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Mobile Syrup

Microsoft tweeted and deleted a picture of someone using an iMac

Microsoft tweeted, then deleted, a picture showing someone using one of Apple’s new M1 iMac computers.

As spotted by 9to5Mac, the tweet from the official Windows account included the aforementioned iMac picture and the following text:

“Spring Cleaning? Check out these tips on how to clean and run your device safely and smoothly from Microsoft’s Carmen Zlateff.”

The tweet then linked this Bustle post with tips from Zlateff about cleaning up computers.

Image credit: 9to5Mac

Naturally, not long after the tweet went live, eagle-eyed Twitter users spotted the iMac and started making fun of Microsoft. The tweet reportedly remained up until April 1st, according to 9to5.

You can still view the tweet here on the Wayback Machine.

Doubly funny is that the iMac shown in the picture can’t even natively run Windows. Instead, Apple computers powered by the company’s M1 silicon need to use virtualization software like Parallels to run Windows.

It’s not clear how this all came to be, especially considering Microsoft has its own line of Windows PCs — Surface — it easily could have used to snag a picture for this tweet.

Twitter has also become a common place for people and companies to out themselves as users of Apple products. 9to5 points to Samsung using an iPhone to tweet a promotion for the Galaxy Note 9. There was also the time Huawei demoted and fined employees for a Happy New Year tweet sent from an iPhone.

Source: 9to5Mac

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Mobile Syrup

Elon Musk quotes Eminem in legal battle over his Twitter account

In the middle-aged man’s latest example of desperately trying to seem younger and more hip, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has cited a song from Eminem in court.

The businessman is currently calling on the U.S.’ Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to throw out a 2018 agreement requiring Tesla lawyers to vet his tweets. In a court filing, Musk quoted rapper Eminem’s 2002 hit “Without Me” and replaced “FCC” with “SEC.”

“The [SEC] won’t let me be or let me be me so let me see / They tried to shut me down,” said Musk via his lawyers.

For context, Eminem originally said that following a Colorado radio station being fined for playing an edited version of his 2000 song “The Real Slim Shady,” which it argued featured “indecent language.” The fee was ultimately rescinded, with the FCC noting that it “did not violate the applicable statute or our indecency rule, and that no sanction is warranted.”

Now, Musk’s lawyers are making the same case for Musk, arguing that “the First Amendment requires that agencies proceed with caution when constitutional rights are at stake.” On Twitter, Musk added in a tongue-in-cheek tweet that he and Eminem are “basically identical [with] a few differences maybe.”

The agreement to have Musk’s tweets vetted came about in 2018 after the Tesla CEO tweeted that he was “considering taking Tesla private at $420” per share. The SEC accused Musk of misleading investors, and Musk eventually signed an agreement to allow his lawyers to approve any tweets containing information that could affect the company’s stock price.

While it remains to be seen what will come out of this legal dispute, Musk is already looking beyond Twitter. After questioning whether Twitter adheres to the principles of free speech, Musk said he’s “giving serious thought” to building a new social platform.

Source: SEC Via: The Verge

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Mobile Syrup

You can now search your Twitter DMs for keywords

Twitter is making it easier for users to search for specific messages in their inboxes.

The social media giant announced users can now use the search bar in their inbox to search for messages using specific keywords and names.

Searching using a specific name or keyword brings up people, groups, and direct messages that match the search.

The feature is available on iOS, Android, and the web.

A comment on Twitter’s support page indicates web users who can’t use the feature at this time will be able to soon as the feature continues to roll out.

Source: @TwitterSupport

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Mobile Syrup

Three trends that will dominate Twitter in Canada this year

Multiple trends go viral every year, and Twitter wants to ensure its users know what lies ahead.

The social media giant analyzed billions of tweets over two years and believes three trends surrounding the environment, digital fans, and finance “are about to go big” in Canada this year.

The Great Restoration

The past two years spent under the dark cloud of COVID-19 have shifted the way people talk about the planet. Burnout has led people to focus on wellness differently, prioritizing reclaiming green space and building connections that improve their health and the people around them.

“Instead of obsessing with everything wrong with the world, “the planet will restore when we do” is an attitude shift that no one saw coming,” the analysis notes.

Fan-Built Worlds

“Fans no longer just follow, they’re calling the shots,” Twitter notes in its analysis. Fans have morphed from being dedicated to a person, cause, or group, to being part of the process. The analysis showed that the term “stanning,” or being an overzealous fan, decreased by 53 percent.

“This is an epic shift in power,” the analysis notes. People are no longer waving from the sidelines; they’re a part of the process of collaboration that puts them in the (shared) owner’s seat.

Finance Goes Social

Older generations would build wealth by buying property. Today, property ownership is not something a lot of people can afford. Young people have shifted the way they’re building wealth, focusing on virtual means instead, and it’s easy to do so. Gatekeeping financial information was left behind with the older generation as experts now freely share their finance knowledge with all. Tweets on finance have increased by 173 percent yearly among users who aren’t financial experts.

Source: Twitter

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Mobile Syrup

Twitter could soon let users add pronouns to profiles

It looks like Twitter might soon allow users to add pronouns to their profile.

Reverse engineer Alessandro Paluzzi has discovered proof that the social media platform is developing a pronoun feature and that it might currently be testing the functionality.

It’s odd this feature hasn’t hit Twitter yet. Facebook users have been able to choose pronouns for a while, and Instagram let its users add pronouns last year. Even Slack, Zoom and LinkedIn users can add preferred pronouns.

Twitter will likely make a formal announcement regarding the feature soon.

Source: Alessandro Paluzzi Via: Engadget

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Mobile Syrup

Twitter fixes video upload processing speeds on Android 9 and newer

Twitter has heard complaints about video uploads being slow for Android. Now, the official Twitter Engineering account has acknowledged the issue and has confirmed a fix.

According to the tweet, it should be faster to upload clips up to 720p and bitrates of 3.5mbps and lower. This feature should be available for Android 9 devices and up. Twitter has not said anything about posting anything of higher quality or increased codec support, but Twitter says that it’s continuing to improve the upload experience for high-quality videos.

iOS users can already upload at this higher quality.

Now, for users who upload with an Android 9 Pie device and newer, you’ll notice some improvements when uploading at 720p video processing.

Source: Twitter

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Mobile Syrup

Toronto-based HVR wants to change the way you browse the internet

Bouncing between social media pages and different websites to access content is a thing of the past, according to the people behind HVR.

HVR is a Toronto-based social media tech company, and it wants to reinvent the way people browse the internet through a mobile app under the same name.

CEO Nelson Thall describes it as a “mobile browser that’s also social,” which makes it “easy to discover and discuss the web in one place.”

He says the app is the “world’s first social surfing platform.” It’s about having everything available in one place, scrapping the need to go between websites and social media apps, and giving website owners their engagement back.

Internet users wanting to discover new content, publishers and brands serve as the target audience.

Thall says the app allows users to follow people and websites to create a curated web page. Users can post comments and photos on the websites they visit through the app.

Mockups of HVR’s platform. Image credit: HVR

“It’s a streamlined way to discuss the articles, brands and products that you love with other people who share your interests,” Thall told MobileSyrup.

Having the option to do that in one place will benefit users and publishers, who’ve had no choice but to give their engagement to social media giants like Twitter and Facebook.

“Discussing the web by copy-pasting and sharing links to countless other platforms is inefficient for users and debilitating for web publishers who rarely receive the full monetization benefits of the conversations happening as a result of their content.”

Thall previously owned shares of Canada’s largest newspaper, the Toronto Star, along with members of his family. It was a practice that ran in the family ever since his grandfather bought a fifth of the company in the 1950s.

Thall told MobileSyrup user engagement was something his family felt “insecure” about. Instead of wanting Thall and his brother to submit photographs of issues around Toronto, they were told there were photographers and journalists to capture that.

“Because of this, there was no way they were going to thrive on the web.” While the family sold off shares, Thall said things didn’t change. People still have to copy links to emails and multiple networks to share thoughts on the web.

Along with his brother Henry, they thought it would be great to have discussions on the web for anyone to see. They asked people how the web could work better for them. The feedback included users wanting to organize and share their passions more easily. Eventually, HVR was born.

HVR also has a site partner program that allows website owners to host and grow their community through the app. Aimed at bloggers, publishers, and brands, it allows website owners to maximize their engagement and earnings while allowing their followers to easily access their content.

While the app is available to download on iOS and Android at this time, only those sent a link by an existing user can sign up. Users can request to be notified on when they can sign up.

Image credit: HVR

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Mobile Syrup

Twitter rolls out new storefront feature for select merchants in the U.S.

Twitter is rolling out a new e-commerce feature on its platform which will allow small and large businesses, individual sellers and everyday Twitter users to transform their profile to a virtual storefront.

The new feature, Twitter Shops, will allow users to showcase up to 50 products on their profile, and is free to use.

As of today, the ability to display products on their profile is only available to select merchants in the United States, namely @Verizon, @ArdenCove, @LatinxInPower, @GayPrideApp, and @AllIDoIsCookUS. Additionally, the ability to view and interact with said storefronts currently rests with users in the United States who use Twitter in English on an iPhone.

The feature works similarly to how it is on TikTok. Potential shoppers have the option to browse products in the “View Shop” section, which would appear on the merchant’s profile. From there, you can browse through the 50 products on display and be redirected to the merchant’s website through an in-app browser, if you choose to buy something.

“As we continue to test, we’ll explore how to make Shops more discoverable; adding new ways for merchants to tell their brand story through their Shops; expanding the number of products merchants can showcase, and bringing Twitter Shops to more merchants and more people,” concludes Twitter’s blog post.

The storefront feature comes soon after it was revealed that Twitter is working on a new podcast tab for the platform.

Image credit: Shutterstock

Source: Twitter

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Mobile Syrup

Here are the big tech companies taking action against Russia

The recent illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia has left the general population on both sides appalled. And while the West can’t do much when it comes to taking action on foreign soil, several big tech and social media companies have joined forces and decided to limit, or completely cut off Russia from their services.

Note: This story doesn’t mention any financial sanctions against Russia, and instead focuses solely on social media and big tech restrictions/limitations. This story will be updated with more information as it becomes available.

Apple

Apple announced on Tuesday, March 1st that it has halted all product sales through its web store in Russia.

Heading to the Russian Apple website shows that all items, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watch, AirPods and accessories are marked with “в настоящее время недоступно,” which translates to “currently unavailable.”

Further, Apple has disabled live traffic and live incident data from Apple Maps in Ukraine in a bid to safeguard the local population’s locations, in addition to removing Russian state-led news outlets RT News and Sputnik News from its App Store globally, except for those accessing the store in Russia.

Russians are also currently unable to use Apple Pay as the bank that facilitates the transactions in the nation — VTB has been hit with strict economic sanctions.

Reddit

Reddit initially decided to “quarantine” (shadowban) its r/Russia and r/RussiaPolitics subreddits on Tuesday, March 1st in an effort to curb misinformation originating from threads posted by bad actors. Visiting the quarantined subreddit shows a message, stating “This community contains a high volume of information not supported by credible sources.”

Said subreddits were host to posts defending the invasion, and cherry-picking reasons to justify it, including discussions about Ukrainian soldiers being Nazis, the Ukrainian population spreading misinformation and using past war/training drill photos as current and other types of false propaganda.

Since then, Reddit has doubled down on its approach and decided to outright ban any and all links that direct to Russian state-supported media outlets, including RT and Sputnik and said that it will not allow any advertisements that “target Russia or originate from any Russia-based entity, government or private” on its platform.

Netflix

Netflix announced on Wednesday, March 2nd that it has decided to put all future projects it had undertaken in Russia on hold.

The Los Gatos, California-based streaming service had four Russian originals planned, including a Dasha Zhuk-directed crime thriller series that was in the works but has since been put on hold.

Further, Netflix was recently added to Russia’s list of ‘audiovisual services,’ and was due to oblige to new obligations starting March 1st. One of the new obligations was for Netflix to stream 20 Russian federal television stations. Since then, Netflix has responded and said that it won’t comply with the new rules.

Microsoft

In a blog post published on Friday, March 4th, Microsoft president Brad Smith announced that the company will “suspend all new sales” in Russia.

“We are coordinating closely and working in lockstep with the governments of the United States, the European Union and the United Kingdom, and we are stopping many aspects of our business in Russia in compliance with governmental sanctions decisions,” Smith wrote.

Microsoft specifies that its decision will only affect “new sales.” It’s currently unclear what that could mean for current Windows, Office, Microsoft 365, Azure, and Xbox users in Russia.

EA

EA, undoubtedly one of the biggest game developers and publishers out there announced that it is removing all Russian club and international teams from its FIFA and NHL titles.

The company announced its decision in simultaneous Tweets posted its FIFA and NHL accounts:

The move from EA further’s the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and Union of European Football Associations’s (UEFA) decision to kick out Russian international and club teams from real-world sports.

In addition, EA is ceasing all operations in Russia and will stop selling its games and content, including virtual currency bundles, in Russia and its ally Belarus. “our games and content will no longer be available for purchase in our Russian region storefront on Origin or the EA app, including through in-game stores. We are also working with our platform partners to remove our titles from their stores and stop the sale of new in-game content in the region,” reads EA’s statement.

Google and YouTube

Google condemns the unjust violence in Ukraine, and as a result, the Mountain View, California-based company has disabled the Live traffic layer, in addition to information on how busy restaurants and stores are from its for Google Maps. The move should deter Russian forces from spotting concentrations of the Ukrainian population, and the ones trying to leave the country but are stuck in long roadblocks on the location and navigation service.

Additionally, on Friday, March 4th Google suspended all of its ad sales in Russia. “In light of the extraordinary circumstances, we’re pausing Google ads in Russia,” the company said in a statement given to Reuters. “The situation is evolving quickly, and we will continue to share updates when appropriate.”

This applies to all of Google’s offerings, including Google Display Advertising, Google Search, Google News and YouTube.

YouTube previously blocked Russian state-backed media outlets like RT and Sputnik from earning ad revenue, but the new rule suspends said channels from running ads completely.

Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram

In response to the ongoing conflict, Meta has blocked state-run media accounts like Russia Today on both Facebook and Instagram in the EU, UK and Ukraine. While the ban only applies to those three regions, the media outlets have been shadowbanned globally. What this means is that the state-run accounts are still live and posting, their content will be severely demoted and not recommended to anyone.

Additionally, state-run media outlets can no longer run earn-through ads on all Meta-owned platforms globally.

As a form of retaliation, the Russian government banned Facebook on Friday, March 4th, stating that the social media company had infringed the country’s rules by limiting, and in some cases, outright abolishing access to state-backed media.

Twitter

Along with Meta and its subsidiaries, Twitter has also taken down Russian state-run media accounts in EU and Ukraine, and paused ads in both Ukraine and Russia “to ensure critical public safety information is elevated and ads don’t detract from it.”

Snapchat

While Snapchat’s private format helps it avoid the spread of misinformation, and its Discover and Spotlight sections are pre-moderated, the Santa Monica, California-based company said that it will be swift to remove instances of misinformation regarding Ukraine or Russia on the platform if and when it finds any.

The company has stopped all advertising in Russia, Belarus and Ukraine and says it will stop advertising sales to all Russian and Belarusian entities. “We do not accept revenue from Russian state-owned entities,” reads its release.

Russia Today, or similar Russian state-backed media outlets were never allowed to distribute content through Snapchat.

Snapchat is still available to users in Russia.

TikTok

TikTok announced on Monday, February 28th that it has geographically blocked access to Russian-state-run media outlets like Sputnik on its platform in the EU. The channels remain available and visible on TikTok for users outside the EU.

Nintendo

On Friday, March 4th, Nintendo announced that it has suspended payments via the Russian Nintendo eShop, which means users in Russia would no longer be able to purchase video games, DLC, or download free demos.

Visiting the website currently shows a message in Russian, which roughly translates to “Due to the fact that the payment service used in Nintendo eShop has suspended the processing of payments in rubles, Nintendo eShop in Russia is temporarily placed into maintenance mode.”

CDProjekt Red

Warsaw, Poland-based CD Projekt Red announced in a Tweet on Thursday, March 3rd that it has decided to pause selling its games in Russia and Belarus. The developer states that it is working with its partners to suspend all digital sales and cease physical stock deliveries, along with halting its game sales through GOG.

“We know that players in Russia and Belarus, individuals who have nothing to do with the invasion of Ukraine, will be impacted by this decision,” reads CDProjekt Red’s statement. “With this action we wish to further galvanize the global community to speak bout what is going on in the heart of Europe.”

Poland, home of CDProjekt Red shares its border with Ukraine and Belarus.

Disney

Disney announced on Tuesday, March 1st that it will stop releasing its theatrical films in Russia.

“Given the unprovoked invasion of Ukraine and the tragic humanitarian crisis, we are pausing the release of theatrical films in Russia, including the upcoming ‘Turning Red’ from Pixar,” a Disney spokesperson said in statement given to CNN. “We will make future business decisions based on the evolving situation.”

Canadian service providers

Several Canadian TV service providers, including Bell, Rogers, Telus, Shaw, Access Communication and VMedia have pulled the state-backed RT channel from their respective lineups.

Image credit: Shutterstock

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Mobile Syrup

Russian state agency blocks Twitter

Russia’s communication and mass media state regulator Roskomnadzor has blocked social media giant Twitter.

This news comes from military & intelligence correspondent at Reuters, Phil Stewart.

This past week Russia started restricting Twitter access for certain users, according to the social media company. A Reuters reporter in Moscow on Saturday said the site was slow and had difficulties sending tweets.

Following that, Russia’s Roskomnadzor said that the country had reinstated a slowdown of Twitter’s traffic on computers because of fake posts about the country’s “special operation” in Ukraine.

Earlier today, the Kremlin also passed a law threatening lengthy jail sentences for spreading “fake information” and also blocked the social media platform, Facebook.

The White House says that Russia’s decision to block Facebook is to silence its citizens.

Severa;l tech giants have already restricted activity in Russia, including Microsoft, Apple, Nintendo and Google’s ad sales business. 

Source: Reuters (@phildstewart)