Several popular apps crashed for many users Wednesday afternoon, including TikTok and Spotify, and the issue may be connected to Facebook’s developer toolkit, which lets third-party software programmers integrate their apps with the social network. Users complained on Twitter that TikTok, Spotify, Tinder and Pinterest weren’t working for them. Some people described apps crashing when they …
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Amazon warehouse worker in New York dies of COVID
For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites. An Amazon employee who worked at a warehouse in New York has died from COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus, the internet retailer said Tuesday. The employee last worked at the Staten Island facility on April 5 and was placed in …
Read More »ICANN rejects sale of .org registry business to private investment firm
ICANN, the organization in charge of basic internet name and addressing technology, announced Thursday it won’t approve of the sale and transfer to a private investment firm of the business that sells the rights to use the .org internet domain. The Internet Society, a 27-year-old nonprofit that pushes for online improvements such as better privacy and security, has for years …
Read More »Worldwide smartphone shipments plummet due to the coronavirus
For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites. The global smartphone market posted its biggest decline ever in the first quarter, due to lockdowns related to the coronavirus pandemic, analysts reported Thursday. Market researcher IDC estimated that shipments declined 11.7% year over year, while Canalys estimated the drop was as much …
Read More »TikTok surpasses 2 billion download mark
For the most up-to-date news and information about the coronavirus pandemic, visit the WHO and CDC websites. TikTok, the popular video-sharing app known for its quirky 15-second videos, continued its rapid growth in the first quarter, despite concerns that users are putting their privacy at risk. The app has been downloaded more than 2 billion times from the Apple App …
Read More »Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg reportedly overhauled board to assert more control
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has reportedly recast his board of directors to cast aside dissenters and consolidate decision-making power at the social media giant. The campaign culminated in the recent departures of two directors from the board and the appointment of a longtime friend of Zuckerberg, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. The moves have also allowed Zuckerberg to take …
Read More »LG’s new Velvet smartphone to feature ‘raindrop’ camera
LG announced a new direction in its smartphone roadmap, starting with the forthcoming Velvet, a device that will feature a “raindrop” camera. Velvet is the first in a line of LG smartphones that will emphasize elegant design, the company said in a release Saturday. LG said it’s disposing of its alphanumeric designations in favor of names that attempt to capture …
Read More »Apple TV Plus makes some original shows and one movie free
As people are forced to spend more time confined at home due to the coronavirus pandemic, Apple is allowing free streaming of some Apple TV Plus original shows and movies for a limited time, including one of its best reviewed series, Little America. Viewers will also get free access to other premium shows and movies from HBO and EPIX, among others, on the …
Read More »Google hides real Easter eggs for Easter, delivers AR Easter bunny
Easter is this weekend, and Google has planted some real (virtual) Easter eggs for users of its search engine when they query terms related to the holiday. Users who search for “Easter,” “Easter 2020” and other Easter-related topics will see a banner in the top-right corner of their search results page that illustrates some of the adorable animals associated with …
Read More »SpaceX reportedly bans use of Zoom videoconferencing app by employees
SpaceX has prohibited employees from using the videoconferencing app Zoom, citing “significant privacy and security concerns,” Reuters reported Wednesday. As the novel coronavirus causing a surge in work- and learn-from-home activity, Zoom has quickly become the video meeting app of choice. An email sent to employees on Saturday said that all access to Zoom had been disabled. “We understand that many …
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