Developers at Google’s recently formed game studios were shocked February 1 when they were notified that the studios would be shut down, Kotaku reported Tuesday, citing four sources with knowledge of what transpired. From the report: Just the week prior, Google Stadia vice president and general manager Phil Harrison sent an email to staff lauding the “great progress” its studios had…
Tag: monetization
Ex-Googler Turns Virtual Gifts Into a $61 Billion Business
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Bloomberg: In China’s popular online-streaming industry, virtual gift-giving is big. You can send your favorite live performer anything from a rose for 5 yuan (80 cents) to a space rocket for 500 yuan. The present is just a symbol, but the money is real — and that’s what’s made Kuaishou Technology so successful. […]…
Twitter’s Decentralized Social Network Project Takes a Baby Step Forward
Bluesky, Twitter’s decentralized social networking effort, has announced its first major update since 2019. The Verge reports: The Bluesky team released a review of the decentralized web ecosystem and said it’s hoping to find a team lead in the coming months. The review follows Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey discussing Bluesky earlier this month, when he called it a “standard for the…
Signal’s Brian Acton Talks About Exploding Growth, Monetization and WhatsApp Data-Sharing Outrage
Brian Acton is crossing paths again with Facebook. From a report: Over more than a decade of building and operating WhatsApp, the company’s co-founder first competed against and then sold his instant messaging app to the social juggernaut. Only a few years ago he parted ways with the company that made him a billionaire in a bitter split over messaging and…
Telegram, Nearing 500 Million Users, To Begin Monetization
Instant messaging app Telegram is “approaching” 500 million users and plans to generate revenue starting next year to keep the business afloat, its founder Pavel Durov said on Wednesday. From a report: Durov said he has personally bankrolled the seven-year-old business so far, but as the startup scales he is looking for ways to monetize the instant messaging service. “A project…
Microsoft Is Shutting Down Mixer and Partnering With Facebook Gaming
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Verge: Microsoft is closing its Mixer service on July 22nd and plans to move existing partners over to Facebook Gaming. The surprise announcement means Mixer partners and streamers will be transitioned to Facebook Gaming starting today, and Microsoft will no longer operate Mixer as a service in a month’s time. Microsoft is partnering…
The Mysterious Disappearance of Google’s Click Metric
In Google’s recent end-of-the-year 2019 financial report, the company for the first time disclosed the revenues for YouTube and its Google Cloud unit. However, as Tom Foremski writes via ZDNet, “Google removed key metrics that have been included for more than 15 years: How much money it makes per click (Cost-per-Click (CPC)) and the growth of paid clicks.” From the report:…
CNBC Reports Open Source Software Has Essentially ‘Taken Over the World’
Slashdot reader DevNull127 writes: CNBC Explores released a 14-minute documentary this month called “The Rise Of Open-Source Software.” It’s already racked up 558,802 views on YouTube, arguing that open-source software “has essentially taken over the world. Companies in every industry, from Walmart to Exxon Mobile to Verizon, have open-sourced their projects. Microsoft has completely changed its point of view, and is…
Ask Slashdot: What Should I Do About My Landlord Forcing Smart Things Into My Home?
New submitter aaronb1138 writes: So my apartment (UDR) pulled a bit of a blitz last Friday (10/11) to install new “Smart” IoT stuff in my home today (10/15) under the umbrella of SmartRent management. According to a CNET article from earlier this year, this seems to be SmartRent’s usual method of attack. UDR is usually pretty miserly, so I suspect the…
Smart TVs, Smart-Home Devices Found To Be Leaking Sensitive User Data, Researchers Find
Smart-home devices, such as televisions and streaming boxes, are collecting reams of data — including sensitive information such as device locations — that is then being sent to third parties like advertisers and major tech companies, researchers said Tuesday. From a report: As the findings show, even as privacy concerns have become a part of the discussion around consumer technology, new…