Also, Microsoft revamps MSN, Steven loves emoji, Google Glass lands on Google Play, and Wakie wakes you up with strangers.

Reddit Breaks Out The Banhammer

Reddit has banned The Fappening -- the subreddit tracking the celebrity nudes leak -- as well as other forums continually reposting links to the photos in question. The celebrity nudes leak saw hundreds of photo of celebrities in varying states of undress leak online, and The Fappening subreddit became a hub for news and views on the scandalous event.

The ban occurred as Reddit was preparing a blog post explaining why it had so far refused to ban The Fappening and other "questionable subreddits." Reddit maintains that The Fappening hadn't broken any rules in regard to the celebrity nudes, but pre-existing rules started being broken, leading to the ban.

This explanation hasn't placated the angry, placard-waving Reddit mob, which is suggesting this is nothing but censorship. It doesn't help that while all talk of celebrity nudes has been censured, subreddits which exist to collect and share nude photos of non-celebs have been left well alone. Which, it could be argued, is double standards.

The mass debate is sure to rage on, and on, and on and on, until no one actually cares any more.

Motorola Launches Range Of New Products

http://youtu.be/QPHHOrSbikc

Motorola has launched a trio of new products:-

The Moto X is a new version of the best-selling flagship phone. It features a 5.2-inch OLED screen, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 processor, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of internal storage, and a 13-megapixel camera. Buyers can choose to have a wood or leather finish on the back, with the device costing $499.99 unlocked when it becomes available later this month.

The Moto 360 [Broken URL Removed] is Motorola's first smartwatch, which was announced back in March alongside Android Wear. Interested parties can now order the Moto 360 from various retailers for $249.99, with early stock having already sold out over the weekend. The Moto 360 sports an edge-to-edge round display, a heart rate monitor, and wireless charging.

Last, and most definitely least, is the Moto Hint, a bizarre take on the Bluetooth headset which is being called the first "earable." The Moto Hint sits in your ear, letting you converse with your paired smartphone by talking and listening. Which is an interesting idea, but not quite as forward-looking as the smartwatches threatening to overtake the market.

Microsoft Revamps MSN Portal

Imagine if Skype rebrands and becomes MSN Messenger. That would be all kinds of amazing

— Tom Warren (@tomwarren) September 8, 2014

Microsoft has revamped the MSN portal, with eager beavers invited to try out the beta version. The new MSN portal features a responsive design, touch optimization, and a switch from content produced in-house to content provided by more than 1,000 partners.

Further proof that Microsoft is committed to the MSN brand comes with the announcement that the Bing apps for iOS and Android will be rebranded MSN in the coming months. Which is a cruel irony given the recent culling of MSN Messenger, now considered surplus to requirements thanks to the existence of Skype.

Steven Is A Social Network Based On Emoji

http://youtu.be/cySPkPO3480

Steven is the name of a new social networking app based solely on emojis. Created by former Twitter exec Abdur Chowdhury, Steven logs your activities and locations with emojis, as well as allowing you to add photos and comment on friends' photos, all using emojis. This isn't the first emoji-only social network, but it is the first named after a cat.

Google Glass Available Through Google Play

http://youtu.be/xw95AZzPpsU

Google has removed all barriers for those people who want to own Google Glass, adding the innovative wearables technology to Google Play. Unfortunately, despite this new easy availability, Google Glass is still priced at $1,500. Which means you need a lot of disposable income to justify even considering making a purchase.

If you believe the video we shared last week, Google Glass wouldn't be worth buying even at a fraction of that price. But then not everybody agrees with that pessimistic sentiment.

Wakie Is A Stranger Alarm Clock

http://youtu.be/3HW4x7UEc3E

And finally, installing a new app called Wakie means you can enjoy (or endure) being woken up every morning by complete and utter strangers. Wakie, called Budist in its native Russia, pairs people who want to be woken up at a certain time with people who want to do the waking up. After all, everyone needs a hobby.

Wakies and Sleepyheads, as the two parties are called, are of a similar age but the opposite gender, for no apparent reason. The Wakie calls the Sleepyhead at a designated time, with the conversation lasting one minute. Phone numbers aren't shared, unless of course you decide to reveal it during your conversation. Which we personally wouldn't recommend.

Wakie is already available for Android and Windows Phone, with the iPhone version awaiting approval from the overly cautious Apple.

Your Views On Today’s Tech News

Has Reddit done the right thing in banning The Fappening and its associated forums? Are you interested in either the Moto X or the Moto 360? Would you let a random stranger give you a wake-up call?

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 Credit: Sarah Scicluna via Flickr