Tech Podcasts

If you've noticed that Apple's two-factor authentication texts include much more extra text than you're used to, don't fret — there's a good reason for it. As Macworldexplains, Apple has implemented a previously proposed system that uses domain-bound codes for sign-ins. The extra tags (such as "@apple.com #123456 %apple.com") are meant to improve the trustworthiness of autofilling text codes in platforms starting with iOS 14, iPadOS 14 and macOS Big Sur.The technique theoretically discourages more sophisticated phishing attacks that try to intercept and redirect two-factor verification messages. If you're using one of those more recent operating systems, you'll only get a code autofill suggestion if the domain of the site requesting a code matches the one in the text. A phishing site can't simply prompt Apple for a code and expect an autofill prompt, then. If you don't get an autofill prompt, there's a good chance the site is bogus.Apple quietly started delivering codes in the new format around November 2021. The concept isn't necessarily limited to Apple's ecosystem, but it has yet to be widely adopted elsewhere. Still, don't be surprised if these lengthy 2FA texts become more commonplace and potentially thwart some phishing campaigns.

If the company formerly known as Facebook is going to help establish the metaverse, it's going to need virtual personas that are consistent across its apps — and it now has just that. As of today, Meta is rolling out updated 3D avatars to Facebook, Messenger and Instagram (via DMs and Stories). The new design lets you bring the same avatar across Meta's platforms, including VR — you can maintain your look as you switch to your Quest 2 and back.The avatars themselves promise to be truer to your style with more faces, skin tones and expressions. You can also add Cochlear implants, over-the-air hearing aids and wheelchairs. Meta is also being more adventurous with clothing. You can now pick up official NFL apparel (shown above) to flaunt your love of football ahead of the Super Bowl.You can still create different avatars for Facebook, Instagram and VR, so you can have a more realistic persona for VR meetings and a more fantastical one for your social media profiles. Meta has also promised to "eventually" simplify moving avatars across places, and already lets you sync avatar changes between Facebook and Instagram.Meta acknowledged the unified avatars were an "early step" in creating the metaverse. This doesn't suddenly create a truly cohesive and immersive digital space. It's a start, though. If nothing else, it provides consistency that might encourage you to try an avatar instead of sticking to a favorite photo.

A single-player version of the card game Gwent is in the works. CD Projekt Red said the standalone title, which is currently codenamed Project Golden Nekker, will be released this year. Although the developer has already released a single-player component of Gwent called Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales, it says the upcoming game will be a distinct experience.“It’s not another Witcher Tales but something different,” Gwent communication lead Paweł Burza told IGN. “We’re aiming to provide a captivating single-player for players who prefer it over competitive multiplayer Gwent.”CDPR has been teasing Project Golden Nekker over the last several months, including in a Gwent roadmap presentation in December. It hasn't revealed many more concrete details beyond the release window and some concept art.As for Gwent, itself a spin-off from The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, CDPR plans to add new cards throughout the year. The studio is also aiming to release the delayed current-gen console versions of The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 in 2022.

Respawn is continuing to expand Apex Legendsbeyond its battle royale roots. The studio is launching its first big team mode, Control, as a limited-time feature available starting February 8th. The mode will sound familiar if you've played Destiny's Control or other hold-the-points gameplay formats. Two teams of nine players each vie to capture and keep up to three zones, with infinite respawns for every player. Those zones will confer benefits like they do in other games, but the nature of those benefits is different — there's a strong incentive to focus on territory rather than wiping out the enemy team.Every zone your team owns will add points each second, up to a score limit of 1,250. You'll randomly encounter "Capture Bonuses" that deliver a wealth of points if your team holds a given zone when the bonus timer runs out. Own both the center point and your team's home point and you can spawn in that middle ground. And if you manage to capture all three points, you'll start a "Lockout" that guarantees a win if those points are yours when a timer expires. A lopsided match shouldn't drag on longer than necessary, to put it another way.Control also introduces a ratings system where players can progress through tiers the more they accomplish for the team in a given life. You'll earn use of your ultimate ability every time you move up a tier, so there's plenty of motivation to stay in one piece. Respawn is promising Control-specific badges and challenges for those interested in longer-term goals.And yes, there's a new Apex character. The game is introducing Mad Maggie, a seemingly Mad Max-inspired, Australian-sounding warlord who has been sentenced to fight in the Apex games. Much like Caustic, her abilities reflect her willingness to leave morality at the door — Riot Drill forces enemies out of cover by burning them, and Wrecking Ball produces boost pads while also exploding near foes. She can also highlight enemies she shoots, and moves more quickly while using shotguns.It's too soon to know if Control will become permanent like Arenas. Respawn's strategy is clear, however. Modes like this potentially keep Apex fresh for veteran players, and might expand the audience to newcomers who aren't fans of the original game's last-one-standing experience.

Spotify publishes its platform rules, Apple allows for unlisted apps, and Samsung was the top smartphone shipper in 2021. MP3 Please SUBSCRIBE HERE. You can get an ad-free feed of Daily Tech Headlines for $3 a month here. A special thanks to all our supporters–without you, none of this would be possible. Big thanks toContinue reading "Spotify Publishes Platform Rules – DTH"

January was National Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Trafficking involves the use of force, fraud or coercion to compel someone into labor or commercial sex. Contrary to how it’s often portrayed on TV, most traffickers aren’t strangers; they know their victims. More and more, the recruitment and exploitation of those victims is happening online. Marketplace’s Kimberly Adams speaks with Alyssa Currier Wheeler, associate legal counsel at the Human Trafficking Institute, about the growth of recruitment on social media.

Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty ImagesJoe Rogan has issued a response to the ongoing controversy that has seen artists including Neil Young and Joni Mitchell removing their music from Spotify because of not wanting to share a platform with his popular podcast, The Joe Rogan Experience. In a nearly ten-minute video uploaded to Instagram, Rogan defends his decision to book contentious guests, apologizes to Spotify for the backlash, and details how the podcast may change in the future. “These podcasts are very strange because they’re just conversations,” Rogan says. “And oftentimes I have no idea what I’m going to talk about until I sit down and talk to people. And that’s why some of my ideas are not that prepared or fleshed out because I’m literally having them in real time, but I do my best and they’re just conversations, and I think that’s also the appeal of the show. It’s one of the things that makes it interesting. So I want to thank Spotify for being so supportive during this time, and I’m very sorry that this is happening to them and that they’re taking so much from it.” Rogan mentions two podcast guests that much of the controversy has focused on, Dr. Peter McCullough and Dr. Robert Malone. Both of these guests made multiple unsubstantiated claims related to the COVID-19 pandemic on The Joe Rogan Experience, according to fact-checking organization Science Feedback. Rogan says of the guests that they are “highly credentialed, very intelligent, very accomplished people, and they have an opinion that is different from the mainstream narrative. I wanted to hear what their opinion is.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Joe Rogan (@joerogan) Despite the widespread debunking of many of the guests’ statements, Rogan takes issue with those episodes being labeled “misinformation.” He argues that the guests’ positions on certain subjects like the effectiveness of cloth masks, the origin of the virus, or whether vaccinated people could catch and spread COVID would have once got you “removed from social media” but have subsequently become accepted mainstream discourse. He doesn’t address their other claims. “I do not know if they’re right,” he continues. “I don’t know because I’m not a doctor. I’m not a scientist. I’m just a person who sits down and talks to people and has conversations with them. Do I get things wrong? Absolutely. I get things wrong, but I try to correct them whenever I get something wrong. I try to correct it because I’m interested in telling the truth. I’m interested in finding out what the truth is, and I’m interested in having interesting conversations with people that have differing opinions. I’m not interested in only talking to people that have one perspective.” While unrepentant about booking guests with disputed opinions, Rogan does say he’s open to ways in which the podcast could improve. He says he agrees with Spotify’s plan to label episodes that include COVID-19 discussion with content advisories and disclaimers. He also says he wants to “have more experts with differing opinions, right after the controversial ones.” “I will do my best to try to balance out these more controversial viewpoints with other people’s perspectives so we can maybe find a better point of view,” he says. “I don’t want to just show the contrary opinion to what the narrative is. I want to show all kinds of opinions so we can all figure out what’s going on and not just about COVID, about everything, about health, about fitness, wellness, the state of the world itself.” Spotify reportedly struck a nine-figure deal with Rogan in 2020 for the rights to host his show exclusively. In documents seen by The Verge, the company deemed

Nvidia done with ARM, Spotify controversy, Google kills FLoC, FBI, and Pegasus Spotify Takes Down Neil Young's Music After His Joe Rogan Ultimatum. Spotify loses $4 billion in market value after the Neil Young controversy. Joni Mitchell demands Spotify remove her music over deadly 'lies'. Apple Music claims it's 'home of Neil Young' after Spotify loses legendary songwriter. Google kills off FLoC, replaces it with Topics. Nvidia Quietly Prepares to Abandon $40 Billion Arm Bid. The PC is back again. But for how long? Apple Revenue Pops 11% To $123.9 Billion Despite Supply Chain Concerns. Dell's new XPS laptop messes with the familiar—and that's the point. Windows 11 is getting Android apps, taskbar improvements, and more next month. The ambitious Android tablet option Google tossed away. The Battle for the World's Most Powerful Cyberweapon. Meta has built an AI supercomputer it says will be the world's fastest by end of 2022. Valve will start selling the Steam Deck on February 25th. A robot bartender that serves up cocktails in 90 seconds will be on duty at the Winter Olympics as organizers seek to keep a lid on COVID-19. ARK Invest's Big Ideas 2022: The 14 transformative technologies to watch this year. Appeals Court Won't Block Enforcement of California Net Neutrality Law. Breyer's Supreme Court replacement will face a hefty cyber docket. Here's what Apple might announce at a spring event this March. Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Jason Hiner, Denise Howell, and Harry McCracken Download or subscribe to this show at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-tech Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors:imperfectfoods.com promo code TWIT Blueland.com/TWIT audible.com/twit or text twit to 500-500 wealthfront.com/twit

DTNS producers Anthony Lemos and Rich Stroffolino condense the month’s photography news in this seven minute audio show. This episode Canon releases a hybrid mirrorless, the Associated Press dips into NFTs, and Nikon reaches for your wallet. Hosted by Anthony Lemos MP3 Download Follow us on Twitter Instgram YouTube and Twitch Please SUBSCRIBE HERE. SubscribeContinue reading "Canon Goes Hybrid – DTNS Photography News Monthly for Jan 2022"

Is it worth putting in a home audio system and using something like Sonos, alternatives to Filemaker Pro, assigning a Google number to your primary phone number, praise of the 15.2 iPhone update restoring Siri functionality to reading voicemails, troubleshooting an external storage device, a fun space story, replacing your TV when your signal is weak? Plus, conversations with Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Marquardt, and Rod Pyle! Spotify's value takes a tumble in the wake Neil Young & others pulling their music off the streaming platform FBI secretly bought Pegasus NSO & tested it Is it worth installing a home audio system and using something like Sonos speakers? Sam Abuelsamid & Ford's BlueCruise Alternatives to FileMaker Pro Ways to assign a Google phone number to a carrier number Upgrade options from an iPhone 5 A recent Apple update restored Siri functionalities to read voicemails. Blind users rejoice! Chris Marquardt and Correct or Right Troubleshooting an external storage device no longer being recognized A fun space story with the caller Jim Rod Pyle & China's space plans TV signal is weak in caller's home & whether it's related to their TV Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Sam Abuelsamid, Chris Marquardt, and Rod Pyle Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/the-tech-guy/episodes/1864 Download or subscribe to this show at: https://twit.tv/episodes/latest Sponsor:twit.cachefly.com

Smartphone season is nearly upon us, which means we have a metric boatload of leaks and rumors to share. Tune in and learn what's coming this year along with other news for Google and Android fans. Links: Lenovo, Sony will skip in-person MWC 2022 while other Android brands commit to stay | Android Central Qualcomm's SoundHound partnership keeps your voice searches off the cloud | Android Central Huawei P50 Pro and P50 Pocket launch globally with insane cameras | Android Central Massive Samsung Galaxy S22 specs leak leaves nothing to the imagination | Android Central Samsung confirms Galaxy Unpacked date and time for Galaxy S22 reveal | Android Central Leaked Galaxy S22 renders show off the different colors, models, and angles | Android Central Samsung's Galaxy Home Mini successor could be right around the corner | Android Central The PS VR2 display will be more than twice as pixel-dense as the Quest 2 | Android Central OnePlus Nord 2T leak reveals a Dimensity 1300 chipset and 80W fast charging | Android Central The original Microsoft Surface Duo finally receives the Android 11 update | Android Central Google Pixel 6a could launch earlier this year alongside the Pixel Watch | Android Central Google may be preparing to launch affordable 'Chromecast HD with Google TV' | Android Central You can now tell Google Assistant to shut up on Nest devices in a snap | Android Central Can Topics finally be the thing that kills third-party cookies? | Android Central Olympians, and burner phones, and online safety — oh my! | Android Central Sponsors: Surfshark: All you need in a VPN — and more. Go to Surfshark.deals/ACP and use code ACP to get 83% off plus 3 extra months for free when you sign up! Indeed: Choose Indeed and join 3 million companies worldwide who use Indeed to hire great people and help grow their teams faster. Get started right now with a free $75 sponsored job credit at indeed.com/acp. Offer valid through March 31. Terms and conditions apply.

Tom comes in with the latest pet thing and Molly has the scheduling hotness. Then Tom's next thing is boss, while Molly finally hits thing oil with a long watched music thing.LINKS:Drill MusicPet OttersCEO of... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The wireless charger on Leo's desk, switching from Linux to a Chromebook or Mac, power supply and power conditioning problems, printing from an Android phone, quickly transferring data to a new phone, improving signal quality on a lengthy projection system, thoughts on the Metaverse, deciding whether to update apps, a tip on switching to a new carrier, and installing Linux on a locked-down Chromebook. Plus, conversations with Scott Wilkinson, Johnny Jet, and Dick Debartolo. Here is the Spotify COVID content policy that lets Joe Rogan slide - The Verge Call Her Daddy Podcast Neil Young says he 'felt better' after leaving Spotify and its 'shitty' sound quality - The Verge Joni Mitchell removes music from Spotify in protest of Joe Rogan's podcast - The Verge N.Korean internet downed by suspected cyber attacks -researchers | Reuters Why the Belarus Railways Hack Marks a First for Ransomware | WIRED This is What You'll Be Able to Stream in 4K at the 2022 Winter Olympics – The Streamable PonoPlayer - Wikipedia Spin 5 | Laptops | Acer United States iPad - Apple Kitty Curling | Imgur 1500VA, 2RU Uninterruptible Power Supply, and Voltage Regulator | Furman Power Google is shutting down Cloud Print this week | Engadget The Leading Print Management SaaS | directprint.io PaperCut: Print management software Google Cloud Print alternatives: What to use now | Zapier Legendary NFL quarterback Tom Brady says it's time to retire - CNN What to Do: Weather Delays and Flight Cancelations | Johnny Jet Airportle by Scott's Cheap Flights ROAM Luggage - Premium Customizable Suitcases Made in the USA Samsung Smart Switch | Samsung HDMI Extender over Single Cat6 Ethernet Cable up to 300 feet | Cable Matters Micro Converters | Blackmagic Design Radio.co | Create Your Own Internet Radio Station Welcome to Office Hours Global – A global conversation where no one's left out Utherverse Free Dating Social Network Windows Weekly | Microsoft Tech Podcast | Windows, Office, Xbox | TWiT How to Install Ubuntu Linux on Your Chromebook with Crouton Extreme Blizzard Coverage - Storm Chasers Intercepting Cyclone - Live Weather Channel - YouTube Sea-Doo Switch: The all-new fully configurable Pontoon Host: Leo Laporte Guests: Scott Wilkinson, Johnny Jet, and Dick DeBartolo Get episodes ad-free with Club TWiT at https://twit.tv/clubtwit Show notes and links for this episode are available at: https://twit.tv/shows/the-tech-guy/episodes/1863 Download or subscribe to this show at: https://twit.tv/episodes/latest

Sarah Lane gives her thoughts about the Remarkable 2, an e-ink tablet for writing and reading. Starring Sarah Lane and Jenn Cutter. MP3 Download $299 (was $399 at time of purchase) Marker Plus (pencil) – $129 *If you buy with Connect, you get a $150 discount on the hardware and 2 months free service, worthContinue reading "Live With It – The Remarkable 2"

Substack is expanding into video with a native player. The feature is currently in private beta, so only a limited number of creators can upload videos directly to a post for now. The newsletter service plans to open up the option to everyone in the coming weeks.Creators can share videos publicly or only with paid subscribers. Videos will be playable on web versions of posts and they'll appear as clickable images in emails. Substack notes that creators have full ownership of their videos, as with their mailing list and everything else they share on the platform.Among those who are testing the feature are legendary musician Patti Smith and chef Andrew Zimmern. They highlight the fact that creators will be able to share things like musical performances and step-by-step guided recipes with subscribers without having to rely on third-party services like YouTube or Vimeo. Others might share makeup tutorials, workouts or career advice.This is the latest in a line of additions to Substack creators' tool chests. The platform introduced a podcast hosting option in 2019 and it expanded to comics last year.Substack isn't the only membership platform of its ilk with its own video player. Patreon said in November it was building one too. On the flip side, Facebook and Twitter have made a push into newsletters over the last year amid Substack's rise to prominence and the battle to attract and keep creators on their platforms.