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Mini Review of the ThinkNode M6: Outdoor Solar Power for Meshtastic

ThinkNode M6 Meshtastic Review

Elecrow has sent us a solar-powered ThinkNode M6 Meshtastic device for review. Last year, I reviewed the ThinkNode M1 and M2 Meshtastic nodes, and I was a bit disappointed by the point-to-point range in a suburban environment, where I got about 550 meters of range after switching to LONG SLOW mode. Nine months have passed since that review, and there still doesn’t seem to be any Meshtastic community in the second-largest city in Thailand, probably because typical Meshtastic terminals are more expensive than entry-level Android smartphones, have limited functionality, and the mobile app is still a mess despite a revamp. Nevertheless, when Elecrow asked me whether I wanted to test the “ThinkNode M6 outdoor solar power for Meshtastic”, I thought it might be fun. The main purpose of this mini review is to check the range I get using the M6 as a router between the M1 and M2 nodes. […]

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Spotify’s ‘Taste Profile’ Beta Enables Users to Personalize Music Exploration

Another beta is commencing for Premium subscribers, focusing on taste.

Spotify’s new beta updates spotlight Taste Profile, a feature that enables users to view how the platform interprets their musical preferences and allows them to manage it. Taste Profile will provide an overview of a user’s recent artists and genres, while offering a text box for users to indicate what they want more or less of. Recent enhancements for Spotify include offline lyrics and a Prompted Playlists beta for the United States and Canada.

Spotify’s method for assessing your musical tastes for recommendations is receiving an upgrade following a beta that is set to launch soon.

In a Newsroom announcement, Spotify revealed its plans to initiate a Taste Profile beta in a selected international market. Right from the start, Spotify states that Taste Profile will serve as the user’s direct gateway to understanding how the platform perceives their music listening preferences. It further explains, “Taste Profile is meant to capture new facets of your taste, like your ongoing interests and habits.” As part of its initiative to enhance personalization and “transparency,” Spotify mentions that users in this beta can adjust their Taste Profile.

A brief video demonstrated that, upon entering the Taste Profile beta, Premium testers in New Zealand will observe a complete breakdown. This breakdown will feature your “recent taste,” including artists you’ve favored and genres. Nevertheless, the key focus here is when you scroll down to locate the “Tell us more” box.

This text box allows the user to denote what they’d like to hear more of. If you’ve been really into metalcore, Sabrina Carpenter, or perhaps the K-Pop group, Itzy, you can inform your profile. Conversely, as Spotify mentions, you can also direct the platform on what to omit from your Taste Profile. If it has been delivering too much of a particular genre or artist simply because you listened to one or two tracks someone suggested, you can instruct it to remove those.

The announcement notes, “Your feedback influences what gets prioritized, what gets reduced, and what you encounter next on the Spotify homepage.” As noted earlier, this is a test for Premium users launching in New Zealand “over the coming weeks.”

Navigating the personalized path

In the spirit of personalization, Spotify initiated a beta at the start of the year named “Prompted Playlists.” This feature has now extended its beta to users in the United States and Canada, allowing Premium users to convey to Spotify’s systems the type of music they wish to hear. Prompted Playlists would take into account the user’s account history, moods, cultural influences, and more. After clicking “generate,” Spotify would assemble a playlist that (ideally) aligns with the description you’ve provided, alongside a text overview at the top of the list.

Spotify has recently introduced additional updates, such as one for “About this song,” which offers users background information about an artist’s creative inspiration. Early February brought offline lyrics to users and the official rollout of lyric “Previews” when viewing the Now Playing screen.

Android Central’s Perspective

Our musical preferences can spark intriguing conversations. I know individuals whose musical tastes contrast with mine, and I’ve explored their preferences along with my own. I frequently use Spotify, particularly while writing, and there are instances when a song seems like an outlier. This might be due to something I listened to briefly or perhaps a song from years back. However, from my understanding, this beta can assist us in fine-tuning our experience, ensuring we hear only what we desire. Considering it this way, I’m eager for its arrival in the States.

Amazon Provides Google Pixel Watch 4 for Less Than $290

Google Pixel Watch 4 (41mm, Wi-Fi) is now available for $290, down from its regular price of $350. This represents a $60 reduction on a highly praised smartwatch that we’ve personally tested. Reviewer Christian de Looper remarked, “The Pixel Watch 4 is the most polished and intelligent Android smartwatch you can purchase,” and compared it to the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 and OnePlus Watch. A key highlight of the Pixel Watch 4 is its deep AI integration, with Google opting to replace Google Assistant with the more advanced and quicker Gemini.

The AI feature excels at handling inquiries, sending messages, and performing various everyday tasks, but its true capabilities shine when integrated into the Pixel Watch 4’s comprehensive health and fitness offerings. On that note, the Pixel Watch 4 boasts multiple valuable health sensors, enabling you to keep track of heart rate, sleep quality, blood oxygen levels, and HRV data. Backed by Fitbit, the Pixel Watch 4 offers more than 40 exercise modes to explore, along with dual-frequency GPS, so you can feel more secure about not getting lost on that hike you’ve been eager to embark on.

The Google Pixel Watch 4 ranks among the finest wearables Google has produced

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