Discover eBay Plus, get Camera+ for free, Spotify found them first, Etsy gets into manufacturing, James Bond loves Sony products, and Jimmy Kimmel fools Apple fanboys.

EBay Launches eBay Plus Memberships

Online marketplace eBay is launching its own membership program. Starting in Germany, regular eBay users will be able to sign up for eBay Plus, an effort to help both buyers and sellers cut down on shipping times. It's thought eBay Plus will be rolled out to other countries in due course.

For an annual membership fee of $22, buyers signed up to eBay Plus will get guaranteed two-day deliveries, and free returns within 30 days. As a reward for participating in the program, sellers will receive a 15 percent discount on fees, and have their listings highlighted on the homepage. Thus, this is a win-win for everyone involved.

While eBay has now been in business foe 20 years, its growth is slowing, and eBay Plus could be the best way of persuading people to buy and sell more goods. Whether using eBay Plus or not, be sure to avoid these eBay scams and remember these critical tips for selling stuff on eBay.

Camera+ Goes Free on iPhone

Camera+, the iPhone camera app, is finally going free, after many years of only being available as a paid download. This is just the latest in a long line of previously paid apps which are being released for free, as that is now what most consumers expect. The addition of in-app purchases becoming the new standard.

The free version of Camera+ includes most of the important features of the paid version, including a stabilizer, digital zoom, a timer, a lightbox, and various other effects. However, some of the more advanced features will only be available through in-app purchases. These include manual shooting, intricate editing, and shooting in the lossless TIFF format.

The paid version of Camera+ costs $2.99, while Camera+ Free is now live on iTunes.

Spotify Found Them First

Spotify wants you to know which artists you discovered before most other people had even heard of them. To this end, the music streaming service has launched a microsite called Found Them First. This lists the breakout artists which you got into before 85 percent of other people.

According to Billboard, to be considered a breakout Spotify requires an artist to have accumulated at least 20 million streams and experienced significant growth. Any breakout artists you found first are added to a playlist you can share with friends in order to show off.

Etsy Manufacturing Helps Crafty Folk

As its latest effort to turn the art of crafting into a legitimate business, Etsy has launched Etsy Manufacturing. According to The New York Times, this connects Etsy sellers with small manufacturing companies, allowing the aforementioned sellers to fulfill larger orders.

Starting today, manufacturers will be able to create profiles on Etsy, with sellers able to choose which to team up with. There is a danger that this will turn Etsy into a mass-produced Hell, but the company believes craftspeople and small manufacturers share similar values.

Sony Products Are Made for Bond

While we're all very used to seeing product placements in movies, it's rare for the roles to be reversed. We have learned to just accept that James Bond wears a certain watch (maybe even an Apple Watch) based on which company was willing to pay for the privilege. But Sony have taken things a step further this time ahead of the release of Spectre.

The video embedded above is the first ad in a new advertising campaign called "Made for Bond". The ad features Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) on a mission to deliver Bond his new Xperia Z5 smartphone. Why he couldn't just walk into a shop and purchase one for himself isn't clear. But then he is James Bond.

Sony CEO Kazuo Hirai added to the ridiculousness of this ad by stating in the press release:

"While both the Xperia Z5 and RX100 IV are action-packed and full of features, they are also real, everyday-life gadgets. Whether being used by Moneypenny on undercover surveillance or a creative photographer who wants to take and share outstanding photography captured on social channels, they're easy to use, pocketable and award-winning products for day-to-day and secret agent use alike."

Jimmy Kimmel Fools Apple Fanboys

And finally, I think it's fair to say Apple fans aren't the brightest bunch. After all, they will happily spend thousands of dollars on the latest Apple products, most of which offer nothing other than incremental updates over last year's models. Just look at this year's offerings for proof that nothing ever really changes in the world of Apple.

U.S, chat show host Jimmy Kimmel decided to put this theory to the test, seeing if the average Apple fanboy or fangirl on the street (literally) could tell the difference between an original iPhone and an iPhone 6s. It turns out they can't tell the difference. Which suggests those eight years of upgrades were a total waste of everybody's time and money! [H/T CultOfMac]

Your Views on Today’s Tech News

Would you consider paying for eBay Plus? Do you already use Camera+? What artists did you discover early? Have you ever sold products on Etsy? Would you buy a Sony product to emulate James Bond? Would you know the difference between an original iPhone and an iPhone 6s?

Let us know your thoughts on the Tech News of the day by posting to the comments section below. Because a healthy discussion is always welcome.

Image Credits: OnInnovation via Flickr