While usage of most mobile apps has remained neutral during the coronavirus pandemic, social media app usage has exploded during the lockdown, according to new data from Nielsen.

Why it matters: Prior to the pandemic, consumers and tech companies were both becoming more aware of the overuse of social media and actively trying to limit it. In a time when people can not connect with friends and family in person, companies have put these efforts on pause.

By the numbers: Prior to the pandemic, social media usage for most of January, February and early March remained relatively flat at around 20% of total mobile app usage, according to Nielsens data.

But beginning in mid-March, when statewide stay-at-home orders went into effect, social media app usage began to increase significantly, and now consumes around 25% of all mobile app usage for U.S. adults.

Other media app usage, like video, lifestyle, and finance apps have mostly remained the same, in part because consumers are now leveraging other devices, like desktops and television screens, for more activities while home.

Web based feed readers are kind of a pain to use. They often implement changes that you don't want, while taking away features that you like.  Local readers are much better when it comes to this, because you can revert to an older version in case of adverse changes.

Smart RSS Reader is a feed reader extension for Firefox and Chrome that I have been using for a week; I am quite impressed by it so far.

Install the add-on and click its toolbar icon to open a new tab with the extension's RSS reader. It has three panes, each of which has a toolbar at the top. The left pane is the feeds pane and lists all RSS feeds that you're subscribed too. Selecting a feed displays the title of the articles published by the site in the center pane. It also displays the author's name and the date when the article went live.

Apple has announced that Shortcuts, a powerful automation app for the iPhone and iPad, will come pre-installed on iOS devices starting this fall. This is great news because its an incredibly handy app — based on Workflow which Apple acquired in 2017 — that lets you combine multiple actions to perform a specific task.

What kind of things, you ask? Well, you can for example make it easier to open your favorite Apple Music playlist, find travel times to an address, create GIFs, and more. But one of its best uses in my opinion is use it as an RSS reader.

The West Bengal government on Saturday said it had brought back around 6,000 residents stranded outside the state and ensured safe return of people of other states stuck here due to the lockdown, virtually refuting the claims of non-cooperation made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The Cowboys still hope to hold training camp in Oxnard, California, this summer. The 49ers, Raiders, Chargers and Rams also are planning to have camp in California. But California was among the first states to entact stay-at-home orders and is expected to be among the last to allow large groups to convene. That means all [more]

The New England Patriots have been rapidly locking up their draft picks in the wake of the 2020 NFL Draft. They signed two more to contracts on Friday.

General manager Ryan Pace and the Bears have decided to decline a fifth-year option on Mitch Trubisky. However, Pace still believes in the quarterback.

Yahoo Fantasy’s Liz Loza and NFL writer Eric Edholm provide their NFL player comparisons for the rookie wideout from South Carolina. Subscribe to the Yahoo Fantasy Football Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

NFL Network's Mike Robinson believes the Philadelphia Eagles should still be favored vs. Dallas Cowboys in the NFC East.

The Ravens got another contract done with a 2020 draft pick on Friday. The team announced a deal with third-round offensive lineman Tyre Phillips. He's the seventh of their 10 draft picks to sign a four-year deal with the team this week. Phillips redshirted his first year at Mississippi State and served as a backup [more]

NFL Network's Steve Smith Sr. believes pressure is still on Seattle Seahawks to sign outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney.

It seems there isn't much we agree on these days, but one thing America is united on is this: The Bears blew it in 2017. Even Bears fans wouldn't argue that point. Chicago, of course, could have had Patrick Mahomes or Deshaun Watson and didn't have to trade up to No. 2 overall to get [more]

The NFL's regular-season schedule surprisingly opens with a bang. In a year during which the NFL could have loaded up the first weekend with so-so games and fans would have lapped it up like malnourished kittens, the league has instead loaded nine division games into Week One. From the banner raising in Kansas City featuring [more]

Everything's totally fine!

"The Bears NEVER ONCE talked to me..."

As expected, Larry Warford quickly has become a highly sought-after free agent. Hours after the Saints released the offensive guard, the Texans expressed interest. The Bears also are considering pursuing Warford, Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune reports. They might not have long to consider whether they're interested. The Bears signed Germain Ifedi, a first-round [more]

Believe it or not, Las Vegas experts favor the Lions over the Bears in Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season.