News

Blocking Users Is About To Get Tougher On X

The latest move could be about increasing engagement, though it’s hard to ignore the fact that the 2024 US presidential election is looming.

Published

1 week ago

September 24, 2024

Nour Nasir

blocking users is about to get tougher on x

According to the ever-controversial Elon Musk, social media platform X is about to lose its block feature. The CEO confirmed the upcoming change in a reply to Nima Owji, the developer who first reported the news.

High time this happened.

The block function will block that account from engaging with, but not block seeing, public post.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 23, 2024

Since its inception when the site was known as Twitter, the block feature has allowed users to prevent unwanted views and engagement on their public posts. However, when the latest update kicks in, those blocked accounts will once again be able to view all public posts.

Although Musk originally threatened to remove the block feature entirely, the latest tweak to X won’t go that far and will instead mean that blocked users will only be able to view public posts, not engage with them via likes, replies, or reposts.

Also Read: How To Find & Cancel Pending Instagram Requests

Musk’s confirmation of the upcoming changes has been alarming to many users who have faced trolling or stalking on the platform. It will also now be trivially easy to screen-capture and repost content from accounts that were previously invisible due to blocks.

News

Oura’s Fourth-Generation Ring Becomes Sleeker And Smarter

The Finnish tech company’s fourth-gen Ring offers a sleeker design, improved sensors, and smarter health insights, along with a revamped app.

Published

19 hours ago

October 3, 2024

Nour Nasir

Oura

Oura, the Finnish company known for pioneering smart rings, has just revealed its fourth-generation Ring. The updated version features a refined design, improved battery life, and upgraded sensors that provide more detailed health insights.

One of the biggest changes in the Ring 4 are the sensors, which now sit flush with the surface, making it smoother and sleeker. The improvements go beyond just aesthetics, with Oura stating that the Ring 4 now has 18 signal pathways, a significant increase from the 8 found in the previous generation.

The company claims that the updated sensors improve blood oxygen data accuracy by 30%, while gaps in nighttime heart rate are reduced by 31%, and daytime gaps are cut by 7%. Although the exact battery capacity hasn’t been revealed, the sensor optimizations should also allow the Ring 4 to last up to eight days on a single charge.

The Ring 4 is available in 12 sizes (4-15) and six colors: Silver, Brushed Silver, Gold, Rose Gold, Stealth, and Black. All options except Stealth are coated in titanium with a physical vapor deposition finish, while Stealth features a diamond-like carbon coating.

The Ring is also water-resistant up to 100 meters, making it suitable for swimming and sauna use, though not for dedicated deep-sea divers.

In addition to hardware upgrades, Oura is rolling out a redesigned mobile app. The app organizes health data into three sections: Today, Vitals, and My Health. These sections help wearers monitor their daily vital signs and long-term health metrics, such as cardiovascular age and sleep patterns. The app update is available for all users, regardless of which generation of Ring they own.

Also Read: Meta Reveals Orion AR Glasses, Offering A Glimpse Into The Future

As with the previous model, Oura continues to offer some features behind a membership paywall, priced at $5.99 per month or $70 per year. New to the Ring 4 are automatic activity and heart-rate detection for up to 40 different activities. The app will also now provide better insights for menstrual tracking, specifically around fertility windows.

The Oura Ring 4 is available for pre-order starting today, with prices beginning at $349. Shipping is expected to start on October 15, 2024.