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Urbanears’ sub-$100 true wireless earbuds go on sale this summer

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Urbanears has launched a couple of true wireless earbud models — the company’s very first — that both cost under $100 and have pretty decent battery life. The Urbanears Luma, pictured above, can last up to five hours of listening per charge and comes with a charging case that can extend your playtime for up to 25 hours. It has wear detect sensors that can automatically play songs when you put a pair on or auto-pause them when you take it off. The model also has dual microphones on each earbud for clear and crisp calls even in noisy surroundings.

Meanwhile, the Urbanears Alby (pictured below) has an in—ear design for those who prefer a snug fit. It can last three hours of listening per charge, and its charging case can deliver up to 15 hours of playtime. Alby only has one microphone per earbud, but it comes with three sizes of silicone in-ear tips.

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Virgin Media and O2 announce £31 billion UK merger

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O2, which is the UK’s biggest carrier with 34 million subscribers, also agreed a merger with Three UK in the same year, but was later blocked by the European Commission over competition fears, namely higher prices and reduced quality of service.

The Virgin Media-O2 deal will be subject to the same checks, but in an attempt to assuage regulators, the two companies vowed to “put customers first” and invest £10 billion in UK infrastructure over the next five years. Virgin Media has spent the last five years expanding its broadband reach as part of £3 billion Project Lightning push, while O2 is readying its networks for wider adoption of 5G services (if peope don’t set light to its cell towers).

O2 currently provides mobile services to GiffGaff and Tesco Mobile, but also Sky Mobile, which will become a bonafide rival under the new entity. The two companies have already confirmed that Virgin Media mobile customers will be moved across to Telefonica UK’s network (likely terminating its 2021 Vodafone deal in the process).

Given that competition watchdogs waved through BT’s tie-up with EE with no remedies, it’s unlikely that Liberty Global and Telefonica will see too much pushback on their merger. The combination will reduce operating expenses for both companies, which may drive down prices for customers as they seek to better compete in the media/telecoms space against BT and Sky.

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Twitch is working on ‘live and interactive’ reality TV shows

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Amazon is working on more interactive games for streaming, as well as releasing its own premium titles like Crucible and New World, but what else can separate Twitch in an increasingly competitive streaming market? Bloomberg reports that the company is seeking pitches for “unscripted” television shows (read: reality TV) targeting male gamers between 18 – 24, and the 18-24 age group more generally.

According to the document they saw, game shows, dating shows or talk shows that can be produced on a budget of $50,000 – $250,000 per week are preferred. That should make for something better than your average video podcast on YouTube or multi-window Zoom chat, but isn’t in the ballpark of most traditional shows.

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FCC slaps Sinclair with $48 million record-breaking fine

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FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said in a statement:

“Sinclair’s conduct during its attempt to merge with Tribune was completely unacceptable. Today’s penalty, along with the failure of the Sinclair/Tribune transaction, should serve as a cautionary tale to other licensees seeking Commission approval of a transaction in the future. On the other hand, I disagree with those who, for transparently political reasons, demand that we revoke Sinclair’s licenses. While they don’t like what they perceive to be the broadcaster’s viewpoints, the First Amendment still applies around here.”

Pai didn’t specify what those “viewpoints” and “political reasons” are. But back in 2018, Sinclair got embroiled in a scandal after having dozens of local news anchors recite a script warning people about “fake news.”

Paying the penalty will also close investigations into Sinclair’s failure to identify sponsors for materials aired on its own and other TV stations, as well as into the way it negotiated shared programming with other broadcasters. Based on the agency’s release, $13 million of the total amount accounts for the fine it proposed for failing to disclose sponsorship of paid programming made to look like independently generated news coverage. The offending programs were aired during actual news programs or as 30-minute shows.

Sinclair seems to be pleased with the outcome despite having to pay a record-breaking fine. Company chief Chris Ripley said:



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Wink smart home users have one week to subscribe or be shut off

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Many smart home device makers rely on subscriptions to keep a steady stream of money coming in, but Wink is learning how that strategy can easily go wrong. The company has announced plans to move to a $5 per month subscription on May 13th (yes, just one week from now), and it’s mandatory. Decline to sign up and you’ll lose access to devices in the app as well as all automations. “Long term costs and recent economic events” (read: COVID-19) prompted the move, according to Wink, and the company didn’t want to sell user data to offset the costs of running services for free.

If you think that both the short notice and the threat of a hard cutoff will anger customers… well, you’re correct. Reddit users and others are incensed. They’re being asked to pay $5 per month to keep using the devices they already have in their homes, and one week gives them very little time to either weigh the merits of a subscription or find alternatives. “Pay the ransom or they kill our smart homes,” one user said.

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Microsoft To Do adds features the day Wunderlist shuts down

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Today (May 6th) is the day Microsoft shuts down Wunderlist, but it’s hoping that some new features in To Do will ease the sting for those reluctant to switch. The tech giant is rolling out updates (via Android Police) to its Android and iOS apps that introduce some familiar Wunderlist features to the mix. You now have updated views in your Planned list of today, tomorrow and your whole week to see what’s coming up and group it by lists. Accordingly, there are smart lists that can display all your tasks or just those you’ve completed, and a given list will show all completed items at the bottom.

Other additions are subtler and more about dealing with common nitpicks. You can print lists on all platforms, so you don’t have to hold your phone to check your shopping list. There’s now an option to add new tasks above or below existing entries. And if you use an iPhone or iPad, you can tell the app just when to display an icon badge (if at all) for unfinished items.

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Google Authenticator for Android can finally move accounts between devices

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Google hasn’t significantly tweaked Authenticator on Android for years (Android Police notes the last big upgrade was in 2017), but it’s about to get a much-needed refresh. The company is rolling out an update that, most notably, lets you transfer accounts between devices. You’ll now find an export/import tool that moves accounts by creating a QR code you scan on the destination device. It should now be considerably easier to migrate a work email account or your social networks while keeping them locked down with two-factor authentication.

The new revision also makes the leap to Google’s modern design aesthetic and supports a true dark theme if that’s more your style. Google typically takes a while to push updates on its own, but it’s available through APK Mirror if you just can’t wait.

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iOS 13.5 can automatically share your Medical ID in an emergency call

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Apple is making it easier for iPhone and Apple Watch owners to share their medical information with 911 call centers during an emergency. On Wednesday, the company said iOS 13.5, which it will start rolling out over the next couple of weeks, will allow you to set up your phone or smartwatch to share any information you have saved in your Medical ID automatically. 

If you’re not familiar with Medical ID, it’s a feature within Apple’s Health app. You can edit it to include information like your blood type, any existing medical conditions you may have, emergency contacts as well as any food and medical allergies. With the new functionality, your Apple device will use your location to determine if you’re in an area with support for Enhanced Emergency Data services when you call 911. It will then use the system to share your Medical ID securely. Whatever you decide to include in your Medical ID, it’s also encrypted on your device. The company says the new feature will work in conjunction with the Apple Watch Series 4’s and Series 5’s fall detection tech.

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Sonos’ updated Play:5 is now just called ‘Five’

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To go along with its brand-new Arc soundbar, Sonos is making a few internal updates to some existing products. Most relevant to anyone considering the Arc is probably the 3rd-generation Sonos Sub. Sonos has offered a wireless sub for years, and this update doesn’t change the equation much. In fact, the new Sub looks identical to its predecessor, but it got a major internal update. Sonos says that it has increased memory and processing power as well as a new wireless radio. 

The Sonos Play:5 is receiving a nearly identical update. Now simply called the Sonos Five, the company’s best music-focused speaker also had its internals upgraded so it’ll have a longer life of receiving future software updates. Sonos did make one physical change here, though — the white model has a matching white grille, instead of the black one it had previously. 

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