The Public Access Weekly: Get schwifty
Howdy out there Public Access Weekly fans! Anyone out there catching that Perseid meteor shower? I'm going to make an attempt to escape from the perpetual San Francisco summer fog to try and catch a glimpse this weekend, fingers crossed. Other than that... I got nothing. It's been a pretty average week around here so let's just get started, shall we?
A big heads up/reminder for all you savvy commenters out there - if you flag your comment with "Correction Needed" for anything you notice factually wrong in an article, or "Technical Issue" for things that are breaking on the site, we will see it quicker and be able to fix it faster! Is this your job? Heck no. But look, we're not perfect and we appreciate the help.
For all you Public Access contributors out there, keep an eye out for a new landing page to greet you on Monday. We're working on a big, comprehensive guide that will feature a slew of tips and tricks on everything from linking and images to how to write like an Engadget editor, but in the meantime this landing page will be a quick reminder of the rules and guidelines for Public Access members. And if you have any questions about Public Access or contributing, now is the time to chime in!
Looking for something to read? Check out:
We're doing a podcast again! After a two year hiatus, we're bringing it back with a slew of new ways to listen (iTunes, Google Play Music, Pocket Casts, SoundCloud). You can even watch the magic happen, if you're so inclined, by clicking the YouTube link in the story.
The rumors about the next iPhone are starting to come in, with Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman claiming the headphone jack is done-for while the body of the next handset will largely remain the same as the iPhone 6/6S. Don't miss the discussion about the potential camera upgrades in the comments -- some salient points are being made.
Facebook and Adblock Plus are fighting, with Facebook throwing down the gauntlet first by announcing plans to restrict software that removes advertising and Adblock Plus responding with a workaround. One thing is for sure: It ain't over till it's over, and with Facebook rolling out code that works around the workaround, this is far from over.
Looking for something to write about? Mull over:
First Evernote announced it was limiting the free version of its service, now Hulu is ditching its ad-supported free tier in favor of teaming up with Yahoo for a "Yahoo View" option. Folks were pretty quick to give up Evernote for other free services, but a lot of folks seem to feel differently about Hulu. The question to you is: How much technology do we deserve for free? What are you willing to pay for various streaming services and softwares? And what will be the result of companies increasingly trying to monetize their services?
Jessica Conditt wrote about the day-one patch for No Man's Land, stating that the process of releasing a patch on a game's release is "the new normal." Commenters were quick to begin the debate on whether day-one patches were acceptable or just the result of lazy companies releasing incomplete products. Here's you chance to join in: Are day-one patches A-OK or are they unacceptable, and why?
This week Buzzfeed published an extensive look at Twitter and how the social media company handles harassment and trolls (or rather, how it doesn't...). While Twitter has denied many of the claims made within the article, the question here is: How do you handle harassment on Twitter? What about other social media sites? And what should Twitter's actions be to protect its users while championing the free speech the site was founded upon?
