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A ROUND-UP OF THE LATEST NEWS IN THE DIGITAL WORLD
DARLING BUDS
SKULLCANDY makes affordable and fashionable headphones and earphones that have a killer feature at the price-point: they sound OK.
I had a pair of wireless ones for years, and the only drawback was the shaky connection and constant re-pairing with my phone… which was a problem for all bluetooth headphones at one time.
With Bluetooth 5’s arrival, those issues have lessened, but Apple’s AirPods and Beats products also feature a special chip, which makes pairing and using with different devices easy and reliable.
The other manufacturers are playing catch-up, including Skullcandy, which released direct competitors to AirPods – the Indy, this week.
They come in a little charging case, promise rock solid connection and a decent sound. They have two killer features over the AirPods, though – firstly, they’re in-ear, and feature “stability gels” to create a secure fit. Then there’s the price – £69!
That sounds like a good deal. Other features include touchcontrols, and a promise of discounted repairs and replacements if things go wrong.
INSTAGRAM BANS ANTI-VACCINATION HASHTAGS
HERE’S something positive social networks can do to protect people from misinformation: actually remove stuff that tells lies about important things.
To its credit, Instagram is doing just that, prompted, no doubt, by the recent outbreaks of the measles in various corners of the globe. Reports this week suggested there have been more than 100,000 cases in the EU in the last year, and a current outbreak in New York has seen almost 1,000 hit by the virus.
All preventable, of course. The resurgence in the virus is down to the fact that some people don’t get their children vaccinated because they believe it can cause autism. This despite the fact that there is no scientific evidence to support this view, and a lot to prove it false.
Anyway, Instagram is taking a stand, and removing any posts that feature any kind of anti-vaccination hashtag. If it’s not there, it can’t be shared. It’s a start, and it might just save someone’s life.