Sarah Perez
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The Latest from Sarah Perez
Amazon expands use of SNAP benefits for online grocery to 11 more states
Amazon customers in nearly a dozen more U.S. states are now able to use their SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits to purchase groceries online, the retailer announced on Thursday
YouTube introduces Video Chapters to make it easier to navigate longer videos
If you’ve ever found yourself scrubbing your way through a long YouTube video to get to the “good” part, you’ll appreciate the new feature YouTube is launching today: Video Cha
Plex launches a co-watching experience for its on-demand library and users’ personal media
Virtual viewing parties that let people watch video together remotely have become a popular way to stay connected with friends and family amid the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier today, Hulu announced t
Hulu launches a new Watch Party feature for virtual viewing parties and chat
Hulu today is introducing a new feature called “Hulu Watch Party,” its first social feature that will allow viewers to virtually watch Hulu together at the same time while in separate loca
Meditation and mindfulness apps continue their surge amid pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has led to a surge in downloads of mental wellness, and specifically, those focused on meditation, dealing with anxiety and helping users fall asleep. According to a new repor
Gmail’s new feature makes it easier to personalize your inbox
Google is introducing a new “quick settings” menu in Gmail aimed at helping users browse, discover and use different themes and settings to customize their Gmail experience. These options
Instagram to test new revenue streams, including badges and IGTV ads
Instagram today is launching new tools that enable video creators to make money, including badges that viewers can purchase during Instagram Live videos and the introduction of IGTV ads. Both launches
Facebook launches Collab, a mix-and-match app for making collaborative music videos
Facebook’s internal R&D group, NPE Team, is rolling out yet another new app today called Collab after having just launched a new group audio calling app, CatchUp, on Tuesday. With Collab, th
Google expands tools to help businesses impacted by COVID-19
Google is rolling out a series of updates aimed at helping local businesses adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic while continuing to serve their customers across Google Maps and Search. Since the outbreak,
Facebook launches CatchUp, an audio-only calling app that shows who’s ready to chat now
Facebook’s internal R&D group, NPE Team, has today launched a new app called CatchUp that makes it easier for friends and family in the U.S. to coordinate phone calls or set up group calls w
Spotify removes cap from users’ libraries, letting you save unlimited songs, albums and podcasts
Spotify announced this morning it’s removing the content cap on the app’s “Your Library,” allowing users to now save an unlimited number of songs, albums and podcasts to their
Apple fixes bug that stopped iOS apps from opening
Apple has now resolved the bug that was plaguing iPhone and iPad apps over the weekend, causing some apps to not launch at all. The issue was related to a bug with Apple’s Family Sharing system,
Newton Mail founder returns with launch of personal net worth tracker, Kubera
Serial entrepreneur Rohit Nadhani, who last sold his Newton email app to Essential in 2018— an app so popular it’s been saved from shutting down multiple times — is today launching a
This Week in Apps: Facebook takes on Shopify, Tinder considers its future, contact-tracing tech goes live
We continue to look at how the pandemic is impacting the world of mobile apps. Notably, we saw the launch of the Apple/Google exposure notification API with the latest version of iOS.
Hulu’s biggest redesign in years offers a more standardized experience, improved navigation and discovery
Hulu today will begin rolling out its largest redesign in years. The company is moving toward a more standardized, even Netflix-like user interface, featuring collections laid out vertically within th
This Week in Apps: Houseparty battles Messenger, Telegram drops crypto plans, Instagram Lite is gone
We continue to look at how the coronavirus outbreak is impacting the world of apps, including the latest news about COVID-19 apps, Facebook and Houseparty's battle to dominate the online hangout game.
Where to shop online that isn’t Amazon, Target or Walmart
As shutdown orders extend indefinitely, online shopping has become a lifeline for people forced to avoid the outside world. Often times opting to shop with a mega corporation like Amazon, Walmart or T
Scener now lets you co-watch HBO or Netflix in a ‘virtual theater’ with up to 20 people
Scener, a browser extension that allows users to co-watch Netflix — similar to the newly popular Netflix Party Chrome add-on — is expanding to support HBO NOW and HBO GO. The additions com
Parenting benefits company Cleo partners with UrbanSitter to address the US childcare crisis
Parenting benefits company Cleo is partnering with on-demand childcare service UrbanSitter to address a problem facing many parents today amid the pandemic: a lack of childcare, even as they’re
Twitch announces a new Safety Advisory Council to guide its decision-making
Amazon-owned game-streaming site Twitch announced today the formation of a new group that will guide decision-making around new policies and products: the Twitch Safety Advisory Council. The eight-per