FirefoxでYoutube見続けるとSSDが早死にする問題とその対処法

FirefoxでYoutubeを見続けるとどうなるか タスクマネージャを開いてFirefoxでYoutubeを見てみると、おかしいことがわかります。 動画を見ているだけなのにSSDへの書き込みが連続して発生するのです。 試しに後述のabout:configでbrowser.cache.disk.parent_directoryでキャッシュの位置をUSBメモリなどにしてみるとよく…

Niantic’s Campfire social AR app rolls out for ‘Pokémon Go’ players

With Pokémon Go, Niantic became the poster child for the power of mobile augmented reality (AR) apps. Since then, the company has struggled to recapture that glory. Yesterday’s round of layoffs and canceled projects cemented how difficult things are for Niantic, driven by the pandemic that has made it tough for people to get outside and gather in groups. But it turns out there’s another way for Niantic to double down on its AR lead: By making it easier for its existing players to communicate with each other.

Today, the company has begun rolling out Campfire, a social app that will let Niantic’s users chat with their friends, join groups of like-minded mobile wanders, and arrange major events like Pokémon Go’s raids. Up until now, Poké-addicts have used Discord and other messagings apps to arrange their gatherings. But, likely seeing a missed opportunity, Niantic has developed its own social platform, one that’ll be accessible across all of its titles (including Ingress, its first major release).

Campfire is about more than just messaging, though. It also gives players a broader glimpse at everything the company’s games have to offer. In Pokémon Go, for example, it can show you that there’s a Venusaur hanging out on the other side of town, a far wider view than you’d typically get in the game’s main app. You can also light a flare on specific events, which alerts other local players that you’d like some help tackling it. And, as you’d expect, Campfire also makes it easier to coordinate your friends, like quickly being able to DM your friends if there’s a Snorlax you want to take on.

Even if you don’t have Campfire, though, you’ll still see some benefits within the company’s apps. That expanded map view will be integrated within Pokémon Go, for one. That’s useful for all players, while also being enticing glimpse at what they can access if they sign up for Campfire.

According to Ivan Zhou, Niantic’s head of product, the company is still focused on bringing people together in the real world, rather than using Campfire to power remote events. The app’s Communities feature is also a big step forward, since it’ll let users create groups around any sort of topic. Zhou was already surprised to see groups pop up for niche local topics. There’s also room for Campfire to grow as a location-first social network, rather than using location as an afterthought (like Facebook’s Groups).

Users in the U.S. will get access to Campfire over the coming days, the company says, while international access for Pokémon Go will light up throughout the summer. There aren’t any specific launch dates yet, but the company says it will announce future updates on its social channels.

Google is making its password manager easier to use across all platforms

Google is updating its password manager to make it easier to use and more consistent across platforms. The tool could also help users make their accounts more secure following the upgrades. For one thing, Google is making the password management experience the same in Chrome and Android settings. It will automatically group together passwords for the same sites and apps.

You’ll now be able to add passwords directly to Google Password Manager on top of saving them when you log in to an account. Google suggests Android users will be able to log in to sites faster on Chrome with a touch-to-login feature, which will be available on an overlay on the bottom of the screen. This builds on biometric verification features Google added to Chrome last year.

In addition, Google says it will notify you through the Password Checkup screen if you’re using compromised credentials. Android users will see alerts about weak and reused passwords too. If you receive such a warning, it should be easy to correct the issue with the automatic password change feature. Compromised password warnings will be available for Chrome users on iOS, Windows, MacOS, Linux and Chrome OS too.

Last week, Google added the ability for iOS users to set Chrome as their autofill provider. The idea was to make it easier for people who use Google Password Manager to sign in to any app on their iPhone. Google recently introduced the option for Android users to set a home screen shortcut for Password Manager as well.

Apple now lets apps use third-party payment providers in South Korea

Apple has started allowing developers to use alternative payment systems for apps in South Korea, it announced. It made the move to comply with a new law in the nation requiring major app stores to allow alternative payment methods. Apple is still taking a cut from app transactions, though, albeit with a slight reduction in the fee. 

To use alternatives to Apple’s own payment system, developers must create a special version of their apps for the Korean App Store. Apple has approved four South Korean payment providers, KCP, Inicis, Toss and NICE and any others must be approved by Apple via a request on its developer website. Certain features like Ask to Buy and Family Sharing won’t be available, and Apple takes no responsibility for subscription management or refunds. 

Apple originally appealed the law, but eventually agreed to reduce its usual 30 percent commission to 26 percent. That effectively matches Google, which unveiled its Play Store compliance plans shortly after the law was announced with a four percent discounts on its usual commission. 

Apple has faced attacks on its policies over the past few years, kicked off after Epic Games sued it for removing Fortnite from the App Store. In the US, proposed Senate bills would force Apple to allow app sideloading on iOS and other measures. Last year, Apple published a 16-page report explaining why it should be able to keep its ecosystem closed. 

Google’s Switch to Android app on iOS now works with all Android 12 devices

Google is making it easier for new Android users to transfer their data from an old iPhone. As of today, the company’s Switch to Android app on iOS will work with all Android 12 devices. Previously only compatible with Pixel phones, the software is useful if you’re about to move from iOS to Android.

Once you have your new phone, connect it to your old Apple one. Your best bet is a Lightning to USB-C cable, but you can also link the two devices together over WiFi. Once they’re connected, select what data you want to be moved over. Your options include apps, contacts, photos, videos, music and messages. At that point, the software will take care of the rest.

The timing of the wider availability of Switch to Android is interesting in part because WhatsApp recently made it easier for new iOS users to move their chat histories over from an old Android phone. Obviously, Google’s app won’t help if you switched to Android before today’s announcement, but if the headache of transferring your data is what held you back previously, now you have one less reason to wait.