Clubhouse is no longer invite-only

The redesigned Clubhouse site

Clubhouse drops its exclusive status as it ditches its invite-only policy and waitlist system. The social audio app is out of beta and now open to anyone who wants to join. The app also gets a new logo and website design. Clubhouse launched in March 2020 with an invite system to allow the company to add users in waves without crashing its system. And when it launched, it was first available on iOS, which added to its exclusivity.

But now, the app is already on Android, which is a move it needed to make given tech giants like Facebook, Reddit, and Twitter all have social audio offerings. The Next Web noted that Clubhouse is struggling to maintain the early momentum it's built. Opening its app to everyone might help trigger another bump in downloads. As for long-term growth, that's something we'd have to observe as time goes by.

YouTube rolls out its Super Thanks tipping feature to more beta users

A long-overdue feature is coming to more YouTube creators. The company's Super Thanks tipping option comes to "thousands" of additional creators in 68 countries. Right now, the feature is still in beta, but YouTube wants to offer this to everyone in the YouTube Partner Program by the end of the year.

When you want to give your favourite create a Super Thanks, you have four options to choose from. The amount will vary depending on the market. Once you've gone through the payment process, you'll see an animated GIF of balloons floating across your screen. YouTube will also highlight your comment and include the amount of money you sent. It joins other monetization tools like Super Chat and Super Stickers. Like the other options, YouTube will take a 30% cut of all donations.

Source: YouTube | Via: Engadget

4 things to look for in a gaming phone

The very idea of a gaming phone would have seemed like a misnomer only a decade or so ago, but technology has advanced at such a rate that some smartphones are now fully fledged gaming machines. Of course, if you’re choosing a phone specifically for gaming you’ll need to be selective, as not every device is capable of the demands made by gaming.

Click to read more ...

Apple AirPods 3 tipped to enter mass production this August

Renders of the rumoured Apple AirPods 3

Apple's third-generation AirPods are expected to launch later this year. If the new report from Nikkei Asia is accurate, then the company will start mass-producing the AirPods 3 next month. MacRumors speculates that the new AirPods could launch alongside the new iPhones coming out in September, or Apple could wait to launch it alongside other devices later in the year.

The AirPods 3 are rumoured to adopt a similar design to the current AirPods Pro, with shorter stems and silicone ear tips for a customizable fit. But these buds might lose features like Active Noise Cancellation.