Mark Raby

How long until others copy Apple's Mail Privacy Protection?

When iOS 15 is released this fall, users will have access to enhanced Siri capabilities, new ways to personalize their device, helpful improvements to the Find My iPhone/iPad, and several other new features and functionality to play with. But in the worlds of digital privacy and marketing technology, there's one update in particular that has been sending shockwaves up and down the industry.

Companies who care about email marketing have been in a sort of panic mode ever since the full slate of iOS 15 updates was revealed a couple months ago, due to a new feature called Mail Privacy Protection. In what Apple is calling an advancement of its "privacy leadership," the ability to block marketers from tracking the open behavior of their emails is the first step in what could be a cataclysmic shift for the entire spam (I mean, "email marketing") industry.

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Here's how to watch the Tokyo Olympics in VR

The 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics are shaping up to be one of the most unusual in Olympic history for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that public spectators will not be allowed at any of the events (yeah, and the fact that the 2020 Olympics are happening in 2021).

And even though this won't be the first time that Olympics content will be available in VR, it is a particularly relevant way to experience the 17 days of international matchups this year -- if you still have a standard cable subscription.

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What Nintendo's new OLED Switch means for console gaming

As pre-orders for the latest version of the Nintendo Switch system continue to pour in, Nintendo made some interesting news this week related to how the media has been reporting on the new device. And it has ignited even more discussion about the unique new benefit (and the unique exclusion) of the upgraded console.

The new OLED Switch boasts a significant improvement to the console's built-in screen and … not much else. At one point, there was reporting that it would support 4K output when used in TV mode, but Nintendo never officially announced that and did not include it as a feature. So some Nintendo fans may have felt ripped off when a recent Bloomberg article was posted, saying that the OLED Switch would have a higher profit margin.

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Netflix video games and other things to expect in the post-pandemic video streaming market

Despite all the unease and uncertainty of the past 18 months, it is comforting to know that there are some things you can rely on: like the billions of dollars in recurring credit card transactions that every media conglomerate has continued to rake in. From legacy names to brand new offerings that launched during the pandemic, the streaming video industry is one of the obvious winners in a world where people spend more time at home.

With that world starting to fade away, though, and as a year and a half of boredom slowly transforms into demand for outdoor and real-world activities, there is no way these services can keep up their record levels of growth and momentum. But that doesn't mean that they're not trying.

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New York Comic Con 2017 ditches high-tech in favor of extravagant experiences

Taking a trip to a sparsely populated desert before it becomes inundated with zombies. Being immersed inside the new HBO series Westworld. Doing odd jobs alongside everyone's favorite time-traveling duo of Rick and Morty.

Those were just some of the experiences for which fans at New York Comic Con waited up to several hours in line...last year. And they all required virtually no booth space.

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D-Link Covr AC3900: a solid choice for the most demanding Wi-Fi users [Review]

Tell me if this sounds familiar. You finally broke down and shelled out a bunch of money on the latest 4K HDR TV, or laptop, or computer monitor -- or all three. You eagerly sign into your favorite streaming service, navigate to the 4K Ultra HD section, and break out the popcorn.

And then...buffering...dropped connections...and that streaming provider so very conveniently bumping you down to a lower resolution so you can have a "better" and interruption-less experience.

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Nintendo, expectedly, trademarks Nintendo 64 Classic Edition

What do 1985 and 2016 have in common? The same video game system as one of the hot-ticket Christmas presents. Nintendo has masterfully fulfilled the need for nostalgia among millions of gamers, in addition to creating that need for countless others who, thanks to the hype of the NES Classic Edition, didn't even realize how cool it was to play games from their childhood days in the 2010s.

It came as no surprise, then, when Nintendo announced the follow-up Super NES Classic Edition last month, which is due to be released in September. And eagle-eyed fans have discovered that there is likely another stop on the nostalgia train before too long.

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Intel reportedly shutting down its once-thriving wearables division

Intel logo building

Despite previously being one of the most vocal champions of the wearable technology market space, semiconductor giant Intel has virtually (and quietly) shut down the business unit that was responsible for its once emerging line of smartwatch and fitness tracker components.

The dedicated unit was created after Intel acquired a little-known smartwatch company called Basis in 2014. The writing may have been on the wall after the company had to recall all Basis products late last year after multiple incidents of them overheating, causing users' wrists to become burned.

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Nintendo Switch Online app goes live, will be useful in two days

As a sign of its continued adoption of third-party platforms, Nintendo has just launched the Nintendo Switch Online app on Google Play and the Apple App Store. Players will be able to link their accounts between the Nintendo Switch console and the new app so that they can view certain historical data/statistics, as well as directly integrate with online features of compatible games.

That said, it doesn't actually do any of that now. The app launch is in preparation of the first title that will support it -- Splatoon 2, which comes out on July 21.

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Oculus plans to go mass market with $200 VR headset: report

The company that singlehandedly revived the virtual reality market from gimmicky nonsense to a paradigm shift in all types of content, is planning to launch a device that could put all the pale imitators into a corner.

According to a report from Bloomberg, the Gear VR and Oculus Rift manufacturer has plans to launch a $200 standalone headset some time in 2018.

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Nintendo Switch finally gets a video streaming app -- in Japan

Nintendo is finally bringing a third-party video streaming service to its Switch console for the first time since the system launched in March. However, it's not Netflix or Hulu.

It's Niconico, Japan's main YouTube rival which launched in 2006 but has become an increasingly popular platform in the country in recent years (it's currently among the top 10 websites in Japan).

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Citi Pay joins the mobile/online fray

If you thought there weren't enough digital "Pay" platforms in the United States... you would be in a class by yourself. Nevertheless, there is a new option in the ever-expanding "digital wallet" marketplace.

The latest entrant is Citibank, the US's fourth-largest banking institution. Its unique take in this crowded space is its integration with Masterpass -- Citi customers can check out online and in-app anywhere Masterpass is accepted by using their existing online banking credentials.

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First limited-edition PS4 Pro console to debut September 6

Sony announced today that it will be launching the first special edition version of the PlayStation 4 Pro in September, to coincide with the release of the anticipated action game sequel Destiny 2.

Announced on the official PlayStation Blog, the new version of the PS4 Pro comes in a "Glacier White" color instead of Sony's traditional black motif. The bundle also comes with a Glacier White PS4 controller, a physical copy of the game, and a "digital content pack."

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No walls here: virtual reality exhibit showcases US-Mexico border

In what can be described as part political statement, part historical documentation, and part 21st century technology, a new exhibit has opened at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in California, in which visitors can experience a virtual reality experience of what it is like to cross the border from Mexico to the United States.

The exhibit opened earlier this week, and public tickets are already sold out through the scheduled end of the exhibit, September 10.

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PlayStation Now finally adds PS4 titles

Sony's subscription-based game streaming service received a massive update today -- not entirely because of the number of new titles available, but because of the fact that the new titles are from the PS4 library. Until now, the service only offered streaming PS3 games.

The addition of PS4 games to the platform has been discussed since it was introduced back in 2014. However, no firm plans to do so were ever confirmed until now. Surely not coincidentally, it just so happens to have arrived just one month after Microsoft launched its competing Xbox Game Pass platform, which offers streaming Xbox One titles.

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