Spotify acquires audio platform to help turn radio shows into podcasts

Photo by Haithem Ferdi on Unsplash

Spotify's latest acquisition will help the company lure radio broadcasters to turn their shows into podcasts. The company bought Whooshkaa, an Australia-based firm that provides radio broadcasters tools to convert their shows into podcasts. Spotify plans to integrate its technology into its Megaphone suite for podcasters. The goal is to offer stations a way to profit from shows by offering ad-supported podcast episodes.

Whooshkaa can also help with Spotify's other audio efforts. Founder Rob Loewenthal mentioned that his company offered speech-to-text and text-to-speech tech, smart home integration, and "enterprise grade" podcasting tools. But those have not been clearly noted as part of their goals. We wouldn't be surprised if these help Spotify develop its podcasting features in the future.

Source: Engadget

Square Enix halts sales of 'Final Fantasy XIV' because of overwhelming demand

Square Enix

Square Enix is suspending the sales and delivery of Final Fantasy XIV Starter Edition and Complete Edition for reasons that might be unusual. The company can't keep up with the demand for the game, with players finding themselves waiting for hours to get into a server and play the game. This decision covers both the physical and digital versions of the game and will be enforced in the coming weeks. It's a gradual process since they need to coordinate with retail partners, both the physical and digital stores.

In announcing this move, Square Enix said it needed to suspend the sales because the "dense concentration of play hours... far exceed [its] server capacity, especially during the peak times." The developer didn't add more Worlds or servers before Endwalker's release to accommodate all players.

Click to read more ...

Apple releases 'Ted Lasso' animated Christmas short

Apple wants to get you into the Christmas spirit with a new animated short featuring characters from its hit series Ted Lasso. The actors on the series all voice their well-loved characters. The four-minute, thirty-six-second clip is called "The Missing Christmas Mustache," which basically explains the story's premise. Ted has somehow lost his mustache, and now his friends are helping him find it.

Source: MacRumors

Apple closes 3 stores in North America amid COVID-19 surge

Photo by Amir Hosseini on Unsplash

Apple stores in the US and Canada have been temporarily shuttered because of increasing COVID-19 exposure and outbreak among employees. Shops in Ottawa (Rideau Centre), Annapolis (Annapolis Mall), and Miami (Brickell City Centre) will remain closed until either December 18 or 19. It is unclear how many staff contracted the virus. Apple reiterated in a statement to Bloomberg that it "regularly monitor[s]" the pandemic conditions and has a "comprehensive" store safety initiative that includes daily health checks, paid sick leave, masks, and extra cleaning. The employees will be tested before they can return to work.

As Engadget noted, the closures remind us of the ongoing risks that retail staff at many stores are exposed to. They can't exactly avoid sick customers. And while stores can help minimize risks, they can't completely avoid it given the rising infection rates.