engadget: “Many companies — from VR game makers to sock brands — have embraced the subscription model, which means things you used to pay for just once may now be sucking money out of your accounts regularly. And video streaming services have raised their prices so much we had to ask whether it’s still worth… Continue Reading
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Category Archives: E-Commerce
2023 in social media: the case for the fediverse
The Verge: “There’s this picture from more than a decade ago that still goes viral on the web every once in a while. You’ve probably seen it: it was created by the venture capitalist Andrew Parker, and it compares a few dozen startups with subsections of Craigslist. Back then, Craigslist was all things to all… Continue Reading
Wireless TVs use built-in cameras, NFC readers to sell you stuff you see on TV
Ars Technica: “It’s no secret that TV makers are seriously invested in pushing ads. Using TVs for advertising goes back to 1941 when the first TV commercial aired. But as we trudge our way through the 21st century, TV vendors are becoming more involved in ensuring that their hardware is used to sell stuff and… Continue Reading
‘It’s totally unhinged’: is the book world turning against Goodreads?
The Guardian: “The influential user review site has suffered a year of controversies, from cancelled book deals to review-bombing, and exposed a dark side to the industry.” Continue Reading
News Publishers Fear Google’s AI Search Tool as Traffic-Destroying Nightmare
WSJ via Mint: “The tech giant’s AI-powered search product is being tested on roughly 10 million users; publishers rely on Google for traffic and see a gathering storm.” Continue Reading
Saving the News from Big Tech
Saving the News from Big Tech, Cory Doctorow, Special Advisor/EFF, June, 2023: “Media is in crisis: newsrooms all over the world are shuttering and the very profession of journalism is under sustained ideological and physical assault. Freedom of the press is a hollow doctrine if the only news media is written or published by independently… Continue Reading
This Is What Happens to All the Stuff You Don’t Want
The Atlantic [free to read] “…When you order a pair of sweatpants online and don’t want to keep them, a colossal, mostly opaque system of labor and machinery creaks into motion to find them a new place in the world. From the outside, you see fairly little of it—the software interface that lets you tick… Continue Reading
DoorDash can pick up and return your packages for free. Here’s how
ZDNet: “With the holiday shopping season in full swing, online shopping is an easy way to get through your gift shopping list without leaving the house. If anything you ordered doesn’t meet your expectations, instead of leaving the house to make the return, you can ask DoorDash to do it for you. DoorDash offers a… Continue Reading
Leading scholarly database listed hundreds of papers from ‘hijacked’ journals
Science: Scopus is giving suspect, non–peer-reviewed papers unwarranted legitimacy, researchers say: “Scopus, a widely used database of scientific papers operated by publishing giant Elsevier, plays an important role as an arbiter of scholarly legitimacy, with many institutions around the world expecting their researchers to publish in journals indexed on the platform. But users beware, a… Continue Reading
FTC Warns be skeptical about QR codes
The Verge: “The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warned the public against scanning any old QR code in a consumer alerts blog last week. Naturally, the warning comes down to security and privacy — bad actors can put QR codes in inconspicuous places or send them via text or email, then just sit back and wait… Continue Reading
Mozilla Privacy Not Included Gift Guide
Mozilla Foundation: “Make smart choices to protect your privacy. Search for products. Read expert reviews. Get tips and tricks. Dozens of products are reviewed, include Tips to Protect Yourself when using each product, What data does the company collect for each product, as well as the following explanations that document each evaluation: A Little Creppy,… Continue Reading
The New York Times Claws Its Way Into the Future
Wired [read free] “…Sulzberger, like more than three dozen other executives and journalists I interviewed and shadowed at the Times, is working on the biggest strategic shift in the paper’s 165-year history, and he believes it will strengthen its bottom line, enhance the quality of its journalism, and secure a long and lasting future. The… Continue Reading
