New Switch update introduces tweaks to parental controls and ability to add social media friends

Nintendo has been busy updating its Switch and the latest one adds a few handy features. One is letting parents operate PIN entry using the joystick and button instead of using an on-screen keyboard and then some titles can be whitelisted for play beyond of the console’s restricted software settings. It is now also easier to add Twitter and Facebook friends who have Nintendo Accounts linked to them. The console also gets 24 new Arms and Kirby user icons. And it will start downloading games you’ve purchased on your PC or phone even if the system is asleep. Version 5.0.0 will also let the system notify you when pre-ordered games have been unlocked and it fixes an issue with the Switch hiding some older play activity data.

Source: Engadget

Help Spotify identify song genres with new feature

Spotify is now looking to tap its diverse and big userbase to help them “better understand how Spotify listeners interpret music” and give them insight on how to improve the listening experience. You can now suggest edits to metadata just by clicking the three dots next to any song, album, or artist when you're using the desktop app. Aside from describing music by genre or era, this new Line-In feature will let you describe things differently. But before that it will require you to answer a slew of surveys to test your music knowledge as well as describe the music you like. The edits you make will be considered as suggestions and will pass through different reviews and checks for accuracy before it is shared to other users.

Source: CNET

Hands on with the new ecobee Switch+ Alexa powered smart light switch

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

with the ecobee Switch+ you can make any home or apartment a truly smart home by integrating Amazon's Alexa and all its connected features on a structural level.

Smart speakers are the hottest consumer technology devices in Canada this year. We already have an ongoing turf war between Google Home, which has a year's head start in Canada (and was also partly developed in Waterloo, ON) and Amazon Echo, whose Alexa smart assistant leads the market in the US and which is available on a range of speakers, PCs and other devices.

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Fitbit releases Fitbit Versa, Female Health Tracking and Fitbit Ace for kids

Fitbit just released a trifecta of products, each expanding the health tracking services and devices to new markets. The first one is a more affordable smartwatch in the Fitbit Versa. This rounded and more fashion-focused Fitbit that recalls some design touches from Pebble. Fitbit absorbed Pebble two years ago. The Fitbit Versa comes on April 2018 and will sell for $249 CAD.

Fitbit also unveiled Female Health Tracking for logging menstrual cycles, recording symptoms and allowing these to be a part of their Fitbit health and fitness analytics. This is the first time that female health has been integrated in a fitness tracker. Fitbit Ace is the first fitness tracker designed for kids and will sell for $129.95 when it ships in the spring. This feedsinto a secure Fitbit Family account and allows parents to safeguards their kids' information. Find out more on  Fitbit Versa, female health tracking and  Fitbit Ace.