Streamer shootout: Roku Express vs. Chromecast vs. Fire TV Stick vs. Roku Stick

Streaming sticks and compact dongles used to exist solely as low-budget alternatives to bigger, better, and more powerful set-top boxes. Nowadays, though, these tiny little tech marvels can often perform the same tasks as their larger brethren, but at more manageable prices (and sizes).

Google, Roku, and Amazon are the biggest players in this market, with each touting signature streamers at reasonable rates and packed full of the features you want and expect. But which one is best? Chromecast’s aging, but still solid, hockey-puck device is worth consideration. Amazon’s Fire TV Stick (2016) isn’t too shabby either, and both Roku options — the Streaming Stick and the Express — have undergone recent makeovers, boosting power and adding neat features to boot.

We decided to pit Chromecast vs. Roku vs. Fire TV Stick in the categories that matter most, from ease of use to price and features. Take a look to see which streamer should win your heart (and your wallet).

Film buff? Once you’ve officially opted for a streaming device, take a look at our guides to the best Netflix movies, the best movies on Hulu, and the best movies on Amazon Prime.

Google Chromecast

Roku Streaming Stick

Roku Express

Amazon Fire TV Stick

Price
$35
$50
$30
$40
Dedicated remote
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Controller app
Android, iOS, MacOS, Windows, Chrome OS
Android, iOS, Windows Phone, BB10
Android, iOS, Windows Phone, BB10
Android, iOS
Voice search
Yes, via app
Yes
Yes, via app
Yes, via app or remote upgrade
Cross-platform search
Limited
Yes
Yes
Limited
DT Review
Yes
Roku Streaming Stick+
Yes
Yes
Available here
Various retailers
Amazon, Roku
Amazon, Roku
Amazon

Ease of use

Even though it lets you access the same content, the Chromecast functions nothing like the other two devices. It doesn’t have a menu-based user interface, it comes with no remote control, it doesn’t store anything … in fact, in a world of smart devices, the Chromecast is perhaps the dumbest of them all.

But when it comes to simplicity and ease of use, that’s a very good thing. The Chromecast leaves all the smarts to your smartphone, tablet, or computer, simply acting as a conduit through which your TV can access content. Find what you want to watch or listen to on your personal device, “cast” it at the Chromecast with the tap of a button and, voilà, it’s on your TV. That includes any content you can put on a Chrome window, meaning anything on the web. It’s not that the other options here are complex — in fact, they’re all quite manageable — but the Chromecast takes the top spot here.

Winner: Chromecast

Processing power

Well, technology moves fast, so the winner in this category is generally the most recently released product. As of our most recent update, that would be the Roku Express and Streaming Stick, of which the Streaming Stick is superior. Moving on!

Winner: Roku Streaming Stick

Games

Sure, the Roku devices will let you play Angry Birds and a handful of other cute games, but the Fire TV Stick has access to a huge library of more advanced titles (like Shovel Knight and Minecraft) in the Google Play Store. Plus, the Fire TV Stick can be used with the same console-style gaming controller available with the Fire TV (sold separately). These games are highly appealing to casual gamers, and represent more than just a novelty. Chromecast’s games are fine, but you won’t find much to please the console crowd. Most are multiplayer party titles such as Risk, Scrabble, and Monopoly. Yes, Angry Birds is on Chromecast, too (yay).

Winner: Amazon Fire TV Stick

App library

When it comes to the sheer number of available apps (not counting games) the Roku Express, with access to more than 1,000 apps (or channels, as Roku calls them) wins by a landslide. You can also use the official Roku app to select content on your smartphone. Chromecast apps (“Cast Enabled” apps) also number in the thousands now, but support for the casting platform between PC, Android, and iOS devices varies, which can be frustrating.

The good news is that, unlike Roku and Amazon Fire TV, any Android or iOS app can be Cast enabled if the developer chooses, making for a wide selection. But Chromecast still can’t natively play Amazon Prime Instant Video. All of which is to say, Roku is still king of app mountain.

Winner: Roku Express & Roku Streaming Stick (tie)

User interface

We’ve owned one Roku device or another for the last four years, and more recently added a Fire TV set-top box and Fire TV Stick. Having grown accustomed to the Fire TV interface, this has become a tough call to make. The Roku interface is extremely user friendly — some might even call it “bubbly” — whereas the Amazon Fire TV interface has a little more techno-flash, yet is still very able to take care of business. We enjoy using both for different reasons, and neither is significantly better than the other by any objective measurement, so we’re calling this one a draw. While Chromecast does have a lot of functionality via the Home app, it doesn’t really have a traditional UI, per se.

Winner: Roku Express, Roku Streaming Stick, & Amazon Fire TV Stick (tie)

Editors’ Recommendations

• Dongle Duel to the Death! Amazon Fire TV vs. Roku Streaming Stick+
• Roku Streaming Stick+ review
• Amazon Fire TV vs. Roku Streaming Stick+
• Who makes the best 4K streamer? Apple, Roku, Amazon, and more square off
• TWB Podcast: iPhone X release is here; Roku Stick; Robotic Dog; AI Scary Stories

Sprint wants to pull you in with free Hulu under its unlimited data plan

On Wednesday, November 15, Sprint gave customers another opportunity to binge-watch TV shows by teaming up with Hulu. Under the carrier’s unlimited plan, both new and existing customers will have access to a free Hulu subscription.

The news comes only a few weeks after T-Mobile and Sprint officially declared an end to merger talks. Discussions between the two carriers had been ongoing for a while but an agreement couldn’t be met.

Coincidentally, T-Mobile offered its own promotion in partnership with a live-streaming service back in September. All T-Mobile One unlimited customers with two or more lines on their account, are able to receive a free standard Netflix subscription.

This also isn’t the first time Sprint has used free promotions to lure in new customers to its unlimited data plans. This past summer, the carrier offered a free year of unlimited data service for up to five lines.

With Sprint’s latest promotional offer, you have to be on Sprint’s Unlimited Freedom plan to reap the benefits of a free Hulu account. With the Unlimited Freedom Plan, new customers will get unlimited talk, text, and data for $25 per month per line only if you purchase four to five lines and if you enroll in AutoPay. But you also get the fifth line for free, if you do choose to add five lines.

In Sprint’s fine print, it mentions the savings — aka the fifth line for free — with the Unlimited Freedom Plan will last until January 31, 2019. After that, the plan will run you $60 per month for a single line, and $40 for the second line. Any additional lines after that — the fourth and fifth line — will cost $30 each per month. If you opt into AutoPay, you also get the $5 per month discount.

You also get HD streaming for video, music, and games, as well as a 10GB mobile hotspot — but will be reduced to 2GB speeds after 10GB. With HD video, it streams up to 1080p, music up to 1.5Mbps, and gaming streams up to 8Mbps. During congestion, your data will also be de-prioritized — meaning other customers will have priority over you for fast LTE speeds.

With the unlimited plan, you have access to the Hulu Limited Commercials plan which would normally cost you about $8 per month. You will also be limited to one Hulu plan per eligible Sprint account.

The offer to add a free Hulu subscription to your account, or sign up for one as a new customer, begins on Friday, November 17. You can sign up online through December 8 on Sprint’s website.

Editors’ Recommendations

• PS Vue vs. Sling TV vs. DirecTV Now vs. YouTube TV vs. Hulu: Which is best?
• Hulu gives you the binge-watch option you’ve been needing on the Switch
• When you run out of TV shows to binge, check out the best movies on Hulu
• Never mind Netflix, these are the best shows on Hulu right now
• Battle of the streaming giants: Netflix vs. Hulu vs. Amazon Prime Instant Video

Moto Mod with Amazon Alexa review

Alexa is everywhere. Amazon’s voice assistant, originally found on the Echo and Echo Dot, has continued to expand into various other products. The latest to be graced with Alexa are the Sonos One speaker, the HTC U11 Life budget smartphone, and most recently, a Moto Mod for Motorola’s Moto Z smartphones.

Moto Mods are designed specifically for the Moto Z line of phones, including the Moto Z Force, the Moto Z Play, the Moto Z2 Play, and the Moto Z2 Force. There are now over a dozen mods, and they magnetically snap to the back of the phone. There’s the 360-camera Moto Mod which lets you take 360-degree photos and videos, the Moto Gamepad mod lets you use a controller to play mobile games, and the JBL Soundboost 2 turns your phone into a loud boombox. The Moto Mod with Amazon Alexa is the newest to join the lineup, allowing you to call up Alexa whenever you want. While it has a lot of potential, in our review we found the mod to be priced far too high for it offers.

For testing purposes, we used the Alexa mod on the Moto Z2 Force.

Take it anywhere

First things first. This is not a Moto Mod you’ll want to carry attached to the phone in your pocket. The Moto Mod with Amazon Alexa is reasonably sized, like the JBL Soundboost 2 speaker mod, but it’s still chunky. You’ll want to leave it at home, or carry it with you in a bag.

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

It’s wrapped in fabric, and the rear slopes down so the phone’s screen looks up at you at an angle. When on a table, the rear part of the mod has rubber padding that keeps the mod and phone from sliding around. As a nice touch, the rubberized padding doubles as a visual cue, because it lights up when you ask for Alexa like the Echo. All in all, the build quality is sturdy, the mod looks nice, and it feels like it’s worth the $150.

The Alexa mod isn’t just a speaker, it also boasts a pretty hefty battery. In testing, we were able to get several days of use on a single charge. The mod has a USB Type-C port on the back, and it can charge both the speaker and your phone when connected (though it will prioritize the speaker first — you can plug it into the phone to prioritize charging up your phone first).  What’s nice about having a battery is that you can move the Alexa mod anywhere in the house (or outdoors) whenever you want, making it more convenient than the Echo or Echo Dot.

Can you hear me now?

Both the Amazon Echo and Echo Dot have excellent microphones that can pick up your voice from across the room. Ambient noises and music typically do not pose a problem when trying to trigger Alexa on those devices either, but we wish we could say the same for the Moto Mod with Amazon Alexa.

In quiet environments, the mod lit up and listened to our query when we said “Alexa.” It wasn’t always a success, and it occasionally had a hard time picking up our voice more than a few feet away. If you have music playing even at a low volume, or if there are ambient noise like people talking, the device had a much tougher time picking up our voice. You’ll want to make sure you very loudly enunciate “Alexa” to the mod.

This is not a Moto Mod you’ll want to carry attached to the phone in your pocket.

Since it attaches to the back of a smartphone, the Alexa mod works on both Wi-Fi and cellular data. When you’re not connected to Wi-Fi, your phone’s data will pick up the slack and take care of your requests. Initially in our testing, we had intermittent problems with Alexa either ignoring our requests or giving us a “try later” message — both on Wi-FI and cellular connections. Disconnecting and reconnecting the Mod usually fixed the problem. We recently received an update on the mod, and we haven’t encountered the problem since.

Alexa doesn’t trigger as quickly as it does on the Echo or Echo Dot. Where you typically can say “Alexa” and follow it up with a command immediately, you’ll want to give the Moto Mod a second to light up before you ask Alexa to do perform an action.

After the recent update, Alexa has been answering our queries accurately, with a sprinkle of errors. The main highlight for the Moto Mod isn’t how well it can pick up the trigger word, or how fast it can respond, but the fact that you can take Alexa anywhere.

Average sound

Since sound is really what a speaker is about, we expected the Moto Mod with Amazon Alexa to deliver something similar to the JBL Soundboost 2 mod — it comes close. Initially, music sounded tinny and not much better than the $50 Echo Dot, but the recent software update seems to have improved the sound dramatically.

Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Music easily gets loud enough to fill a room, and it didn’t sound tinny. The bass is the weakest link, as it underperforms and sounds muddled. We think most people will be satisfied with the sound the mod produces, but there are certainly better-sounding Bluetooth speakers you can go for at this price range.

You’re stuck using Amazon’s music and video services through voice with this Moto Mod. You can play YouTube videos, or play music through Google Play Music and Spotify on the phone — and it will come through the Moto Mod with Alexa — but you just can’t ask Alexa to use these services.

But the worst part really is how Alexa will almost never respond when you call for it while playing music.

Needs to use the screen more

The Amazon Echo Show is an Alexa-powered speaker that has a screen, allowing the assistant to show you more details about whatever you ask. While the Moto Mod does take advantage of the Moto Z2 Force’s screen, we would have liked to see more support.

You’re better off using Google Assistant.

Sure, you can ask for the weather and see the full forecast on the screen; or you can ask to play music and the screen will display who’s playing with playback controls. Ask who’s the president, and it will have an image with some text about President Donald Trump. But ask it to find the nearest Starbucks, and it won’t pull up directions or a list of nearby locations. Trying to buy something on Amazon? It won’t provide visual options when you’re shopping around.

Why not use Google Assistant?

Considering it’s used in tandem with a smartphone, it would be nice if there was some proper integration, like using Alexa to open apps, or toggle device settings, or even show your photos and emails. The Moto Mod was unable to send messages or initiate video calls which was strange since it’s powered by the very device you can use to make video calls and send messages.

Since it can’t do these things, you’re better off using Google Assistant, which is already enabled on the Z2 Force. In fact, the Moto Mod with Alexa may perform much better if you prioritize Google Assistant, and then use Alexa for Amazon-specific functions. You can ask Assistant to play YouTube videos or Netflix movies, music from a plethora of streaming services, you can control your phone’s settings like turn the Wi-Fi off, and more. It works just as well as Alexa, but Google Assistant gives you more options.

For its $150 price tag, we were expecting the Moto Mod with Amazon Alexa to have the same functionality as devices like the Echo Show or Echo. The more you use it, you’ll quickly find how limiting it is unless you’re completely on Amazon’s ecosystem.

This Moto Mod is targeted at a niche audience of people who own a Moto Z smartphone. If you have one and you exclusively use Amazon’s services, then this mod may be for you. Since we can’t imagine people taking this mod and using it Alexa a lot outside their homes, you may want to look into the cheaper Echo Dot, or spend $50 for the Sonos One for superior sound. If you do want on-the-go access to Alexa and you have a Moto Z smartphone, then this Moto Mod is for you.

Otherwise, this mod is no reason to buy into the Moto Z lineup. It’s hard to justify spending $150 on a device that doesn’t offer all the features you can find on other Alexa devices, and it’s even harder when the hardware just doesn’t work as well.

Editors’ Recommendations

• The Moto Smart Speaker adds a little Alexa to your smartphone
• Alexa is more illuminating when she lives inside the C by GE Sol lamp
• What is Alexa? It’s Amazon’s new virtual assistant
• Amazon Echo Plus review
• Moto X4 vs. Moto Z2 Force: Which Moto reigns supreme?

How some of the best wireless headphones were almost never made

Audio Technica’s ATH-DSR9BT headphones are fantastic, but they almost never made it past the early stages of life, which would have robbed us of a superb-sounding pair of Bluetooth headphones. It’s a good thing they weren’t abandoned, as the technology that was developed subsequently made the headphones what they are today, and will continue to influence future Audio Technica products. We sat down with the design team to get the full story, after touring the 55-year old company’s brand-new offices on the outskirts of Tokyo.

Right at the beginning of the yearlong project to bring the DSR9BT to life, the intent was to simply add AptX HD Bluetooth to a pair of high-resolution audio headphones, enhancing the wireless experience. The engineers took the existing ATH-SR9 headphones, which met the basic specifications required, and added in the necessary hardware for Bluetooth connectivity. The end result was less than satisfactory, with poor audio quality causing members of the team to wonder if it was a project worth pursuing.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

A decision had to be made. Was the project doomed to failure? Audio Technica prides itself on producing the very best transducers — whether it’s inside a microphone or a speaker — and wasn’t going to settle for a product that was substandard. If it was to go ahead, everything needed to change. The project was greenlit, and the DSR9BT headphones started coming to life.

The next months saw radical alterations shift the project far away from the wired ATH-SR9s, and take in technology from other existing Audio Technica models — the 2014 ATH-M1000 and the ATH-MSR7. The result, Audio Technica told Digital Trends, is like putting a big engine into a small car. Not in a man-in-his-garage way, but like a highly technical racing team concerned with precision and performance. The vision was simple enough — wireless headphones are the way forward for many people, but that shouldn’t mean compromising on sound quality.

Was the project doomed to failure?

The racing team analogy is also appropriate for Audio Technica’s headquarters. It’s squeaky clean in a way that’s reminiscent of McLaren’s notoriously spotless offices in the United Kingdom, but rather than racing cars filling the entrance hall, Audio Technica honors its industry with a collection of classic gramophones. Donated by the founder, some date back to 1905, all are lovingly maintained, and they all still function. It’s a wonderful demonstration of how far the audio industry has moved on in a century.

They’re also a world apart from the ATH-DSR9BTs. Audio Technica’s choice of engine came from the 2014 ATH-M1000 headphones, a niche pair of high-resolution headphones with a full-size USB connection. As is usual for its over-ear headphones, Audio Technica used a 45mm driver for the DSR9BTs, but rather than a small magnet, a much larger one from the M1000s has been used. It’s attached to a 53mm driver, and paired with a smaller diaphragm in the DSR9BT to help them react faster to the signal and provide a more detailed, precise, and higher-quality sound. At its most basic, the decision to use this combination means you get sound better associated with meaty home-use headphones, only on the move.

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

Andy Boxall/Digital Trends

To better control the movement of air inside the headphones, a newly designed, uniform vent system replaces an uneven version. The end result is the True Motion Driver, speaker technology only possible because Audio Technica designs and manufactures all the major components. Only a few headphones manufacturers have the ability to do something similar. The final step was to use its Pure Digital Drive system. This eliminates a digital-to-analog converter, keeping the digital signal digital for longer. The fewer conversions, the less the quality is affected. The addition of Qualcomm’s AptX HD codec then makes the best of the signal.

All of these internal changes allow Audio Technica to more accurately predict what the headphones will sound like. The headphones aren’t tuned to a certain sound, but instead are aimed at letting the music’s natural sound shine through, so you hear the recording itself, not a manufacturer’s interpretation of it through extensive tuning. This dedication to getting the sound exactly right, in a wireless format, was the reason noise cancellation was left out of the ATH-DSR9BT. The engineers tried to incorporate it, but haven’t yet been able to reach their high audio quality standards with it activated. It also removed the ability to use a 3.5mm cable with the headphones, exercising control over the way you hear music. The ATH-DSR9BT were made for Bluetooth, and that’s how it wants you to listen.

The ATH-DSR9BT were made for Bluetooth, and that’s how it wants you to listen.

Interestingly, although the addition of Pure Digital Drive and removal of DAC systems inside the DSR9BT do not have any effect on battery life, they would if the drivers were larger, like inside a speaker system, where it would reduce power consumption. When asked if Audio Technica was working on a speaker system — which would be a first for the company — the question was met with silence. Although we don’t know yet, we’d speculate that something is being planned.

However, a new set of headphones using the same principles, Bluetooth technology, and the Pure Digital Drive may arrive at CES 2018. We got the impression a more reasonably priced pair may be on the way. Audio Technica continues to increase Bluetooth audio quality, and change people’s minds about what wireless headphones can sound like. Even comparing AptX HD headphones together, the ATH-DSR9BT’s ability to sound utterly superb is immediately obvious. We put them up against a top-notch wired system, and were surprised at just how closely they compared.

If you haven’t tried a pair of Audio Technica’s ATH-DRS9BT headphones with an AptX HD smartphone, then make a point to do so. The research, development time, and technology that went into creating them is special, and the sound they produce is evidence of the company’s expertise. Your ears will be very pleased the project was seen through to the end.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Can wireless audio quality finally match wired? We tested the latest, AptX HD
• Bang & Olufsen and LG team up for luxurious new BeoVision Eclipse 4K OLED TV
• Studio-quality Status Audio CB-1 headphones are currently on sale for just $63
• Panasonic expands its 4K OLED TV line (literally) with humongous 77-inch model
• Beyerdynamic cuts the cord on premium sound with the new Xelento Wireless earphones

Google Assistant gains a load of new features and supports more languages

The Assistant can send content from Google home to your phone, send out push notifications, help you find new apps, and much more.

Google is continually working to make its Assistant AI as smart as can be, and in the latest move to do just this, the company announced a host of new tools that developers will soon have access to.

One of the biggest announcements is that apps for Google Assistant can now be created in Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Indian English. Consumers won’t necessarily be able to take advantage of this right away, but we imagine that developers will work on getting their apps to support these new additions ASAP.

Also announced is a new API that will allow Google Home to send content to a phone that also has the Google Assistant on it. For example, if you’re ordering a sandwich from Panera Bread by talking to Google Home, the speaker will be able to send you a receipt to your phone so you can complete the purchase.

Google Assistant has been pretty great for carrying on natural conversations for a while now, but that point’s about to become even stronger with a feature that Google is calling “implicit discovery.”

Implicit Discovery allows users to say more natural-sounding commands to perform actions within apps without having to specifically mention said app by name. For example, you could say “Ok, Google, track my flight” without having to specifically call out the KAYAK app by name. It’s a simple change, but one that should make using Assistant apps a lot more second-nature.

As for user-facing features, Google is revamping the interface on your phone for finding new apps that are compatible with Assistant. “What’s new” and “what’s trending” categories will be added so you can quickly find the best apps that are currently available, and these will be joined by subcategories within the app directory so you can pinpoint the exact type of app you’d like to find.

In addition to these bigger changes, Google is also letting users say “cancel” to quickly end a conversation that they’re having with an Assistant app, applications can show suggestion chips that allow users to sign up for daily updates from it, Assistant apps can finally tap into push notifications, and more.

Ecobee thermostats pick up Google Assistant

Google Home and Home Mini discounted in the UK from Nov 15-29

The Google Home and Home Mini will be available for £79 and £34, respectively.

There are a lot of great tech gadgets to choose from when shopping for your favorite techie this holiday season, but two items that’ll likely be on a lot of people’s list are the Google Home and Google Home Mini.

Both the Home and Home Mini are already priced quite reasonably considering what they offer, but Google recently announced savings that buyers in the UK will be able to take advantage of this month.

Through November 15 until the 29th, you’ll be able to purchase a Google Home for £79 and Home Mini for £34, each regularly costing £129 and £49, respectively.

These lower prices will be available not only from the Google Store, but also at Currys PC World, John Lewis, Argos, and Maplin.

As for buyers in the U.S., don’t forget about Target’s Black Friday deal that will let you pick up a Google Home Mini for just $29 in addition to a free $10 gift card that can be used that same day.

See at Google Store

This best-selling Roomba is currently the lowest price it’s ever been

Never vacuum again.

Is this deal for me?

We’ve seen a lot of technological advancements over the past few years, and while we don’t have robot maids like The Jetsons did, this deal will get you the next best thing.

Head to Amazon and pick up an iRobot Roomba 690 Robot Vacuum for $274.99. This item normally sells for $355, and today’s price is the best in history. It is also the #1 Best Seller in Commercial Indoor Robotic Vacuums. It received 4.1 out of 5 stars based on 311 customer reviews.

This handy-dandy little vacuum is compatible with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant devices. If you don’t have one of those yet, you’ll be glad to know that this also works just fine with your existing Wi-Fi network.

The patented 3-stage cleaning system and dual multi-surface brushes make sure that everything big and small is sucked up. This also features dirt detecting sensors, so areas that need a little more TLC will receive the proper attention. It also automatically adjusts its height to clean everything from hardwood to plush carpet. Your purchase is backed by a one-year warranty and your first set of AA batteries is included. When Roomba is done vacuuming, it will return to the included home base to recharge and get ready for the next dust-busting session.

Surprise company coming over? Tell your Roomba using the free iRobot HOME app and it can start cleaning before you get home. Or, schedule it to clean at a specific time and rest assured knowing you won’t have to spend hours vacuuming anymore. Now if only there were a robot that could do laundry….

TL;DR

• What makes this deal worth considering? – The iRobot Roomba 690 Robot Vacuum is currently the best price it has ever been. Today’s deal beats the average price by $80!
• Things to know before you buy! – This product is compatible with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Also, beware of dog poop.

See at Amazon

Twitch users can gift subscriptions to fellow viewers

Twitch is continuing to roll out the many upgrades it promised at TwitchCon. As of today, you can gift 1-month subscriptions to anyone on Twitch, regardless of the tier. They don’t auto-renew (you “currently” have to buy every month), but this could be helpful if you have a friend who can’t afford to subscribe but wants to enjoy some of a channel’s perks — say, a subscriber-only Discord chat. It’s useful for streamers, too: they can hand out subs as prizes for contests.

To help make use of gifting, Twitch is partnering with GameWisp on an extension that lets Affiliate and Partner streamers highlight viewers they believe deserve a sub gift, like an extraordinarily kind chatter.

As with Twitch’s other recent additions, this is as much about helping its own service as it is streamers and viewers. The easier it is for people to subscribe, the more incentives paid streamers have to keep broadcasting and interacting with their audiences. And of course, at least some of those who receive gifts will like the experience enough to pay for subscriptions on their own.

Source: Twitch (Medium)

Twitter tries to fix verification of people ‘we in no way endorse’

Sure, being verified on social media isn’t always as good as people think, but after a recent blowup, Twitter says it’s addressing the “perception” of endorsement a blue checkmark confers. While the network has notably verified the accounts of self-proclaimed white supremacists and Nazis, it appears to be reversing that policy. One item on the new list of reasons an account can lose verification cites promoting hate against certain races/nationality or supporting groups that do.

Loss of verified status

Twitter reserves the right to remove verification at any time without notice.

Reasons for removal may reflect behaviors on and off Twitter that include:

• Intentionally misleading people on Twitter by changing one’s display name or bio.
• Promoting hate and/or violence against, or directly attacking or threatening other people on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, religious affiliation, age, disability, or disease. Supporting organizations or individuals that promote the above.
• Inciting or engaging in harassment of others.
• Violence and dangerous behavior
• Directly or indirectly threatening or encouraging any form of physical violence against an individual or any group of people, including threatening or promoting terrorism
• Violent, gruesome, shocking, or disturbing imagery
• Self-harm, suicide
• Engaging in activity on Twitter that violates the Twitter Rules.

In a series of tweets explaining the policy change, Twitter said “We are conducting an initial review of verified accounts and will remove verification from accounts whose behavior does not fall within these new guidelines.” Today, an individual known as “Baked Alaska,” who previously was verified, has been banned from the service, while Laura Loomer — recently banned from both Uber and Lyft for anti-Muslim statements against drivers — self-reported that she had lost her status on Twitter. Jason Kessler, the Charlottesville organizer whose verification sparked the backlash, is no longer verified, and neither is notable punchee Richard Spencer. Others who are now blue check-less include “@apurposefulwife” and Tommy Robinson.

[View the story “Twitter Verification Program Update” on Storify]

Source: Twitter Support

Olie lamp includes a voice assistant and wireless charging

It seems like everyone is building in Alexa or Google Assistant smarts to their speakers, thermostats and cars these days. If you haven’t yet had enough of devices you can talk to, the Olie lamp over at Indiegogo might interest you. It’s a cute little desk, floor or table lamp that will have a voice assistant from Amazon or Google and a neat little Qi wireless charging station built right in (to the table-sized Olie).

Sure, this is Indiegogo, so don’t get your hopes up. If the project is funded and the lamp is produced, though, you’ll get an lamp made of aluminum in one of two finishes, black or chrome, that you can talk to. You can get the Olie in spot or area versions in both table or floor configurations. The light is a bright LED bulb with anti-flicker technology, which the designers say will result in greater eye comfort and uniform brightness. Why have a separate lamp, a Google Home or Amazon Echo, and a phone charger, says the Montreal-based designer, when you can have one beautifully designed item that meets all three needs? You can get two spot or area table lamps for a pledge of $169, or one for $89. You can also back a table Olie without a voice assistant for $64. The floor lamp is currently available for an $89 early bird pledge, too.

Via: The Verge

Source: Indiegogo