theverge--2020-12-16--Hilary Duff says the Lizzie McGuire Disney Plus series is officially dead

The Lizzie McGuire Disney Plus series is officially dead , according to an Instagram post from Hilary Duff .
The series was reportedly going to feature an adult Duff reprising her role as Lizzie in her 30s , navigating a career in New York , and dealing with more “ adult ” themes .
“ It ’ s been an honor to have Lizzie in my life , ” Duff wrote .
“ I know the efforts and conversations have been everywhere trying to make work , but sadly and despite everyone ’ s best efforts [ the reboot ] @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The new Lizzie McGuire series ’ original showrunner Terri Minsky was fired by Disney over “ differences ” in creative direction only two episodes into production , Variety reports .
Following Minsky ’ s removal , work on the show was halted completely in January 2020 , with the future of it unknown .
Disney has taken steps in the past to maintain Disney Plus ’ family friendly image , even going as far as censoring a nude butt in the film Splash .
The company has placed movies and shows that it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ For instance , it moved Love , Victor to the service from Disney Plus for featuring alcohol use and sexual exploration .
Duff publicly asked Disney to consider moving her show as well , but no change ever came , and Duff ’ s announcement has sealed Lizzie McGuire ’ s fate .

The Lizzie McGuire Disney Plus series is officially dead, according to an Instagram post from Hilary Duff. The series was reportedly going to feature an adult Duff reprising her role as Lizzie in her 30s, navigating a career in New York, and dealing with more “adult” themes.
“It’s been an honor to have Lizzie in my life,” Duff wrote. “I know the efforts and conversations have been everywhere trying to make work, but sadly and despite everyone’s best efforts [the reboot] isn’t going to happen.”
The new Lizzie McGuire series’ original showrunner Terri Minsky was fired by Disney over “differences” in creative direction only two episodes into production, Variety reports. Following Minsky’s removal, work on the show was halted completely in January 2020, with the future of it unknown.


theverge--2020-12-16--Twitter is returning retweets to the way they used to be

Twitter will no longer automatically show the quote tweet prompt when you try to retweet something starting on Wednesday , the company announced .
The change to the way retweets worked was first implemented in October ahead of the 2020 US presidential election .
Twitter ’ s aim with the change was to encourage people to tweet and amplify information more thoughtfully .
“ We don ’ t believe that this happened , in practice , ” Twitter said in a series of tweets .
“ The use of Quote Tweets increased , but 45 percent of them included single-word @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 25 characters.
” Twitter also saw a 20 percent decrease in retweets and quote tweets while the automatic quote tweet prompt was in place .
While the changes to retweets were in place , you didn ’ t have to write anything in the quote tweet prompt that appeared .
Leaving the prompt blank and hitting the retweet button in the prompt would share that tweet to your followers with no context from you .
But apparently , the change to retweets didn ’ t exactly accomplish what Twitter wanted , so the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the way they used to be .

Twitter will no longer automatically show the quote tweet prompt when you try to retweet something starting on Wednesday, the company announced.
The change to the way retweets worked was first implemented in October ahead of the 2020 US presidential election. Twitter’s aim with the change was to encourage people to tweet and amplify information more thoughtfully.
“We don’t believe that this happened, in practice,” Twitter said in a series of tweets. “The use of Quote Tweets increased, but 45 percent of them included single-word affirmations and 70 percent had less than 25 characters.” Twitter also saw a 20 percent decrease in retweets and quote tweets while the automatic quote tweet prompt was in place.
While the changes to retweets were in place, you didn’t have to write anything in the quote tweet prompt that appeared. Leaving the prompt blank and hitting the retweet button in the prompt would share that tweet to your followers with no context from you. But apparently, the change to retweets didn’t exactly accomplish what Twitter wanted, so the company is changing how retweets work back to the way they used to be.


theverge--2020-12-16--Zoom is lifting its 40-minute meeting limit for several upcoming holidays

Zoom will be lifting its 40-minute meeting limit for free accounts globally in recognition of several upcoming holidays , the company confirmed to The Verge .
The limits will be removed in recognition of Hanukkah , Christmas Eve , Christmas , New Year ’ s Eve , New Year ’ s Day , and Kwanzaa .
The company similarly lifted its 40-minute limit last month for Thanksgiving Day .
Here ’ s exactly when Zoom will be removing the 40-minute limit : • 10AM ET Thursday , December 17th , to 6AM ET Saturday , December 19th , for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , December 23rd , to 6AM ET Saturday , December 26th , for Christmas Eve and Christmas • 10AM ET on Wednesday , December 30th , to 6AM ET on Saturday , January 2nd , for New Year ’ s Eve , New Year ’ s Day , and the end of Kwanzaa Normally , meetings with three or more people hosted on Zoom ’ s free tier can ’ t last longer than 40 minutes .
If you wanted to talk longer , you ’ d have to go through the hassle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to join again .
By removing the limit for these holidays , hopefully virtual meetups with friends and family can be less focused on the clock and more on catching up with loved ones .
If you prefer to use Google Meet to connect with family and friends , that ’ s an option , too , as Google is letting free users host calls that last for up to 24 hours through March 31st , 2021 .

Zoom will be lifting its 40-minute meeting limit for free accounts globally in recognition of several upcoming holidays, the company confirmed to The Verge. The limits will be removed in recognition of Hanukkah, Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, and Kwanzaa. The company similarly lifted its 40-minute limit last month for Thanksgiving Day.
Here’s exactly when Zoom will be removing the 40-minute limit:
10AM ET Thursday, December 17th, to 6AM ET Saturday, December 19th, for the end of Hanukkah
10AM ET Wednesday, December 23rd, to 6AM ET Saturday, December 26th, for Christmas Eve and Christmas
10AM ET on Wednesday, December 30th, to 6AM ET on Saturday, January 2nd, for New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, and the end of Kwanzaa
Normally, meetings with three or more people hosted on Zoom’s free tier can’t last longer than 40 minutes. If you wanted to talk longer, you’d have to go through the hassle of starting another meeting and getting everyone to join again. By removing the limit for these holidays, hopefully virtual meetups with friends and family can be less focused on the clock and more on catching up with loved ones.


theverge--2020-12-16--Google acquires Neverware, a company that turns old PCs into Chromebooks

Today , Neverware announced in an FAQ that it ’ s now part of Google .
Neverware , based in New York City , makes a software application called CloudReady that allows you to convert a PC into a system that runs Chrome OS .
In its FAQ , Neverware states that it and its CloudReady software are “ officially part of Google and the Chrome OS team.
” CloudReady offers a free version for personal use , as well as paid tiers for enterprise and education .
The idea is that companies and schools ( as well as individuals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into Chromebooks rather than throwing them out — Chrome OS is a less demanding operating system for these machines to run than Windows 10 is .
According to Neverware ’ s FAQ , not much is going to change for current CloudReady customers in the near future .
The company ’ s website , forums , customer support , and admin portal will continue to function as usual , though it seems that they ’ ll eventually migrate over to Google ’ s services .
As the About Chromebooks site notes , some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help Google continue to push Chrome OS updates to older devices , extending the time frame in which some Chromebooks can receive the latest software .
( Google hasn ’ t said anything of the sort , so that ’ s just hopeful speculation for now ) .
Google and Neverware are well acquainted — Google led an investment round in the startup back in 2017 .

Today, Neverware announced in an FAQ that it’s now part of Google.
Neverware, based in New York City, makes a software application called CloudReady that allows you to convert a PC into a system that runs Chrome OS. In its FAQ, Neverware states that it and its CloudReady software are “officially part of Google and the Chrome OS team.”
CloudReady offers a free version for personal use, as well as paid tiers for enterprise and education. The idea is that companies and schools (as well as individuals) can convert old, slow systems into Chromebooks rather than throwing them out — Chrome OS is a less demanding operating system for these machines to run than Windows 10 is.
According to Neverware’s FAQ, not much is going to change for current CloudReady customers in the near future. The company’s website, forums, customer support, and admin portal will continue to function as usual, though it seems that they’ll eventually migrate over to Google’s services.
As the About Chromebooks site notes, some of the software that Neverware makes could help Google continue to push Chrome OS updates to older devices, extending the time frame in which some Chromebooks can receive the latest software. (Google hasn’t said anything of the sort, so that’s just hopeful speculation for now).


theverge--2020-12-16--Massachusetts governor won’t sign facial recognition ban

Massachusetts Gov .
Charlie Baker has refused to sign a law banning most government use of facial recognition .
The Boston Globe reported last week that Baker sent an omnibus police reform bill back to state lawmakers , asking for changes that included striking the facial recognition rules .
Massachusetts legislators passed the first major state-level facial recognition ban , following a model set by individual cities like Boston and San Francisco .
The bill says public agencies , including police departments , can ’ t use or acquire biometric surveillance systems .
It makes exceptions for running facial recognition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as long as police obtain a warrant or demonstrate “ immediate danger ” that requires a search .
It would help fill a gap left by federal lawmakers , who haven ’ t passed a nationwide framework for using potentially invasive facial recognition technologies .
But in a letter to lawmakers , Baker said the reform package “ ignores the important role [ facial recognition ] can play in solving crime.
” His office told the Globe that he plans to veto the bill if lawmakers don ’ t make changes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sweeping bill , which aims to reform police tactics , training , and accountability .
The package would create a new oversight commission to investigate misconduct and potentially revoke officers ’ licenses , and it would restrict the use of chokeholds , rubber bullets , and tear gas .
In addition to the facial recognition ban , Baker objected to policies like shifting police training oversight to a civilian-led committee .
The American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts urged lawmakers to reject the proposed changes .
“ Governor Baker rejected a crucial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents from unregulated police use of face surveillance technology , which has been proven to unfairly target Black and brown people , leading to the arrest of innocent people .
Unchecked police use of surveillance technology also harms everyone ’ s rights to anonymity , privacy , and free speech , ” said executive director Carol Rose .

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker has refused to sign a law banning most government use of facial recognition. The Boston Globe reported last week that Baker sent an omnibus police reform bill back to state lawmakers, asking for changes that included striking the facial recognition rules.
Massachusetts legislators passed the first major state-level facial recognition ban, following a model set by individual cities like Boston and San Francisco. The bill says public agencies, including police departments, can’t use or acquire biometric surveillance systems. It makes exceptions for running facial recognition searches against a motor vehicles registration database, as long as police obtain a warrant or demonstrate “immediate danger” that requires a search. It would help fill a gap left by federal lawmakers, who haven’t passed a nationwide framework for using potentially invasive facial recognition technologies.
But in a letter to lawmakers, Baker said the reform package “ignores the important role [facial recognition] can play in solving crime.” His office told the Globe that he plans to veto the bill if lawmakers don’t make changes.
Facial recognition is just one facet of the sweeping bill, which aims to reform police tactics, training, and accountability. The package would create a new oversight commission to investigate misconduct and potentially revoke officers’ licenses, and it would restrict the use of chokeholds, rubber bullets, and tear gas. In addition to the facial recognition ban, Baker objected to policies like shifting police training oversight to a civilian-led committee.


theverge--2020-12-16--You can now watch HBO Max on your PS5

You can now watch HBO Max on your PS5

Sony on Wednesday announced that HBO Max is finally available for its next-gen console .
Support for the app , revealed in a tweet from the official PlayStation account , should be great news if you managed to get a PS5 and were planning to use it as an entertainment hub for movies in addition to games , as HBO Max was the last major streaming service absent from the console .
If you ’ re still on the PS4 , this update likely won ’ t mean much to you , as that device has had the app for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mean any PlayStation fans should now be able to watch Wonder Woman 1984 , which will be available in 4K HDR for PS5 owners with supported TVs and other Warner Bros. movies coming out next year on HBO ’ s new streaming service .
( Xbox Series X / S owners have had access to the app since the consoles launched . )
When I went to download HBO Max on my PS5 , it told me the app was only available for PS4 , but a quick reboot made it available to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it as well , you can go to the media tab on the PS5 ’ s home screen and scroll down to the All Apps section .
Update December 16th , 4:47 PM ET : Removed a line about the app only being available in the US , as HBO Max as a service is only available in the US .

Sony on Wednesday announced that HBO Max is finally available for its next-gen console. Support for the app, revealed in a tweet from the official PlayStation account, should be great news if you managed to get a PS5 and were planning to use it as an entertainment hub for movies in addition to games, as HBO Max was the last major streaming service absent from the console.
If you’re still on the PS4, this update likely won’t mean much to you, as that device has had the app for a while now. But it does mean any PlayStation fans should now be able to watch Wonder Woman 1984, which will be available in 4K HDR for PS5 owners with supported TVs and other Warner Bros. movies coming out next year on HBO’s new streaming service. (Xbox Series X / S owners have had access to the app since the consoles launched.)
When I went to download HBO Max on my PS5, it told me the app was only available for PS4, but a quick reboot made it available to download. If you want to download it as well, you can go to the media tab on the PS5’s home screen and scroll down to the All Apps section.
Update December 16th, 4:47 PM ET: Removed a line about the app only being available in the US, as HBO Max as a service is only available in the US.


theverge--2020-12-16--HBO Max is finally coming to Roku

HBO Max is finally coming to Roku

One of the biggest hurdles facing HBO Max is no longer a problem : the streaming service will finally be coming to Roku devices , starting December 17th .
The move comes just after after WarnerMedia announced that it will simultaneously release its 2021 movies on HBO Max the same day they debut in theaters .
The move follows Wonder Woman 1984 debuting on HBO Max the same day as its released in theaters on December 25th .
Wonder Woman 1984 and many of Warner Bros. ’ 2021 slate are the types of movies that will drive subscribers to HBO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ win-win for both parties to have a deal by then .
Roku can reap some of the reward from those signups , and HBO Max is now available to tens of millions of people who use Roku devices .
Once available , Roku users will be able to simply install the HBO Max channel on their devices , just like any other streaming application .
Customers who already have the HBO app installed will be automatically updated to the HBO Max app , too .
HBO Max on Roku will also work with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll be able to subscribe for the service directly through a Roku account .
With approximately 46 million active accounts on Roku , it ’ s important for WarnerMedia to have HBO Max available to as many of those customers as possible .
HBO Max hasn ’ t been available on Roku since the streaming service launched at the end of May , and WarnerMedia recently made an agreement with Amazon so Fire TV and Fire tablet users could access the app .
HBO Max has just over 12 million active subscribers — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re happy with HBO Max ’ s performance , competitors like Netflix and Disney Plus are growing at faster rates .
Disney Plus amassed nearly 87 million subscribers in just a little over a year ; HBO Max can ’ t even convince current HBO subscribers to upgrade for no additional cost to Max .
Roku ’ s 46 million accounts will now be able to subscribe to HBO Max Roku and Amazon make up a combined 33 percent market share for people who stream entertainment , according to Parks Associates .
Not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a role in HBO Max ’ s less-than-stellar subscriber numbers over the last several months .
Considering that HBO has more than 35 million subscribers in the United States , and all of those subscribers can sign up for Max for free , WarnerMedia has only activated 12.7 million customers .
Not great !
Up until now , Roku and WarnerMedia have been in a long-standing reverse carriage dispute — something traditional television has dealt with for years .
Think of it like this : cable operators pay television networks to carry their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cable operators have to pay for it .
When distribution arguments arise , these become carriage disputes .
Consumers know these situations as blackouts .
Suddenly , a channel that was once available is no longer .
Essentially , one party holds out from distributing until an agreement is reached .
Streaming hubs like Roku want new players like WarnerMedia ( when it comes to HBO Max ) to pay them .
The same result happens : negotiations are held until it ’ s resolved — it ’ s essentially a reversed carriage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ needs Roku to reach the tens of millions of people who use that as a primary entertainment source .
Roku would like to give HBO Max to its customers so they spend more time in that overall ecosystem .
A deal was inevitable , but not having Roku as a partner the second HBO Max went live , leading to mass confusion , didn ’ t help .

One of the biggest hurdles facing HBO Max is no longer a problem: the streaming service will finally be coming to Roku devices, starting December 17th.
The move comes just after WarnerMedia announced that it will simultaneously release its 2021 movies on HBO Max the same day they debut in theaters. The move follows Wonder Woman 1984 debuting on HBO Max the same day as it's released in theaters on December 25th. Wonder Woman 1984 and many of Warner Bros.’ 2021 slate are the types of movies that will drive subscribers to HBO Max, so it’s a win-win for both parties to have a deal by then. Roku can reap some of the rewards from those signups, and HBO Max is now available to tens of millions of people who use Roku devices.
Once available, Roku users will be able to simply install the HBO Max channel on their devices, just like any other streaming application. Customers who already have the HBO app installed will be automatically updated to the HBO Max app, too. HBO Max on Roku will also work with Roku Pay, meaning that you’ll be able to subscribe to the service directly through a Roku account.
With approximately 46 million active accounts on Roku, it’s important for WarnerMedia to have HBO Max available to as many of those customers as possible. HBO Max hasn’t been available on Roku since the streaming service launched at the end of May, and WarnerMedia recently made an agreement with Amazon so Fire TV and Fire tablet users could access the app. HBO Max has just over 12 million active subscribers — and while executives publicly state they’re happy with HBO Max’s performance, competitors like Netflix and Disney Plus are growing at faster rates. Disney Plus amassed nearly 87 million subscribers in just a little over a year; HBO Max can’t even convince current HBO subscribers to upgrade for no additional cost to Max.
Roku’s 46 million accounts will now be able to subscribe to HBO Max
Roku and Amazon make up a combined 33 percent market share for people who stream entertainment, according to Parks Associates. Not being on those platforms has likely played a role in HBO Max’s less-than-stellar subscriber numbers over the last several months. Considering that HBO has more than 35 million subscribers in the United States, and all of those subscribers can sign up for Max for free, WarnerMedia has only activated 12.7 million customers. Not great! Up until now, Roku and WarnerMedia have been in a long-standing reverse carriage dispute — something traditional television has dealt with for years.
Think of it like this: cable operators pay television networks to carry their channels. If they want content, cable operators have to pay for it. When distribution arguments arise, these become carriage disputes. Consumers know these situations as blackouts. Suddenly, a channel that was once available is no longer. Essentially, one party holds out from distributing until an agreement is reached.
Streaming hubs like Roku want new players like WarnerMedia (when it comes to HBO Max) to pay them. The same result happens: negotiations are held until it’s resolved — it’s essentially a reversed carriage dispute.
The bottom line is WarnerMedia needs Roku to reach the tens of millions of people who use that as a primary entertainment source. Roku would like to give HBO Max to its customers so they spend more time in that overall ecosystem. A deal was inevitable, but not having Roku as a partner the second HBO Max went live, leading to mass confusion, didn’t help.


theverge--2020-12-16--A Canadian astronaut will fly around the Moon on the first crewed mission of NASA’s new rocket

One of Canada ’ s astronauts will be sent around the Moon as part of a partnership between NASA and the Canadian Space Agency ( CSA ) , NASA announced today .
The two organizations have formally agreed to collaborate on building a lunar space station called the Lunar Gateway .
The Gateway is just one part of NASA ’ s larger Artemis program , which is focused on landing a woman on the Moon by 2024 .
A Canadian astronaut will participate in NASA ’ s planned Artemis II mission , and the CSA also has a seat on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is complete .
By joining the Artemis II mission , Canada will become the second country to have an astronaut fly around the Moon , the CSA says .
Canada currently has just four active astronauts , and the CSA has not announced which will be participating in this partnership .
Artemis I is the uncrewed test of NASA ’ s new rocket , the Space Launch System ( SLS ) , and its Orion capsule .
Artemis II will be the first flight of the system with people on board , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crew will test the spacecraft ’ s systems on a trip that will take them 4,600 miles past the far side of the Moon .
Actually landing on the Moon is planned for the next mission , Artemis III .
Along with crew , the partnership signed today says that the CSA will provide external robotics assistance for the Gateway , including the construction of Canadarm3 , an autonomous robotics system with multiple arms and detachable tools .
Canadarm3 will inspect and repair the outside of the Gateway , catch visiting vehicles , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it orbits the Moon .
Building and maintaining the Gateway is a critical step in NASA ’ s plan to create a long-term foothold on the Moon .
The Gateway is intended as a research station and rest stop for longer missions to the Moon and into deep space .
Whether NASA can meet its ambitious goal of landing people on the Moon in 2024 remains to be seen .
NASA has struggled with budgeting issues in building the SLS and a component failure in the Orion capsule it ’ s supposed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says it will still be able to launch the Artemis I mission in November 2021 .
Artemis II , with its new Canadian crew member in tow , is planned for 2023 .

One of Canada’s astronauts will be sent around the Moon as part of a partnership between NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), NASA announced today. The two organizations have formally agreed to collaborate on building a lunar space station called the Lunar Gateway. The Gateway is just one part of NASA’s larger Artemis program, which is focused on landing a woman on the Moon by 2024.
A Canadian astronaut will participate in NASA’s planned Artemis II mission, and the CSA also has a seat on a future flight to the Gateway once it is complete. By joining the Artemis II mission, Canada will become the second country to have an astronaut fly around the Moon, the CSA says. Canada currently has just four active astronauts, and the CSA has not announced which will be participating in this partnership.
Artemis I is the uncrewed test of NASA’s new rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), and its Orion capsule. Artemis II will be the first flight of the system with people on board, and during its 10-day mission, the crew will test the spacecraft’s systems on a trip that will take them 4,600 miles past the far side of the Moon. Actually landing on the Moon is planned for the next mission, Artemis III.
Along with crew, the partnership signed today says that the CSA will provide external robotics assistance for the Gateway, including the construction of Canadarm3, an autonomous robotics system with multiple arms and detachable tools. Canadarm3 will inspect and repair the outside of the Gateway, catch visiting vehicles, and relocate modules of the Gateway as it orbits the Moon.
Building and maintaining the Gateway is a critical step in NASA’s plan to create a long-term foothold on the Moon. The Gateway is intended as a research station and rest stop for longer missions to the Moon and into deep space.


Twitch bans ‘simp’

Twitch will no longer allow streamers and commenters to go around calling one another “ simps.
” The term — a recent favorite in the Twitch community that nominally refers to men who seem desperate for a woman ’ s attention — will be banned when used as an insult under Twitch ’ s upcoming revamp of its harassment policy .
“ Incel ” and “ virgin ” will be banned as insults , too , Twitch COO Sara Clemens said during a live-streamed town hall this afternoon .
The new policy , first spotted by esports consultant Rod Breslau @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 22nd .
It also includes stricter rules around sexual harassment and seems to give Twitch more leeway to ban streamers and commenters who make offensive comments .
Twitch is also rejecting emotes that include “ simp ” The policy overhaul comes after Twitch was inundated with reports of sexual harassment within its community and complaints that the company had ignored the issue for years .
Twitch said in June that it was “ committed to continuing our efforts to make Twitch a safer environment ” and that a review of its hateful conduct @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Simp ” is being banned under a portion of the revamped policy that prohibits derogatory statements about another person ’ s perceived sexual preferences .
“ And that does include negatively targeting another person with sexually focused terms , ” Clemens said .
Twitch is also “ proactively denying ” emotes that include all three of these terms as well .
The words “ simp , ” “ incel , ” and “ virgin ” will not be banned in all situations .
Twitch will only take action when they ’ re used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s how these terms come up on Twitch .
“ We will take action against the use of terms like ‘ simp , ’ ‘ incel ’ or ‘ virgin ’ specifically when they are being used to negatively refer to another person ’ s sexual practices .
Using these terms on their own wouldn ’ t lead to an enforcement but we would take action if they were used repeatedly in a harassing manner , ” a Twitch spokesperson told The Verge .
Twitch ’ s updated harassment policy lists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sexual harassment .
Among them is a ban on “ making derogatory statements about another person ’ s perceived sexual practices or sexual morality.
” The policy goes on to say that would include “ repeatedly negatively targeting another person with sexually-focused terms , such as ‘ whore ’ or ‘ virgin.
’ ” There aren ’ t details on exactly how Twitch will enforce the ban around “ simp.
” But moderators may find it to be tricky given just how often the term is thrown around on Twitch .
The Verge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ details .
Update December 16th , 5:40PM ET : This story has been updated with a statement from Twitch .

Twitch will no longer allow streamers and commenters to go around calling one another “simps.” The term — a recent favorite in the Twitch community that nominally refers to men who seem desperate for a woman’s attention — will be banned when used as an insult under Twitch’s upcoming revamp of its harassment policy. “Incel” and “virgin” will be banned as insults, too, Twitch COO Sara Clemens said during a live-streamed town hall this afternoon.
The new policy, first spotted by esports consultant Rod Breslau, will go into effect on January 22nd. It also includes stricter rules around sexual harassment and seems to give Twitch more leeway to ban streamers and commenters who make offensive comments.
Twitch is also rejecting emotes that include “simp”
The policy overhaul comes after Twitch was inundated with reports of sexual harassment within its community and complaints that the company had ignored the issue for years. Twitch said in June that it was “committed to continuing our efforts to make Twitch a safer environment” and that a review of its hateful conduct and harassment policies was underway.
“Simp” is being banned under a portion of the revamped policy that prohibits derogatory statements about another person’s perceived sexual preferences. “And that does include negatively targeting another person with sexually focused terms,” Clemens said. Twitch is also “proactively denying” emotes that include all three of these terms as well.
The words “simp,” “incel,” and “virgin” will not be banned in all situations. Twitch will only take action when they’re used for harassment — but, typically, that’s how these terms come up on Twitch.
“We will take action against the use of terms like ‘simp,’ ‘incel’ or ‘virgin’ specifically when they are being used to negatively refer to another person’s sexual practices. Using these terms on their own wouldn’t lead to an enforcement but we would take action if they were used repeatedly in a harassing manner,” a Twitch spokesperson told The Verge.
Twitch’s updated harassment policy lists a number of banned behaviors relating to sexual harassment. Among them is a ban on “making derogatory statements about another person’s perceived sexual practices or sexual morality.” The policy goes on to say that would include “repeatedly negatively targeting another person with sexually-focused terms, such as ‘whore’ or ‘virgin.’”
There aren’t details on exactly how Twitch will enforce the ban around “simp.” But moderators may find it to be tricky given just how often the term is thrown around on Twitch. The Verge has reached out to Twitch for more details.


theverge--2020-12-17--Canoo reveals a new electric delivery vehicle ahead of stock exchange debut

California EV startup Canoo has announced a new multipurpose electric vehicle aimed at last-mile deliveries and other small businesses , which starts at $ 33,000 but scales up in size and cost .
Due in 2022 , the vehicle is the centerpiece of what new executive chairman Tony Aquila told The Verge amounts to a “ re-founding of the company ” ahead of its debut on the NASDAQ stock exchange at the end of next week , thanks to a reverse merger with a so-called blank check company .
It ’ s Canoo ’ s second vehicle , following the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canoo still plans to make that EV — in fact , the new multipurpose vehicle is built on the same technological platform that Canoo developed for the van , and they share similar design features — but Aquila told The Verge the company ’ s immediate focus has changed .
“ When I invested in [ Canoo ] , I didn ’ t invest in it for the lifestyle vehicle .
To me , I saw that as a derivative , but that the real asset was this multipurpose delivery platform , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would look at it is this is a re-founding of the company , just kind of like Elon did to Tesla , ” Aquila said , referring to how Elon Musk got involved with the now-famous electric vehicle company shortly after its founding and changed its trajectory .
Aquila , who comes from a finance and software background , invested $ 35 million in Canoo this summer through his firm before the merger and before he was elevated to chairman .
“ He put money in [ Tesla ] , just like I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a different vision , comes out of the tech world .
So I can completely relate and appreciate what he ’ s done for the industry.
” Two models — small and big — with different battery pack options The new vehicle will initially be sold in two variants , though Canoo says more will eventually be offered .
The smaller one ( which is the one that starts at $ 33,000 ) is 14.4 feet long , 6.4 feet wide , and 6.2 feet tall , and has 230 cubic feet of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different battery pack options , too : 40kWh ( with an estimated 130 miles of range ) , 60kWh ( 190 miles ) , and 80kWh ( 230 miles ) .
The company will also make a larger version that is 17.1 feet long , 7.2 feet wide , and 8.4 feet tall , with 500 cubic feet of cargo space , which Aquila said is “ unheard of for this industry.
” The same battery pack options will be available , though the range estimates drop to 90 miles , 140 miles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thanks to the extra weight .
The vehicle can be further customized from there , according to Canoo , which suggests options like storage lockers , a roll-up door , or ramps in its press release .
Aquila said this kind of customization presents a “ real gold opportunity ... to go after and bring EVs to the middle of America ” by targeting small business owners who will want to switch to electric vehicles .
He also claims it will help “ return capital ” to these vehicle owners ( thanks to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of EVs ) , to the tune of as much as $ 50,000 to $ 80,000 over seven years .
Canoo didn ’ t share details on pricing above the $ 33,000 base model .
Limited deliveries will start in 2022 with wider production in 2023 .
Debuting a second vehicle , spinning up a new business model , and evolving into a publicly traded company are major milestones for Canoo , which is only three years old .
That said , the public listing comes as no surprise , as multiple EV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including suppliers in the broader electric vehicle space ) have been either prepping public listings or have already gone public during what ’ s become a bona fide gold rush — one fueled by Tesla ’ s soaring valuation as well as the sudden popularity of startups merging with these “ special purpose acquisition companies , ” or SPACs .
Canoo has come a long way in just three years Few startups have been able to follow Tesla into the electric vehicle space over the last decade .
Most that have came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ records to boot .
But this new wave of attention and funding could unlock the kind of money required for companies like Canoo to try their hand at the cash-hungry affair of vehicle design and manufacturing .
Canoo was founded in late 2017 by a few former BMW executives who had tried to pull buzzy but troubled EV startup Faraday Future out of a financial nosedive .
Thwarted by Faraday Future ’ s founder , the stubborn Chinese tycoon Jia Yueting , those executives split off and created Evelozcity , which they eventually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a touchscreen magnate in Taiwan , a financier with CCP ties in China , and a businessman in the UK close to Prince Andrew , as The Verge first reported , Canoo assembled a team of around 300 people in Los Angeles to develop the electric van and its underlying technology .
In August , Canoo announced the merger with the blank check company , Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp IV .
The deal is expected to close next week , with Canoo becoming a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ under the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ founders always intended to use the van ’ s modular platform to power other vehicles , but Aquila is supercharging that vision by accelerating those plans .
With that in mind , there are changes being made to Canoo ’ s corporate structure .
Ulrich Kranz , one of the BMW executives who co-founded Canoo and the current CEO , is no longer on the company ’ s board of directors .
He ’ ll instead be a “ special adviser ” to Aquila , and while he ’ ll remain CEO , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ language that accounts for the possibility of him being replaced , according to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission .
“ It ’ s like a baseball team .
Everybody ’ s got to play their position.
” “ I want to build a world class company here , and what I ’ ve said to everyone is , look , you ’ re going to go as far in this company and as big as this company as we all collectively do .
But it ’ s like a baseball team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their position and they ’ ve got to play it really well for every season , and those positions can change over time , ” Aquila told The Verge when asked about Kranz ’ s new contract .
“ There ’ s definitely a role [ for Kranz ] .
There ’ s definitely advice that can happen .
But to scale an organization at this level , I mean , that ’ s a different experience than he has.
” Aquila also told The Verge that one of Canoo ’ s founding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be on the board despite owning between 32 and 36 percent of the company after the merger is complete , per SEC filings .
Li , who also goes by Li Botan , heads up a massive investment firm in China and is the son-in-law of Jia Qinglin who was the fourth-most senior leader in China before retiring in 2013 .
Aquila told The Verge that this choice was made to avoid any trouble with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States , which has authority over deals that could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( Li ’ s involvement in Canoo was first reported by The Verge last year . )
“ It ’ s best to be ahead of things rather than try to deal with them [ after ] , ” Aquila said .

California EV startup Canoo has announced a new multipurpose electric vehicle aimed at last-mile deliveries and other small businesses, which starts at $33,000 but scales up in size and cost. Due in 2022, the vehicle is the centerpiece of what new executive chairman Tony Aquila told The Verge amounts to a “re-founding of the company” ahead of its debut on the NASDAQ stock exchange at the end of next week, thanks to a reverse merger with a so-called blank check company.
It’s Canoo’s second vehicle, following the subscription-only van it debuted last year. Canoo still plans to make that EV — in fact, the new multipurpose vehicle is built on the same technological platform that Canoo developed for the van, and they share similar design features — but Aquila told The Verge the company’s immediate focus has changed. “When I invested in [Canoo], I didn’t invest in it for the lifestyle vehicle. To me, I saw that as a derivative, but that the real asset was this multipurpose delivery platform,” he said.
“The way I would look at it is this is a re-founding of the company, just kind of like Elon did to Tesla,” Aquila said, referring to how Elon Musk got involved with the now-famous electric vehicle company shortly after its founding and changed its trajectory. Aquila, who comes from a finance and software background, invested $35 million in Canoo this summer through his firm before the merger and before he was elevated to chairman. “He put money in [Tesla], just like I did, became the chair, had a different vision, comes out of the tech world. So I can completely relate and appreciate what he’s done for the industry.”
Two models — small and big — with different battery pack options
The new vehicle will initially be sold in two variants, though Canoo says more will eventually be offered. The smaller one (which is the one that starts at $33,000) is 14.4 feet long, 6.4 feet wide, and 6.2 feet tall, and has 230 cubic feet of cargo space. Canoo will offer three different battery pack options, too: 40kWh (with an estimated 130 miles of range), 60kWh (190 miles), and 80kWh (230 miles).
The company will also make a larger version that is 17.1 feet long, 7.2 feet wide, and 8.4 feet tall, with 500 cubic feet of cargo space, which Aquila said is “unheard of for this industry.” The same battery pack options will be available, though the range estimates drop to 90 miles, 140 miles, and 190 miles, respectively, thanks to the extra weight.
The vehicle can be further customized from there, according to Canoo, which suggests options like storage lockers, a roll-up door, or ramps in its press release. Aquila said this kind of customization presents a “real gold opportunity ... to go after and bring EVs to the middle of America” by targeting small business owners who will want to switch to electric vehicles. He also claims it will help “return capital” to these vehicle owners (thanks to things like the low to no maintenance of EVs), to the tune of as much as $50,000 to $80,000 over seven years.
Canoo didn’t share details on pricing above the $33,000 base model. Limited deliveries will start in 2022 with wider production in 2023.
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Debuting a second vehicle, spinning up a new business model, and evolving into a publicly traded company are major milestones for Canoo, which is only three years old. That said, the public listing comes as no surprise, as multiple EV startups (as well as other companies, including suppliers in the broader electric vehicle space) have been either prepping public listings or have already gone public during what’s become a bona fide gold rush — one fueled by Tesla’s soaring valuation as well as the sudden popularity of startups merging with these “special purpose acquisition companies,” or SPACs.
Canoo has come a long way in just three years
Few startups have been able to follow Tesla into the electric vehicle space over the last decade. Most that have came from China and still have limited track records to boot. But this new wave of attention and funding could unlock the kind of money required for companies like Canoo to try their hand at the cash-hungry affair of vehicle design and manufacturing.
In August, Canoo announced the merger with the blank check company, Hennessy Capital Acquisition Corp IV. The deal is expected to close next week, with Canoo becoming a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ under the ticker “GOEV.”
Canoo’s founders always intended to use the van’s modular platform to power other vehicles, but Aquila is supercharging that vision by accelerating those plans.
With that in mind, there are changes being made to Canoo’s corporate structure. Ulrich Kranz, one of the BMW executives who co-founded Canoo and the current CEO, is no longer on the company’s board of directors. He’ll instead be a “special adviser” to Aquila, and while he’ll remain CEO, his contract was renegotiated and now includes language that accounts for the possibility of him being replaced, according to filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
“It’s like a baseball team. Everybody’s got to play their position.”
“I want to build a world class company here, and what I’ve said to everyone is, look, you’re going to go as far in this company and as big as this company as we all collectively do. But it’s like a baseball team. Everybody’s got to play their position and they’ve got to play it really well for every season, and those positions can change over time,” Aquila told The Verge when asked about Kranz’s new contract. “There’s definitely a role [for Kranz]. There’s definitely advice that can happen. But to scale an organization at this level, I mean, that’s a different experience than he has.”
(For what it’s worth, if Kranz is removed as CEO but remains as Aquila’s adviser, his salary will more than triple from $648,000 to $2.5 million, per the agreement filed with the SEC.)
Aquila also told The Verge that one of Canoo’s founding investors, Pak Tam Li, will not be on the board despite owning between 32 and 36 percent of the company after the merger is complete, per SEC filings.
Li, who also goes by Li Botan, heads up a massive investment firm in China and is the son-in-law of Jia Qinglin who was the fourth-most senior leader in China before retiring in 2013. Aquila told The Verge that this choice was made to avoid any trouble with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, which has authority over deals that could be problematic from a national security standpoint. (Li’s involvement in Canoo was first reported by The Verge last year.) “It’s best to be ahead of things rather than try to deal with them [after],” Aquila said.


theverge--2020-12-17--You can now try on makeup from your home with the power of AR

Google ’ s new shopping feature will let people virtually try on makeup , the company announced in a blog post .
Another feature will show the products on various models .
Only lipstick and eyeshadow are part of the feature .
It is also limited to a few brands , such as L ’ Oreal , MAC Cosmetics , Black Opal , and Charlotte Tilbury .
To try it out , you can search for the line you ’ re eying .
If it ’ s a supported brand , you ’ ll see a new card that shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they ’ re wearing .
To change the shade , you use a list at the bottom ; to change the model , you use the list at the top .
It looks like Google and their partners have included models with a pretty wide range of skin tones to make it easier to find someone who matches you .
If you want to see what it would look like on you , there ’ s be a “ Try it on ” button .
Clicking that will launch the camera , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As with the models , you can change shades .
The facial tracking works about the same as a Snapchat filter , which is to say pretty well , but not perfectly .
For instance : This feature is rolling out when people may be hesitant to go to a physical store and use a communal tester .
I didn ’ t order the products , so I can ’ t say how true the AR is to real life , but it should at least give you a better idea of how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re going for .
Google has some examples in their blog posts of what you can try on .
Some of the ones I found the most striking were the Stila Glitter and Glow and NYX Vivid Brights Creme eyeshadows , and the Revlon Lip Polish Vinyl Ultra HD lipstick — talk about a name that appeals to tech enthusiasts .

Google’s new shopping feature will let people virtually try on makeup, the company announced in a blog post. Another feature will show the products on various models.
Only lipstick and eyeshadow are part of the feature. It is also limited to a few brands, such as L’Oreal, MAC Cosmetics, Black Opal, and Charlotte Tilbury.
You can see what various shades look like on various skin tones. Image: Google
To try it out, you can search for the line you’re eying. If it’s a supported brand, you’ll see a new card that shows a model, and the specific shade that they’re wearing.
To change the shade, you use a list at the bottom; to change the model, you use the list at the top. It looks like Google and their partners have included models with a pretty wide range of skin tones to make it easier to find someone who matches you.
If you want to see what it would look like on you, there’s be a “Try it on” button. Clicking that will launch the camera, and then digitally apply the makeup. As with the models, you can change shades.
The interface lets you choose which color you’d like to “try on”.
On the left is the AR preview of NYX’s Vivid Brights Sugar Rush eye shadow, and on the right is me actually wearing NYX’s Vivid Brights Sugar Rush. Mitchell Clark
(It’s worth noting that my makeup skills are a bit rusty, but you can get the idea of how well the shade maps into real life.)
The facial tracking works about the same as a Snapchat filter, which is to say pretty well, but not perfectly. For instance:
Like any AR, it’s not perfect.
This feature is rolling out when people may be hesitant to go to a physical store and use a communal tester. I didn’t order the products, so I can’t say how true the AR is to real life, but it should at least give you a better idea of how the shade will work with whatever look you’re going for.


theverge--2020-12-17--GoPro Remote launches alongside camera updates for faster data transfer

GoPro just announced a new $ 79.99 wireless remote control alongside free firmware updates that bring performance and feature improvements to the Hero 9 Black , Hero 8 Black , and Max cameras .
The miniature Remote , as it ’ s called , is both rugged and waterproof to a depth of 16 feet .
It features large glove-friendly buttons and a status display to see what mode your camera is in .
One Remote can control common camera features like on / off , shutter button control , and mode changing for up to five cameras within a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Remote can be attached to your wrist , control bar , or steering wheel , for example , offering remote control of GoPro ’ s Hero 9 Black , Hero 8 Black , or Max mounted to your helmet , kite lines , or roll bar — anywhere you want just so long as the camera is within range of the Bluetooth LE signal .
Older GoPro cameras are not compatible with the new Remote which supplants GoPro ’ s Smart Remote .
GoPro is also rolling out firmware updates for the Hero @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Max cameras today .
Hero 9 Black owners will see the most dramatic improvements after installing the version 1.5 update .
Changes include : • Up to 30 percent faster wireless data transfer from the camera to the GoPro app on phones In addition to adding support for the new Remote , GoPro says the new Hero 8 Black firmware can boost wireless transfer speeds by up to 15 percent , while Max data transfers are improved by up to 20 percent .
The firmware updates are available now at GoPro ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The $ 79.99 Remote is available to buy in North America starting today , but won ’ t be available elsewhere until February .

GoPro just announced a new $79.99 wireless remote control alongside free firmware updates that bring performance and feature improvements to the Hero 9 Black, Hero 8 Black, and Max cameras.
The miniature Remote, as it’s called, is both rugged and waterproof to a depth of 16 feet. It features large glove-friendly buttons and a status display to see what mode your camera is in. One Remote can control common camera features like on / off, shutter button control, and mode changing for up to five cameras within a distance of about 200 feet.
The Remote makes it easy to control your GoPro camera when mounted on a helmet, for example. Image: GoPro
The Remote can be attached to your wrist, control bar, or steering wheel, for example, offering remote control of GoPro’s Hero 9 Black, Hero 8 Black, or Max mounted to your helmet, kite lines, or roll bar — anywhere you want just so long as the camera is within range of the Bluetooth LE signal. Older GoPro cameras are not compatible with the new Remote which supplants GoPro’s Smart Remote.
GoPro is also rolling out firmware updates for the Hero 9 Black, Hero 8 Black, and Max cameras today.
Hero 9 Black owners will see the most dramatic improvements after installing the version 1.5 update. Changes include:
Up to 30 percent faster wireless data transfer from the camera to the GoPro app on phones
Compatibility with new Remote
Improved HyperSmooth 3.0 cold-weather performance
A shortcut slider button for slow-motion capture
Improved GPS accuracy
Improved live streaming with the Max Lens Mod
Pro 3.5mm Mic Adapter support
In addition to adding support for the new Remote, GoPro says the new Hero 8 Black firmware can boost wireless transfer speeds by up to 15 percent, while Max data transfers are improved by up to 20 percent.


theverge--2020-12-17--We tested Harley-Davidson’s new Serial 1 electric bikes

After years in development , Harley-Davidson finally pulled back the curtain on its new lineup of electric bikes last month .
The Serial 1 bikes won ’ t go on sale until spring 2021 , but I got the chance to test-ride a few of them on a recent chilly afternoon in Brooklyn .
And my initial impression is they totally live up to the hype .
A quick refresher for those who missed the initial announcement : Serial 1 is a standalone electric bike company that spun out from Harley-Davidson last October .
Initially , Serial 1 will sell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 3,399 to $ 4,999 .
The brand names are Mosh/Cty , a city bike , and the commuter Rush/Cty , which comes in three variants ( regular , Step-Thru , and Speed ) .
Each comes with a mid-drive motor capable of generating 250W of continuous power and hitting top speeds of 20mph — except for the Rush/Cty Speed , which can go faster .
I ’ ll admit , I was a little skeptical that Harley-Davidson could pull this off I ’ ll admit , I was a little skeptical that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you hear about companies that specialize in combustion engine vehicles releasing their own electric bikes , most of the time , it ’ s just a brand licensing deal .
( Think Jeep ’ s e-bike or those Hummer bikes from last decade . )
Other times , it ’ s a much-hyped project that ends up falling victim to larger corporate forces , like General Motors ’ Ariv e-bikes .
But this is not that .
These are e-bikes designed and crafted by a dedicated team of bike enthusiasts inside Harley-Davidson ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dedication and craftsmanship shine through in the final products .
Simply put , these are gorgeous bikes , with a clean design that threads all the wiring internally through the frame .
The mid-drive Brose Mag S brushless internal motor was powerful and whisper-quiet .
Both the motor and the battery are situated very low on the bike , much lower than normal .
According to Serial 1 ’ s product manager Aaron Frank , this creates an extra low center of gravity , which improves the handling and cornering .
“ Harley-Davidson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about designing and engineering a great-handling , very naturally responsive two-wheeled vehicle , ” Frank told me .
“ And all of those lessons — from designing motorcycles about mass centralization , about consistent geometry , about ride handling — [ were ] applied to this vehicle , both at the design stage and in the testing stage.
” I did most of my testing with the Rush/Cty Speed , which is the only Class 3 bike in the lineup .
That meant a top speed of 28 mph , which had me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the dust .
( Sorry , Becca and Alix ! )
Thanks to the Enviolo automatic gear shifter , getting up to that top speed felt effortless .
I hardly realized how fast I was going before glancing at the modestly sized Brose digital display .
( I really liked the petite Brose display ; too many drivetrain makers opt for oversized displays that are mostly unnecessary .
Less is more , in my opinion . )
I only had the bikes for a couple of hours , but it was my first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transmission ) shifter .
The rear hub Enviolo transmission is fully enclosed , electronically powered , and never needs maintenance .
Using an app that connects to the bike via Bluetooth , you can set your ideal cadence so the bike always feels like it ’ s in the perfect gear .
I didn ’ t get a chance to futz with the settings , which was a little bit of a bummer because there were times I felt like I was spinning my legs like a pinwheel .
Given more time with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to play around with that feature a little more and find the right setting for my riding style .
The Mosh/Cty and Rush/Cty Step-Thru come with 529Wh battery packs , while the Rush/Cty and Rush/Cty Speed come with the more powerful 706Wh packs .
The same team that developed the batteries for Harley-Davidson electric LiveWire motorcycles also developed these batteries .
The integrated batteries are mounted very low on the frame , which helps with the mass centralization and improved handling .
One of the things that really surprised me was how well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t comment on the Serial 1 ’ s charging time or range estimates , as I didn ’ t have long enough with the bikes to go the necessary limits .
Depending on the power level , the Mosh/Cty is supposed to get 35–105 miles of range , while the Rush/Cty variants each get about 25–115 miles of range .
That ’ s a pretty huge disparity , but a lot will depend on what power level you ’ re using .
The higher the level , the less range you can expect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surprised me was how well the bikes handled off-road , especially considering Serial 1 is marketing them ( specifically the Mosh/Cty ) as “ the ultimate urban playbike.
” Granted , this is only based on a few minutes riding over tree roots and wet leaves in Prospect Park , but the Rush/Cty Speed was nimble and handled better than expected .
That said , I don ’ t expect to be popping wheelies anytime soon like the actor in the Serial 1-produced promo video — at least not right away .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they come in two sizes : 27.5 x 2.4-inch and 27.5 x 2.8-inch .
But one of the bike ’ s best features is a built-in 620 cubic-centimeter storage space at the base of the downtube , which should be enough room to store an Abus folding lock .
Think of it as your bike ’ s glove compartment .
But forget all of that for a minute : are they worth $ 3,000 to $ 5,000 ?
That ’ s the real question .
There are plenty of e-bikes — really good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had for much cheaper .
And those bikes don ’ t come with all of the baggage of having the Harley-Davidson name on the chainstay .
Serial 1 won ’ t be competing with budget e-bikes from Swagtron or Lectric or modestly priced e-bikes from Rad Power Bikes , VanMoof , or Blix .
Rather , the company is taking aim at major manufacturers like Giant , Trek , and Specialized , which sell premium e-bikes for high-end customers .
Bikes from those companies sporting similar parts cost about the same as Serial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants to go helmet to helmet with those major manufacturers , it has the name recognition and cultural capital to do so .
“ This isn ’ t just about a short-term , opportunistic grab at a moment in marketing or something , ” Frank told me .
“ We ’ re very , very dedicated to building a permanent place for Serial 1 in this bicycle business .
”

After years in development, Harley-Davidson finally pulled back the curtain on its new lineup of electric bikes last month. The Serial 1 bikes won’t start getting delivered to customers until spring 2021, but I got the chance to test-ride a few of them on a recent chilly afternoon in Brooklyn. And my initial impression is they totally live up to the hype.
A quick refresher for those who missed the initial announcement: Serial 1 is a standalone electric bike company that spun out from Harley-Davidson last October. Initially, Serial 1 will sell four bikes, ranging in price from $3,399 to $4,999. The brand names are Mosh/Cty, a city bike, and the commuter Rush/Cty, which comes in three variants (regular, Step-Thru, and Speed). Each comes with a mid-drive motor capable of generating 250W of continuous power and hitting top speeds of 20mph — except for the Rush/Cty Speed, which can go faster.
I’ll admit, I was a little skeptical that Harley-Davidson could pull this off
I’ll admit, I was a little skeptical that Harley-Davidson could pull this off. When you hear about companies that specialize in combustion engine vehicles releasing their own electric bikes, most of the time, it’s just a brand licensing deal. (Think Jeep’s e-bike or those Hummer bikes from last decade.) Other times, it’s a much-hyped project that ends up falling victim to larger corporate forces, like General Motors’ Ariv e-bikes.
But this is not that. These are e-bikes designed and crafted by a dedicated team of bike enthusiasts inside Harley-Davidson’s product development skunkworks. And that dedication and craftsmanship shine through in the final products.
Simply put, these are gorgeous bikes, with a clean design that threads all the wiring internally through the frame. The mid-drive Brose Mag S brushless internal motor was powerful and whisper-quiet. Both the motor and the battery are situated very low on the bike, much lower than normal. According to Serial 1’s product manager Aaron Frank, this creates an extra low center of gravity, which improves the handling and cornering.
“Harley-Davidson knows as much or more than anyone about designing and engineering a great-handling, very naturally responsive two-wheeled vehicle,” Frank told me. “And all of those lessons — from designing motorcycles about mass centralization, about consistent geometry, about ride handling — [were] applied to this vehicle, both at the design stage and in the testing stage.”
I did most of my testing with the Rush/Cty Speed, which is the only Class 3 bike in the lineup. That meant a top speed of 28 mph, which had me frequently leaving The Verge video team in the dust. (Sorry, Becca and Alix!) Thanks to the Enviolo automatic gear shifter, getting up to that top speed felt effortless. I hardly realized how fast I was going before glancing at the modestly sized Brose digital display. (I really liked the petite Brose display; too many drivetrain makers opt for oversized displays that are mostly unnecessary. Less is more, in my opinion.)
I only had the bikes for a couple of hours, but it was my first experience with a CVT (continuous variable transmission) shifter. The rear hub Enviolo transmission is fully enclosed, electronically powered, and never needs maintenance. Using an app that connects to the bike via Bluetooth, you can set your ideal cadence so the bike always feels like it’s in the perfect gear.
I didn’t get a chance to futz with the settings, which was a little bit of a bummer because there were times I felt like I was spinning my legs like a pinwheel. Given more time with the bike, I would have loved to play around with that feature a little more and find the right setting for my riding style.
The Mosh/Cty and Rush/Cty Step-Thru come with 529Wh battery packs, while the Rush/Cty and Rush/Cty Speed come with the more powerful 706Wh packs. The same team that developed the batteries for Harley-Davidson electric LiveWire motorcycles also developed these batteries. The integrated batteries are mounted very low on the frame, which helps with the mass centralization and improved handling.
One of the things that really surprised me was how well the bikes handled off-road
I can’t comment on the Serial 1’s charging time or range estimates, as I didn’t have long enough with the bikes to go the necessary limits. Depending on the power level, the Mosh/Cty is supposed to get 35–105 miles of range, while the Rush/Cty variants each get about 25–115 miles of range. That’s a pretty huge disparity, but a lot will depend on what power level you’re using. The higher the level, the less range you can expect.
One of the things that really surprised me was how well the bikes handled off-road, especially considering Serial 1 is marketing them (specifically the Mosh/Cty) as “the ultimate urban playbike.” Granted, this is only based on a few minutes riding over tree roots and wet leaves in Prospect Park, but the Rush/Cty Speed was nimble and handled better than expected. That said, I don’t expect to be popping wheelies anytime soon like the actor in the Serial 1-produced promo video — at least not right away.
The tires are Schwalbe Super Moto-X, and they come in two sizes: 27.5 x 2.4-inch and 27.5 x 2.8-inch. But one of the bike’s best features is a built-in 620 cubic-centimeter storage space at the base of the downtube, which should be enough room to store an Abus folding lock. Think of it as your bike’s glove compartment.
But forget all of that for a minute: are they worth $3,000 to $5,000? That’s the real question. There are plenty of e-bikes — really good ones, too — that can be had for much cheaper. And those bikes don’t come with all of the baggage of having the Harley-Davidson name on the chainstay.
Serial 1 won’t be competing with budget e-bikes from Swagtron or Lectric or modestly priced e-bikes from Rad Power Bikes, VanMoof, or Blix. Rather, the company is taking aim at major manufacturers like Giant, Trek, and Specialized, which sell premium e-bikes for high-end customers.
Bikes from those companies sporting similar parts cost about the same as Serial 1’s bikes. If Harley-Davidson wants to go helmet to helmet with those major manufacturers, it has the name recognition and cultural capital to do so.
“This isn’t just about a short-term, opportunistic grab at a moment in marketing or something,” Frank told me. “We’re very, very dedicated to building a permanent place for Serial 1 in this bicycle business.”


theverge--2020-12-17--Why Hades is my game of the year

Why Hades is my game of the year

One more try .
Hades is a game that does so many things so well , it ’ s hard to describe them all .
It ’ s a fine-tuned isometric action game that takes the elaborate interweaving systems and combat of Supergiant ’ s previous titles to soaring new heights .
It ’ s a roguelike that transcends the limitations of the genre with great storytelling .
It ’ s one of the most compelling personal dramas told in a video game this year — all of it polished to a dazzling , mirror-like shine .
If Hades had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it would have been a great game .
The fact that it manages to do all of them , though , without missing a single beat , makes it the best game I ’ ve played this year .
In many ways , Hades feels like the culmination of developer Supergiant ’ s previous titles .
It merges them into a cohesive whole : the fast-paced isometric action and omnipresent narration that were the hallmarks of Bastion , the customization of Transistor , and the emphasis on worldbuilding and storytelling that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ titles .
But the core idea is “ one more try.
” One more attempt to clear another room .
To beat the next boss .
To reach the next zone .
To unlock a new weapon , skill , or ability that will help you on the next one .
To hear a new story from a friend or loved one .
And on and on and on , until “ one more try ” has turned into 10 , it 's two in the morning , and you ’ re still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Hades doles out its story in generous doses as players are regaled by their relatives on Mount Olympus and through interactions back at the starting hub on each run .
It makes you care about the other denizens of the underworld .
I wanted to help my weary mentor Achilles reunite with his lost lover ; I plied my fluffy dog Cerberus with gifts and pets because they are such a good boy .
Death isn ’ t failure ; it ’ s a chance to spend time with the friends ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Hades , too .
Hades is a great action roguelike on its own .
The hack-and-slash combat , the variety of weapons ( there are six , each with four different forms that radically change how you can play ) , and the dizzying amount of abilities and modifiers that are gifted by the gods of Olympus ensure that no two runs are quite the same .
The game also cleverly incentivizes players to try new weapons and abilities .
Those abilities play off each other in delightful ways , and there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Some of my earliest successes were with builds that at first seemed like they would be utterly useless , like abilities that only activate when I take damage , but then a later boon activates them automatically every few seconds , turning me into a passive damage powerhouse .
Even dozens of hours in , I still am surprised when the game will toss out strange combinations that result in powerful synergies .
The magic of Hades isn ’ t just the variety of its gameplay or the satisfaction of perfectly clearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s how the game pushes you to try just one more loop , promising more information on the family drama of Zagreus , Hades , and the rest of the Olympians or the tantalizing chance of finally breaking out of the underworld this time .
Just one more run .
One more line of dialogue .
One more try .
Just one more run , one more line of dialogue , one more try And much like the ritual lord of the underworld himself , the game is hard — but fair @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hell , I ’ ve rarely felt like I was unfairly cheated with bad boons or cheap deaths .
Hades rewards players for learning how each enemy and boss fights , how its abilities can combine , but it doesn ’ t punish players for not mastering the twitch-fast dashes and dodges .
In fact , in a welcome move , Hades offers a God Mode setting that buffs player ’ s damage resistance and makes sure the entire game is more accessible to all players .
“ One more time , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempt to battle his way out of hell .
One more run , I think to myself in response , knowing that it ’ ll absolutely not be the case .

One more try.
Hades is a game that does so many things so well, it’s hard to describe them all. It’s a fine-tuned isometric action game that takes the elaborate interweaving systems and combat of Supergiant’s previous titles to soaring new heights. It’s a roguelike that transcends the limitations of the genre with great storytelling. It’s one of the most compelling personal dramas told in a video game this year — all of it polished to a dazzling, mirror-like shine.
Related Hades is a roguelike with hot gods to kiss and kill
If Hades had only done one of these things well, it would have been a great game. The fact that it manages to do all of them, though, without missing a single beat, makes it the best game I’ve played this year.
In many ways, Hades feels like the culmination of developer Supergiant’s previous titles. It merges them into a cohesive whole: the fast-paced isometric action and omnipresent narration that were the hallmarks of Bastion, the customization of Transistor, and the emphasis on worldbuilding and storytelling that’s been the throughline throughout all its titles.
In ‘Hades,’ death isn’t failure
But the core idea is “one more try.” One more attempt to clear another room. To beat the next boss. To reach the next zone. To unlock a new weapon, skill, or ability that will help you on the next one. To hear a new story from a friend or loved one. And on and on and on, until “one more try” has turned into 10, it's two in the morning, and you’re still dueling with the denizens of the underworld.
Hades doles out its story in generous doses as players are regaled by their relatives on Mount Olympus and through interactions back at the starting hub on each run. It makes you care about the other denizens of the underworld. I wanted to help my weary mentor Achilles reunite with his lost lover; I plied my fluffy dog Cerberus with gifts and pets because they are such a good boy. Death isn’t failure; it’s a chance to spend time with the friends (and frenemies) that populate the House of Hades, too.
Hades is a great action roguelike on its own. The hack-and-slash combat, the variety of weapons (there are six, each with four different forms that radically change how you can play), and the dizzying amount of abilities and modifiers that are gifted by the gods of Olympus ensure that no two runs are quite the same. The game also cleverly incentivizes players to try new weapons and abilities.
Those abilities play off each other in delightful ways, and there’s no “right” combination. Some of my earliest successes were with builds that at first seemed like they would be utterly useless, like abilities that only activate when I take damage, but then a later boon activates them automatically every few seconds, turning me into a passive damage powerhouse. Even dozens of hours in, I still am surprised when the game will toss out strange combinations that result in powerful synergies.
The magic of Hades isn’t just the variety of its gameplay or the satisfaction of perfectly clearing a room or boss battle. It’s how the game pushes you to try just one more loop, promising more information on the family drama of Zagreus, Hades, and the rest of the Olympians or the tantalizing chance of finally breaking out of the underworld this time.
Just one more run. One more line of dialogue. One more try.
(It helps, of course, that every inch of Hades’ artwork is lush and detailed, with gorgeous characters that make spending hours battling through the underworld a delight.)
Just one more run, one more line of dialogue, one more try
And much like the ritual lord of the underworld himself, the game is hard — but fair. In my dozens of runs throughout hell, I’ve rarely felt like I was unfairly cheated with bad boons or cheap deaths. Hades rewards players for learning how each enemy and boss fights, how its abilities can combine, but it doesn’t punish players for not mastering the twitch-fast dashes and dodges. In fact, in a welcome move, Hades offers a God Mode setting that buffs player’s damage resistance and makes sure the entire game is more accessible to all players.


theverge--2020-12-17--Hollywood wasn’t built for a year without theaters

Hollywood scheduling has always run like a finely tuned watch : a delicate dance of release dates as studios try to optimize movies for the most money , avoiding other massive blockbusters , while juggling the shifting demands of film editing , reshoots , and special effects work .
But the shuttering of theaters by the pandemic has thrown all of that into disarray , forcing studios to shift release dates in a chaotic cascade .
Each change has ripple effects due to that strict schedule : when one massive superhero film moves dates , it trickles down the line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studio and from competitors to shuffle their dates to avoid risking splitting their audiences ( and box office takes ) .
Small delays turned into large ones ; films that were scheduled for 2020 jumped to 2021 .
And yet , in all the uncertainty , it seemed that studios were extremely reluctant to turn to what might have seemed like an obvious solution : just releasing their biggest films on any of the newly minted streaming services or digital video storefronts in lieu of a theatrical release .
The current model of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ survive without theaters .
There ’ s a simple explanation for Hollywood ’ s hesitation to embrace streaming : theaters are where the money is , and streaming — at least in today ’ s world — can ’ t match that revenue .
Traditional theater chains like AMC and Regal Cinemas still wield immense power over the current movie landscape .
The amount of money they bring in to studios is great enough that companies like Disney and Warner Bros. are willing to forgo close to half of their revenue ( theaters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ box office ) .
When Universal began to even mutter about the idea of releasing some of its films on streaming alongside theaters , AMC CEO Adam Aron went to near total war , threatening to no longer play any of its films .
The two companies have since reached a new deal to allow for Universal ’ s films to debut on streaming services just 17 days after they debut in theaters — an unprecedented time frame for major films — in exchange for giving AMC a cut of the digital take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of being a “ theatrical ” movie , one that remains a requirement for eligibility for major awards like the Oscars .
Years on , companies like Netflix and Amazon are still trying to work their way out of the reputation that streaming is somehow a lesser form of entertainment .
Smaller movies have done well in the chaos — some , like Trolls : World Tour , have even defied expectations .
But barring a few notable exceptions , major studios haven ’ t been willing to risk their billion-dollar films on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ streaming .
Because it ’ s true : today ’ s biggest blockbusters rake in more — like last year ’ s Avengers : Endgame , which smashed through the all-time box office record and made an astronomical $ 2.79 billion .
But these massive films also bring with them eye-watering costs : Endgame is estimated to have cost roughly $ 400 million when factoring in the production budget , multimillion-dollar salaries for stars like Robert Downey Jr. , and the massive marketing campaign .
But the shuttering of theaters has effectively frozen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggle to figure out what exactly to do with their multimillion-dollar investments that have no clear release strategy anymore .
Take Warner Bros. ’ Tenet , for example .
The blockbuster Christopher Nolan film was supposed to be one of the studio ’ s biggest movies of the year , an event that — in a normal world — would have brought huge crowds to theaters and was projected to rake in $ 1 billion at the box office .
Instead , Tenet was delayed , delayed , and delayed again before it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the severe limitations of COVID .
But even then , theater capacities ( and therefore , ticket prices ) were cut down a fraction of their usual numbers for safety purposes , some of the biggest theater marketplaces in the world , like New York City or Los Angeles , never saw it on the big screen at all .
The results are staggering : while Tenet grossed a more than respectable $ 300 million in international markets , it ’ s made just $ 57 million in the US — a considerable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million production budget that Warner Bros. invested in the film ( a figure that doesn ’ t even include the film ’ s marketing spend ) .
With results like that , it ’ s no wonder that most of 2020 ’ s biggest films have elected to punt on their releases and rescheduled for 2021 and beyond .
When gambling hundreds of millions of dollars on a single release , studios can ’ t afford to risk another theatrical flop in the United States from 2020 ’ s anemic audiences .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ answer , either .
Each of these films is an investment of tens , if not hundreds of millions of dollars that studios need to at least recoup at some point and which theaters need to stay open .
It ’ s a delicate balance : the movie industry needs money in the short term to survive , but it is also designed to run on hundreds of millions in revenue , which theatrical releases in 2020 just haven ’ t been able to provide .
The model is already changing , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experiment with new ways of doing things .
Disney shifted the release of major films like Hamilton and Soul to Disney Plus , and it ’ s experimenting with a new Premiere Access for releasing big films for higher digital price tags instead of traditional theatrical releases .
Though , it ’ s not clear how well ( or poorly ) the live-action Mulan actually did in terms of revenue for the company .
Warner Bros. appears to have learned from its lackluster Tenet strategy and is trying a different approach for both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every single one of its 2021 films .
Starting this December , and going through the end of 2021 , Warner Bros. will release its movies both in theaters ( where possible ) and on the company ’ s streaming service HBO Max .
It ’ s a move that theoretically will give the studio the best of both worlds , capitalizing on the high ticket revenue of traditional theaters while still letting it reach audiences that can ’ t , or simply won ’ t , go to a theater during a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still largely untested , mainly because of the huge risk involved : no one wanted to gamble their possible billion-dollar movie , at least not until absolutely necessary .
And it ’ s not clear whether any of them will be able to offer results on par with traditional theaters .
In 2019 , the global box office hit an astonishing $ 42.5 billion worldwide — big shoes that these new methods will have to fill .
2020 has shown that Hollywood wasn ’ t designed for a world without theaters .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a world of movies that extends far beyond the walls of a traditional movie theater .
But one thing ’ s for sure : however we watch the movies of the future , it ’ ll look very different from the last century of film .

Hollywood scheduling has always run like a finely tuned watch: a delicate dance of release dates as studios try to optimize movies for the most money, avoiding other massive blockbusters, while juggling the shifting demands of film editing, reshoots, and special effects work.
But the shuttering of theaters by the pandemic has thrown all of that into disarray, forcing studios to shift release dates in a chaotic cascade. Each change has ripple effects due to that strict schedule: when one massive superhero film moves dates, it trickles down the line, forcing both movies from within the studio and from competitors to shuffle their dates to avoid risking splitting their audiences (and box office takes).
Small delays turned into large ones; films that were scheduled for 2020 jumped to 2021. And yet, in all the uncertainty, it seemed that studios were extremely reluctant to turn to what might have seemed like an obvious solution: just releasing their biggest films on any of the newly minted streaming services or digital video storefronts in lieu of a theatrical release. The current model of Hollywood just wasn’t built to survive without theaters.
Photo: Film Frame / Marvel Studios
There’s a simple explanation for Hollywood’s hesitation to embrace streaming: theaters are where the money is, and streaming — at least in today’s world — can’t match that revenue.
Traditional theater chains like AMC and Regal Cinemas still wield immense power over the current movie landscape. The amount of money they bring in to studios is great enough that companies like Disney and Warner Bros. are willing to forgo close to half of their revenue (theaters typically keep roughly 45 percent of the box office).
When Universal began to even mutter about the idea of releasing some of its films on streaming alongside theaters, AMC CEO Adam Aron went to near total war, threatening to no longer play any of its films. The two companies have since reached a new deal to allow for Universal’s films to debut on streaming services just 17 days after they debut in theaters — an unprecedented time frame for major films — in exchange for giving AMC a cut of the digital take.
There’s also the prestige of being a “theatrical” movie, one that remains a requirement for eligibility for major awards like the Oscars. Years on, companies like Netflix and Amazon are still trying to work their way out of the reputation that streaming is somehow a lesser form of entertainment. Smaller movies have done well in the chaos — some, like Trolls: World Tour, have even defied expectations. But barring a few notable exceptions, major studios haven’t been willing to risk their billion-dollar films on the unproven marketplace of direct-to-consumer sales or streaming.
Because it’s true: today’s biggest blockbusters rake in more — like last year’s Avengers: Endgame, which smashed through the all-time box office record and made an astronomical $2.79 billion. But these massive films also bring with them eye-watering costs: Endgame is estimated to have cost roughly $400 million when factoring in the production budget, multimillion-dollar salaries for stars like Robert Downey Jr., and the massive marketing campaign.
But the shuttering of theaters has effectively frozen the entire business in stasis as studios struggle to figure out what exactly to do with their multimillion-dollar investments that have no clear release strategy anymore.
Photo by Melinda Sue Gordon
Take Warner Bros.’ Tenet, for example. The blockbuster Christopher Nolan film was supposed to be one of the studio’s biggest movies of the year, an event that — in a normal world — would have brought huge crowds to theaters and was projected to rake in $1 billion at the box office.
Instead, Tenet was delayed, delayed, and delayed again before it finally attempted to release while coping with the severe limitations of COVID. But even then, theater capacities (and therefore, ticket prices) were cut down a fraction of their usual numbers for safety purposes, some of the biggest theater marketplaces in the world, like New York City or Los Angeles, never saw it on the big screen at all.
The results are staggering: while Tenet grossed a more than respectable $300 million in international markets, it’s made just $57 million in the US — a considerable decrease, given the estimated $205 million production budget that Warner Bros. invested in the film (a figure that doesn’t even include the film’s marketing spend).
With results like that, it’s no wonder that most of 2020’s biggest films have elected to punt on their releases and rescheduled for 2021 and beyond. When gambling hundreds of millions of dollars on a single release, studios can’t afford to risk another theatrical flop in the United States from 2020’s anemic audiences.
But simply stockpiling movies isn’t the answer, either. Each of these films is an investment of tens, if not hundreds of millions of dollars that studios need to at least recoup at some point and which theaters need to stay open. It’s a delicate balance: the movie industry needs money in the short term to survive, but it is also designed to run on hundreds of millions in revenue, which theatrical releases in 2020 just haven’t been able to provide.
The model is already changing, and studios and theaters alike are starting to experiment with new ways of doing things.
Disney shifted the release of major films like Hamilton and Soul to Disney Plus, and it’s experimenting with a new Premiere Access for releasing big films for higher digital price tags instead of traditional theatrical releases. Though, it’s not clear how well (or poorly) the live-action Mulan actually did in terms of revenue for the company.
Warner Bros. appears to have learned from its lackluster Tenet strategy and is trying a different approach for both the highly anticipated Wonder Woman 1984 and every single one of its 2021 films. Starting this December, and going through the end of 2021, Warner Bros. will release its movies both in theaters (where possible) and on the company’s streaming service HBO Max. It’s a move that theoretically will give the studio the best of both worlds, capitalizing on the high ticket revenue of traditional theaters while still letting it reach audiences that can’t, or simply won’t, go to a theater during a pandemic.
All of these approaches are still largely untested, mainly because of the huge risk involved: no one wanted to gamble their possible billion-dollar movie, at least not until absolutely necessary. And it’s not clear whether any of them will be able to offer results on par with traditional theaters. In 2019, the global box office hit an astonishing $42.5 billion worldwide — big shoes that these new methods will have to fill.