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Netflix Is Introducing Sleep Timer Functionality On Android
Do you often doze off while watching Netflix? If so, the streaming giant has a nice surprise for you: a sleep timer feature that lets you configure when you want Netflix to automatically stop playing.
This feature is currently available only in the Android version of the Netflix app, and only select Android users have access to it. If you see a clock icon in the top-right corner (right next to the Chromecast icon) while playing a video, that means you’re one of the lucky people who have been randomly picked by Netflix to test the sleep timer.
To activate it, you simply need to tap it and choose the preferred time setting. You can pick between 15, 30, and 45 minutes, and there’s also an option to stop playback at the end of whatever content is playing at the moment.

In November 2020, Android developers and power users at XDA Developers were among the first to receive the news about Netflix potentially adding a sleep timer feature in a future update when the following string was discovered in the resource files of Netflix 7.82.1:
<string name=”sleep_timer_button”>Timer</string>
Of course, Netflix isn’t the only streaming service that has introduced this feature (Spotify, Pandora, and other music streaming services have sleep timers as well). But none of its direct competitors, including Amazon Video, Hulu, and Display+, have made it possible for their users to set a sleep timer yet, so it definitely takes the lead there.
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Besides stopping your Android device from streaming video content until its battery reaches zero, the sleep timer can be useful if you like to watch Netflix while cooking, reminding you that your baked potatoes are ready. Once the feature leaves the testing phase and becomes globally available, we’re sure that Android users will come up with many more use cases for it.
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Lebanon Ministers Meet Visa Over National Digital Payment Platform
Finance and technology ministers say a comparative study and roadmap will follow before any decision on adopting a model.
Lebanon’s finance and technology ministers met representatives from Visa last week to discuss a proposed unified national digital payment platform for government services, according to a readout from the Ministry of Finance.
The meeting brought together Finance Minister Yassin Jaber, Minister of State for Technology and Artificial Intelligence Kamal Shehadeh, a Visa delegation, and experts from both ministries. Discussion focused on whether Lebanon could establish a single platform through which citizens and institutions would pay taxes, fees, fines and other official transactions electronically, using mobile phones and other digital channels.
The Visa delegation presented examples from countries that have adopted unified government payment platforms, including the United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Estonia and Jordan. According to the readout, the examples were presented as having increased collection rates and expanded financial inclusion.
Talks covered settlement mechanisms, direct transfer to the treasury account, financial reconciliation, risk management, cybersecurity, fees, and an operational model that would involve the private sector. The parties agreed to continue technical and institutional consultations, prepare a comparative study, and develop an implementation roadmap before any decision on adopting a model for Lebanon.
Jaber said the Ministry of Finance had already enabled citizens to pay using credit cards and e-wallets through transfer companies, but described the proposed platform as a further step. He framed the development of electronic payment and collection systems as a priority within the ministry’s modernization plan.
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Shehadeh outlined the citizen-facing concept as a single mobile application through which users could settle obligations to ministries, government institutions and other bodies.
“The idea, in short, is that any citizen downloads an application on their mobile phone, through which they can pay all service obligations for all ministries, government institutions, or those owned by the Lebanese state, and others as well, as the platform is not limited only to state institutions,” he said.
Shehadeh added that the platform would not displace banks and money transfer companies that currently provide collection services to the state, calling it complementary to their work.
