Google to shut down Stadia in January 2023

Source: Google

Here's another Google project that's met its untimely demise. The company announced it is closing the doors on its cloud gaming service, Stadia. The platform will stay live for players until January 18, 2023. But the Stadia store has already been shut down. Google plans to refund all Stadia hardware purchased through the Google Store alongside any games and add-on content bought from its store. Google expects to complete those refunds by mid-January. Stadia Pro subscriptions are not eligible for a refund. But you won't be charged during the shutdown period and can access the games you redeemed as a Pro user until everything is wound down.

Google shuts down Stadia because it "hasn't gained the traction with users" it expected. Those working on the Stadia team will move to other departments in the company. Stadia vice president and GM Phil Harrison says Google sees the opportunity to apply Stadia's technology in other parts of the company. It also intends to "make it available to our industry partners, which aligns with where we see the future of gaming headed." If you have additional questions, Google explains this further in an FAQ.

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Amazon Kindle Scribe is a writing-friendly e-reader

Source: Amazon

Amazon's newest e-reader brings writing capabilities to the Kindle. The Kindle Scribe isn't just made to replace traditional paper books. Instead, it wants you to do away with paper entirely. According to Amazon, it's "perfect for reading and writing, even in direct sunlight." Its 10.2-inch display gives you room to "take notes and [keep a] journal, and makes it easy to adjust font size and margin width for improved reading comfort."

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Meta wants to make it easy to switch between Facebook and Instagram accounts

Source: Meta

Facebook and Instagram users might get an easier time switching between their accounts. Meta wants to consolidate the apps under its accounts manager so you can toggle between the two apps and see your notifications in one place. It should also work if you handle multiple accounts. 

Meta has also tweaked its user-registration process to make it easier to log in and create new Facebook and Instagram accounts. It should make it easier for the company to attract more users for both apps in just one spot. The new account management features is limited to Facebook and Instagram for now. But it is exploring on bringing this connected across its different platforms. 

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Amazon introduces Halo Rise bedside clock, sleep tracker

Source: Amazon

One of the recent products Amazon launched is a new accessory for the bedroom. The Halo Rise is a hybrid sleep tracker and bedside clock to help you figure out your sleep patterns. This device uses sensors (a radar of sorts) to determine how well you sleep and for how long. It also displays a digital clock and has a small speaker for alarm tones. Amazon wanted to stress that this bedroom device has no microphones or cameras. But with its sensors it promises to track things like respiration. 

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