How to use Bluesky Social: Everything to know about the popular X alternative

Bluesky is one of several social networks striving to offer an alternative to the site formerly known as Twitter. Here's how to join and use it.

Many X (formerly Twitter) users have been seeking an alternative over the last two years. In response, rival social media platforms have popped up that aim to offer a Twitter-like experience. One such service is Bluesky Social.

Since launching in October of 2022, Bluesky has seen its audience steadily and sometimes dramatically increase. By November 2023, the platform had reached 2 million users. Cut to September 2024, and the audience had grown to 9 million. A little more than a year later, and the count had hit 13 million. Then in November 2024, Bluesky tallied 14.5 million users, with 700,000 new members in just one week.


Also: How to migrate from X to Bluesky without losing your followers

Along the way, Bluesky has tried to keep innovating by adding and enhancing features such as custom feeds, direct messages, pinned posts, support for video attachments, an in-app music player, and more effective tools for dealing with inappropriate posts.

Looking ahead, Bluesky plans to roll out a paid subscription version with higher-quality video uploads and profile customizations. But the company promises that the service will always be free to use.

How Bluesky compares to X

Bluesky looks and works a lot like X. And that's no coincidence. Twitter co-founder and former CEO Jack Dorsey initially backed the company, though he left its board in 2024. Bluesky also differs from X in certain key ways.

Unlike X, which is a closed platform owned by one person, Bluesky is a decentralized social network with no central authority. Built on the AT protocol, Bluesky is an open-source platform that allows different social media apps to talk with each other. Bluesky users can share posts on networks that use the same protocol, such as Mastodon.


Many Bluesky users also like the platform because it has less of the dysfunction and toxicity found on X. In contrast to X, Bluesky feels like a friendlier social network where people can freely express their opinions without being blasted by trolls.

Also: How to manage Bluesky, Mastodon, and Threads all from one free app

All Bluesky features are free to use. Now, how do you sign up and use the service? Let's take a look.

How to use Bluesky
1. Browse the Bluesky website

With the Bluesky Social website, you can browse, search for, and view existing accounts and posts without having to sign up or sign in.

At the Discover page, scroll down to read the current posts or enter a word or term in the search field at the top to find specific ones.


Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
2. Sign up for Bluesky

When you're ready to set up your account, click the Sign up button. Enter your email address, create a password, and choose your date of birth. Click Next.



Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
3. Create a user handle

At the next screen, create and type a user handle. Your full handle on Bluesky will then be the name you type followed by .bsky.social, as in @johnsmith.bsky.social. Click Next.


Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
4. Create an avatar or use a photo

After answering a CAPTCHA challenge, you're asked to create an avatar or upload a photo of yourself. Perform either action and then click Continue.


Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
5. Choose your interests

The next screen prompts you to choose your favorite interests so that Bluesky can direct you to accounts you may want to follow. Select your interests and then click Continue.



Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
6. View your feeds

After Bluesky tells you that you're ready to go, you'll see a feed of accounts to follow based on your interests.


Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
7. Choose accounts to follow

At the bottom of the feed, Bluesky invites you to find more accounts to follow. Click that button. Review the suggested accounts and click the Follow button for any that interest you.


Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
8. Discover new feeds

Scroll to the bottom of the screen or return to the previous screen and click the button to discover new feeds. View the list of feeds and click the plus sign for any you want to follow.



Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
9. Access your Bluesky Following feed

You can now check out the feeds and posts you follow. At the website's home page, click the heading for Following. In the mobile app, tap the Home icon at the bottom and the Following heading at the top.

With the mobile app, you can also swipe to the right to access the same categories as on the website. You're then taken to your Bluesky Following feed. Scroll or swipe down the page and select any post you want to read.



Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
10. Find more accounts to follow

Click the Search button. Bluesky will suggest more accounts that might interest you. Select the Follow button for any you want to follow.


Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
11. Search for specific accounts to follow

To find specific accounts by name or topic, tap the Search icon. Type a search word or phrase. In response, the search window displays associated accounts, while the feed lists both posts and users that match your search term. Select an account or feed and click the Follow button to follow it.



Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
12. Discover popular posts and accounts

Return to the main feed screen. Click the Discover link to find popular new posts and potential accounts to follow. Another link for Popular with Friends shows you posts popular with the accounts you follow. Select the account name for any post that interests you and select the Follow button to follow it.


Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
13. Respond to a post

When you find a post that interests you, you're able to respond to it in a number of ways. Tap the Reply button to add a reply to the post. Tap the Repost button to repost or quote it. Tap the heart icon to like it. Tap the ellipsis icon to translate the post, copy its text, share it, mute the thread, or report it.



Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
14. Submit a post

To submit a post, tap the blue icon in the mobile app or click the New Post icon on the website. Type your post. Select the photo icon to attach a photo. Select the camera icon to snap and take a new photo.

Also: How to find your followers and friends on Mastodon

You can also create an ALT tag for an image, which describes it to someone who's unable to see it. Add the text for the ALT tab and select Save. When done, select Post.



Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
15. Submit a post with a link

You can also add links to your post. Select and copy the link from its source and then paste it into your post. Select the option for Add link card to display a preview of the page. When done, select Post.


Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
16. Add other items to a post

To spruce up a text post, you can also add a video clip, snap a new photo, or include a GIF. Just tap or click the appropriate button and select the item you want to include.


Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
17. View notifications

Select the Notifications icon or category to view any notifications.



Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
18. Mute or report a post

If you run into any objectionable content, there are a couple of steps you can take.

For an individual post, select the ellipsis icon and choose Mute thread to silence it or Report post to report it to Bluesky. If you report it, you're asked to select a category, e.g., spam, unwanted sexual content, copyright violation, etc. You can then add details to the report or immediately send it.


Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
19. Mute or block an account

You're also able to take certain actions on an entire account that you find objectionable or offensive in some way. Select the name of the account to view its profile page.


Select the ellipsis. Here, you can mute the account to silence its posts, block the account entirely, or report the account to Bluesky.


Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
20. Moderate your feed

You can view any content or accounts that you filter or block. To do this, select the Settings category and then choose Moderation (in the mobile app, swipe to the right first). Select Muted words & tags to control what type of content you want to see in your feed. Select Muted Accounts to view specific accounts you've muted and Blocked accounts to see any accounts you've blocked.



Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
21. View and edit your profile

Click the icon or category for Profile. The screen shows your posts and replies along with the number of posts, followers, and followed accounts. Select Edit Profile to add or change your display name, description, and picture. Then save your changes.


Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET
22. View and adjust your settings

Finally, select the icon or category for Settings. Here, you can add another account or invite a friend. You're also able to change the appearance of the screen, adjust the preferences for your feed, set up app passwords, view saved feeds, switch your language, change your handle, and delete your account.



Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNET


Source: https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-use-bluesky-social-everything-to-know-about-the-popular-x-alternative/

10 best music players for Android Auto

Android Auto is great for music and directions. Get your jams going with the best music players for Android Auto!

Music on Android Auto is a little bit finicky. Some obvious music players don’t work on Android Auto, and we can’t figure out why. Thus, some people still look for a decent way to listen to music. You get better luck with music streaming apps such as Pandora, Spotify, Google Play, YouTube, and Amazon Music. However, support for local media is still a bit sparse and irregular. We can help! Here are the best music players for Android Auto. You can find more Android Auto apps here as well.


We’d also like to give an honorable mention to BlackPlayer (Google Play). It’s an excellent music player, and the developer is working on overhauling it. However, the app hasn’t been updated since 2023. We’ll keep an eye on it.

The best music players for Android Auto
AIMP
GoneMAD
jetAudio
MediaMonkey
Musicolet
Pandora
Poweramp
Puslar
Spotify
Google Play Music / YouTube Music


AIMP

Price: Free





AIMP is an above-average music player with Android Auto support. This one is a local music player for the files on your device. It supports most major and common file types, including MP3, APE, OGG, AAC, FLAC, MP4, M4A, and MPC. The UI on Android Auto is fairly standard fair. The actual UI on your phone is functional and has a decent layout. Some additional features include a 29-band equalizer, playback speed controls (for podcasts and audiobooks), and volume normalization. There’s a laundry list of other features as well. This one is completely free, with no in-app purchases or ads.

Get it on Google Play

GoneMAD

Price: Free / $5.99





GoneMAD is an excellent local music player. It features a simple but effective UI, plenty of features, and Android Auto support. Some features include lyric support, crossfade, playlists, a custom audio engine, support for many audio formats, and a 16-band EQ. It competes very well with Poweramp, which is good because they also have similar costs. I use this one, and it hasn’t steered me wrong yet.

Get it on Google Play

jetAudio

Price: Free / Up to $12.99




jetAudio is another decent local music player with Android Auto support. The app has fun tricks, like AM3D audio enhancement, audio effects, and an equalizer with 32 presets. You also get above-average file support, a decent phone UI, and support for the usual stuff like playlists, crossfade, playback speed control, and more. There is a boatload of other features that cater to various niches.



It worked well during our testing on Android Auto and performs admirably as a standalone music player. You could do worse. The free version contains ads and fewer features, while the premium version has everything with no ads. Rocket Music Player is another app that gets a lot of recommendations from Android Auto users, alongside JetAudio. It is also quite good.

Get it on Google Play

MediaMonkey

Price: Free / Up to $2.49





MediaMonkey is a local music player with some neat features. The developers also have a full desktop app for Windows. You can sync your music wirelessly (over WiFi) between the mobile and PC versions. The actual Android version is quite good. The UI is super basic but functional. You also get an equalizer, playlists, crossfades, and other basic music playback features.


The Android Auto support is as good as the others on the list. We had no problems queuing up a playlist and jamming on the road. The Android version has a premium version that unlocks all the features via an in-app purchase. The desktop version is a tad more expensive, though.

Get it on Google Play

Musicolet

Price: Free







Musicolet carved out quite a name among the best music players on Android. It also has Android Auto support, making it a shoo-in for this list. The app features no ads, no Internet permissions, most of the usual music player functions, and a few decent extras. The UI is minimal but simple and effective, and you also get stuff like an equalizer, headphone control support, and home screen widgets. The Android Auto support was as good as we expected, which is as good as every other app. This one rocks a 4.7 rating on Google Play for a reason. The app is also entirely free, with no in-app purchases or advertising.

Get it on Google Play

Pandora

Price: Free / Up to $9.99 per month




Pandora is a shoo-in for a list like this. It’s available in most infotainment centers in vehicles anyway, and it would feel wrong if it didn’t have Android Auto support. You all know how Pandora works. You start a radio station, listen to music, skip the occasional song, hear the occasional ad, and move on with life. A premium option for $9.99 monthly adds on-demand music selection, more powerful playlists, unlimited skips on classic radio stations, and higher-quality audio. It’s a rock-solid option in music streaming, but we’re unsure if it usurps the best in the industry, like Spotify.

Get it on Google Play

Poweramp

Price: Free trial / $7.99




Poweramp is one of the most popular music player apps on Android, and for good reason. It has features, a good UI, and plenty of customization. It does support Android Auto, although it was one of the later music players to do so. The Android Auto UI is pretty typical, with quick access to the music player, playlists, and library. You can also ask Google Assistant to play songs from Poweramp, which usually works. It’s a great all-around player. The free version is a trial, and the full version costs $7.99.

Get it on Google Play

Pulsar

Price: Free / $3.99



Pulsar is another solid option for local media playback. The app is nothing too special. However, it has a simple UI, decent controls, and plays your music. Some features (aside from Android Auto support) include Chromecast support, an equalizer, ReplayGain, gapless playback, playback speed controls, and a home screen widget. There isn’t much wrong with this one. It won’t blow your mind, but it does the job without complaint. The free version has advertising, and the premium version removes ads. The premium version is also a separate app, and that’s a bit of a rarity nowadays. In any case, Pulsar is a good one.

Get it on Google Play

Spotify

Price: Free




Spotify is the world’s most popular music streaming service. In some cases, there’s a reason for it. One good example is that Spotify is usually among the first music streaming apps to support new technologies such as Android Auto. You all know what Spotify does. You can stream millions of songs, listen to your playlists, listen to music on-demand, and check out Spotify’s second-to-none discovery features. The Android Auto support is good, and we had no problems jamming out in the car. You can use it for free (with ads) or $10.99 monthly for no ads and extra features.

Get it on Google Play

YouTube Music

Price: Free / $10.99-$14.99 per month




YouTube Music officially replaced Google Play Music in late 2020, so it replaces Google Play Music here as well. YouTube Music is a decent overall music streaming service. You can also upload your songs to the service for playback and download songs in case you drive somewhere without great cell service. The UI on Android Auto is about the same as all the others and works with Google Assistant. We wish the app were better organized, but for $13.99 per month, you can get this along with no ads on regular YouTube, and that’s a potent 1-2 punch, even if YouTube Music isn’t the best music streaming app.

Get it on Google Play

Bonus: AnyAutoAudio (power users only)

Price: Free



XDA-Developers




AnyAutoAudio is a fun little solution for those who don’t like anything listed above. The app uses Android’s Notification Listener permission to access your music player and then pass it to Android Auto. It’s a little funky to use. You open your music player (PowerAmp, Neutron, etc.) and then plug it into your phone.


In Android Auto, choose the AnyAutoAudio option after hitting the music icon on the bottom navigation bar. Now you can listen to music from your native music player without downloading an extra app. This requires a sideload and some tweaks. We only recommend this to people who want a specific music player without Android Auto support and don’t mind tinkering with it a bit.

Get it on XDA-Developers


Tell us about any great Android Auto music players in the comments if we missed them.

Source: https://www.androidauthority.com/best-music-players-android-auto-944720/




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The 12 Best Ways to Share Files With Anyone Over the Web

Quick Links
ShareDrop
JustBeamIt
SendGB
Uploadfiles
Send Anywhere
PlusTransfer
WeTransfer
Files to Friends
FileTransfer
Tresorit
SendDropall
Drop.lol

Key Takeaways
Share files without hassle using websites like ShareDrop, SendAnywhere, and PlusTransfer
Send large files with ease through services like JustBeamIt, Uploadfiles, and FileTransfer
Utilize SendGB to securely share files up to 5 GB in size

There are many ways to share files between people and devices, but a lot of those methods can be cumbersome by requiring app downloads, account registrations, cloud storage setups, and so on.

That's why we prefer these no-hassle file sharing websites that let you drag-and-drop files and share links to those files so that others can download them right away.
ShareDrop


Powered by WebRTC, ShareDrop is a browser-based P2P file-sharing software. It works a little differently than the other file senders mentioned below.

To share a file, open the ShareDrop website and click the plus icon in the top-right corner. This creates a room that your friends can join through the link or QR code.

ShareDrop assigns an avatar to all the people in the room. Click on the avatar of the person to whom you want to send the file. Upload it and click Send. ShareDrop then sends the file once the receiver accepts.

Highlights:Encrypted peer-to-peer connection
No password protection
Uses WebRTC

JustBeamIt


JustBeamIt is another peer-to-peer transfer service that works in a simple way: select a file, generate a URL, share the link to the recipient, and keep both browsers open while the transfer takes place.

The good thing about JustBeamIt is that there's no limit on the size or number of files transferred. But, the file URL expires after only 10 minutes, so you'll have to re-upload the file and generate a new URL.

Highlights:File URLs expire after 10 minutes
No limits on file size or number of files
No encryption or password protection

SendGB


SendGB allows free transfer of files up to 5 GB. For most people, this will suffice. However, there’s an option to upgrade to premium plans.

It has three different types of paid plans. One of these offers up to 1 TB storage, the other allows one-time sharing of large files, and the third extends the storage time. However, even the free version can keep your files (under 250 MB) for up to 90 days. For larger files, the maximum storage period is one week.

SendGB can share files both via email and the URL. To protect your files, it allows the automatic destruction option. Similarly, you can password-protect your files.

Highlights:Password protection
5 GB free transfer
Option to upgrade for sending larger files

Uploadfiles


Uploadfiles lets you upload files to its servers without registering at all. It's entirely free to use and is one of the least restrictive services out there. Highly recommended if you don't want to use peer-to-peer.

Despite the generous free plan, it has Pro and Business subscriptions with more features and higher limits.

Highlights:Unlimited uploads
100 GB file size limit (5 GB for free users)
Transfers are encrypted
Files remain for 30 days
Pro accounts allow for 1 TB file size limit, permanent storage, and password protection

Send Anywhere


We've highlighted Send Anywhere before when talking about apps for sending large files, and while the web version isn't as good as the desktop or mobile apps, it's still fast and convenient to use.

Once you've uploaded your files, Send Anywhere gives you a six-digit code that you can share. Anyone who has that code can download the files you've uploaded. So simple, isn't it?

Highlights:Unlimited uploads
1 GB file size limit when using the web app
Encryption and password protection available
Files disappear as soon as they are downloaded

PlusTransfer


PlusTransfer launched back in 2014, but never really gained much traction in the realm of file-sharing sites. It actually bought out PipeBytes (a defunct peer-to-peer transfer service) but decided to stay with the traditional upload format.

No registration needed, but you'll need the recipient's email address to send the file. Multiple email addresses can be designated per file transfer.

Highlights:Unlimited uploads
5 GB limit per transfer
No encryption or password protection
Files remain anywhere from 1 to 14 days, depending on your choice

WeTransfer


You can use WeTransfer to securely share files with your friends. It works on a principle similar to PlusTransfer: upload your files, input the recipient's email address, and send the download their way. They've been around since 2009, and they're still going, so you know they're serious.

Highlights:Unlimited uploads
2 GB limit per transfer
Files remain for seven days
Plus accounts increase the transfer limit to 200 GB and grant 1 TB storage

Files to Friends


Files to Friends does exactly what it says on the tin—lets you send files to friends. It sends files only via email, so you’ll have to enter both your and your friend's email addresses. You can also leave a message.

The free version allows sharing of up to 1 GB of data. On the other hand, Files to Friends Plus allows 20 GB storage and sharing of 5 GB files. You can also customize the sharing page and access the history of shared files. The paid plan costs $10 per month with a 14-day free trial.

Highlights:File sharing via email
Limits the file size to 1 GB (free version)
No password protection

FileTransfer


FileTransfer is a decent tool with a couple of unique features. It checks the file for viruses and has an option for requesting files (for business accounts only). Best of all, you can charge people for downloading files, which works great if you want to share work with clients.

FileTransfer offers three plans: Free, Plus, and Business. The free plan provides 100 GB of storage, but limits file size to 6 GB. The Plus and Business plans are more generous but cost $9 and $49 per month respectively.

It can send files through URL and email. The free plan allows 50 downloads, while the paid plans offer unlimited downloads. You can password-protect your files as well.

Highlights:Antivirus Check
100 GB storage (in the free plan)
Monetizable files
Password-protection

Tresorit Send


Tresorit enables safe collaboration between team members through end-to-end encryption. For sharing files, it has a tool called Tresorit Send. It creates a shareable link for sending files, but you'll have to provide your email to use the service.

Highlights:End-to-end encryption
Password protection and access logs available
5 GB file size limit

Dropall


Dropall is a peer-to-peer file-sharing site that has a slightly different approach than the sites listed above. As soon as you open the site, it assigns you a random username and room number.

You can then upload your files here and share the room ID with your friends, which they can use to enter the room and download files. It allows you to upload multiple files to a single room. However, you'll have to pay $0.99 a year to password-protect your room.

Highlights:P2P file transfer
Password protection available
Files are deleted as soon as you close the site

Drop.lol


Drop.lol is similar to Dropall as it lets you create a room for file-sharing that others can join via a link or QR code. Moreover, it lets you chat with those who've joined your room. When you share a file, the receiver has to accept the transfer before it begins downloading.

A downside of Drop.lol is that you'll have to share files with every person separately, even if they've joined your room.

Highlights:Open-source tool for sharing files
Chat room to message the receiver/sender of the file
Files and messages are encrypted

All of these services share one important thing in common: you don't have to register an account, download anything, or install anything in order to use them. All you need is the website and a file to share. However, if you're going to do a lot of sharing for the foreseeable future—such as passing files back and forth between teammates or coworkers—then you should consider getting a cloud storage account instead.

Source: https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/15-super-quick-ways-share-files-without-cloud-storage/