Monthly Archives: June 2022

Twitch will make it easier for creators to bring guests onto streams

Posted on by

Twitch has announced a new feature for creators who want to include other streamers and even viewers on their broadcasts. Up to five guests can join a stream through Guest Star, which works on both desktop and mobile. If a viewer wants to take part in the discussion or ask a question, they can raise a virtual hand and the creator or a moderator may invite them on. This seems to work in a similar fashion to Clubhouse and Twitter Spaces.

While the feature is akin to Clubhouse, Twitter Spaces, Spotify Live, Discord Stage Channels et al, Twitch can set itself apart from those services. Guest Star supports live video as well as audio — this is Twitch, after all.

The platform says Guest Star is easy for both newcomers and experienced streamers to use and it works with software like OBS and Twitch Studio. However, streamers won’t need to use a third-party app to host a broadcast with other participants.

Until now, bringing guests on to a broadcast has required a bit of a workaround if creators don’t want to simply stream a Zoom, Skype or Discord call. If they prefer to use custom layouts, overlays and branding, it’s possible to include remote video feeds from Skype or a web app. Guest Star should streamline things.

Streamers and their moderators can swiftly remove guests at any time and for any reason. Guests will need a Twitch account, which means they can be reported for violating the platform’s rules. There are some measures in place to help weed out bad actors before they become a guest. Creators and moderators will be able to look at factors like the age of an account, if it’s in good standing and if the user has verified it with a phone number.

Guest Star seems to build on features like Squad Stream, which allows viewers to watch four livestreams simultaneously on the Twitch app or website and jump between those creators’ chats. The new feature is about bringing people together on the same channel. Creators might use Guest Star for podcasts, call-in advice streams and even game shows.

While Twitch is most commonly associated with gaming, talk-style content has long been on the rise on the platform. Just Chatting has been the most popular category since the third quarter of 2020, according to data from Streamlabs and Stream Hatchet. 

Twitch says that, in the first five months of 2022 (compared with the same period in 2020), hours watched in the Just Chatting category grew 151 percent, while revenue for streamers who create that type of content rose by 169 percent. It suggested Guest Star may encourage more creators to try their hand at talk-focused content.

At first, Guest Star will only be available to a small number of hand-picked streamers who already create talk content so that Twitch can get some feedback before a broader rollout. Twitch plans to make the feature available to all creators this fall.



Source: Engadget – Twitch will make it easier for creators to bring guests onto streams

How to Stop Forgetting to Take Your Medication, Once and for All

Posted on by

Americans, on average, juggle about 12 prescription medicines. While this number is certainly skewed by older folks who have racked up a lot of pills, many of us have been prescribed a prescription medicine we need to take every single day. But on the whole, we’re not very good at doing that—one study showed an…

Read more…



Source: LifeHacker – How to Stop Forgetting to Take Your Medication, Once and for All

Cooler Master CK721 Review: An Innovative Wireless Keyboard

Posted on by

Cooler Master CK721 Review: An Innovative Wireless Keyboard
The Cooler Master CK721 wireless keyboard is a compact and versatile plank that will fill just about any gamer’s needs. The ability to use this small form factor keyboard via USB Type-C (wired), Bluetooth 5.1, or the included 2.4GHz dongle also means users can take it just about anywhere and use it with a wide range of devices. Toss in its…

Source: Hot Hardware – Cooler Master CK721 Review: An Innovative Wireless Keyboard

LinuxToday | Native Ads – Render

Posted on by


#native-main-well {
border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.19);
padding: 20px 0;
margin-bottom: -15px;
}

#native-boap {
position: relative;
}

#native-rr-article > div {
width: 100%;
height: 100% !important;
}

#native-rr-article {
border-bottom: 1px solid rgba(0,0,0,0.19);
margin-bottom: -20px;
}

#native-rr-article iframe {
height: 100%;
}

#native-boap iframe {
width: 100%;
height: 36rem;
}

#native-rr-article {
position: relative;
}

@media screen and (min-width: 500px) {
#native-boap iframe {
height: 25rem;
}
}

@media screen and (min-width: 1100px) {
#native-boap iframe {
height: 24.5rem;
}
}

window.googletag = window.googletag ||
{
cmd: []
};

window.googletag.cmd.push(function()
{
googletag.display(“native-main-well”);
});

window.googletag = window.googletag ||
{
cmd: []
};

window.googletag.cmd.push(function()
{
googletag.display(“native-rr-article”);
});

(function() {
var mainWellReplacedPost = document.querySelector(“._ntv_left_rail .td_block_inner .td_module_wrap:nth-child(3) .td-module-container”);
var mainWellContent = document.getElementById(‘native-main-well’);
mainWellReplacedPost.parentNode.replaceChild(mainWellContent, mainWellReplacedPost);
mainWellContent.style.height = ‘100%’;
mainWellContent.style.width = ‘100%’;

var rightRailReplacedPost = document.querySelector(‘._ntv_right_rail_latest_articles .td_block_inner .td_module_wrap:nth-child(3) .td-module-container’);
var rightRailContent = document.getElementById(‘native-rr-article’);
rightRailReplacedPost.parentNode.replaceChild(rightRailContent, rightRailReplacedPost);
rightRailContent.style.height = ‘100%’;
rightRailContent.style.width = ‘100%’;
})();

window.googletag = window.googletag ||
{
cmd: []
};

window.googletag.cmd.push(function()
{
googletag.display(“native-boap”);
});

(function() {
var boapSpot = document.querySelector(‘article.post’);
var boapAfterContent = document.querySelector(“article.post .tdb_single_next_prev”);
var boapContent = document.getElementById(‘native-boap’);
boapAfterContent.parentNode.insertBefore(boapContent, boapAfterContent.nextSibling);
boapContent.style.height = ‘auto’;
boapContent.style.width = ‘100%’;
})();

The post LinuxToday | Native Ads – Render appeared first on Linux Today.



Source: Linux Today – LinuxToday | Native Ads – Render

Dune: Part Two Release Date Shifts, Godzilla vs. Kong 2 Out 2024

Posted on by

If you already had plans to see Denis Villeneuve’s highly anticipated Dune: Part Two on October 20, 2023, you might want to put a pin in that. Warner Bros. has shifted the sci-fi epic a few weeks and it’ll now arrive in theaters on November 17, 2023.

Read more…



Source: Gizmodo – Dune: Part Two Release Date Shifts, Godzilla vs. Kong 2 Out 2024

LinuxToday | Master Ad Slot Definitions

Posted on by

ad unit name
$gam_topic_unit_names = array(
‘blog’ => ‘blog’,
‘developer’ => ‘developer’,
‘high-performance’ => ‘high-performance’,
‘infrastructure’ => ‘infrastructure’,
‘it-management’ => ‘it-management’,
‘news’ => ‘news’,
‘security’ => ‘security’,
‘storage’ => ‘storage’
);

if (array_key_exists($gam_current_url_root, $gam_topic_unit_names)) {
$gam_slot_name = $gam_topic_unit_names[$gam_current_url_root];
}
}
}

// Create slot path substring
$gam_slot_path = $gam_slot_name;
if (!empty($gam_slot_path)) {
// Add a beginning slash to slot name if not empty
$gam_slot_path = ‘linuxtoday/’ . $gam_slot_path;
}
?>
<!– Start: GAM Ad Slot Definitions | LinuxToday Page –>

var gam_is_category = ”;
var gam_is_article = ”;
var gam_is_homepage = ”;

gam_is_category = true;

gam_is_article = true;

gam_is_homepage = true;

window.googletag = window.googletag ||
{
cmd: []
};

window.ta = window.ta ||
{
gam:
{
ready: false,
tags:
{}
}
};

googletag.cmd.push(function()
{

// Define Ad Slot Configurations

// Inline Top
window.ta.gam.tags.inlinetop = {
id: ‘inline-top’,
refreshable: true,
refresh_delay: 5,
pending_refresh: false,
refreshed: false,
max_refresh: 5,
refresh_counter: 0,
viewable: false,
in_view: undefined,
visibility: 0,
view_percentage_threshold: 85
};

window.ta.gam.tags.inlinetop.slot =
googletag.defineSlot(
‘/5055/B2B/IT//inline-top’,
[
[300,50],[320,50],[728,90],[970,90],[970,250],[1000,90]],’inline-top’).defineSizeMapping(
googletag.sizeMapping()

// Desktop
.addSize([1240,650],
[[728,90],[970,90],[970,250],[1000,90]])

// Tablet
.addSize([768,321],
[[728,90]])

// Mobile
.addSize([0,0],
[[300,50],[320,50]])

.build())
.addService(googletag.pubads())
.setTargeting(‘pos’,’top’)
.setTargeting(‘refreshable’,’true’)
.setTargeting(‘adrefreshed’,’false’);

// Sticky Rail
window.ta.gam.tags.stickyrail = {
id: ‘sticky-rail’,
refreshable: true,
refresh_delay: 5,
pending_refresh: false,
refreshed: false,
max_refresh: 5,
refresh_counter: 0,
viewable: false,
in_view: undefined,
visibility: 0,
view_percentage_threshold: 85
};
window.ta.gam.tags.stickyrail.slot = googletag.defineSlot(
‘/5055/B2B/IT//sticky-rail’,
[
[300,50],[320,50],[300,250],[300,600],[160,600]],’sticky-rail’).defineSizeMapping(
googletag.sizeMapping()

// Desktop
.addSize([1240,650],
[[300,250],[300,600],[160,600]])

// Tablet
.addSize([768,650],
[[300,250],[300,600],[160,600]])

// Mobile
.addSize([0,0],
[[300,50],[320,50],[300,250]])

.build())
.addService(googletag.pubads())
.setTargeting(‘pos’,’top’)
.setTargeting(‘refreshable’,’true’)
.setTargeting(‘adrefreshed’,’false’);

// Sticky Bottom
window.ta.gam.tags.stickybottom = {
id: ‘sticky-bottom’,
refreshable: true,
refresh_delay: 5,
pending_refresh: false,
refreshed: false,
max_refresh: 5,
refresh_counter: 0,
viewable: false,
in_view: undefined,
visibility: 0,
view_percentage_threshold: 85
};

window.ta.gam.tags.stickybottom.slot =
googletag.defineSlot(
‘/5055/B2B/IT//sticky-bottom’,
[
[300,50],[320,50],[728,90],[970,90],[1000,90]],’sticky-bottom’).defineSizeMapping(
googletag.sizeMapping()

// Desktop
.addSize([1240,650],
[[728,90],[970,90],[1000,90]])

// Tablet
.addSize([768,321],
[[728,90]])

// Mobile
.addSize([0,0],
[[300,50],[320,50]])

.build())
.addService(googletag.pubads())
.setTargeting(‘pos’,’sticky’)
.setTargeting(‘refreshable’,’true’)
.setTargeting(‘adrefreshed’,’false’);

if ( gam_is_article || gam_is_category ) {
// Native Right Rail
window.ta.gam.tags.nativerrarticle = {
id: ‘native-rr-article’,
refreshable: true,
refresh_delay: 5,
pending_refresh: false,
refreshed: false,
max_refresh: 5,
refresh_counter: 0,
viewable: false,
in_view: undefined,
visibility: 0,
view_percentage_threshold: 85
};

window.ta.gam.tags.nativerrarticle.slot =
googletag.defineSlot(
‘/5055/B2B/IT//native-rr-article’, [‘fluid’], ‘native-rr-article’)
.addService(googletag.pubads())
.setTargeting(‘pos’, ‘native-rr-article’)
.setTargeting(‘refreshable’, ‘true’)
.setTargeting(‘adrefreshed’, ‘false’);
}

if ( gam_is_category || gam_is_homepage ) {
// Native Main Well
window.ta.gam.tags.nativemainwell = {
id: ‘native-main-well’,
refreshable: true,
refresh_delay: 5,
pending_refresh: false,
refreshed: false,
max_refresh: 5,
refresh_counter: 0,
viewable: false,
in_view: undefined,
visibility: 0,
view_percentage_threshold: 85
};

window.ta.gam.tags.nativemainwell.slot =
googletag.defineSlot(
‘/5055/B2B/IT//native-main-well’, [‘fluid’], ‘native-main-well’)
.addService(googletag.pubads())
.setTargeting(‘pos’, ‘native-main-well’)
.setTargeting(‘refreshable’, ‘true’)
.setTargeting(‘adrefreshed’, ‘false’);

}

if ( gam_is_article ) {

// Native BOAP (Article)
window.ta.gam.tags.nativeboap = {
id: ‘native-boap’,
refreshable: true,
refresh_delay: 5,
pending_refresh: false,
refreshed: false,
max_refresh: 5,
refresh_counter: 0,
viewable: false,
in_view: undefined,
visibility: 0,
view_percentage_threshold: 85
};

window.ta.gam.tags.nativeboap.slot =
googletag.defineSlot(
‘/5055/B2B/IT//native-boap’, [‘fluid’], ‘native-boap’)
.addService(googletag.pubads())
.setTargeting(‘pos’, ‘native-boap’)
.setTargeting(‘refreshable’, ‘true’)
.setTargeting(‘adrefreshed’, ‘false’);

}

});

<!– End: GAM Ad Slot Definitions | LinuxToday Page –>

The post LinuxToday | Master Ad Slot Definitions appeared first on Linux Today.



Source: Linux Today – LinuxToday | Master Ad Slot Definitions

Samsung Wins Race to 3nm Chips, Promises Huge Performance and Efficiency Gains

Posted on by

Samsung has crossed the 3nm finish line ahead of TSMC, beating the Apple supplier to the production of 3-nanometer chips. In doing so, Samsung is now on pace to release the most advanced chips in the world. According to Samsung, the new fabrication process is 45% more power efficient and delivers 23% better…

Read more…



Source: Gizmodo – Samsung Wins Race to 3nm Chips, Promises Huge Performance and Efficiency Gains

Watch This Ryzen 7 6800U Powered Steam Deck Competitor Run Elden Ring Smooth As Silk

Posted on by

Watch This Ryzen 7 6800U Powered Steam Deck Competitor Run Elden Ring Smooth As Silk
Give credit to Valve for turning a promising category (handheld PC consoles) into a viable one with the Steam Deck, which strikes an acceptable balance between price, performance, and capabilities. In the wake of the Steam Deck’s launch, others have tried to capitalize on the market segment, and a “young company comprising a group of senior

Source: Hot Hardware – Watch This Ryzen 7 6800U Powered Steam Deck Competitor Run Elden Ring Smooth As Silk

Modder Sorta Gets Half-Life 2 Running On Switch (It's Actually Portal)

Posted on by

So, Portal: The Companion Collection, a bundle of Valve’s 3D puzzle-platformers Portal and Portal 2, just dropped on the Nintendo Switch. But not long after its surprise release during this week’s Direct Mini Partner Showcase, a modder named OatmealDome has already figured out a way to get the celebrated FPS Half-Life…

Read more…



Source: Kotaku – Modder Sorta Gets Half-Life 2 Running On Switch (It’s Actually Portal)

The tiniest Raspberry Pi gets a new version with built-in Wi-Fi

Posted on by
The Raspberry Pi Pico W adds Wi-Fi to the $4 Pico board for an additional $2.

Enlarge / The Raspberry Pi Pico W adds Wi-Fi to the $4 Pico board for an additional $2. (credit: Raspberry Pi Foundation)

The Raspberry Pi Zero series is the smallest version of the popular single-board computer that most people have experience with, but there’s one Pi that’s even smaller: the Raspberry Pi Pico. Launched in January of 2021 for just $4, the Pico’s RP2040 microcontroller incorporates a pair of 133MHz Arm Cortex-M0+ CPU cores and 264 kilobytes (not megabytes) of memory. The low specs and low price make it well-suited for single-purpose devices that don’t need much processing power instead of running general-purpose software like the larger Pi boards.

To help support companies who want to use the Pico as a basis for Internet-connected smart devices, the Raspberry Pi Foundation is introducing a few new variants of the Pico today. The most notable, the Raspberry Pi Pico W, adds built-in Wi-Fi connectivity to the board while increasing the price from $4 to $6.

Raspberry Pi founder Eben Upton writes that the Infineon CYW43439 Wi-Fi chip being used for the Pi Pico uses the old 2.4GHz-only 802.11n (or Wi-Fi 4) protocol. That chipset also includes built-in Bluetooth support, like most other wireless Pi products, but Bluetooth support is currently disabled. Adding Bluetooth to devices typically requires another layer of FCC certification in the US, and other territories have their own rules, which could explain the omission. Upton says that Bluetooth support could be enabled “in the future.”

Read 1 remaining paragraphs | Comments



Source: Ars Technica – The tiniest Raspberry Pi gets a new version with built-in Wi-Fi

Fuel Your Anger With a Free Popeyes Chicken Sandwich Every Friday This Summer

Posted on by

The year was 2019. It was a simpler time, a time when, instead of monitoring the latest pandemic headlines, worrying about how to afford an entire tank of gas, and mourning the end of bodily autonomy, people were standing in long lines and arguing with strangers about Popeyes chicken sandwiches.

Read more…



Source: LifeHacker – Fuel Your Anger With a Free Popeyes Chicken Sandwich Every Friday This Summer

iFixit and Google launch official Pixel parts store

Posted on by
iFixit and Google launch official Pixel parts store

Enlarge (credit: iFixit)

The iFixit and Google partnership that was announced in April is now live. iFixit says that genuine parts for Google smartphones are now for sale in “the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and European countries where Pixel is available.”

It looks like iFixit is offering screens, batteries, and rear camera assemblies for most models of the Pixel phone, along with smaller odds and ends like adhesive and cooling graphite tape. Despite the official partnership with Google, we wouldn’t call the iFixit Pixel store a comprehensive source of Pixel parts. For the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro—which are currently in production and should have tons of available parts—you can’t buy replacement glass back panels, charging ports, front cameras, or any of the delicate cables you could accidentally rip while you’re taking the phone apart. Just compare the official Pixel 6 Pro parts list, which has only six items, to any of the iPhone part lists, which have about 30 parts, and you can see there are a lot of missing items.

iFixit says it’s just getting started, though, and that it will “continue to add more types of parts to our catalog” for the Pixel 2 and later. For the Pixel 6a, which comes out at the end of July, iFixit is promising “a full selection” of parts “as soon as possible.”

Read 1 remaining paragraphs | Comments



Source: Ars Technica – iFixit and Google launch official Pixel parts store

Apple plans to let you pay for gas using CarPlay

Posted on by

Apple has a big update to CarPlay slated for sometime later this year, but in the meantime, the tech giant has begun working with partners to support a new feature that will let users pay for gas directly inside the company’s infotainment platform. 

While the ability to purchase fuel using CarPlay was first revealed during developer sessions at WWDC earlier this month, it didn’t get a ton of attention until recently when energy company HF Sinclair announced plans to implement the feature at its gas stations in the U.S. 

HF Sinclair told Reuters that more specific details will be released in the coming months, but the basic idea is that instead of needing to swipe your credit card at the pump, users will be able to buy gas via an app in CarPlay. However, there will be some initial setup, as you’ll need to download the app and enter your payment info first. Once everything is set up, you’ll be able to select a specific pump from your navigation screen and refuel without needing to pull out your wallet. 

Ahead of a major update to CarPlay, Apple’s push to support buying gas digitally comes amidst larger efforts to integrate more third-party services as the company looks to expand the role of its automotive platform. In a statement given to Reuters, Asymco analyst Horace Dedie said given the reach of CarPlay, this strategy could have an even greater impact than Apple’s long-rumored efforts to design its own EV. 

“Forget about Apple Car – Apple CarPlay is a bigger deal,” Dediu said. “It’s very likely to scale to millions and millions of cars, if not hundreds of millions.” However, with Google also eying a number of upgrades to Android Auto, it appears the competition among in-car infotainment systems is just beginning to heat up. 



Source: Engadget – Apple plans to let you pay for gas using CarPlay

Night In The Woods Featured In Amazing Pride Demonstration

Posted on by

The Portland Timbers beat Houston Dynamo 2-1 last night, but the coolest moment came before the match even started when giant banners in the stands were raised to reveal an unflinching Pride display with an unlikely messenger: Mae Borowski from Night in the Woods. It was one of the best video game crossover reveals in…

Read more…



Source: Kotaku – Night In The Woods Featured In Amazing Pride Demonstration

Apple Lets Apps in South Korea Use Third-Party Payment Systems

Posted on by

Developers of apps released in Apple’s South Korean App Store no longer have to use the company’s own in-app payment system, the iPhone maker has announced in a developer update. Instead, developers will be able to take payments using the third-party service providers pre-approved by Apple. From a report: The change comes in response to an amendment to South Korea’s Telecommunications Business Act passed last year, which prevents large platform holders like Apple and Google from forcing developers to use their first-party in-app payment systems. Both Apple and Google opposed the legislation, with Apple arguing that it would make it harder for its users to manage their purchases, undermine their privacy protections, and put them at risk of fraud.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.



Source: Slashdot – Apple Lets Apps in South Korea Use Third-Party Payment Systems

Is AI Sentience Becoming A Reality Or Are Machines Just Getting Better At Conversation?

Posted on by

Is AI Sentience Becoming A Reality Or Are Machines Just Getting Better At Conversation?
AI chatbot company Replika is receiving messages from customers who believe their AI companions are actually sentient. Replika is only one company in the social chatbot industry that saw an increase in users during the recent pandemic.

The question of whether or not an AI has become sentient is always in the back of many people’s minds.

Source: Hot Hardware – Is AI Sentience Becoming A Reality Or Are Machines Just Getting Better At Conversation?

How to Install Apache Cassandra NoSQL Database on Rocky Linux 8

Posted on by

Apache Cassandra is an open-source NoSQL database management system. In this guide, we will walk you through the steps necessary to set up a highly available deployment of Apache Cassandra on a Rocky Linux 8 x86_64 server. This guide will work on AlmaLinux 8 and CentOS 8 too.

The post How to Install Apache Cassandra NoSQL Database on Rocky Linux 8 appeared first on Linux Today.



Source: Linux Today – How to Install Apache Cassandra NoSQL Database on Rocky Linux 8

Google is making its password manager easier to use across all platforms

Posted on by

Google is updating its password manager to make it easier to use and more consistent across platforms. The tool could also help users make their accounts more secure following the upgrades. For one thing, Google is making the password management experience the same in Chrome and Android settings. It will automatically group together passwords for the same sites and apps.

You’ll now be able to add passwords directly to Google Password Manager on top of saving them when you log in to an account. Google suggests Android users will be able to log in to sites faster on Chrome with a touch-to-login feature, which will be available on an overlay on the bottom of the screen. This builds on biometric verification features Google added to Chrome last year.

In addition, Google says it will notify you through the Password Checkup screen if you’re using compromised credentials. Android users will see alerts about weak and reused passwords too. If you receive such a warning, it should be easy to correct the issue with the automatic password change feature. Compromised password warnings will be available for Chrome users on iOS, Windows, MacOS, Linux and Chrome OS too.

Last week, Google added the ability for iOS users to set Chrome as their autofill provider. The idea was to make it easier for people who use Google Password Manager to sign in to any app on their iPhone. Google recently introduced the option for Android users to set a home screen shortcut for Password Manager as well.



Source: Engadget – Google is making its password manager easier to use across all platforms

Ditch Ads, and Other Reasons to Use These Hidden Chrome ‘Flags’ on Your Android

Posted on by

Chrome on Android is a very capable browser. It’s the default browser for most Android smartphones out there. And because it’s so popular, it hasn’t really changed over the last couple of years.

Read more…



Source: LifeHacker – Ditch Ads, and Other Reasons to Use These Hidden Chrome ‘Flags’ on Your Android