A (Tiny) Crack in the Garden Wall

Apple lets you set some of your own default apps

SEPTEMBER 23, 2020 Everything worth knowing in tech today, September 23, 2020. Today, national food days include Pot Pie and Snack Sticks. Eat up!      ⏰ Today's Big Stories... in 30 Seconds Today We Watched, Read, and Listened to (so you don't have to): 237 articles, 11 podcasts, 19 press releases, 386 tweets, and 7 YouTube videos 1. Set Gmail as Your Default App on iOS Finally! Apple's walled-garden approach is showing some much-needed light through the "default apps" cracks. Not only can you set a default web app that isn't Safari, you can bypass iOS' Mail app, too. Huzzah! 2. Microsoft Teams adds Breakout Rooms and Automated Recaps Teams is getting some knockout features in the latest update, with custom layouts, breakout rooms, and—great if you fall asleep during a meeting—automated meeting recaps. What more do you need? 3. Xbox App Beta Lets You Connect From Android It's not Cloud streaming, but the new beta Xbox app on Google Play lets you connect to and manage your console from your Android tablet or phone. Want to play a game while your buddy uses the TV for Netflix? This is how you do it. 🦑 Go Deeper   Amazon and other big companies are big on keeping track of their employees, but have they gone too far? David Fierro has the inside scoop on how (and why) Amazon and other firms spy on workers.     🎱 By the Numbers This holiday's launch is anyone's game Data: HookedOnTech As we all wait excitedly for the next iteration of Sony and Microsoft consoles, it's still pretty clear the PlayStation 4 was the console to beat last generation. Will the PS5 continue Sony's momentum, or will Xbox pick up some speed? And what is Nintendo planning? 🤓 Nerd Out "Now that's a serious editing job" -Bob Schulties, Senior Editor Word Matters lets the editors of dictionaries (remember those?) geek out over the beauty (and often weirdness) of the English language each week. (Share on Twitter) 💎 You Know You Want It  Robots scooters in disguise Image: Kuberg If you're of a certain age, you're probably already hearing the theme song from the Transformers cartoon. If not, you'll still be super into this amazing electric dirt bike that transforms into a scooter. We know we want it.  🚀 Facing the Future Shake it up A few friends of ours got notifications on their phones the other day just before an earthquake hit in Southern California. That's just the beginning of a future where all our mobile devices are the largest earthquake detection system.     🗞 Extra! Extra! We've got you covered with the best in daily tech news! See the latest on our site or follow us on Google News. Did someone forward this to you? Sign up here. Have something you'd like us to write about? We're always open for suggestions. You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Tech Today newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here .   Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links. A Dotdash Brand 1500 Broadway, 6th Floor, New York, NY, 10036 2020 Dotdash • All rights reserved. Privacy Policy.   [View in Browser]