You can no longer get Apple Music for $5/month

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You can no longer get Apple Music for $5/month
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Over the past few years, all of our favorite streaming services have been going up in price. Netflix, YouTube Music, Disney+, Hulu, Spotify, you name it. Apple Music isn’t raising its price per se, but it might as well. According to a new report, Apple Music is discontinuing its cheap Voice plan soon.

When it comes to streaming services, Apple Music seemed to be the best deal. YouTube Music costs $10.99/month and that goes for Spotify. Apple Music’s cheapest plan only costs you $4.99/month. That’s the company’s Voice plan, and it gives you the basics.

Well, Apple Music is discontinuing its Voice payment tier

So, rather than increase the price of its least expensive tier, Apple decided to sink that ship altogether. According to the Apple Music support (via Phone Arena) page, the Voice tier is going away sometime in November. Since the month just started, it could happen between now and the next 26 days.

This is going to be a hard cut-off for the plan, as Apple has already stopped auto-renewals for people on the Voice tier. So, if you already have it, you’re going to have to jump on a more expensive plan or say goodbye to your music.

Sometimes, people will still be able to keep their plans for a limited time after a change like this. Instead, it looks like Apple is playing hardball here.

However, there’s good news for people who are on the free trial. They’re able to keep their service through their first billing cycle. This means that they’ll be able to keep their service through their trial and pay $4.99 for a month. they will need to switch to another plan.

This is a bummer because the next plan up costs more than double the $4.99/month cost. That’s the $10.99/month Individual plan. Above that, there’s the Family plan that costs $16.99/month. If you’re a student, then you can get your subscription at a discount. The Student plan costs $5.99/month.


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Amazon & Meta commit to fair competition, settle UK investigations

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Amazon & Meta commit to fair competition, settle UK investigations
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The UK’s competition regulator CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) has settled its antitrust investigations into Amazon and Meta. It has been separately probing the two companies over potential misuse of consumer data to unfairly benefit their products. The UK watchdog says it has received commitments from the two tech biggies that will “help protect fair competition.”

Amazon and Meta settle their antitrust investigations in the UK

The CMA’s investigations into Amazon and Meta had similar cores. They concerned the two firms’ respective retail platforms – Amazon Marketplace and Facebook Marketplace. The antitrust case against the former sought to determine if it was using Marketplace data obtained from third-party sellers “to give itself an unfair competitive advantage” to its own retail business.

The investigation also looked into the e-commerce giant’s warehousing and delivery services. The CMA had concerns that it was giving an advantage to sellers that use its logistics services rather than rival businesses. The regulatory body launched the investigation in July 2022. However, Amazon committed to keep things fair, prompting the CMA to drop the investigation.

It agreed to keep a level playing field for all third-party Marketplace sellers, so they can compete fairly and that UK customers get the best deals. All independent sellers will get a fair chance to feature their offers in the “Buy Box.” Additionally, sellers can negotiate delivery rates directly with independent providers. The CMA began a consultation on Amazon’s commitments in July 2023 and has now accepted them.

The CMA’s antitrust case against Meta looked into its handling of third-party data to curate content on Facebook Marketplace. The company has agreed to allow rivals that advertise on its platforms to opt out of their data being used to improve Facebook Marketplace. It has also pledged to limit the use of ad data when developing products. “Without these measures in place, Meta risks having an unfair competitive advantage that could distort competition,” the CMA said in a press release.

An independent trustee will monitor compliance with the commitments

The CMA will appoint an independent trustee to monitor Amazon and Meta’s compliance with their respective commitments. It hasn’t shared more information about the trustee. “We welcome the constructive resolution of our concerns in a way that benefits people and businesses and expect to see more of this kind of resolution once the Digital Markets, Competition, and Consumers Bill comes into force,” said Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive Officer of the regulatory body.


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T-Mobile finally gives Android users this functionality after 5 years on iOS

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T-Mobile finally gives Android users this functionality after 5 years on iOS
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When you want to activate a phone, you would either need to go to a brick-and-mortar store or have a SIM card sent to you. There’s not really a way to just activate the phone instantly from the comfort of your home. Well, that’s not true; you can do this if your phone has eSIM support…. and if you have an iPhone. Well, T-Mobile is finally letting Android users activate their eSIM phones after five long years.

T-Mobile has a dedicated app that people can use to activate their phones right from their home. It released this app for iPhones back in, get this, 2018. It’s been an iPhone-exclusive app for the past five years, which is annoying, seeing as more Android phones are adopting the eSIM tech over time.

Now, T-Mobile lets Android users activate their eSIM phones from the app

If you don’t know what eSIM technology is, it’s been a pretty polarizing subject. We’re all used to using SIM cards; physical programmed cards that we insert into our phones. Well, eSIM technology ditches that. With eSIM, the card is embedded into the phone, and it can be activated with different services.

So, rather than getting one SIM card that’s tied to one service, the eSIM can be told to change services. However, it can still be bound to a certain carrier.

T-Mobile finally made the eSIM app available to Android users. All you have to do is download the app and follow the on-screen instructions to activate your phone. Since your phone won’t have service until you activate your SIM, you might want to jump on a secure Wi-Fi connection.

Once you follow the steps, you’ll be able to use your phone just like any other phone. Also, if you activate your phone through eSIM, you won’t have to pay an activation fee. This makes activating your phone easier in an age when T-Mobile is deprioritizing physical stores.


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YouTube launches new features for teens’ protection

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YouTube launches new features for teens’ protection
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YouTube continues to add more features to prevent harmful content exposure for teens. The video company already has in place strict rules that protect teens on its platform, but there will always be people who find a way around them.

Earlier this week, YouTube announced a new set of features that will further enhance teens’ protection. The company developed these features in partnership with the Youth and Families Advisory Committee and will be implemented in the coming weeks.

That being said, YouTube revealed that it is now limiting repeated recommendations of videos related to content that compares physical features and idealizes some types over other, idealizes specific fitness levels or body weights, or displays social aggression in the form of intimidation.
YouTube launches new features for teens’ protection

Another change announced this week is the complete revamp of the Take a Break and Bedtime reminders features to be more visually prominent and appear more frequently. The changes will be more prevalent for viewers under 18 whose accounts have these reminders turned on by default.

It’s also important to add that these features should pop up as across Shorts and long-form videos, with a default setting for Take a Break reminders every hour, which can be adjusted.

Finally, YouTube announced that it’s expanding crisis resources panels into a new full-page experience, which will hopefully help viewers pause and explore help topics when they search on YouTube for certain queries related to suicide, self-harm, and eating disorders.

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Samsung still wants to build the S Pen into its foldable phones

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Samsung still wants to build the S Pen into its foldable phones
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Since the Galaxy Z Fold 3, we’ve known about Samsung’s mission to build the S Pen into the Z Fold experience. Unfortunately, the company hasn’t been able to so far, and we’ve only gotten unique cases. However, some new patents show that Samsung is still looking to integrate the S Pen into its Z Fold phones.

It’s important to note that this news comes to us from patent images spotted on Studimo (via Android Central). Since these are patent images, you shouldn’t expect anything to come from them.

This means that Samsung is interested in securing the technology. It doesn’t mean Samsung is actively working on a product with this design. So, if Samsung is working on the technology, we don’t know if it is planning on integrating it with the next Galaxy Z Fold or in future years.

Samsung is working on building a stylus into a future Galaxy Z Fold

Patent images are always a great source for eccentric designs. These are no different, as they show some ways that Samsung wants to build the S Pen into its future Galaxy Z Fold devices. One involves a notable change to the smartphone’s form factor.

1st design

The first image shows the Galaxy Z Fold with an extended bezel. The bezel around the top third of the phone will stick out a couple of millimeters. The S Pen will sit comfortably within that bezel. If you want to take the stylus out, you’ll click it and pull it downward.

That’s a pretty convenient way of accessing your stylus, but it might have an effect on the handling of the phone. Also, we’re not sure that Samsung is going to release a product that looks that eccentric. One of the things that Samsung prides itself on is its refinement of the foldable phone formula over the years. We’re not sure if the company wants to walk back the refinement of its device to experiment.

galaxy fold built in stylus 1
Image Credit: Studimo

2nd design

The next design shows the S Pen being integrated into the back of the phone. Similar to how the S Pen sticks to the back of the Galaxy Tab magnetically, the S Pen will sit in a little cavity right below the camera. It will most likely stick magnetically. This will be hard to do without adding thickness to the phone, but it might not disrupt the fundamental design as much as the first design.

galaxy fold built in stylus 2
Image Credit: Studimo

In any case, we hope to see Samsung finally add the S Pen to its Galaxy Z Fold devices.


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WhatsApp is still working on email verification, don’t worry

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WhatsApp is still working on email verification, don’t worry
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Any person who uses WhatsApp should know the struggle with using the service across different devices. You’re not able to simply sign in using an email or username; however, that’s set to change. According to a new report, WhatsApp is working on bringing email verification.

People have used WhatsApp for years, and they’ve dealt with the company’s sign-up process. You use your phone number when making a new account. This means that if you switch to a new number, you will lose access to all of your chats and files.

Despite this, WhatsApp has pretty much been at the top of the messaging platform game for some time. With other companies offering strong competition like Google and Telegram, WhatsApp is going to need to fix this issue in order to stay competitive.

WhatsApp is working on email verification

While the company is working on bringing this feature to the public, it’s still a while away. The feature for email verification was found in the beta version of the app (version 2.23.24.10). Even then, it’s not showing up for all beta testers. so, the company is only testing it on a limited number of testers.

If you’re lucky enough to have the feature, you’ll find it by going to your settings and going to the Account page. In the email section, you’ll see the email setup screen. You’ll enter your email address. After that, we’re sure WhatsApp will send a verification email to the address prompting you to verify your address.

WhatsApp email verification

In the screenshot, we see that the address entered is still pending verification. So, you’ll see that until you verify your email address.

Another thing to note is that your email address won’t be visible to other people on the app. This is for people who want to maintain their privacy. This way, your email isn’t visible to random people who happen to use the app.

Right now, we don’t know when WhatsApp plans to release this to the stable channel. However, it’s nice to see that the company is making steps in the right direction.


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LEGO Marketplace BrickLink Hacked? Website Down Amid Unusual Activity

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LEGO Marketplace BrickLink Hacked? Website Down Amid Unusual Activity
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Key Points

  • The official website of BrickLink displays a message stating that it experienced unusual activity.
  • Ransom messages were reportedly sent out to many BrickLink users’ accounts.
  • Apparently, hackers are demanding payments in cryptocurrency in exchange for not deleting store inventories and other items.
  • BrickLink is yet to release an official statement about the incident, and there is no confirmation that the company has become a target of cyberattack.

The website of BrickLink, the world’s leading LEGO marketplace and fan community, is currently down, allegedly due to a hacking incident. The company is investigating the issue and has taken down the website as a precautionary measure.

Usually, BrickLink’s website goes under maintenance regularly, but this lasts for a few minutes only. This time, the maintenance mode has lasted for over five hours, according to Jay’sBrickBlog. Users who visited the site saw the following message:

“Bricklink is currently investigating some unusual activity, so it’s too early to speculate further. We will share more information once it’s available.”

The company posted another update on November 4 at 3:58 a.m. EST, “We continue to investigate the unusual activity. We want to make sure we take the time to investigate fully. We will be back up and running as soon as possible”.

LEGO Marketplace BrickLink Hacked? Website Down After Suspected Cyberattack
Bricklink website down (Screenshot: Hackread.com)

Several BrickLink users have reported receiving or viewing ransom messages allegedly from the hacker(s). A user wrote this message on Reddit, “I saw ransom messages on the forum and now can’t access the site. Any info?”

Another user wrote that BrickLink has gone into “preventive shutdown” and that “BrickLink had 30 minutes to pay EUR 50,000 to a bitcoin account or they would start deleting inventories from big stores. The shutdown appears to be an effort to get the hackers out of the system.”

According to the messages shared by BrickLink users, Sellers and Stores accounts have been hacked, and attackers are demanding payments in cryptocurrencies in exchange for not deleting items and store inventories. Instagram user exabrickslegogo_ claims that attackers are allegedly asking €50,000 for site restoration.

LEGO Marketplace BrickLink Hacked? Website Down After Suspected Cyberattack
Ransom message received by users

BrickLink was founded by Dan Jezek in 2020. It boasts over a million members, 10,000+ seller stores in 70 countries, and hosts the BrickLink Designer Program that lets fans create personalized sets that become physical builds if they attract 10,000 votes. It became a wholly owned Lego subsidiary in 2019 but is managed as a standalone platform where fans can buy specific pieces, get instructions on models, and locate hard-to-find sets.

Since the company is yet to release an official statement, there’s no clarity on what could have happened and what data may have been compromised. BrickLink is investigating the incident but hasn’t provided any timeline for when the site will be online again. Meanwhile, BrickLink users must exercise caution and avoid clicking on links/attachments in emails or messages from unknown senders.

  1. Disney+ accounts being sold on dark web marketplaces
  2. Fashion marketplace giant 21 Buttons exposes millions of users’ data
  3. Brazilian marketplace integrator Hariexpress exposed billion of records

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Do you want an unused Twitter handle? Well, you’d better have $50,000

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Do you want an unused Twitter handle? Well, you’d better have $50,000
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You just REALLY love Hot Wheels, and you think that @HotweelzGuy fits your tastes perfectly; however, someone else claimed it. Well, if it’s gone unused, there’s still hope to have it. You can buy an unused Twitter handle from the company, but you’re probably going to have to sell your house to do it.

According to an email seen by Forbes (via SamMobile), the company is working on a handle marketplace where people can sell their old and unused handles. So, these will be user-to-user sales only. The company started deactivating unused and bot accounts earlier this year. However, X is not currently planning to sell those purged accounts.

You can buy an unused Twitter handle, but it’s a bit pricey

So, if you’re wondering about the pricing, it’s not pretty. You wouldn’t expect a Twitter handle to cost much; it’s literally a line of text/numbers. But, apparently, it’s worth a lot to Elon Musk. If you move to buy a handle from a user, you’ll need to pay a $50,000 flat fee to X.

That’s already high, but 100% of that fee will go to X; the seller doesn’t see any of that, so the seller will need to charge more on top of that to make any money. So, the price you pay could be much higher.

As you can imagine, the mass majority of people will not want to pay that much money for a handle. It’s much cheaper just to add a few characters to the end of their dream handle and call it a day. This way, they could have a good handle and not go into debt.

At this point, we don’t know when this marketplace is going to open up. When it eventually does, who knows if this will be a revenue stream for the company or just another failed attempt to make the app profitable.


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Xiaomi 14 Ultra to launch with a new powerful camera sensor

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Xiaomi 14 Ultra to launch with a new powerful camera sensor
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As many of you know, both the Xiaomi 13 Pro and Xiaomi 13 Ultra include a 1-inch camera sensor. The ‘Ultra’ model did get the advantage of variable aperture, though. Having said that, the Xiaomi 14 Ultra is rumored to include a new powerful camera sensor.

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra will include a new camera sensor

One of the most prominent Chinese tipsters, Digital Chat Station, claims it will be the Sony LYT-900 (LYTIA). That is a 50-megapixel camera, just like the Sony IMX989 that Xiaomi used, but improved, of course.

Other sources claim it could be the OmniVision OV50K, which is also a 50-megapixel camera sensor. That camera sensor has been mentioned in context with Huawei too.

If we had to guess, we’d say that Xiaomi will stick with Sony. Why? Well, Xiaomi has been doing that for quite some time, and all three Xiaomi 13 series flagships used a main camera sensor from Sony.

The Xiaomi 14 & Xiaomi 14 Pro use the ‘Light Hunter 900’

Also, Xiaomi did confirm that both Xiaomi 14 series smartphones utilize the ‘Light Hunter 900’ camera sensor. That is a direct translation from Chinese, though, and considering that the number 900 is included in both that name, and the LYT-900 camera sensor, we presume it’s the same thing. We’re not sure, though.

The ‘Ultra’ model will likely come with some camera hardware advantages over the Xiaomi 14 Pro. That is what happened with the Xiaomi 13 series, and we expect the same to be the case with the Xiaomi 14 series phones.

What about the OmniVision OV50H? Well, it’s also a 1/1.3-inch camera sensor, just like the ‘Light Hunter 900’. They should be on the same playing field, at least to a degree. Software will play a huge part in the results, of course.

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is not expected to launch that soon, however. The Xiaomi 13 Ultra arrived around half a year after its siblings. The upcoming ‘Ultra’ phone is tipped to arrive in Q2 next year, or the very end of Q1 at the earliest. Xiaomi could still surprise us, though, this is just an assumption.


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Trusted source confirms Galaxy S24 series colors

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Trusted source confirms Galaxy S24 series colors
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Last month, a well-known display analyst shared what color variants we can expect for Samsung’s upcoming flagships. Well, Ice Universe has just confirmed the Galaxy S24 series colors, basically.

Trusted source shares the Galaxy S24 series colors

Ice Universe is one of the most prominent tipsters out there, and he basically confirmed what Ross Young said. Considering how accurate both sources usually are, we have no reason to doubt this information.

The Galaxy S24 series is coming in Black, Blue, Gray, Green, Orange, Violet, and Yellow color options, says Ice Universe. Out of those colors, four will be standard ones, Black, Gray, Violet, and Yellow. Blue, Green, and Orange colors will be online exclusive. Do note that those will be Light Blue and Light Green colors, according to Ross Young.

So, there will be plenty to choose from. Do note that not all models will be available in all of these colors, probably. As many of you already know, Samsung is expected to announce three smartphones as part of the series. The Galaxy S24 is coming, along with the Galaxy S24+, and Galaxy S24 Ultra.

The Galaxy S24 series is expected to launch in January

Those three smartphones are expected to launch in January next year. We still don’t know the exact launch date, even the month is just an assumption at this point. Samsung will confirm everything in the near future.

Based on what we’ve seen thus far, the Galaxy S24 Ultra will have a flat display, unlike its predecessor. In fact, all three smartphones will have flat displays. The Galaxy S24 Ultra will differentiate from its siblings in terms of the design, though.

The company seems to be set to use both Snapdragon and Exynos chips once again, after skipping Exynos for last-gen models. Chances are that users in Europe will once again get an Exynos chip, though it’ll hopefully be considerably better this time around.


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