Tech News

Beats Revives Iconic “Pill People” Campaign to Celebrate Return of Beats Pill

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beats pill

In celebration of the return of the iconic Beats Pill, Beats has revived its beloved “Pill People” campaign. Originally launched in 2013, these bold and witty characters have been refreshed for a new generation, embodying the product tagline “Seriously Loud.” Voiced by comedians Ben Marshall, Desi Banks, and Megan Stalter, the “Pill People” campaign features six short videos available on Beats’ social channels. The campaign aims to highlight the vibrant personality and powerful sound of the Beats Pill, engaging both new and longtime fans with its humorous and energetic approach.

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Siri Recently Tweaking Playing ‘Not Like Us’ When Asked to Play Drake’s ‘Certified Lover Boy’ 

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Siri has entered the rap beef chat.

On Wednesday, a whole rack of iOS users, that’s the operating system exclusive used by Apple btw, noticed an unexpected issue with Siri: when asked to play Drake’s album “Certified Lover Boy” on Spotify, Siri instead played Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us.” Huh? What? Who’s messing around in the world of big tech?

Multiple videos surfaced on social media, showcasing different people experiencing the same problem. When requesting Drake’s album, listeners would hear the chilling intro to Lamar’s song: “Psst, I see dead people.”

Unreal. This is literally a bad running joke.

Get this Music journalist and author Sowmya Krishnamurthy highlighted the issue in a TikTok video. Similarly, HipHopDX’s Jeremy Hecht posted proof on Instagram, showing himself asking Siri to play “Certified Lover Boy” and getting the eerie response from Lamar’s track instead. Even KTLA 5 Morning News producer Christina Fawaz also reported the same glitch. So not a gimmick but a real issue. Intermittent at best.

Get this, the problem was reportedly resolved within a few hours, allowing Drake fans to listen to “Certified Lover Boy” without further interruptions.

Oh boy, no pun intended, this latest debacle added another weird layer to the ongoing rap beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, which has been marked by subtle jabs and competitive tension over the years. What’s next, that’s all we want to know.

The post Siri Recently Tweaking Playing ‘Not Like Us’ When Asked to Play Drake’s ‘Certified Lover Boy’  first appeared on The Source.

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Tailor Brands’ Branding Revolution: Think Tony Stark’s Tech for Solopreneurs

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Tailor Brands’ Branding Revolution: Think Tony Stark’s Tech for Solopreneurs

The dynamic world of entrepreneurship has its unique challenges that are often faced by solopreneurs. Unlike larger enterprises with dedicated marketing teams and substantial budgets, these solo business owners must juggle multiple roles, including branding. For many, the journey starts with a vision and passion for their product or service, but turning that vision into a recognizable and professional brand identity can be a daunting task.

Branding involves a multitude of elements – from logo design and color schemes to typography and brand voice – each requiring a blend of creativity, strategic thinking, and technical skill. For solopreneurs, who already wear many hats as business owners, marketers, customer service representatives, and more, dedicating the necessary time and resources to develop a cohesive and memorable brand identity is often an overwhelming challenge.

The Solution for Modern Branding: Tailor Brands

Enter Tailor Brands in the scene, a tech company that is revolutionizing the branding landscape for solopreneurs. Founded in 2014, Tailor Brands leverages artificial intelligence to offer a suite of branding tools that simplify the process of creating a professional brand identity. From logo design to social media content and business documents, Tailor Brands provides a comprehensive, user-friendly platform that empowers solopreneurs to build and manage their brand easily.

Tailor Brands combines cutting-edge AI with intuitive design to deliver a product that is both powerful and accessible. Just as Stark’s technology enhances human capabilities, Tailor Brands’ AI-driven solutions enhance the branding capabilities of solopreneurs, enabling them to create polished, professional brand identities without the need for extensive design skills or a hefty budget.

Tailor Brands’ Cutting-Edge Branding Solutions

At the heart of Tailor Brands’ offering is its AI-powered logo design tool. Users simply input their business name, industry, and design preferences, and the AI generates a variety of custom logo options in seconds. This process, which once required the expertise of a professional designer and several days or even weeks, is now completed in minutes, giving solopreneurs a significant head start in establishing their brand identity.

Moreover, Tailor Brands offers a suite of tools for creating social media content and marketing materials. Solopreneurs can design eye-catching social media posts, business cards, and branded merchandise, ensuring a consistent and professional brand presence across all platforms. This level of comprehensive branding was previously out of reach for many small business owners, who often lacked the resources to produce high-quality marketing materials.

In addition to visual branding tools, Tailor Brands provides templates for essential business documents and brand guidelines. These templates help solopreneurs maintain consistency in their communications, reinforcing their brand identity and ensuring that every piece of content they produce aligns with their overall branding strategy.

The Future of Branding for Solopreneurs

The importance of Tailor Brands’ innovation cannot be overstated. Having a strong, professional brand identity can be the difference between success and failure for solopreneurs. Tailor Brands is leveling the playing field, allowing solo business owners to compete with larger enterprises and establish a strong market presence.

The business landscape continues to evolve, and the need for effective branding solutions will only grow. Tailor Brands stands at the forefront of this evolution, offering innovative, AI-driven tools that empower solopreneurs to create and maintain professional brand identities with ease. Much like Tony Stark’s technology, Tailor Brands enhances the capabilities of its users, providing them with the tools they need to succeed in a competitive market.

The branding challenges faced by solopreneurs are being addressed by providing accessible, high-quality solutions, Tailor Brands is not just changing the game – it’s revolutionizing it. As more solopreneurs harness the power of Tailor Brands’ technology, the future of small business branding looks brighter than ever.

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Kanye West Sued By Employees For Abusive Work Conditions, Allegedly Calling Them ‘New Slaves’ and More

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Another day, another salacious lawsuit against Kanye West. This one isn’t any less horrible than the last but certainly should be taken seriously if not more as it concerns minors named as plaintiffs. WTF.

As reported by the all seeing eyes of TMZ, there were individuals hired by Ye’s company to create an app, platform or whatever to promote new music but according to the suit, they were placed in what they call a “racist environment with brutal work conditions.”

Get this, wife Bianca Censori, who is not named as a defendant, apparently sent explicit videos to those very hired staff members, which their account, included minors. Again, WTF. If true, disgusting, abhorrent and should not be taken lightly. 

It get’s deeper, the newest suit against Ye, accuses the “Flashing Lights” artist and his former staff chief, Milo Yiannopoulos, with what they describe as “forced labor and inhuman degrading treatment.” Adding to their claim, both adult and minor employees were abusively made to work during abnormally long hours, and for their hard work, were not appropriately compensated with the pay they were promised.

Here’s where the specific racial allegations come into play. The group was allegedly openly degraded with racist insults along the lines of being called “new slaves” by Kanye West.

Back in the spring of 2024, Ye launched the YZYVSN streaming service app, aiming to compete with Tidal, Spotify, and Apple Music. According to the lawsuit, Ye wanted to avoid paying these companies to promote his new albums, “Vultures” and “Vultures 2.”

The documents reveal that the team primarily worked remotely, maintaining regular communication with their employers via Zoom, Slack, and Discord.

In April 2024, Milo offered to pay the team $120,000 upon the app’s completion, on the condition that they did not complain about the working conditions.

However, the situation deteriorated when Kanye West stepped in, demanding that the group sign non-disclosure and volunteer agreements or face termination.

They allege the Caucasian bosses used language that attacked their gender, age, race, and national origin in writing – smh – on group chats, referring to them “slaves” and “new slaves.”

ICYMI, in late April, Ye announced he was going into the pornographic business. He asserted he was launching “Yeezy Porn” with his wife Bianca. They say she sent one worker in particular a file-sharing link that contained hardcore explicit scenes, based on the legal brief as reported by TMZ. Adding to the alleged depravity, the minors were not protected from seeing that content videos while they worked on the X-rated app. Again, Bianca is not a defendant. Should she be?

Then on May 1, 2024, the team presented Ye with one of the two completed apps, TMZ is not sure which based on the legal docs, but Ye and his then underling Milo supposedly never paid them for their work. This was the last straw that lead the group to file the lawsuit.

What the actual F? Sad just to report on this. When will it end?K

The post Kanye West Sued By Employees For Abusive Work Conditions, Allegedly Calling Them ‘New Slaves’ and More first appeared on The Source.

The post Kanye West Sued By Employees For Abusive Work Conditions, Allegedly Calling Them ‘New Slaves’ and More appeared first on The Source.

50 Cent Hacked In Wild Crypto Scheme That Made $3 Million in 30 Min; Maintains “I have no association with this.”

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Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson is not immune to crypto scams. The “In the Club” rapper turned media mogul, revealed he was in fact the victim of a cryptocurrency scam that netted hackers millions of dollars. 

Jackson shared on Instagram that his Twitter account and his website, Thisis50.com, were hacked to promote a fraudulent cryptocurrency, resulting in a $3 million gain for the scammers within just 30 minutes.

“My Twitter & Thisis 50.com was hacked,” 50 Cent wrote. “I have no association with this Crypto. Twitter worked quickly to lock my account back down. Whoever did this made $3,000,000 in 30 minutes.”

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Get this, the hackers used a tactic known as a “pump-and-dump” scheme, where they flooded the accounts with promotional messages to artificially inflate the cryptocurrency’s value. Screenshots in 50 Cent’s post showed the $GUNIT crypto skyrocketing from under $1 million in market value.

This incident highlights the vulnerability of social media platforms to security breaches and the ease with which they can be exploited for financial scams. The rise of celebrity meme coins, which often depend on celebrity endorsements to boost their prices, has exacerbated the problem, making them attractive targets for such schemes.

The post 50 Cent Hacked In Wild Crypto Scheme That Made $3 Million in 30 Min; Maintains “I have no association with this.” first appeared on The Source.

The post 50 Cent Hacked In Wild Crypto Scheme That Made $3 Million in 30 Min; Maintains “I have no association with this.” appeared first on The Source.

Billionaire Spotify CEO Claims the Cost of Making “Content” Is “Close to Zero” and Sparks Immediate Backlash

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Billionaire Spotify CEO Claims the Cost of Making “Content” Is “Close to Zero” and Sparks Immediate Backlash

Spotify CEO Daniel Ek faced significant backlash after claiming on X (formerly Twitter) that the cost of creating content is “close to zero.” Let’s take a moment to think about that. This guy is a billionaire who built an empire primarily from a streaming platform that pays most artists pennies, and he dares to…. Okay, let’s get on with what he said:

“Today, with the cost of creating content being close to zero, people can share an incredible amount of content. This has sparked my curiosity about the concept of long shelf life versus short shelf life. While much of what we see and hear quickly becomes obsolete, there are timeless ideas or even pieces of music that can remain relevant for decades or even centuries.”

Ek continued reflecting on enduring ideas: “For example, we’re witnessing a resurgence of Stoicism, with many of Marcus Aurelius’s insights still resonating thousands of years later. This makes me wonder: what are the most unintuitive, yet enduring ideas that aren’t frequently discussed today but might have a long shelf life? Also, what are we creating now that will still be valued and discussed hundreds or thousands of years from today?”

Musicians and music fans quickly criticized Ek’s remarks. Composer Tim Prebble responded, “Music will still be valued in a hundred years. Spotify won’t. It will only be remembered as a bad example of a parasitic tool for extracting value from other peoples music. (or ‘content’ as some grifters like to call it).”

Other users echoed similar sentiments, highlighting the low payouts Spotify provides to artists per stream. Primal Scream bassist Simone Marie Butler bluntly commented, “Fuck off you out of touch billionaire.” The Future of Music Coalition added, “It actually can still be expensive to make records, especially if you care about paying your collaborators fairly. Many musicians are skilled at cutting corners to accomplish their creative goals within limited budgets.”

For the record, he has since clarified his statements in a follow-up post on X, but what do you think? Is the damage done, or not?

The post Billionaire Spotify CEO Claims the Cost of Making “Content” Is “Close to Zero” and Sparks Immediate Backlash first appeared on The Source.

The post Billionaire Spotify CEO Claims the Cost of Making “Content” Is “Close to Zero” and Sparks Immediate Backlash appeared first on The Source.

The Future of Gaming Monetization: NFTs, In-Game Purchases, and Beyond

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The Future of Gaming Monetization: NFTs, In-Game Purchases, and Beyond

Over the past ten years, the gaming industry has significantly changed its monetization tactics. Conventional business models like one-time purchases have developed into more complex ecosystems, including subscription services, in-game purchases, and Non-Fungible Tokens. With NFTs developing as a disruptive force, the future of game monetization combines these models as technology and customer preferences continue to evolve; reputable casino platforms, including Vulkan Vegas wouldn’t even mind adopting the monetization system when it’s full-blown.

Many conventional PC gamers still need to be convinced about their worth and usefulness even as they continue gaining popularity in the gaming community and beyond. However, The tokens have many possible uses that completely alter how we view ownership, commerce, and value exchange. This piece looks at how the business is now monetized, investigates the possibilities of NFTs, and speculates what may come next.

Gaming Monetization: The Inception and Thrive

The days of purchasing a game at retail and owning it ultimately are long gone for gamers. Emerging digital distribution platforms such as Xbox Live, Steam, and PlayStation Network made new revenue approaches possible. With the widespread use of microtransactions, downloadable content (DLC), and loot boxes, developers could make money beyond the initial sale.

In recent years, subscription services like Xbox Game Pass, EA Play, and PlayStation have become more popular. For a monthly fee, those offerings give gamers entry to a video game library, giving clients a low-cost method to get admission to a wide selection of games while giving producers a reliable supply of revenue.

The Concept of NFTs and their Application in Gaming Monetization

Non-fungible tokens are a global phenomenon that has expanded into the industry and digital art. The tokens are distinct digital assets that serve as evidence of ownership and scarcity. They are kept on a blockchain. They can stand in for in-game goods, virtual worlds, characters, skins, and even whole games.

Actual ownership is one of the main benefits of the tokens in the industry. In contrast to customary in-game purchases, which only allow players to license virtual goods, the non-fungibles give them complete ownership of digital assets. Thanks to this ownership, players now have more options to trade, purchase, and sell in-game goods inside and outside the gaming world.

They are not limited to the industry; they have other applications.

Here are some examples of practical uses:

·        Digital Art and Collectibles

They provide creators the power to create, mint, and market one-of-a-kind digital art and collectibles, allowing them to prove their legitimacy and claim ownership in the digital realm.

·        Music and Entertainment

Via the authentication and sale of digital music, tickets, and other entertainment products, the tokens enable producers to interact directly with their audience and get paid fairly for their labor.

·        Real Estate and Property Ownership

By representing ownership and transfer of tangible assets like real estate, the tokens can improve the efficiency and transparency of property transactions.

·        Management of the Supply Chain

The tokens can also monitor and confirm the legitimacy and flow of tangible items along the supply chain.

More NFT Prospects for the Gaming Multiverse

NFTs are a big step forward in monetizing gaming, but things will get more complicated and varied. Players can choose between ownership, access, and involvement through hybrid models that blend aspects of traditional monetization with blockchain technology. These models are already starting to take shape.

Developers are investigating the possibility of combining tokens with play-to-earn features, in which users can acquire valuable items through games and subsequently exchange or sell them for NFTs. This concept takes full advantage of blockchain technology to encourage player participation.

Additionally, developments in augmented reality & virtual reality have the potential to change the industry by creating new opportunities for monetization methods and immersive experiences. In the future metaverse, NFTs may be crucial in several domains, including digital collectibles, virtual real estate, and virtual events.

What the Future Holds

The industry is about to enter a new age as more developers utilize this technology. NFTs have already begun to have a significant influence in the sector. But they have yet to reach their full potential. Experts expect the non-fungibles to become the norm for virtual object ownership and trading within the next ten years.

They generate virtual land ownership in certain web3 games, such as AlterVerse’s Sky City, where players may purchase and sell virtual real estate. This creates a plethora of new opportunities for virtual property creation and investment.

A highly intriguing advancement is the possibility of having cross-game compatibility. Players can use their virtual assets in numerous games as more titles adopt NFTs. As a result, users can design a more distinctive and customized gaming experience that isn’t restricted to a particular game.

Next-Level Monetization: NFTs, In-Game Buys, and the Future Gaming Frontier!

Innovation in technology and changing customer tastes are causing a paradigm shift in future commercialization. Traditional players want a pleasant game at the end of the day. NFTs shouldn’t exist purely for financial gain; instead, they should enhance the game’s enjoyment.

It would be irresponsible to overlook the enormous potential of NFTs to democratize ownership, promote player-driven economies, and open up new possibilities. Producers and players alike must navigate the constantly changing ecosystem to fully realize the promise of gaming monetization in the digital age. Don’t miss out on the fun; get involved!

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Spotify Hit with Cease and Desist Over Lyrics, Music Videos and More

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Spotify has been issued a cease and desist order from the National Music Publishers Association (NMPA) for hosting lyrics, music videos, and podcast content without proper licensing.

According to Billboard, the NMPA demands the removal “or Spotify will face copyright liability for continued use of these works.”

Earlier this month, Spotify was noted to cut $150M in royalties from music publishers and songwriters beyond what was already expected. This results from adding audiobooks into certain plans, adding books to the total subscription price.

The letter reads, “Spotify appears to be engaged in direct infringement by hosting unlicensed musical works in its lyrics, videos and podcasts and by distributing unauthorized reproductions, synchronizations, displays and derivative sues of these musical works to its users. Making matters worse, Spotify profits from such infringement.”

You can see the full letter here.

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TikTok Sues US Government Over Potential Ban

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TikTok Sues US Government Over Potential Ban

TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, have taken legal action against the U.S. government following Congress and President Biden’s enactment of a recent law. This law mandates TikTok to sell its operations within nine months or face expulsion from U.S. app stores. TikTok argues that this legislation infringes upon its constitutional rights, particularly the First Amendment. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., was anticipated, given ByteDance’s firm stance against selling TikTok. The company maintains that the data of its American users is safeguarded.

“There is no question: the Act will force a shutdown of TikTok by January 19, 2025,” the lawsuit states, “silencing the 170 million Americans who use the platform to communicate in ways that cannot be replicated elsewhere,” the lawsuit says. “For the first time in history, Congress has enacted a law that subjects a single, named speech platform to a permanent, nationwide ban, and bars every American from participating in a unique online community with more than one billion people worldwide.”

The suite continued, “qualified divestiture’ demanded by the Act to allow TikTok to continue operating in the United States is simply not possible: not commercially, not technologically, not legally. And certainly not on the 270-day timeline required by the Act. Petitioners have repeatedly explained this to the U.S. government, and sponsors of the Act were aware that divestment is not possible.” 

“There are good reasons why Congress has never before enacted a law like this. Consistent with the First Amendment’s guarantee of freedom of expression, the United States has long championed a free and open Internet — and the Supreme Court has repeatedly recognized that speech “conveyed over the Internet” fully qualifies for “the First Amendment’s protections.” What it comes down to is the Act’s national security argument is iffy and questionable at best. “If Congress can do this, it can circumvent the First Amendment by invoking national security and ordering the publisher of any individual newspaper or website to sell to avoid being shut down. And for TikTok, any such divestiture would disconnect Americans from the rest of the global community on a platform devoted to shared content — an outcome fundamentally at odds with the Constitution’s commitment to both free speech and individual liberty.”

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SOURCE SPORTS: Angel Reese, Sha’Carri Richardson, and Naomi Osaka Star in New Beats Campaign

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Angel Reese, Sha'Carri Richardson, and Naomi Osaka Star in New Beats Campaign

Beats, a pioneer in audio technology, has expanded its bestselling product family by introducing the all-new Beats Solo Buds true wireless earphones and the next generation of its iconic headphones, Beats Solo 4. Reputable athletes Angel Reese, Sha’Carri Richardson, and Naomi Osaka headline the campaign.

The Beats Solo Buds embody the Solo line’s signature attributes of portability, comfort, and premium audio quality in its smallest form factor yet. The Solo Buds are the ultimate on-the-go companion, boasting impressive sound, up to 18 hours of battery life, and seamless one-touch pairing for both iOS and Android users. Available in four premium colors, including Matte Black and Arctic Purple, the Solo Buds will retail for $79.99 starting in June.

Meanwhile, the Beats Solo 4 offers upgraded, powerful sound, Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking, and UltraPlush cushions for unparalleled comfort. With up to 50 hours of battery life and Lossless Audio via USB-C, the Solo 4 sets a new standard in headphone technology. Available in Matte Black, Slate Blue, and Cloud Pink, the Solo 4 is priced at $199.99 and can be ordered today from apple.com.

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