Tech News and Miscellany

Bubble181

Bubble181

figmentPez said:
Instagram 'Error' Turned Reels Into Neverending Scroll of Murder, Gore, and Violence

" An 'error' in Instagram Reels caused its algorithm to show some users video after video of horrific violence, animal abuse, murders, dead bodies, and other gore, Meta told 404 Media. The company said 'we apologize for the mistake.' "
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Yeah, the EU is not happy about this, especially combined with Instagram's dragging their feet with age restriction implementations and such, meaning thousands of kids got "here's a couple of guys kicking a puppy to death" instead of "here's some puppies and kittens getting pets to feel good".
 
PatrThom

PatrThom

It sounds like they are saying they made this change to the wording because lawyers are currently arguing over what the legal definition of the word "sell" means when used in EULAs and such, and whatever liability using that word exposes them to, and not because some power tie-wearing exec decided to start monetizing FF usage.
FF is still the least invasive "big" browser (when properly configured) right now. But we will see what happens.

--Patrick
 
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Bones

Bones

omg I paid extra money to get my Yggy with heavy high reliability caps etc as an extra, because of this kind of thing in the past O_O
 
figmentPez

figmentPez

Staff member
I saw an article about how Android 16 is going to add the ability to use fingerprint unlock even when the screen is off. What I can't seem to find is why this is an important feature. I found Reddit threads with hundreds of comments with people excited for it, or bragging because their brand of phone already supported it, but I couldn't find a single person saying what they use it for.

What are people unlocking their phones for if they're not using the screen? Do they just not want to risk someone seeing their hentai lock-screen wallpaper while they're using their phone to pay for something?
 
GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member
The fingerprint reader on the back of my Pixel 4a (and the one on my Pixel 1 before it) has been unlocking with the screen off like a champ since the pixel line was introduced. I, too, am mystified as to why this is such an earthshaking development.

(Probably because they've been making the Pixel shittier ever SINCE the 4)
 
Tinwhistler

Tinwhistler

GasBandit said:
The fingerprint reader on the back of my Pixel 4a (and the one on my Pixel 1 before it) has been unlocking with the screen off like a champ since the pixel line was introduced. I, too, am mystified as to why this is such an earthshaking development.

(Probably because they've been making the Pixel shittier ever SINCE the 4)
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hmm..I just grabbed my Galaxy s24 ultra, pressed my thumb to the black and locked screen where it generally reads the thumbprint. It unlocked, as I figured it would (since I remember doing this in the past by accident). That said, I also agree with @figmentPez and wonder why anyone even cares.

Edit: Just tried it on my old s21+ (aka: "the poké-phone") and it works there too.
 
GasBandit

GasBandit

Staff member
Tinwhistler said:
hmm..I just grabbed my Galaxy s24 ultra, pressed my thumb to the black and locked screen where it generally reads the thumbprint. It unlocked, as I figured it would (since I remember doing this in the past by accident). That said, I also agree with @figmentPez and wonder why anyone even cares.

Edit: Just tried it on my old s21+ (aka: "the poké-phone") and it works there too.
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I think this is for fingerprint readers based on the front (through the screen)... but again... why even bother when the one on the back was perfectly viable? My googling seems to indicate that the pixel 9 is removing the rear reader in favor of a front facing ultrasonic one that works through the screen... so I guess it's like losing the 3.5mm jack all over again. Which is another reason I never upgraded from the 4a - it was the last Pixel to have a 3.5mm jack.
 
LordRendar

LordRendar

my samsung 23 also lets me unlock it through the screen without activating it. though i dont do it often, because years of unlocking the a phone "the regular way" have conditioned me.
 
PatrThom

PatrThom

My assumption is that it's for things like payment and transit passes, a common thing that does not require waking the phone, but does require an unlock.

--Patrick
 
Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

GasBandit said:
I think this is for fingerprint readers based on the front (through the screen)... but again... why even bother when the one on the back was perfectly viable? My googling seems to indicate that the pixel 9 is removing the rear reader in favor of a front facing ultrasonic one that works through the screen... so I guess it's like losing the 3.5mm jack all over again. Which is another reason I never upgraded from the 4a - it was the last Pixel to have a 3.5mm jack.
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The benefit of front fingerprint scanner is it allows you to seal up the back, allowing better water and dust proofing and not requiring cases to be open in the back.

That said, I moved away from Google and the pixel line awhile ago and have been using OnePlus models out of China. They come with all the premium features of the flagships and more, and they've all had screen mounted fingerprint scanner that work even with the screen off for awhile.
 
MindDetective

MindDetective

Ravenpoe said:
The benefit of front fingerprint scanner is it allows you to seal up the back, allowing better water and dust proofing and not requiring cases to be open in the back.

That said, I moved away from Google and the pixel line awhile ago and have been using OnePlus models out of China. They come with all the premium features of the flagships and more, and they've all had screen mounted fingerprint scanner that work even with the screen off for awhile.
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I love OnePlus but their OS messes with Google Voice so I had to abandon them.
 
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