Technology - Kalakshar US

Bookshop.org is now selling ebooks

Independent book stores can now get a cut of the ebook market. Today, Bookshop.org announced the addition of ebooks to its website. As it does with physical books, the online retailer prompts shoppers to designate a local book store at checkout, then sends part of the purchase price to that store. Since it started selling physical volumes in 2020, Bookshop.org has funneled more than $35 million to indie booksellers.

During a recent chat, CEO Andy Hunter told me hundreds of stores have credited Bookshop.org with their ability to stay in business through the shutdowns caused by the pandemic. Now through the added ebook sales, those stores will have one more revenue stream — and shoppers will have another way to support neighborhood stores. “It’s not a good business strategy to say, ‘Come to us for your books, but when you need an ebook, go to Amazon'” he said.

The site will offer more than three million ebooks from every major publisher and the entire profit from the sale will go to the customer’s chosen store. If a user doesn’t designate a store, profits will partly channel into a pool for all participating bookstores and the rest will return to Bookshop.org. The company will also make money from publisher ads on its website. Because ebook prices are set by the publisher, titles will cost the same as they do from Amazon, Kobo, Google Books or elsewhere.

In addition to the new category, Bookshop.org is also introducing a new reader app for iOS and Android devices today. Through the app, readers can explore curated lists of books, search the ebook catalog, read previews and add books to their wishlist. You’ll still need to head to Bookshop.org on a browser to make purchases — just as you do with other ebook sellers so they can avoid Apple and Google’s steep in-app billing commissions. (Though, on tangental note, Bookshop.org’s website now accepts Google and Apple Pay.)

Reading books on the app should feel familiar to anyone who’s used a tablet or smartphone ereader app, offering highlights, annotations, type and font adjustments and text searches. In addition to swipeable pages, you can also set the text to a vertical endless scroll mode, an option I haven’t seen in other ereader apps.

Bookshop.org

Probably the most intriguing feature is Quote Sharing. As I was talking with Hunter, he pointed out that when people share quotes from books on social media, it’s often via a typed-out quote alongside a picture snapped of the physical page or the cover of the book. If you want to read that book, you’re going to have to put in a little work to find it and buy it.

With Quote Sharing in the Bookshop.org app or browser reader, up to 300 characters of text can be highlighted and shared on Facebook, X, Threads, Bluesky or anywhere else you can share regular weblinks. The generated link creates a formatted post with the quote, along with the book cover image. Anyone who clicks the link will be taken to a webpage with the quote in context, above a button to buy the book. Hunter says the goal is to “make conversations around books feel like a native part of the social web.”

As someone who is invested in ereaders, I asked whether Bookshop.org ebooks would be readable on Kindles or Kobos. Hunter told me his company is already working on compatibility with Kobo devices and has also been in talks with Amazon to potentially allow Kindles to display titles purchased from Bookshop.org. Integration with Kobo could come as early as this year; Amazon cooperation will likely take longer.

Another forthcoming feature allows indie booksellers to sell ebooks directly from the bookstore’s own website using Bookshop.org’s tech. That partnership won’t be available at launch but should go live in spring of 2025.

Hunter told me a story from the initial investor phase from the print-only iteration of Bookshop.org. When potential investors learned he couldn’t beat Amazon on price or speed, he was laughed out of the room. They assumed no one would be willing to pay more or wait longer for a book, no matter how worthy they thought independent bookstores might be.

Five-plus years later, not only were those investors proven wrong — the company’s continued existence suggests at least some people can spare a few extra bucks and some patience to support bookstores — now with ebooks, Bookshop.org can indeed match Amazon on both price and speed, since even the largest e-retailer can’t discount ebooks and delivery is instantaneous no matter where you buy from.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/bookshoporg-is-now-selling-ebooks-113033975.html?src=rss

Google Maps will rename Gulf of Mexico to Gulf of America, but only for US users

Yes, Google Maps is renaming the “Gulf of Mexico” to the “Gulf of America,” but you won’t see it when you open the app just yet. In a series of tweets, the News from Google account has revealed that the Maps app will roll out an update with the name change after the US government updates the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), which serves as the “federal and national standard for geographic nomenclature.” Google Maps will also change the name of the highest mountain peak in North America from Denali, the name given to it by Alaskan Natives, to Mount McKinley when GNIS reflects its new official designation.

When that happens, we will update Google Maps in the U.S. quickly to show Mount McKinley and Gulf of America.

— News from Google (@NewsFromGoogle) January 27, 2025

Google said it’s a longstanding practice for the company to apply name changes in Maps only after they’ve been updated in official government resources. President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week to change the body of water’s name, and the Interior Department announced on Friday that it’s now officially known as the Gulf of America.

However, only users in the US will see it labeled as such. It will still be called the Gulf of Mexico for users in Mexico, while users from outside either country will see both names in their Google Maps app. Google said that another official longstanding practice is to show official local names when they vary between countries, and as Reuters notes, it has applied the rule to many other areas with naming and territorial disputes like the Sea of Japan.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/google-maps-will-rename-gulf-of-mexico-to-gulf-of-america-but-only-for-us-users-043726929.html?src=rss

Google open-sources the Pebble smartwatch’s software, and its creator is making a new model

Pebble is back, baby. On Monday, Google (which owns Pebble’s IP via its Fitbit purchase) open-sourced the OG modern smartwatch’s software. Although that paves the road for anyone to make new Pebble-esque wearables (or custom firmware for the old models), one high-profile figure has already raised his hand: Pebble creator Eric Migicovsky.

Google says the open-source PebbleOS includes most of the software’s source code. The only exceptions are proprietary code for chipset and Bluetooth software. Google’s Matthieu Jeanson, Katharine Berry and Liam McLoughlin wrote that developers face “a non-trivial amount of work” in finding replacements for the stripped-out pieces of code. Migicovsky says he spurred the project by asking friends at Google if they would open-source the software.

The Pebble founder, who went on to run Beeper (the iMessage for Android app that sparked a short-lived war with Apple), wrote on his blog that he wants his planned smartwatch to be a modern take on the original Pebble — a spiritual successor that doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel. “No one makes a smartwatch with the core set of features I want,” he wrote. “I had really, really, really hoped that someone else would come along and build a Pebble replacement. But no one has.”

Kickstarter

His wishlist for the as-yet-unnamed product includes an always-on e-paper screen, long battery life, a “simple and beautiful user experience,” physical buttons and hackability (like custom watch faces). Those were indeed the hallmarks of the innovative and charming Pebble, which broke Kickstarter records and preceded Apple, Samsung and Google’s models by several years.

“The new watch we’re building basically has the same specs and features as Pebble, though with some fun new stuff as well,” the Pebble founder wrote, adding that his team still needs to nail down the product’s exact specifications and timeline. “It runs open source PebbleOS, and it’s compatible with all Pebble apps and watchfaces.”

Developers can get Google’s open-sourced Pebble OS on GitHub. And if you’re interested in Migicovsky’s as-yet-unnamed spiritual successor to the 2013 smartwatch, you can sign up for updates on its webpage.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/google-open-sources-the-pebble-smartwatchs-software-and-its-creator-is-making-a-new-model-220526568.html?src=rss

Meta AI will now use your Facebook and Instagram activity to inform its recommendations

Meta is giving its AI assistant a better “memory” in an effort to make the chatbot more useful. The company’s latest AI update allows the assistant to “remember certain details that you share with it in 1:1 chat” and uses your past activity on Facebook and Instagram to make more personalized recommendations.

With the change, which will initially be available to the US and Canada, Meta AI will be able to track your preferences based on information you share in chat with it. In a blog post, the company uses the example of food allergies and other dietary restrictions so meta AI will “remember” to recommend recipes that fit your requirements.

But the assistant will also be able to track other details about you, including information about your personal life and relationships. (Meta will allow you to track Meta AI’s memories about you and remove specific details.) And, notably, Meta AI can now use your past activity across Facebook and Instagram to inform its interactions with you.

Apple Sports adds the FA Cup and other UK soccer tournies

On the same day Apple launched iOS 18.3 to the public, its dedicated sports app got a few tweaks — including beefed-up soccer coverage. Apple Sports also now has a new way to navigate favorites and broadcast info for each game’s page.

Apple has invested heavily in soccer for Apple TV+, scooping up the exclusive global rights to Major League Soccer (MLS) until 2033. The streaming service also has several exclusive MLS documentaries, including one about Lionel Messi. His arrival in America’s premier soccer league quickly doubled the service’s subscriptions. In a far less expensive move, today’s Apple Sports update adds the ability to track match scores from England’s FA Cup, the EFL Championship and the League Cup.

The update adds a couple of UI tweaks, too. You can now swipe left or right to quickly scroll through your favorite teams and leagues. And it’s easier to find out how to watch games: Each page now shows which network each nationally broadcast game is on.

Apple Sports arrived in February 2024 as an easy, ad-free way to track scores and standings — including on the iPhone’s Lock Screen through Live Activities. The app launched with support for basketball, hockey and soccer, the three major sports active last February. It was later updated to include baseball and football ahead of MLB and the NFL’s opening days. In December, Apple added the ability to schedule Live Activities and a tab in the Play-By-Play section for video highlights.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/apple-sports-adds-the-fa-cup-and-other-uk-soccer-tournies-202654579.html?src=rss

The new Split Fiction trailer shows off some intense co-op gameplay

Swedish indie development studio Hazelight just dropped a new trailer for its forthcoming co-op adventure Split Fiction. This new footage takes a more indepth look at the actual nuts and bolts of the cooperative gameplay. Remember, Hazelight is the same company that made the genre-defining It Takes Two and A Way Out.

Unlike the bickering parents of It Takes Two, this game stars a sci-fi writer and a fantasy author as they travel into various fantastical worlds. It’s a story of friendship, and not marital collapse. This should make for fewer awkward conversations between couples as they play through the campaign.

The company calls Split Fiction a “boundary-pushing co-op adventure.” There are all kinds of unique mechanics shown off in the trailer, which is quite a feat since previous footage already showed off dozens of fun-looking ideas. There are dragons, cyberpunk motorcycles and even Dune-like sandworms.

Hazelight also announced a new mechanic called Side Stories, which are one-off adventures hidden in main story levels. This allows the main characters to do even more stuff, like surf on a sandfish or snowboard down a mountain during a heated battle. The co-op madness will never end.

Split Fiction comes out on March 6 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. The game supports crossplay and purchasers will be able to invite friends to play with them for free on any platform.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-new-split-fiction-trailer-shows-off-some-intense-co-op-gameplay-190028752.html?src=rss

Ubisoft shuts down a support studio and lays off 185 workers

Following a string of misfires, Ubisoft is shutting down a support studio and downsizing elsewhere, with the company firing around 185 workers in its latest cost-cutting measure. Ubisoft Leamington, situated in the English town of Royal Leamington Spa, is no more as the publisher is scuttling the 50-person studio. It’s also laying off employees in Stockholm; Düsseldorf, Germany; and Newcastle, England (Ubisoft Reflections).

“As part of our ongoing efforts to prioritize projects and reduce costs that ensure long-term stability at Ubisoft, we have announced targeted restructurings at Ubisoft Düsseldorf, Ubisoft Stockholm and Ubisoft Reflections and the permanent closure of Ubisoft Leamington site,” Ubisoft told Eurogamer in a statement. “Unfortunately, this should impact 185 employees overall. We are deeply grateful for their contributions and are committed to supporting them through this transition.”

Ubisoft bought the Leamington studio from Activision in 2017. It was previously known as FreeStyleGames and the team was behind Guitar Hero Live and the DJ Hero series. Since joining Ubisoft, the studio has assisted with development on the Tom Clancy’s The Division games, Star Wars Outlaws, Skull and Bones and Far Cry 5.

Things have been tumultuous at Ubisoft recently, as the company is dealing with the fallout of several underperforming games, such as Star Wars Outlaws, which didn’t meet sales targets. Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown fell short of Ubisoft’s sales expectations too, and the company shifted many of the game’s developers to other teams. Ubisoft is also shutting down XDefiant in the coming months, with the publisher shutting three studios and laying off 277 workers as part of that decision. As Eurogamer notes, Ubisoft’s headcount dropped from 20,279 to 18,666 by the end of September.

Perhaps aligned with those recent woes, there have been numerous reports that Ubisoft is seeking a buyer or that it may create a joint venture with Tencent with some of its assets included. The company said earlier this month (PDF) that it would “continue to drive significant cost reductions” and it had “appointed leading advisors to review and pursue various transformational strategic and capitalistic options to extract the best value for stakeholders.”

Suffice to say, there’s a lot riding on the upcoming Assassin’s Creed Shadows. Assassin’s Creed has been a reliably bankable series for Ubisoft and it’s arguably the company’s flagship franchise at this point. Based on my early impressions, the game looks good enough and plays well enough for what the company needs it to do, and it seems to cater to both long-standing fans and series newcomers. There’s a chance that Shadows could be successful for the company, but it’s a mighty tall order for a single game to right a ship that’s as large and unsteady as Ubisoft.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/ubisoft-shuts-down-a-support-studio-and-lays-off-185-workers-191048262.html?src=rss

Bluesky adds a video tab to user profiles

Bluesky just announced that it’s adding a new video tab to user profiles as part of a software update. This is nothing too crazy. It’s just an easy way for users to easily peruse all of the videos someone has posted, whether it’s original content or stuff pulled from other social networks. It’s like the pre-existing “Media” tab, but exclusively for vids.

Engadget/Lawrence Bonk

This is yet another “pivot to video” move by Bluesky. It recently introduced a vertical footage feature on mobile called Trending Videos, which is eerily reminiscent of TikToks, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels.

There are also several TikTok rivals being built on top of Bluesky’s AT Protocol, though most are still in closed testing. Even billionaire Mark Cuban wants to get in on the action. All of these upstarts would, of course, receive a much-needed injection of eyeballs if TikTok were to actually be banned, but who knows what’s going on there.

Bluesky update 1.97 isn’t just about the video tab. It also streamlines the process to block folks who pop up in DMs and offers translation improvements.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/bluesky-adds-a-video-tab-to-user-profiles-193929994.html?src=rss

Fubo raises prices on all English-language plans

In the latest riveting episode of Everything Costs More, Fubo raised the prices of all of its English-language plans by $5 for new customers. The hike includes Fubo’s Essential plan, which only launched in early December.

In a statement to The Streamable (which first reported the news), Fubo blamed the fee hikes on increased programming costs. “The regular prices of the English-language plans have increased $5 due to rising costs from our programming partners,” a spokesperson wrote. “We only make adjustments when necessary, and we’re committed to keeping Fubo competitive while ensuring our subscribers have access to the channels, features and live events they enjoy.”

The changes now put Fubo’s cheapest plan (the aforementioned Essential bundle) at $85 monthly, slightly more than YouTube TV’s $83. The latter raised its fees by $10 per month in early December — up from the $35 monthly price it debuted with in 2017.

In addition to Fubo’s $85 Essential plan, the streamer offers a Pro plan that technically costs the same. But its angle is that, unlike Essentials, it includes regional sports networks, which add mandatory fees of up to $16 per month to the base price. Essentials gives you the option of skipping the RSNs and their fees if you aren’t worried about losing many of your local teams’ games. (Yes, live-streaming TV is often now as much of a confusing mess as traditional cable.)

Fubo Elite, which now costs $95 monthly (plus RSN fees), includes 78 extra channels — like The Cooking Channel, NBA TV and MLB TV. Fubo also offers a $33 Spanish-language Latino plan with networks such as ESPN Deportes, Cine Latino and Nat Geo Mundo. It was the only subscription tier spared from the price hikes.

Although Fubo is arguably the best live TV service for sports, it has some significant missing pieces compared to rivals like YouTube TV. Notable omissions are channels from Warner Bros. Discovery (CNN, TNT, TBS, HGTV, Discovery, Food Network and more), A&E and AMC.

To ease the blow (very briefly), Fubo is offering savings to new subscribers on their first month of service. New signups get $25 off their first month of the Essential plan and $20 off Elite or Pro. Meanwhile, you can save $8 on the Latino plan. Just remember that the full prices will kick in after that single discounted month.

Earlier this month, Fubo and Disney agreed to merge the streaming service with Hulu + Live TV. If the deal gets shareholder and regulatory approval, it will create a new entity (under the Fubo brand) to manage both services. At least the initial promise is that the two services will continue to operate independently. Disney will own 70 percent of the new company, while Fubo will have 30 percent. The two products currently boast a combined six million subscribers.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/fubo-raises-prices-on-all-english-language-plans-181540573.html?src=rss

iOS 18.3 is here, with clearly labeled Apple Intelligence notification summaries

iOS 18.3 is here. After over a month in beta, Apple made the update available for everyone using an eligible device on Monday. Among other changes, the new software turns on Apple Intelligence by default (although you can still opt out) and makes it clearer when the company’s AI generates notification summaries.

Apple said earlier this month that a future update would more clearly label Apple Intelligence notification summaries, which arrived in iOS 18.1 in October. That came after the BBC reported that news summaries were twisted to falsely state that the accused murderer of health insurance CEO Brian Thompson had shot himself. Other bogus summaries claimed a darts player won a world title before playing in the final and that tennis superstar Rafael Nadal had come out as gay.

The following week, Apple took it a step further and paused notification summaries of all news alerts in the iOS 18.3 beta. It isn’t yet clear if they’ll be back in today’s public release, but they will at some point.

Before iOS 18.3, the summaries were only indicated by a small icon. In the new software, the entire summary is italicized, and there’s an all-caps “Summarized by Apple Intelligence” note below each AI-generated recap.

Apple seems to want to boost the adoption of Apple Intelligence on compatible devices, as iOS 18.3 enables the slew of AI features by default during onboarding. You can still opt out, but it takes a few seconds of work: Head to Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri and turn off the toggle.

Other new features in iOS 18.3 are subtler changes: Visual intelligence can now add calendar events from posters or flyers, and it’s better at identifying plants and animals. Of course, there’s plenty of little bug fixes, too.

As always, you can grab the update by heading to Settings > General > Software Update.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/ios-183-is-here-with-clearly-labeled-apple-intelligence-notification-summaries-181935725.html?src=rss