The craze around Facebook Live might be a thing of the past, but Meta is still trying to make the platform video-friendly. The company has announced a new video player for uniformly displaying Reels, longer content and Live videos on the Facebook app.
One of the biggest shifts is that all of Facebook's videos will now appear full-screen even landscape-oriented ones. Videos will automatically play vertically, but you can now turn your phone on its side to watch most horizontal content across your entire device.
Like many videos on TikTok, Facebook will now offer a slider at the bottom of the screen, letting you quickly move through the video. The update also brings some of the same features streamers like Netflix offer in their apps, such as the option to jump forward or backward by 10 seconds. Meta claims that you will now get "more relevant video recommendations" of all lengths appearing on the video tab and in your feed. The company will also be increasing the number of Reels shown on Facebook.
The video player is rolling out now to Android and iOS users in the United States and Canada, with the new controls launching in the next few weeks. The entire update should be available globally in the coming months.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/facebook-finally-adds-video-controls-like-a-slide-bar-163014443.html?src=rss
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) plans to vote to restore net neutrality later this month. With Democrats finally holding an FCC majority in the final year of President Bidens first term, the agency can fulfill a 2021 executive order from the President and bring back the Obama-era rules that the Trump administrations FCC gutted in 2017.
The FCC plans to hold the vote during a meeting on April 25. Net neutrality treats broadband services as an essential resource under Title II of the Communications Act, giving the FCC greater authority to regulate the industry. It lets the agency prevent ISPs from anti-consumer behavior like unfair pricing, blocking or throttling content and providing pay-to-play fast lanes to internet access.
Democrats had to wait three years to enact Bidens 2021 executive order to reinstate the net neutrality rules passed in 2015 by President Obamas FCC. The confirmation process of Biden FCC nominee Gigi Sohn for telecommunications regulator played no small part. She withdrew her nomination in March 2023 following what she called unrelenting, dishonest and cruel attacks.
Republicans (and Democratic Senator Joe Manchin) opposed her confirmation through a lengthy 16-month process. During that period, telecom lobbying dollars flowed freely and Republicans cited past Sohn tweets critical of Fox News, along with vocal opposition from law enforcement, as justification for blocking the confirmation. Democrats finally regained an FCC majority with the swearing-in of Anna Gomez in late September, near the end of Bidens third year in office.
The pandemic proved once and for all that broadband is essential, FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel wrote in a press release. After the prior administration abdicated authority over broadband services, the FCC has been handcuffed from acting to fully secure broadband networks, protect consumer data, and ensure the internet remains fast, open, and fair. A return to the FCCs overwhelmingly popular and court-approved standard of net neutrality will allow the agency to serve once again as a strong consumer advocate of an open internet.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-fcc-will-vote-to-restore-net-neutrality-later-this-month-161813609.html?src=rss
You don't need to shell out a four-figure sum to find a great smartphone. In fact, you don't even need to spend half of that to snap up one that covers all of the basics and then some. At its regular price of $300, the OnePlus Nord N30 5G was already our pick for the best cheap phone around. It's currently on sale for $250 ($50) off, which makes it an even better deal. That's close to a record low price. The discount is part of a broader sale on OnePlus phones and earbuds.
The OnePlus Nord N30 5G offers great value however you slice it. The phone has a relatively zippy Snapdragon 695 5G processor, along with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, which is expandable with a microSD card.
You'll get a 16MP front-facing camera and, on the rear, 108MP main and 2MP macro lenses. The 5,000mAh battery should last you a day of moderate use, while OnePlus says the 50W fast charging support will top it up from a one-percent charge to 80 percent in 30 minutes. The OnePlus Nord N30 5G also has a 6.7-inch, 120Hz IPS display that's great for gaming.
On the downside, there's no IP rating for dust or water resistance. And while the handset runs on Oxygen OS 13.1 (which is based on Android 13), OnePlus has only committed to bringing one major Android update to the N30, along with three years of security support. That's a pity for those looking for something that'll stay up to date for a few years without breaking the bank, but that level of Android support is typical for budget phones.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/our-favorite-cheap-smartphone-is-on-sale-for-250-right-now-161336458.html?src=rss
Stability AI just unveiled Stable Audio 2.0, an upgraded version of its music-generation platform. This system lets users create up to three minutes of audio via text prompt. Thats around the length of an actual song, so it'll also whip up an intro, a full chord progression and an outro.
First, the good news. Three minutes is huge. The previous version of the software maxed out at 90 seconds. Just imagine the fake birthday song you could make in the style of that one Rob Thomas/Santana track. Another boon? The tool is free and publicly available through the companys website, so have at it.
Introducing Stable Audio 2.0 a new model capable of producing high-quality, full tracks with coherent musical structure up to three minutes long at 44.1 kHz stereo from a single prompt.Explore the model and start creating for free at: https://t.co/E9ZIGagmPfRead the pic.twitter.com/rFGb0KpdeX Stability AI (@StabilityAI) April 3, 2024
It primarily works via text prompt, but theres an option to upload an audio clip. The system will analyze the clip and produce something similar. All uploaded audio must be copyright-free, so this isnt for the purposes of mimicking something that already exists. Rather, it could be useful for, say, humming a drum part or extending a 20 second clip into something longer.
Now, the bad news. This is still AI-generated music. Its cool as a conversation piece and as an emblem of a possible future thats great for tinkerers and bad for musicians, but thats about it. The songs can actually sound nifty, at first, until the seams start showing. Then things get a bit creepy.
For instance, the system loves adding vocals, but not in any known human language. I guess its in whatever language that makes up the text in AI-generated images. The vocals sort of sound like actual people, and other times they sound Gregorian chanters filtered through outer space. Its right smack dab in the middle of that uncanny valley. The Verge called the vocals soulless and weird," comparing them to whale sounds. That tracks.
Stable Audio 2.0 makes the same weird little mistakes that all of these systems make, no matter the output type. Parts can vanish into thin air, replaced with something else. Sometimes melodic elements will double out of nowhere, like an audio version of those extra fingers in AI-generated images.
Created this with the new Stable Audio 2.0 from @StabilityAI! pic.twitter.com/kmN0eubJSK Chris McKay (@cmcky) April 3, 2024
Theres also the, well, boring-ness of it all. This is music in name only. Without a human connection, whats the point? I listen to music to get inside the head of another person or group of people. Theres no head to get inside of here, despite constant proclamations that artificial general intelligence (AGI) is only months away.
So, this tech is an absolute gift for those making silly birthday videos or bank hold music. For everyone else? Shrug. One thing I can say from personal experience: Its pretty fast. The system concocted an absolutely terrifying big band song about my cat in around a minute. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/stability-ais-audio-generator-can-now-crank-out-3-minute-songs-160620135.html?src=rss
The Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is one of the most extreme EVs you can buy at the moment. With over 600 horsepower delivered to all four wheels, plus a plethora of drive modes that help you do everything from circuit racing to drifting, it's a truly wild ride.
But it's about to get even wilder. Meet the new Hyundai Ioniq 5 N eN1 Cup car. This is a lightweight, caged, and big-winged version of Hyundai's rocket ship, tuned to such an extreme level that it isn't even road legal. Yes, this one's strictly for racing, and Hyundai is launching a focused racing series for the 5 N later this year.
Ahead of that, I headed to Korea to take it for a drive on a closed track. Inje Speedium is a tricky circuit with lots of elevation changes, and despite some inclement weather the Ioniq 5 N eN1 proved to be a masterful drive. And, at $100,000, for a track-ready machine, it's surprisingly value-priced. Watch the video above for the full story.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/hyundais-ioniq-5-n-en1-cup-car-brings-extreme-ev-performance-to-the-track-160024376.html?src=rss
OnePlus is the latest company to hop on the AI train. The phone manufacturer is rolling out a new photo editing tool called AI Eraser, which lets users remove extraneous objects from their photos. The new feature will be available on a range of OnePlus smartphones, including the OnePlus 12 and 12R, OnePlus 11 and OnePlus Open.
To use the OnePlus AI Eraser, a person first has to highlight the parts of the image that need removing. These could be random people or a dirty trash can, but they can also be "imperfections" in the photo. Then, AI analyzes that area and creates a background that OnePlus claims will blend into the existing image. If it sounds familiar, it works basically the same as Adobe's Generative Fill and Google's Magic Eraser tools.
However, this is a new venture for OnePlus, which uses its proprietary LLM to power the AI Eraser. "As OnePlus' first feature based on generative AI technology, AI Eraser represents the first step in our vision to liberate user creativity through AI and revolutionize the future of photo editing, empowering users to create remarkable photos with just a few touches," Kinder Liu, president and COO of OnePlus, said in a statement. "This year, we plan to introduce more AI features, and we look forward to their upcoming availability."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/oneplus-rolls-out-its-own-version-of-googles-magic-eraser-151731265.html?src=rss
Fish swim, birds fly and streaming services increase their prices. Thats (mostly) the way of things. After maintaining the same pricing for Premium for a long time, Spotify looks set to increase it twice within a year in some countries.
According to Bloomberg, Spotify Premium will be around $1 more for an individual plan and about $2 costlier for family and duo plans by the end of April in a few markets, including the UK, Australia and Pakistan. The report suggests the US is in line for a similar increase later this year.
The higher fees are expected to offset the costs of audiobook offerings. Since October, Premium users in select markets have been able to listen to 15 hours of audiobooks per month at no extra cost. The company is said to have seen strong levels of audiobook consumption so far.
If users go over the 15-hour limit, they can pay for a 10-hour top up. Its there that Spotify makes more money from its Premium audiobook library. The company also sells audiobooks on its web store.
Spotify has been chasing profitability since it went public in 2018 and to help it get there, its said to be preparing several more subscription tiers. One of those (a more expensive option) will reportedly offer high-fidelity audio, a feature the company has long been promising.
It may also introduce a basic tier that includes ad-free music and podcasts, with audiobooks being cut out. This plan is expected to cost $11 per month, the same as Spotify currently charges for Premium. As such, that $10 audiobook-only plan Spotify introduced in the US last month is starting to make more sense.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/some-spotify-plans-are-reportedly-getting-more-expensive-soon-143013215.html?src=rss
If you've yet to join the VR craze of the last few years, then now's a good time to do so. The 128GB Meta Quest 2 is currently available at Walmart for $199, down from $249 a return to its record-low price. Not only is the sale enticing, but the deal comes with a $50 credit for the Meta Quest store. Amazon is offering the same 20 percent discount on the Meta Quest 2, but it doesn't include that extra credit.
The Meta Quest 2 might not be the newest headset in its lineup, but it still has plenty of great features and is our pick for 2024's best cheap VR headset. Plus, we gave it an 89 in our review back in 2020, when it was still called the Oculus Quest.
The device is wireless, comfortable and much more affordable than the alternatives. Its field of vision is about 90 degrees and can change based on which face pads you use. The Meta Quest 2 also offers fast-switching LCDs, an 1832x1920 resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate. You can hook it up to your gaming PC or explore the many titles available on Meta's Quest store especially with $50 to spend.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/get-the-meta-quest-2-for-only-199-along-with-50-quest-store-credit-141001515.html?src=rss
AI computing giant NVIDIA underwent the biggest jump in brand value over the past year among major US brands, according to recent research. Read the full article at MarketingProfs
To understand revenue attribution, and to execute it properly, explains Tish Millsap, requires a lot of preliminary planning--namely, a using familiar framework that Tish has applied to revenue attribution: the who, what, where, when, and why. Read the full article at MarketingProfs
