Category: Technology

Microsoft’s marking OneDrive’s 15th anniversary with a new landing page, called OneDrive Home, and it should make it easier to keep tabs on your work. Instead of arriving on the My files tab when you first open OneDrive, you’ll find yourself on the new Home page that resembles that dashboard in the online version of Office.

Like the Office web app, OneDrive Home contains a list of your files, organized by how recently you accessed them. Above the list are filters that let you sort your documents by Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF file types.

Image: Microsoft

There’s also a new “Activity” column to the right of the “Owner” file field that tells you when someone leaves a comment, @mentions another user, or assigns you a task within a shared document. On the left side of the Home view, Microsoft’s adding a new Quick access section, where (just like on Windows) you can find and pin your most frequently accessed spaces.

Unfortunately, these changes aren’t live right now — Microsoft says OneDrive Home will be available in “the coming months.” From what it looks like, though, the new Home page could serve as a central hub that should help you stay organized while collaborating remotely.

Aside from its OneDrive web app, Microsoft is also rolling out its photo story feature for the OneDrive mobile app (essentially OneDrive’s equivalent to Instagram stories) to users in Australia. The feature’s not reaching users in the US or other regions until later this year.

To celebrate 100 laps around the sun, Repco has filled its “Driven by Passion for 100 Years” campaign to the brim with hidden car history, via Thinkerbell.

Whether it’s finding Brian’s ’94 Supra, the fabled Peter Brock Energy Polarizer, the rock that ended DJ’s Bathurst, or Brabham’s legendary engine – every asset is a game of ‘I-SPY’ for any and every car lover.

This celebration of iconic bits of car history, racing moments, and pop culture has been carefully crafted to remind Australia and New Zealand of Repco’s deep connection to auto culture. From winning F1 championships to helping you fix your first car – Repco’s been riding shotgun through it all.

The hidden references are loaded throughout all campaign assets across TV, Print, Radio, Social and Instore – which culminate in an interactive game – challenging enthusiasts to test their skills with an online experience.

Jim Ingram, national chief creative tinker at Thinkerbell, said: “Whether you’re buying an air freshener for your new car, or a replacement four-barrel carby for your old one, anyone who shops at Repco shares a passion for all things auto . And it’s been fun creating a centenary campaign that’s riddled with hidden moments of passion, some obvious and some that will challenge even the most rusted on car nut.”

Kym Sutherland, general manager, marketing at Repco, said: “Repco’s been there for all car enthusiasts for a hundred years now. Whether it’s yours, or someone else’s that you’re working on, we understand that passion – it’s how we got started in the first place.”

CREDITS

Client: Repco

Scott Whiteley – Executive General Manager Marketing and CX, Automotive
Kym Sutherland – General Manager, Marketing
Priscilla Sugrue – Brand Manager

Creative Agency: Thinker Bell
Matias Reyes – Creative Tinker
Julia Keller – Thinker
Cale Berry – Creative Tinker
Gideon Nedas – Lead Thinker
Jess Evernden – Lead Production Tinker
Jaime Morgan – General Manager – South
Dom Counahan – Exec Brand Thinker
Jim Ingram – National Chief Creative Tinker
Sam Whatley – Lead Creative Tinker
Josh Parmenter – Lead Creative Tinker
Adam Ferrier – Chief Thinker

Media Agency: Initiative

Aaron Farrelly – Group Director
Bec Olsson – Partnerships Manager

Production Co: The Producers

Mitch Kennedy – Director
Victoria Conners – Exec Producer

Original Composition: Ack Kinmonth

Sound: BangBang

Digital Agency: Kojo

Not only is Sennheiser known for its excellent sounding audio gear, it’s also known for its distinct styling, particularly with headphones like its wireless over-ear Momentum line. In past iterations, the line featured an exposed metal headband strap that aesthetically stood out against the competition, but for the new Momentum 4, Sennheiser is introducing a complete redesign that promises more comfort and better performance, but with uninspired looks.

When the Sennheiser Momentum 3 wireless headphones were released back in 2019, we raved about not only their sound quality and ANC performance, but also their retro-inspired design. Given how generic most wireless earbuds are, larger wireless on-ear headphones are one of the few ways consumers can express their style through their gear, but it’s hard to imagine anyone buying the Sennheiser Momentum 4 for its looks. The distinctive metal headband strap is now gone, replaced with a more generic but articulated structure that makes these $AU549 cans look like the cheaper alternatives to the rest of Sennheiser’s headphone lineup.

Image: Sennheiser

Also gone are the hinged earcups that fold in on themselves. Like recent Sony and Apple offerings, the new Momentum 4 wireless headphones feature a fold-flat design instead, so while the included carrying case has a larger footprint, it’s also much slimmer and potentially easier to slide into a bag. With the headband now connecting to pivot points on the edges, the featureless sides of the Momentum 4 earcups are now large touchpads for activating playback, function, and volume shortcuts through taps and swipe gestures. All physical buttons have been removed from the Momentum 4, except for a single power/Bluetooth pairing button.

Image: Sennheiser

So, what do the Momentum 4 wireless headphones do? Sennheiser promises the redesigned headband has increased padding, while the added articulation on each slightly angled earcup allows the headphones to stay on the head with less pressure, making them more comfortable to wear. The lambskin covering the padding on each earcup has also been replaced with a synthetic leather, which is another step in the right direction.

The headphone’s touch-sensitive controls might not be an improvement as far as functionality is concerned, but while the Sennheiser Momentum 3 headphones offered around 17 hours of battery life at most, the Momentum 4 promise a staggering 60 hours. That’s twice the battery life that Sony promises with its recent WH-1000XM5, and even if hitting 60 hours requires some power-saving techniques (like keeping the volume pumping through its 42mm transducers low) that’s still an impressive achievement. When they do die, a quick 10 minute charge provides an extra six hours of runtime.

Sennheiser is also promising improved active noise cancellation performance, and added customization and personalization through an accompanying mobile app. But the most compelling reason for the extreme redesign is the $AU549 price tag (available for pre-order starting today and officially on sale starting on August 23). If you prioritize function over form, there’s undoubtedly a lot to like here, but if you care more about how your headphones look, it might be time to move on.

On the heels of Apple announcing its new software iOS 16 will let you edit or unsend messages, WhatsApp has shared that it’s upped the timing on its own unsend message feature. You used to be able to unsend messages on WhatsApp within an hour, but now you’ll have a little more time to question your words — with the limit upped to two days.

💭 Rethinking your message? Now you’ll have a little over 2 days to delete your messages from your chats after you hit send.

— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) August 8, 2022

To use the feature, open up the WhatsApp chat where you want to delete the message. Tap and hold the content you’d like gone, and then either hit ‘Delete for everyone’ or ‘Delete for me’. If you’ve passed the time limit, meaning it’s been longer than two days, you’ll only see the option to ‘Delete for me’.

There is one catch to be aware of, though: all recipients must have the most recent version of WhatsApp for it to work. If they haven’t updated their app, you can hit ‘Delete for everyone’ all you want, but it won’t actually delete it from their app. Even worse, you won’t ever know.

Related: Apple Announces Mobile Software Update iOS 16 With “One of the Most Requested Features”

Related: Is Apple’s HomePod Making a Comeback? These Clues Say Yes

Interestingly, while Apple had previously said its yet-to-be-released iOS would give you 15 minutes to unsend a message, its latest betas (testing versions of the app) have seen this limit reduced to only two minutes. No word yet on what the decided time limit will be on the final version.

The new iOS 16, which is expected to be released in the coming weeks, will also let you edit messages, as well as mark read messages as unread.

Other new features include more customizable lock screens, live texting working on video, the Mail app allowing for email scheduling and a new iCloud Shared Photo Library that lets up to six users easily share photos. Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering, Craig Federighi said its updates “will change the way you experience iPhone”.

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OtterBox is trying to differentiate itself from its rivals by offering up to $150 toward the repair of your iPhone screen if it breaks while using the Amplify or Alpha OtterBox screen protectors, the company said in a press release spotted by 9to5Mac. It’s available with the updated OtterBox Protection Program that also covers the case and screen protector, for a price bump of around $5 over the same product with Antimicrobial protection only.

“Our robust limited lifetime warranty program already covers your case and screen protector, and the OtterBox Protection Program extends that protection to your device screen as well,” said OtterBox CEO Jim Parke.

The extra protection is valid up to 12 months after purchase, and Otterbox promises that you can “easily activate and track coverage, and file a claim through the OtterProtect app.” The eligible Amplify and Alpha screen protectors with the coverage range from $40 to $55 — just choose the “Antimicrobial + OtterBox Protection Program” when checking out.

The insurance won’t cover the full cost of an iPhone screen replacement, but it’ll certainly make it less painful if you don’t have AppleCare. As far as I can see, there aren’t many other (if any), screen protectors with similar coverage, other than a few niche offerings. The execution will also be key, but we should see soon enough if filing a claim and receiving payment is as easy as OtterBox says.

So buy up and unlock ’em all before Overwatch 2 if you’re so inclined!

Overwatch loot box sales will conclude on 30 August, Activision Blizzard has proclaimed today.

“Loot Boxes will no longer be available for sale after the end of the Anniversary Remix Vol. 3 event on August 30,” the publisher said in a blog post. “However, you will still be able to earn standard loot boxes after the end of the event.”

Said loot boxes will automatically open in the shift between Overwatch and its sequel Overwatch 2which will fully replace the team-based hero shooter from 5 October.

Overwatch 2 won’t have loot boxes of any kind, though a recent survey sent to players suggested that some of its cosmetic items may set players back up to $45 USD.

original Overwatch‘s Anniversary Remix Vol. 3 event is on now and runs until the end of the month.

Overwatch 2 goes free-to-play on Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, PS4, PS5 and Switch on 5 October 2022 here in Australia. We went in depth on what to expect from it here.