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Adobe Releases Update to ‘Source Han Sans’ Open Source Font

Andrew Orr ·

Adobe and Google partnered to create an open source font for East Asian languages called Source Han Sans. Adobe on Thursday released the latest iteration called Source Han Sans Variable.

The existing seven weights of Source Han Sans now come in a single file that encompasses the entire design space. This affords typographers more granular control: rather than seven static weights ranging from ExtraLight to Heavy, weight exists on a continuum and is expressed through minimum and maximum numeric values.

TMO Deals

Boost Mobile Prepaid 3 Months Unlimited Talk and Text: $45

Bryan Chaffin ·

We have a deal on three-months of prepaid service with Boost Mobile. It includes unlimited talk and text, and 5GB of LTE data with 99% nationwide coverage. And, mobile hotspot, taxes, and fees are included on all plans. Check the deal listing for more details and links for checking whether your phone number is eligible. This offer is $45 through our deal.

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'Hey Spotify' In-App Command Now Available on iOS and Android

Charlotte Henry ·

Spotify users on both iOS and Android can now use the phrase ‘Hey Spotify’, GSMArena reported. It activates the audio-streaming app’s built-in voice search when the screen is on and the app itself is open.

A notification was received by the Spotify app. It brought us to a screen that prompted us to turn on “Hey Spotify”. Saying the wake phrase will prompt Spotify’s built-in voice search while the screen is on and the Spotify app is open. This means that the app is continuously listening for the wake phrase. Spotify’s privacy policy for voice data usage states that Spotify says it only holds recordings and transcriptions of the searches that you perform when tapping the voice button or saying the wake phrase. The feature doesn’t really add any function outside of enabling Spotify’s own voice search for hands-free use.

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Lawmakers Call YouTube Kids ‘Wasteland of Vapid, Consumerist Content’

Andrew Orr ·

The US sub-committee on economic and consumer policy sent a letter [PDF] to YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki about its app for kids, saying it’s full of “inappropriate… highly commercial content”.

According to the letter, some videos appeared to be “smuggling in hidden marketing and advertising with product placements by children’s influencers”.

The letter claimed that one research team, which it did not name, found only about 4% of videos had a high educational value. Much of the rest was low quality content such as toy unboxing and videos of people playing video games.

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iPhone 12 Holds Its Value Better Than Rival Samsung Galaxy S21

Charlotte Henry ·

Smartphones in the ‌iPhone 12‌ range have lost value by between 18.1 to 33.7 percent since they launched in October last year, according to data from SellCell (spotted by Macrumors). Meanwhile, devices in the Samsung Galaxy S21 series, which only launched in January 2021, have already seen a 44.8 and 57.1 percent drop in value.

We can say with some confidence that the reason the iPhone 12 series has held its value better than the Samsung Galaxy S21 series, is because the demand is still there even after that initial sale. Apple owners looking to upgrade their device will, in the majority, stick to the Apple brand. In that sense, demand is high for pre-owned iPhone 12 handsets, meaning that they keep their value as consumers are happy to pay a premium, even for a refurbished or pre-owned iPhone 12. On the other side, not only do Samsung owners show less loyalty to the brand, but 26% of them are happy to consider jumping ship to an Apple device once they’re done with their Android handset. This has two effects. It decreases demand for Samsung’s handsets, driving the value down, while at the same time increasing Apple demand even further, slowing the rate of iPhone 12 value shrinkage.

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No, They're Aren't Really Two Million Shows on Apple Podcasts

Charlotte Henry ·

Apple Podcasts recently hit a milestone – having two million podcasts available to listeners. However, as Amplifi Media explained, all is not quite as it seemed, with many not getting past show number one.

Out of the two million titles reflected in Apple Podcasts (and similar results from Podcast Index), a remarkable 26% have produced just a single episode. One and done. That suggests many people fired up their creative juices, especially during the pandemic, and stopped after creating one episode. Roughly 1/4th of all podcasts are out of business, or more likely, were never really in it. Sure, there might be some that only planned a single episode but for our x-ray, let’s drop the number of podcasts down by 26% – which means there are roughly 1.5 million (1.48m) podcasts with two or more episodes. That’s a big difference. Let’s go a bit further. Let’s use three or fewer episodes as a mark. That rockets the number up to an astonishing 44% of all podcasts… If a ‘real podcast’ is a series of at least four episodes, that effectively reduces the total of two million podcasts to 880,000.

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Steve Jobs Taught His Former Executive Assistant to 'Work on All'

Charlotte Henry ·

Naz Beheshti worked as Steve Jobs’s executive assistant. In a CNBC interview, she explained how working with the Apple co-founder inspired her into her current life as a wellness coach, speaker, and author. She also broke down some misconceptions about him.

“There has been a big misconception about him that he was a workaholic and that he was really tough to work with,” Beheshti tells CNBC Make It. “Yes, in some cases he was.” But, in the midst of being a tough boss, Beheshti says Jobs, who died in 2011, made it a point to “prioritize his wellbeing,” which gave him the “energy and the clarity and the vision to sustain his success and build Apple.” For example, Beheshti says not only did Jobs “eat really healthy,” but he also “meditated daily, he had regular physical activity like exercise several times a week and he maintained strong relationships… [Jobs] taught me by example that you need to really work on all,” when it comes to your health and wellness, “rather than just working on one aspect of your life,” Beheshti says.

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Morgan Stanley Lowers AAPL Target Despite Services Growth

Charlotte Henry ·

Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty has lowered her target price for AAPL. However, according to a note seen be Apple 3.0, she did forecast that Apple Services revenue growth will increase by 6 points during 2021.

From a note to Morgan Stanley’s clients that landed on my desktop Tuesday: “Services strength drives estimates higher but peer multiple compression drives PT lower to $155 (from $164). Following strong March quarter App Store results and an analysis of the key drivers of Apple’s Licensing & Other segment, we raise our already above-street FY21 and FY22 Services revenue estimates by 3% and 5% respectively, and are increasingly convinced that consensus Services forecasts over the next 2+ years are too low. We now forecast Apple Services revenue growth accelerates by 6 points to +22% Y/Y in FY21, up from +19% Y/Y previously, nearly 4 points ahead of FY21 consensus Services growth of +18% Y/Y.”

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Chat App ‘Signal’ Beta Tests Crypto Payments With MobileCoin

Andrew Orr ·

For Signal users in the United Kingdom, the company is releasing a new feature for beta testing that lets people send payments to each other using the cryptocurrency MobileCoin (MOB).

There’s a palpable difference in the feeling of what it’s like to communicate over Signal, knowing you’re not being watched or listened to, versus other communication platforms. I would like to get to a world where not only can you feel that when you talk to your therapist over Signal, but also when you pay your therapist for the session over Signal.

The limitation is because MobileCoin is listed for purchase on only one exchange, FTX, which doesn’t allow trades from U.S. residents. I’ve never heard of MobileCoin before but I’d say it’s something to keep an eye on.