The new facility in Lahti is part of TikTokâs â¬12 billion Project Clover data sovereignty push for European users. Finlandâs defence ministry approved the first data centre investment in 2024 without informing elected politicians. A former minister publicly called for the project to be reconsidered. TikTok is investing â¬1 billion ($1.16 billion) to build a […]
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Google has added vertical tabs to Chrome, and reading mode has also been improved.
Microsoft first started trying to get rid of the Control Panel in 2012, with the launch of Windows 8. More than a decade later, it’s still working on migrating all the old Control Panel items into the modern Settings app in Windows 11. While there have been hints that the Control Panel might finally go […]
PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the ban in a TikTok video on Wednesday. It takes effect on 1 January 2027. Enforcement will rely on a state-mandated app on every device. Around 80% of Greeks support the measure, according to a February poll. Greece has announced it will ban children under 15 from accessing social media platforms, […]
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In short:Â A former Meta engineer in London is under criminal investigation after allegedly building a program to extract around 30,000 private Facebook photos while bypassing the platformâs security checks, the latest in a series of privacy and security failures to emerge from the company over the past four years. Metaâs internal security systems are designed […]
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With earbuds in, the podcast kicks off.
AI has found its place on Spotify to assist in discovering music, but the platform is advancing with its audio shows.
Manipulating the algorithm has been crucial for Spotify’s Prompted Playlists; now, it’s providing insights on a beta enhancement that incorporates podcasts. Launching this week, Prompted Playlist testers in the U.S., Canada, Ireland, the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand can start incorporating podcast descriptions into their requests. Spotify claims users can satisfy their interests through this feature, as Prompted Playlists can explore millions of available shows.
I’ve never really gotten into podcasts, yet there are many users who do. Friends of mine enjoy tuning into podcasts, indicating a genuine demand for them. Spotify states that 34 million podcasts are uncovered “every week” on its platform. If users could avoid incessant scrolling and specify what show they want, that would be a huge advantage.
If users aim to stay informed on entertainment happenings (think music, film, and fashion), they should inform Prompted Playlists about it. For instance, Spotify suggests you can say, “Create a podcast playlist featuring the latest entertainment news from the past few days. Include all aspects of music, film, fashion, and significant cultural events.”
Podcasts extend beyond just entertainment. You can inquire about shows related to science (did you know Artemis II is orbiting the moon?) or even true crime mystery podcasts. After this update, Prompted Playlists will remain intact and unaltered. Users can still initiate by clicking “Create” and selecting Prompted Playlists. From that point, simply state your request as usual, whether it pertains to specific music genres or podcasts.
Additionally, Spotify emphasizes that users can choose how frequently their playlist refreshes. Options include daily or weekly updates, with a “don’t update” choice available as well.
As mentioned earlier, Prompted Playlists remains in beta and is being rolled out to the regions listed above. The update should start to show up today (Apr 7) and onwards for participating testers.
For personalization purposes, Prompted Playlists places your music algorithm into your control. “Personalization” already exists in various forms on Spotify. We have Discover Weekly, Release Radar, and playlists in “Your top mixes,” but this combines all of those features. You’re in charge, controlling the direction of the algorithm. And, if dissatisfied, just roll again.
The Prompted Playlists beta first launched in New Zealand late last year before coming to the U.S. in January, with Canada also being part of that expansion for Spotify. Prompted Playlists utilizes your descriptions for music (and now podcasts) to compile a list of songs you might find appealing. While you can specify your preferred genre and artists, Spotify will also consider your account history and overall “vibes.”
The London startup emerged from stealth on 7 April with a layered agentic security solution and a seed round backed by LocalGlobe and Cambridge Innovation Capital. Its co-founders include a Cambridge professor who was previously Amazonâs director of machine learning. Trent AI, a London-based agentic security company, has raised $13 million in a seed round […]
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In short:Â Uber has expanded its AWS contract to run real-time ride-matching infrastructure on Amazonâs Graviton4 processor and is piloting AI model training on Trainium3, joining Anthropic, OpenAI, and Apple on a customer list that is becoming the clearest evidence yet that Amazonâs custom silicon strategy is working. Uberâs infrastructure runs on milliseconds. Every time a […]
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AirPods Max 2 made a surprising debut in late March, catching most people off guard. Sporting the same design as the original version introduced in 2020, the new generation could easily be mistaken for the USB-C variant that launched a year prior. Nevertheless, two significant enhancements are making early adopters quite pleased with these headphones: Superior ANC and enhanced audio quality.
As a current user of the original AirPods Max, I’m still unsure about upgrading. The premium price tag makes these headphones nearly as costly as an iPhone 17e or MacBook Neo. To be honest, both options could offer much more value for that amount.
Although these new headphones present a somewhat bittersweet upgrade due to the unchanged design, early adopters report that the improved ANC and sound enhancements are quite apparent. If you’ve never owned AirPods Max or are considering transitioning from the first generation to the second, these initial customer reviews might assist you in making a decision.
Google has commenced the distribution process for a $135 million settlement concerning a lawsuit about Android data, with claims now available for qualifying users. The lawsuit, which was filed in November 2020, alleged that Google gathered and shared Android users’ cellular data without adequate consent. The settlement is applicable to Android users in the U.S. who utilized cellular data from November 2017 until the final approval date. Users have the option to receive their payouts through PayPal, Venmo, Zelle, ACH, or a virtual card. The anticipated maximum payout for each eligible user is approximately $100, subject to the total number of claims and reductions for administrative costs, taxes, and legal fees. Residents of California are not included in this settlement because of a distinct $314 million lawsuit. The final approval hearing is scheduled for June 23, 2026, and payments will be made if the settlement receives approval.
