The Federal Reserve has released a 40-page paper [PDF] on its study of a digital dollar. It seeks public comment as it takes no position at this time.
Instead, it provides an exhaustive look at benefits such as speeding up the electronic payments system at a time when financial transactions around the world already are highly digitized. Some of the downside issues the report discusses are financial stability risks and privacy protection while guarding against fraud and other illegal issues.
Peloton is pausing production of its bikes and treadmills in February-March, according to internal documents obtained by CNBC.
Peloton has essentially guessed wrong about how many people would be buying its products, after so much demand was pulled forward during the coronavirus pandemic. It’s now left with thousands of cycles and treadmills sitting in warehouses or on cargo ships, and it needs to reset its inventory levels.
Twitter NFT profile photos are rolling out to members of the Twitter Blue subscription in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
At launch, Coinbase Wallet, Rainbow, MetaMask, Ledger Live, Argent, and Trust Wallet are supported. After authenticating, you’ll select the NFT you want to showcase. Twitter says that, currently, JPEG and PNG NFTs minted on the Ethereum (ERC-721 or ERC-1155 tokens) can be used as NFT Profile Pictures.
Apple has named Kristin Huguet as its new head of PR. She will replace the outgoing Stella Low with immediate effect.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is set to deliberate on the American Innovation and Choice Online Act (AICO), a bill aimed at Big Tech.
The IRS is requiring people create an account with ID.me to access and submit taxes. One of the verification methods is a video selfie
Do Not Disturb is now Focus, and Dr. Mac says it’s better than ever now.
If you prefer different apps for email and web browsing, you may want to know how to change your default browser and email apps on iOS.
Bob “Dr Mac” LeVitus joins Kelly to talk about how you can use the new Focus Modes to make your devices work harder for you. (And before you ask, yes Kelly wanted to call today’s “Depeche (Focus) Mode.”)
Orchid nanopayments for its VPN service can now be bridged onto eight additional blockchains via the company’s layer 2 system.
Apple countersues Ericsson and seeks a U.S. import ban on mobile base stations from Ericsson, a report says on Thursday.
Publisher Axel Springer claimed that blocking ads is copyright infringement, but a German court disagreed.
The Court notes that ruling otherwise would represent a “disproportionate encroachment” on users’ freedoms to make various choices, including not to load images to save bandwidth, to deactivate Javascript, or block pop-ups or tracking elements. It would also render translation tools and aids for visually impaired people as copyright infringing.
Two of the most popular apps in the App Store, Instagram and TikTok, are starting to introduce subscription options.
Live streaming audio service TuneIn launched ‘TuneIn on Air’ for content creators as well as educational and non-profit broadcasters.
Instagram Subscriptions, launching on Wednesday, is a way for people to support their favorite profiles. TechCrunch reports:
Through the Subscriptions product, creators can choose their own price point for access to their exclusive content. There are eight different price points to choose from, starting at $0.99 per to month to as much as $99.99 per month, depending on how much a creator believes their content is worth. Most creators will likely start towards the bottom of that range, at price points like $0.99, $1.99, $2.99, $4.99, or maybe even $9.99 per month, before experimenting with higher pricing like $19.99, $49.99, or $99.99 per month.
Verizon Home Internet coverage has reached 20 million Americans, the carrier announced on Wednesday, for homes and businesses.
Jeff Butts joins host Kelly Guimont to discuss the latest in the battle between air traffic and 5G network expansion.
Block, formerly known as Square, has added support for Bitcoin’s Lightning Network upgrade. This lets users send bitcoin to anyone around the world within seconds.
The Lightning integration is made possible by the Lightning Development Kit created by Spiral, which is funded by Block. Cash App customers will also be able to send bitcoin to any compatible wallet that accepts Lightning Network payments, without being charged fees.
The expanded 5G rollout AT&T and Verizon have been planning for months begins today, and airlines are scrambling to avoid possible tragedy.
Twelve South has introduced a BookBook iPad case, the latest product under the BookBook name. It’s available to purchase starting today.
‘WeCrashed’, the series starring Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway that tells the story of WeWork, will premiere on Apple TV+ on March 18.
Omer Benjakob has put together a helpful list of NSO targets that includes every individual believed to have been infected with the group’s Pegasus spyware.
So far, targets have been found across the world: from India and Uganda to Mexico and the West Bank, with high-profile victims including U.S. officials and a New York Times journalist. Now, for the first time, Haaretz has assembled a list of confirmed cases involving Pegasus spyware.
Two additional Netflix games are rolling out for mobile gamers. One is called Arcanium: Rise of Akhan and the other is Krispee Street.
ProtonMail now blocks tracking pixels and hides your IP address, the company announced on Wednesday. The web app is mentioned so these features may not be present in the mobile apps.
By default, ProtonMail on the web now protects your privacy by: Blocking tracking pixels commonly found in newsletters and promotional emails, preventing senders from spying on your mail. Hiding your IP address from third parties so your location remains private.
Update: A ProtonMail spokesperson confirmed that this is indeed only for the web app, and expanding it to the mobile apps is part of development plans.
