Hell freezes over, MS Paint adds support for layers and PNG transparency

image via arstechnica.com
image via arstechnica.com

But today Microsoft announced that it is finally adding two features that could make the app a bit more useful for power users: support for Photoshop-esque image layers and the ability to open and save transparent PNGs. The redesigned Paint is rolling out to Windows Insider testers in both the Dev and Canary channels, the two bleeding-edge and less-stable versions of Windows 11. Like other recent app updates, this appears to require Windows 11 and won't be backported to Windows 10.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/09/hell-freezes-over-ms-paint-adds-support-for-layers-and-png-transparency/

Unity U-turns on controversial runtime fee and begs forgiveness

image via techcrunch.com
image via techcrunch.com

Unity has done a 180 on a controversial new pricing scheme that users of its cross-platform game engine almost unanimously disparaged. A new pricing policy is still incoming, but it’s far less fraught for independent developers, many of whom threatened to leave the engine and platform behind rather than pay. Under the revised terms, there is no runtime fee whatever for any game developed with a current version of Unity, only for those developers who adopt the latest version in 2024. The free Unity Personal will stay free, and the revenue ceiling above which users must upgrade to the next tier has been raised to $200,000. And above $1 million, users will be able to choose between a per-user fee or a 2.5% revenue share, whichever is lesser.

https://techcrunch.com/2023/09/22/unity-u-turns-on-controversial-runtime-fee-and-begs-forgiveness/

YouTube made a video editing app — just like TikTok

image via theverge.com
image via theverge.com

The new app could encourage more people to make Shorts, YouTube’s take on TikTok-style videos; it’s generally easier to make a TikTok video than it is to make a full-fledged YouTube video, which is a key reason why TikTok has exploded in popularity.

https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/21/23883755/youtube-create-mobile-video-editing-app-tiktok-capcut

Meeting Bloat Has Taken Over Corporate America. Can It Be Stopped?

image via vice.com
image via vice.com

In July, the Canadian e-commerce giant Shopify unveiled an internal tool that struck a chord with people online. The way it worked was simple enough: Using a few metrics, like compensation, the number of people involved, and length of time, the tool was able to calculate and display the estimated cost of a proposed meeting by any of its employees.

https://www.vice.com/en/article/5d9wqn/meeting-bloat-has-taken-over-corporate-america-can-it-be-stopped

Meta’s Horizon Worlds social platform is finally coming to mobile and the web

image via theverge.com
image via theverge.com

Meta is finally bringing Horizon Worlds out of virtual reality. The 3D social platform has previously been exclusive to its VR headsets, but Meta announced on Thursday that Horizon Worlds is starting to roll out on mobile and the web in early access. “To start, a small number of people can now access Super Rumble through the Meta Quest app on Android, with iOS rolling out in the coming weeks,” Meta said. “Early access is also available on any web browser at horizon.meta.com.”

https://www.theverge.com/2023/9/14/23873820/meta-horizon-worlds-mobile-web-vr-early-access-release