#iOS 12 features

[harshit-kumar]

I updated my #iPhone12Mini to iOS 18. It's installed successfully. No green screen or heating problem. If you face heating problems while installing, Please put your phone in low temperature. I suggest installing the update in your room, not in an open area where sunlight makes your phone more heated. #iPhone #iOS18 #iOS18Update Thanks KumarHarshit.In

[ruben-tech]

iOS 17 sale en pocas horas, aquí te dejo cosas importantes que debes saber antes de actualizar 👉🏿 https://youtu.be/h0tfVFTyMPY

[what-even-is-thiss]

Free or Cheap Mandarin Chinese Learning Resources Because You Can't Let John Cena One Up You Again

I will update this list as I learn of any more useful ones. If you want general language learning resources check out this other post. This list is Mandarin specific. Find lists for other specific languages here.

For the purposes of this list "free" means something that is either totally free or has a useful free tier. "Cheap" is a subscription under $10USD a month, a software license or lifetime membership purchase under $100USD, or a book under $30USD. If you want to suggest a resource for this list please suggest ones in that price range that are of decent quality and not AI generated.

WEBSITES

Dong Chinese - A website with lessons, a pinyin guide, a dictionary, and various videos and practice tests. With a free account you're only allowed to do one lesson every 12 hours. To do as many lessons as quickly as you want it costs $10 a month or $80 a year.

Domino Chinese - A paid website with video based lessons from absolute beginner to college level. They claim they can get you ready to get a job in China. They offer a free trial and after that it's $5 a month or pay what you can if you want to support their company.

Chinese Education Center - This is an organization that gives information to students interested in studying abroad in China. They have free text based lessons for beginners on vocab, grammar, and handwriting.

Pleco Dictionary App - This is a very popular dictionary app on both iOS and Android. It has a basic dictionary available for free but other features can be purchased individually or in bundles. A full bundle that has what most people would want is about $30 but there are more expensive options with more features.

MIT OpenCourseWare Chinese 1 2 3 4 5 6 - These are actual archived online courses from MIT available for free. You will likely need to download them onto your computer.

Learn Chinese Web Application From Cambridge University - This is a free downloadable file with Mandarin lessons in a PC application. There's a different program for beginner and intermediate.

Learn Chinese Everyday - A free word a day website. Every day the website posts a different word with pronunciation, stroke order, and example sentences. There's also an archive of free downloadable worksheets related to previous words featured on the website.

Chinese Boost - A free website and blog with beginner lessons and articles about tips and various resources to try.

Chinese Forums - An old fashioned forum website for people learning Chinese to share resources and ask questions. It's still active as of when I'm making this list.

Du Chinese - A free website and an app with lessons and reading and listening practice with dual transcripts in both Chinese characters and pinyin. They also have an English language blog with tips, lessons, and information on Chinese culture.

YOUTUBE CHANNELS

Chinese For Us - A channel that provides free video lessons for beginners. The channel is mostly in English.

Herbin Mandarin - A channel with a variety of lessons for beginners. The channel hasn't uploaded in a while but there's a fairly large archive of lessons to watch. The channel is mainly in English.

Mandarin Blueprint - This channel is by a couple of guys who also run a paid website. However on their YouTube channel there's a lot of free videos with tips about how to go about learning Chinese, pronunciation and writing tips, and things of that nature. The channel is mainly in English.

Blabla Chinese - A comprehensible input channel with content about a variety of topics for beginner to intermediate. The video descriptions are in English but the videos themselves are all in Mandarin.

Lazy Chinese - A channel aimed at intermediate learners with videos on general topics, grammar, and culture. They also have a podcast. The channel has English descriptions but the videos are all in Mandarin.

Easy Mandarin - A channel associated with the easy languages network that interviews people on the street in Taiwan about everyday topics. The channel has on screen subtitles in traditional characters, pinyin, and English.

StickynoteChinese - A relatively new channel but it already has a decent amount of videos. Jun makes videos about culture and personal vlogs in Mandarin. The channel is aimed at learners from beginner to upper intermediate.

Story Learning Chinese With Annie - A comprehensible input channel almost entirely in Mandarin. The host teaches through stories and also makes videos about useful vocabulary words and cultural topics. It appears to be aimed at beginner to intermediate learners.

LinguaFlow Chinese - Another relatively new channel but they seem to be making new videos regularly. The channel is aimed at beginner to intermediate learners and teaches and provides listening practice with video games. The channel is mostly in Mandarin.

Lala Chinese - A channel with tips on grammar and pronunciation with the occasional vlog for listening practice, aimed at upper beginner to upper intermediate learners. Some videos are all in Mandarin while others use a mix of English and Mandarin. Most videos have dual language subtitles onscreen.

Grace Mandarin Chinese - A channel with general information on the nitty gritty of grammar, pronunciation, common mistakes, slang, and useful phrases for different levels of learners. Most videos are in English but some videos are fully in Mandarin.

READING PRACTICE

HSK Reading - A free website with articles sorted into beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Every article has comprehension questions. You can also mouse over individual characters and see the pinyin and possible translations. The website is in a mix of English and Mandarin.

chinesegradedreader.com - A free website with free short readings up to HSK level 3 or upper intermediate. Each article has an explaination at the beginning of key vocabulary words in English and you can mouse over individual characters to get translations.

Mandarin Companion - This company sells books that are translated and simplified versions of classic novels as well as a few originals for absolute beginners. They are available in both traditional and simplified Chinese. Their levels don't appear to be aligned with any HSK curriculum but even their most advanced books don't have more than 500 individual characters according to them so they're likely mostly for beginners to advanced beginners. New paperbacks seem to usually be $14 but cheaper used copies, digital copies, and audiobooks are also available. The website is in English.

Graded Chinese Readers - Not to be confused with chinese graded reader, this is a website with information on different graded readers by different authors and different companies. The website tells you what the book is about, what level it's for, whether or not it uses traditional or simplified characters, and gives you a link to where you can buy it on amazon. They seem to have links to books all the way from HSK 1 or beginner to HSK 6 or college level. A lot of the books seem to be under $10 but as they're all from different companies your mileage and availability may vary. The website is in English.

Mandarin Bean - A website with free articles about Chinese culture and different short stories. Articles are sorted by HSK level from 1 to 6. The website also lets you switch between traditional or simplified characters and turn the pinyin on or off. It also lets you mouse over characters to get a translation. They have a relatively expensive paid tier that gives you access to video lessons and HSK practice tests and lesson notes but all articles and basic features on the site are available on the free tier without an account. The website is in a mix of Mandarin and English.

Mandarin Daily News - This is a daily newspaper from Taiwan made for children so the articles are simpler, have illustrations and pictures, and use easier characters. As it's for native speaker kids in Taiwan, the site is completely in traditional Chinese.

New Tong Wen Tang for Chrome or Firefox - This is a free browser extension that can convert traditional characters to simplified characters or vice versa without a need to copy and paste things into a separate website.

PODCASTS

Melnyks Chinese - A podcast for more traditional audio Mandarin Chinese lessons for English speakers. The link I gave is to their website but they're also available on most podcatcher apps.

Chinese Track - Another podcast aimed at learning Mandarin but this one goes a bit higher into lower intermediate levels.

Dimsum Mandarin - An older podcast archive of 30 episodes of dialogues aimed at beginner to upper beginner learners.

Dashu Mandarin - A podcast run by three Chinese teachers aimed at intermediate learners that discusses culture topics and gives tips for Mandarin learners. There are also male teachers on the podcast which I'm told is relatively rare for Mandarin material aimed at learners and could help if you're struggling to understand more masculine speaking patterns.

Learning Chinese Through Stories - A storytelling podcast mostly aimed at intermediate learners but they do have some episodes aimed at beginner or advanced learners. They have various paid tiers for extra episodes and learning material on their patreon but there's still a large amount of episodes available for free.

Haike Mandarin - A conversational podcast in Taiwanese Mandarin for intermediate learners. Every episode discusses a different everyday topic. The episode descriptions and titles are entirely in traditional Chinese characters. The hosts provide free transcripts and other materials related to the episodes on their blog.

Learn Chinese With Ju - A vocabulary building podcast aimed at intermediate learners. The podcast episodes are short at around 4-6 minutes and the host speaks about a variety of topics in a mix of English and Mandarin.

xiaoyuzhou fm - An iOS app for native speakers to listen to podcasts. I’m told it has a number of interactive features. If you have an android device you’ll likely have to do some finagling with third party apps to get this one working. As this app is for native speakers, the app is entirely in simplified Chinese.

Apple Podcast directories for Taiwan and China - Podcast pages directed towards users in those countries/regions.

SELF STUDY TEXTBOOKS AND DICTIONARIES

Learning Chinese Characters - This series is sorted by HSK levels and each volume in the series is around $11. Used and digital copies can also be found for cheaper.

HSK Standard Course Textbooks - These are textbooks designed around official Chinese government affiliated HSK tests including all of the simplified characters, grammar, vocab, and cultural knowledge necessary to pass each test. There are six books in total and the books prices range wildly depending on the level and the seller, going for as cheap as $14 to as expensive as $60 though as these are pretty common textbooks, used copies and cheaper online shops can be found with a little digging. The one I have linked to here is the HSK 1 textbook. Some textbook sellers will also bundle them with a workbook, some will not.

Chinese Made Easy for Kids - Although this series is aimed at children, I'm told that it's also very useful for adult beginners. There's a large number of textbooks and workbooks at various levels. The site I linked to is aimed at people placing orders in Hong Kong but the individual pages also have links to various other websites you can buy them from in other countries. The books range from $20-$35 but I include them because some of them are cheaper and they seem really easy to find used copies of.

Reading and Writing Chinese - This book contains guides on all 2300 characters in the HSK texts as of 2013. Although it is slightly outdated, it's still useful for self study and is usually less than $20 new. Used copies are also easy to find.

Basic Chinese by Mcgraw Hill - This book also fuctions as a workbook so good quality used copies can be difficult to find. The book is usually $20 but it also often goes on sale on Amazon and they also sell a cheaper digital copy.

Chinese Grammar: A beginner's guide to basic structures - This book goes over beginner level grammar concepts and can usually be found for less than $20 in print or as low as $2 for a digital copy.

Collins Mandarin Chinese Visual Dictionary - A bilingual English/Mandarin visual dictionary that comes with a link to online audio files. A new copy goes for about $14 but used and digital versions are available.

Merriam-Webster's Chinese to English Dictionary - In general Merriam Websters usually has the cheapest decent quality multilingual dictionaries out there, including for Mandarin Chinese. New editions usually go for around $8 each while older editions are usually even cheaper.

(at the end of the list here I will say I had a difficult time finding tv series specifically made for learners of Mandarin Chinese so if you know of any that are made for teenage or adult learners or are kids shows that would be interesting to adults and are free to watch without a subscription please let me know and I will add them to the list. There's a lot of Mandarin language TV that's easy to find but what I'm specifically interested in for these lists are free to watch series made for learners and/or easy to understand kids shows originally made in the target language that are free and easy to access worldwide)

[warframestuff]

Enjoy some new flair this year to commemorate the launch of Warframe: 1999! As part of Twitch Drops Fest, we're offering a total of 12 unique Glyphs by community artist death_ma666ots for you to use in Warframe. All you have to do is link your Warframe and Twitch accounts, log on, and watch any drops-enabled stream in the Warframe Directory. 

These Twitch Drops will be split between two different waves of six. The first will feature a set of "radiant" On-lyne Glyphs, featuring different members of the hottest band from Warframe: 1999 and their logo. The second wave will then feature Infested versions of each previous Glyph. You'll have to watch during two different windows between January 17 and January 31 to get the full collection, so don't miss out!

During each wave, you'll earn a new Glyph every 30 minutes for up to three hours of watch time. That means you'll need to reach a total of six hours of viewing streams in the Warframe Directory on Twitch to get the full set.

Here's the breakdown of when to watch and what you'll get:

Week 1 - Radiant Glyphs: Start Date: Jan 17th at 11am ET End Date: Jan 24th at 10:59am ET Claim Time: Watch 30 minutes to earn a Radiant On-lyne Glyph. 

Total watch time to claim all items: 3 hours

30 mins: Community On-lyne Harddrive Glyph

60 mins: Community On-lyne Drillbit Glyph

90 mins: Community On-lyne DJ RoM Glyph

120 mins: Community On-lyne Zeke Glyph

150 mins:Community On-lyne Packet Glyph

180 mins: Community Radiant On-lyne Logo Glyph

Part 2: Infested Glyphs Start Date: Jan 24th at 11am ET End Date: Jan 31st at 11am ET Claim Time: Watch 30 minutes to earn an Infested On-lyne Glyph. 

Total watch time to claim all items: 3 hours

30 mins: Community On-lyne Infested Harddrive Glyph

60 mins: Community On-lyne Infested Drillbit Glyph

90 mins: Community On-lyne Infested DJ RoM Glyph

120 mins: Community On-lyne Infested Zeke Glyph

150 mins: Community On-lyne Infested Packet Glyph

180 mins: Community Infested On-lyne Logo Glyph

For players wishing to obtain these Glyphs after this campaign has ended, they will be available in the Market upon the release of the "1999 Echoes" update. 

How to Participate:

If you're a Twitch Streamer looking to take part in this Directory-wide campaign, simply ensure you follow these steps:

Stream to the Warframe Directory on Twitch

Enable Drops in their Creator Dashboard on Twitch, found in the Viewer Rewards sub-category

Issues Claiming Drops:

If you’re having issues getting your Drops, make sure your accounts are properly linked at warframe.com/user. Should you not see your Twitch Account listed, or should you have multiple Warframe accounts linked to the same Twitch, issues in Drop distribution may occur. We suggest unlinking all accounts and relinking to your intended accounts to fix!

For users watching broadcasts using the Twitch iOS app, please refer to our PSA on how to redeem Drops on your device.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Subprime gadgets

I'm on tour with my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me THIS SUNDAY in ANAHEIM at WONDERCON: YA Fantasy, Room 207, 10 a.m.; Signing, 11 a.m.; Teaching Writing, 2 p.m., Room 213CD.

The promise of feudal security: "Surrender control over your digital life so that we, the wise, giant corporation, can ensure that you aren't tricked into catastrophic blunders that expose you to harm":

https://locusmag.com/2021/01/cory-doctorow-neofeudalism-and-the-digital-manor/

The tech giant is a feudal warlord whose platform is a fortress; move into the fortress and the warlord will defend you against the bandits roaming the lawless land beyond its walls.

That's the promise, here's the failure: What happens when the warlord decides to attack you? If a tech giant decides to do something that harms you, the fortress becomes a prison and the thick walls keep you in.

Apple does this all the time: "click this box and we will use our control over our platform to stop Facebook from spying on you" (Ios as fortress). "No matter what box you click, we will spy on you and because we control which apps you can install, we can stop you from blocking our spying" (Ios as prison):

https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/14/luxury-surveillance/#liar-liar

But it's not just Apple – any corporation that arrogates to itself the right to override your own choices about your technology will eventually yield to temptation, using that veto to help itself at your expense:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/28/microincentives-and-enshittification/

Once the corporation puts the gun on the mantelpiece in Act One, they're begging their KPI-obsessed managers to take it down and shoot you in the head with it in anticipation of of their annual Act Three performance review:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/12/08/playstationed/#tyler-james-hill

One particularly pernicious form of control is "trusted computing" and its handmaiden, "remote attestation." Broadly, this is when a device is designed to gather information about how it is configured and to send verifiable testaments about that configuration to third parties, even if you want to lie to those people:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2023/08/your-computer-should-say-what-you-tell-it-say-1

New HP printers are designed to continuously monitor how you use them – and data-mine the documents you print for marketing data. You have to hand over a credit-card in order to use them, and HP reserves the right to fine you if your printer is unreachable, which would frustrate their ability to spy on you and charge you rent:

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/02/hp-wants-you-to-pay-up-to-36-month-to-rent-a-printer-that-it-monitors/

Under normal circumstances, this technological attack would prompt a defense, like an aftermarket mod that prevents your printer's computer from monitoring you. This is "adversarial interoperability," a once-common technological move:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/10/adversarial-interoperability

An adversarial interoperator seeking to protect HP printer users from HP could gin up fake telemetry to send to HP, so they wouldn't be able to tell that you'd seized the means of computation, triggering fines charged to your credit card.

Enter remote attestation: if HP can create a sealed "trusted platform module" or a (less reliable) "secure enclave" that gathers and cryptographically signs information about which software your printer is running, HP can detect when you have modified it. They can force your printer to rat you out – to spill your secrets to your enemy.

Remote attestation is already a reliable feature of mobile platforms, allowing agencies and corporations whose services you use to make sure that you're perfectly defenseless – not blocking ads or tracking, or doing anything else that shifts power from them to you – before they agree to communicate with your device.

What's more, these "trusted computing" systems aren't just technological impediments to your digital wellbeing – they also carry the force of law. Under Section 1201 of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, these snitch-chips are "an effective means of access control" which means that anyone who helps you bypass them faces a $500,000 fine and a five-year prison sentence for a first offense.

Feudal security builds fortresses out of trusted computing and remote attestation and promises to use them to defend you from marauders. Remote attestation lets them determine whether your device has been compromised by someone seeking to harm you – it gives them a reliable testament about your device's configuration even if your device has been poisoned by bandits:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/12/05/trusting-trust/#thompsons-devil

The fact that you can't override your computer's remote attestations means that you can't be tricked into doing so. That's a part of your computer that belongs to the manufacturer, not you, and it only takes orders from its owner. So long as the benevolent dictator remains benevolent, this is a protective against your own lapses, follies and missteps. But if the corporate warlord turns bandit, this makes you powerless to stop them from devouring you whole.

With that out of the way, let's talk about debt.

Debt is a normal feature of any economy, but today's debt plays a different role from the normal debt that characterized life before wages stagnated and inequality skyrocketed. 40 years ago, neoliberalism – with its assaults on unions and regulations – kicked off a multigenerational process of taking wealth away from working people to make the rich richer.

Have you ever watched a genius pickpocket like Apollo Robbins work? When Robins lifts your wristwatch, he curls his fingers around your wrist, expertly adding pressure to simulate the effect of a watchband, even as he takes away your watch. Then, he gradually releases his grip, so slowly that you don't even notice:

https://www.reddit.com/r/nextfuckinglevel/comments/ppqjya/apollo_robbins_a_master_pickpocket_effortlessly/

For the wealthy to successfully impoverish the rest of us, they had to provide something that made us feel like we were still doing OK, even as they stole our wages, our savings, and our futures. So, even as they shipped our jobs overseas in search of weak environmental laws and weaker labor protection, they shared some of the savings with us, letting us buy more with less. But if your wages keep stagnating, it doesn't matter how cheap a big-screen TV gets, because you're tapped out.

So in tandem with cheap goods from overseas sweatshops, we got easy credit: access to debt. As wages fell, debt rose up to fill the gap. For a while, it's felt OK. Your wages might be falling off, the cost of health care and university might be skyrocketing, but everything was getting cheaper, it was so easy to borrow, and your principal asset – your family home – was going up in value, too.

This period was a "bezzle," John Kenneth Galbraith's name for "The magic interval when a confidence trickster knows he has the money he has appropriated but the victim does not yet understand that he has lost it." It's the moment after Apollo Robbins has your watch but before you notice it's gone. In that moment, both you and Robbins feel like you have a watch – the world's supply of watch-derived happiness actually goes up for a moment.

There's a natural limit to debt-fueled consumption: as Michael Hudson says, "debts that can't be paid, won't be paid." Once the debtor owes more than they can pay back – or even service – creditors become less willing to advance credit to them. Worse, they start to demand the right to liquidate the debtor's assets. That can trigger some pretty intense political instability, especially when the only substantial asset most debtors own is the roof over their heads:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/06/the-end-of-the-road-to-serfdom/

"Debts that can't be paid, won't be paid," but that doesn't stop creditors from trying to get blood from our stones. As more of us became bankrupt, the bankruptcy system was gutted, turned into a punitive measure designed to terrorize people into continuing to pay down their debts long past the point where they can reasonably do so:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/09/bankruptcy-protects-fake-people-brutalizes-real-ones/

Enter "subprime" – loans advanced to people who stand no meaningful chance of every paying them back. We all remember the subprime housing bubble, in which complex and deceptive mortgages were extended to borrowers on the promise that they could either flip or remortgage their house before the subprime mortgages detonated when their "teaser rates" expired and the price of staying in your home doubled or tripled.

Subprime housing loans were extended on the belief that people would meekly render themselves homeless once the music stopped, forfeiting all the money they'd plowed into their homes because the contract said they had to. For a brief minute there, it looked like there would be a rebellion against mass foreclosure, but then Obama and Timothy Geithner decreed that millions of Americans would have to lose their homes to "foam the runways" for the banks:

https://wallstreetonparade.com/2012/08/how-treasury-secretary-geithner-foamed-the-runways-with-childrens-shattered-lives/

That's one way to run a subprime shop: offer predatory loans to people who can't afford them and then confiscate their assets when they – inevitably – fail to pay their debts off.

But there's another form of subprime, familiar to loan sharks through the ages: lend money at punitive interest rates, such that the borrower can never repay the debt, and then terrorize the borrower into making payments for as long as possible. Do this right and the borrower will pay you several times the value of the loan, and still owe you a bundle. If the borrower ever earns anything, you'll have a claim on it. Think of Americans who borrowed $79,000 to go to university, paid back $190,000 and still owe $236,000:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/12/04/kawaski-trawick/#strike-debt

This kind of loan-sharking is profitable, but labor-intensive. It requires that the debtor make payments they fundamentally can't afford. The usurer needs to get their straw right down into the very bottom of the borrower's milkshake and suck up every drop. You need to convince the debtor to sell their wedding ring, then dip into their kid's college fund, then steal their father's coin collection, and, then break into cars to steal the stereos. It takes a lot of person-to-person work to keep your sucker sufficiently motivated to do all that.

This is where digital meets subprime. There's $1T worth of subprime car-loans in America. These are pure predation: the lender sells a beater to a mark, offering a low down-payment loan with a low initial interest rate. The borrower makes payments at that rate for a couple of months, but then the rate blows up to more than they can afford.

Trusted computing makes this marginal racket into a serious industry. First, there's the ability of the car to narc you out to the repo man by reporting on its location. Tesla does one better: if you get behind in your payments, your Tesla immobilizes itself and phones home, waits for the repo man to come to the parking lot, then it backs itself out of the spot while honking its horn and flashing its lights:

https://tiremeetsroad.com/2021/03/18/tesla-allegedly-remotely-unlocks-model-3-owners-car-uses-smart-summon-to-help-repo-agent/

That immobilization trick shows how a canny subprime car-lender can combine the two kinds of subprime: they can secure the loan against an asset (the car), but also coerce borrowers into prioritizing repayment over other necessities of life. After your car immobilizes itself, you just might decide to call the dealership and put down your credit card, even if that means not being able to afford groceries or child support or rent.

One thing we can say about digital tools: they're flexible. Any sadistic motivational technique a lender can dream up, a computerized device can execute. The subprime car market relies on a spectrum of coercive tactics: cars that immobilize themselves, sure, but how about cars that turn on their speakers to max and blare a continuous recording telling you that you're a deadbeat and demanding payment?

https://archive.nytimes.com/dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/09/24/miss-a-payment-good-luck-moving-that-car/

The more a subprime lender can rely on a gadget to torment you on their behalf, the more loans they can issue. Here, at last, is a form of automation-driven mass unemployment: normally, an economy that has been fully captured by wealthy oligarchs needs squadrons of cruel arm-breakers to convince the plebs to prioritize debt service over survival. The infinitely flexible, tireless digital arm-breakers enabled by trusted computing have deprived all of those skilled torturers of their rightful employment:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/04/02/innovation-unlocks-markets/#digital-arm-breakers

The world leader in trusted computing isn't cars, though – it's phones. Long before anyone figured out how to make a car take orders from its manufacturer over the objections of its driver, Apple and Google were inventing "curating computing" whose app stores determined which software you could run and how you could run it.

Back in 2021, Indian subprime lenders hit on the strategy of securing their loans by loading borrowers' phones up with digital arm-breaking software:

https://restofworld.org/2021/loans-that-hijack-your-phone-are-coming-to-india/

The software would gather statistics on your app usage. When you missed a payment, the phone would block you from accessing your most frequently used app. If that didn't motivate you to pay, you'd lose your second-most favorite app, then your third, fourth, etc.

This kind of digital arm-breaking is only possible if your phone is designed to prioritize remote instructions – from the manufacturer and its app makers – over your own. It also only works if the digital arm-breaking company can confirm that you haven't jailbroken your phone, which might allow you to send fake data back saying that your apps have been disabled, while you continue to use those apps. In other words, this kind of digital sadism only works if you've got trusted computing and remote attestation.

Enter "Device Lock Controller," an app that comes pre-installed on some Google Pixel phones. To quote from the app's description: "Device Lock Controller enables device management for credit providers. Your provider can remotely restrict access to your device if you don't make payments":

https://lemmy.world/post/13359866

Google's pitch to Android users is that their "walled garden" is a fortress that keeps people who want to do bad things to you from reaching you. But they're pre-installing software that turns the fortress into a prison that you can't escape if they decide to let someone come after you.

There's a certain kind of economist who looks at these forms of automated, fine-grained punishments and sees nothing but a tool for producing an "efficient market" in debt. For them, the ability to automate arm-breaking results in loans being offered to good, hardworking people who would otherwise be deprived of credit, because lenders will judge that these borrowers can be "incentivized" into continuing payments even to the point of total destitution.

This is classic efficient market hypothesis brain worms, the kind of cognitive dead-end that you arrive at when you conceive of people in purely economic terms, without considering the power relationships between them. It's a dead end you navigate to if you only think about things as they are today – vast numbers of indebted people who command fewer assets and lower wages than at any time since WWII – and treat this as a "natural" state: "how can these poors expect to be offered more debt unless they agree to have their all-important pocket computers booby-trapped?"

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/03/29/boobytrap/#device-lock-controller

Image: Oatsy (modified) https://www.flickr.com/photos/oatsy40/21647688003

CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

[coldshrugs]

ffxivwrite - prompt 4: reticent

characters: estinien varlineau, hamignant varlineau, and featuring my wol, io laithe word count: 1921 rating: mature for mentions of bullying & death. summary: three short, heavily headcanoned scenes from estinien's life, at ages 12, 21, and 33. [middle section heavily inspired by this art] posted 9/5/24 | updated 10/11/24

“I challenge you, Ser, to a trial by combat! Take up your arms and fight me!”

“And what is my crime this time?”

Hamignant, small as he is, brandishes his stick threateningly, but all that swagger is betrayed by an answer that comes out slower than usual. Shaky, even. “You don’t play with me anymore.”

Estinien shifts his weight, leaning a bit more heavily on the tall crook. A stone of guilt sinks in his stomach, so he distracts himself by watching the shallow valley just below the hill they stand on and the sheep grazing there. It is late spring and their coats are full and fluffy, ready for shearing. His twelfth nameday was less than a moon ago and he is expected to help with the task this year. His parents rely on him more now, sending him on errands usually tended by his father, giving him additional fieldwork. It isn’t easy, but it feels good to be trusted.

In truth, he would very much like to continue playing with Hamignant. His little brother has a knack for making games of their chores, and should they be caught goofing off, his wit is quick enough to make even the most stern adult smile.

Estinien does not share his talent for conversation, but Hamignant never seems to mind. He is content to babble so long as Estinien is close by to listen.

The stick—his foraged sword—wriggles closer. Closer. Until it pokes into Estinien’s cheek.

His gaze slides sideways, to Hamignant’s dramatic stance. It would be funny if not for the serious set of his brow, the tight purse of his lips, and the sheen welling in his eyes. Halone bless him, he truly is upset…

Estinien shifts again, batting the stick away with his crook, and smiles at Hamignant. “Then fight me, little knight, but take care to hide your bruises from Mother and Father.”

With a cheer of delight and an expression that makes Estinien proud he put it there, Hamignant begins their spar. Their wooden weapons echo across the meadow, sharp cracks followed by the occasional shriek or grunt when their limbs take a hit.

“Ow!” Estinien pauses to nurse a sore knuckle in his mouth. Hamignant celebrates, jumping on the spot before reenacting the flashy maneuver in the air between them. His victory doesn’t last—Estinien topples him and sends them both rolling down the hill in a fit of laughter.

They land fulms away from the sheep. Some come over to sniff them, like curious friends checking for injuries. Hamignant reaches up to pet snouts, red cheeks stretched in an open smile.

Estinien lies back to catch his breath. Clouds drift overhead in lazy wisps, and the grass tickles his neck and ankles as a warm breeze passes through the meadow. He closes his eyes, listening to the soft bleating of his charges, and even though his knuckle still throbs, he is happy.

“We should make a pact, Es,” Hamignant says, and his excited voice does not negate the sense of peace. “When we grow up, let’s both be knights. We can live in Ishgard and wear armor, protect beautiful maidens from harm, and fight dragons!”

“Best not to wish for dragons, Hami, like Mother says.” He chews his bottom lip. “Besides, I don’t want to be a knight. I like living here. Someone must stay and care for the farm.”

Hamignant’s smile sags. “Fine,” he pouts, though he looks less defeated than before. “You can stay in Ferndale all your days, and I’ll be a great knight of Ishgard. I will come home every Starlight and tell you about my adventures. That could still be fun, right?”

Estinien grins and rights himself, then offers a hand to help his brother up as well. “The finest plan you’ve ever had.”

At age twenty-one, Estinien is still getting used to his height.

Hitting striking dummies with Alberic is one thing—they don’t dodge, and they don’t hit back. And sparring with his unit is pitiable right now, as many of them adjust to growing bodies. It is something else entirely to swing the unfamiliar length of his arm at a sneering face, or struggle to take an unwieldy step backward before the very real fist meets his cheek. To fight and defend himself seriously.

He hits the training yard dirt with a weak groan that is all but drowned out by a roar of laughter. His ears ring from the impact. Four soldiers, all fledglings like himself, still in a training unit, stand over him.

“And if you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay down, Varlineau.” The one that threw the punch. Taller than he is, and stronger, and probably some noble’s son or nephew. It’s been a few moons since his official enlistment, but Estinien has not learned their names. He is here for one reason, and he cannot make room for useless information. And why should he, when another puts a foot on his chest as he tries to stand?

They erupt again over such a hard-won victory.

“We heard you last night, whimpering in your bunk like a freshly-weened babe. That the Azure Dragoon should waste his time with you,” one scoffs.

“No better than an orphaned Brume brat. We should drag you back to Ferndale and let Nidhogg know he missed one—”

The ankle holding him down makes a sickening snap when he twists it. Striking dummies certainly don’t do that. The boy goes down with a pained scream.

Estinien stands. He says nothing, only wipes his bloody nose with the back of his hand, then swings. 

He spends three days in the gaol, and they do not bother him again.

He’s been in this room too long. His body is stiff from disuse, even with the daily practice of simple stretches. By chirurgeon’s orders, he has been forbidden from any activities that might reopen his wounds.

By fucking Halone and all the rest, he is bored.

At least he doesn’t want for company—that is not to say company has ever been a strong craving for him, of course. But Estinien could do worse than the Warrior of Light making her near-daily visit, even if it’s simply because this is the single place in Ishgard where she might escape the pitying gazes and prying questions about her… entanglement with Greystone. He enjoys a few hours of quiet, tolerable companionship, and she has a moment of privacy; an even exchange, in his mind.

Io sits in a ratty armchair, legs curled under her, by a sunny window so thickly lined with sympathy flowers, the room resembles the Holy Gardens of the Vault. Or, more kindly, the meadows ringing Ferndale in late spring. She wears the evidence of mourning around her eyes, red-rimmed and darkened bags from lack of decent sleep. He knows the look well. Still, the backdrop suits her.

Today, she knits, softly humming to herself in time to the rhythmic click of the needles. She’s lost in it, and her silence is appreciated. They talk during these visits, yes, but it isn’t like before. He thought her a friend before Aymeric’s mad plan shook their lives. Now… “friend” seems both too frivolous and too forward. They’re vulnerable in this room, Io grieving her lover, Estinien bandaged and weak—vulnerable, but distant.

He misses how they were before.

So he watches the wool slipping between her fingers with each meticulous loop, the way the half-formed garment hangs heavy from her hands. And all of it—the dappled light on the flowers, the repetitive scratch of Io’s work and wordless song, the weight of wool he used to know well, the herbaceous scent of medicinal salve rising from his wounds—dredges up the memory of another life. If Estinien closes his eyes, it could be twenty-one years ago. He could be there, if only for a moment, if only as a visitor.

Grief wails inside him. It is the roar he’s felt for years, through the Eye he used as a tool. Strange, to feel it now as part of himself, bottomless and inconsolable and so full of love. Stranger still to realize they were not so different in the end.

When was the last time he’s cried? Estinien is barely aware of where the tears trail down his cheeks, numb to everything but the homesick ache he has fought for half his life. He rubs his face before Io has the chance to see him.

“Io.” Estinien clears his throat. With her head still tilted towards her craft, Io’s eyes shift to meet his. “There is something I would ask.”

She pauses, waiting for his question.

“Why did you save me?”

Her answer comes in the form of a furrowed brow. She continues knitting without a word.

“I was ready. I was. And now? I don’t know how to be, I don’t know how to live without it. I’m unfit for anything else.”

Io’s lips thin a bit, tightening into a frustrated line, as she works. She shakes her head. Maybe she’s angry he asked. For all he lacks as a conversationalist, he is an expert in offending, even when he doesn’t mean to.

He lifts himself off the pillows piled at his back, ignoring the fire in his shoulder.

“You could’ve left me, or killed me. I feel him, Io. The echo of his loss; when it hits me… Io, you could’ve killed me.” The words leave him in a rush, riding the swell of pain that belongs to him and the adamant traces of Nidhogg that are part of him now.

Her sigh shames him. “Kill a man—my friend—when he doesn’t want to die? Let you fall to anguish and pain?" She lays the needles in her lap and her dark gaze all but dares him to argue. He’s never heard her speak with such a firm certainty. “No, Estinien, I could never have done that. Nidhogg’s isn’t the only grief you carry, nor are his memories the only ones worth saving.”

Silence encloses them, balancing on the knife’s edge of comfort and unease. Neither looks away. He counts the agitated rise and fall of Io’s chest until they are breathing in sync, then until both are steady.

With the softer tone he recognizes, she says, “We all need reminding that burdens, even ones as heavy as this, can be shared.” 

Her mere presence gives the lie to his words. He would’ve done the same, if it were her. He sags back into his pillows, exhaustion replacing the wyrm’s overwhelming emotion.

And they return to the shred of peace they fought for. Io hums, and the needles click, and that is enough. He listens, occasionally mustering a courageous glance, and thinks about the uncertain future until the rays of sunlight tilt his direction instead of hers.

“I think it’s time to get on.”

“Me?” Io’s lips stretch into a crooked smile over the yarn. “Fine, I’ll kill you next time.”

His laugh is rough and unfamiliar sounding, closer to a cough. It hurts his broken ribs.

Io’s raspy chuckle is a far more pleasant sound. “Where will you go?”

Estinien sighs. He knows where he wants to go. The question is whether he will be welcome. “If it’s all the same, that is my business alone.”

Io nods and does not push the matter. Hm. There is always another question… In the absence of one, something settles in him… A sense of solace he didn’t know he was allowed. 

So he confesses: “To make amends.”

[cheritzteam]

[The Ssum] <The Ssum: Love from Today> Update (30/12 KST, v2.1.13)

Hello, dear lab participant.

You can now download the new version of <The Ssum: Love From Today>.

Google Play Store (Android) - linkApple App Store (iOS) - link

This update includes server maintenance, so you will receive 10 Aurora Batteries as Study Support upon accessing the game.

Make sure you access the Lab by 2-JAN-2025 (KST) to get your compensation! *You must collect your reward within 3 days.

The following are the details of the update we have received from the Lab.

[New Update] > The Desire Collection Event returns for our lab participants in 2025! The New Year's Desire Collection event data has been added. Please check the event announcement that was updated on December 27th for details!

[Feature Added] > Attention lab participants who've been waiting for the ssumones' ending movies!  The ending movies for Teo, Harry, June, and Henri have been added.  Now you can watch the memories you had with your ssumone in the ending movie!

[Other] - The Aurora PIU-PIU Extra Chat UI has been improved. - Minor bugs have been fixed.

We appreciate your reports and your activities as a part of the Lab.

Thank you.

-Cheritz-

[camcamino]

Made you a list!!! Not all of them are exactly niche/not talked online. Some are just not talked ANYMORE lol. I'm not an irl but I'm up for any conversation and recommendation about movies!!!!

The Pale Blue Eye (2022) -> great mystery featuring our dear friend Edgar Allan Pooh LMAO

The Whale (2022) -> was popular but now it's forgotten LOL I honestly loved the symbolism of it + Sadie is here

The Place (2017) -> this is like the best Italian movie made in contemporary era SERIOUSLY like- the philosophical implications of it all you have no idea, it makes you think a lot

Io e lei (2015) -> yeah I love Sabrina Ferilli, yeah I'm a lesbian

The Help (2011) -> black history

The Ramen Girl (2008) -> wandering, existentially lost girl asks a chef to teach her to cook ramen

Spring, summer, fall, winter ... And spring (2003)

3-iron (2004)

Breath (2007) -> these last three movies are by a director I absolutely love but I never see talked about online, which is Kim Ki-duk. I def recommend his works!

The Hitcher (not the OG, the 2007 remake) -> never take a hitchhiker on board. I was obsessed with it as a teen. I wrote several ffs about this movie LMAO

The hours (2002) -> Virginia Woolf involved here

Le giraffe (2000) -> watched it as a kid and giraffes became my fav animal lol + have I told you already I have a thing for Sabrina Ferilli?

What dreams may come (1998) -> Robin Williams movie I don't see people talk about much

Caro diario (1993) -> you'd LOVE Nanni Moretti. This is one of my fav movies of his

Blow-up (1966) -> oh I think you'd like the aesthetic of this. It's kind of a drama that slowly becomes a mystery and eventually gets back to being just a drama (also, Michelangelo Antonioni >>> you wanna check him out)

Persona (1966) -> kinda intense. If codependency and toxicity were a movie, this would be it :) but also very very interesting to see how everything is portrayed

12 angry men (1957) -> oh this is a drama sold as a thriller but that's deep down actually almost a comedy. A jury made of 12 men has to decide whether or not to execute an 18-year-old boy accused of having stabbed his father to death. Lots of talks and interesting insights about death penalty and (un)reliability of testimony

The red balloon (1956) -> little boy holds onto his red balloon for dear life I love him so much it's so cute. There's nothing stronger than the relationship between this boy and his red balloon

Freaks (1932) -> this is literally the perfect movie to watch when you feel like a freakish, awkward outsider!

The petrified forest (1936) -> Bette Davis is prettyyyyy good movie with symbolism, it's a gangster movie

Mary Jane's Mishap (1903) -> some good old ancient short movie of the origin cuz why not. Had to watch and study this for uni my first year and it honestly made me laugh a lot

The lives of others (2006) -> this is such an Orwellian movie tbh

I literally cannot express how much I love you I'm definitely going to watch these!! I can't wait, maybe tonight I'll watch one and I will absolutely tell you about it, words cannot express how much you lighten up my day, I was supposed to take my braces off and spent 2 hours in the waiting room at the dentist just for her to tell me that she wasn't going to remove them yet

[mayalaen]

VPNs aren't just for pirates and company data anymore

A friend complained to me that they couldn't access pr0n anymore because the government is now requiring ID to verify age where they are, and due to data leaks and privacy issues, didn't want to share their ID even though they're of legal age.

Shit like this doesn't work on the intended target. It only frustrates people who are aren't tech savvy while a lot of kids have already found their way around it because that's what kids do ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

When I talk about VPNs (virtual private networks), non-tech savvy people's eyes glaze over 😂

It sounds like complicated, unknowable magic. It's not! And you don't even have to understand it to use it!

With the government and ISPs (internet service providers) invading privacy more and more and hackers breaking in and stealing user data from companies, VPNs are becoming necessary.

Some Things a VPN Does for You:

hides your data from others

can make your internet speeds faster if your ISP does speed throttling (purposely making your speed slower)

hides what you're doing from your ISP

keeps you safer from some malware, viruses, hackers, and trackers

allows you to access things that are either restricted in your area or not available in your area (such as content in other countries)

keeps you safer when you're out in public connected to wifi

Below is a basic infographic on how VPNs work. When you access the internet, a VPN encrypts your data - making it into a secret code that can't be read by anyone else including your ISP.

Tech companies, ISPs, etc. want you to think VPNs are complicated so that you won't use them.

When searching for a free VPN, please be aware that a lot of the free VPN services out there are malware or full of viruses and trackers.

Either do some research into which one to choose or use a paid VPN service. You can either pay monthly or yearly - the yearly is always cheaper in the long run.

Some of the Top Rated VPN Services:

ExpressVPN $7 - $13/month

NordVPN $3 - $13/month

Surfshark $2 - $14/month

PrivateInternetAccess $2 - $12/month

ProtonVPN (some sites block this one) $4 - $10/month

CyberGhost $2 - $13/month

I use ExpressVPN, so for the purposes of this post, I'm going to use screenshots from ExpressVPN.

Once you have an account, download the program from the website to your desktop/laptop or find the app on Android or iOS app stores.

Signing in requires a code that the VPN will email to you that unlocks all the features. Pay attention when the program installs because it'll ask you about preferences, and you can easily check yes on blocking pr0n when that's the reason you wanted a VPN in the first place 😂

When the program is open, you'll see this:

As you can see in the screenshot, not only do I have the program, but I have an ExpressVPN icon on my browser. The program installs this automatically, and when the program is running, the icon will have a green checkmark on it so you know it's working in your browser.

You'll notice I've recently connected using Japan. I did this so I could watch a series that isn't available outside of Japan.

The program automatically chooses a location near you, but if you want to access things that are restricted to you, make sure you click on the three dots to the right of the selected location (see screenshot below) and search for a state/country/place that your content will be available in.

Once your location is selected, click on the start/power button, and you'll get a popup notification from your computer that ExpressVPN is connected.

Go to the site you want to use and use it like you normally would.

Here's what it should look like when it's running correctly:

Keep in mind that if you leave a VPN running all the time (which is perfectly fine to do), search engines like Google will assume you live wherever ExpressVPN tells it you live, so searching for "stores near me" will give you results that aren't close to you.

When you're done using the VPN, just hit the power button again and it shuts off.

I use this on all my handheld devices, my desktop, and my laptop for business and personal reasons. I'm a pirate, and I've been using VPNs for a long time, yet none of the ISPs I've used have ever given me a warning about torrenting.

Good luck, and enjoy all the new things you can access!

BTW for anybody wondering, my desktop wallpaper is a map of the world's time zones. So pretty!! 😍

[satoshi-mochida]

BOKURA for PS5, PS4 delayed to summer - Gematsu

Publisher Kodansha and developer Tokoronyori have delayed the PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 versions of two-player puzzle adventure game BOKURA from their previously planned April 18 release date to sometime this summer.

BOKURA first launched in Early Access for PC via Steam on February 14, 2023, followed by a full release across Switch, PC, iOS, and Android on August 10, 2023.

From today until April 17 at 9:59 a.m. PT / 12:59 p.m. ET, the PC version of BOKURA will be on sale for $1.79, or 70 percent off its standard $5.49 price point. All versions of the game include cross-platform support.

Here is an overview of the game, via Kodansha:

About

This is a two-player only puzzle adventure game. It is a two-player game played on two devices. Although it is a cooperative game, what you see on the screens of both players is completely different. For example, although they should be looking at the same person, to one it looks like a storybook animal character, while to the other it looks like a robot. (The difference in perception causes the objects on the field to work differently in each world.) Players share what only they can see with their partner through conversation. They continue their journey by cooperating to solve riddles and puzzles. Players can also play online while talking to each other at a distance. The basic game system is a side-scrolling puzzle adventure with a two-player cooperative element. During the course of the story, players are faced with a number of critical choices. Depending on the choices made, the story will unfold in several different ways.

Story

Two boys who ran away from home discover a “dead deer” on their journey. Seeing it, they faint and everything they see in each other’s eyes becomes different. One is the world of animals, the other is the world of machines. The boys must unravel the mystery that happened to them. Can they return to their original world?

Key Features

The main difference between this game and other games is that you need a partner to play with.

You cannot play this game alone or against the computer (CPU).

Two players are always required.

In other words, this game starts by deciding “Who will you play with?” The game starts with the decision of “who to play with.”

The total playing time is about three to four hours. During that time, the two players discuss with each other and reconcile their perceptions, solve problems, and make critical decisions

[aemiron-main]

me: 1, apple: 0 (PSA to anyone else who hates the IOS 18 update/photos app update- there IS a way to revert it)

PSA to anyone else who fucking hates the AWFUL new ios 18 apple photos app UI: I managed to revert my phone back to EXACTLY how it was prior to the update WITHOUT losing any of my stuff (I had been running IOS 17.7.2 prior to the update). Here's what I did:

1.) I had an iCloud backup from BEFORE updating to 18.1.1. This backup was from when my phone was still on 17.7.2. You can still undo the update without a backup, but you'll lose all your stuff/your phone will be wiped. 2.) I went here and picked my phone type (iphone 13 pro in my case) and then downloaded the most recent ios BETA version (17.6 ver 3 beta)- it has to be one of those beta versions, because apple keeps their beta versions signed longer than other versions, and there are no longer any versions of IOS prior to IOS 18 that are still signed. You can't install unsigned versions via itunes, so they're useless. 3.) I downloaded the 17.6 ver 3 beta file to my computer 4.) I opened iTunes with my phone connected 5.) I right-clicked on "Restore iPhone..." button, and selected that 17.6 ver 3 beta file from my "downloads" folder 6.) I let it restore/factory reset my phone & it downloaded IOS 17.6 ver 3 beta to my phone because I selected that file in step 5.) 7.) It finished resetting it and then I SET IT UP AS A NEW IPHONE and i did NOT click the "partial setup," button because THAT button took me to a screen where they were going to force me to update to 18.1.1 AGAIN 8.) After setting it up as a new, blank phone, running on the IOS 17.6 ver 3 beta, I went into my iPhone settings, went to the software updates section, and updated to 17.7.2 (it gave me the option to update to 17.7.2 instead of 18.1.1- this is where the little loophole is, because the 17.7.2 file is no longer available for download online/is no longer signed, but you CAN still update from 17.6 to 17.7.2 from within your iphone settings) 9.) I updated it to 17.7.2. This would be your final step if you don't have an IOS 17.7.2 or earlier iTunes or iCloud backup to restore from. 10.) You can only restore from an iCloud backup during the setup process- so, I factory reset my phone AGAIN, but from within my phone settings this time (instead of using iTunes like I did when factory resetting & installing that IOS 17.6 version) 11.) During THIS setup process, I didn't click on the "partial setup," option, and then just clicked on the iCloud backup option after declining the "partial setup" option, and it restored from my 17.7.2 iCloud backup without forcing me to update to 18.1.1 12.) My phone was back to how it was right before the update! I then went and shut off all of apple's stupid "automatic update" features, made sure that it CANNOT update without me going out of my way to update it, because apple has LOST automatic update privileges with this vile, wretched IOS 18 photos app update. 13.) If you are going to do this, I recommend you do it as soon as possible, because even though the signed 17.6 beta was available, and even though I could update to 17.7.2 from within my phone's settings, there is NO guarantee how long this option will last, it could be gone tomorrow, it could be gone two days from now, it could be gone an hour from now.

14.) I suggest Apple stops letting their UI devs reach into my mind while I sleep & use my nightmares to design their UI, because I don't really think there's any other explanation for how that mess was perfectly catered to piss me off & make the photos app unusable for me.

[spacetimewithstuartgary]

NASA’s Juno Mission Uncovers Heart of Jovian Moon’s Volcanic Rage

A new study points to why, and how, Io became the most volcanic body in the solar system.

Scientists with NASA’s Juno mission to Jupiter have discovered that the volcanoes on Jupiter’s moon Io are each likely powered by their own chamber of roiling hot magma rather than an ocean of magma. The finding solves a 44-year-old mystery about the subsurface origins of the moon’s most demonstrative geologic features.

A paper on the source of Io’s volcanism was published on Thursday, Dec. 12, in the journal Nature, and the findings, as well as other Io science results, were discussed during a media briefing in Washington at the American Geophysical Union’s annual meeting, the country’s largest gathering of Earth and space scientists.

About the size of Earth’s Moon, Io is known as the most volcanically active body in our solar system. The moon is home to an estimated 400 volcanoes, which blast lava and plumes in seemingly continuous eruptions that contribute to the coating on its surface.

Although the moon was discovered by Galileo Galilei on Jan. 8, 1610, volcanic activity there wasn’t discovered until 1979, when imaging scientist Linda Morabito of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California first identified a volcanic plume in an image from the agency’s Voyager 1 spacecraft.

“Since Morabito’s discovery, planetary scientists have wondered how the volcanoes were fed from the lava underneath the surface,” said Scott Bolton, Juno principal investigator from the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. “Was there a shallow ocean of white-hot magma fueling the volcanoes, or was their source more localized? We knew data from Juno’s two very close flybys could give us some insights on how this tortured moon actually worked.”

The Juno spacecraft made extremely close flybys of Io in December 2023 and February 2024, getting within about 930 miles (1,500 kilometers) of its pizza-faced surface. During the close approaches, Juno communicated with NASA’s Deep Space Network, acquiring high-precision, dual-frequency Doppler data, which was used to measure Io’s gravity by tracking how it affected the spacecraft’s acceleration. What the mission learned about the moon’s gravity from those flybys led to the new paper by revealing more details about the effects of a phenomenon called tidal flexing.

Prince of Jovian Tides

Io is extremely close to mammoth Jupiter, and its elliptical orbit whips it around the gas giant once every 42.5 hours. As the distance varies, so does Jupiter’s gravitational pull, which leads to the moon being relentlessly squeezed. The result: an extreme case of tidal flexing — friction from tidal forces that generates internal heat.

“This constant flexing creates immense energy, which literally melts portions of Io’s interior,” said Bolton. “If Io has a global magma ocean, we knew the signature of its tidal deformation would be much larger than a more rigid, mostly solid interior. Thus, depending on the results from Juno’s probing of Io’s gravity field, we would be able to tell if a global magma ocean was hiding beneath its surface.”

The Juno team compared Doppler data from their two flybys with observations from the agency’s previous missions to the Jovian system and from ground telescopes. They found tidal deformation consistent with Io not having a shallow global magma ocean.

“Juno’s discovery that tidal forces do not always create global magma oceans does more than prompt us to rethink what we know about Io’s interior,” said lead author Ryan Park, a Juno co-investigator and supervisor of the Solar System Dynamics Group at JPL. “It has implications for our understanding of other moons, such as Enceladus and Europa, and even exoplanets and super-Earths. Our new findings provide an opportunity to rethink what we know about planetary formation and evolution.”

There’s more science on the horizon. The spacecraft made its 66th science flyby over Jupiter’s mysterious cloud tops on Nov. 24. Its next close approach to the gas giant will occur 12:22 a.m. EST, Dec. 27. At the time of perijove, when Juno’s orbit is closest to the planet’s center, the spacecraft will be about 2,175 miles (3,500 kilometers) above Jupiter’s cloud tops and will have logged 645.7 million miles (1.039 billion kilometers) since entering the gas giant’s orbit in 2016.

More About Juno

JPL, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Juno mission for the principal investigator, Scott Bolton, of the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio. Juno is part of NASA’s New Frontiers Program, which is managed at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, for the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. The Italian Space Agency (ASI) funded the Jovian InfraRed Auroral Mapper. Lockheed Martin Space in Denver built and operates the spacecraft. Various other institutions around the U.S. provided several of the other scientific instruments on Juno.

IMAGE: The north polar region of Jupiter’s volcanic moon Io was captured by NASA’s Juno during the spacecraft’s 57th close pass of the gas giant on Dec. 30, 2023. Data from recent flybys is helping scientists understand Io’s interior. Credit: Image data: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS Image processing by Gerald Eichstädt

[octocon]

Transparency Report (August 2024)

Hi, everyone! My apologies for being late, but here's our official Transparency Report for August 2024!

Summary

I (Atlas) took a long-needed personal break from the project for a good chunk of August after working tirelessly to launch the platform the month prior. However, I was still working enough behind-the-scenes to get v1.2 out on September 1st! This was immediately followed by our second major downtime event due to an unavoidable incident with our hosting provider, but the platform was fully recovered within ~12 hours. We also launched the Octocommune, a sister-community to the project (feel free to join if you haven't already! It's where all of our general chats have gone).

As of now, our full attention is being turned towards preparing a private beta for iOS. This is largely blocked by my financial ability to acquire the hardware necessary to develop for the platform, as well as to launch a business surrounding the project. Speaking of…

My personal situation

Many of you know this, but for this project's entire existence, I've been an unemployed high school dropout. Octocon largely served as a way to occupy my time while I spent the rest getting a GED and tirelessly searching for a full-time job. After months of searching, I'm elated to announce that I've finally landed one! I should be starting within the next few weeks.

Updates will almost certainly slow down compared to our initial launch, as I won't have nearly as much time to dedicate to the project anymore. I deeply apologize for this, but I need to put my own financial stability first! I can't make any promises as to how much time will be dedicated to developing new features going forward, but I can promise at the very least that the platform will be kept stable and safe in its current state. That said, I'm still very passionate for the project, so I'll do my best to pump new features out as my mental health allows!

Forms

I've attached documents to the corresponding message on our Discord server detailing our income, expenses, and total savings, as well as a receipt of our server hosting invoice.

Note: Server hosting costs greatly increased as we used our new financial freedom following the Patreon launch to spin up servers in South America and Africa, improve the reliability of our databases, and future-proof the platform for the foreseeable future. Roughly half of our previous Patreon supporters canceled or downgraded their subscription (which is completely ok!), which resulted in our costs overshooting our income by $49.04. This deficit was paid out of our own pocket, and was not deducted from our emergency savings. It's important to note that these costs shouldn't be increasing for a very long time!

[laferocia]

Mike Patton at JazzIn Festival Milano, 2010: Mike talks about trees, his wife, and says lots of "WOW".

Alright, here we go! Santa is coming, and Lilia from Italy wants to make a gift for her international Mike fan friends.

Let me give you a bit of context: the event is called JazzMi Festival. The individuals you see at the beginning of the video are Letizia Moratti, who was the mayor of Milan at that time; Red Ronnie (the guy with red hair and round glasses), a famous italian DJ in the 70s and 80s and for years the host of a TV show where he featured excellent artists who could perform live, the "Roxy Bar"; Nick The Nightfly (the guy with white hair), a Scotsman who has been in Italy for years, at that time he was the artistic director of the event and also a DJ.

Letizia Moratti shakes hands with Nick and they exchange greetings.

Red Ronnie: sei il direttore del festival! // You are the festival director!

Nick: Sì! Benvenuto Red, benvenuto Red! Adesso andiamo a trovare anche Mike, magari lo salutiamo. Vediamo se... facciamo un viaggio da queste parti. // Yes! Welcome Red, welcome Red! Now let's go and find Mike, perhaps we can say hello to him too. Let's see if... we take a tour around these parts.

Letizia Moratti: sono molto felice di essere riuscita a venire // I am pleased to have succeeded in coming.

They have a brief exchange about a previous event in Milan. Nick mentions that it was a beautiful evening and compliments the mayor not only for the event but also for the speech, which he describes as touching and non-institutional. She thanks him and replies that she is not good at speaking in an institutional manner. Nick remarks that he has the same issue with Italian, sometimes saying things he shouldn't (Moratti, however, praises his Italian, which is indeed excellent, featuring a slight and charming Anglophone accent).

At 1:10, finally they met Mike.

Mike: Ciao, salve, tutto bene? Sono Mike. Questo è Daniele // Hi, hello, how are you? I'm Mike. This is Daniele.

Daniele: Piacere // Nice to meet you.

Moratti speaks to Mike in English and he responds in Italian "Parlo abbastanza bene, non perfetto" (= I speak Italian quite well, though not perfectly").

Moratti: grazie per essere qua // Thanks for being here.

Mike: oh, grazie per... it's great to be here.

A note of appreciation for Letizia Moratti: she is one of the few Italian politicians who speaks a decent English.

2:02, Mike: è un bel lavoro! // It's quite a job!

Red Ronnie: ha lavorato tanto! // She worked a lot!

Moratti: Sì, ho fatto tante volte il giro del mondo per riuscire, votano 157 paesi, bisogna avere il voto della maggioranza, eravamo in competizione con la Turchia, non è stato facile. Comunque adesso l'abbiamo, io vado a Shanghai per fare la handover cerimony. // Yes, I've traveled the world many times to succeed. There are 157 countries voting, and you need the majority vote. We were in competition with Turkey, and it wasn't easy. Anyway, we have it now. I'm going to Shanghai for the handover ceremony.

Mike shakes hand with Nick and with a guy that is a city councillor, Giovanni Terzi. Moratti explains to Mike that the municipal councillor organized the festival.

Nick: Mike io ti devo portare i saluti di Norah Jones // Mike, I've got greetings for you from Norah Jones.

Mike: ah! Stavo parlando con lei anche ieri sera che stava a Venezia. // Oh! I was talking to her just last night, she was in Venice.

Nick: Perché ha suonato l'altra sera, lei ha guardato e mi fa "oh my friend Mike Patton," // Because she performed the other night, she looked at *(a poster or something about the event, I guess)* and said "oh my friend Mike Patton".

3:26, Red Ronnie: fai tutto Mondo Cane? // Are you playing the whole 'Mondo Cane' project?

Mike: sì sì sì! 22 canzoni // Yes, 22 songs.

3:43, Mike: un'orchestra piccolina, 12 violini, però funziona! // A small orchestra, 12 violins, but it works!

*A brief interlude of idle chatter, LOL*

3:46, Red Ronnie: la cosa incredibile, come hai visto nel disco ha messo, sì, "Il cielo in una stanza", che son dei classici... Letizia Moratti: è una delle mie canzoni preferite! Mike: ah allora è la prima canzone! È un pochino diversa ma è riconoscibile insomma; Letizia Moratti: posso avere un autografo? Mike: certo! Dovrei chiederlo io a lei! (Mike is is using the formal "lei" instead of "tu" as a form of courtesy and respect for Moratti's role and age) //

ENG: Red Ronnie: The incredible thing, as you saw on the record, is that he included, yes, "Il cielo in una stanza," which are classics... Letizia Moratti: It's one of my favorite songs! Mike: Ah, it's the first song then! It's a little different but still recognizable, in short. Letizia Moratti: Can I have an autograph? Mike: Of course! I should be the one asking you for it!

4:09, Mike pointing to the CD: "ahi ahi ahi, hai ascoltato?" Letizia Moratti: no! Red Ronnie: no no ma lei ascolta, diciamo che lei ha scelto di venire... Letizia Moratti: io ho scelto di venire al tuo concerto! Eh sì! Ho guardato tutto il programma e poi... Mike: ah sì? E quello di Norah Jones non l'hai visto?

ENG: Mike *pointing to the CD*: "Ouch ouch ouch, have you listened?" Letizia Moratti: No! Red Ronnie: No no, but she listens, let's say she chose to come... Letizia Moratti: I chose to come to your concert! Oh yes! I watched the entire program and then... Mike: Oh yeah? And you didn't see Norah Jones' concert? (Mike laughs, you can understand the rest of the conversation because they speak in English.)

4:40, Red Ronnie: è interessante perché questo è un progetto internazionale ma è molto italiano e questo pur con una ricerca... Letizia Moratti: è questo che mi è piaciuto! Mike: sì è bello! Red Ronnie: perché ad esempio "Urlo negro" dei Blackmen che è un disco (che da) piccolino ascoltavo... Mike: conosci? Hai sentito? Red: io ho il disco! Mike: quarantacinque (45) giri? Red: il juke box, il 45! Mike: mamma mia, questo è raro! Red: e quando lo mettevo nel juke box... e vedere tu *(it should be "vedere te", LOL)* che fai "Mondo cane"... Letizia Moratti: ma Red ha una collezione che è una meraviglia! Mike: eh si vede che è un intenditore! Moratti: sì, sì, ha pezzi abbastanza unici, ha piatti di John Lennon con le ghiande della pace... adesso abbiamo in programma di fare il giardino di John Lennon per l'8 ottobre... Red: beh ormai... Moratti: tanto è stato già detto! Eh sì, per i 30 anni... L'idea è quella di avere un albero da ogni Paese del mondo, tutti i Paesi che verranno qui per l'Expo, dove ognuno pianti un albero... Red: bel gesto! Potresti portarne uno dall'America, dalla tua zona... Mike: sì, c'ho magari qualche seme, non so... Moratti: bello! Mike: Io sono di quelle parti, California del nord, Redwood. Nick: San Francisco, Redwood. Mike: sì sì però io sono proprio... vengo da anche di più, capito? Più a nord. Moratti: il primo ce lo hanno regalato dal Congo. Mike: Wow! E com'è? Moratti: è un eucalipto. È uno degli alberi loro tipici, sì. Mike: una sequoia a Milano? Moratti: una sequoia sarebbe bellissimo! Mike: però (it should be "il clima") la clima mi sa che... Moratti: esatto, bisognerà cercare degli alberi che non muoiano... Mike: sì deve essere bagnatissimo, capito? Deve avere tanta tanta pioggia e non troppo sole, perciò... magari cresce un po' così ma... Moratti: un po' mini! Mike: sì sì un bonsai-sequoia! Moratti: ti lascio, vorrai stare un attimo... Mike: no! Dai, abbiamo fatto già... *voice: vogliamo fare una foto?* //

ENG: Red Ronnie: It's interesting because this is an international project, but it's very Italian, and this is despite thorough research... Letizia Moratti: That's what I liked about it! Mike: Yes, it's beautiful! Red Ronnie: For example, "Urlo negro" by the Blackmen, which is a record I used to listen to when I was little... Mike: Do you know it? Have you heard it? Red: I have the record! Mike: 45 RPM? Red: The jukebox, the 45! Mike: Oh my, that's rare! Red: And when I put it on the jukebox... and see you doing "Mondo cane"... Letizia Moratti: But Red has a collection that is wonderful! Mike: You can tell he's a connoisseur! Moratti: Yes, yes, he has quite unique pieces, turntable platters from John Lennon with the acorns of peace... now we're planning to create the John Lennon garden for October 8th... Red: Well, by now... Moratti: It's already been said! Yes, for the 30th anniversary... The idea is to have a tree from every country in the world, all the countries that will come here for the Expo (in 2015, Milan hosted the Expo), where each one plants a tree... Red: Nice gesture! Could you bring one from America, from your area... Mike: Yes, I might have some seeds, I don't know... Moratti: Nice! Mike: I'm from those parts, Northern California, Redwood. Nick: San Francisco, Redwood. Mike: Yes, yes, but I'm even further north. Moratti: The first one they gave us was from Congo. Mike: Wow! How is it? Moratti: It's a eucalyptus. It's one of their typical trees, yes. Mike: A sequoia in Milan? Moratti: A sequoia would be beautiful! Mike: But the climate, I think... Moratti: Exactly, we'll need to look for trees that won't die... Mike: Yes, it has to be very wet, you know? It needs a lot of rain and not too much sun, so... maybe it grows a bit like this but... Moratti: A mini one! Mike: Yes, yes, a bonsai-sequoia! Moratti: I'll leave you, you might want to stay a moment... Mike: No! Come on, we're already done... *Voice: Do you want to take a photo?*

7:00, Moratti: ma in casa parli italiano con tua moglie o... Mike: tutto! tre parole in italiano, una in inglese. Red: ma poi è una bolognese! Moratti: infatti! Lo so! Mike: lo senti? Un po'? Red: le "s" un pochino. Mike: un po' esce. Red: ma hai vissuto a Bologna? Mike: sì, 6 anni, più o meno. Red: ah, in che anni? Mike: sarebbe primi anni 90. Red: allora quando facevo il Roxy Bar. Mike: ah, infatti! Ho riconosciuto 'sta faccia! Guardavo, sì sì guardavo! Una volta, con un altro gruppo, non ricordo quale che ne avevo un paio, mi han detto eravamo chiesto (eravamo chiesto: it is not correct in italian but we can understand that he was saying "ci avevano chiesto") di andare lì però non potevamo fare. Red: tu hai collaborato con i Melvins, i Melvins han suonato dal vivo. Mike: sì sì sì mi ricordo! Red: il gruppo più rumoroso che abbia mai avuto! Mike: eh già! Red: hanno fatto... guarda... non puoi capire! Perché lui (Mike) ti sembra un bravo ragazzo... *a female voice, prolly his wife: ok, basta grazie, andiamo!* Red: lui fa degli esperimenti con la voce molto interessanti, con delle scatole, esperimenti. Un po' quello che faceva anche Demetrio Stratos, solo che faceva solo vocalizzi. Mike: sì ma per me Demetrio Stratos per me è proprio un idolo, è un grande, sono un grande fan, e c'ho molto rispetto per lui, ma veramente! Red: buon concerto Mike! Mike: grazie! È stato un piacere. *The other guy: quando sentirai urlare saremo noi!" //

ENG: Moratti: But do you speak Italian at home with your wife or... Mike: Everything! Three words in Italian, one in English. Red: But then she's from Bologna! Moratti: Indeed! I know! Mike: Can you hear it (he meant the typical Bologna accent)? A bit? Red: The "s", a little bit. Mike: It comes out a bit. Red: But did you live in Bologna? Mike: Yes, for 6 years, more or less. Red: Ah, in which years? Mike: It would be the early '90s. Red: So when I was doing the Roxy Bar (Roxy Bar was a music show created and hosted by Red Ronnie, broadcast in Italy from 1992 to 2001). Mike: Ah, indeed! I recognized that face! I watched it, yes, I watched it! Once, with another band, I don't remember which one because I had a couple, they had asked us to go there, but we couldn't make it. Red: You collaborated with the Melvins, and the Melvins played live. Mike: Yes, yes, I remember! Red: The loudest band I've ever had there! Mike: Oh, indeed! Red: They made... look... you can't understand! *Talking to Moratti* Because he (Mike) seems like a nice guy... *a female voice, probably his wife: okay, enough, thank you, let's go!* Red: He experiments with the voice in very interesting ways, with boxes, experiments. A bit like what Demetrio Stratos used to do, only he did vocalizations. Mike: Yes, but for me, Demetrio Stratos is truly an idol, he's great, I'm a big fan, and I have a lot of respect for him, really! Red: Good concert, Mike! Mike: Thank you! It's been a pleasure. *The other guy: When you hear shouting, it'll be us!"

[himejoshikomaeda]

i'm kind of curious what you like about lostword. never really tried it myself n all.

— io

1. really easy to get your favorite characters

2. really easy to make your favorite characters viable no matter who they are

3. game isn’t very hard — no artificial difficulty spikes that force you to spend money to max out a unit or whatever. on that note, leveling up and upgrading units doesn’t take much time at all, allowing you to use lots of your favorite touhou characters if you’d like to.

4. the only characters that would probably require real money to aid in acquiring are the game’s made-up alternate universe versions of characters that i can’t imagine anyone giving a shit about. (sorry guys i’m never going to want to spend money so i can have.. sci fi space warrior sanae)

5. no temptation to buy anything in the store because the prices are all absurdly high. i will literally never be tempted to spend 80 dollars on a microtransaction. i consider this point to be a positive, because what is being sold is completely unnecessary.

6. game is written by perverts.

7. protagonist is a girl. this can’t be changed.

8. the main story is FANTASTIC. it’s really really really cool. finishing chapter 3 is what made me gush last night. the hifuu story is really cute too.

9. this might be something not everyone cares about, but the characters are very touchy-feely with each other, and with the protagonist. it’s very nice. i like when characters are handsy. skinship is compelling to me

10. writers aren’t pussies about yuri (important)

11. there is never not an event story going on (they rerun old events in between new ones), so if grinding event points is fun for you (it’s fun for me), that’s always an option no matter what.

12. great autobattle features. lots of customization for autobattles and auto-rematches for grinding materials.

13. despite what i just said, grinding is honestly optional. you don’t need to grind for levels, because levels come easily, and you don’t need to grind for materials after a while, because they give you so many.

14. story card (equippable items basically) art is cute. where would we be without modelo patchouli and her fat thighs?

15. despite having the usual scarlet devil mansion bias, a LOT of more obscure characters get a lot of spotlight, especially in event stories. one i remember enjoying a lot starred seija, sagume, and.. shizuha aki.. as the main characters (along with the protagonist of course). there are lots of cases like that.

16. characters all feel like they love you without it feeling at all like a harem game. sorry if this is cringe but don’t fucking lie and say you don’t want to be loved by the cast of touhou.

17. less of a point for me because i’ve been playing it since launch, but my girlfriend got into it recently and they have been ABSURDLY generous with her as a new player.

there are obviously criticisms to be had with the game (it’s a mobile game, it’s not perfect or anything by any stretch of the imagination), but you asked me what i liked about it. i’ve had a lot of fun with it in my time playing it, and my girlfriend is, like, obsessed with it, just getting into it.

[world-visual-media]

Best IPTV Subscription for International Channels

Get the Best IPTV Subscription for international channels with HD & 4K streaming, live TV & VOD content. Enjoy global entertainment on any device!

Are you looking for the best IPTV subscription to access a wide range of international channels? Whether you want to watch live sports, premium entertainment, or global news, IPTV services provide a seamless streaming experience with high-quality content. With the right IPTV subscription, you can enjoy thousands of channels from different countries, ensuring you never miss your favorite shows or events. In this guide, we’ll explore the top IPTV services that offer the best international channel selection, outstanding streaming quality, and affordable pricing.

What is IPTV and Why Should You Consider It?

Before we dive into the specifics of the best IPTV providers, let’s take a moment to understand IPTV. IPTV stands for Internet Protocol Television, which means that instead of using cable or satellite for TV programming, your TV shows, movies, and live broadcasts are delivered over the internet. This means that you can enjoy content on any device, anytime, anywhere, whether it’s on your smart TV, smartphone, or tablet.

IPTV services allow you to stream live TV channels, access Video On Demand (VOD), and enjoy countless other entertainment options like never before. Whether you're into sports, movies, TV series, or international content, IPTV subscriptions offer everything you could want in one place. And with IPTVUSAFHD and ArisIPTV, you’re sure to get top-quality service without the compromise of a hefty cable bill.

How to Choose the Best IPTV Subscription for International Channels

With so many IPTV providers available, selecting the right one can be challenging. Here are some essential factors to consider when choosing an IPTV subscription:

Channel Availability – Ensure the IPTV provider offers a broad selection of international channels that match your preferences.

Streaming Quality & Server Stability – Look for services that provide HD and 4K streaming with reliable server uptime.

Device Compatibility – Choose an IPTV service that supports multiple devices, including Android, iOS, Smart TVs, and Firestick.

Customer Support & Reviews – Check user reviews and customer support responsiveness before making a purchase.

Free Trial or Money-Back Guarantee – Opt for providers that offer a trial period or a refund policy to test the service before committing.

By selecting the right IPTV subscription, you can enjoy a premium viewing experience with access to the best international channels.

Top 10 IPTV Services in 2025

Now, let’s get into the heart of the article: the best IPTV subscriptions available in 2025. We’ll break down the details of each IPTV service, including their subscription plans, features, pricing, pros, and cons.

1. IPTVUSAFHD - Affordable and High-Quality Entertainment

IPTVUSAFHD is one of the top-rated IPTV service providers in 2025. Known for its high-quality streams and extensive channel list, it’s the perfect choice for anyone looking for reliable and affordable IPTV service.

Features:

50000+ channels

4K streaming support

VOD (Movies & TV Shows)

Sports channels, including NFL, NBA, etc.

Compatible with Firestick, Roku, and Smart TVs

💰 Pricing:

Standard Plan:  $ 28.99 / 03 Month

Premium Plan:  $ 35.99 / 06 Month

Elite Plan:   $ 59.99 / 12 Month

Elite Plan:   $ 70.99 / 12 Month (Best Value)

Pros:

Excellent picture quality, including 4K IPTV service

Affordable pricing plans with no hidden fees

User-friendly interface

Reliable customer support

Cons:

Occasional buffering on very slow internet connections

Real User Reviews:

“I’ve been using IPTVUSAFHD for 6 months, and it’s been fantastic. The streaming quality is excellent, especially the sports channels!” – John M.

2. ArisIPTV - A Close Runner-Up

Another standout service, ArisIPTV, offers a broad selection of channels, great for sports fans and TV lovers alike. It’s a great IPTV service for Firestick users who want an easy setup.

Features:

Over 30000 channels

VOD options

International channels

💰 Pricing:

Monthly Plan:     £ 11.99

3-Month Plan:    £ 19.99

6-Month Plan:    £ 30.99

12-Month Plan:  £ 45.99

Annual Plan:      £ 59.99

Pros:

Affordable plans

Excellent sports coverage

Easy to use on Firestick and Roku

Cons:

Limited 4K Channels than IPTVUSAFHD.

Real User Reviews:

“Love the selection of sports channels. It’s great for watching the NFL games live.” – Sarah T.

3. Platinum IPTV – Decent Content, But Not Outstanding

While Platinum IPTV provides a range of live TV and sports channels, it falls short in offering consistent streaming quality.

Pros:

Decent channel variety.

Supports multiple devices.

Cons:

Frequent buffering and lag issues.

Interface is outdated and not very user-friendly.

4. LivePlayer-IP

Known for its extensive library of live channels, LivePlayer-IP offers a great mix of TV series and live sports events.

Pros:

Extreme channels lists.

Supports smart TVs and multiple platforms.

High-quality streaming.

Cons:

The interface can be tricky for first-time users.

No free trial available.

5. FreegoTV

Affordable and packed with content, FreegoTV is a great option for those who need a mix of movies, sports, and international TV shows.

Pros:

Affordable plans.

Good channel variety.

Cons:

Limited VOD options.

Support response times can be slow.

6. TereaTV

Offering over 12,500 channels, TereaTV is a solid choice for sports lovers and movie buffs alike.

Pros:

Large channel selection.

High-quality streaming.

Dedicated app for seamless use.

Cons:

The website can be difficult to navigate.

Some buffering issues on certain channels.

7. Epic IPTV

Epic IPTV provides a strong lineup of channels and on-demand content at competitive prices.

Pros:

4K UHD quality streaming.

Large variety of live TV and VOD.

Easy setup process.

Cons:

Some international channels are missing.

Not as many features as other competitors.

8. Area 51 IPTV

Area 51 IPTV offers a budget-friendly option for those looking for a large selection of channels.

Pros:

Affordable pricing.

Good sports coverage.

No contract required.

Cons:

Limited content outside the US and UK.

Customer support issues.

9. Rocket Stream IPTV

With an emphasis on speed and reliability, Rocket Stream IPTV is a good choice for users who prioritize uninterrupted streaming.

Pros:

Extensive HD content.

Reliable connection with minimal buffering.

Cons:

Expensive subscription plans.

Limited device compatibility.

10. Nitro TV

Nitro TV is known for its large selection of live TV and sports channels but falls short in some areas.

Pros:

Available live channels.

Good sports content.

Cons:

Unstable streaming.

Inconsistent customer support.

Why Choose an IPTV Subscription for International Channels?

An IPTV subscription is the perfect solution for those who want access to global content without the limitations of traditional cable TV. Here are some key benefits of choosing IPTV for international channels:

Cost Savings: As IPTV services offer affordable subscription plans without the need for long-term commitments, many people are making the switch from expensive cable TV services. With IPTV, viewers can customize their plan to suit their preferences, paying only for what they actually watch, unlike cable packages that bundle unnecessary channels and drive up costs.

Better Streaming Quality: IPTV services provide high-quality streaming with no interruptions or buffering. Whether you’re watching in HD or 4K, the picture quality is typically much better than what traditional cable services offer. Plus, IPTV providers ensure smooth streaming without lag, especially during prime-time hours, thanks to advanced technologies and optimized infrastructure.

Flexibility and Accessibility: The flexibility of IPTV streaming services is another reason for their increasing popularity. Users can stream content not only on their smart TVs but also on smartphones, tablets, laptops, and other connected devices. This makes it incredibly convenient to watch your favorite shows on the go, whether you’re traveling, commuting, or just relaxing on the couch.

On-Demand Access to Content: Traditional cable TV forces you to follow a schedule and rely on DVRs to record shows. With IPTV, you get access to on-demand content, which means you can watch movies, TV shows, and sports when it’s convenient for you, rather than waiting for the program to air at a specific time.

International Content: IPTV services allow you to access channels from around the world. Whether you're in the United States, the UK, Europe, or Asia, you can enjoy content in various languages, including international sports and local programming from other countries. This global access makes IPTV an attractive option for people who want a diverse selection of channels.

No Equipment Fees: With IPTV services, there are generally no additional equipment fees as is often the case with cable providers. Cable companies tend to charge extra for set-top boxes, installation, and maintenance. With IPTV, all you need is a device that supports IPTV apps or players, such as Firesticks, smart TVs, Android boxes, or even your computer or smartphone.

Free Trials and Flexible Plans: Many IPTV subscription services offer free trials or low-cost introductory plans that allow users to test the service before committing long-term. This provides peace of mind, allowing users to explore all the features and offerings of an IPTV provider without the risk of a large upfront payment.

IPTV Requirements: What Do You Need to Get Started

One of the great things about IPTV subscriptions is that you don’t need much to get started. Here’s what you’ll need to enjoy a top-notch IPTV service:

Stable Internet Connection: A high-speed internet connection (at least 10Mbps) is essential for uninterrupted streaming. For best IPTV streaming services like 4K IPTV service, you may need even faster speeds.

Compatible Device: Whether you’re using a Smart TV, Firestick, Roku, or a laptop, most IPTV providers offer compatibility with a wide range of devices.

IPTV Subscription: Obviously, you’ll need to sign up for a subscription with one of the best IPTV service providers. This typically involves choosing a plan and creating an account.

Once you’ve got all this in place, you’re ready to stream all your favorite channels, TV shows, and movies to watch.

How to Set Up a Streaming Service: Quick Guide for 2025

Setting up your IPTV service is a straightforward process, but there are a few things you’ll need to do to ensure a smooth setup. Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting your IPTV service up and running:

1. Choose Your IPTV Service Provider

The first step is selecting the right IPTV service. Based on our discussion, services like IPTVUSAFHD is great options for 2025. Look for a provider with a solid reputation, a wide selection of channels, and a user-friendly setup process.

Check Device Compatibility: Before signing up, ensure the service supports your TV, streaming device, or mobile device.

2. Sign Up and Choose Your Plan

Once you've chosen an IPTV provider, visit their website and create an account. During sign-up, you’ll typically choose a subscription plan (monthly, yearly, etc.) based on your needs.

Free Trial: Many providers offer a free trial, so take advantage of this before making a long-term commitment.

3. Install the IPTV App on Your Device

After you sign up, the next step is to install the IPTV app on your device. Here’s how to do it on different platforms:

Smart TV: Search for the IPTV app in your TV’s app store and install it. If it’s not available, you can sideload the app or use a compatible streaming device like Amazon Firestick or Android TV.

Firestick/Android TV: Download and install the IPTV app via the device’s app store, or sideload it using the APK file.

Mobile Devices: Visit the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, search for your IPTV provider’s app, and install it on your smartphone or tablet.

4. Log In to Your IPTV Account

Once the app is installed, open it and log in using the credentials you created during sign-up. You’ll likely need to input an activation code or username/password provided by the IPTV provider.

Activation Code: Some services provide an activation code to enter within the app to start streaming.

5. Configure Your IPTV App

Once logged in, you may want to adjust some settings to suit your preferences. Common settings include:

Setting Up EPG: Customize your Electronic Program Guide (EPG) to show upcoming channels and content.

Channel Organization: Organize your favorite channels for quick access.

Audio and Subtitle Preferences: Adjust audio settings and choose your preferred subtitle language for international content.

6. Start Streaming

Now that everything is set up, you’re ready to start streaming. Browse through the channel list, VOD library, or use the search function to find your favorite shows, movies, and sports events.

Buffer-Free Streaming: If you encounter buffering issues, check your internet speed or switch to a higher-quality server if the provider offers it.

Streaming on Multiple Devices: Many IPTV services offer multi-device support, so you can watch content on your smart TV, tablet, or smartphone simultaneously.

7. Consider Using a VPN

For added security and privacy, consider setting up a VPN to encrypt your internet connection and keep your online activity private while streaming.

Conclusion

Setting up your IPTV service is relatively simple, but choosing the right IPTV provider is the most important decision. By considering the factors outlined above—such as channel selection, reliability, device compatibility, and customer support—you can ensure a top-notch streaming experience in 2025. Whether you’re streaming on smart TVs, Firestick, or mobile devices, setting up your IPTV service correctly will unlock a world of content at your fingertips.

Legal Disclaimer:

Please note that the use of IPTV services must comply with the relevant legal regulations in your country. While we recommend reliable IPTV providers, it’s important to ensure that the service you choose adheres to legal standards for streaming and content distribution.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is an IPTV service, and how does it work?

👉 IPTV Services deliver television content over the internet instead of traditional satellite or cable. This means you can watch TV Series, Movies to Watch, and live channels on multiple devices, including Smart TVs, smartphones, and Firestick.

2. Is IPTV legal to use?

👉 Yes, using a Best IPTV Subscription is legal as long as the provider has the necessary licensing for the content they offer. Always choose Reliable IPTV Service Providers to avoid potential issues.

3. How do I choose the best IPTV provider?

👉 Look for factors like channel variety, streaming quality, pricing, customer reviews, and free trials. A good IPTV Service Provider should offer affordable IPTV Service without compromising on quality.

4. What internet speed do I need for IPTV streaming?

👉 A stable internet connection of at least 10 Mbps is recommended for HD streaming, while 4K IPTV Services may require 25 Mbps or more for smooth playback.

5. Can I use IPTV on multiple devices?

👉 Yes! Most IPTV Stream Services support multiple device connections, including Smart TVs, Firestick, mobile phones, and tablets, allowing you to watch from anywhere.

6. Are there free IPTV services available?

👉 While some providers offer free trials, be cautious of completely free services, as they may be unreliable or operate without proper licensing. It’s always best to invest in a Best IPTV Subscription for a seamless experience.