Squeezed in-between banner ads for Microsoft’s cloud service, The New York Times has published a rather ironic obituary for the online banner ad. The Times’ Farad Manjoo calls the banner “one of the most misguided and destructive technologies of the Internet age.” Yet, rather than good sense on the part of publishers and marketers, it’s the rise of mobile that is finally felling the once might banner. “The Web, the medium in which [the banner] has thrived [is in] decline,” Manjoo writes. 

Rather than a double-check mark, WhatsApp is now turning checks blue to show users that a particular message has been received. According to 9to5Mac, it’s a “nifty new feature that -- although small -- might make a big difference in how users of the messaging app stay in touch with their friends.” Meanwhile, “this change comes shortly after rumors have reignited that WhatsApp will soon be getting some amount of VOIP (Voice over IP) capability.” Facebook has yet to comment on these rumors. 

Before its expected U.S. debut later this month, Tinder appears to be testing its new paid service overseas. “With the paid version, users will have access to two new central features of the app, Undo and Passport,” TechCrunch reports. “Undo lets people go back on the person they just swiped left on, a highly common accident, and Passport lets people search outside their geographic region.” The IAC unit is also testing a range of monthly subscription fees, from $.99 to as much as $19.99 in some markets, TechCrunch reports. 

Millennials are moving away from traditional payments. JWT suggests that brands that want to stay ahead of the curve and reach this key demographic, should consider acting as intermediaries between consumers and their money. Some of the agency's main observations include: Brands must prepare for a cash-limited future; companies need to cater to millennial desires for expediency; it’s important to compel consumers to opt in; and protecting security and privacy are essentials.