Tech review: Al look at 4 of the trendiest apps out there
The Roblox app is so popular it held an initial public offering last month where it was valued at $38 billion. Credit: Newsday/Roblox
About 4 million apps are available on the Google Play and Apple app stores, and while some are hot, very few are cool. Here are four of this year's trendiest apps.
Clubhouse
(iOS; free)
The app that everyone is talking about — but very few have — became a sensation because of its exclusivity. This iOS-only audio chat app, where you hear movers and shakers talking instead of tweeting, is by invitation only. Among the top Clubhouse "influencers" have been Elon Musk and Bill Gates, although their appearances are becoming more sporadic. Clubhouse says it will soon expand the join-up process and expects to have an Android version soon.
Discord
(iOS, Android; free)
The buzz around Discord is so loud it reached the executive offices of Microsoft, which is reportedly in talks to snap it up for more than $10 billion. What is Discord? It is another video and text messaging app but with a difference. Discord is community-oriented, so you are communicating with an ever-growing group of like-minded people. Originally a gamer-community fixture, Discord attracted a wide general audience during the pandemic.
Cameo
(iOS, Android; free)
How hot is Cameo? It’s becoming a verb, as in, "I got Cameod for my birthday." With Cameo, you "hire" celebrities to make short personalized videos. The list of celebrities is long and diverse, and prices vary wildly. Some examples: You can order a Cameo from Long Island-raised celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan ($375) and former wrestler Mick Foley ($75), or, if you really want to splurge, book a shout out from Caitlyn Jenner ($2,500) or boxing champion Floyd Mayweather ($999).
Roblox
(iOS, Android; free)
Another buzzy app that has taken the world-building game genre to new heights, Roblox is so hot it held a wildly successful initial public offering last month on Wall Street, where it was valued at $38 billion. In addition to creating spectacular worlds with Roblox, players can compete against others or simply chat with Roblox gamers via included messaging options.
PayPal launches Checkout with Crypto
Got bitcoins or another cryptocurrency you’re looking to spend? You can use them for items you purchase on PayPal. The online payments processor is rolling out Checkout with Crypto, where cryptocurrency in your account will be converted to dollars or other traditional currencies when you buy items. PayPal said the service can be used at millions of online businesses with no additional transaction fees.
— PETER KING
Extra online time linked to teen cyberbullying
When teens spend more time online, they are more likely to be cyberbullies. A University of Georgia study of teens 13-19 who reported spending an average seven hours a day online found those who spent more than the average time online tended to be “more aggressive or critical on social media.” Males were more likely to engage in cyberbullying, which included personal attacks, harassment and spreading defamatory and private information.
— PETER KING
PS5 to get storage boost
Sony is preparing to open up its PlayStation 5 for internal storage upgrades this summer, lifting a bottleneck that prevents gamers from having more than a few marquee games on their console at one time. The unit comes with a solid-state drive with around 667GB available for storage, at a time when most major games take up at least 40GB each.
— BLOOMBERG NEWS
Sarra Sounds Off, Ep. 15: LI's top basketball players On the latest episode of "Sarra Sounds Off," Newsday's Gregg Sarra and Matt Lindsay take a look top boys and girls basketball players on Long Island.
Sarra Sounds Off, Ep. 15: LI's top basketball players On the latest episode of "Sarra Sounds Off," Newsday's Gregg Sarra and Matt Lindsay take a look top boys and girls basketball players on Long Island.
