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Impressing everyone when you’re handed the aux in the car to play DJ just got easier. Spotify now offers the option to listen to playlists with seamless transitions between songs, plus the user interface to mix them yourself if you want. Spotify released the beta version of a new “Mix” mode for its Premium subscriber tier Tuesday. The feature shows up as a “Mix” button above a playlist track list that can be toggled on or off. Listeners can either opt-in to auto-transitions between songs, or they can mix their own transitions instead with pre-set options like “Fade” or “Rise,” and settings for volume, EQ, and effects. The feature is perfect for fitness instructors who want to program a playlist for a class or for anyone hoping to create a low-effort, high-impact soundtrack for a party. Mixing for beginners Spotify designed the Mix mode UI to make things simple for beginners. After tapping “Mix,” the app shows each song’s key and beats per minute to make track ordering simple, and visualized waveform and beat data help when finding the best part of a track to drop in a transition. Spotify advises newbies to choose songs with similar tempos and keys, consider the energy they’re trying to capture with a playlist, and start with genres that are transition-friendly, since mixing “works best with music produced for seamless transitions. Dance genres like house and techno tend to blend more smoothly.” Spotify’s new feature comes two months after Apple Music announced its own “AutoMix” option for a seamlessly mixed listening experience. Spotify takes the idea of automatic mixing and makes it customizable and shareable with the ability to swap and collaborate on playlists. There’s also exclusive stickers and labels for custom playlist cover art that can only be used with mixed Spotify playlists. The Premium strategy Spotify reached its first full year of profitability in 2024. The company has more than 270 million paying subscribers and reported $4.75 billion in revenue for the second quarter of this year, up 10% year over year. That was lead by Premium revenue, which rose 12% for the quarter. Retaining and growing its paid subscriber base is key for the company’s future growth. Spotify announced a price hike for Premium subscribers in markets outside the U.S. earlier this month, and it’s pursuing a multi-pronged strategy to provide paid subscribers with content beyond just music by growing its video and audiobook offerings. With Mix mode, the Swedish streaming giant shows it’s also finding new ways to offer Premium subscribers a one-of-a-kind music-listening experience that connects them with friends. Spotify’s Mix mode takes something that could have been just for personal listening and makes it social.
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E-Commerce
California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom has been trolling Donald “TACO” Trump (shorthand for “Trump Always Chickens Out,” as Newsom has repeated) on social media, with the president’s signature ALL-CAPS tweets, for weeks. And not only are Democrats here for it, but the strategy also seems to be working. Newsom’s press office runs the account @GovPressOffice, which has, for all intents and purposes, turned that social media feed into a political parody, mocking Trump and his Republicans allies, and posting hot takes on their GOP initiatives around voting, redistricting, and Ukraine, just to name a fewall the while mimicking the president’s style of lavishly praising himself and insulting, often viciously, those who disagree with him. On Tuesday, the account mocked Fox News host Dana Perino’s meltdown over Newsom’s deliberate mimicry, and Newsom’s post garnered nearly 850,000 views in just a few hours. DANA "DING DONG" PERINO (NEVER HEARD OF HER UNTIL TODAY!) IS MELTING DOWN BECAUSE OF ME, GAVIN C. NEWSOM! FOX HATES THAT I AM AMERICAS MOST FAVORITE GOVERNOR ("RATINGS KING") SAVING AMERICA WHILE TRUMP CANT EVEN CONQUER THE BIG STAIRS ON AIR FORCE ONE ANYMORE!!! TRUMP HAS— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) August 19, 2025 Newsom’s outspoken criticism of Trumpat a time when so few have publicly sparred with the presidentis being praised by Democrats, especially for his tough stances. One such stance is against redistricting, as Republicans are trying to redraw congressional districts in Texas and other states in a way that gerrymanders more seats in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections. On social media, some supporters are joking that Newsom’s press team should get a Nobel Prize. One user wrote on X: “I love you for doing this. I honestly feel a sense of liberation! Finally, a Dem who will dish it out. THANK YOU!! Nobel Peace Prize for the Newsom Press Office!” TRUMP JUST FLED THE PODIUM WITH PUTIN NO QUESTIONS, NOTHING! TOTAL LOW ENERGY. THE MAN LOOKED LIKE HED JUST EATEN 3 BUCKETS OF KFC WITH VLAD. IS HE AFRAID THE PRESS WILL ASK ABOUT ME??? (AMERICAS FAVORITE GOVERNOR) AND THE FACT I "STOLE THE CAMERAS" THIS WEEK WITH THE MAPS?— Governor Newsom Press Office (@GovPressOffice) August 15, 2025 Over on Bluesky, user @michaeljstern.bsky.social summed up the sentiment of many posts on the platform when he wrote: “Gavin Newsom is killing it.” Of course, there’s one group that isn’t into it: The trolling has many supporters of the MAGA movement up in arms, and they’ve also taken to social media to register their ire. However, Newsom’s strategy seems to be working, fueling a surge in popularity and questions about whether he’ll be running for president in 2028. (Newsom has not announced his candidacy.) The Governor Newsom Press Office account has gained more than 250,000 followers since August 1 as the parody posts have come out, per Newsom’s office via Politico. It now has 417,900 followers at the time of this writing, while Newsom’s personal X account has some 2.4 million followers. Gavin Newsom’s polling numbers are up Notably, a recent University of California, Irvine, poll found Newsoms approval ratings had improved among California residents, while Trumps were tanking. Californians disapprove of the president by more than a 2:1 ratio, whereas following his standoff with Trump, Newsom has seen positive favorability scores. “There is no mistaking that Newsoms battle with Trump has been good for his standing in the State, certainly among Democrats and also with Independents,” the report read. And that’s not all. An August poll from Echelon Insights found Newsom is also appealing to voters nationwide. According to that Echelon poll, reported by Newsweek, Newsom is currently in second place with 13% support among a list of potential Democratic candidates for president in 2028, behind former Vice President Kamala Harris but ahead of former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY)all of whom have been vocal critics of the president’s second term. (The survey polled registered voters from August 14 to 18, with a margin of error of 3.6%.) That’s up from the results of an Emerson College survey from June that showed Newsom at 7% support in a 2028 Democratic primarywhich was up from just 3% in March. Another clue that Newsom’s strategy is working: Polymarket’s betting odds. The online betting website puts his chances of winning the 2028 presidential election at 18% at the time of this writing, up four points in the last four days (though he’s still lagging behind JD Vance’s 28% odds). Polymarket also now gives Newsom a 27% chance, at the time of this writing, of beating Ocasio-Cortez for the Democratic nomination, with a spread of 13 points. His chances are up seven points in the last two days.
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E-Commerce
If you have late summer or early fall travel plans, you’ll want to double check your checked bags. The TSA and the FAA just banned some popular hair care items from checked luggage. Cordless hair straighteners and curlers are no longer allowed in checked bags because they contain potentially hazardous materials. In order to bring them with you while you travel, the products must be in carry-on bags. There is also a one per person limit on such items. “Cordless hair straighteners that contain lithium metal or lithium ion batteries or are gas or butane fueled are only allowed in carry-on bags,” a notice on the TSA website states. “A safety cover must be securely fitted over the heating element. The device must be protected from accidental activation.” The restriction includes cordless curling irons or flatirons containing gas cartridges, butane-fueled curling irons or flat irons, and gas refills (spare cartridges) for curling irons or flat irons. Gas cartridges and butane are already not allowed in checked luggage. The TSA also enforces restrictions on E-cigarettes, vape pens, and most electronic smoking devices, which are banned from checked bags. The latest change is not the first to hit airports lately. In July, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced it would end the “Shoes-Off” policy that passengers have grown used to during security checks. According to a press release, allowing travelers to keep their shoes on will increase hospitality while leading to lower wait times. DHS also recently announced that families traveling with kids will be able to move through the airport more quickly. We are implementing new measures that will streamline hospitality for families that travel, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said at the Nashville International Airport in July.Noem continued, There will be expanded areas that will give them the benefit of recognizing that they have children with them, and will help make sure that we have the ability to take care of them and their families as they go through this expedited process with their kiddos.In addition, a line called the “Honor Lane” for uniformed members of the military will show up in more locations. The lanes, which are available at 11 airports, will be expanded across the country, most notably, near military bases.
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E-Commerce
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