Today in Tech News Digest, Apple unveils iOS 8 & OS X Yosemite at WWDC 2014, Samsung unveils its Tizen smartphone, MySpace remembers, Reset the Net gets set, Chromebooks go on the march, new IFTTT channels are exposed, and John Oliver explains Net Neutrality.

Apple At WWDC 2014: iOS 8 & Yosemite

http://youtu.be/yVSq2nAnJ6I

Apple has unveiled iOS 8 and Mac OS X Yosemite at the 2014 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC 2014). Along with extensive updates for both operating systems, Apple unveiled iCloud Drive, HealthKit, and Swift, all of which are briefly detailed below. There was, however, no new hardware revealed. Boo, hiss, etc.

The new Mac OS X Yosemite sports a new flatter design which takes its cue from iOS. There are a host of small changes across the operating system, which are detailed in Apple's press release. Mac OS X Yosemite will launch in the fall as a free upgrade, but a beta is available now for developers and braver members of the public.

The new iOS 8 looks very similar to iOS 7, with most of the changes happening under the hood. This is another incremental update, although iMessage and the Notifications Center have been changed significantly. Siri can now be activated by saying, “Hey Siri” into your iPhone, which isn't anything like "OK Google," obviously.

Other key announcements include a new cloud storage service called iCloud Drive, a health and fitness app called HealthKit, a Swype-like iOS keyboard called QuickType, a new programming language called Swift, AirDrop for sharing content between your Mac and iPhone, and Handoff for swapping projects between one device and another.

This keynote has split opinion between Apple fans and the rest of the population. The reason is simple: these new features make the Apple ecosystem stronger, helping those who are already a part of it to remain so, but there is nothing of interest for those on the outside looking in.

There will be more coverage on everything Apple unveiled at WWDC 2014 in the near future, so interested parties should keep their browsers pointed at the News, Mac, and iOS sections of the site. Everybody else can rest easy for another few months and catch up on other news instead…

Samsung Unveils First Tizen Smartphone

Samsung Z Specifications pic.twitter.com/7SVm2vz7D8

— Faryaab Sheikh (@Faryaab) June 2, 2014

Samsung has unveiled the Samsung Z, its first smartphone running on the Tizen operating system. The specs of the Samsung Z are in line with the Galaxy S5, meaning people looking for an alternative to iOS, Android, and Windows Phone have a quality option available to them.

Tizen is based on the Linux operating system and is not compatible with Android. Samsung has big plans for Tizen, but is starting small by initially only releasing the Samsung Z in Russia later this year. More countries will follow later.

MySpace Wants You Back

http://youtu.be/2NyfInzFCK4

The guys at MySpace really want you back, and they're using nostalgic blackmail to pique your interest. According to Mashable, MySpace is emailing lapsed users with old photos of themselves to try and persuade them to come back. Whether this is desperate or merely determined, we cannot see it working. Because MySpace is now the walking dead.

Reset The Net On June 5

http://youtu.be/gaH3thsKv2o

June 5 is the day when we need to Reset The Net, at least according to the websites and services supporting this campaign. Reset The Net is a coordinated action protesting against mass surveillance by organizations such as the National Security Agency. More details are available on the Reset The Net website.

Google Chromebooks Enter New Territories

http://youtu.be/bi2VNVRbftc

Google is continuing its push for Chromebooks to be a legitimate alternative to Windows and OS X. Nine new countries -- Spain, Italy, Belgium, New Zealand, Denmark, Norway, Mexico, Chile, and the Philippines -- are being added to the roster, with the expansion bizarrely announced in the form of a poem. No, we don't understand why either.

New eBay, Fitbit Channels For IFTTT

ifttt-ebay-fitbit

If This Then That, more commonly known as IFTTT, has added new channels for eBay and Fitbit. There are over 100 IFTTT channels at the time of writing, all of which contain recipes for websites and services. If you're new to this incredible tool, check out our ultimate guide to IFTTT.

John Oliver Explains Net Neutrality

http://youtu.be/fpbOEoRrHyU

And finally, John Oliver may have just saved the United States from Internet armageddon. Despite being British, he doesn't want to see the American cable companies destroying the idea of net neutrality any more than you and I do.

Oliver brilliantly manages to explain what net neutrality is, what the changes could mean for ordinary consumers, and what we should all be doing to stop it. And he cuts through the BS in magnificent style. Watch the video, then tell the FCC what you think of net neutrality.

Tech News Digest… Breaking News Into Bite-Sized Chunks.

Image Credit: Terry Johnston via Flickr