Welcome again to Week in Review. This week, we’re wanting on the impacts of the looming TikTok ban within the U.S., together with the “TikTok refugees” shifting to Chinese app PinkNote, the surge of English audio system studying Mandarin on Duolingo, and extra! Let’s get into it.
The Supreme Court upheld the regulation that may successfully ban TikTok tomorrow. The choice marks the top of TikTok’s monthslong authorized battle towards a regulation that basically forces the app to close down except it divests its U.S. operations. Starting Sunday, it will likely be unlawful for app shops and web internet hosting providers to distribute TikTok. The firm warned that the app will “go darkish” on Sunday, but it surely’s unclear what precisely will occur when the ban takes impact.
American customers are flocking to PinkNote, a Chinese short-form video app often known as Xiaohongshu, making it the No. 1 free app on the U.S. App Store. PinkNote hits a variety of the proper notes for creators searching for a TikTok various: It has a structure that’s much like Pinterest’s, it’s usually regarded as China’s reply to Instagram, and it boasts numerous social procuring options. But the transition hasn’t been straightforward for some individuals.
TikTok customers are utilizing Duolingo to be taught Chinese in rising numbers amid their adoption of PinkNote forward of the TikTok ban. According to Duolingo, the app has seen roughly 216% progress in new Mandarin learners within the U.S. in comparison with this time final 12 months, with a pointy spike in mid-January as PinkNote’s adoption took off.
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Mark Cuban desires to fund the following TikTok: The entrepreneur and investor stated he’s able to fund a TikTok various constructed on Bluesky’s AT Protocol, signaling potential for an open social internet powered by the identical expertise that underpins Bluesky’s social community. Read extra
Bluesky is getting a photo-sharing app: An impartial developer is constructing a photo-sharing app for Bluesky referred to as Flashes. At launch, the app may faucet into rising shopper demand for alternate options to Big Tech’s social media monopoly. Read extra
“ChatGPT, remind me to do my taxes”: OpenAI has a brand new method for ChatGPT to be just right for you. Paying customers of ChatGPT can now ask the AI assistant to schedule reminders or recurring requests in a brand new beta characteristic referred to as Tasks. Read extra
How to interrupt up with Meta: In the wake of Meta’s choice to take away its third-party fact-checking system and loosen content material moderation insurance policies, extra persons are looking out find out how to delete Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. We put collectively a helpful information. Read extra
UnitedHealth hides information breach discover: Change Healthcare, which misplaced greater than 100 million individuals’s delicate well being information in a ransomware assault final 12 months, stated it has accomplished notifying these affected — however we discovered that UnitedHealth hid the breach discover for months. Read extra
Nintendo lastly pronounces the Switch 2: Nintendo shared the primary photographs of the successor to the extensively fashionable Nintendo Switch, that includes a much bigger console with a bigger show, up to date Joy-Con controllers, and a much less colourful design than its predecessor. Read extra
Sonos’ CEO is out: Sonos CEO Patrick Spence is leaving the corporate after eight years within the job following a botched replace to its software program platform that was affected by bugs and eliminated some long-standing options. Read extra
Looking for a TikTok substitute? Try these: While there’s no 1:1 substitute for TikTok, there are some viable choices to contemplate that supply the same expertise. We put collectively a listing of the completely different apps value trying out to scratch the itch. Read extra
Even AI doesn’t wish to be interrupted: Google NotebookLM’s AI-generated podcast characteristic wanted some “friendliness tuning” after it was discovered to be “adversarial” and snippy when interrupted by human callers. Read extra
Apple is pausing AI notification summaries: The firm is going through backlash for producing inaccurate information alerts in information and leisure apps. Apple stated it’s additionally introducing adjustments to the summaries as a complete to permit for better transparency. Read extra
OpenAI will get into the native information sport: Axios introduced a partnership with OpenAI. As a part of the deal, OpenAI will fund Axios’ enlargement of its native newsletters into 4 new cities: Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Boulder, and Huntsville. Read extra
Turn steps into display screen time: A brand new iOS app referred to as Steppin blocks your social media apps except you stroll a sure variety of steps every day. By reaching each day step targets, customers can unlock time on their most-used social media platforms. Read extra
