Twitter's Jack Dorsey Sells First Tweet as an NFT For U.S.$2.9 Million

Twitter boss Jack Dorsey has sold his first tweet. He did so as an NFT, with the asset earning around U.S.$2.9 million, Reuters reported.

The tweet – “just setting up my twttr” – was Dorsey’s first tweet, made on March 21, 2006. The NFT was sold via auction on a platform called Valuables, which is owned by the U.S.-based company Cent. It was bought using the cryptocurrency Ether, for 1630.5825601 ETH, which was worth $2,915,835.47 at the time of sale, Cameron Hejazi, the CEO and co-founder of Cent confirmed. Cent confirmed the buyer is Sina Estavi. Estavi’s Twitter profile, @sinaEstavi, says he is based in Malaysia and is CEO of the blockchain company Bridge Oracle. Estavi told Reuters he was “thankful” when asked for comment about the purchase.

New Studies Show no Harmful Effects to Humans From 5G

Researchers from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) and the Swinburne University of Technology in Australia analyzed studies that find no evidence of 5G harming humans.

Aside from looking at animal and lab experiments, one review also analyzed epidemiological studies of radar, which uses the same sort of RF (low-level energy fields above 6 gigahertz to as high as 300 GHz) that 5G is expected to rely on. Their conclusions, based on reviewing data from over 100 studies, should be reassuring.

Apple's Augmented Reality Headset Could Use Eye Tracking Hardware

Apple’s long-rumored augmented reality headset could contain eye tracking hardware for user input according. This could mean handheld controllers are not necessary, according to AppleInsider, which reported on a note by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Kuo in a note to investors on Friday said the headset will use a specialized transmitter and receiver to detect eye movements, blinks and related physical information. The analyst believes eye tracking will soon be the most important human-machine interface technology for AR and VR wearables. “Currently, users primarily operate the HMD (most of which are VR devices) using handheld controllers,” Kuo writes. “The biggest challenge with this type of operation is that it does not provide a smooth user experience. We believe that if the HMD uses an eye-tracking system, there will be several advantages.”

Personalized Artwork on Apple Music Personal Radio Stations no Longer Available

Apple Music appears to have removed the personalized artwork for its personal radio station feature. Reddit users spotted the change, which was reported by MacRumors.

‌Apple Music‌ previously generated a custom personal radio station graphic based on a user’s ‌Apple Music‌ profile picture, but Apple now appears to have removed this feature, replacing all personal radio station artwork with an identical red graphic. The change may be in line with a number of amendments to ‌Apple Music‌’s artwork that have taken place over the last year, such as animated album covers. The change, first spotted by users on Reddit, appears to have taken place very recently. Some users seem to be unhappy about the change, commenting that the “profile picture variant made it feel more personal than this.”

UPERFECT 15.6" Portable Monitor: $204.99

We have a deal on the UPERFECT 15.6″ Portable Monitor. It features an LCD HDR screen with 1920 x 1080 resolution, and it has built-in quad speakers. It also supports USB-C, Mini HD, PD, and Micro USB ports, and is compatible with macOS, iOS, Android, Windows, and Linux, as well as Xbox, PlayStation 4, and Rasberry Pi. This device is $204.99 through our deal.

After Ad Campaign, Intel Launches ‘PC vs. Mac’ Website

After releasing its ad campaign featuring Justin Long, Intel released a “PC vs. Mac” website comparing the platforms. Juli Clover shares:

Intel positions PCs as more “personalized” to fit a user’s “specific hardware and software needs,” while the ‌M1‌ Macs offer “limited” device support, games, and creation applications. “The bottom line is a PC offers users a choice, something that users don’t get with a Mac,” reads the website.

Notice how all of Intel’s examples are features of Windows, not Intel, a.k.a. actual performance statistics. What a joke.

Facebook Introduces Security Keys for Two-Factor Authentication

Facebook announced on Thursday that it now supports two-factor authentication authentication for security keys on its mobile apps.

Physical security keys — which can be small enough to fit on your keychain — notify you each time someone tries accessing your Facebook account from a browser or mobile device we don’t recognize. We ask you to confirm it’s you with your key, which attackers don’t have.

Google’s Privacy Moves to Face U.S. Antitrust Scrutiny

Apple has been the subject of a plethora of antitrust investigations in recent times. According to Reuters, recent privacy changes from Google, which would see its Chrome browsers ban some cookies, have caught the attention of the U.S. Justice Department too.

Investigators are asking whether Google is using Chrome, which has 60% global market share, to reduce competition by preventing rival ad companies from tracking users through cookies while leaving loopholes for it to gather data with cookies, analytics tools and other sources, the sources added. The latest conversations, which have not been previously reported, are a sign that officials are tracking Google’s projects in the global online ad market where it and No. 2 Facebook Inc control about 54% of revenue.

Starting April 15, TikTok Won’t Let You Opt Out of Personalized Ads

Starting April 15, TikTok will make personalized ads mandatory whether you want them or not.

TikTok says it is “committed” to respecting the privacy of its users, according to a TikTok spokesperson. “We will continue to be transparent about our data privacy practices and help users understand their privacy choices on our Safety Center.”

People will still be able to control whether TikTok personalizes ads based on data pulled from other apps and websites.

Committed to respecting the privacy of its users. Eye roll.

Why Does Apple Keep Making Pricey Niche Products Like The HomePod?

We recently learned that that the HomePod is to be discontinued, with Apple turning its focus to the mini instead. Luke Dormehl at Cult of Mac made a compelling argument for why it demonstrates that the company should stop producing pricey, niche, products.

You can read the HomePod debacle as an admission of failure regarding Apple’s framing of the device as a smart speaker rather than high-end audio gear. But it’s more than that. It’s an illustration of Apple’s faltering strategy of creating premium products for niche corners of the market… What else that Apple currently manufactures falls into this same category of being far more expensive than its competition? If I was toiling away on the AirPods Max, I’d probably be nervous. Apple’s pricey over-the-ear headphones, which debuted at the end of last year, sell for $550. Again, Apple hasn’t broken out sales figures, but suppliers working on the AirPods Max reportedly view it as a niche product.

Tim Cook to Appear at China Development Forum 2021

Apple CEO is set to appear at the 2021 China Development Forum, Global Times reported. Other top tech execs such as Tesla’s Elon Musk and Cisco’s Chuck Robbins will also attend.

Oliver Zipse, chairman of the board of management of BMW AG, will co-chair this year’s CDF, a gathering of executives of 100-plus foreign firms including Apple CEO Tim Cook, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, HSBC Chief Executive Noel Quinn, Chuck Robbins, chairman and CEO of Cisco, Ray Dalio, founder and chairman of hedge fund Bridgewater Associates and Jakob Stausholm, CEO of Rio Tinto Group, according to a posting on the CDF’s official WeChat account on Monday.The event, held annually since 2000, will offer both in-person and online components at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing from Saturday through Monday under the theme of “China on a New Journey Toward Modernization.”

Huawei Wants 5G Royalties from Apple and Samsung

Huawei is set to start asking the likes of Apple and Samsung 5G patent royalties, executives have said. The Chinese firm did though confirm that it is will to negotiate flexibly, with different rates for different 5G products,  Bloomberg News reported.

The owner of the world’s largest portfolio of 5G patents will negotiate rates and potential cross-licensing with the iPhone maker and Samsung Electronics Co., Chief Legal Officer Song Liuping said. It aims to get paid despite U.S. efforts to block its network gear and shut it out of the supply chain, but promised to charge lower rates than rivals like Qualcomm Inc., Ericsson AB and Nokia Oyj. Huawei should rake in about $1.2 billion to $1.3 billion in patent and licensing fees between 2019 and 2021, executives said without specifying which of those stemmed from 5G. It’s capping per-phone royalties at $2.50, according to Jason Ding, head of Huawei’s intellectual property department. China’s largest technology company by revenue wants a seat at the table with tech giants vying to define the rapidly evolving field of connected cars, smart homes and robotic surgery.

UK Uber Drivers Now Receive National Living Wage

Uber drivers in the UK now receive the National Living Wage of £8.72 (US$12.18) per hour, following a recent case in the country. BBC News has a good breakdown of what the change means for the ride hailing service, how we got here, and what it might mean for the company more broadly.

The ride-hailing giant said drivers would earn at least the National Living Wage, or £8.72 an hour, in a move that could shake up the wider gig economy. It comes a month after it lost a legal battle in the UK over drivers’ status. Uber said it was “turning the page” on workers’ rights, but some said it had not gone far enough. Analysts also warned the company had increased prices in California after a similar ruling and was likely to do the same in the UK.

Wikipedia Wants Big Tech to Pay for its Content

Tech giants use Wikipedia to power their assistants, like Siri and Alexa. But they don’t pay the non-profit. Now, Wikimedia Enterprise wants to change that.

The Foundation says it doesn’t expect Enterprise ever to become the primary source of funding for the foundation’s roughly $100 million budget. User donations, supplemented by grants, should still carry most of the load, Seitz-Gruwell says, but having a reliable additional revenue stream from companies would offer stability for the foundation, particularly as it embarks on an ambitious agenda for the year 2030 to reach more parts of the world and more communities with “free knowledge.”

Dropbox Passwords Rolls Out to All Users in April

Dropbox Passwords launched in 2020 for paid users to manage their passwords. Now the company has announced it will be available to free users in April. You can sign up here to be notified of its release.

Dropbox Basic users will be able to store up to 50 passwords in Dropbox Passwords and have them automatically sync with up to three devices. It will also be possible to share passwords securely with anyone eventually, but this is a feature Dropbox is still working on and isn’t available yet.

I think it’s interesting that Dropbox came out with a password manager, but you can find far better ones for free with less limitations, like Bitwarden.

Apple Fitness+ Connectivity Issues Limit The Service

There is lots to commend Apple Fitness+. However, I’ve been frustrated that it doesn’t fully work with iPad, due to a lack of syncing between that tablet and Watch. AppleInsider’s Andrew O’Hara highlighted some other issues which also limit the service.

During a workout, the Apple TV would lose connection with my Apple Watch without warning. When it disconnects, Apple Fitness+ doesn’t allow you to finish the workout or reconnect your watch. Instead, it just errors and ends unceremoniously. This fires off a notification to all friends and family you share your activity rings progress with, letting them know you’ve finished part of a workout. Then, when you go to try to go back to the workout you were just kicked from, Apple Fitness+ doesn’t allow you to pick up from where you left off, or even to fast forward to the right place. It makes you start back at the beginning of the workout. This isn’t too much of a problem if you’re going through a brief 10-minute session. If you’re doing a 30 or 45-minute workout, this can be infuriating and demoralizing.

Wireless Charging Dock for iPhone: $65.99

We have a deal on a wireless charging dock for iPhones and other Qi-enabled devices. It’s crafted from solid Walnut and topped with soft felt, and it comes with its own power supply. It’s $65.99 through our deal, and the deal listing has additional models with Apple Watch and AirPod features, too.

Molson Coors Production Grinds to Halt From Cyberattack

Molson Coors has revealed in its regulatory filing it suffered a cyberattack, and production has come to a halt.

Molson Coors experienced a systems outage that was caused by a cybersecurity incident. We have engaged a leading forensic IT firm to assist our investigation into the incident and are working around the clock to get our systems back up as quickly as possible.

Not even our beer is safe. One likely candidate is some kind of ransomware.

HBO Max to Launch Ad-Supported Streaming Plan in June

HBO executives revealed a new HBO Max plan that will launch in June. It will be ad-supported and more affordable than its current plan.

The primary difference between the two will center on WarnerMedia’s 2021 films, which are releasing through a hybrid model on HBO Max the same day that they debut in theaters. After the ad-supported plan launches, the films will be limited to the more expensive of the two subscriptions.

Disney Parks Launching MagicMobile on Apple Devices

Disney Parks announced Thursday that there will soon be a new way to access the theme parks. Called MagicMobile, it will rollout on Apple devices first.

Launching in phases starting later this year, Disney MagicMobile service is a convenient and contactless way to access MagicBand features like theme park entry through the power of your iPhone, Apple Watch or other smart device. Guests will be able to create a Disney MagicMobile pass through the My Disney Experience app and add it to their smart device’s digital wallet. It works like magic – most features will be available by just holding up your smart device near an access point, just like you do with a MagicBand. Disney MagicMobile service and its features will roll out first on Apple devices.

(Image via Disney)