admin

When Twitter’s Blue subscription comes back, it may cost a lot more than before if you purchase it straight from the app. According to The Information, the company informed some employees that it’s going to charge users $11 for Blue subscription if they pay through its iOS application. But if they pay through the web, it will only cost them $7 a month for the service, which includes getting the website’s blue verification badge. As the publication notes, the change in pricing likely takes Apple’s 30 percent commission for payments made through its system into account. 

In late November, Twitter owner Elon Musk spoke out against Apple’s 30 percent cut on in-app purchases. He also said that the tech giant threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store and won’t tell his company why. A few days later, though, Musk met with Apple chief Tim Cook and resolved what the former called a “misunderstanding.” Musk said the two had a “good conversation” and that Apple never truly considered dropping Twitter from the App Store.

Apple announced in late 2021 that it was going to allow developers of “reader” apps to link to external payment systems following a barrage of criticisms against its practice of taking a 30 percent commission. It’s unclear if the two executives talked about Twitter’s plan to offer Blue subscription outside of the App Store and how the social network would implement its idea.

Twitter originally launched Blue verification for iOS devices in early November for $8 a month, but the company decided to pause the service after it led to an influx of impersonators and fake accounts. When the subscription service does come back, it will come with different colored checkmarks: gold for companies, grey for government and blue for individuals, whether or not they’re a public figure. 

Three Democratic lawmakers in the House are demanding answers from Elon Musk about a recent “platform manipulation campaign” related to recent protests in China. In a letter to the Twitter CEO, Representatives Raja Krishnamoorthi, Adam Schiff and Jackie Speier write that they have “deep concern” about the recent spam campaign that drowned out tweets about the protests.

The lawmakers want Musk to answer questions about whether Twitter has any evidence the spam campaign was a state-backed effort by the People’s Republic of China (PRC). “To ensure that the United States is prepared to counter, thwart, and deter foreign influence threats online, it is critical that we understand the extent of the PRC’s potential manipulation of Twitter and identify how recent changes at Twitter are affecting the threat of CCP foreign influence operations on social media,” they write.

The lawmakers also address recent changes at Twitter under Musk’s leadership, with questions about what Twitter’s “emphasis on free speech” means for information access on the platform; as well as whether the company has the “capacity” to identify platform manipulation campaigns.

Since Musk took over Twitter, questions have swirled about how he will handle the platform’s dealings with Chinese officials, such as requests to remove “state affiliated” labels from their accounts. Tesla, the other company Musk runs, is highly dependent on China for manufacturing.

So far, Musk hasn’t publicly acknowledged the letter, which provides a December 31st deadline for a response. Twitter no longer has a communications team. However, Musk has shown little regard for other letters from lawmakers. He recently addressed a letter from Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey about Twitter’s failure to stop impersonation attempts with a dismissive tweet.

When Dyson announced its Zone noise-canceling and air-purifying headphones earlier this year, the company kept some details close to its chest. Specifically, Dyson didn’t announce pricing or availability, nor did it say much about battery life. On Wednesday, it shared that information. Let’s begin with the detail everyone wants to know. When the wearable arrives in the US next March, it will start at an eye-watering $949, making it almost twice as expensive as the AirPods Max.

At first, Dyson will begin accepting preorders by appointment only before the headphones become available through its website and Demo stores across the country. In the US, the company will offer the wearable in two colorways: Ultra Blue/Prussian Blue and Prussian Blue/Bright Copper. The latter will only be available directly from the company, but it comes with a few extras, including a second electrostatic carbon filter, a soft pouch and an inflight adaptor kit.

Both the standard and Dyson Direct models come with the Zone’s signature vizor, as well as a dedicated sleeve and cleaning brush. According to Dyson, the electrostatic filters are rated to provide up to 12 months of use before they should be replaced. The filters feature a dual-layer design that incorporates potassium-enriched carbon to capture acidic gasses like nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide and ozone. All told, the company claims the filters will block 99 percent of particles, including ones that are as small as 0.1 microns.

On the audio front, the Zone headphones are capable of up to 38 decibels of noise cancellation and feature 40-millimeter neodymium drivers. You can use the MyDyson companion app to choose between three audio equalization modes dubbed Dyson EQ, Bass Boost and Neutral. At launch, the headphones will support SBC, AAC and LHDC audio codecs, as well as Bluetooth 5.0.

Battery life will depend on how extensively you use the Zone’s air filtration feature. If it’s not powering the Visor, the Zone’s 2,600mAh battery can provide up to 50 hours of listening time on a single charge. Using the visor at its slowest setting reduces battery life to a modest four hours. Increasing purification speed to the “Mid” and “High” flow settings further reduces battery life to two-and-a-half hours and one-and-a-half hours, respectively. Using USB-C charging, Dyson says it will take about three hours to take the battery from dead to 100 percent. All of that means you will need to be selective about when you decide to use the visor.

UnaBiz, the Massive Internet of Things service provider and owner of Sigfox’s technology, announced today it has raised another $25 million in Series B funding. This doubles the round’s total amount to $50 million, after the first tranche was announced in October 2021. UnaBiz, which is based in Singapore, has now raised $60 million in total. […]

Sigfox tech owner UnaBiz doubles its Series B funding to $50 million by Catherine Shu originally published on TechCrunch