Latest news with #PCWorld
Android Authority
a day ago
- Business
- Android Authority
Max quietly added 50% more commercials to your stream
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority TL;DR Streaming providers are adding more commercials, as recently confirmed for Prime Video. It turns out that Max already did the same thing earlier this year. Back in February, Max raised ad loads from 4 minutes an hour to 6 minutes an hour. Inflation sucks, but at least when a company directly raises prices, the impact is transparent. A lot of times, though, the effect is obscured by companies minimizing actual price hikes, and instead just giving us less for our money — you might see this at the grocery store in the form of sizes getting smaller. With streaming media, a company can achieve the same thing by reducing the quality of the service it offers, and one to do that which is a lot more subtle than dropping half your licensed content is just by squeezing in more ads. Last week we heard about Amazon's Prime Video increasing the amount of advertising it showed from 2–3 minutes an hour to 4–6 minutes. We didn't love that, but it turns out Amazon is far from alone here, and PCWorld has uncovered evidence that Max (or soon to once again be HBO Max) has quietly done basically the same thing. Like Netflix and other streamers, Max offers a variety of plan tiers. There's the premium 4K option for $21 a month and the standard 1080p plan at $16, both ad-free. But then there's also an ad-supported basic plan (still at 1080p, at least), available at the reduced rate of $10 a month. If you visit Max's support page for questions about advertisements on the service, today you'll find the company telling customers: If you subscribe to the Basic with Ads plan, ads will play before and during shows and movies (about 6 minutes of ads per hour). But what PCWorld noticed is that this number has gotten a bit higher over the last few months. When the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine visited the page on February 16, Max was singing a different tune: If you subscribe to the Basic with Ads plan, ads will play before and during shows and movies (about 4 minutes of ads per hour). When the site next archived the page on February 28, the current 6-minute language was in place. Max and Amazon are far from alone in increasing the ad load on subscribers, and the practice is more or less standard across the industry. But it's one thing to just get the impression that you're sitting through more ads than you used to, and another when a company clearly communicates what you should expect like this. For that, we have to give Max at least a little credit. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
YouTube might slow down videos if you use ad-blockers
It may not be your imagination — YouTube might be slowing down your videos if you use an ad-blocker. PCWorld spotted new rumors floating online on Reddit and elsewhere that folks using ad-blockers are seeing throttled speeds. Now, to be clear, this has not been confirmed. But it's far from the first time folks have felt this way. Early last year, for instance, users saw degraded quality and performance when using an ad-blocker, which YouTube ultimately said was not its doing. SEE ALSO: YouTube's war on ad blockers continues, now making ads truly unskippable This go-round, users have reported seeing a pop-up message reading, "Experiencing interruptions?" That message reportedly led to a page which indicated ad-blockers could affect video playback. Still, this is not full confirmation that YouTube is slowing down your videos if you use an ad-blocker. Mashable has reached out to YouTube for comment and will update the story if we receive a response. Ads are obviously a major way YouTube brings in revenue and using a blocker is against its terms of service. Just this month it ramped-up the number of ads for users who pay $7.99 per month for its Premium Lite service.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Europe, we're not leaving. Period.
There are some headlines making the rounds claiming that TechCrunch is 'pulling out of Europe' and shuttering its coverage of European startups. This is flat-out wrong. It misrepresents who we are, what we do, and — most of all — what we believe. The recent changes at TechCrunch are not about retreat. They are about realignment and reinforcement. This new chapter is fueled by our partnership with our sister company, Foundry, which was brought under the same ownership to create a tech media entity with unparalleled global scope. To be clear, Foundry is a powerhouse of international technology journalism. Its portfolio includes established and respected brands like PCWorld, Macworld, CIO, and TechAdvisor, with a vast network of journalists and deep-rooted expertise in local and regional tech ecosystems across Europe and the world. The suggestion that our new ownership believes international coverage is unessential is patently false. The entire purpose of bringing TechCrunch and Foundry together is to create a stronger, more globally focused media platform. Europe is where fintech regulation is rewritten, where quantum startups spin out of Max Planck labs, where climate-tech pilots become the standard for the rest of the planet. In 2024 alone, European founders raised over €40 billion; many of the unicorns we covered last year were born on this continent. If you care about the future of technology, you have to be here. And we are. As we integrate the strengths of both TechCrunch and Foundry, here is our promise to the founders, investors, and readers in Europe and beyond: To the startup community: Keep your tips, term sheets, and tantrums coming. Send them to tips@ or ping our encrypted channels. We'll be listening — louder and more broadly than ever. TechCrunch isn't retreating from Europe. We're doubling down. — Michael Reinstein, Chairman and Publisher Sign in to access your portfolio
TechCrunch
11-06-2025
- Business
- TechCrunch
Europe, we're not leaving. Period.
There are some headlines making the rounds claiming that TechCrunch is 'pulling out of Europe' and shuttering its coverage of European startups. This is flat-out wrong. It misrepresents who we are, what we do, and — most of all — what we believe. The recent changes at TechCrunch are not about retreat. They are about realignment and reinforcement. This new chapter is fueled by our partnership with our sister company, Foundry, which was brought under the same ownership to create a tech media entity with unparalleled global scope. To be clear, Foundry is a powerhouse of international technology journalism. Its portfolio includes established and respected brands like PCWorld, Macworld, CIO, and TechAdvisor, with a vast network of journalists and deep-rooted expertise in local and regional tech ecosystems across Europe and the world. The suggestion that our new ownership believes international coverage is unessential is patently false. The entire purpose of bringing TechCrunch and Foundry together is to create a stronger, more globally focused media platform. Why we fight for this beat Europe is where fintech regulation is rewritten, where quantum startups spin out of Max Planck labs, where climate-tech pilots become the standard for the rest of the planet. In 2024 alone, European founders raised over €40 billion; many of the unicorns we covered last year were born on this continent. If you care about the future of technology, you have to be here. And we are. As we integrate the strengths of both TechCrunch and Foundry, here is our promise to the founders, investors, and readers in Europe and beyond: Radical presence. We will be on the ground — from demo days in Tallinn to hydrogen-hub unveilings in the Basque Country — because stories look different up close. We will be on the ground — from demo days in Tallinn to hydrogen-hub unveilings in the Basque Country — because stories look different up close. Relentless scrutiny. Hype dies in daylight. We'll keep asking the annoying questions and digging for the real story so you don't have to. Hype dies in daylight. We'll keep asking the annoying questions and digging for the real story so you don't have to. A true global megaphone. A breakthrough in Zagreb deserves the same volume as one in Silicon Valley. By merging the TechCrunch and Foundry networks, we will amplify European innovation to millions more readers in 190+ countries, providing deeper insights and a truly unified global vision. To the startup community: Keep your tips, term sheets, and tantrums coming. Send them to tips@ or ping our encrypted channels. We'll be listening — louder and more broadly than ever. Techcrunch event Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Save $200+ on your TechCrunch All Stage pass Build smarter. Scale faster. Connect deeper. Join visionaries from Precursor Ventures, NEA, Index Ventures, Underscore VC, and beyond for a day packed with strategies, workshops, and meaningful connections. Boston, MA | REGISTER NOW TechCrunch isn't retreating from Europe. We're doubling down. — Michael Reinstein, Chairman and Publisher
The Sun
31-05-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Three Amazon Fire TV gadgets to lose access to Netflix FOREVER in three days – final warning to upgrade
NETFLIX is pulling its app from three Amazon Fire TV gadgets next week - so your subscription might be worthless unless you upgrade your tech. From 3 June, two Fire Sticks and a Fire TV box will lose Netflix forever. The shutdown affects the first-generation Fire TV box, Fire TV Stick, and Fire TV Stick with Alexa voice remote - Amazon's oldest telly products. They are all more than a decade old. Even Amazon quit support for the devices several years ago - meaning they no longer receive software or security updates. But if you still use your OG Fire Stick, you should have received an email from Netflix warning of the upcoming change, according to PC World. The first-generation Fire TV devices will continue to work as they have done - simply without Netflix. They have all the other apps, such as BBC iPlayer, ITV Hub, All 4, Prime Video and Disney+ - for now. It's worth noting that like Netflix, other platforms may too decide to pull their services from ageing tech later down the line. Affected viewers who want to continue having uninterrupted access to Netflix will have to buy a newer Fire TV gadget - or a telly streaming rival like a Roku Stick or Google Streamer. If you don't want to upgrade to a new Fire TV device, you should cancel your subscription, to avoid paying fees on something you can't watch. Legal ways to slash your Roku and Amazon Fire Stick TV bills by 100% – and Netflix 'plan swap' saves you money The streaming giant hasn't said exactly why it's pulling support for older gadgets. Last year, the Netflix app vanished from dozens of Sony and Apple TV models that were also roughly a decade old. A report from CordBusters noted that the decision was likely put down to newer video standards. When streaming services start using newer technology, older devices may not have the necessary hardware or software to support the advancements. That's why some gadgets stop receiving new features, or are unable to stream in 4K picture quality. It's worth noting that while older devices don't necessarily need new features or better picture - security updates are always helpful. cybercriminals, or fix glitches that can hinder your use of the device.
