Category: PCMag

School Districts Notch a Win in Tech Addiction Case Against Top Platforms

image via pcmag.com
image via pcmag.com

School districts across 19 states claim that the companies do not adequately implement features like age verification, parental controls, and session timeouts. Design choices that allow for endless scrolling, coupled with targeted algorithms, mean kids have trouble putting down their phones, creating a doom loop that can interrupt sleep at best and create serious mental health issues at worst. The schools say they've had to dedicate resources to handle this, from confiscating phones to dealing with online behavior that spills into classrooms, including dangerous social media "challenges."

https://www.pcmag.com/news/school-districts-notch-a-win-in-tech-addiction-case-against-top-platforms

Bluesky Boom: X Alternative Sees Surge Of Signups

image via pcmag.com
image via pcmag.com

Twitter’s experiment in decentralized social networking, Bluesky now ranks 4th overall in the iOS App Store, while X itself is 29th. Bluesky also has one feature that X can’t add: It’s not subject to Elon Musk’s chaotic rule, which in recent weeks has seen him turn part of the platform into a Donald Trump infomercial, hide people’s likes, and declare that the block function “makes no sense” and will no longer hide your posts from people you block.

https://www.pcmag.com/news/bluesky-boom-x-alternative-sees-surge-of-signups

Google Won’t Fully Ditch Third-Party Cookies in Chrome After All

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image via pcmag.com

After 4 years of promising to phase out third-party cookies, Google wants to give users a choice instead. "Instead of deprecating third-party cookies, we would introduce a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing," writes Google VP Anthony Chavez in a blog post Monday. "They’d be able to adjust that choice at any time."

https://www.pcmag.com/news/google-wont-ditch-third-party-cookies-in-chrome-after-all

Threads Gets a TweetDeck-Like Makeover on the Web

image c/o pcmag.com
image c/o pcmag.com

Threads, Meta's Twitter-like Instagram spinoff app, is exploring a new, more engaging look on web browsers that shows multiple columns of pages or feeds next to each other. Meta started testing the new layout for select web browser users on Thursday. "If you’re in the test, you can choose to keep things simple with a single feed, or add separate columns for your favorites searches, tags, accounts, saved posts, and notifications. You can choose to have specific columns update in real time," a Meta representative tells PCMag.

https://www.pcmag.com/news/threads-gets-a-tweetdeck-like-makeover-on-the-web

This Logitech Mouse Comes With AI Buttons: Do People Really Want That?

image via pcmag.com
image via pcmag.com

Logitech is the latest tech company to launch an AI product and its solution is a mouse with a dedicated button that pulls up its new AI Prompt Builder software. There are two AI buttons on the Logitech Signature AI Edition M750 Mouse; a teal-colored one up top activates the prompt software, while one of its side buttons is a ChatGPT shortcut. Prompt Builder can paraphrase or summarize text, reply to text inputs, or write emails from scratch.

https://www.pcmag.com/news/this-logitech-mouse-comes-with-ai-buttons-do-people-really-want-that

Twitch Will End Watch Parties on April 2

image via pcmag.com
image via pcmag.com

However, Twitch differed from other streaming service watch parties. It wasn't intended to view movies with people you know but as a way for streamers to connect with fans over a good movie or show. A Twitch streamer just had to connect to Amazon Prime, pick a Prime Video (not something purchased or rented), and then get streaming. It was a great alternative to watching someone play a game, and in some ways, allowed the streamers to focus more on chatting with fans. "Was" being the key word as Twitch Watch Parties are coming to an end.

https://www.pcmag.com/news/twitch-will-end-watch-parties-on-april-2

Canada to Ban Flipper Zero Devices Over Car Thefts

image via pcmag.com
image via pcmag.com

Canada’s Minister Innovation, Science and Industry François-Philippe Champagne announced the ban on Thursday, explaining that “criminals have been using sophisticated tools to steal cars. And Canadians are rightfully worried.” “Today, I announced we are banning the importation, sale and use of consumer hacking devices, like flippers, used to commit these crimes,” he tweeted.

https://www.pcmag.com/news/canada-to-ban-flipper-zero-devices-over-car-thefts