Google has been trying to nudge Apple into adopting the GSMA’s RCS messaging protocol, from not-so-subtle jabs at I/O 2022 to lengthy Twitter threads from the head of Android. The latest tool from the makers of Android? Drake lyrics.
The official Android Twitter account shared an “unofficial lyric explainer video” for “Texts Go Green,” the third song from Drake’s latest album. Both the title and chorus refer to what happens when an iPhone user blocks someone from contacting them through iMessage, which defaults messages to SMS and loses features like read receipts.
Swiftly demolishing any cultural cachet by referencing lyrics from a recent Drake song, the Twitter account calls it “a real banger.” And I close my Twitter app.
— Mat Smith
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Balenciaga looks even worse on Mark Zuckerberg’s avatar
Meta is launching an Avatars Store for digital fashion.
Meta is opening an Avatars Store where you can purchase outfits for your avatar on Facebook, Instagram and Messenger. The new looks include designer duds from Balenciaga, Prada and Thom Browne, and the company expects to add more designers over time. Zuckerberg and Eva Chen, Meta’s VP of fashion partnerships, announced the new store on Instagram Live, calling it the “first live avatar fashion show.” The “fashion show” consisted of Chen holding up paper drawings of Zuckerberg’s avatar wearing increasingly questionable, if metaverse-ready, outfits.
Senators call for a common charger standard in the US
Europe wouldn’t be alone in trying to cut e-waste.
US senators Ed Markey, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders have sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, calling on her department to develop a “comprehensive strategy” that would lead to a common charging standard. The EU acted in the “public interest” by settling on one port, the senators said, and the US ought to follow suit to reduce the environmental impact of chargers while improving convenience for users. A charger standard would theoretically reduce e-waste by letting people reuse existing cables and adapters for new devices.
‘Diablo Immortal’ has reportedly earned $24 million since release
Free-to-play, license to print cash.
Two weeks after release, Blizzard’s Diablo Immortal has earned approximately $24 million according to Appmagic. The analytics firm said the free-to-play game had already been downloaded almost 8.5 million times. Will this inform the rest of the Diablo gaming universe? Possibly not. Diablo franchise general manager Rod Fergusson recently said Diablo IV would feature a different monetization system from Immortal.
The Engadget guide to the best mid-range smartphones
Who says greatness has to be expensive?
The middle of the smartphone road has amazing options that balance price and features. These days, you still get incredible cameras, vivid screens and decent battery life. But there are so many, so where do you start? How about this guide?