 |
|
|
|||||
More people worldwide will be seeing ads on Threads in the future. Back in January, Meta launched a small test of ads visible to a subset of users in the US and Japan, which included a handful of brands. Threads was completely ad-free since it became available a year-and-a-half before that, though Meta had been planning to put ads on the service months before the test began. Now, Meta is rolling out ads on Threads to over 30 countries globally. That means the advertisements will reach a bigger percentage of its 300 million users, though it will be interesting to see if their rollout will have any impact on the service's steady growth. Meta didn't list out those 30 countries, and it also didn't say how often ads will show up in people's feeds. Like in the initial test period though, the advertisements will appear in between organic content or posts from people and friends users follow. Meta is opening up ads on Threads to all its eligible advertisers around the world, as well, so users will be seeing placements from more companies, including ones local to their countries. The company told us that it's adopting a phased approach to its rollout, so advertisements might appear more and more frequently on the service as time goes on. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/meta-expands-ads-to-threads-users-in-over-30-countries-150535654.html?src=rss
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
WhatsApp is introducing a new feature called Advanced Chat Privacy that can block participants from sharing the contents of a conversation. This is an opt-in tool thats available for both traditional chats and groups. Once selected, the toolset will prevent anyone in the chat from sharing anything outside of the app. This means itll block all chat exports, but thats just the beginning. The software also prevents a smartphone from auto-downloading media and will stop integration with AI assistants. Basically, what happens on WhatsApp stays on WhatsApp. However, it's unclear if it prevents screenshotting. We've reached out to Meta and will update this post when we hear back. The platform says this is "best used when talking with groups where you may not know everyone closely but are nevertheless sensitive in nature." It gives examples like a support group about health challenges and a chat about community organizing. WhatsApp says this is just the first version of the tool and that itll be adding "more protections" in the future. Its rolling out right now across the globe, though it could take a month or two to reach everyone. The platform is already known for being privacy-focused, as it uses end-to-end encryption. It also leverages related software tools like disappearing messages and chats that require device authentication.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/whatsapp-introduces-a-feature-that-blocks-chat-participants-from-sharing-content-150042001.html?src=rss
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
Roku is wading deeper into the smart home space with two new security cameras, which can run on batteries. As such, you'll be able to place the Roku Battery Camera and Roku Battery Camera Plus pretty much anywhere. The former is said to run for up to six months on a single charge, while the Roku Battery Camera Plus might operate for a couple of years before you need to juice it up. There's an optional solar panel attachment so you might never have to manually recharge the batteries. These cameras are designed for simplicity. A step-by-step guide on your phone walks you through how to set them up. They provide 1080p full-color visuals and there's a color night vision mode. Other features include motion detection and notifications. You can create schedules for the cameras too. Of course, you can monitor what the cameras see via the Roku Smart Home app or the web, as well as Roku TVs and streaming devices. Through the Roku Cameras app on your TV, you can view a carousel of camera feeds that cycle either periodically or based on motion events. There's a picture-in-picture option in case you want to watch TV and keep and eye on what's happening in and around your home too. Roku hasn't announced pricing for the cameras as yet. They'll be available in the coming months and will join the likes of the Indoor Security Camera in Roku's lineup. The company also unveiled its latest streaming sticks and announced new TVs and feature updates at an event on Wednesday.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/roku-unveils-two-new-battery-powered-security-cameras-144554234.html?src=rss
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
Despite an eight year anticipatory wait, Nintendo is still "surprised" at just how many people want the Switch 2. The company has announced that about 2.2 million people have entered a pre-order lottery in Japan alone, far more than the number of consoles it can deliver on June 5, aka launch day. Nintendo will announce the winners tomorrow, April 24, and anyone not chosen will be entered into a second drawing. However, that still won't provide enough spots for every entrant. "In response to this demand, we are currently working on further strengthening our production system," the company wrote on X in a post translated from Japanese. "We plan to continue producing and shipping a considerable number of Nintendo Switch 2 units in the future. We apologize for the delay in our ability to meet your expectations." The company further notes that other retailers should begin pre-orders on the 24th. Nintendo has faced a few hurdles around pre-orders for the Switch 2. It delayed them in the US following President Trump's extreme tariffs and uncertainty about price. Now, the company has confirmed pre-orders in the US and Canada will also begin on April 24 and the Switch 2 will maintain its $450 price tag. Though, this might result in a loss for Nintendo. A lack of supply and heavy demand could also bring exploitative resellers. Such was the case with other big ticket consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X. They were both listed on sites like eBay and Amazon for up to $1,700. Nintendo's SNES Mini and NES Mini were for sale on eBay for more than double their sticker price. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/nintendo/nintendo-somehow-underestimates-demand-for-the-switch-2-141030518.html?src=rss
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
On Wednesday, Roku revealed two new streaming devices at an event in New York. The company says its Streaming Stick and Streaming Stick Plus are the most compact on the market, measuring 35 percent smaller than other brands' models. However, Roku says there's no compromise on performance despite the small size. The entry-level Streaming Stick is $30 and it knocks the Roku Express out of the company's lineup. It has many of the features you'd expect from Roku, such as personalized recommendations, access to thousands of streaming channels, a voice remote and Backdrops a way to display art and photos on your TV when you're not streaming anything. The $40 Streaming Stick Plus, meanwhile, replaces the Roku Express 4K+. Naturally, this has all of the features of the Streaming Stick as well as support for 4K and HDR streaming. Roku notes the small size of both sticks makes it easy to bring either with you when you travel, so you can plug one into a TV at your hotel or vacation rental and keep watching your shows. The Roku Streaming Stick and Streaming Stick Plus is coming to the US, Canada, Mexico, the UK, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Panama. US pre-orders are open today and the sticks will become available from Roku directly and major retailers on May 6. Jeff Dunn for Engadget Elsewhere, the company previewed new TVs with "unique hardware innovations" and "under-the-hood enhancements." Roku is promising richer and more vivid visuals, along with improved audio quality and faster app launches in its 2025 lineup. The company pledged to deliver custom factory calibration for the new Roku Pro Series models. Plus Series TVs are getting a feature called Roku Smart Picture Max, which automatically adjusts picture settings on a scene-by-scene basis to help you avoid fiddling in menus more than you need to. The Plus Series will now have mini-LED backlighting with the aim of improving picture quality without increasing prices. Those models will also have the built-in remote finder button and integrated cable management that were introduced on Pro Series units. Going forward, all Roku TVs will have a Bluetooth headphone option too. Roku also announced software updates, which it claims will make streaming on Roku OS "smoother and more personalized." Meanwhile, revamped content discovery features include personalized sports highlights and a "Coming soon to theaters" row for movies. (Hey, cinemas need all the help they can get.) On top of that, the Backdrops feature is coming to all Roku TVs and streaming devices in Canada starting today. This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/home-theater/roku-says-its-streaming-stick-and-streaming-stick-plus-are-35-percent-smaller-than-the-competition-140021984.html?src=rss
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
Sites : [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] next »