Instead of a big article, here’s a couple of tech news that I thought I’d highlight.
The Snapchat Scare (or if you aren’t paying for a product, you are the product).
Snapchat updated it’s privacy policy a couple of days ago. The new policy informs you that they are tracking where you go on the web prior to accessing the app and then they resell that information to third parties in addition to using to improve the way that they market to you. Additionally, the terms of service state that if you participate in any crowd sourced content or Live Story, you grant Snapchat and its business partners “the unrestricted, worldwide, perpetual right and license to use your name, likeness, and voice in any and all media and distribution channels (now known or later developed)….This means, among other things, that you will not be entitled to any compensation from Snapchat or our business partners if your name, likeness, or voice is conveyed through the Services.”
Private communications between parties remain private (subject to the reselling of your aggregate, anonymized data) but any participation in a LiveStory or “public” event, results in you losing all your rights. So beware when you use it what you’re giving up.
YouTube recently launched a premium channel which promises to be “ad free.” Along with no ads served via Youtube, you have the ability to save videos to your phone or tablet for up to 30 days. You can then watch them without an internet connection.
YouTube Red also supports background play so you can listen to the audio while accessing a different app or even if your screen is off. Additionally YouTube Red comes with a Google Play Music subscription. (Google owns YouTube). If you do sign up, don’t do it via your iOS device because it costs $12.99 versus $9.99. (I reckon this is because Apple takes 30% of all in app revenue generated).
You can watch most of the YouTube content without a subscription except for YouTube Red exclusive content.
Facebook will consider allowing non real names on its platform.
Many people do not use their legal names online for various reasons, including safety purposes. Facebook requires you to use a real name and has, in the past, required legal proof of the “real name” when an account is questioned. Starting in December, Facebook says it may give users the opportunity to write to Facebook’s Community Operations team to explain their name choice.
And finally, a Retro Bluetooth Keyboard.
I wrote about my love for my mechanical keyboard a couple of weeks ago. In trawling for articles to include today, I came across the review of Qwerkywriter’s retro iPad keyboard. The design harkens back to the old typewriters, complete with a manual carriage return bar. At $350, it’s only something I’ll ogle online but I’d love to swipe my hand across that carriage return. Just once.
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