo devices (and other Alexa-enabled gadgets)Amazon’s Echo line of products may have introduced the world to the idea of smart speakers that respond to your voice, answer questions, and play music among other things. But one thing Amazon’s Alexa voice service hasn’t been great at until now is playing podcasts. While you could ask Alexa to play a podcast, by default […]