Beats announced today Solo 4A $200 set of familiar-looking boxes with significant upgrades inside, even if they look almost exactly the same as the Solo 3.
At this price, the Solo 4s have no active noise cancellation, and according to Billy Steele, tested the new headphones, they sound a little thin. However, the sound is generally improved and the 50 hours of playback (with USB-C) is a big improvement over its predecessor. You can buy them now.
Beats also surprised us with new sub-$100 prices Solo buds, wireless (non-ANC) headphones with 18 hours of playback. One focus is comfort, with ergonomic acoustic tips and vents helping audio performance and reducing pressure in your ears. The Solo Buds will be available in June for $80.
– Matt Smith
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And penalize low-effort collectors.
Instagram is revising its recommendation algorithm for Reels to support and enhance “original content.” This can have a major impact on aggregator accounts and other accounts that mainly report other users’ work. The company is also changing the order of Reels to boost smaller accounts.
App changes around “original content” can be immediate. Instagram said that when it detects two identical pieces of content, it will actively replace rerun Reels with the “original” clip in its offerings. Aggregator accounts that post other people’s posts “repeatedly” will be penalized even more severely. I’ve come across many accounts (mostly through Reels) that simply post the same viral clip (not even the original) and repost it as much as I want it to spin. These changes may reduce the chance of encountering lazier content.
To sell customer location data.
The Federal Communications Commission has fined the largest US mobile carriers a collective $200 million for selling their customers’ location data without consent. AT&T was fined $57 million, and Verizon was fined $47 million. Meanwhile, Sprint and T-Mobile face $92 million in fines over their merger two years ago. The carriers apparently sold “real-time location data to data aggregators,” which “found their way into the hands of bail bond companies, bounty hunters and other shady actors.”
But it’s more like a Polaroid.
Fujifilm’s Instax cameras have been around for a while, but the new Instax mini 99 released this month looks more like my X-T2 and other Fujifilm models than another plastic Polaroid. Although it looks like an expensive digital camera from a distance, it costs only $200. It also has modes and filters to customize your little snapshots. This flexibility, combined with a simple look, makes for an instant camera that I can actually buy (and use).
