The holidays are (almost) here, and it’s officially the final stretch to Christmas. And if If you’re still trying to figure out what to get – KnowTechie’s procrastinator-friendly holiday gift guide is here to help.

Shopping for friends and family can be tough because spending money on someone other than yourself is harder.

So, with support from KnowTechie, a stable internet connection, and GOD HIMSELF, I’ve put together an exhaustive list of all the best gifts for literally anyone in your life.

We cover home and garden, tech, gaming, and entertainment. We put in the hours, so you don’t have to.

So please, grab a cup of coffee, kick back, and bask in the glory that is this best gifts guide. You’re welcome.

Amazon Gift Card – $25

This will be the bare minimum, the $25 gift you give to someone you… just know.

Not someone you invite to the house, mind you, but that friend or family member you hit up when you are in the area and need to kill an hour.

They probably send you a Christmas card each year with their spouse and dog on it, and after five years of getting these cards, you’ve decided to acknowledge their existence with this gift card.

Verified

Staff Pick

Amazon Gift Card – $25
This $25 gift will be the bare minimum, but it still shows you care.

$25 at Amazon

Amazon Gift Card – $30

The $30 option will be another great choice for an acquaintance. Maybe you went to high school or college with them.

Maybe you used to hang out. Who knows, the point is now that has devolved to nothing more than “yeah, let’s get up soon!” and other empty promises.

You like their family photos on Facebook and laugh and react to their lame memes to make them feel better about themselves.

Verified

Staff Pick

Amazon Gift Card – $30
This gift is a great choice for an acquaintance or someone you don’t know all that well.

$30 at Amazon

Amazon Gift Card – $40

We’re starting to get serious now; buckle in.

A $40 Amazon gift card teeters on the realm of “you’re a real friend” or “I’m glad you’re my son.”

Mind you, it isn’t quite there and if you receive a $40 Amazon gift card this year, know that you’re almost important to that person.

Almost.

Verified

Staff Pick

Amazon Gift Card – $40
Feeling a bit more generous and want to show someone you really care? A $40 Amazon gift card goes a long way.

$40 at Amazon

Amazon Gift Card – $50

Let a person know that you actually care that they exist with a $50 Amazon gift card.

$50 says “I hope you can get something you actually want.” Anything below $50 is just charity towards something that the person actually wants to buy.

I don’t make the rules.

Verified

Staff Pick

Amazon Gift Card – $50
Watch out, you absolute big spender. Who are you trying to impress? But seriously, good for you.

$50 at Amazon

Amazon Gift Card – $51+

Anything above $50 is just showing off. We get it; you have money; stop rubbing it in everyone’s face Curtis.

I know Kevin doesn’t pay me; stop reminding me. You’re not my dad.

Verified

Staff Pick

Amazon Gift Card – $51+
Okay, okay, we get it – you’re rich. Just buy a nice gift and be done with it.

$51+ at Amazon

And that’s a wrap for KnowTechie’s 2022 procrastinator-friendly holiday gift guide.

If you’re feeling a little lazy and didn’t want to put too much effort into your holiday shopping this year, we hope this helped. If not, there’s always next year.

What do you think? Is this the best gift guide of all time? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• KnowTechie’s Holiday Gift Guide (2022)
• The best wireless earbuds (2022)
• The best Steam Deck accessories
• The best Xbox controllers

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. Click here for more.

The post KnowTechie’s procrastinator-friendly holiday gift guide (2022) appeared first on KnowTechie.

Musk responded to a user suggesting that Blue subscribers should be the only ones able to vote in the polls. For reference, Twitter Blue costs $8 monthly ($11 if you are on iOS).

In his response, he notes that the user made a good point and that the company would make the change.

Ironically, this goes directly against a previous tweet, which said that all major policy changes would go to a vote on the platform.

At present, it is unclear if Musk’s tweet holds any weight. We’ve yet to see a “Twitter Blue-only” policy poll.

Considering the billionaire’s history of literally rewriting the rules on the fly, who’s to say if this change to Twitter policy polls will be implemented?

What is clear, however, is that Twitter is still a complete shitshow, and that doesn’t look to change anytime soon.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Quitting Twitter? Try any of these 7 alternatives
• Meta brings Twitter-like Notes feature to Instagram
• TikTok is now testing a full-screen horizontal mode
• Elon Musk showered with boos at Chappelle stand-up show

The post Elon Musk plans to make Twitter polls pay-to-win appeared first on KnowTechie.

Revealed in a blog post, the Meta-owned platform states the new option is a “comprehensive destination people can rely on to report and resolve account access issues.”

These issues include forgotten passwords, two-factor issues, and hacked accounts. The service is available to all users at instagram.com/hacked. Access is available on both desktop and mobile.

User support has never been a strong suit of Facebook or Instagram. Account issues have always seemed to be a backburner issue.

This should help change that, but we’ll have to wait and see how well it works in practice.

Essentially, the new support page will provide several prompts for users to fill out. Depending on the issue, Instagram will provide multiple ways to confirm your identity.

One of the most interesting of these is getting your friends involved. Initially tested earlier this year, users can prove their identity by getting two Instagram friends to vouch for them.

This is just one of the many changes Instagram has been implementing recently. The company just unleashed Notes on the world.

There are also plans for more verified accounts and impersonation warnings when receiving follow requests.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• TikTok is now testing a full-screen horizontal mode
• Meta reportedly wants to be the new Twitter
• Twitter shutting down Substack-like Revue platform
• Snapchat now has its own ‘dual-camera’ feature similar to BeReal

The post Instagram finally adds better way to get back lost accounts appeared first on KnowTechie.

The feature, first noticed by TechCrunch, seems limited to a small number of accounts. TikTok has since confirmed the feature is being tested.

According to reports, users will see a “Full screen” button below videos that can use the feature.

But why a horizontal mode? If you don’t spend much time on TikTok, adding this mode might seem out of place. However, as the platform continues to grow and transform, people are finding new ways to use it.

For instance, gamers love TikTok, and they upload countless gameplay videos. Most of these are rather small because of the screen ratio, so a horizontal mode lets viewers see all the action.

This is only one example of how this mode can be used. But, regardless of the video, it goes along with TikTok’s recent direction.

The platform continues to push in on YouTube’s presence and with the recent addition of 10-minute videos, having a better viewing experience across all types of videos makes sense.

There’s no word yet on a larger rollout of the feature, but we’ll continue to monitor this space. We’ve reached out to TikTok for comment.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• TikTok is moving forward with its music streaming plans
• Elon Musk says Twitter is phasing out legacy verified checkmarks
• What is Mastodon and how do you sign up for it?
• Instagram for desktop just got a great redesign

The post TikTok is now testing a full-screen horizontal mode appeared first on KnowTechie.

The Xbox One is an excellent console for playing a variety of games, but there is more to life than just video games. You know, things like TV and movies and stuff. Those things.

Sure, you can download apps for Netflix, YouTube, Twitch, and more. But what if you want to kick it old-school and pop in a DVD or Blu-ray disc?  

So, does the Xbox One play Blu-ray?

Short answer: Yes

Your Xbox One, Xbox One S, or Xbox One X can all play Blu-ray movies.

Granted, you’ll need to do one simple thing before being able to watch movies – and you’ll need an internet connection to complete the process. Lame, I know.

READ MORE: Can you speed up an Xbox One’s loading time with a new hard drive?

How to play Blu-ray on Xbox One

Once it finishes installing, you’re good to go! Simply insert your Blu-ray disc into the Xbox One and kick back with 13 hours of Lord of the Rings goodness.

Does Xbox One play 4K Blu-ray?

No, the original Xbox One model does not offer a 4K Blu-ray drive, so it can’t play 4K Blu-ray movies.

However, released later, the Xbox One S and Xbox One X have 4K Blu-ray drives and can play 4K Blu-ray. The original Xbox One can only play standard Blu-ray and DVD movies.

However, your screen must be capable of transmitting in 4K to benefit, but there are a variety of 4K monitors for the Xbox One that can do the job.

Can you watch other forms of 4K content on Xbox One?

Yes, the Xbox One can do more than just play Blu-ray movies. They can also stream 4K content from services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

So even if you don’t have 4K Blu-ray movies, you can still enjoy the best of 4K on your Xbox One.

To answer your question: Yes, you can watch Blu-rays on Xbox One. The Xbox One can play Blu-ray movies and has built-in support for both Blu-ray and DVD.

Do you use your consoles to watch Blu-ray movies? Do you even own physical discs anymore? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Can I use any charger with my Nintendo Switch?
• How to see how much time you’re spending on iPhone apps
• Can Minecraft users on the Nintendo Switch play with PC users?
• How to change your region on the Nintendo Switch

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

The post Can the Xbox One play Blu-ray movies? appeared first on KnowTechie.

If you were trying to get some holiday shopping done, you might have noticed issues with Amazon this morning. You are not alone.

We can confirm that Amazon is currently struggling with processing orders, and other users are stating they can’t load items.

Downdetector shows that over 5,400 people have reported issues with the site so far and that number continues to climb.

One user reports that the website “Keeps repeating “Sorry, we’re experiencing unusually heavy traffic. Please try again in a few seconds” when trying to go to checkout.”

Another user confirmed that statement, writing, “Can’t order anything on app or website. Saying high traffic.”

It seems most issues are surrounding checkout at this time.

We personally had it error out during checkout, but received an email saying the order was complete.

However, items are still in our cart, and we can’t find the order number on the website. But we can on the app.

People flock to Twitter to report the Amazon outage

Downdetector users aren’t the only ones noticing the issues. People on Twitter are reporting issues with Amazon, as well.

Amazon outage reports are evening spreading to the UK, according to Downdetector.

We’ll continue to update this report as more information is made available.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Microsoft and Amazon have the Xbox Series S down to $240
• Twitter censored tweets in 2020 at request of Trump and Biden
• This secret Facebook tool removes your phone number and email
• Oversight Board finds Meta puts business over people

The post Amazon is down and having issues for a ton of people (updated) appeared first on KnowTechie.

Just in time for the holidays, iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max shipping delays mean getting one in the immediate future will be very difficult.

This is according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who tweeted that fourth-quarter iPhone shipments are down by 15-20 million units. That is 20 million units that hungry buyers can’t gobble up.

At present, it is estimated that many new orders for the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max could take upwards of a month to receive.

You may have better luck in-store, but many major locations have no stock in any color or storage combination.

So, what is causing the shipment slowdown? Well, according to the analyst, the main catalyst has been labor protests at the Zhengzhou iPhone plant.

That is in addition to previous COVID restrictions, but the main driver seems to be pointed towards the labor protests.

Those slowdowns have been confirmed by Apple. The company released a press release at the beginning of November stating that the plant was “operating at significantly reduced capacity.”

This has led to a slowdown in the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max shipments. With the holiday season in full swing, this could be a real annoyance for users leading into 2023.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Apple reveals the App Store’s best apps of the year
• How to turn off Dynamic Island animations on iPhone
• Apple VR headset: Release date, features, and price
• Pixel 7 and 7 Pro owners get a free VPN from Google

The post iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max shortage leads to massive delays appeared first on KnowTechie.

First revealed during the Nvidia GeForce RTX launch event, the update will be released as free DLC for Portal on Steam.

The update will allow players to play Portal with full ray tracing capability, which improves the look of a game tremendously. Ray tracing mainly focuses on improving the lighting and reflections of media.

For RTX 4090 and 4080 owners, you’ll also be able to unlock higher framerates through DLSS 3.

Of course, you won’t have to have one of the aforementioned graphics cards to unlock ray tracing. But, you will need a modern GPU with DirectX ray tracing support to handle the tougher task.

If you are interested in this Portal update, head to the Steam page and wishlist it. That way, when it releases, you’ll be reminded to update your game (or purchase it new).

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Xbox confirms Call of Duty has a home on PlayStation (updated)
• Is Steam Deck better than PC?
• Sony says its EV will be built around the PlayStation 5
• Review Roundup: Pokémon: Scarlet and Violet

The post Classic PC game Portal is getting an RTX release in December appeared first on KnowTechie.

The trend revolves around TikTok’s invisible body filter. Essentially, the filter can recognize skin and would filter it out. People quickly started using it to flash private areas at the camera.

It was a fine, if not silly, filter, but it did not take long for hackers to use the viral TikTok trend to exploit people.

Essentially, hackers have posted videos explaining how to remove the filter from these videos (h/t Forbes). They point people to a software download link which is then used to still Discord credentials.

The malware is called WASP Stealer (Discord Token Grabber). It takes and records Discord info like passwords and stored credit card info.

It seems the trend (and subsequent scam) have reached TikTok, however. After checking this morning, we can no longer locate the “invisible body” filter that gained critical mass on the platform.

Of course, that isn’t going to stop already viral videos from reaching more potential scam victims, but it should help slow it down, at least.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• TikTok now shows creators who favorited their videos
• This secret Facebook tool removes your phone number and email
• Twitter data breach exposes millions of email addresses
• Musk unbans Donald Trump but don’t expect him back on Twitter

The post A viral TikTok trend is being used to spread malware appeared first on KnowTechie.

Essentially, it is yet another Twitter clone, but admittedly, this one does look extremely clean. Unlike Mastodon, navigation and connection seem easier, and the UI is much more reminiscent of Twitter.

That said, the platform is already making some big promises, many of which are unrealistic. The main one asking us to remember when social media was “fun.”

Look, I get it, we all want MySpace back, but the internet and social media have changed. It doesn’t work that way anymore, and any company claiming it can is delusional or lying.

But, regardless of those bold claims, the platform offers some interesting features. There will be no character limits, and posts feature the usual comment/like/share prompts.

However, the real intriguing part of Post comes in how it plans to deliver the news (which is also why I believe the above plans are lofty, to say the least).

Post has big plans for news

The key differentiator between Post and options like Mastodon is how Bardin and the team plan on delivering news.

The plan here is to provide users a way to buy access to individual articles that are normally behind a paywall. Of course, this will require participation from actual developers.

Additionally, users can tip creators directly from the platform for content they enjoy. And finally, Post wants to have news sources and posts displayed directly within the platform.

They are some lofty goals, but interest is definitely growing for the platform. Currently, over 100,000 people are waiting for entry. Head to this link if you’d like to join the waitlist.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Twitter adds new waiting period for Twitter Blue accounts
• This secret Facebook tool removes your phone number and email
• TikTok is moving forward with its music streaming plans
• How long can Instagram Reels be?

The post ‘Post’ wants to be Twitter without the character limit appeared first on KnowTechie.

The PlayStation 4 is obviously a great way to play some awesome games, but what else can the console do?

What if you want to use your console for other media discs? Will the PS4 play DVDs?

Of course, DVDs are pretty outdated in terms of media technology these days. But many of us still have big DVD collections that we like to watch.

While many of us spend more time streaming shows and movies than watching things from a disc, it does beg the question:

Can the PlayStation 4 play DVDs?

Short answer: Yes, but you’ll need to do one thing the first time you play a DVD.

Fortunately, you can use your PlayStation 4 to play DVDs.

Although most of us stream our TV shows and movies more often than physical discs, it’s nice to know that you can still use your PS4 to play your old DVD collection.

You don’t need any extra app on the PlayStation 4 to play DVDs as you do on the Xbox One.

However, there is one relatively simple requirement that you’ll have to meet to watch DVDs on your PlayStation 4.

How to watch DVDs on PlayStation 4

Setting up your PlayStation 4 consoles to watch DVDs is relatively easy, as long as you have access to the internet.

Before you can watch a DVD on your PS4, you have to enable the capabilities with a day 1 patch from the internet.

Typically, the patch will auto-install the first time you connect your console to the internet.

In rare cases, however, it might install the first time you try to watch a DVD.

Either way, try to be connected to the internet the first time you insert a DVD to ensure that the patch downloads automatically.

READ MORE: Can the PlayStation 4 play Blu-ray movies?

If you don’t know whether or not you have the DVD playback patch, you can always try a DVD out on your console.

It certainly won’t hurt anything, and the only thing that could happen is your console telling you it doesn’t support the disc. And if the DVD is playable, you know you’re good to go.

Possible reasons PS4 won’t play DVDs

A majority of the DVDs that you’ll find should work with no problem. However, there are a couple of reasons why a particular DVD won’t work.

If you’re having problems getting a DVD to play on your PlayStation 4, check to see if any of the problems below apply:

• Never been online – As we mentioned above, you need a day 1 patch to be able to play DVDs on your PS4. If your console has never been online, that could explain why your DVDs won’t play.
• Burned DVDs – On a support page on PlayStation’s website, the company confirmed that burned or copied DVDs won’t work on the PS4.
• Region-locked DVDs – Depending on where you bought your PS4, it will be locked to a certain region. If you buy DVDs from a different region, they likely won’t work on your PS4.
• Cracked or scratched discs – If your DVD is scratched or damaged, it likely won’t work on your PS4. And depending on how bad the damage is, it could even harm your PS4’s disc drive.
• Poorly produced DVDs – Some are poorly produced, and the PS4 disc drive simply won’t read them. You’ll rarely find this problem, but it’s certainly possible.

If you’ve checked for all these issues and still can’t play your DVDs, the disc drive on your PS4 might be damaged.

And that begs the question: Does playing DVDs on PS4 damage it?

Does playing DVDs on PS4 damage it?

Fortunately, this is not something you should have to worry about. If you’re not trying to play damaged DVDs, they won’t harm your PS4.

There are a few disc types that Sony warns against using because they will damage your PS4.

Don’t try to play 8 cm discs, discs that are different shapes, like squares, stars, or hearts, or discs with paper labels on them.

Those discs could potentially damage your PS4, making it so you won’t be able to play regular DVDs anymore.

Hold on to that DVD collection

With streaming services like Netflix and Hulu taking up so much real estate in the entertainment market, it’s easy to forget that DVDs and Blu-ray movies are viable options for consuming media.

Especially in areas where stable internet is hard, or impossible, to come by.

Fortunately, you can use your PlayStation 4 to play those DVDs, as long as you can access the internet at least once.

And after that first-time access, you’ll never have to be online again.

So don’t throw away that DVD collection quite yet. Turn your PS4 into your full media device for gaming and movies all in one box.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Can the PlayStation 4 play games from earlier consoles?
• Can I connect a mechanical keyboard to my PlayStation 4?
• New PlayStation Plus: Pricing, features, release date, and more
• Can you use a PlayStation 4 controller on a PlayStation 5?

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

The post Can the PS4 play DVDs? appeared first on KnowTechie.

If you were trying to ignore work or school this morning and watch TikTok, we have bad news. The video app is down for a ton of people right now.

According to Downdetector, 3,856 people have reported outages. It’s unclear if it is location or device-specific at this time.

Many users are reporting that they are having issues loading up the app and issues with videos continually buffering.

One Downdetector user notes, “I was in the middle of going live and now no connection.” Many users are saying they are receiving a “no internet connection” prompt.

We’ll continue to update this post as more information is made available.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Twitter will no longer mention which device tweets come from
• Is Elon Musk bringing back Vine?
• Why a world without Twitter will be a better one
• This secret Facebook tool removes your phone number and email

The post TikTok is down for a ton of people right now (updated) appeared first on KnowTechie.

If you were dreading your Thursday Zoom call with your team, then good news. The video conferencing platform is down for a bunch of people right now.

According to Downdetector, 14,870 people have reported the outage. It seems the outage started around 1:41 PM ET for many users.

Some users are reporting that Zoom is back, but many users across the globe are still reporting the outage.

Users on Downdetector are reporting outages from Uruguay, Brazil, the United States, and more. Many are getting Bad Gateway warnings. Others have simply been kicked out of ongoing calls.

On user in Cincinnati, Ohio, notes they received the following message, “Unable to connect. Please check your network connection and try again.”

Others have noted that the web version of Zoom is working, but the desktop client is still showing errors.

We’ll continue to update as more information is made available. Zoom has yet to acknowledge the outages publically.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• PSA: Update Chrome, iOS, Windows, and Zoom ASAP
• New Gmail update lets you track packages directly in your inbox
• TikTok now shows creators who favorited their videos
• New Primetime Channels adds streaming services to YouTube

The post Zoom is down for a bunch of people right now (updated) appeared first on KnowTechie.

Instagram is currently experiencing issues for thousands of its users right now.

According to Downdetector, 7,168 people have reported an outage. That number first started rising at 9 AM ET. That number has seemed to stabilize but reports continue to roll in on Twitter and more.

Reports are showing that users are getting kicked from their accounts. Some are even getting warnings that their account has been suspended.

One Downdetector user notes, “Same issue as everyone below – app suddenly crashed around 9 and got the “your account has been suspended” message.”

Another person notes, “For no reason my account was disabled, I tried to log in with codes via email and sms, but nothing…now its just loding [sic] and my my friends are saying user not found and my business account is empty!”

Other users are simply unable to load a refreshed version of their feed. Those aren’t getting any suspension messages. Currently, that is what KnowTechie team members are experiencing.

Instagram is currently looking into the outage

The company has sent out a tweet letting users know they are looking into things.

We’ll continue to update this as more information is made available.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Twitter may soon charge for account verification
• The Meta Quest 3 will release in late 2023
• Tesla faces criminal investigation over Autopilot claims
• Twitter Blue users can now use verified NFTs as profile pictures

The post Instagram is down for a ton of people right now (updated) appeared first on KnowTechie.

Two Xbox titles are up for grabs this month. And don’t forget, you get Xbox Live Gold for free if you have Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

These games are available on both the Xbox One and the Xbox Series X|S via backward compatibility. So let’s see what Xbox has in store for Games with Gold in November.

Free Games with Gold for November 2022

This month, like many of the recent months, is pretty disappointing. But, free games are free games, so it’s hard to complain.

In Praetorians (HD Remaster), players get a real-time strategy game that features over 20 different missions.

Play as different armies and use the terrain to figure out how to use each one’s strengths and weaknesses to conquer the opposition.

The other free Xbox game for November is Dead End Job. In this cartoonish couch-op, players play as Hector Plasm and Ghoul-B-Gone.

Dead End Job is a procedurally generated twin-stick shooter that should be great for people that enjoy games like The Binding of Isaac.

Check out both titles and their availability dates below:

• Praetorians -HD Remaster ($19.99 ERP) – Available November 1 to 30
• Dead End Job ($16.99 ERP) – Available November 16 to December 15

So that’s your list of free Games with Gold for November. Anyone with Xbox Live Gold or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate can claim these games for free while they’re available.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Here are your free PlayStation Plus games for November 2022
• Microsoft says Xbox prices are going up soon
• Age of Empires is going mobile on iOS and Android
• Fallout 4 is getting a 4K upgrade on Series X|S, PS5, and PC

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

The post Here are your free Xbox Games with Gold for November 2022 appeared first on KnowTechie.

If you have been having connection issues on Facebook and Instagram, you are not alone. The social giants are reportedly down for many users.

According to Downdetector, 503 people have reported issues with Facebook. Another 1,864 users have stated similar problems with Instagram. The numbers continue to rise, as well.

Facebook outage stats:

Instagram outage stats:

Currently, users are reporting issues with loading DMs and the main feeds for both platforms.

One user on Downdetector notes, “Facebook messenger and reading and creating posts not working.”

Cindy Mullins on DD also states that “Facebook just went completely down. Forget about glitches, it went from glitches to not available at all”

Others are reporting that things are loading on Facebook, but that it is taking an extremely long time. We still can’t confirm if outages are limited to certain areas, however.

Users jump to Twitter to report Facebook and Instagram outages

Twitter users are also reporting problems with Facebook and Instagram. Currently, it is unclear if a certain area is experiencing an outage or if it is global.

We’ll continue to update this report as more information is made available.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How to make Facebook private
• Instagram could soon let you schedule posts and Reels
• Kanye West is buying Parler after Twitter locked him out
• Donald Trump’s Truth Social is now available on Google Play

The post Facebook and Instagram are down for many people (updated) appeared first on KnowTechie.

If you are having issues texting people on your iPhone right now, you’re not alone. iMessage is having issues for a ton of people right now.

Downdetector is currently showing over 9,000 reports for iMessage outages. From comments on Downdetector and Twitter, outages seem to be mainly focused in the US, but it is possible they are more widespread.

Twitter users are also reporting the outage, with new reports coming in by the second. Some users have regained service, however. It’s a bunch of mixed reports at present.

One Downdetector user notes, “I definitely thought it was just me. I restarted my phone and everything lol.” Another says that “service is back up in LA.”

Interestingly, Downdetector is also showing outages for Verizon, T-Mobile, and more.

We’ll continue to update as more information is made available about iMessage being down.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• WatchOS 9.1 is out – here’s how to download on Apple Watch
• Apple is hiking up prices on Apple Music, TV+, and more
• How to change your iPhone lock screen notification layout in iOS 16
• How to download and install iPadOS 16 to your iPad

The post iMessage is down for a ton of people right now (updated) appeared first on KnowTechie.

Announced last week and hitting stores on October 26, the latest iPad comes in a handful of fun colors, introduces new features, and brings USB-C into the mix.

But does the updated 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display and improved camera justify the $449 price tag? Or should you hold out for the iPad Pro? Let’s dive in.

Are the upgrades notable on the 10th-gen iPad?

For serious iPad owners, performance will be one of the deciding factors when determining what model you will get.

Thankfully, Apple has provided an improved experience over the last-gen iPad. In fact, some benchmarks place the new A14 chip at 30% faster than the previous A13 option.

While we’ll dive into other concerns further down, it’s good to see that Apple has improved the performance of this model substantially.

The 2022 iPad handles multitasking well

Stats are a great performance indicator, but real-world tests will always provide value insights into a product’s functionality.

Thankfully, the latest iPad model from Apple is quite capable of juggling your emails, browsing, apps, and more.

What’s going on with Pencil support on the 2022 iPad?

The 10th-generation iPad has undergone some design changes, but what does that mean for the Apple Pencil and Pencil 2?

The 2022 iPad and iPad Air look a lot alike, and the Air allows the Pencil 2 to attach magnetically.

So, it’s understandable to assume it would work the same with the 10th-gen iPad. But, surprisingly, that’s not the case.

In fact, the new iPad only works with the original Pencil. But things get even more awkward when it’s time to charge your accessory.

This might not be your tablet if you are an artist or just someone who likes robust Apple Pencil support.

The once-affordable iPad is not even that affordable anymore

When deciding on the right iPad, pricing obviously plays a huge role in your decision. The 10th-gen iPad, however, is in a strange place.

It does offer more features and better internals, but at what point is it worth getting the base iPad and not the new iPad Air?

It starts at $599 and is almost on the same level as an iPad Pro.

The 10th-generation iPad starts at $449, $120 more expensive than the 9th-generation model. It makes the latest Apple tablet sit in a weird spot, and reviewers agree.

Other outlets noted similar thoughts about the latest iPad. It’s a solid device, but what role is it filling for users?

Rounding up the latest iPad

At the end of the day, Apple’s 10th-generation iPad is just that — an iPad. It features improved internals, great color options, a better camera setup, and will be a functional tablet for buyers.

If it’s your first iPad ever, you’ll probably love it. But seasoned Apple veterans will likely feel it is a misstep from the company.

Expensive accessories, weird Apple Pencil support, and wonky pricing keep this from being a must-have.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• Apple is hiking up prices on Apple Music, TV+, and more
• Get ready for more ads in the Apple App Store
• iPhone 15: News, rumors, leaks, pricing, and release date
• The Pixel Tablet is a welcome return to the space for Google

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

The post Is the 10th-gen iPad worth buying? Here’s what reviewers say appeared first on KnowTechie.

Mark Gurman of Bloomberg sent out a tweet recently reporting that Apple would be raising prices on three different services.

Those include Apple TV+, Apple Music, and Apple One.

According to his tweet, Apple TV+ will be $6.99 a month. Apple Music is going up to $10.99 per month. And Apple One is getting price increases across the board.

Apple’s website has already been updated with the new pricing for Apple One.

The Individual plan will be $16.95 a month, the Family is jumping to $22.95 a month, and the Premier option will be $32.95 a month.

Currently, Apple’s subscription pricing for Apple Music is still showing as $9.99 a month. TV+ is showing the new pricing on the Apple support page, however.

If you are locked into the current pricing for any of these plans, we’re still waiting for confirmation on when you can expect the updated pricing.

We’ve reached out to Apple for comment.

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• How the Apple, Pixel, and Galaxy watches compare in automation
• Google’s Pixel 7 Pro is a bad gaming phone, but that’s ok
• Apple redesigns the iPad with better display and USB-C charging
• iPhone 15: News, rumors, leaks, pricing, and release date

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s but one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

The post Apple is hiking up prices on Apple Music, TV+, and more appeared first on KnowTechie.

Announced today, Upgrade+ is a new financing option from Best Buy that spreads MacBook payments over 36 months. Think of it as a combination lease and upgrade program.

Essentially, it lets you pay a monthly payment for your MacBook. Currently, it includes the M1 MacBook Air, the M2 MacBook Air, two M1 MacBook Pro models (14-inch and 16-inch), and the 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro.

You can also roll some premium Apple services, like AppleCare+, into your monthly payments. The same goes for select accessories.

Best Buy gives an example of how the payments will work:

The statement offers one explanation, but you also have other options. We’ll detail those below.

What happens to your MacBook after three years?

After the three-year period, you’ll have a couple of different options for your MacBook. For one, you can buy out the remainder of your debt to own the MacBook outright (as shown above).

You can also return the MacBook and upgrade to a new one and start on your monthly payments again. And, finally, you have the option of returning the MacBook and leaving the program.

Best Buy also notes that its new program could be a way to lower waste, as returned MacBooks become part of the company’s “circular economy programs.”

Have any thoughts on this? Carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

• New M2 MacBook Air appears to have an overheating issue
• Alienware’s new laptop display has a ridiculous 480Hz refresh rate
• The new Apple TV 4K comes with an A15 bionic chip and HDR10+
• The M2 MacBook Pro is reportedly 20% faster than the M1 version

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. It’s but one of the ways we keep the lights on here. Click here for more.

The post New Best Buy program lets you get a new MacBook every three years appeared first on KnowTechie.