Technology - Kalakshar US

Open Roads preview: Bring me to life in 2003

I own a jacket that’s eerily similar to Tess’ in Open Roads. It’s a blue bomber with yellow and burnt orange accents, and it’s not the only thing that Tess and I have in common. As she leisurely explores her childhood bedroom in the first few minutes of the game, Tess comes across set pieces that ground her environment in the early 2000s. There’s a chunky black television set and scattered DVD cases, little bottles of bright nail polish, a black-and-white strip from a photo booth, newspapers remembering 9/11 and hunting for bigfoot, and a bright pink tube of sickly sweet lip balm. These are the leftovers of her adolescence — the room is disheveled and largely empty, with most of her possessions packed away, ready to move. Tess picks through the room’s remaining photos and yearbooks, her hand-drawn fingers reaching out to interact with 3D objects, revealing more of her backstory with each touch. The cuff of her jacket is jarringly familiar every time it enters the frame.

Open Roads is a narrative-driven, exploration-focused game about the road trip that Tess and her mother take when a death in the family uproots their life. After clearing out the house and finding a mysterious diary in the attic, Tess and her mom, Opal, print out directions from RoadBuddy (not MapQuest) and set off on a long drive. Emotional upheaval is bound to ensue.

Annapurna Interactive

I watched developers play the first 15 minutes or so of Open Roads, and the preview reeled me in immediately. Visually, the game is polished and engaging; the settings and interactable objects are 3D, while characters are hand-drawn, carving depth into each scene. Developers at the Open Roads Team uploaded real-life handwriting samples to create yearbook pages, postcards and letters, which removes the threat of pixelated text ruining the immersion. In conversation, the characters float between movements like old-school Disney storyboards, making the entire experience feel like a lucid dream.

Tess and Opal are fully voiced by two mainstream actors, Kaitlyn Dever and Keri Russell, and in the scenes I’ve seen, their performances are fantastic. The interactions between Tess and Opal are simultaneously loving and strained, as mother-daughter relationships can be. The writing is also evocative and genuine; dialogue flows smoothly, even with the various player-chosen paths that each conversation can take. These characters feel real right away.

Annapurna Interactive

The house that Tess and Opal are leaving is lived-in and it has a sense of history. There are personal, hand-crafted touches in every room, and developers added bits of their own lives to the game. The chair by that desk? It was modeled after a developer’s own childhood memories. Those old, creepy ornaments in the attic? A developer’s grandma passed down those exact decorations in real life. The scribbles on the wall? They’re drawings from the creators’ kids. These details won’t be obvious to most players, but they lend a sense of authenticity to the game as Tess explores the closets and corners of her family home.

Open Roads doesn’t just provide early-2000s nostalgia, but it also reaches back and references the ’60s and ’70s, covering multiple generations in Tess’ family. As Tess investigates the house and picks up various objects, Opal provides context and tells stories about their life, and there are branching dialogue paths. At one point during the preview, the developer that was playing decided to make Tess walk away from the refrigerator without shutting its door, and this caused Opal to scold her. Tess and Opal’s relationship is charming and warm, but there’s a sense of tension running through their interactions that I’m eager to examine in the full game.

Open Roads feels like a mix of Gone Home, Life is Strange and What Remains of Edith Finch, in the best possible way. The writing, voice acting and animation style harmonize in the first few minutes of the game to create a realistic and nostalgic world populated with vivid characters. I’m ready to hit the road with Tess, Opal and their printed-out driving directions when the game hits PC, Switch, PlayStation and Xbox on February 22. After all, I already have the jacket.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/open-roads-preview-bring-me-to-life-in-2003-170007873.html?src=rss

Alphabet’s Wing shows off a larger delivery drone with a bigger payload capacity

Alphabet-owned Wing has been trying to make drone delivery an actual thing, but the relatively minuscule payload capacity of modern delivery aircraft has been a serious obstacle. The company just unveiled a new drone that’s a step in the right direction. The new model can handle payloads of up to five pounds, which is twice as much as Wing’s previous flagship drone.

It can also travel up to 65 MPH, which is pretty darned fast. The onboard battery allows for a 12 mile round trip, which is in line with previous metrics, so that translates to an under six-minute delivery time. That certainly beats pizza delivery. Speaking of, most pizzas are well under five pounds. Just saying.

The increased weight limit will also allow Wing to complete more deliveries at once and limit the number of orders that require more than a single drone. The company says that 30 percent of current deliveries demand two drones, but that’s with the 2.5 pound payload capacity. Adam Woodworth, Wing CEO, says the new aircraft will “streamline our deliveries of larger orders” and gave an example of a customer ordering last minute ingredients for a pasta dinner.

The new drone will be unleashed on the masses sometime in the next year. Also, there are more redesigns coming. It’s announced something called an Aircraft Library, in which teams are working on a wide configuration of builds to suit different use case scenarios. Woodworth likens it to how a standard delivery company operates a fleet of different-sized trucks. Even with this initiative, however, we are likely a long ways off from a drone delivering something heavy and bulky, like an Xbox.

Wing currently operates in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, in addition to Australia, Finland and Ireland. It’s teamed up with retailers like Walgreens and Walmart to offer deliveries.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/alphabets-wing-shows-off-a-larger-delivery-drone-with-a-bigger-payload-capacity-163148392.html?src=rss

WhatsApp Channels now let owners send voice messages

WhatsApp has introduced new features Channels can use to interact with their followers. The biggest one, perhaps, is voice updates. Channel admins and owners, such as celebrities, can now send voice messages to their group. Meta says Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny was the first celebrity to test it out, but it’s rolling out the feature broadly today. Voice updates is one of WhatsApp’s most popular features, probably because it allows users to send messages without having to type, even while they’re driving or doing something else. Apparently, WhatsApp users send 7 billion voice messages on the app every day, so it was most likely a very easy decision for Meta to bring the feature to Channels.

In addition to voice updates, admins can now also share polls in chat that their followers can answer. Plus, WhatsApp now allows Channels to have as many as 16 administrators if they want to make sure that their followers are always up to date with the latest news. As for fans, they’ll now be able to share a Channel update as their Status, which is the messaging service’s version of Instagram Stories. Since it’s possible to share voice notes as a WhatsApp Status, that presumably means they can also share a Channel voice update if they want. All of these features are making their way to WhatsApp users around the world.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/whatsapp-channels-now-let-owners-send-voice-messages-150016866.html?src=rss

LinkedIn’s new AI feature helps people find jobs by grouping them into tailored categories

For many, “new year, new me” includes finding a new job. Scouring sites like LinkedIn and Indeed for opportunities can feel like a full-time role in and of itself. This process could potentially improve moving forward, with LinkedIn announcing its latest feature: Job Collections.

Basically, instead of searching for a specific industry or role, LinkedIn is using generative AI and large language models to analyze each job posting and categorize it into groups such as IT, pro sports, remote and top startups. Along with saving time, LinkedIn indicates that this feature can benefit people who aren’t sure what their next step looks like. The company compares it to Airbnb Experiences — you might not know what you’re searching for, but you could find something great. Its success relies significantly on how well it understands you versus wasting your time further sorting through jobs that are completely off base.

According to LinkedIn, applications have risen 50 percent in the US and 36 percent globally, with 85 percent of working people contemplating changing jobs this year. The number of people searching for a job isn’t surprising, given the number of recent layoffs. In the tech industry alone, 2024 has already seen layoffs at Twitch, Google, Meta, Discord and more.

To use LinkedIn’s new feature, simply go to the Jobs tab and click on “Explore with Job Collections.” You can now also go to Preferences and choose from things like employment and location type. Then LinkedIn will highlight them in green anytime they appear on a job listing. Plus, if a job isn’t exactly what you want but the company is, you can now send them an “I’m Interested” notification right from the listing instead of visiting their profile to do so.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/linkedins-new-ai-feature-helps-people-find-jobs-by-grouping-them-into-tailored-categories-104032853.html?src=rss

The best cheap fitness trackers for 2024

Achieving your fitness goals doesn’t have to be expensive or complicated. Keeping tabs on your daily movement can make you conscious of your activity level and motivate you to stay on top of your gym sessions, or at least hit your steps. That rings especially true if you spend most of your day sitting at a desk like I do. Having a device handy that can keep you accountable can be a game changer. While many smartwatches on the market are decked out with fitness tools, the average affordable tracker might offer just enough to help kickstart your health journey.

You might be surprised by how much a $100 (or less) wearable can do. They go well beyond just counting steps, providing in-depth reports on how you’re sleeping at night or giving you a breakdown of your heart rate variability during a workout. But given their price, there are tradeoffs: don’t expect a plethora of features or third-party app integrations. To help you decide which cheap fitness tracker to get, I tested a few of the latest devices that are available for $100 or less to find out which are worth your money.

What to look for in a cheap fitness tracker

Even the most basic tracker should have at least three features: a program to track workouts or movement of some sort, the option to monitor and collect sleep data and the ability to measure health metrics like heart rate and blood oxygen levels (though, the readings might not be super accurate).

Fitness features

A cheap workout tracker can be great for someone looking to keep tabs on small, achievable goals like 10,000 steps before sundown or 30 minutes of a HIIT workout to get your heart rate peaking. An experienced long-distance runner looking to train for a triathlon might opt for a more expensive device that can measure cadence or ground contact time, and can track more customizable workouts or give deeper insights into performance data.

At the very least, a budget workout tracker should be able to track workouts beyond walking and running — otherwise, it would just be a pedometer. The number of activities a device will recognize varies. Some will get funky with it and consider skateboarding a workout, while others won’t be able to track a jumping jack.

At this price, you can expect a device to measure a mix of cardio, machine workouts and strength training. With each, you might get a numerical or visual breakdown of heart rate activity, overall pace, and calories burned per session. Although some cheap trackers can offer a really good overview of heart rate zone activity during a workout, a more technically advanced device might be able to go a step further and explain what your results mean and coach you on how to keep your heart rate in a specific bracket so that you can burn more fat per workout. I found that the more budget-friendly the device, the more likely it is that a tracker will fall short when it comes to smart counseling or offering predictive insights beyond a given workout. If a budget tracker does happen to offer some semblance of a coaching program, you can expect it to sit behind a paywall.

Tracking and planning your recovery is just as essential to any fitness journey. A sub-$100 device should be able to tell you how long you’ve slept and provide a breakdown of deep, light and REM sleep activity. It’s not a guarantee that you will get a sleep “score” or insights on how to get better rest — that data is usually found on more expensive wearables. Also, because these trackers aren’t designed for bedtime specifically — be mindful of comfort. The bands and watch face on a budget fitness tracker may not be ideal for getting some good shut-eye.

Connectivity and practicality

Not all activity trackers, budget-friendly or not, are designed to seamlessly integrate with a smartphone. The trackers tested for this roundup can’t directly make calls or send texts to contacts on a paired smartphone. They can, however, display and dismiss incoming calls and notifications. You can forget about checking your email or paying for a coffee from your wrist using these more affordable devices.

Most cheap fitness trackers also won’t include a built-in GPS. Instead, they usually depend on a paired smartphone to gather location data. The drawback of using a fitness tracker without GPS is that it might not provide as precise for tracking distance or pace. You also can’t use a budget tracker to get turn-by-turn directions during a walk or while running errands. For the more outdoorsy consumers, having GPS could be a key safety feature.

Design

You also might find that an inexpensive fitness tracker is harder to navigate than a more advanced smartwatch. Whether it be a screen size issue or simply not having a smart enough interface, don’t expect every feature to be one that you can engage with directly on your wrist. Oftentimes, you will need to pull out your smartphone to log information or access more in-depth health data.

The quality and build of displays and bands will also vary in this category. Don’t expect the highest resolution displays or the fanciest materials in the bands. But you can expect some level of sweat and water resistance.

Other cheap fitness trackers we tested

Wyze Watch 47c

I didn’t have high expectations of the Wyze Watch 47c, but I was shocked at how little this tracker can do. The 47c can only track walks and runs. It has a dedicated widget, a small logo of a man running, and when you tap it, it begins measuring your pace, heart rate, calories burned and mileage. It does not auto-detect or auto-pause workouts and it doesn’t differentiate between a run and walk. Most importantly, this device can’t track any other exercises. It’s basically a glorified pedometer.

The 47c was also my least favorite to sleep with, mainly because the square watch face is so large and heavy. Even if I did manage to sleep through the night with it on, it only gave me a basic sleep report.

Garmin vivofit 4

The Garmin vivofit 4 has a tiny display that is not a touchscreen and all navigation happens through one button. The watch face is impossible to read outdoors and the exercise widget is also very finicky. To start tracking a run, you have to hold down the main button and flip through some pages until you get to a moving person icon. Once there, you have to press the bottom right corner of the bar and hold down and if you press for too long or in the wrong spot, it’ll switch to another page, like a stopwatch. It’s incredibly frustrating.

Once you start a run though, it will start tracking your steps, your distance — and that’s pretty much it. It does not auto-detect or auto-pause workouts. It doesn’t alert you of any mileage or calorie milestones.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-cheap-fitness-trackers-140054780.html?src=rss

DJI’s Mic 2 now records high-quality audio to your smartphone via Bluetooth

After making a cameo appearance in the Osmo Pocket 3 camera, DJI’s Mic 2 wireless microphone system has officially arrived with some nice upgrades over its popular predecessor. It can now connect directly to your smartphone via Bluetooth, while also offering improved internal recording quality, AI noise reduction, a bigger touchscreen, easier control and more.

The transmitters come in grey with a new see-through design and DJI introduced a white color option as well. They’re slightly smaller than before, but largely resemble their predecessors with a clip, magnetic mount and 3.5mm mic input. The power and link buttons are now on the same side and round instead of oblong, with the record button and USB-C input on the other side.

DJI

In one welcome change, DJI moved the power-on LED to the sides, rather than near the front as before, where it would annoyingly appear on camera. The DJI logo is front and center, though, so you’ll still need a piece of black tape to cover that up.

The receiver has changed substantially, with a larger 1.1-inch touchscreen and a new thumbwheel to make adjustments easier. DJI has made connecting the transmitter directly to your phone simpler as well via included USB-C and Lightning adapters.

A big plus of the Mic 2 over other kits like the Rode wireless Go 2 is the charging case that’s sold with the two-transmitter kit. It now supports up to 18 hours of use on a charge, up from 15 before, and the transmitters have been upgraded from 5.5 to six hours.

DJI

Topping the list of new features is direct Bluetooth connection support, letting you pair a transmitter mic to your phone (or DJI’s Osmo Pocket 3 and Action Cam 4) without the need for a receiver. That’ll allow creators on a budget to purchase a transmitter mic by itself for $99, or add DJI’s Lavalier Mic for an additional $35.

Linking a phone is relatively easy — hold the record button for three seconds to put it in Bluetooth mode, then press and hold the link button for two seconds. From there, your phone should detect the transmitter. It worked great with my Pixel 7a, even though it’s not on the approved list, and I was able to start recording video with much better quality audio, to say the least.

There are a couple of caveats: the AI noise cancelling feature doesn’t work when connected to a smartphone and you can only use one transmitter at a time. If you have the transmitter/receiver combo, though, you can also get audio by connecting the receiver directly to your phone as before.

DJI

Speaking of, the Mic 2 has a couple of improvements in audio quality. It promises “brighter and more natural sounding voices” for the interviews or standup work where it’s mainly used. And though the original DJI Mic supported internal recording as a backup to camera files, it now captures that at higher 32-bit float quality, letting you max out gain without fearing distortion. It also supports a higher acoustic overload point (AOP), up to 120 dB from 114 dB, meaning you’ll see less distortion on higher audio levels.

The other quality trick is AI noise cancelling, allowing the Mic 2 to lower the environmental noise so vocals stand out better. DJI promises that it works in “complex and noisy environments, such as streets and restaurants.”

A full review is to come, but I tried out the Mic 2 in a variety of situations, including inside a car, riding on a bicycle and in a howling wind. It performed well in nearly all those situations, with all distracting noise blocked in the car and bike shots, leaving just some pleasant environmental sound. However, it was unable to block out a direct 30-40 MPH wind on a sand dune, even with the included wind muff installed. It still worked well enough for me to get the shot, though, which was impressive.

DJI

Key features carrying over from the last model include the option for a safety track recorded at a lower -6 dB (in case you accidentally blow out the levels), an 820 foot range with the transmitter/receiver combo (524 feet in the EU), magnetic clips and a muff for each transmitter. For the receiver, DJI has also included preset gains for different cameras so that it’ll work relatively well out of the box. It doesn’t include all recent cameras, so hopefully firmware updates will address that.

With the new options, particularly the smartphone Bluetooth connectivity and Osmo Pocket 3/Action 4 support, the Mic 2 is again likely to strike a chord with creators. It’s now available for $349 with two transmitters, a receiver and charging case, $219 for a transmitter and receiver and $99 for individual transmitters. You can also purchase the charging case separately for $69.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/djis-mic-2-now-records-high-quality-audio-to-your-smartphone-via-bluetooth-130018964.html?src=rss

The Morning After: A closer look at Apple’s Vision Pro

With pre-orders opening later this week, Engadget experienced a more in-depth demo of Apple’s mixed-reality headset. Editor-in-chief Dana Wollman and deputy editor Cherlynn Low were fitted with the Vision Pro for some more extensive demos, including immersive video, a little bit of Disney+ and attempts to type in thin air on the Vision Pro’s floating keyboard.

Apple

They discuss the fitting process, the attention to detail in Disney+’s viewer app and where there’s room for improvement with keyboards, comfort and utility. This is the company’s first new product for a while — and I had strong feelings about its last one. Early impressions suggest Apple seems to have made a fluid, intelligent headset experience — but are you willing to spend $3,499 on it?

— Mat Smith

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The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered review

A new roguelike No Return mode steals the show.

When a PS5 remake of the 2013 title The Last of Us Part I launched, it was hard to stomach the $70 price tag. Yes, the game looked incredible, there were some new modes, but the level design and gameplay were identical. It was, for all intents and purposes, a money grab.

With The Last of Us Part II Remastered, that seems less true. First, it’s a $10 upgrade for people who bought the PS4 versions (or $50 outright). Second, there’s a new roguelike game mode called No Return, which may be worth that upgrade price on its own. Nathan Ingraham, TLOU die-hard, explains.

Continue reading.

Yamaha takes on Teenage Engineering with its own colorful groovebox

The SEQTRAK is an all-in-one production studio.

Yamaha

Yamaha is a pillar of the electronic music-making world, but it’s perhaps best known for its stage synthesizers and studio monitors. Now, it’s taking Teenage Engineering with the SEQTRAK groovebox. Stylistically, it seems heavily inspired by TE.

The SEQTRAK includes a drum machine, sampler, FM and sample-based synthesizers and that semi-eponymous sequencer along with a built-in battery (three to four hours expected playtime) plus a built-in speaker, so it works without plugging in anything else. The SEQTRAK is available to pre-order at retailers for $399, which undercuts the heady pricing of Teenage Engineering’s similar product.

Continue reading.

Apple shipped more smartphones than anyone else last year

It’s the first time Apple has held the top spot.

Both IDC and Canalys’ most recent analysis of smartphone shipments shows Apple has beaten Samsung to roll out more smartphones than any other company. IDC’s preliminary data said Apple shipped 234.6 million units in 2023, equal to 20.1 percent of the market share. In comparison, Samsung shipped 226.6 units for 19.4 percent of the market share. This is the first time Samsung has fallen from the number-one spot since 2010.

Back then, Nokia was in the lead.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-a-closer-look-at-apples-vision-pro-121522078.html?src=rss

Google now admits it could collect data in Chrome’s Incognito mode

When users open an Incognito browser on Chrome, they’ll see a notification warning them that other people using their device won’t be able to see their activity but that their downloads, bookmarks and reading items will still be saved. Now, Google has updated that disclaimer in Chrome’s experimental Canary channel, shortly after agreeing to settle a $5 billion lawsuit accusing it of tracking Incognito users. As first noticed by MSPowerUser, the company has tweaked the disclaimer in Canary to add language that says Incognito mode won’t change how websites collect people’s data.

“Others who use this device won’t see your activity, so you can browse more privately,” the new disclaimer reads. “This won’t change how data is collected by websites you visit and the services they use, including Google. Downloads, bookmarks and reading list items will be saved.” The publication spotted the updated warning in Canary on Android and Windows, and we can confirm that the same language appears in the version of Chrome for Mac.

Google was hit with a lawsuit in 2020, accusing it of tracking users’ activities even if they’re on Incognito mode. The plaintiffs told the court that the company used tools like its Analytics product, apps and browser plug-ins to monitor users. They also argued that by tracking users on Incognito, Google was giving people the false belief that they could control the information they’re willing to share. A Google spokesperson explained at the time that the mode could only hide a user’s activity on the device they’re using but that their information could still be collected. That’s not clearly communicated in the current disclaimer for the public version of Chrome, but it looks like that could change in the near future.

Google

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-now-admits-it-could-collect-data-in-chromes-incognito-mode-103807146.html?src=rss

Minecraft x Planet Earth III is the least offensive corpo collab of the year

If you own a copy of Minecraft: Bedrock Edition or Minecraft: Education Edition, you can now grab a free expansion pack based on the BBC’s Planet Earth III. Much like the previous Frozen Planet II experience, this new wildlife documentary DLC lets players explore five scenarios through the lens of animals — arctic wolves, ocelots, musk oxen, leopards, Cape fur seals, great white sharks, impalas and more.

Basically, be the hunter or be hunted; you get to play both sides on locations ranging from the Arctic tundra to the Okavango Delta. In the case of the lily-trotter, you’re either the father protecting your chicks from crocodiles, or you’re one of the chicks following your father’s signals. There’s also an activity involving the fascinating interaction between unlikely insect allies: the tree hopper and the stingless bee, with the latter in charge of shooing ants and assassin bugs away from the tree hoppers’ nest.

A new addition to this educational experience is the “BBC Planet Earth Field Station,” which is set in the heart of a pixelated jungle. This serves as a portal to the five biomes, with extra goodies including sound boards, animal facts and a cinematics album. Upon the completion of each activity (which can be repeated), you’ll receive rewards that can be used to decorate the hub or dress up your avatar.

With the game reaching its 15th anniversary this year, Minecraft has become the best-selling video game of all time, reaching over 300 million copies sold as of October last year. There’s also a movie adaptation in the works, reportedly starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa when it comes out in April 2025.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/minecraft-x-planet-earth-iii-is-the-least-offensive-corpo-collab-of-the-year-040438095.html?src=rss

Apple updates US App Store guidelines allowing developers to link to third-party payments

Apple is relaxing a key App Store rule that has long been a source of frustration to developers. The iPhone maker will allow U.S. developers to link to outside websites for in-app purchases, according to the company’s updated developer guidelines.

The change comes shortly after the United States Supreme Court rejected an appeal to reconsider a lower court ruling requiring Apple to allow developers to direct customers to alternative payment methods. The change only applies to iOS and iPadOS apps in the U.S. app stores and developers are still required to pay a commission for in-app purchases not made via the App Store.

It seems that Apple will continue to maintain tight control over payments, even under the new rules. According to a support page, developers will need approval from Apple before they can take advantage of the new rule, and app makers will only be permitted to notify users about alternative payment methods in specific ways. For example, the company’s guidelines to developers stipulate that links can only be shown in an app one time, and only in “a single, dedicated location.” App makers are also prohibited from using in-app pop-ups or mentioning outside payments in their App Store listing.

The company is also officially requiring developers to pay it a commission for purchases made outside of its App Store. The commission is set at 12 percent for developers who are part of its small business program, and 27 percent for larger developers. But, as 9to5Mac points out, the company may have some trouble enforcing those terms. In court documents, the company argued that it would be “exceedingly difficult and, in many cases, impossible” to collect the fees.

Still, the change is a significant concession for Apple, which has long been criticized for developers for App Store rules sometimes viewed as draconian and arbitrary. The company’s rule barring developers from communicating with users about alternative (and often cheaper) payment methods was a central aspect of the Epic v. Apple trial in 2021. The company had previously loosened some of these rules following the trial and a subsequent class-action lawsuit from developers.

Developing…

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-updates-us-app-store-guidelines-allowing-developers-to-link-to-third-party-payments-235836357.html?src=rss