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GM is shutting down its in-car shopping app
Although Marketplace was in millions of vehicles, it didn't take off as the automaker hoped.
Owlcam's new owner more than doubles the price of its annual LTE dashcam fee
Owlcam users will have to pay more than double their subscription fee to continue accessing LTE services.
The Weather Channel brings localized COVID-19 updates to your phone
The Weather Channel and its parent company IBM (yep, who knew?) have teamed up to bring coronavirus data, maps and charts to your phone. They're importing data from sources like the World Health Organization (WHO), and including info from reliable local and state sources, so you can get a picture of how the virus is spreading near you, across the country and around the globe.
Senate bill would make companies put a price on personal data
Many will tell you that internet giants see your data as their most valuable resource, but politicians now want to put a number on that value. Senators Mark Warner and Josh Hawley are introducing the Designing Accounting Safeguards to Help Broaden Oversight and Regulations on Data Act (conveniently DASHBOARD Act for short), a bill that requires companies with 100 million or more monthly users to not only disclose the type of data they collect, but to put a monetary value on that data every 90 days. If Facebook and Google think you're worth $5 per month, they would have to say as much. The Securities and Exchange Commission would have to develop methods for calculating that value.
Apple might wave goodbye to Dashboard in macOS Catalina
One of the Mac's longer-serving features appears to be going away. Appleosophy and others using the developer preview of macOS Catalina have discovered that Dashboard, the secondary screen for widgets, isn't present. The app is missing in Launchpad, and you can't even force it to appear using Terminal. We wouldn't completely rule out a return in a later beta, but iTunes also has a missing icon and is clearly falling out of favor.
Control4's new hub connects 13,500 smart home devices on one screen
Smart home connected devices can control everything from lighting and temperature to security systems and music. But with products from so many different companies, they don't always work together. Control4 wants to change that. Yesterday, it debuted its Smart Home OS 3.
Here’s what you won’t find in the Android P beta
Developers and enthusiasts have had access to a very early version of Android P for a while now, but Google has made it more easily accessible to the brave with the launch of its public Android P Beta. At this point, you can get it up and running on 11 devices, but a considerable chunk of the features Google talked up during its keynote aren't actually there yet. Bummer. The broad strokes are well understood at this point, but (thankfully) we got to play with a slightly more feature-complete version of Android P inside Google's sandbox demo space. We'll continue to play with the publicly available Android P Beta, so expect a deeper dive soon, but one thing is clear after playing with a more-complete version: Android P is only going to get more capable in time.
Android and YouTube will help you manage screen time
Those rumors of Google launching tools to manage your screen time? They're true. The internet giant has used its I/O conference to unveil a string of digital well-being initiatives that will help you get away from tech. To start, Android P is getting a dashboard that will give you a clearer picture of how long you use your phone with given apps and how many notifications you receive. Do Not Disturb will also reduce visual distractions, while a Shush option will silence alerts when you flip the phone down. And when it's time to call it a night, Wind Down mode will both switch on DND and turn your screen gray scale.
Audi's latest models add Amazon Music to the dashboard
If you're an Apple CarPlay or Android Auto user, you've no shortage of music streaming services baked into your dashboard. But, if you're relying on your vehicle's default control panel the choices start to dwindle. While, automakers like Ford have started offering Apple and Google's infotainment systems (which play nicer with smartphones) as an alternative to their own interfaces, Audi is going it alone with a little help from Amazon. The German automotive giant now lets you access Amazon Prime Music and Amazon Music Unlimited on the dashboard inside 2017 and 2018 models.
Tidal now works with Apple's CarPlay
Spotify, Google Play Music and the BBC's iPlayer Radio all work with Apple's CarPlay. Now Tidal users can get in on the action, too; the company tweeted the compatibility of its streaming app with the iOS-based in-car system.
GM thinks you'll buy stuff through your car's dashboard
As more cars roll off production lines with WiFi and LTE capabilities as standard, brands are falling over themselves to find ways to monetize this connectivity. Jaguar and Shell have partnered for in-car fuel payments, while BMW and Ford are bringing Alexa to your dashboard. Now, General Motors (GM) has unveiled a new on-board marketplace where drivers can buy coffee and gas, and make restaurant and hotel reservations, without getting out of their car.
Microsoft's redesigned Xbox dashboard is now available to all
Microsoft's next big update to the Xbox dashboard is now ready for public consumption. The first "Fluid Design" interface comes with a redesigned Home page, which is all about simplicity and customisation. The top-level section has four shortcuts (your current game, two personalised suggestions, and a deal from the Microsoft store) and a horizontal carousel underneath. The biggest change, however, is the new "Content Blocks" that sit below this screen. Scroll down and you'll find a series of large, visual panels dedicated to games and friends. These are completely customisable and act like miniature hubs for your favorite titles and communities.
Xbox One's customizable dashboard arrives to more testers
The Windows 10 Fall Creators Update is arriving early next week (October 17th), but it looks like Xbox One users will get some new software toys soon, too. Microsoft has released the Xbox One fall preview update to everyone on the Delta and Omega Insider rings, that is too say, the bulk of its beta testers. Those folks will get the much-anticipated Fluent Design for Xbox One that lets you customize the dashboard the way you want, pinning favorite games, apps and people to the home page.
Amazon Music's iOS app infiltrates CarPlay
Amazon Music subscribers who own a CarPlay-enabled dashboard unit are in luck. Amazon's streaming service is now available via the iOS Amazon Music app for Apple's in-car infotainment system.
Xbox One update will ditch the console's signature Snap mode
The Xbox One's Snap mode was a major selling point on launch -- it was supposed to turn your console into a multitasking powerhouse that lets you play a game while watching TV or tracking achievements. It's a resource hog, however, and Microsoft now believes that it's time for a change. The company's Mike Ybarra has revealed that Snap is disappearing in order to boost performance. It'll improve multitasking, memory demands and "overall speed," he says. It'll also clear resources for "bigger things," although Ybarra offers no clues as to what that means.
Twitter ditches its small business tool
Well, that didn't last long. Twitter started publicly testing its Dashboard tool in June to help small businesses connect with you online, but the social network has revealed that it's closing down the feature mere months later, on February 3rd. It's not explaining exactly what prompted the shutdown, but the company vows to bring Dashboard's "best features" to the community. Also, you won't see all your work undone if you're a user, as scheduled tweets will remain intact.
AOL's Alto email Dashboard adds Alexa and Slack integrations
Email, it's the granddaddy of messaging apps. That doesn't mean it doesn't need a little nudge into the teens... the tens... whatever we're calling this decade. AOL's Alto is exactly that, a modern email client that extracts all the useful info tucked away within it, putting it front and center in a Google Now-like "Dashboard." Today, it's getting a little more up to date, with hooks into Amazon's ubiquitous Alexa, and the work-chat du jour, Slack.
Twitter launches Dashboard app for small business accounts
To help business owners connect with their fans and soothe angry patrons, Twitter is launching yet another stand-alone app with a specific audience in mind. Twitter Dashboard is the social network's attempt to streamline engagement for business accounts, whose users probably have better things to do than babysitting their mentions or constantly searching their own name.
Xbox One gets a smarter home screen and leaderboards
After a holiday break, Microsoft is back to trotting out Xbox One software upgrades... and the next one is a doozy. The impending February update will introduce a smarter home screen that lets you rearrange pins and update your activity feed whenever there's something new. Also, it's much better if you're particularly competitive -- there's a Gamerscore leaderboard that lets you know whether you're the top achievement hunter among your friends.
Pandora gives its iOS app the CarPlay treatment
As the number of CarPlay-compatible vehicles continues to grow, it's about time a few extra iOS apps made the jump to the dashboard. The latest to join Apple's in-car operating system is Pandora, which -- despite only mentioning some bug fixes in its release notes -- has quietly added support in its latest app update. The addition was spotted by 9to5Mac and, as you might expect, allows drivers to access their preferred music stations without touching their iPhone. Once you're happily streaming some tunes, you can also head back to the Now Playing screen and use the action menu to give individual tracks a thumbs up or thumbs down. Alongside Spotify, Rdio and iHeartRadio, there are plenty of ways now to get your music fix through CarPlay -- handy if you're itching to ditch Apple Music.
