Tech Bird

 What TikTok's new Guidelines mean for LIVE creators and AI content Creators are now held accountable for anything that occurs during their TikTok Live sessions that may lead to account restrictions. Illustration: Tech Bird Important news has just been announced for the TikTok creator community: the company has introduced a set of updated community guidelines for its short-form video platform. TikTok is bringing changes to several key sections, with a particular focus on LIVE creators and AI content. While these updates may seem subtle, it is crucial for every creator to understand them. Earlier this week, TikTok officially rolled out its updated Community Guidelines. These new rules will directly affect your visibility and ranking on the platform, as adherence to them is a vital signal for their algorithm. The company's goal in updating these guidelines is to enhance the overall user experience and improve transparency, particularly regarding AI-generated content. A key reason...

 China's Biwin just introduced an SSD that inserts like a SIM card This new Mini SSD comes with a storage capacity of up to 2 TB and can be inserted like a SIM card using a dedicated tray. Image: Biwin Are we on the verge of experiencing blazing-fast speeds in a truly compact form? The answer seems to be yes. Chinese tech firm Biwin has officially introduced a revolutionary new solid-state drive, a Mini SSD that is only slightly larger than a microSD card. The once-distant dream of having an SSD with lightning-fast speeds in a tiny form factor is now a reality. China, a global leader in technological innovation, is once again pushing the boundaries of what is possible. While we are accustomed to larger storage drives, Biwin's latest innovation is a minuscule device designed for the future of portable computing. Dubbed the "Mini SSD," this drive is currently available as working samples for two major gaming handheld manufacturers, GPD and OneXPlayer, signaling its imm...

 Finally! The Xbox app on Windows on Arm will soon support game downloads Microsoft's Xbox and Windows teams are collaborating to bring more games to Arm-supported Windows 11 PCs. Illustration: Tech Bird For gamers who've been following the developments in the PC gaming space, there's a significant update on the horizon. Microsoft is finally making it possible for the Xbox app to support local game downloads on Windows on Arm devices, moving beyond the current reliance on cloud gaming. This long-awaited functionality is now in its testing phase and is available exclusively for Windows Insiders. The Shift from Cloud Gaming to Local Downloads Until now, playing Xbox games on an Arm-based Windows PC meant relying on a stable internet connection for Xbox Cloud Gaming. This new feature from Microsoft, currently in its testing stage, is a game-changer for owners of devices powered by Arm-based processors, such as Qualcomm’s Snapdragon series. It will allow you to download your fa...

 GitHub's independence ends with CEO resignation, Microsoft to reshape platform Following the CEO's resignation, Microsoft announced it would not be replacing the position, placing GitHub directly under the company's umbrella. Image: Rubaitul Azad / Unsplash The popular code-hosting platform, GitHub, is officially losing its independence. This significant shift follows the resignation of CEO Thomas Dohmke and Microsoft's decision to fully integrate GitHub into its new CoreAI team. This move signifies a major strategic pivot for Microsoft, signaling a new era for the developer community. The End of an Era: Dohmke's Departure and the Rise of CoreAI After leading GitHub for nearly four years, Thomas Dohmke announced his resignation , stating he wishes to "become a founder again." During his tenure, Dohmke spearheaded several innovative initiatives, most notably the introduction of the AI-powered coding assistant, GitHub Copilot. Following his departure, Micro...

 Farewell to a Classic: What Copilot Can't Do That Made Microsoft Lens So Great Remembering the Simple Scanner App as AI Takes Over Image: AI Generated It's a bittersweet moment for users who preferred the simplicity of a classic app over the complexity of all-in-one solutions. Microsoft has officially announced the farewell of its beloved app, Microsoft Lens, a simple tool that effortlessly turned physical documents into a digital format. The company is now nudging users towards its AI-powered solution, Copilot, to replace the functionality of the simple Lens app. The End of an Era: Microsoft Lens’s Retirement Dates In an official blog post, Microsoft announced the retirement of the document scanning app, with support ending on a staggered schedule. The app will begin to retire on September 15, 2025, and after November 15, 2025, it will no longer be supported on iOS and Android devices. However, users who have already downloaded the app on their smartphones will still be able...

 OpenAI Unveils ChatGPT-5: A Deeper Look at the Smarter, Faster AI Model Yet The new GPT-5 improves coding and excels at health-related queries, serving as an "active thought partner" but not a doctor. OpenAI's GPT-5, the new flagship AI model, is officially here. Image: OpenAI The AI world is abuzz with excitement as OpenAI, the innovator behind the globally recognized ChatGPT, has unveiled  the new GPT-5 model. The company has boldly claimed that GPT-5 is its smartest, fastest, and most useful model to date. Starting today, GPT-5 is now available to all users. OpenAI has finally introduced its highly anticipated AI model, dubbed GPT-5, which features significant improvements in coding and provides more nuanced health-related guidance. The company explicitly states that the new model "is a significant leap in intelligence over all our previous models," delivering state-of-the-art performance across various domains, including coding, writing, and mathematics. G...

 OpenAI releases a new GPT-OSS model: Run a free, open-source AI on your laptop A New Era of Local AI: OpenAI's First Open-Weight Model since 2019 Illustration: Tech Bird After a six-year hiatus, the pioneer AI company OpenAI has launched its new open-weight AI model, GPT-OSS, marking a significant shift in its strategy. The company has introduced two distinct models: gpt-oss-120b and gpt-oss-20b. What makes these models a game-changer is that you can download them for free and run powerful AI directly on your own laptop. This is a monumental release since GPT-2 in 2019 and a clear response to the evolving needs of the AI community. GPT-OSS: Bringing Power and Flexibility to Your PC OpenAI, the company behind the groundbreaking ChatGPT, has released its new open-weight model , GPT-OSS. This allows developers and enthusiasts to not only freely download the model but also to customize it for their specific needs, all from the comfort of their own hardware. This move directly addresse...

 Reddit's paywall plans are on hold: What this means for users and subreddits Reddit has put its plans for paywalled subreddit content on "indefinite hold". Illustration: Tech Bird This is certainly welcome news for users who value free access to content on Reddit. The popular platform has officially paused its previously announced plans to introduce paywalls for subreddit content. While Reddit has not yet provided a definitive timeframe for this hold, the original intention was to roll out paywall features in 2025. This development marks a significant shift from earlier expectations. Understanding Reddit's Strategic Shift Steve Huffman, CEO of Reddit, recently addressed this change during a company earnings call on Thursday. In an official Reddit post , he communicated that the decision to pause paywall plans is part of a broader strategic realignment aimed at prioritizing resources. Last year, Huffman had explicitly stated that the company was exploring options for ...

 Nintendo's Switch Price Increase: Is the Original Console Becoming a Premium Buy? A Surprising Shift for Nintendo Gaming Fans Image: Anthony Ashley / Pixabay In news that might disappoint many gaming enthusiasts, Nintendo, a prominent name in the gaming console industry, has officially announced a price increase for its beloved Original Nintendo Switch models. This adjustment will see the original console become more expensive for US users, with new retail prices taking effect from August 3, 2025. The company cites "market conditions" as the primary reason for this significant change. The Scope of Nintendo's Price Adjustments In a recent official blog post, Nintendo, the visionary force behind iconic gaming systems, detailed which Nintendo products would be affected by this price hike . Beyond the core Original Nintendo Switch console, the "Nintendo Switch – OLED Model, Nintendo Switch Lite, and a selection of Nintendo Switch accessories" are also included....