Category: News

ShinyShiny snippets: US vinyl sales overtake CDs for first time since 1980s

Vinyl record sales outperformed CDs in the US for the first time since 1987, according to a new report. Just over 41 million vinyl records were sold in 2022, to the tune of $1.2bn (£.99bn). Only 33 million CDs were sold, amounting to $483m. It was the 16th consecutive year of growth for record sales, about…

ShinyShiny snippets: Meta to cut another 10,000 jobs

Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has announced that it will cut 10,000 jobs. It comes months after the tech giant laid off 11,000 employees in November 2022. Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg said the cuts would be "tough", and formed part of a "year of restructuring".In addition to the 10,000 jobs being lost,…

ShinyShiny snippets: Nokia launches G22 phone with DIY repair kit

Finnish mobile manufacturer Nokia has partnered with repair specialists iFixit to release the smartphone G22, which comes with replaceable parts and toolkits so that customers can fix their phone themselves. The collaboration was born from the increasing demand for home solutions, as more people integrate repair into their lives, iFixit explained. "People want to fix things themselves, and we're happy…

ShinyShiny snippets: WhatsApp could be banned in UK, boss warns

WhatsApp could be banned in the UK, its head has warned. The UK’s upcoming Online Safety Bill could force the app to weaken the end-to-end encryption that currently secures messages on the service, said Will Cathcart, the head of WhatsApp at parent company Meta. If the government forced the company to weaken that security, WhatsApp…

ShinyShiny snippets: Spotify unveils Tik-Tok inspired revamp

It’s the TikTok-ification of Spotify. On Wednesday, Spotify unveiled a massive change to its design which users are not too thrilled about. Now, Spotify’s homepage will include a TikTok-like feed where users can scroll to discover new music, podcasts, books, and more. The homepage will feature vertical videos when possible for music covers and podcasts.…

ShinyShiny snippets: Apple introduces yellow iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus

I'm a little disappointed that Apple didn't give a name to the yellow it splashed on its iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. It's just yellow, or Yellow iPhone 14. At least the really deep blue got 'Midnight' but Apple clearly had no interest in something like "Banana Yellow," "Sunflower Yellow," or "Merengue Yellow." The new color variant,…

ShinyShiny snippets: Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock ‘immortalised as Barbie Doll’

Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock and her Barbie doll. Image: Sky News A British scientist known for her work with the largest space telescope ever made has been honoured with her own Barbie doll. Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock has been immortalised as a one-of-a-kind plastic toy in her likeness in recognition of her achievements…

ShinyShiny snippets: Eating disorder hashtags still widespread on TikTok

TikTok videos using hashtags previously identified as hosting eating-disorder content are continuing to attract views, new research by the Centre for Countering Digital Hate has found. A December report by the campaign group identified "coded" hashtags where users could access potentially harmful videos promoting restrictive diets and so-called "thinspo" content, designed to encourage harmful weight loss.…

ShinyShiny snippets: Microsoft Activision Blizzard deal likely to pass EU regulators

Microsoft's $68.7bn Activision Blizzard deal looks set to pass EU regulators, news agency Reuters has now reported. Citing sources familiar with the deal, the report claims that Microsoft has won over the European Commission with its show of concessions last week, when it announced deals to ensure Call of Duty would be made available on Nintendo platforms…