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Over 100 artists,including Tom Morello and Deerhoof, areboycotting music venuesthat use facial-recognition tech to scan audiences. What’s going on? “Surveillance tech companies are pitching biometric data tools as ‘innovative’ and helpful for increasing efficiency and security. Facial recognition examining a crowd in a public area.Ekkasit919 / Getty Images Not only is this false, it’s morally corrupt. This is particularly ironic in venues that don’t allow patrons to take photos or record audio....

The touch is the last rig in the iPod brand, and it has not been refreshed since 2019. But some gadget fans say that the iPod isn’t easily replaced. I also feel like I listen to music differently with my iPod. Ezra Bailey / Getty Images The touch will still be available for purchase while supplies last. “Today, the spirit of iPod lives on. “I don’t need (or even want) a unit with phone capabilities....

Now, though, its testing acheaper ad-supported subscription, too. Spotify Plus will include some of these premium-only features, but still will be supported by ads. Pankaj Patel / Unsplash But Spotify isnt the only streaming option out there. Pankaj Patel / Unsplash Amazon also has its own streaming service, meaning Spotify needs to find other ways to stand out. Making the Catch Of course, Spotify Plus isnt guaranteed just yet. Its also possible the current offerings could change as Spotify works to find a perfect price point....

Spotify Mixes mix your already-liked songs with new tracks the algorithm thinks youll like. These are just more targeted versions of Spotifys Daily Mix and may help folks discover new music. But can algorithms ever even hope to compete with personally picked playlists and human-curated mixtapes? Eric Nopanen / Unsplash “Will AI music curation ever be as good as human-made playlists?” musician andrecording artistthe Rav asked Lifewire via email. “I honestly think that one will force the other to focus on its core competencies....

But don’t get excited about the end of Ticketmaster just yet. The problem with concert tickets is there’s always a service in the middle taking a cut. “As per Spotify, its ticketing site acts as a ticketing agent and takes a booking fee. Rubberball / Mike Kemp / Getty Images That is, it will sell a limited number of tickets to the concerts of participating artists. So, does this mean the end of add-on fees?...

Some experts say gathering information on users moods is a privacy risk. Not everyone agrees that emotion-tracking software is a privacy risk. Its not just the music industry that wants to know how you are feeling. PeopleImages / Getty Images Some companies are using softwareto gauge employees moods, and its raising ethical questions. “But many employees wont see it that way. Will I be penalized if my mood is consistently low?...

Spotify Wrapped’s launch is a day of joy and celebration for music fans. “Here is the soundtrack to my life.” Sadly, I can’t share this moment. I can’t be part of this parade. I must enter Goblin Mode. I must withdraw, to my shame cave, shoulders slumped, head hung low. The problem: I am a parent of two young children under the age of 10. I am a leper. Spotify Wrapped is dead to me....

But just what is a web app? Is it just a website? Will it be fast enough for games? RyanKing999 / Getty Images Googles Stadia and Microsofts xCloud let you play games by “remote control.” The games actually run on powerful servers in the cloud, and stream the video footage. But Apple has blocked game-streaming services like these from the App Store. itsskin / Getty Images So, Microsoft and Google are making them into web apps instead....

Some gamers are happy, but is that enough? Key Takeaways The latest update forGoogle Stadiabrings a series oflimited-time free demosfor players to try out. Since its release, Stadia has struggled to get its footing in the game streaming world. Unlike other streaming services out there, Google Stadia doesnt cost anything to use at its basic level. Still, Smith is sold. “Im pretty much the epitome of cloud gamings target audience,” he said....

This is what the new super-portable, standalone,battery-powered STX from Stantonis for. All-In-One The STX puts all the parts of a scratch DJ setup into one box. You get the turntable, the crossfader, plus a wired input and a Bluetooth output. Stanton Theres even a speaker and knobs to adjust the crossfader calibration. And best of all, its $249. Its more a budget way to get into turntablism, or using the turntable as an instrument....

“Ephemeral content now has a permanent place in social media.” since it’s so ingrained in every platform these days, but the feature is only a decade old. Of course, since then, Stories have been integrated into other platforms aside from Snapchat. Maskot / Getty Images Ephemeral content now has a permanent place in social media. So why exactly has the Stories feature blown up on virtually every corner of the internet?...

The US Olympicteamis standing out at theTokyo gamesin more ways than one. Team USA getting ready to fight Batman. #BaneMaskpic.twitter.com/WUmTqFpJgB Team USA’s masks are made byNike, and the specific style is called theNike Venturer. While Team USA is wearing white masks, Nike is advertising black masks on its website. At $60, they’re not cheap, and they’re not yet available for purchase. “Strap on Nike’s first performance mask of its kind made for optimal breathability....

Because it takes away the control those companies have over how you access information on the internet. So far, weve only seen a few instances of ISPs abusing that control. Verizon ultimately said it wasnt a net neutrality issue, instead blaming a customer service error. krisanapong detraphiphat / Getty Images But with proper net neutrality laws, that kind of throttling wouldnt even be possible. Netflix estimatesthat it takes 7GB to stream one hour of 4K footage from its service....