Spotify launches new collaborative playlist feature called Jam
Streaming music service Spotify has announced Jam, a group playlist feature that can be used by up to 32 people. Spotify describes the new social feature as a "personalized, real-time listening session for your group to tune into together".
It is, in many ways, an amalgamation of several existing features of Spotify, such as Blend, personalized playlists and collaborative playlists. All users of Spotify -- free and paying -- are able to contribute to a Jam, but the ability to create them is limited to Premium Subscribers.
Facebook now allows you to create multiple personal profiles so you can maintain separate online personas
After a period of experimentation, Meta has finally decided to permit users to create multiple Facebook profiles. Each profile -- and you can have up to four -- can have its own connections, and will have its own customized Feed.
Meta suggests that Facebook users could use the new option to keep personal and professional relationships separate, but there are many reasons for wanting to maintain more than one Facebook profile. But while the change to allow multiple profiles is a big one, there are limitations and some things are not changing.
Microsoft makes important clarifications about this week's Copilot-touting Windows 11 update
There are big changes coming to Windows 11 this week as Microsoft starts the rollout of a huge update, as it announced at its recent Surface event.
Starting on September 26, the update will make features such as Copilot and passwordless security options available to users of Windows 11, but Microsoft has made a couple of clarifying points out it. Firstly, it is important to note that this update, although big and noteworthy, is not Windows 11 23H2 -- this is coming later in the year. But there's more.
This week sees Microsoft starting to embrace a password-free future for Windows 11
Passwords are a blessing and a curse, serving to secure files, devices and more, while simultaneously being burdensome and, to some extent, offering a false sense of security. With the update that is rolling out to Windows 11, Microsoft is fully embracing the passwordless future the company so desires.
Microsoft points out that passwords are nowhere near as secure as people might think, citing the statistic of 4,000 password attacks every second as proof. The Windows 11 update introduces greater password free security thanks to Windows Hello and wider support for passkeys.
Microsoft is adding even more recommended content to the Start menu in Windows 11
Over the years, the Start menu has evolved from a handy place to house shortcuts to apps and system settings into the slightly chaotic mess users are now presented with in Windows 11. The Windows 11 Start menu is still home to shortcuts -- and more -- but Microsoft has taken a different approach when compared to previous versions of the operating system.
One of the more controversial aspects is the Recommended section. This is used for various things, from highlighting recently installed apps to, more divisively, advertising apps Microsoft would like you to install. And now the company is experimenting with adding even more recommended content.
Meta unveils a new Facebook logo, reactions and more
Meta has launched what it describes as a "refreshed identity system for Facebook". This way of referring to a new logo should prepare you for an avalanche of further flowery language, and in this regard Facebook does not disappoint.
What is the purpose of the logo redesign? Meta says it has "a focus on fostering effortless, self-initiated exploration and connection across every touchpoint". The new logo is described as being "bolder, electric and everlasting", but it has already been the subject of some ridicule just hours after launch.
With the launch of Bard Extensions, Google brings AI to many more of its products and services
The relentless march of AI shows no signs of slowing, and Google is eager to steal a piece of the actions from OpenAI's ChatGPT with its own Bard. It is with this aim in mind that Google has launched a huge update to its generative artificial intelligence tool in the form of Extensions.
With Bard Extensions, Google is achieving two things. Firstly, it expands the capabilities of Bard by letting it tap into the power and data of its other services including YouTube and Maps. Secondly, it makes the likes of Gmail and Drive more useful by harnessing the power of AI.
WhatsApp's new Flows feature lets you shop, book appointments and more from a chat with a business
Continuing its expansions in to shopping and eCommerce, Meta has announced WhatsApp Flows. The new feature allows businesses to give customers the chance to do things like book tickets and order items from within a chat.
Flows can be customized by merchants to meet the specific needs of a business, creating workflow-like purchasing experiences for customers. Launching globally over the coming weeks, WhatsApp has been testing Flows with partners in Brazil and India.
Microsoft releases Windows Subsystem for Linux 2.0.0 with fixes and experimental new features
Microsoft's love for Linux shows no signs of waning, with the company releasing an update-packed pre-release build of WSL 2.0.0.
There are many changes in Windows Subsystem for Linux 2.0.0, and as this is a pre-release version it’s perhaps to be expected that many of the new additions are described as "experimental". One of the biggest new features is experimental.autoMemoryReclaim which shrinks the WSL VM in memory by reclaiming cached memory.
Microsoft updates Paint in Windows 11 with support for layers and transparency, and is working on generative AI
Far from abandoning Paint after nearly four decades, Microsoft is actively developing the app. Having already updated the longstanding image editor with a powerful background removal feature, the company is continuing to equip Paint lovers with new tools.
The latest additions to the beloved app are support for layers and transparency. This is yet another example of Microsoft elevating Paint above being a basic bitmap editor, and there is more on the way. There are also hints in the code of the app that generative AI is under development, meaning that Paint will be able to create images using the DALL-E-powered Cocreator.
The thirst for AI could push up GPU prices and leave consumers with less choice
Reports suggest that AMD is so focused on developing AI-related technology that the company is transferring time and resources away from gaming. The switch will not only mean that AMD will lose ground to NVIDIA, but also that there is likely to be an increase in GPU prices.
AMD is said to have scrapped plans to release high-end RDNA 4 generation of graphics cards -- so the Radeon RX 8800 and 8900 may well not see the light of day next year. The decision is believed to stem from AMD's desire to better compete with NVIDIA in the AI arena by refocusing its semiconductor resources.
Google is bringing the Read Aloud feature of Microsoft Edge to Chrome
There is a great deal of copying of features and ideas in the browser world, so it can be hard to say which is "best". From Chrome and Firefox to Edge and Opera, there is so much inspiration and cross-contamination that it's difficult to find much that is unique.
The latest example of this is Google using the latest Canary build of Chrome to introduce its own version of a feature found in Microsoft Edge. Google's implementation of "Read Aloud" is near-identical to Microsoft's, but Chrome has a significantly larger user-base meaning that this handy tool will be enjoyed by more people.
Leaked: Microsoft's upcoming Surface Laptop Studio 2 and Surface Laptop Go 3 specs and images
In a just a few days, Microsoft is holding a special event which -- although the company has offered nothing in the way of detail -- is widely expected to be a launch event for various Surface devices.
But while Microsoft has been tight-lipped about what the event is about, details of the hardware that will be making an appearance have leaked. Specifically, specifications, images and pricing for the Surface Laptop Studio 2 and the Surface Laptop Go 3 have been revealed.
Google will provide Chromebook updates for 10 years -- if the hardware lasts a decade
Google has announced that it will deliver automatic updates to Chromebooks for 10 years. Up until now, devices have only been eligible for eight years of updates, and this was causing concern for educational institutes and home users.
A full decade of updates is Google's attempt to kept Chromebooks secure for longer, although it's not clear how many of the ChromeOS-powered laptops will last that long. Google points out that 10 years of regular automatic updates is "more than any other operating system commits to today".
Microsoft updates the Windows 11 Snipping Tool app with OCR, and brings powerful new features to Phone Link and Windows Photos
As ever, the Dev and Canary channels of the Windows 11 Insider Program are exciting places to be, bringing updates for not only the operating system itself, but also the bundled apps.
The latest builds of the OS include significant changes and new features for the Snipping Tool, Windows Photos and Phone Link apps. Perhaps the most important addition is Text Actions which brings OCR functionality to Snipping Tool.
Sofia Elizabella's Bio
Sofia Wyciślik-Wilson is a queer, transgender journalist based in Poland. She has been writing about technology for more than two decades, and after years working for magazines, her writing moved online. She is fueled by literature, music, nature, and vegetables. You can find her on Bluesky and Mastodon. If you like what you read, you can Buy her a Coffee!
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