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      Newsletter: One app for calls/SMS, automated Bitcoin support, and more!

      Denver Gingerich · Wednesday, 24 March, 2021 - 17:00 · 3 minutes

    Hi everyone!

    Welcome to the latest edition of your pseudo-monthly JMP update!

    In case it’s been a while since you checked out JMP, here’s a refresher: JMP lets you send and receive text and picture messages (and calls) through a real phone number right from your computer, tablet, phone, or anything else that has an XMPP client. JMP’s tagline, “Freedom For Your Phone Number”, captures the freedom that JMP gives you from traditional cell phone carriers, as well as the fully-free nature of all the software that powers JMP (licensed entirely under AGPLv3+).

    The past few months have been busy and exciting for us! We’ve been implementing several new features, doing a ton of work on our payment system to make future additions like adding balance and checking expiry much easier, and also adding new payment methods, all with the help of two new employees! More on that below, but first, let’s talk about those new features:

    First of all, thanks to our new full-time employee, Christopher, we now have fully bi-directional calling over XMPP! Previously we supported incoming calls over XMPP (per the XMPP/Jingle calling options in Q17 at https://jmp.chat/#bot), but outgoing calls is new! Using XMPP clients that support calling, such as Conversations, Movim, and Gajim, you can initiate a call by adding the contact you want to call just as you’d add a texting contact, then tapping the call icon to initiate the call. This feature is still in alpha, but many users have reported it works well, so we encourage you to give it a try! Note that most XMPP clients do not support punching in numbers mid-call (“DTMF”) - we’re actively exploring the best ways to get that added to popular clients. Now that we have both incoming and outgoing calls available through XMPP, many users will find they only need one app for JMP: the XMPP client they already have!

    Secondly, also thanks to Christopher, we have a new command bot, which will eventually replace the JMP account bot. This bot lets us keep the ad-hoc commands that we continue to support for various account settings, while also letting people use the commands in XMPP clients that don’t support ad-hoc commands (such as Conversations). To get started with the new command bot send a message to xmpp:cheogram.com (that’s the Jabber ID “cheogram.com”) - “help” will list the commands, and you can type any unique command name or name prefix to run that command. Let us know what you think!

    Another new feature we’ve added in the past few months is automated Bitcoin payments, so you can now add funds to your account using Bitcoin right from our website, without needing to ask support. If you prefer other cryptocurrencies, for now we recommend SimpleSwap, MorphToken, ChangeNOW, or Godex to do the conversion - we plan to add native support for Monero as our next cryptocurrency.

    As mentioned earlier we have two new employees: Christopher (aka psycotica0), who has been working on the calling and bot features, and Stephen (aka singpolyma), who is making most of the new core payment system and other infrastructure updates. Christopher started at the beginning of January full-time, and Stephen started last month working part-time for JMP (after volunteering with us for several years). It’s awesome to have new people on board and we’re very excited for how quickly we’ll be able to make JMP even better! With our new employees fully onboarded now, Denver (ossguy) will be on sabbatical starting in the next few weeks, until approximately November this year. So if you are accustomed to asking your JMP questions directly to Denver, now is the time to switch to our usual support channels, per https://jmp.chat/#support - the others on the team will be happy to help! Also, note that our support reply window is now “within 8 business hours” - we may reply on the weekend, but it is not guaranteed.

    As always, if you have any questions, feel free to reply to this email or find us in the group chat per below. We’re happy to chat whenever we’re available!

    To learn what’s happening with JMP between emails like this, here are some ways you can find out:

    Thanks for reading and have a wonderful rest of your week!

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      Today’s best tech deals: Nintendo Joy-Cons, Apple’s M1 Mac Mini, and more

      Ars Staff · news.movim.eu / ArsTechnica · Thursday, 18 February, 2021 - 19:07 · 1 minute

    Today’s best tech deals: Nintendo Joy-Cons, Apple’s M1 Mac Mini, and more

    Enlarge (credit: Ars Technica)

    Today's Dealmaster includes a nice discount on Nintendo's Joy-Cons, with various colors of the handheld Switch controllers down to $69 at Amazon and Walmart. While this isn't the lowest price we've tracked, more substantial price drops for the Joy-Cons have been uncommon over the past year. Those dealing with a busted Joy-Con can seek a repair through Nintendo , but for anyone else in need of a spare set, this deal should lessen the blow compared to buying directly from the company. You'll see the discounted price in your cart, but be aware that not all finishes are discounted and that there's currently a bit of a shipping delay on most options.

    Otherwise, our deals roundup includes the lowest price we've seen to date on the entry-level model of Apple's newest Mac Mini , which comes equipped with the company's powerful M1 chip . We also have discounts on a recommended compact (60 percent) gaming keyboard from Razer, Apple's iPad Air and iPhone 12 MagSafe Charger, a few Roomba vacuums, lots of video games, and more. You can have a look at the full list below.

    Dealmaster: An Ars newsletter
    The Dealmaster has launched its very own newsletter! Sign up to receive a shorter, tightly curated list of the very best tech deals on the Web—no nonsense, direct to your inbox, and often before they make it to the Ars homepage.

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      Today’s best tech deals: Hitman 3, 400GB microSD cards, and more

      Ars Staff · news.movim.eu / ArsTechnica · Tuesday, 16 February, 2021 - 20:03 · 1 minute

    Today’s best tech deals: Hitman 3, 400GB microSD cards, and more

    Enlarge (credit: Ars Technica)

    Today's Dealmaster includes a nifty $10 discount on Hitman 3 , with the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and cross-gen Xbox versions of the stealth-action game all down to $50 at Amazon and Walmart. While we've seen this deal available for a few weeks, the game itself still only launched less than a month ago, so we figured it was worth highlighting for anyone who planned on picking it up elsewhere (and doesn't mind waiting for a physical copy to ship).

    In general, Hitman 3 doesn't stray far from its predecessors but provides another collection of playful and slyly comedic sandboxes in which to goof around. It puts a bit more emphasis on the narrative surrounding globe-trotting assassin Agent 47 , which can be hit or miss, but most of its six worlds still give you several avenues to explore on the way to each hit. While this isn't the kind of game that will change anyone's opinion of the series , it's as good a starting point as any for those who've thought about giving the saga a try, since it's possible to download and play the first two installments directly within this latest game. We should also note that anyone who buys the PS4 or Xbox One edition can download a next-gen upgrade at no extra cost.

    Elsewhere, we have good discounts on recommended gadgets like the FastSnail Grips for Nintendo's Joy-Con controllers and Apple's MagSafe Charger for the iPhone 12, plus a variety of laptop deals and a low price on SanDisk's 400GB Ultra microSD card (for those who don't mind trading speed for high capacity on the cheap). You can find those and more in our curated roundup below.

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      The games of love: our favorite couch co-op games to play with a partner

      Jeff Dunn · news.movim.eu / ArsTechnica · Friday, 12 February, 2021 - 13:00

    <em>Mario Kart</em> is a safe standby for any couch co-op session.

    Enlarge / Mario Kart is a safe standby for any couch co-op session. (credit: Nintendo)

    With Valentine's Day on the horizon, we've overhauled our guide to the best couch co-op games, adding several new recommendations for you to share with a loved one.

    Video games have gone a long way toward keeping us sane during our pandemic days. But while there's never been more people playing together, finding the best co-op games to play with a partner at home can still be tricky. More and more titles have (understandably) emphasized online multiplayer, leaving the market for quality couch co-op experiences somewhat thin.

    If you and your loved ones are looking for some good times for the living room, though, we can help. Below, we've rounded up 26 of the best couch co-op games we've played, with options that should appeal to both hardcore and less experienced players. Whether you're eager for a half-hour session or a weekend-long binge, interested in a platformer or a twin-stick shooter, or playing on PC, Switch, Xbox, or PlayStation, our selection should have something worth your time.

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      Today’s best tech deals: LG OLED TVs, Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, and more

      Ars Staff · news.movim.eu / ArsTechnica · Thursday, 4 February, 2021 - 19:45 · 1 minute

    Today’s best tech deals: LG OLED TVs, Amazon Kindle Paperwhite, and more

    Enlarge (credit: Ars Technica)

    Today's Dealmaster includes a couple good deals on LG's acclaimed CX series of OLED TVs, with the 55-inch model down to $1,350 on Amazon when you clip the on-page coupon. While this isn't the absolute lowest price we've seen for this variant—it dipped about $10 lower in a brief sale last December—it's not far off, and it's about $200 off the typical price we've seen online in recent months.

    That's still expensive, and new models will arrive later this year. But those newer sets appear to be relatively modest upgrades, and the current CX is still highly-regarded for offering tremendous contrast (which is a staple of all good OLED panels), excellent HDR performance, and HDMI 2.1 support with gamer-friendly features like variable refresh rate. If you prefer a larger size, the 65-inch model is on sale for $1,950, which again isn't the lowest price we've ever seen but is lower than we've seen in recent months. The usual risks of OLED panels still apply—peak brightness isn't the best for bright rooms, and static images can burn-in if left onscreen for severely extended periods—but either way this is a nice price for those in search of a premium TV for the near-term.

    Besides that, our deals roundup includes solid discounts on Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite, which we still consider the best ebook reader for most people, Fitbit activity trackers, recommended noise-cancelling headphones from Anker and Sony, Ring Fit Adventure for the Nintendo Switch, and much more. You can check out our full roundup below.

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      Today’s best tech deals: Apple’s M1 Mac Mini, Xbox controllers, and more

      Ars Staff · news.movim.eu / ArsTechnica · Friday, 29 January, 2021 - 15:59 · 1 minute

    Today’s best tech deals: Apple’s M1 Mac Mini, Xbox controllers, and more

    Enlarge (credit: Ars Technica)

    Today's Dealmaster is headlined by a modest but notable discount on the latest Apple Mac Mini, which is currently down to $649 at Amazon and B&H . That's not a massive discount at $50 off, but it's $10 off the lowest price we've seen and a nice price for a small desktop PC that's equipped with Apple's powerful M1 chip. You'll have to be OK with a modest 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and relatively limited port options—two Thunderbolt 3 ports, two USB-A ports, an HDMI 2.0 port, and an Ethernet jack—but if you just want to supply your home office with a Mac for basic tasks, the Mac Mini is excellent for what it is , and this deal can help save a few bucks on Apple's most affordable option.

    Elsewhere, our deals roundup has notable discounts on Microsoft's latest Xbox controllers for Xbox Series X|S consoles and the PC, a wireless Logitech gaming mouse we've previously recommended , hit video games like Assassin's Creed Valhalla and Ori and the Will of the Wisps , and more. You can check out the full rundown below.

    Dealmaster: An Ars newsletter
    The Dealmaster has launched its very own newsletter! Sign up to receive a shorter, tightly curated list of the very best tech deals on the Web—no nonsense, direct to your inbox, and often before they make it to the Ars homepage.

    Read on Ars Technica | Comments

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      Today’s best tech deals: Apple Magic Keyboard, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and more

      Ars Staff · news.movim.eu / ArsTechnica · Friday, 22 January, 2021 - 17:00

    Today’s best tech deals: Apple Magic Keyboard, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, and more

    Enlarge

    Today's Dealmaster includes a notable discount on Apple's Magic Keyboard accessory for iPads, with the model designed for the iPad Air and 11-inch iPad Pro down to $199. That's $90 off the device's usual street price and the steepest discount we've tracked to date. We were impressed with the Magic Keyboard because of its build quality and typing experience—it's just obscenely expensive for a keyboard accessory, but this deal softens the blow somewhat.

    Elsewhere, our deal roundup includes the lowest price we've seen on Assassin's Creed Valhalla , a massive action-RPG we enjoyed last year ; a nice discount on Eufy's Indoor Cam 2K , an indoor security camera we recommended in our 2020 holiday gift guide ; the latest iPad Air and Apple Watch; recommended gaming headsets and keyboards; and more. You can check out the full rundown below.

    Note: Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through affiliate programs .

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      2020’s 20 most-commented stories

      Eric Bangeman · news.movim.eu / ArsTechnica · Friday, 25 December, 2020 - 12:00

    2020’s 20 most-commented stories

    Enlarge (credit: Aurich Lawson / Getty Images)

    Each year we bring you the most-read stories of the year and a list of the stories with the most comments. There can be a fair bit of overlap: after all, the most popular stories can engender a lot of heated discussion and strong opinions. That was definitely true in 2020.

    Like every year, there is a mix of topics on the list. But to no one's surprise, many of the stories below involve actions by the most polarizing political figure of the year (decade? century?) in the United States: President Donald Trump. Whether it was the president catching COVID-19, campaign ads with Nazi-associated imagery, or firing the nation's cybersecurity chief after a fair and free election, the things President Trump did got people talking.

    So without further ado, here are the 20 most-commented-upon stories from Ars in 2020, alongside the highest-rated and most-insightful comments, as voted on by our readers.

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      The Apple Watch Series 6 is $60 off at Amazon today

      Ars Staff · news.movim.eu / ArsTechnica · Tuesday, 22 December, 2020 - 20:06

    The Apple Watch Series 6 is $60 off at Amazon today

    Enlarge (credit: Ars Technica)

    Today's Dealmaster is headlined by a nice discount on the Product RED version of the Apple Watch Series 6 that brings the high-end smartwatch down to $339 on Amazon . That's not an all-time low, but it's $60 off Apple's MSRP and about $30 off the going rate we've seen online in recent weeks. Other colors are available for $10 more, but either deal is a nice price on what is arguably the most full-featured smartwatch for iPhone owners .

    Elsewhere, our roundup has deals on Samsung microSD cards, the Apple Pencil, loads of video games, Roku media streamers, and much more. It's probably too late to ship many last-minute gifts in time for the holidays, but you can check out our full roundup below.

    Note: Ars Technica may earn compensation for sales from links on this post through affiliate programs .

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