“This combination of powers is called ‘platform power.’” The model has been there for quite some time, however, the rapid accentuation of the internet in the past couple of years has increased the global reach of consumers and suppliers, creating extreme network effects," Jeroen van Gils, managing director at tech company Lifi.co, told Lifewire via email. FOMO For a service like Facebook, the Fear of Missing Out makes sense. Its business depends on engagement....

Earlier this year, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo made headlines when he announced a bill that would force internet service providers (ISPs) to sell internet service to New Yorkers in certain areas for $15 a month. Following the announcement, ISPs hit back hard, lobbying against the bill and even filing a lawsuit because of it. Now, a judge has put the bill on hiatus, citing the possibility of “irreparable harm” to telecom companies if it were to go into action....

The iPhone-only app lets you start or listen to conversations on topics ranging from sports to technology. Clubhouse is proving to be a popular place to network and often features chats with celebrities. Clubhouse, which lets strangers chat via audio, rather than video or text, has reportedly surpassed 8 million iOS App Store downloads. The invite-only social app often hosts celebrities who will interact with regular people. “Clubhouse is the perfect social app for the times we’re currently living in,” Amit Wadehra, senior vice president of digital at communications consultancy Ketchum, said in an email interview....

In May, Facebook announced plans to bring end-to-end encryption to its Messenger app by 2022. While many praise the use of this encryption method in online messaging services, some recently have expressed concerns that adding it to Facebook Messenger could open the door for abusers to contact younger users without any form of moderation. Others say encryption is worth the risk, and some suggest Facebook could offer a back door instance that could be used to monitor specific messaging threads....

While there are a ton of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices on the market, experts believe Look to Speak has a place among them thanks to its flexibility and accessibility. “There are other eye gaze systems, but they require special hardware, so this is pretty groundbreaking,” Allison Hilger, an assistant professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, and speech-language pathologist, told Lifewire over the phone. How It Works The app uses facial recognition technology already built into smartphones....

Google finally released the A-Series of its Pixel Buds, a more affordable option for those who want Google-branded wireless earbuds. Much like the company’s A-Series smartphones, the new Pixel Buds have pared down features and a lower, more tempting price. Unlike the more expensive Pixel Buds, the A-Series won’t have wind reduction or a wireless charging case, but users can still take advantage of the IPX4 water-resistance rating and easy access to Google Assistant....

Chinese scientists have invented a VR platform for mice, according to a new study. The six-screened setup with virtual environments is intended to study how rodents think. The study is the latest in a growing body of research to see if using VR with animals can uncover their secrets and even help them lead happier lives. “VR can help reduce stress on livestock by providing them with calming environments that simulate natural habitats,” veterinarian Sophie Whoriskey told Lifewire in an email interview....

Twitter recently announced the introduction of Super Follows, the ability to charge users a monthly subscription fee to access your content. While rewarding creators for their hard work is always a plus, experts say Twitter could face backlash for monetizing content instead of focusing on features the community has been requesting for years. “Most actual users wanted an edit button before they wanted another way to give Twitter and influencers money directly,” Jeff Ferguson, a partner at digital marketing agency Amplitude Digital, told Lifewire via email....

Apple has a weird relationship with the iPad mini. Updates are rare, and really, it’s hardly changed since the original in 2012. And yet users love it. I bought that 2012 original after seeing a colleague using one at CES. It was just so cute, and I used it as my sole portable computer, doing all my work on it, for a year. The mini is Apple’s most portable iPad, and it looks like it’s about to get a long-deserved, and absurdly overdue, redesign....

Over the past few years, we’ve seen several remakes and remasters releasing for older games like Resident Evil 2, Demon’s Souls, and more. While these remakes have been received with love and adoration, other companies have focused on bringing the original experience to newer consoles. Nintendo is the most recent gaming company to take a stab at bringing classic titles back in their original format. It announced that Nintendo 64 and Sega Genesis games would be coming to the Switch via an online subscription....

You might be surprised by how many apps track you and steal private data from your iPhone and iPad. Despite Apple’s strict App Store rules, apps are allowed to collect and share your location, your contact details, and more. Even without your permission, they can also steal all kinds of information you probably prefer to keep private. The solution is to install some kind of firewall on your device. “Many people expressed shock just from what we were able to show in our first release,” Will Strafach, creator of iOS anti-tracking app Guardian, told Lifewire via direct message, “and now with Push to notify users in real time, I am very curious to see what folks think....

According to a recent report published by Research and Markets, less than 20% of electronics are recycled safely, and most end up in landfills, leaking toxic chemicals that are detrimental to the environment and human health. You probably have a drawer full of old iPhones or devices you haven’t touched in years, but it’s important to be aware of the impacts e-waste has on the environment, as well as how to properly dispose of old electronics....

What Is an XBM File? A file with the XBM file extension is an X Bitmap Graphic file used with the graphical user interface system called the X Window System to represent monochrome images with ASCII text, similar to PBM files. Some files in this format may instead use the BM file extension. While they aren’t as popular anymore (the format has been replaced with XPM - X11 Pixmap Graphic), you might still see XBM files used to describe cursor and icon bitmaps....

What Is an XP3 File? A file with the XP3 file extension is a package file used by KiriKiri, a scripting engine. The XP3 file is often used with visual novels or for storing video game resources. Inside the file might be images, audio, text, or any other resource that would be useful during gameplay or for a visual representation of a book. These files are stored in the XP3 file like an archive, similar to ZIP files....

Just about everything you do online is tracked in some way. If you use Google platforms like YouTube, Google Search, or even Google Maps, all that data is tracked and conveniently stored on your Google My Activity page. The idea is to give you a way to go back and look through your data whenever you need to re-explore those searches and answers. The problem is, convenience puts a lot of your personal data at risk, which is why Google has added a password verification system to that page....

To quantify the extent of this blatant disregard for your privacy, researchers from Norton Labs analyzed the search feature of the top one million websites. Astonishingly, they discovered that a majority had leaked search terms to third parties, often advertisers. “Of the top websites which have internal site search, we observed 81.3% of these websites leaking search terms in some form to third parties,” wrote the researchers. “Often, websites would leak search terms via more than one [way]....

Android Police readers with Premium YouTube subscriptions have started noticing a new option to download videos through the Labs page. According to Labs, the download feature will work with Windows, Mac, and Chrome OS, and the test will be ending in mid-October. According to Android Police, it’s been made available to YouTube Premium subscribers in India and France, but should also be widely available in other areas. The main draw of downloading YouTube videos is not having to worry about an internet connection....

Rise might be one of the best co-op games on the Switch, but it’s the sort of game you need a mentor for, if not a full 101-level college course. From the jump, Rise is a nest of menus, sub-menus, radial menus, incessant tutorials, and rules on top of rules, with each new weapon, mechanic, and monster presenting a new set of fun facts to know and tell. It’s amazing that a series this popular is also this hard to get into....

Rock Band Legacy Adapter for Xbox One Because the Xbox 360 controllers use a proprietary wireless signal and the Xbox One uses Wi-Fi Direct for its controllers, using your old wireless Xbox 360 instruments on Xbox One requires an extra adapter. The legacy adapter for Xbox One is a small USB device that you plug into your Xbox One that enables your console to receive signals from your wireless Xbox 360 drums and guitars....

It’s easy to search for “free movies” to download, but pretty much everything you find will be illegal. Fortunately, there are plenty of completely legal free movie download sources out there. Some of them offer movies in the public domain, but most are actually not-so-well-known, free features of the streaming plans you may already subscribe to! We scoured the internet and found all the best free movie download sources, filtered through them to remove any of the shady ones (you’re welcome, trust us), and wrote about them below....