theverge--2020-12-11--Happy Friday, have some pictures of squirrels posing like superheroes

We interrupt your anticipation of new Marvel content to bring you news that if you photograph a squirrel juuuuust right @ @ @ @ @ look like the woodland creature has just pulled off one hell of a superhero landing @ @ @ @ @ the phenomenon for a little while ( the first reference we could find online appears @ @ @ @ @ from July 2019 ) , but frankly , we don ’ t think it ’ @ @ @ @ @ deserves .
Thankfully , considering how hard superhero landings are on your knees , it @ @ @ @ @ squirrels actually pose like this after jumping out of a tree .
Instead , as @ @ @ @ @ , they seem to assume this position when they want to scratch their stomach with @ @ @ @ @ single arm up in the air gives them space to itch .
You can see @ @ @ @ @ motion in this YouTube clip or via the GIF below .
( Note the subtle @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a collection of photos posted to Reddit by u/GallowBoob .

We interrupt your anticipation of new Marvel content to bring you news that if you photograph a squirrel juuuuust right, you can make it look like the woodland creature has just pulled off one hell of a superhero landing. People have known about the phenomenon for a little while (the first reference we could find online appears to be this Reddit post from July 2019), but frankly, we don’t think it’s had the attention it deserves.
Thankfully, considering how hard superhero landings are on your knees, it doesn’t sound like squirrels actually pose like this after jumping out of a tree. Instead, as several Redditors have pointed out, they seem to assume this position when they want to scratch their stomach with a back leg. The single arm up in the air gives them space to itch. You can see what it looks like in motion in this YouTube clip or via the GIF below. (Note the subtle bicep kiss.)


theverge--2020-12-11--Medal of Honor’s first VR spinoff falls apart when the shooting stops

Medal of Honor : Above and Beyond , the new VR-only title from Respawn Entertainment , can ’ t get by on authenticity alone .
It has the weaponry and set dressing players have come to expect from a first-person shooter set during WWII .
But for a console shooter making the jump to VR , it ’ s sorely lacking in intimacy — a necessary ingredient for any virtual reality experience .
The environments you ’ ll visit in the campaign range in size from an attic to the sprawling beaches of Normandy , France , but they rarely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your main objective , there isn ’ t much else to get distracted by , which is often what I find to be the most fun thing about exploring worlds in VR .
I want to turn dials on old radios to listen to music of the time , open drawers , throw folders , and just generally make a mess of everything .
Even the most polished detailed locales feel somewhat lifeless to walk around in .
That lack of depth extends to the game ’ s story and characters .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through the campaign ’ s six missions , you ’ ll be stuck listening to cliched banter .
These sections that sandwich the action mostly drag on the momentum .
There are more warranted breaks in the action along the way to make room for “ Hey , we ’ re in VR ” moments .
This could involve having a weapon tossed at you to catch , solving a very simple puzzle , or pushing a button or turning a crank that , for no reason at all , only you are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll take these over just standing still , but they feel forced .
Really , the only things you ’ ll become intimate with are your weapons .
Unsurprisingly , given the studio ’ s pedigree for making games like Apex Legends and Titanfall , this game is at its best when your objective is to simply gun down all of the enemies .
The game ’ s frenetic shooting requires you to become adept at reloading and aiming down sights .
Occasionally , the plot will cut you loose to battle in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve played in yet , and that ’ s when all of the game ’ s movement and shooting mechanics feel like they ’ re at their best .
The enemy AI demands a more aggressive playstyle than I ’ ve experienced in VR , resulting in some tense action sequences .
For instance , enemies will often attempt to kick live grenades back at you if there ’ s enough time left on the fuse .
Some aspects of the gameplay need some refinement , though .
For instance , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a grenade right where you want it to land .
I can understand there being a learning curve , but it feels like something is off with the tracking .
Another problem area is scoped weapons , which are all but necessary to use at times in the story .
Using one blacks out everything on the display except for what ’ s in sight through the scope .
That was borderline nauseating , as was moving the reticle on turrets in planes and tanks with my head instead of being delegated to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ options may be a usability issue for some .
Teleporting to move around the map isn ’ t an option at launch , which is something I personally relied on in Half-Life : Alyx .
You ’ ll instead move by tilting the left analog stick as you would in a console first-person shooter , which might trigger nausea with some people in VR .
If you want to use the right analog stick to turn the camera instead of physically turning your body , that can only be done with snap turning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stilted way with each adjustment .
The campaign features six missions , that are broken up into about 12 smaller sections .
Additionally , there ’ s a single-player horde mode along with several multiplayer modes , though I didn ’ t get a chance to play those during the review period .
This game doesn ’ t warrant a second playthrough unless you ’ re someone who loves scouting out collectible items .
It feels like it ’ s meant to be played as an on-rails shooter , moving quickly from one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unintended homage to the PS1-era Medal of Honor .
It ’ s a far cry compared to other VR experiences that offer far richer interactivity with a myriad of objects — pointless as it might seem — to ground you in the game ’ s world , which is what games like Half-Life : Alyx do so well .
There are some technical hurdles to even play Above and Beyond .
At launch , it requires a wired Oculus headset , like the Rift or Rift S , to play .
The game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any SteamVR-ready headset like the Valve Index or HTC Vive will work , too .
Additionally , Respawn recommends a PC with an Intel Core i7-9700K processor ( or comparable AMD model ) , 16GB of DDR4 RAM , an Nvidia RTX 2080 or higher , and a fast NVMe SSD .
But regardless of what kind of storage you have , you ’ ll need to reserve a staggering 180GB to unpack the game ’ s files on it , which results in a slightly smaller , but still huge 173GB install @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a hitch on the “ high ” resolution setting on my PC , which contains an Intel Core i5 9600K processor , 16GB of RAM , Nvidia ’ s RTX 2070 , and a SATA-based SSD .
For PCs that aren ’ t as powerful as mine or the one Respawn suggests you have , you can switch on dynamic resolution to let the game adjust settings on the fly to stay smooth .
It even ran fine wirelessly via Virtual Desktop with my Oculus Quest 2 , but your results will vary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the quality of your internet connection and router .
Even with all the necessary specs , I wouldn ’ t call this game a stunner , visually speaking .
The main character models are expressive , if cartoony in appearance , though most enemies and secondary characters could pass as something just above low-poly extras in a modern open-world game .
Some of the smaller rooms are particularly impressive , though the graphical fidelity and attention to detail expectedly take a hit as the maps grow in size .
1999 ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ helped make wartime first-person shooters popular , though the franchise struggled to distinguish itself from Call of Duty since it launched in 2003 .
With this VR game ’ s title , Respawn and EA seem to be bragging that Medal of Honor has finally gone where no Call of Duty game has gone before — “ above and beyond ” it , in fact .
Despite moving into new territory , Medal of Honor : Above and Beyond feels like it ’ s traveling a well-worn path but doesn ’ t provide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a headset .
Even with all of the necessary equipment , this game doesn ’ t rise to being a must-play experience .
Medal of Honor : Above and Beyond releases on Friday , December 11th , on the

Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond, the new VR-only title from Respawn Entertainment, can’t get by on authenticity alone. It has the weaponry and set dressing players have come to expect from a first-person shooter set during WWII. But for a console shooter making the jump to VR, it’s sorely lacking in intimacy — a necessary ingredient for any virtual reality experience.
The environments you’ll visit in the campaign range in size from an attic to the sprawling beaches of Normandy, France, but they rarely feel like real places. Outside of your main objective, there isn’t much else to get distracted by, which is often what I find to be the most fun thing about exploring worlds in VR. I want to turn dials on old radios to listen to music of the time, open drawers, throw folders, and just generally make a mess of everything. Even the most polished detailed locales feel somewhat lifeless to walk around in.
That lack of depth extends to the game’s story and characters. When you aren’t shooting your way through the campaign’s six missions, you’ll be stuck listening to cliched banter. These sections that sandwich the action mostly drag on the momentum. There are more warranted breaks in the action along the way to make room for “Hey, we’re in VR” moments. This could involve having a weapon tossed at you to catch, solving a very simple puzzle, or pushing a button or turning a crank that, for no reason at all, only you are specifically qualified to do. I’ll take these over just standing still, but they feel forced.
Image: EA
Really, the only things you’ll become intimate with are your weapons. Unsurprisingly, given the studio’s pedigree for making games like Apex Legends and Titanfall, this game is at its best when your objective is to simply gun down all of the enemies. The game’s frenetic shooting requires you to become adept at reloading and aiming down sights. Occasionally, the plot will cut you loose to battle in some of the largest VR environments I’ve played in yet, and that’s when all of the game’s movement and shooting mechanics feel like they’re at their best. The enemy AI demands a more aggressive playstyle than I’ve experienced in VR, resulting in some tense action sequences. For instance, enemies will often attempt to kick live grenades back at you if there’s enough time left on the fuse.
Some aspects of the gameplay need some refinement, though. For instance, it’s too hard to accurately throw a grenade right where you want it to land. I can understand there being a learning curve, but it feels like something is off with the tracking. Another problem area is scoped weapons, which are all but necessary to use at times in the story. Using one blacks out everything on the display except for what’s in sight through the scope. That was borderline nauseating, as was moving the reticle on turrets in planes and tanks with my head instead of being delegated to my hands.
The lack of movement options may be a usability issue for some. Teleporting to move around the map isn’t an option at launch, which is something I personally relied on in Half-Life: Alyx. You’ll instead move by tilting the left analog stick as you would in a console first-person shooter, which might trigger nausea with some people in VR. If you want to use the right analog stick to turn the camera instead of physically turning your body, that can only be done with snap turning, which moves the camera in a stilted way with each adjustment.
The campaign features six missions, that are broken up into about 12 smaller sections. Additionally, there’s a single-player horde mode along with several multiplayer modes, though I didn’t get a chance to play those during the review period. This game doesn’t warrant a second playthrough unless you’re someone who loves scouting out collectible items. It feels like it’s meant to be played as an on-rails shooter, moving quickly from one point to the next, like an unintended homage to the PS1-era Medal of Honor. It’s a far cry compared to other VR experiences that offer far richer interactivity with a myriad of objects — pointless as it might seem — to ground you in the game’s world, which is what games like Half-Life: Alyx do so well.
Image: EA
There are some technical hurdles to even play Above and Beyond. At launch, it requires a wired Oculus headset, like the Rift or Rift S, to play. The game is also available on Steam, so any SteamVR-ready headset like the Valve Index or HTC Vive will work, too. Additionally, Respawn recommends a PC with an Intel Core i7-9700K processor (or comparable AMD model), 16GB of DDR4 RAM, an Nvidia RTX 2080 or higher, and a fast NVMe SSD. But regardless of what kind of storage you have, you’ll need to reserve a staggering 180GB to unpack the game’s files on it, which results in a slightly smaller, but still huge 173GB install size.
I ran the game without a hitch on the “high” resolution setting on my PC, which contains an Intel Core i5 9600K processor, 16GB of RAM, Nvidia’s RTX 2070, and a SATA-based SSD. For PCs that aren’t as powerful as mine or the one Respawn suggests you have, you can switch on dynamic resolution to let the game adjust settings on the fly to stay smooth. It even ran fine wirelessly via Virtual Desktop with my Oculus Quest 2, but your results will vary depending on your PC’s power and the quality of your internet connection and router.
Even with all the necessary specs, I wouldn’t call this game a stunner, visually speaking. The main character models are expressive, if cartoony in appearance, though most enemies and secondary characters could pass as something just above low-poly extras in a modern open-world game. Some of the smaller rooms are particularly impressive, though the graphical fidelity and attention to detail expectedly take a hit as the maps grow in size.
Image: EA
1999’s Medal of Honor was the game that helped make wartime first-person shooters popular, though the franchise struggled to distinguish itself from Call of Duty since it launched in 2003. With this VR game’s title, Respawn and EA seem to be bragging that Medal of Honor has finally gone where no Call of Duty game has gone before — “above and beyond” it, in fact. Despite moving into new territory, Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond feels like it’s traveling a well-worn path but doesn’t provide enough reasons to make it worth buying a headset. Even with all of the necessary equipment, this game doesn’t rise to being a must-play experience.


theverge--2020-12-11--Doom Eternal is another impressive Switch port

When the Switch version of the Doom reboot was released in the same year that Nintendo launched its hybrid console , it took quite a few people by surprise .
Not only was it rare to see an ultraviolent first-person shooter on a Nintendo platform , but it was downright impressive to see such a technically advanced game work on the mobile hardware in the first place .
Sure , the resolution was a little blurry and it only ran at 30fps , but it was Doom in your hands , which felt impossible at the time .
Doom was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Switch ports , a list that has grown to include the likes of Overwatch and The Witcher 3 .
So this week ’ s release of its sequel , the excellent Doom Eternal , doesn ’ t have quite the impact of the original Doom port .
But in some ways , that ’ s to its credit : Doom Eternal feels like a completely viable Switch game now , rather than an improbable technical feat stretching the limits of the hardware .
I ’ ve played through the opening hours of Doom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually runs better than the original game did .
It ’ s still locked to 30fps , of course , and it still makes use of much lower graphical settings and dynamic 720p resolution scaling to keep that frame rate locked in .
But it generally stays sharper than the first Doom port , and the Switch has no problem keeping up with the fast-paced action , which is so hectic that it ’ s often difficult to pay attention to the resolution .
Loading times are much improved , too , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gyro aiming ( which the original game also got in an update a few months after release ) .
Doom Eternal is based on id Tech 7 , the latest version of id Software ’ s in-house engine — which is to say that it ’ s a more technically advanced game than Doom , so it ’ s great to see the Switch turning in a performance like this .
A Switch version was planned from the start , unlike its predecessor , which may well have helped with optimization .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after originally having been intended for release at around the same time as other platforms , so it seems like porting studio Panic Button made good use of the extra time .
The biggest noticeable cutback is in the cutscenes , which are quite a bit worse than on other platforms .
They ’ re running in a letterboxed aspect ratio and at a lower framerate than the game itself , causing a jarring effect whenever control is taken away from you for a narrative sequence .
It ’ s not a huge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the actual gameplay — and I didn ’ t like the cutscenes on PC in the first place — but it ’ s definitely a compromise .
A more powerful Switch console is rumored for release next year , and I do wonder what it could do for games like Doom Eternal .
Since it uses dynamic resolution to maintain performance , theoretically , the game could look a lot better right away if it were running on a Switch with a faster GPU .
For now , though , Doom Eternal on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way to play the game if it ’ s your only way to do so .
That brings me to the only other real problem I have with this version of Doom Eternal , which is that I don ’ t really have much reason to play it .
It would be perfect on a long flight , but I obviously haven ’ t been spending much time on planes lately , and it ’ s hard to see me opting for the Switch version when I ’ m staying at home with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also selling at $ 59.99 on the Switch even though you can find it for cheaper on other platforms — or try it for nothing if you ’ re an Xbox Game Pass subscriber .
But again , if the Switch is your only console or if your TV is constantly tied up , this is still a great option .
While it doesn ’ t feel quite as miraculous as Doom did three years ago , it ’ s ultimately a better conversion .
is out now for the Nintendo Switch

When the Switch version of the Doom reboot was released in the same year that Nintendo launched its hybrid console, it took quite a few people by surprise. Not only was it rare to see an ultraviolent first-person shooter on a Nintendo platform, but it was downright impressive to see such a technically advanced game work on the mobile hardware in the first place. Sure, the resolution was a little blurry and it only ran at 30fps, but it was Doom in your hands, which felt impossible at the time.
Doom was the first of several unexpectedly ambitious third-party Switch ports, a list that has grown to include the likes of Overwatch and The Witcher 3. So this week’s release of its sequel, the excellent Doom Eternal, doesn’t have quite the impact of the original Doom port. But in some ways, that’s to its credit: Doom Eternal feels like a completely viable Switch game now, rather than an improbable technical feat stretching the limits of the hardware.
I’ve played through the opening hours of Doom Eternal on the Switch, and it actually runs better than the original game did. It’s still locked to 30fps, of course, and it still makes use of much lower graphical settings and dynamic 720p resolution scaling to keep that frame rate locked in. But it generally stays sharper than the first Doom port, and the Switch has no problem keeping up with the fast-paced action, which is so hectic that it’s often difficult to pay attention to the resolution. Loading times are much improved, too, and you have the option to play with gyro aiming (which the original game also got in an update a few months after release).
Doom Eternal is based on id Tech 7, the latest version of id Software’s in-house engine — which is to say that it’s a more technically advanced game than Doom, so it’s great to see the Switch turning in a performance like this. A Switch version was planned from the start, unlike its predecessor, which may well have helped with optimization. The Switch version is also arriving pretty late after originally having been intended for release at around the same time as other platforms, so it seems like porting studio Panic Button made good use of the extra time.
The biggest noticeable cutback is in the cutscenes, which are quite a bit worse than on other platforms. They’re running in a letterboxed aspect ratio and at a lower framerate than the game itself, causing a jarring effect whenever control is taken away from you for a narrative sequence. It’s not a huge deal since it doesn’t affect the actual gameplay — and I didn’t like the cutscenes on PC in the first place — but it’s definitely a compromise.
A more powerful Switch console is rumored for release next year, and I do wonder what it could do for games like Doom Eternal. Since it uses dynamic resolution to maintain performance, theoretically, the game could look a lot better right away if it were running on a Switch with a faster GPU. For now, though, Doom Eternal on the current Switch is a perfectly reasonable way to play the game if it’s your only way to do so.
That brings me to the only other real problem I have with this version of Doom Eternal, which is that I don’t really have much reason to play it. It would be perfect on a long flight, but I obviously haven’t been spending much time on planes lately, and it’s hard to see me opting for the Switch version when I’m staying at home with other hardware available. Doom Eternal is also selling at $59.99 on the Switch even though you can find it for cheaper on other platforms — or try it for nothing if you’re an Xbox Game Pass subscriber.
But again, if the Switch is your only console or if your TV is constantly tied up, this is still a great option. While it doesn’t feel quite as miraculous as Doom did three years ago, it’s ultimately a better conversion.


theverge--2020-12-11--Apple’s old 29W chargers aren’t good enough for MagSafe Duo

An Apple support page has confirmed that the company ’ s new MagSafe Duo wireless charger , which is designed to charge an iPhone and Apple Watch simultaneously , isn ’ t compatible with its older 29W USB-C power adapter .
If you ’ re using an Apple power adapter it ’ s best to use one of the company ’ s newer 30W models , which replaced the 29W model in 2018 and retail for $ 49 .
It ’ s an unfortunate revelation for anyone with the old chargers since the MagSafe Duo doesn ’ t come with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apple ’ s page doesn ’ t say exactly what happens if you plug the MagSafe Duo into one of the older 29W bricks .
MacRumors reports that if you do it will only be able to charge a single device , an iPhone or an Apple Watch , rather than both at once .
Although the 29W brick appears to meet the wattage requirements of the MagSafe Duo , it apparently doesn ’ t support the exact combination of volts and amps required .
Working out MagSafe ’ s charging speeds is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working out how fast each of Apple ’ s MagSafe accessories will charge your devices is a little bit complicated .
The standard MagSafe charger charges iPhones at up to 15W , and Apple recommends pairing it with a $ 19 Apple 20W USB-C power adapter .
The MagSafe Duo charger , meanwhile , offers up to a slightly lower 14W of charging when paired with a 27W or higher brick , so long as that brick supports 9V/3A .
You get 11W of charging by pairing it with a 20W power brick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you need “ at least 15W ( 5V/3A or 9V/1.67A ) ” for the Duo to charge two devices simultaneously .
If you ’ re charging an iPhone 12 mini , the maximum charge is capped at 12W with the Duo .
Oh , and the maximum charge is also capped at 7.5W if you ’ re charging your phone with a Lightning accessory ( like a pair of headphones ) plugged in .
Plenty of devices have very specific requirements for the hardware you need to use to get the fastest charging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to blame Apple too much here .
But I think we can all agree that it could have made things much simpler for customers if it included a power brick in the box with its $ 129 wireless charger .

An Apple support page has confirmed that the company’s new MagSafe Duo wireless charger, which is designed to charge an iPhone and Apple Watch simultaneously, isn’t compatible with its older 29W USB-C power adapter. If you’re using an Apple power adapter it’s best to use one of the company’s newer 30W models, which replaced the 29W model in 2018 and retail for $49. It’s an unfortunate revelation for anyone with the old chargers since the MagSafe Duo doesn’t come with a charging brick in the box.
Apple’s page doesn’t say exactly what happens if you plug the MagSafe Duo into one of the older 29W bricks. MacRumors reports that if you do it will only be able to charge a single device, an iPhone or an Apple Watch, rather than both at once. Although the 29W brick appears to meet the wattage requirements of the MagSafe Duo, it apparently doesn’t support the exact combination of volts and amps required.
Working out MagSafe’s charging speeds is a little complicated
At this point, working out how fast each of Apple’s MagSafe accessories will charge your devices is a little bit complicated. The standard MagSafe charger charges iPhones at up to 15W, and Apple recommends pairing it with a $19 Apple 20W USB-C power adapter. The MagSafe Duo charger, meanwhile, offers up to a slightly lower 14W of charging when paired with a 27W or higher brick, so long as that brick supports 9V/3A. You get 11W of charging by pairing it with a 20W power brick that supports 9V/2.22A, and Apple says you need “at least 15W (5V/3A or 9V/1.67A)” for the Duo to charge two devices simultaneously. If you’re charging an iPhone 12 mini, the maximum charge is capped at 12W with the Duo. Oh, and the maximum charge is also capped at 7.5W if you’re charging your phone with a Lightning accessory (like a pair of headphones) plugged in.


theverge--2020-12-11--Hyundai takes control of Boston Dynamics in $1.1B deal

Hyundai is officially purchasing a controlling stake in robot maker Boston Dynamics from SoftBank in a deal that values the company at $ 1.1 billion , the company announced today .
The deal has been in the works for a while , according to recent a report from Bloomberg , and marks a major step into consumer robotics for Hyundai .
Hyundai is taking approximately an 80 percent stake in the company while its previous owner , Softbank , will retain around 20 percent through an affiliate .
Hyundai says its investment will help its development of service and logistics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hopes to build more humanoid robots for jobs like “ caregiving for patients at hospitals.
” Other areas of interest include autonomous driving and smart factories .
Boston Dynamics started as a spin-off from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology .
The company has created robots using DARPA funding , like BigDog , but is best known for the viral fame its robots have found online .
Its two main stars have been Atlas , a humanoid bipedal robot that can run and do backflips , and Spot , a smaller quadrupedal “ dog @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a variety of scenarios , from sheep herding to assisting health care workers during the pandemic .
The company started selling Spot in June 2020 for $ 74,500 , targeting businesses looking for an automated way to patrol and inspect warehouses .
Despite the viral fame , Boston Dynamics has never been profitable , which could change under a new CEO and Hyundai ’ s guidance .
It ’ s been a long journey from its start in 1992 to being valued at $ 1.1 billion .
Boston Dynamics spent time under Google @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and more recently had a stint with SoftBank , a deal that former Boston Dynamics CEO Marc Raibert announced with the lofty “ mission to push the boundaries of what advanced robots can do and to create useful applications in a smarter and more connected world.
” Hyundai ’ s own industrial robots have been focused on factories in its automotive comfort zone , including a “ car with legs ” concept that the company imagined could be used by first responders to travel across difficult terrain .

Hyundai is officially purchasing a controlling stake in robot maker Boston Dynamics from SoftBank in a deal that values the company at $1.1 billion, the company announced today. The deal has been in the works for a while, according to recent a report from Bloomberg, and marks a major step into consumer robotics for Hyundai. Hyundai is taking approximately an 80 percent stake in the company while its previous owner, Softbank, will retain around 20 percent through an affiliate.
Hyundai says its investment will help its development of service and logistics robots, but that over time it hopes to build more humanoid robots for jobs like “caregiving for patients at hospitals.” Other areas of interest include autonomous driving and smart factories.
Atlas, another one Boston Dynamic’s robots. Image: Boston Dynamics
It’s been a long journey from its start in 1992 to being valued at $1.1 billion. Boston Dynamics spent time under Google, primarily focused on research and development, and more recently had a stint with SoftBank, a deal that former Boston Dynamics CEO Marc Raibert announced with the lofty “mission to push the boundaries of what advanced robots can do and to create useful applications in a smarter and more connected world.”
Hyundai’s own industrial robots have been focused on factories in its automotive comfort zone, including a “car with legs” concept that the company imagined could be used by first responders to travel across difficult terrain.


theverge--2020-12-11--FDA authorizes first COVID-19 vaccine in US

The Food and Drug Administration has authorized the use of a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech , a landmark moment in the fight to suppress a virus that has killed nearly 300,000 people in the United States and sickened tens of millions around the world .
“ Today ’ s emergency use authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine holds the promise to alter the course of this pandemic in the United States , ” Peter Marks , director of the FDA ’ s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research , said in a press release .
The vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the age of 16 .
It was found to be 95 percent effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in clinical trials .
“ That is extraordinary , ” Anthony Fauci , director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases , said in a press conference at the end of November .
It ’ s far better than experts had dared hope for .
The FDA was prepared to authorize a vaccine as long as it was at least 50 percent effective .
“ We were shocked , ” Pfizer ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told The New York Times .
“ We couldn ’ t believe it.
” The shot appears to protect people against the most severe forms of the disease .
It is also highly effective in people over the age of 65 , who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19 .
Scientists will continue to monitor the vaccine after it ’ s deployed to see how well it works in the real world .
Scientists will continue to monitor the vaccine after it ’ s deployed The news of the clearance comes at the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressure from the White House to authorize the vaccine .
Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told Stephen Hahn , the commissioner of the FDA , to resign if the vaccine was not cleared by Friday , the Washington Post reported .
The agency had originally planned to complete the authorization by Saturday .
On Thursday , an independent committee said it recommended authorization .
The Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine has already been authorized by regulatory authorities in the United Kingdom , Canada , and Bahrain .
The authorizations of this vaccine , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ development began , shatter the record for the fastest vaccine developed .
The record was previously held by the mumps vaccine , which took four years .
Researchers were able to condense the normally years-long vaccine development process into months by , among other steps , shortening the time between clinical trial phases and scaling up manufacturing of potential candidates as trials were ongoing .
Companies did not skip steps in the safety testing process , though .
The FDA said that it needed to see two full months of safety data on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the window when most dangerous side effects could occur .
The vaccine will be made available under an Emergency Use Authorization , a designation that lets the FDA make products available during an emergency situation when there are no other options available .
The process lets the agency sidestep some of the more lengthy regulatory steps it usually needs to formally approve or license a pharmaceutical .
It typically takes the FDA a full year to review vaccine data once it ’ s submitted by companies .
For this emergency authorization , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pfizer and BioNTech submitted their data on November 20th .
The Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine is made from a gene-based technology that ’ s never been used before in an authorized vaccine for people .
It contains a tiny bit of the genetic material for the coronavirus spike protein , which the virus uses to enter cells .
The body builds that spike protein from the genetic instructions and then generates defenses against it .
The Moderna vaccine , which the FDA ’ s vaccine advisory committee will review on December 17th , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is another reason why the vaccine was developed so quickly — once researchers have the genetic sequence of a virus , it ’ s relatively easy to design a gene-based vaccine to attack it .
Now starts an equally daunting task : distributing the vaccine and vaccinating people .
Now starts an equally daunting task : distributing the vaccine and vaccinating people .
Pfizer ’ s vaccine has to stay at ultracold temperatures , which makes shipping it around the country and the world more challenging .
Doses of the vaccine will also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Health care workers and residents in long-term care facilities will be the first to receive the vaccine , and doses could be administered within days .
Other high-risk groups , including older adults and people with underlying health conditions , will likely be next in line .
On the most optimistic timeline , vaccinations for the general population could start in March or April , but hospitals say that some of those timelines seem unrealistic .
The US has purchased 100 million doses of the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine , enough to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration reportedly declined an offer to secure an additional 100 million doses this summer .
Although the US can acquire up to 500 million more doses , the rejected offer means they may not be available until the summer .

The Food and Drug Administration has authorized the use of a COVID-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, a landmark moment in the fight to suppress a virus that has killed nearly 300,000 people in the United States and sickened tens of millions around the world.
“Today’s emergency use authorization of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine holds the promise to alter the course of this pandemic in the United States,” Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a press release.
The vaccine is authorized in the US for people over the age of 16. It was found to be 95 percent effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in clinical trials. “That is extraordinary,” Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said in a press conference at the end of November. It’s far better than experts had dared hope for. The FDA was prepared to authorize a vaccine as long as it was at least 50 percent effective. “We were shocked,” Pfizer’s chief executive officer, Albert Bourla, told The New York Times. “We couldn’t believe it.”
The shot appears to protect people against the most severe forms of the disease. It is also highly effective in people over the age of 65, who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. Scientists will continue to monitor the vaccine after it’s deployed to see how well it works in the real world.
Scientists will continue to monitor the vaccine after it’s deployed
The news of the clearance comes at the same time that the FDA has faced public pressure from the White House to authorize the vaccine. Chief of Staff Mark Meadows told Stephen Hahn, the commissioner of the FDA, to resign if the vaccine was not cleared by Friday, the Washington Post reported. The agency had originally planned to complete the authorization by Saturday. On Thursday, an independent committee said it recommended authorization.
The Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine has already been authorized by regulatory authorities in the United Kingdom, Canada, and Bahrain.
The authorizations of this vaccine, which have come less than a year after development began, shatter the record for the fastest vaccine developed. The record was previously held by the mumps vaccine, which took four years.
Researchers were able to condense the normally years-long vaccine development process into months by, among other steps, shortening the time between clinical trial phases and scaling up manufacturing of potential candidates as trials were ongoing. Companies did not skip steps in the safety testing process, though. The FDA said that it needed to see two full months of safety data on any COVID-19 vaccine because that’s the window when most dangerous side effects could occur.
The vaccine will be made available under an Emergency Use Authorization, a designation that lets the FDA make products available during an emergency situation when there are no other options available. The process lets the agency sidestep some of the more lengthy regulatory steps it usually needs to formally approve or license a pharmaceutical. It typically takes the FDA a full year to review vaccine data once it’s submitted by companies. For this emergency authorization, that was condensed to a few weeks; Pfizer and BioNTech submitted their data on November 20th.
The Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine is made from a gene-based technology that’s never been used before in an authorized vaccine for people. It contains a tiny bit of the genetic material for the coronavirus spike protein, which the virus uses to enter cells. The body builds that spike protein from the genetic instructions and then generates defenses against it. The Moderna vaccine, which the FDA’s vaccine advisory committee will review on December 17th, also uses this technology. The platform is another reason why the vaccine was developed so quickly — once researchers have the genetic sequence of a virus, it’s relatively easy to design a gene-based vaccine to attack it.
Now starts an equally daunting task: distributing the vaccine and vaccinating people.
Now starts an equally daunting task: distributing the vaccine and vaccinating people. Pfizer’s vaccine has to stay at ultracold temperatures, which makes shipping it around the country and the world more challenging. Doses of the vaccine will also be limited through the start of 2021.
Health care workers and residents in long-term care facilities will be the first to receive the vaccine, and doses could be administered within days. Other high-risk groups, including older adults and people with underlying health conditions, will likely be next in line. On the most optimistic timeline, vaccinations for the general population could start in March or April, but hospitals say that some of those timelines seem unrealistic.


theverge--2020-12-11--Cyberpunk 2077’s long-struggling developers will see their bonuses after all

Cyberpunk 2077 , CD Projekt Red ’ s latest game , has been in development for nearly a decade .
It was first announced in May 2012 , and it ’ s had a rocky development cycle , with numerous delays and , in the final stretch of development , a required six-day workweek .
But despite the long development , the game didn ’ t review quite as well as CDPR wanted , meaning developers who had been toiling for years could have been on the brink of losing performance bonuses that were tied to review scores .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to worry about review scores anymore , though : CDPR will now pay full performance bonuses regardless of the critical reception of the game , according to Bloomberg .
“ We underestimated the lengths and complexity involved to make this a reality ” “ We initially had a bonus system that was focused on the game ’ s ratings and the release date , but after consideration , we believe that measure is simply not fair under the circumstances , ” Adam Badowski , studio head and creative director for Cyberpunk 2077 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ obtained by Bloomberg .
“ We underestimated the lengths and complexity involved to make this a reality , and still you did everything you could to deliver an ambitious , special game.
” Cyberpunk 2077 received favorable reviews this week — it currently has a Metacritic score of 90 out of 100 , which typically indicates that a game is very good .
By contrast , some of the top games of this year edge it out with Metacritic scores in the low 90s .
But reviewers reportedly weren ’ t given review @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game , and there are now numerous reports of bugs and issues when playing Cyberpunk 2077 on older consoles .
Given the current problems players are now finding , Cyberpunk 2077 ’ s Metacritic score could easily fall below 90 as more publications post reviews .
If it falls below that score , developers wouldn ’ t have received their bonuses under the previous system , according to Bloomberg .
CDPR leaders would hand out tokens every month to staffers who went above and beyond , and those tokens were supposed to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ certain criteria , like critical acclaim and a timely release , ” according to the report .
Now , though , it sounds as if all staffers will get their performance bonuses no matter where the review score lands .
Cyberpunk 2077 has been a big retail success , despite the reviews and buggy release .
It sold more than 8 million preorders , according to CDPR , completely making back its development and marketing budget on day one .
It also broke Steam ’ s concurrent player record for a single-player @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million concurrent players on Thursday .

Cyberpunk 2077, CD Projekt Red’s latest game, has been in development for nearly a decade. It was first announced in May 2012, and it’s had a rocky development cycle, with numerous delays and, in the final stretch of development, a required six-day workweek. But despite the long development, the game didn’t review quite as well as CDPR wanted, meaning developers who had been toiling for years could have been on the brink of losing performance bonuses that were tied to review scores.
The studio’s developers won’t have to worry about review scores anymore, though: CDPR will now pay full performance bonuses regardless of the critical reception of the game, according to Bloomberg.
“We underestimated the lengths and complexity involved to make this a reality”
“We initially had a bonus system that was focused on the game’s ratings and the release date, but after consideration, we believe that measure is simply not fair under the circumstances,” Adam Badowski, studio head and creative director for Cyberpunk 2077, said in an email to staff obtained by Bloomberg. “We underestimated the lengths and complexity involved to make this a reality, and still you did everything you could to deliver an ambitious, special game.”
Cyberpunk 2077 received favorable reviews this week — it currently has a Metacritic score of 90 out of 100, which typically indicates that a game is very good. By contrast, some of the top games of this year edge it out with Metacritic scores in the low 90s.
But reviewers reportedly weren’t given review code for the console versions of the game, and there are now numerous reports of bugs and issues when playing Cyberpunk 2077 on older consoles. Given the current problems players are now finding, Cyberpunk 2077’s Metacritic score could easily fall below 90 as more publications post reviews. If it falls below that score, developers wouldn’t have received their bonuses under the previous system, according to Bloomberg.
CDPR leaders would hand out tokens every month to staffers who went above and beyond, and those tokens were supposed to be transferrable into bonuses if the game met “certain criteria, like critical acclaim and a timely release,” according to the report. Now, though, it sounds as if all staffers will get their performance bonuses no matter where the review score lands.
CDPR didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.


theverge--2020-12-11--Cyberpunk 2077’s 1.04 patch makes changes to reduce epilepsy risk

Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red ( CDPR ) is rolling out an update to the game that could reduce the potential for some sequences to induce epileptic symptoms .
The risks of seizure were brought to light by Game Informer editor Liana Ruppert earlier this week .
The 1.04 hotfix is now live on PlayStation consoles and PC , and CDPR is working to have the update out “ as soon as possible ” on Xbox .
CDPR says it has changed the way its “ braindance ” sequences look .
During these sequences , a device is placed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eyes that flashes red and white lights .
The effect is similar to what actual neurologists do to trigger seizures for diagnoses , according to Ruppert , who reported that she suffered an epileptic episode when she played the game .
The flashing effect during braindances has been “ smoothed out and the flashes reduced in frequency and magnitude , ” according to CDPR ’ s patch notes .
Ruppert said she worked with the studio this week to help test the fix .
“ I think this will help MANY epileptics and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Ruppert said .
The update has many other fixes , including one for an issue where some copyrighted songs would play even when a player had toggled a setting to disable copyrighted music from playing .
CDPR had warned streamers to turn off all music in the game on Thursday as a temporary workaround to avoid potentially triggering a DMCA strike .
Despite Cyberpunk 2077 ’ s many early issues , including reports of poor performance on older consoles , the game has been a huge financial success so far .
CDPR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of development and marketing purely through digital pre-orders , according to a document on CDPR ’ s investor site ( PDF ) .
The game had more than eight million preorders , CDPR announced on Wednesday .
Cyberpunk 2077 also smashed Steam ’ s concurrent player record for a single-player game , peaking at more than 1 million concurrent players on Thursday , according to SteamDB .
That figure more than doubled the previous record held by Fallout 4 , which had a peak of more than 470,000 concurrent players in 2015 .

Cyberpunk 2077 developer CD Projekt Red (CDPR) is rolling out an update to the game that could reduce the potential for some sequences to induce epileptic symptoms. The risks of seizure were brought to light by Game Informer editor Liana Ruppert earlier this week. The 1.04 hotfix is now live on PlayStation consoles and PC, and CDPR is working to have the update out “as soon as possible” on Xbox.
CDPR says it has changed the way its “braindance” sequences look. During these sequences, a device is placed in front of your character’s eyes that flashes red and white lights. The effect is similar to what actual neurologists do to trigger seizures for diagnoses, according to Ruppert, who reported that she suffered an epileptic episode when she played the game.
The flashing effect during braindances has been “smoothed out and the flashes reduced in frequency and magnitude,” according to CDPR’s patch notes. Ruppert said she worked with the studio this week to help test the fix. “I think this will help MANY epileptics and non-epileptics feel safer in #Cyberpunk2077,” Ruppert said.
The update has many other fixes, including one for an issue where some copyrighted songs would play even when a player had toggled a setting to disable copyrighted music from playing. CDPR had warned streamers to turn off all music in the game on Thursday as a temporary workaround to avoid potentially triggering a DMCA strike.
Despite Cyberpunk 2077’s many early issues, including reports of poor performance on older consoles, the game has been a huge financial success so far. CDPR has already earned back the total costs of development and marketing purely through digital pre-orders, according to a document on CDPR’s investor site (PDF). The game had more than eight million preorders, CDPR announced on Wednesday.


theverge--2020-12-11--Familiars.io is a simple, Pokémon-style multiplayer game that you can play right inside Twitter

Familiars.io is a minimalist monster-catching game that went online last year , and right now , you can play it inside Twitter .
As developer Nigel Nelson tweeted this afternoon , he ported ( or in his words , “ smuggled ” ) the entire game to an embedded Twitter card .
That means that you can play it directly through Twitter ’ s web interface or mobile app .
The game is built around Pokémon-style exploration and combat in a shared , lo-fi setting .
You can wander around capturing enemies to expand your team of familiars , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or simply walk around saying “ howdy , ” if you prefer . )
“ Me and my brother used to do this thing where we would start new games on Pokémon Red and Blue , progress through the game as fast as we could in a 3-hour period , and then fight each other with our pokémon teams , ” Nelson says .
“ A year ago I was looking for a new project , and my brother suggested that a multiplayer Pokémon-like PVP experience might be fun , and I thought @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game ’ s Twitter version won ’ t necessarily be online for long .
Familiars.io is using the Player Cards that Twitter offers for linear media , and Twitter admonishes users to not “ circumvent the intended use of the Card ” with interactive experiences .
In 2015 , Twitter disabled embedding classic MS-DOS games in tweets .
But the game has nonetheless taken off on the platform .
Nelson tells The Verge that he ’ s seen about 3,000 logins and 250 players online at a time , compared to a standard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I ’ ve had a few ideas for new fun things to add , but I think I might need to take a step back to figure out how to make my servers accommodate the increased player base , ” he says .
Familiars.io is a hobby and a work in progress ; some users have tweeted reports of bugs , particularly on Firefox .
But I ’ ve enjoyed the illicit thrill of Twitter gaming on desktop Chrome and Android ’ s Twitter app just fine — and Familiars.io itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the game gets taken off Twitter , its virtual world is still available on the web .

Familiars.io is a minimalist monster-catching game that went online last year, and right now, you can play it inside Twitter. As developer Nigel Nelson tweeted this afternoon, he ported (or in his words, “smuggled”) the entire game to an embedded Twitter card. That means that you can play it directly through Twitter’s web interface or mobile app.
The game is built around Pokémon-style exploration and combat in a shared, lo-fi setting. You can wander around capturing enemies to expand your team of familiars, then use them to fight other players (or simply walk around saying “howdy,” if you prefer.)
“Me and my brother used to do this thing where we would start new games on Pokémon Red and Blue, progress through the game as fast as we could in a 3-hour period, and then fight each other with our pokémon teams,” Nelson says. “A year ago I was looking for a new project, and my brother suggested that a multiplayer Pokémon-like PVP experience might be fun, and I thought it was a great idea.”
The game’s Twitter version won’t necessarily be online for long. Familiars.io is using the Player Cards that Twitter offers for linear media, and Twitter admonishes users to not “circumvent the intended use of the Card” with interactive experiences. In 2015, Twitter disabled embedding classic MS-DOS games in tweets. But the game has nonetheless taken off on the platform. Nelson tells The Verge that he’s seen about 3,000 logins and 250 players online at a time, compared to a standard user base of one or two people. “I’ve had a few ideas for new fun things to add, but I think I might need to take a step back to figure out how to make my servers accommodate the increased player base,” he says.


theverge--2020-12-11--Norman Abramson, a father of modern wireless networks, dies at 88

Norman Abramson , one of the pioneers behind wireless networks , has died at 88 , The New York Times reports .
Abramson and the team of graduate students and faculty he led were responsible for creating ALOHAnet , an early wireless network whose innovative techniques are still being used today in modern satellite , phone , and computer networks .
Abramson died of skin cancer that had metastasized in his lungs , according to The New York Times .
An engineer and student of communications theory — a discipline at the intersection of mathematics , information theory , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and he received a master ’ s at UCLA and a PhD from Stanford .
He was drawn to Hawaii partly because of his love of surfing , and in 1966 , took a faculty position at the University of Hawai ’ i ( UH ) Mānoa ’ s College of Engineering .
He rose to become chair of the school ’ s information and computer sciences department before retiring after three decades .
Hawaii helped give Abramson ’ s seminal project its name : ALOHAnet was created by Abramson and his collaborator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Like the wired ARPAnet , which served as the basis for the internet , ALOHAnet was designed as a system to connect UH to other colleges and universities to share research .
It delivered packets of data over radio channels more efficiently by not needing to schedule a transmission .
If a data packet wasn ’ t received , it would be sent again .
Some of the ideas that originated in the ALOHAnet project would go on to be used in the development of Wi-Fi and Ethernet .
“ There are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an impact as Norm on the way the entire planet communicates and shares information today , ” University of Hawai ’ i president David Lassner said in a memorial posted on the college ’ s blog .
“ Norm linked the islands of Hawaiʻi to each other and to the world , leaving a legacy at UH and beyond through his ideas and his students.
” Abramson is survived by his wife , son , and three grandchildren .

Norman Abramson, one of the pioneers behind wireless networks, has died at 88, The New York Times reports. Abramson and the team of graduate students and faculty he led were responsible for creating ALOHAnet, an early wireless network whose innovative techniques are still being used today in modern satellite, phone, and computer networks.
Abramson died of skin cancer that had metastasized in his lungs, according to The New York Times.
An engineer and student of communications theory — a discipline at the intersection of mathematics, information theory, and semiotics — Abramson studied at Harvard, and he received a master’s at UCLA and a PhD from Stanford. He was drawn to Hawaii partly because of his love of surfing, and in 1966, took a faculty position at the University of Hawai’i (UH) Mānoa’s College of Engineering. He rose to become chair of the school’s information and computer sciences department before retiring after three decades.
Hawaii helped give Abramson’s seminal project its name: ALOHAnet was created by Abramson and his collaborator Franklin Kuo, while teaching at UH. Like the wired ARPAnet, which served as the basis for the internet, ALOHAnet was designed as a system to connect UH to other colleges and universities to share research. It delivered packets of data over radio channels more efficiently by not needing to schedule a transmission. If a data packet wasn’t received, it would be sent again. Some of the ideas that originated in the ALOHAnet project would go on to be used in the development of Wi-Fi and Ethernet.
“There are very few people who had as significant an impact as Norm on the way the entire planet communicates and shares information today,” University of Hawai’i president David Lassner said in a memorial posted on the college’s blog. “Norm linked the islands of Hawaiʻi to each other and to the world, leaving a legacy at UH and beyond through his ideas and his students.”


theverge--2020-12-11--Microsoft really recorded a Christmas carol with the words ‘Bingle Bells’

Microsoft tweeted a fake commercial for a pretend holiday album called Microsoft Holiday Hits , a not-real , four-CD album that claims it features “ 60 festive favorites.
” I want to reiterate that this is not a real album — but the company actually went to the effort to record tidbits of Microsoft-themed versions of classic Christmas carols anyway for the lols .
I dearly love puns , dad humor , and terrible jokes , but even I groaned at some of what Microsoft did here .
Here are the lyrics to one eye-rolling carol : Or how about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hearing your collective sighs of despair over the Internet : But by far the worst offender is “ Bingle Bells , ” which is somehow actually stuck in my head : I have to give Microsoft some credit for some of the fictional song titles , though .
“ Deck the halls with ‘ 90s Clip Art ” sounds like a great theme for a holiday party .
“ Windows Wonderland ” is actually pretty clever .
“ Let it Segoe !
Let it Segoe !
Let it Segoe !
” made me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through your nose when you read something funny online .
And the whole video is presented in the style of an old Christmas-themed infomercial , which is charming .
You should just watch Microsoft ’ s one minute and fifteen second ad for this fake album for yourself : Microsoft has been on something of a holiday advertising blitz this year .
The company sold MS Paint and Windows-themed ugly sweaters online , but as of this writing , they ’ re sold out .
An Xbox ad from earlier this week , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ film made by Thor : Ragnarok director Taika Waititi , featured Master Chief as a DJ cat .
Another holiday ad featured dogs frolicking in Halo , Minecraft , and Flight Simulator .
You can certainly say Microsoft ’ s ads have been memorable , which I guess is the whole point .

Microsoft tweeted a fake commercial for a pretend holiday album called Microsoft Holiday Hits, a not-real, four-CD album that claims it features “60 festive favorites.” I want to reiterate that this is not a real album — but the company actually went to the effort to record tidbits of Microsoft-themed versions of classic Christmas carols anyway for the lols. I dearly love puns, dad humor, and terrible jokes, but even I groaned at some of what Microsoft did here.
Here are the lyrics to one eye-rolling carol:
Joy to the Word / spellcheck is done It fixed all of my stuff
Or how about this classic? I look forward to hearing your collective sighs of despair over the Internet:
Please Mute Ye Merry Gentlemen / You’re talking far too loud We’re trying to have a meeting / You’re yelling in a crowd
But by far the worst offender is “Bingle Bells,” which is somehow actually stuck in my head:
Bingle Bells, Bingle Bells / Bing goes all the way Oh what fun it is to surf the World Wide Web today, hey
I have to give Microsoft some credit for some of the fictional song titles, though. “Deck the halls with ‘90s Clip Art” sounds like a great theme for a holiday party. “Windows Wonderland” is actually pretty clever. “Let it Segoe! Let it Segoe! Let it Segoe!” made me do that thing where you breathe quickly through your nose when you read something funny online. And the whole video is presented in the style of an old Christmas-themed infomercial, which is charming.
You should just watch Microsoft’s one minute and fifteen second ad for this fake album for yourself:


theverge--2020-12-11--You can now use Google Assistant features with more wired headphones

While many new wireless headphones and earbuds are already equipped with support for virtual assistants , Google has extended that convenience to more users of wired headphones .
As 9to5Google points out , it ’ s now possible to quickly access Google Assistant features on an Android phone using 3.5mm and USB-C headphones that were previously unsupported .
Until now , Google Assistant integration was limited to wireless or wired options “ optimized for Google Assistant support.
” The company ’ s USB-C Pixel Buds were one of a few wired headphones to offer rich , hands-free integration with Google @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the case : plugging in a set of “ non-optimized ” wired headphones will now trigger a notification indicating that you can summon Google Assistant by pressing the action button on your headphones .
You ’ ll be able to set timers , create calendar appointments , and hear notifications without having to tap on your phone screen .
Set timers , create calendar appointments , and hear notifications without tapping your phone screen I got it working with a pair of 3.5mm Apple EarPods ( a relic ! )
and a Pixel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security update .
Sure enough , Google Assistant can be summoned with a long press of the in-line action button , allowing me to set and cancel timers and create and cancel calendar appointments , all without touching the phone screen .
Naturally , this is an update that will apply to a dwindling number of wired headphone users ( solidarity , y ’ all ) , but it ’ s a nice one if you happen to fall into that group .

While many new wireless headphones and earbuds are already equipped with support for virtual assistants, Google has extended that convenience to more users of wired headphones. As 9to5Google points out, it’s now possible to quickly access Google Assistant features on an Android phone using 3.5mm and USB-C headphones that were previously unsupported.
Until now, Google Assistant integration was limited to wireless or wired options “optimized for Google Assistant support.” The company’s USB-C Pixel Buds were one of a few wired headphones to offer rich, hands-free integration with Google Assistant.
That’s no longer the case: plugging in a set of “non-optimized” wired headphones will now trigger a notification indicating that you can summon Google Assistant by pressing the action button on your headphones. You’ll be able to set timers, create calendar appointments, and hear notifications without having to tap on your phone screen.
Set timers, create calendar appointments, and hear notifications without tapping your phone screen
I got it working with a pair of 3.5mm Apple EarPods (a relic!) and a Pixel 4A running Android 11 with the November security update. Sure enough, Google Assistant can be summoned with a long press of the in-line action button, allowing me to set and cancel timers and create and cancel calendar appointments, all without touching the phone screen.


theverge--2020-12-11--Go read this story about schools buying FBI-grade phone-hacking tech

If you were worried about sending your kids back to school after the pandemic ends ( or if you are a kid worrying about going back to school ) , I ’ m afraid this Gizmodo article is not going to help .
Tom McKay and Dhruv Mehrotra have done a fantastic job reporting about how some US school districts are buying tools designed to break into phones to download texts and photos… even ones that have been deleted .
While companies like Cellebrite have partnered with federal and local police for years , that the controversial equipment is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students ’ personal devices has gone relatively unnoticed—and serves as a frightening reminder of how technology originally developed for use by the military or intelligence services , ranging from blast-armored trucks designed for use in war zones to invasive surveillance tools , keeps trickling down to domestic police and even the institutions where our kids go to learn .
The devices are also expensive .
The Gizmodo reporters found some school districts that had spent up to $ 12,000 on the tech , which was designed for use in war zones and police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cooper Quintin of the Electronic Frontier Foundation says that they “ started out in the provenance of the U.S. military or federal law enforcement , and then made their way into state and local law enforcement , and also eventually make their way into the hands of criminals or petty tyrants like school administrators.
” Unlike in law enforcement , though , school districts don ’ t have to get a warrant to use the devices on students ’ phones .
The Supreme Court ruled that school officials only need to reasonably believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and that searching the phone will probably obtain evidence of it .
The article goes into detail about the many legal issues involved and how students don ’ t necessarily have the right to say no , so you should definitely take some time to dig into it .
Just have something nearby that you can use to help lower your blood pressure when you ’ re done .

If you were worried about sending your kids back to school after the pandemic ends (or if you are a kid worrying about going back to school), I’m afraid this Gizmodo article is not going to help. Tom McKay and Dhruv Mehrotra have done a fantastic job reporting about how some US school districts are buying tools designed to break into phones to download texts and photos… even ones that have been deleted.
While companies like Cellebrite have partnered with federal and local police for years, that the controversial equipment is also available for school district employees to search students’ personal devices has gone relatively unnoticed—and serves as a frightening reminder of how technology originally developed for use by the military or intelligence services, ranging from blast-armored trucks designed for use in war zones to invasive surveillance tools, keeps trickling down to domestic police and even the institutions where our kids go to learn.
The devices are also expensive. The Gizmodo reporters found some school districts that had spent up to $12,000 on the tech, which was designed for use in war zones and police investigations. Commenting on the devices, Cooper Quintin of the Electronic Frontier Foundation says that they “started out in the provenance of the U.S. military or federal law enforcement, and then made their way into state and local law enforcement, and also eventually make their way into the hands of criminals or petty tyrants like school administrators.”


theverge--2020-12-11--Watch the first six minutes of Tenet now, from home, on YouTube

Christopher Nolan recently went on a very public tirade about the importance of movies , including his , being seen on the big screen — but if anyone ’ s interested in watching Tenet ’ s opening prologue , they can do so now on YouTube .
Warner Bros. has posted the film ’ s first six minutes on YouTube ahead of the movie ’ s digital release next week .
Don ’ t worry about spoilers for the time-warping heist film , there aren ’ t any .
( I saw Tenet when it was released at a theater @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and one other person at the other end of the theater . )
The scene follows John David Washington ’ s Protagonist and a couple of other characters as they enter an auditorium to complete a mission .
That ’ s really all you need to know .
It ’ s a pretty fun , entirely Christopher Nolan segment that works on its own .
Both Tenet and Nolan have become part of the news cycle again following Nolan ’ s condemning of Warner Bros. for deciding to release all 17 of its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day they debut in theaters .
As Nolan put it in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter , “ Some of our industry ’ s biggest filmmakers and most important movie stars went to bed the night before thinking they were working for the greatest movie studio and woke up to find out they were working for the worst streaming service.
” Since then , other directors including Dune director Denis Villeneuve and Judd Apatow have voiced their own displeasure with Warner Bros. decision .
In a year where theatrical movie releases all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Tenet was the last big blockbuster of 2020 — and it became a guidepost for other studios .
Although the movie performed well internationally , amassing more than $ 300 million , it performed poorly in the United States , bringing in just $ 52 million .
With coronavirus cases surging around the world , WarnerMedia decided to bet on growing its HBO Max service in the United States by pursuing a hybrid release format .
If you missed Tenet in theaters , and this six-minute prologue convinces you to check out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll be available to purchase digitally and on Blu-ray on December 15th .

Christopher Nolan recently went on a very public tirade about the importance of movies, including his, being seen on the big screen — but if anyone’s interested in watching Tenet’s opening prologue, they can do so now on YouTube.
Warner Bros. has posted the film’s first six minutes on YouTube ahead of the movie’s digital release next week. Don’t worry about spoilers for the time-warping heist film, there aren’t any. (I saw Tenet when it was released at a theater in suburban Canada; it was me and one other person at the other end of the theater.) The scene follows John David Washington’s Protagonist and a couple of other characters as they enter an auditorium to complete a mission. That’s really all you need to know. It’s a pretty fun, entirely Christopher Nolan segment that works on its own.
Both Tenet and Nolan have become part of the news cycle again following Nolan’s condemning of Warner Bros. for deciding to release all 17 of its 2021 films on HBO Max the same day they debut in theaters. As Nolan put it in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, “Some of our industry’s biggest filmmakers and most important movie stars went to bed the night before thinking they were working for the greatest movie studio and woke up to find out they were working for the worst streaming service.” Since then, other directors including Dune director Denis Villeneuve and Judd Apatow have voiced their own displeasure with Warner Bros. decision.
In a year where theatrical movie releases all but ceased to exist, Nolan’s Tenet was the last big blockbuster of 2020 — and it became a guidepost for other studios. Although the movie performed well internationally, amassing more than $300 million, it performed poorly in the United States, bringing in just $52 million. With coronavirus cases surging around the world, WarnerMedia decided to bet on growing its HBO Max service in the United States by pursuing a hybrid release format.