Technology News

Some Spotify users are finding that viewing lyrics in the app is now limited to Premium subscribers.

Source: Spotify

Contrary to its logo, Spotify’s lights aren’t all green as it looks to make up for its bad investments. The number one in music streaming could push its users a little more towards the premium subscription if they are used to using the free (ad-financed) part of the application.

As DigitalTrends reports, “some Spotify Free users recently noticed that they could no longer see lyrics in the app.” Instead of those lyrics, a message appears at the bottom of the screen with a link to the subscription page, prompting you to “upgrade the lyrics to Premium to enjoy”.

Although we couldn’t confirm it ourselves, the lyrics are still showing up in the free tier. Spotify has confirmed the information and stated that it is a test carried out with only a limited number of users. If the incentive for premium is convincing, the function could then remain permanently reserved for paid subscriptions. Conversely, the Swedish company is not afraid to back down if the news is poorly received by its community.

Very tough competition

Although Spotify is still well positioned, it has lost its hegemony in the music streaming services market. It sees itself particularly threatened by Apple Music, which benefits from the aura of the Apple brand and its many fans. In addition, YouTube Music, although still insignificant, has recently been full of new features and is offered in YouTube Premium subscriptions that allow you to remove advertising from the VOD platform. One of the newest features added to YT Music is none other than…live lyrics tracking during song.

To differentiate itself, Spotify tried to massively enter the podcast market with extensive investments and even signed exclusive contracts with Kim Kardashian, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle and even the Obama family. Still, the Wall Street Journal revealed this week that the bet didn’t prove profitable, quite the opposite.

Spotify will therefore have to find other ways to replenish its coffers, and the easiest way is generally to put the money where it is: in the pockets of its subscribers.

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Google is refreshing the Android logo and the iconic little robot that has always accompanied the brand.

If you squint, it’s entirely possible that you’ll miss the subtle changes to the Android logo and Bugdroid, the little green robot that serves as the operating system’s mascot! Google has spent money on these brandsfour years after the previous modernization – which was accompanied by a big change at the time: the names of the sweets that until then were attached to the different versions of Android (KitKat, Lollipop, etc.) gave way to stupid numbers, such as Android 14.

Welcome to the third dimension

Nothing major for today’s update, but small improvements here and there, like capitalizing the “A” at the beginning of Android (previously it was a lowercase “a”). Bugdroid in particular received the most attention with a brand new 3D look that was already seen during Google I/O in the spring.

Without warning, Google changes the Android logo

The robot that we have seen in many different ways so far is now even more flexible and open to maximum customization. Google has fun multiplying the colors and haircuts! The transition to 3D, which gives the Bugdroid more personality, affects both the head and the rest of the body.

© Google

Jason Fournier, Android brand director, explains that this three-dimensional switch will ease the transition between the robot’s real and virtual environments, making it “a versatile and reliable companion across channels, platforms and context.” This new identity will gradually appear on Android devices.

Source: Google

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Maïa Davies has a musical resume that deserves to be stunning. Not only has she recorded and toured with the group Ladies of the Canyon, but the Montreal artist has also composed dozens of radio hits and collaborated with artists such as Serena Ryder, Jill Barber, Mother Mother and Gus van Go. Despite everything, someone who works when a director encounters a music industry that remains very closed to the female presence in the studio.

“I would say that 90% of the time I am the only woman in the studio on teams of five to fifteen people. And then it brings challenges,” says Davies. The director’s case is far from unique, as she discovered through meetings with colleagues thanks to the creation of the Global Network of Women Music Producers, an initiative of the National Arts Center (NAC).

This association currently brings together 33 female directors from seven countries, including Argentina, Estonia, Mexico, Sweden and Wales, in Montreal and Toronto. Nine Canadian directors, including Maïa Davies and Caracol, are taking part.

The network, which is reserved for women and non-binary people, is an initiative of Heather Gibson, general producer of the popular music and variety department at the NAC. COVID-19 forced videoconference meetings in the first few months of the group, which was founded in December 2020. In August 2022, 25 music producers met in Stockholm, Sweden to exchange ideas, build relationships and take part in studio training.

It was the statistics that motivated Ms. Gibson to set up the network. According to an analysis by the organization The Annenberg Inclusion Initiative, women made up about 2.3% of female producers in 2018, based on a sample of 400 songs from Billboard. A relatively stable rate between 2012 and 2018.

“Female directors in particular told us that they couldn’t get contracts without contacts and experience,” explains Heather Gibson. But to have experience you need contracts, as the vicious circle dictates. Therefore, it was necessary to take the means to break this disastrous cycle, “which is historical and reinforced by structural problems,” notes the producer of CNA, who emphasizes that for a long time women were not welcome in the studio Singer or choir singer.

This marginalization leaves its mark, creates insecurities and even injuries, assures Maïa Davies, who has been there from the beginning. “When Heather Gibson called me to ask me to be part of the group, I said, ‘This is great. How do I apply?’ But she told me no, we chose you! It was like a metaphor for what it’s like to be a female director in the industry, because I keep thinking that I have more work to do and that I’m not accepted yet. »

Maïa Davies doesn’t want women to be given preferential treatment in music, she just wants them to have a voice, not to be sidelined or discredited because of their gender. What she experienced several times in the studio, including once from a famous rock group who told her, without looking at her, that women didn’t know how to write real rock songs.

“I replied that I lived the rock life, probably more than them, that I have a great admiration for rock music and that I deserved to be there and that they didn’t want to give me five minutes to see it. “If I had the talent to be here it would be a shame,” says Davies. There was silence and after five minutes of composing one of the guys said, “Wow, but you’re really good.” Yes, but you could have started with that assumption. »

Support and advice

Beyond events like those running through September 10th, the Producer Network is a safe space for its members. Heather Gibson explains that women communicate constantly to give each other advice and find solutions based on each other’s experiences. “In the studio, men tend to quickly judge whether a woman has doubts or doesn’t have an answer. She often has to prove herself more. And the group helps women. »

For Maïa Davies, whenever an artist or record label is looking for endorsements, her industry has to question itself. “Women need to be on the lists,” she said. We want to have the same opportunities to prove ourselves, show our talent and participate equally in cultural heritage. »

Could the group include male allies? “I think directors first need to feel more stable and strong among themselves,” notes Heather Gibson. But in the long run, absolutely. »

To watch in the video

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Not only does the EufyCam S330 camera benefit from excellent resolution, it is also equipped with a facial recognition system to better monitor your home. The set of two currently costs from 549 euros to 429 euros.

EufyCam S330

Eufy Security has a good number of surveillance cameras in its catalog and the S330 model is very complete. It’s capable of filming in 4K even at night and is even said to recognize your loved ones thanks to facial recognition to increase home security. It has many advantages to highlight and is now offered as a package for 120 euros less.

What you should consider with the eufyCam S330

• Two wireless cameras with integrated solar panels
• Records videos in 4K
• Night vision and motion detection

With a crossed-out price of 549 euros, the set of two eufyCam S330 cameras is on offer for 429.99 euros on the Amazon website.

Cameras that are easy to install and practical

With its rectangular format, the Eufy S330 looks less ordinary than other references on the market. This choice is not without importance since it allows the accommodation of a solar panel. According to the brand, 3 hours of sunlight per day is enough for it to work. A good way to calm people down and avoid constantly charging the device. As for autonomy, the manufacturer guarantees a useful life of 1 year, although this may decrease depending on use.

Installation is easy. Thanks to its small size and wireless design, it can be placed anywhere. You don’t have to worry about robustness either. Thanks to the IP67 certification, the Eufy brand camera can withstand bad weather and can withstand both intense heat and the coldest temperatures.

A real lynx eye

With these cameras, the image quality is impeccable thanks to the 4K resolution. The videos offer a nice level of detail and good color reproduction. It benefits from a 135° viewing angle to monitor a larger area and even offers an 8x zoom to see further and more precisely. The quality is there even after dark and the images are in color thanks to the integrated Starlight sensor and projector. And when suspicious movement is detected, the floodlights turn on to deter intruders from entering.

Its strength lies in its ability to recognize faces. It is then able to identify your loved ones or alert you when a stranger enters your home. The EufyCam S330 sends you a notification to your phone and, as an added bonus, a photo of the person. Perfect for avoiding false alarms. Of course, it is possible to watch the video stream live from your phone and hear what is happening at home, no matter where you are, and define surveillance areas that you deem sensitive. Images are stored directly locally at 16GB and up to 16TB with HomeBase. A little extra and last but not least: there are no additional costs for the functions mentioned above. Alexa and Google Assistant are finally there too.

To compare the Eufy camera with other models we recommend, we now invite you to consult our guide to the best connected security cameras in 2023.

Some links in this article are affiliated. We explain everything to you here.

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Studio: round disc | editor: Focus Entertainment | Release: September 5, 2023 | Gender: reflection, puzzle | ESRB: E10+ (For everyone aged 10 and over) | Availability: PS4 (PS5), XBO (XBS), Switch, PC | Format(s): Digital | LANGUAGES): French | Length of time: 10+ hours | Price: $26.99 CAN

A huge tower. Multiple peoples. Different languages. A secret. Ultimately an incredible stay where decoding languages ​​takes us to the top of the tower and its secret

Thanks to Focus entertainment who gave us a code for the game for media coverage and testing. The publisher/developer therefore authorizes us to distribute and/or use excerpts from the game for our production purposes and does not interfere in any way with the awarding of the final result.

A great breath of fresh air

The French developer Circularin collaboration with the renowned publisher Focus entertainmentpresent to you today the very surprising thing Songs by Sennaaran adventure game inspired by the Tower of Babel that focuses on reflection, decipherment and puzzles.

There are moments in life when certain events know very well how to stimulate dopamine in us and playing Chants of Sennaar is one of them. Because although nowadays thousands of games are released every year on all platforms, there are not many games that give us this kind of pleasure. To sum it up straight away: Chants of Sennaar is simply refreshing, innovative, brilliant and worthwhile. This is a title that needs to be part of every puzzle/reflection game lover’s gaming library, and here’s why…

Chants of Sennaar is simply refreshing, innovative, brilliant and rewarding. A must for every fan of brain games, puzzles and riddles.

Chants of Sennaar (CoS) will seduce you from the start with its sophisticated artistic direction, offering a colorful and detailed image without falling into the superfluous. In fact, the game’s graphics are in complete symbiosis with what the Rundisc studio wanted for the game, namely to highlight the different languages ​​of the people that populate the floors of the huge tower that we have to climb. The simpler visuals allow us to focus on interacting with the locals and deciphering their languages.

Because Chants of Sennaar is intended above all to be a game of reflection and deduction in which you have to understand the language of the tower’s inhabitants in order to get closer to its summit and the secret it contains. In addition to its ability to make our brains work, CoS also offers an enigmatic atmosphere that does a good job of keeping us captivated from start to finish. The day begins as we are placed in the toga of a strange long-toga-clad character who has broken free from what appears to us to be a grave surrounded by glowing acronyms.

After climbing a series of steps that lead us to the first level of the tower, we will come into contact with a series of exhibits depicting important events. These are explained by glyphs, in a language currently unknown to us. After studying these murals for a bit, we will have our first official meeting with a resident on the first floor. And this is where our quest to decipher, understand and solve puzzles really begins.

In terms of handling, Chants of Sennaar is easy to understand and does not require any special skills other than your memory, your ability to deduce and your intuition. By the way, don’t expect an action game here, because although certain stages of the game can lead to death, you won’t experience any real confrontations. As mentioned above, the basis of gameplay is simple: discover, study, decipher and understand the various languages ​​of the game peoples, all represented by different arrangements of glyphs.

For example, the people on the ground floor have their own language that is different from that of the people on the other floors. Of course, certain basic words appear again in every language, but are represented by different glyphs. Then you have to know how to interpret them and assign them to the individual glyphs. And this is where the core mechanics of Chants of Sennaar are brilliant and innovative. Because when you meet your first resident, a series of glyphs will appear above his head, allowing you to proceed with the decryption.

This is done with a simple keystroke that opens your notebook, where every discovered glyph is automatically added. By hovering your cursor over one of these, you can then press a key to open your platform’s text entry menu. On the PlayStation, for example, by pressing the triangle button it is possible to manually enter a word to associate it with the desired glyph. Once this glyph has been entered once, every time it appears in a conversation or in an in-game ad, the word you specified will also appear directly above it. The more words you find this way, the more the inhabitants’ iconographic phrases will make sense to you.

But even though your sense of deduction is good, you will surely come across certain acronyms whose meaning is unknown to you. On certain occasions, our character draws in his notebook to illustrate the meaning of objects, events or actions and to give us clues. For example, at the beginning of the game, drawings of an open padlock, a closed padlock and a door are depicted in our notebook. If we pull the lever of the first door, we will understand that they simply mean: “DOOR”, “OPEN” and “CLOSED”. To validate these words, we then need to map each glyph to each of the corresponding images in the notebook. If you did everything correctly, the glyphs will be successfully validated.

When told this way, it all seems pretty simple, but think again! Since each people has their own dialect, the exercise must be started again on each floor of the tower. Not only will the visual representation of the language change, but also some syntaxes in sentences, making things more difficult as you progress. I found that the language of the people on the 3rd floor of the tower was very difficult to understand with its small syntactic peculiarities. There is also the principle of numbering the alchemists, which even today causes me difficulties and prevents me from entering the upper level of the tower, which, in my opinion, is the last.

Understanding languages ​​is the central element of the game and will allow you to successfully solve the various puzzles that are offered to you. There are many of them and some will send your brain into overdrive. Here and there you can find certain objects that open doors or activate machines. But although the puzzles and understanding the glyphs are the main points of the game, there will also be some sequences where stealth is required to gain access to certain locations.

I would have liked these sequences to be given a little more importance, but overall their presence is well balanced. At the beginning of the game we will encounter warriors blocking the path of the followers on the first floor who are trying to get to the upper floors of the tower, saying that they want to reach their “god” at the top. These warriors won’t let anyone pass, not even us, forcing us to try to move stealthily to reach passages that lead to our next destination.

Here the type of camouflage is applied in two ways: Firstly, it ensures that we have to move our character to strategic locations, using walls, beams or other elements of the scenery to hide from the eyes of the guards. This is fairly easy to accomplish, although some degree of trial/error is required for success. The second way will be through disguise. At a certain point in the game we find the Warriors’ Armory and can equip ourselves in different ways. But be careful, because for this you need to study the warrior types on the 2nd floor a little, because the poor arrangement of the outfits will arouse the suspicion of the guards and get you in trouble.

And even if you wear the right equipment, you have to listen (read) the instructions of the generals who order you to perform certain tasks. Again, if you don’t obey quickly enough, deviate from course, or make a mistake, you will be intercepted and executed immediately. Luckily, save points are never far away and the game reloads almost instantly, making our mistakes less painful.

Overall, for me, Chants of Sennaar was one of the most exciting discoveries available in the Reflection/Puzzles category in the Games category. Not only do the mysteries of the story ensure that we never give up, but the immense feeling of satisfaction when we manage to decipher a glyph raises the serotonin levels within us. There are moments where you’ll scratch the back of your head until your hair falls out (unless you don’t have any!), but the pleasure and satisfaction is so present that it’s impossible to put the controller down. So much so that I had to, in complete transparency, ask the people at Rundisc for help to move forward because I want to see the end of the game and see what comes of it! After 17 hours of play and 138 of 186 glyphs decrypted, I’m still not done and plan to 100% complete everything! You will understand here that I highly recommend this game! By the way, there is still a free demo for all platforms. So if you’re still not sure, try these out!

What we really like

• Very nice, sophisticated and stylized art direction
• Deciphering every language of the peoples of the Tower
• The ingenuity of puzzles
• Provides an excellent sense of satisfaction when a puzzle is successfully solved
• Sound ambience that fits well with the entire game
• Very good value for money (15 hours+ for $26.99 CAN)

What we like less

• Some languages ​​are very difficult to decipher
• Some illustrations are difficult to understand

To find out the criteria for our rating system, visit this page.

Please note that the version tested is that of the PS4/5. The game is also available on Xbox One (Xbox Series), Switch and PC.

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