theverge--2020-02-14--India’s proposed internet regulations could threaten privacy everywhere

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In December , after a somewhat bruising Senate hearing with Facebook , I argued that the fight over encryption was just beginning .
This week , with India poised to unveil new rules that threaten encrypted communications around the world , it seems safe to say that the encryption fight is now fully underway .
Messaging products that are end-to-end encrypted can be read only by the sender and the recipient .
The encrypted platform itself — such as Apple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s WhatsApp — can ’ t read the message , because it doesn ’ t have a key .
This has led to periodic attempts from law enforcement agencies and lawmakers to force platforms to create so-called “ backdoors ” that would allow them to snoop on the contents of those messages .
But the platforms have resisted , and the issue has generally been in a stalemate .
In India , though , things are moving very quickly to make end-to-end encryption illegal .
The country has sought to exert more control @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lynchings committed after false rumors spread on WhatsApp .
But the Indian government has often taken a draconian approach to regulating the web — shutting down internet access at least 95 times last year , including an indefinite shutdown in Kashmir that a judge called an “ abuse of power ” earlier this year .
Now a set of rules proposed a little over a year ago would force tech platforms to cooperate continuously with government requests , without requiring so much as a warrant or court order .
Among the requirements is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to its origin .
And in what is believed to be a world first , the rules would require tech companies to do the investigating — to deploy their sophisticated tools to track a post ’ s spread on their network back to its point of origin , and then turn that information over to law enforcement .
This is quite different from the current approach , in which law enforcement identifies a suspect and then asks platforms to supply information about them .
Now tech companies could essentially be required to serve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigations on behalf of law enforcement , without so much as a court order .
That almost certainly means breaking encryption — how else could tech companies be expected to trace the source of a message ?
Imagine Clearview AI , but as a service tech companies are required to provide to law enforcement for free , and you start to understand what the Indian government is asking for here .
The final rules are expected to be released imminently , Saritha Roi reports in Bloomberg : The rules would apply to any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Facebook , YouTube , Twitter , and TikTok .
Bloomberg reports that it ’ s not clear whether the identities of foreign users would be exempt .
The tech companies are fighting back .
A trade group has argued that the rules would represent a severe violation of Indian citizens ’ privacy , and they would almost certainly sue if the rules were implemented as written .
But there ’ s no guarantee that they ’ ll win .
And if these rules take effect India won ’ t be the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ companies will come under increasing pressure to implement a similar system in other Western countries .
( Australia seems poised to try to break encryption as well . )
What happens if encryption supporters lose ?
First , privacy is diminished for billions of users — including for activists , dissidents , victims of domestic abuse , businesses , and even government workers who have come to rely on secure messaging .
Second , the move could hurt the tech sector — both in India and abroad — by making it prohibitively expensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can afford to build a compliance regime that requires the company to accommodate any government request , no matter how small , from day one ?
In practice , the answer is likely to be “ only incumbents.
” Hannah Quay-de la Vallee makes this point here : Given how many things Americans have to worry about domestically , I understand how a story about Indian internet rules can fly under the radar .
But it ’ s important to recognize that the spirit that ’ s animating the discussion in India is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Threats to privacy are multiplying faster than tech or society can deal with them .
In such a world , encryption is one of the last — and best — tools we have to fight back .
Today in news that could affect public perception of the big tech platforms .
Trending sideways : Facebook ’ s fundraising features , which have led to more than $ 3 billion in donations since 2015 , have generated significant goodwill .
But nonprofits are complaining they don ’ t receive enough data about donors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bloomberg is paying some of the biggest meme-makers on the internet to post sponsored content on Instagram promoting his presidential campaign .
He ’ s working with Meme 2020 , a company formed by some of the people behind extremely influential accounts , like Mick Purzycki of Jerry Media .
Taylor Lorenz at The New York Times has the scoop : Larry Ellison , the founder of Oracle and one of the world ’ s richest men , is throwing a fundraiser for Donald Trump .
It ’ s the most significant display @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the president , by far .
( Theodore Schleifer / Recode ) Senator Kirsten Gillibrand ( D-NY ) released a proposal to overhaul the way the US government regulates privacy .
Her new Data Protection Act would create an independent agency to protect consumer data at large .
( Makena Kelly / The Verge ) A court in Moscow fined Twitter and Facebook 4 million rubles each ( a piddling $ 63,000 ) for refusing to store the personal data of Russian citizens on servers in their home country .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technology companies yet under Russia ’ s new internet laws , which are designed to give the government more control over peoples ’ online activity .
( Associated Press ) A network of news sites is expanding across the country .
Nearly 40 websites masquerading as conservative local news outlets were discovered in Michigan in October .
Now , additional statewide networks have sprung up in Montana and Iowa .
( Katherina Sourine and Dominick Sokotoff / The Michigan Daily ) A mobile voting app used in West Virginia has basic security flaws @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intercept votes as they ’ re transmitted from mobile phones to the voting company ’ s server .
It ’ s the latest evidence that digital voting solutions are not secure .
( Kim Zetter / Vice ) ⭐ Facebook ’ s dataset of anonymized URLs , which is meant to help researchers study the impact of social media on democracy , is finally live .
The project , which allows approved researchers to see every link shared on Facebook , is part of a research partnership with Social Science One .
Gary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ One talk about why the launch took so long : When Facebook originally agreed to make data available to academics through a structure we developed ( King and Persily , 2019 , GaryKing.org/partnerships ) and Mark Zuckerberg testified about our idea before Congress , we thought this day would take about two months of work ; it has taken twenty .
Since the original Request for Proposals was announced , we have been able to approve large numbers of researchers , and we continue to do so .
When this project began , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our job were over , and we merely needed to identify , prepare , and document data for researchers with our Facebook counterparts .
In fact , most of the last twenty months has involved negotiating with Facebook over their increasingly conservative views of privacy and the law , trying to get different groups within the company on the same page , and watching Facebook build an information security and data privacy infrastructure adequate to share data with academics .
Facebook ’ s New Product Experimentation team released a Pinterest-like app for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cooking and home improvement projects .
The app , called Hobbi , is meant to “ help you document and remember the things you love to do.
” Pinterest stock dipped on the news .
( Alex Heath / The Information ) Teens are creating thrifting communities on Instagram where they buy and sell clothes in photos and comments .
It ’ s like a modern-day eBay .
( Mia Sato / Input ) Jeff Bezos bought the most expensive property in LA with an eighth of a percent of his net worth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just how rich the wealthiest people on the planet are .
( Bijan Stephen / The Verge ) Amazon ’ s first employee , Shel Kaphan , says breaking up the company “ could potentially make sense.
” In an interview for a new PBS Frontline documentary about Amazon , Kaphan said he ’ s proud of what the company has become , but also conflicted .
( Jason Del Rey / Recode ) In 2019 , YouTube dominated 70 percent of the total time people spent on their phones watching the top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something that companies like Netflix , WarnerMedia , NBCUniversal , and Disney will have to take into account as they compete for people ’ s attention .
( Julia Alexander / The Verge ) The CEO of an AI startup with deep ties to the University of Michigan just stepped down from the company amid allegations of sexual misconduct .
But he ’ s still a professor at the school .
( Zoe Schiffer / The Verge ) Ezra Klein ’ s new book , Why We ’ re Polarized , charts 50 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ why our political climate is the way it is .
It turns out the answer is a lot more complicated than just “ social media.
” ( Nicholas Thompson / Wired ) New social media advice when going through a breakup : Deactivate your accounts , have a trusted friend change the passwords , and avoid looking back for as long as you can stand it .
( Katie Way / Vice ) I ’ m sure there ’ s relevant context here , but I ’ ve decided that I don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Send us tips , comments , questions , and your WhatsApp user ID : casey @ theverge.com and zoe @ theverge.com .

In December, after a somewhat bruising Senate hearing with Facebook, I argued that the fight over encryption was just beginning. This week, with India poised to unveil new rules that threaten encrypted communications around the world, it seems safe to say that the encryption fight is now fully underway.
First, some background.
Messaging products that are end-to-end encrypted can be read only by the sender and the recipient. The encrypted platform itself — such as Apple’s iCloud, or Facebook’s WhatsApp — can’t read the message, because it doesn’t have a key. This has led to periodic attempts from law enforcement agencies and lawmakers to force platforms to create so-called “backdoors” that would allow them to snoop on the contents of those messages. But the platforms have resisted, and the issue has generally been in a stalemate.
In India, though, things are moving very quickly to make end-to-end encryption illegal. The country has sought to exert more control over the internet in the wake of lynchings committed after false rumors spread on WhatsApp. But the Indian government has often taken a draconian approach to regulating the web — shutting down internet access at least 95 times last year, including an indefinite shutdown in Kashmir that a judge called an “abuse of power” earlier this year.
Now a set of rules proposed a little over a year ago would force tech platforms to cooperate continuously with government requests, without requiring so much as a warrant or court order. Among the requirements is that any post be “traceable” to its origin. And in what is believed to be a world first, the rules would require tech companies to do the investigating — to deploy their sophisticated tools to track a post’s spread on their network back to its point of origin, and then turn that information over to law enforcement.
This is quite different from the current approach, in which law enforcement identifies a suspect and then asks platforms to supply information about them. Now tech companies could essentially be required to serve as deputies of the state, conducting investigations on behalf of law enforcement, without so much as a court order.
That almost certainly means breaking encryption — how else could tech companies be expected to trace the source of a message? Imagine Clearview AI, but as a service tech companies are required to provide to law enforcement for free, and you start to understand what the Indian government is asking for here.
The final rules are expected to be released imminently, Saritha Roi reports in Bloomberg:
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology is expected to publish the new rules later this month without major changes, according to a government official familiar with the matter. [...] The provisions in the earlier draft had required platforms such as Google’s YouTube or ByteDance Inc.’s TikTok, Facebook or its Instagram and WhatsApp apps, to help the government trace the origins of a post within 72 hours of a request. The companies would also have to preserve their records for at least 180 days to aid government investigators, establish a brick-and-mortar operation within India and appoint both a grievance officer to deal with user complaints and a government liaison.
The rules would apply to any app with more than 5 million users, including Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and TikTok. Bloomberg reports that it’s not clear whether the identities of foreign users would be exempt.
The tech companies are fighting back. A trade group has argued that the rules would represent a severe violation of Indian citizens’ privacy, and they would almost certainly sue if the rules were implemented as written.
But there’s no guarantee that they’ll win. And if these rules take effect India won’t be the last democracy to implement them. Tech companies will come under increasing pressure to implement a similar system in other Western countries. (Australia seems poised to try to break encryption as well.)
What happens if encryption supporters lose? First, privacy is diminished for billions of users — including for activists, dissidents, victims of domestic abuse, businesses, and even government workers who have come to rely on secure messaging.
Second, the move could hurt the tech sector — both in India and abroad — by making it prohibitively expensive to launch a new business. Who can afford to build a compliance regime that requires the company to accommodate any government request, no matter how small, from day one? In practice, the answer is likely to be “only incumbents.” Hannah Quay-de la Vallee makes this point here:
If this rule is implemented in India (and potentially copied by other nations) it could force companies to create two types of systems – one that uses e2e and one that doesn’t. Companies might well justifiably balk at the cost and complexity of that approach and simply build less secure systems. That would weaken the overall safety of the internet ecosystem, harming users around the globe. Alternatively they could remove themselves from the Indian market altogether, depriving 1.2 billion people of state-of-the-art internet security. Neither of these are good outcomes.
Given how many things Americans have to worry about domestically, I understand how a story about Indian internet rules can fly under the radar. But it’s important to recognize that the spirit that’s animating the discussion in India is alive and well in the United States. Threats to privacy are multiplying faster than tech or society can deal with them. In such a world, encryption is one of the last — and best — tools we have to fight back.
The Ratio
Today in news that could affect public perception of the big tech platforms.
🔃 Trending sideways: Facebook’s fundraising features, which have led to more than $3 billion in donations since 2015, have generated significant goodwill. But nonprofits are complaining they don’t receive enough data about donors to form long-lasting relationships.
Governing
⭐ Mike Bloomberg is paying some of the biggest meme-makers on the internet to post sponsored content on Instagram promoting his presidential campaign. He’s working with Meme 2020, a company formed by some of the people behind extremely influential accounts, like Mick Purzycki of Jerry Media. Taylor Lorenz at The New York Times has the scoop:
The campaign, which launched this week, has already placed sponsored posts on Instagram accounts including @GrapeJuiceBoys, a meme page with more than 2.7 million followers; Jerry Media’s own most popular account, with more than 13.3 million followers; and @Tank.Sinatra, a member with more than 2.3 million followers. The accounts all posted Bloomberg campaign ads in the form of fake direct messages from the candidate.
Larry Ellison, the founder of Oracle and one of the world’s richest men, is throwing a fundraiser for Donald Trump. It’s the most significant display of support from a major tech titan for the president, by far. (Theodore Schleifer / Recode)
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) released a proposal to overhaul the way the US government regulates privacy. Her new Data Protection Act would create an independent agency to protect consumer data at large. (Makena Kelly / The Verge)
A court in Moscow fined Twitter and Facebook 4 million rubles each (a piddling $63,000) for refusing to store the personal data of Russian citizens on servers in their home country. It’s the largest penalty imposed on Western technology companies yet under Russia’s new internet laws, which are designed to give the government more control over peoples’ online activity. (Associated Press)
A network of news sites is expanding across the country. Nearly 40 websites masquerading as conservative local news outlets were discovered in Michigan in October. Now, additional statewide networks have sprung up in Montana and Iowa. (Katherina Sourine and Dominick Sokotoff / The Michigan Daily)
A mobile voting app used in West Virginia has basic security flaws that could allow someone to see and intercept votes as they’re transmitted from mobile phones to the voting company’s server. It’s the latest evidence that digital voting solutions are not secure. (Kim Zetter / Vice)
Industry
⭐ Facebook’s dataset of anonymized URLs, which is meant to help researchers study the impact of social media on democracy, is finally live. The project, which allows approved researchers to see every link shared on Facebook, is part of a research partnership with Social Science One. Gary King and Nathaniel Persily of Social Science One talk about why the launch took so long:
When Facebook originally agreed to make data available to academics through a structure we developed (King and Persily, 2019, GaryKing.org/partnerships) and Mark Zuckerberg testified about our idea before Congress, we thought this day would take about two months of work; it has taken twenty. Since the original Request for Proposals was announced, we have been able to approve large numbers of researchers, and we continue to do so. When this project began, we thought the political and legal aspects of our job were over, and we merely needed to identify, prepare, and document data for researchers with our Facebook counterparts. In fact, most of the last twenty months has involved negotiating with Facebook over their increasingly conservative views of privacy and the law, trying to get different groups within the company on the same page, and watching Facebook build an information security and data privacy infrastructure adequate to share data with academics.
Facebook’s New Product Experimentation team released a Pinterest-like app for saving and sharing photos of activities like cooking and home improvement projects. The app, called Hobbi, is meant to “help you document and remember the things you love to do.” Pinterest stock dipped on the news. (Alex Heath / The Information)
Teens are creating thrifting communities on Instagram where they buy and sell clothes in photos and comments. It’s like a modern-day eBay. (Mia Sato / Input)
Jeff Bezos bought the most expensive property in LA with an eighth of a percent of his net worth. It is literally impossible to imagine just how rich the wealthiest people on the planet are. (Bijan Stephen / The Verge)
Amazon’s first employee, Shel Kaphan, says breaking up the company “could potentially make sense.” In an interview for a new PBS Frontline documentary about Amazon, Kaphan said he’s proud of what the company has become, but also conflicted. (Jason Del Rey / Recode)
In 2019, YouTube dominated 70 percent of the total time people spent on their phones watching the top five entertainment apps. Its success is something that companies like Netflix, WarnerMedia, NBCUniversal, and Disney will have to take into account as they compete for people’s attention. (Julia Alexander / The Verge)
The CEO of an AI startup with deep ties to the University of Michigan just stepped down from the company amid allegations of sexual misconduct. But he’s still a professor at the school. (Zoe Schiffer / The Verge)
Ezra Klein’s new book, Why We’re Polarized, charts 50 years of American history to figure out why our political climate is the way it is. It turns out the answer is a lot more complicated than just “social media.” (Nicholas Thompson / Wired)
And finally...
I’m sure there’s relevant context here, but I’ve decided that I don’t care to look it up.
Talk to us


theverge--2020-02-14--Spot is surprisingly good at pulling Adam Savage in a rickshaw

Boston Dynamics has always talked about Spot ’ s ability to go places too dangerous for humans , whether it ’ s checking for gas leaks or disposing of bombs and other hazardous materials .
But now , former MythBusters host Adam Savage has developed a new use for the expensive robodog : pulling him around in a homemade rickshaw .
The project came about after Savage was loaned a Boston Dynamics robot for a year back in January .
Although he says that riding atop Spot directly isn ’ t possible because of the amount of weight the robot @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a good replacement .
“ I [ wanted ] an early video to be a simple task that we give Spot that is fun and evocative and strange and hilarious , ” the presenter explains in the video .
It makes use of Spot ’ s modular platform The project makes use of the modular platform that Boston Dynamics has created for Spot , which is designed to allow companies to create their own functions and payloads for the robot .
Spot has a set of cargo rails on its top , upon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tow hitch that could be connected to his rickshaw .
It ’ s not the most practical way of getting around , but then again the same could be said for rickshaws more generally , and that hasn ’ t stopped cities like London being overrun by pedal-powered versions .
At this point , why not cut out the human entirely and rely on a robotic dog ?
Or , if you ’ re not into the rickshaw idea , why not go all out and use a pack of Spots to tow @ @ @ @

Boston Dynamics has always talked about Spot’s ability to go places too dangerous for humans, whether it’s checking for gas leaks or disposing of bombs and other hazardous materials. But now, former MythBusters host Adam Savage has developed a new use for the expensive robodog: pulling him around in a homemade rickshaw.
The project came about after Savage was loaned a Boston Dynamics robot for a year back in January. Although he says that riding atop Spot directly isn’t possible because of the amount of weight the robot can handle, pulling a rickshaw is a good replacement. “I [wanted] an early video to be a simple task that we give Spot that is fun and evocative and strange and hilarious,” the presenter explains in the video.
It makes use of Spot’s modular platform
The project makes use of the modular platform that Boston Dynamics has created for Spot, which is designed to allow companies to create their own functions and payloads for the robot. Spot has a set of cargo rails on its top, upon which Savage was able to mount a tow hitch that could be connected to his rickshaw.


theverge--2020-02-14--RFID sensor is powered by dirty diapers

RFID sensor is powered by dirty diapers

Researches at MIT have developed a tiny RFID sensor that can detect diaper moisture , signal a nearby receiver , and send caregivers an alert , reports MIT News .
They say that the sensor can be manufactured for less than 2 cents , making it suitable for disposable diapers without adding bulk .
The newly developed RFID tag can be embedded in the hydrogel typically found in disposable diapers .
When wet , the hydrogel expands and becomes conductive enough to trigger the tag to send a signal to an RFID reader within a radius of one meter — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a home ’ s Wi-Fi network could be placed next to a crib to send alerts to a parent ’ s phone .
Alternatively , a small portable reader on a keychain could also alert parents of impending doom .
Wet diapers are the number one cause of divorce in America .
I can ’ t prove it , but it feels true having parented three kids through their baby years .
Wet diapers make babies miserable , and that makes sleep-deprived parents miserable .
This is a fact .
Wet diapers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in America Pampers already sells its Lumi brand of smart diapers .
They ’ re expensive though , and built around a bulky removable Bluetooth sensor that requires regular charging and cleaning .
It ’ s a typical over-the-top “ smart ” solution that tries to do too much , by tracking sleep patterns in addition to wetness .
Huggies also has a smart Bluetooth diaper that tracks both pee AND poop because parents of newborns are insane .
The research behind the new RFID tag was conducted by Pankhuri Sen , Sai @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sanjay E. Sarma , and Joshua E. Siegel .
The results were published today in the journal IEEE Sensors .

Researches at MIT have developed a tiny RFID sensor that can detect diaper moisture, signal a nearby receiver, and send caregivers an alert, reports MIT News. They say that the sensor can be manufactured for less than 2 cents, making it suitable for disposable diapers without adding bulk.
The newly developed RFID tag can be embedded in the hydrogel typically found in disposable diapers. When wet, the hydrogel expands and becomes conductive enough to trigger the tag to send a signal to an RFID reader within a radius of one meter — all without batteries. A reader connected to a home’s Wi-Fi network could be placed next to a crib to send alerts to a parent’s phone. Alternatively, a small portable reader on a keychain could also alert parents of impending doom.
Wet diapers are the number one cause of divorce in America. I can’t prove it, but it feels true having parented three kids through their baby years. Wet diapers make babies miserable, and that makes sleep-deprived parents miserable. This is a fact.
Wet diapers are the number one cause of divorce in America
Pampers already sells its Lumi brand of smart diapers. They’re expensive though, and built around a bulky removable Bluetooth sensor that requires regular charging and cleaning. It’s a typical over-the-top “smart” solution that tries to do too much, by tracking sleep patterns in addition to wetness. Huggies also has a smart Bluetooth diaper that tracks both pee AND poop because parents of newborns are insane.


theverge--2020-02-14--Google appeases Stadia subscribers with the first new game announcements since launch

Following a troubled launch last year , Google has announced that five specific new games will arrive on its cloud gaming service Stadia “ in the coming months , ” finally giving us some additional titles we can look forward to playing .
Sure , Google already said last month that Stadia would receive more than 120 games this year , including ten exclusives , but it hadn ’ t named a single new game between its November 19th debut and now — right before early adopters ’ three-month Stadia Pro trials are about to expire .
Stadia ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Remake and the Serious Sam Collection , as well as three games that will actually come to Stadia before they arrive elsewhere — Lost Words : Beyond the Page , a puzzle game with a heavy emphasis on a story written by Rhianna Pratchett of Mirror ’ s Edge and modern Tomb Raider fame ; Splitlings , a wacky arcade game you can play with up to three friends , and Stacks On Stacks ( On Stacks ) , a color 3D tower builder that reminds me a lot of Jenga .
Personally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dragoon Remake to arrive on Stadia ; it ’ s a high-definition remake of an overlooked 1995 title that debuted on the Sega Saturn and offered a creative approach to the rail shooter genre .
It didn ’ t reach a lot of people upon its release , so Stadia could make it easier for people to experience the game .
In addition to the new games , Google also tweeted out this week that it ’ s started quietly rolling out 4K support for the Chrome web browser — something that was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of our problems with the service in our review .
Theoretically , Chrome could be the easiest way to get your hands on Stadia , as you can run the service directly through your computer — no need to shell out money to buy a Chromecast Ultra or a Google Pixel phone .
( Other phones don ’ t support Stadia yet . )
But we found the image quality far worse on the Chrome browser compared to other versions .
That ’ s partly because Chrome was previously restricted to streaming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because we found Google ’ s current 1080p web streams don ’ t actually look like true 1080p .
When we tried to stream Destiny 2 in Chrome , we swore we were looking at a grainy 720p resolution instead .

Following a troubled launch last year, Google has announced that five specific new games will arrive on its cloud gaming service Stadia “in the coming months,” finally giving us some additional titles we can look forward to playing beyond the ones promised at launch.
Sure, Google already said last month that Stadia would receive more than 120 games this year, including ten exclusives, but it hadn’t named a single new game between its November 19th debut and now — right before early adopters’ three-month Stadia Pro trials are about to expire. The only games that have been released on Stadia so far were all promised before the service debuted.
Stadia’s new set of games includes Panzer Dragoon Remake and the Serious Sam Collection, as well as three games that will actually come to Stadia before they arrive elsewhere — Lost Words: Beyond the Page, a puzzle game with a heavy emphasis on a story written by Rhianna Pratchett of Mirror’s Edge and modern Tomb Raider fame; Splitlings, a wacky arcade game you can play with up to three friends, and Stacks On Stacks (On Stacks), a color 3D tower builder that reminds me a lot of Jenga.
Personally, I’m excited for Panzer Dragoon Remake to arrive on Stadia; it’s a high-definition remake of an overlooked 1995 title that debuted on the Sega Saturn and offered a creative approach to the rail shooter genre. It didn’t reach a lot of people upon its release, so Stadia could make it easier for people to experience the game.
In addition to the new games, Google also tweeted out this week that it’s started quietly rolling out 4K support for the Chrome web browser — something that was missing with Stadia at launch, and one of our problems with the service in our review.
Theoretically, Chrome could be the easiest way to get your hands on Stadia, as you can run the service directly through your computer — no need to shell out money to buy a Chromecast Ultra or a Google Pixel phone. (Other phones don’t support Stadia yet.) But we found the image quality far worse on the Chrome browser compared to other versions. That’s partly because Chrome was previously restricted to streaming at 1080p until now, and partly because we found Google’s current 1080p web streams don’t actually look like true 1080p. When we tried to stream Destiny 2 in Chrome, we swore we were looking at a grainy 720p resolution instead.


theverge--2020-02-14--Sony reportedly battling to keep PlayStation 5 price down

Sony is struggling to land on a price for its upcoming PlayStation 5 console , according to a new report by Bloomberg , with component shortages potentially pushing the MSRP beyond that of the PS4 .
The bill of materials is said to be at around $ 450 right now , compared to IHS Markit ’ s estimate of $ 381 for the PS4 , which sold for $ 399 upon its release in 2013 .
Unless Sony is willing to sell the PS5 at a loss , a $ 450 build cost would make the new console significantly more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 399 PS4 Pro , which is often discounted to as low as $ 299 .
It was once common for consoles to be sold as loss leaders , but Sony designed the PS4 to be profitable from the start after losing billions on the technically ambitious PS3 at launch .
It wouldn ’ t be surprising to see a more expensive PS5 Sony has already confirmed that the PS5 will be built around solid-state flash storage , which is notoriously expensive and susceptible to supply-chain fluctuations .
The amount of storage the company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will have a major impact on the price of the overall device .
Couple that with a next-generation AMD GPU with hardware support for ray tracing and presumably a lot of RAM , and it wouldn ’ t be surprising to see the PS5 come in at a higher launch price than its predecessor .
The Bloomberg report also says that Sony is working on a new PlayStation VR virtual reality headset , which is said to be planned for release after the PS5 .

Sony is struggling to land on a price for its upcoming PlayStation 5 console, according to a new report by Bloomberg, with component shortages potentially pushing the MSRP beyond that of the PS4. The bill of materials is said to be at around $450 right now, compared to IHS Markit’s estimate of $381 for the PS4, which sold for $399 upon its release in 2013.
Unless Sony is willing to sell the PS5 at a loss, a $450 build cost would make the new console significantly more expensive than Sony’s current $399 PS4 Pro, which is often discounted to as low as $299. It was once common for consoles to be sold as loss leaders, but Sony designed the PS4 to be profitable from the start after losing billions on the technically ambitious PS3 at launch.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see a more expensive PS5
Sony has already confirmed that the PS5 will be built around solid-state flash storage, which is notoriously expensive and susceptible to supply-chain fluctuations. The amount of storage the company is planning to include on the PS5 will have a major impact on the price of the overall device. Couple that with a next-generation AMD GPU with hardware support for ray tracing and presumably a lot of RAM, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the PS5 come in at a higher launch price than its predecessor.


theverge--2020-02-13--IRS backtracks on whether video game currencies are taxable

On Wednesday , the IRS quietly changed a provision on its website that said transactions of virtual currency like Fortnite ’ s V-bucks were taxable and may have to be reported on tax returns , as reported by CNN .
The provision had been on the IRS ’ website since at least October , and you can see it right here , thanks to the Wayback Machine .
On the archived version of the site , Bitcoin , Ether , Roblox ( likely referring to Robux from the game Roblox ) , and V-bucks are listed as specific examples of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ IRS defines a convertible virtual currency as one that has an equivalent value to or acts as a substitute for real currency .
The IRS ’ website now only lists Bitcoin as an example of a convertible virtual currency .
However , the IRS ’ inclusion of video game currencies was apparently a mistake .
IRS chief counsel Michael Desmond told reporters today that the issue was “ corrected and that was done quickly—as soon as it was brought to our attention , ” according to Bloomberg Tax .
And Desmond was apparently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ else to read into the situation , according to the author of Bloomberg Tax ’ s story , Ally Versprille , who questioned Desmond today : But despite Desmond ’ s comments and despite mentions of video game currencies being removed from the IRS ’ websites , the IRS hasn ’ t explicitly exempted them from needing to be reported .
That could mean you ’ ll still need to report them , according to tax experts who spoke to Brian Fung , the author of the CNN article on the situation : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ non-profit cryptocurrency research firm Coincenter , shared one interpretation of the current policies yesterday in a Twitter thread : So until the IRS further clarifies its policies , exactly how you should treat video game currencies on your taxes remains unclear .

On Wednesday, the IRS quietly changed a provision on its website that said transactions of virtual currency like Fortnite’s V-bucks were taxable and may have to be reported on tax returns, as reported by CNN.
The provision had been on the IRS’s website since at least October, and you can see it right here, thanks to the Wayback Machine. On the archived version of the site, bitcoin, Ether, Roblox (likely referring to Robux from the game Roblox), and V-bucks are listed as specific examples of a “convertible virtual currency.” The IRS defines a convertible virtual currency as one that has an equivalent value to or acts as a substitute for real currency. The IRS’s website now only lists bitcoin as an example of a convertible virtual currency.
However, the IRS’s inclusion of video game currencies was apparently a mistake. IRS chief counsel Michael Desmond told reporters today that the issue was “corrected and that was done quickly—as soon as it was brought to our attention,” according to Bloomberg Tax. Desmond was apparently emphatic that there isn’t anything else to read into the situation, according to the author of Bloomberg Tax’s story, Ally Versprille, who questioned Desmond on Thursday:
Despite Desmond’s comments and mentions of video game currencies being removed from the IRS’s websites, there was some confusion about whether they needed to be reported because the IRS hadn’t explicitly exempted them, according to tax experts who spoke to Brian Fung, the author of the CNN article. Jerry Brito, executive director of the nonprofit cryptocurrency research firm Coin Center, said on Wednesday that the IRS’s policies still didn’t entirely rule out that people might need to report video game currencies.
But the IRS finally made it clear on Friday that you don’t have report video game currencies that don’t leave the game (or become “convertible”). Here’s the IRS’s full statement, shared by Fung on Twitter:
The IRS recognizes that the language on our page potentially caused concern for some taxpayers. We have changed the language in order to lessen any confusion. Transacting in virtual currencies as part of a game that do not leave the game environment (virtual currencies that are not convertible) would not require a taxpayer to indicate this on their tax return.


theverge--2020-02-14--Apple now lets you shop directly in augmented reality

This week , Apple began rolling out a new update to its Quick Look augmented reality tool , letting iPhone and iPad users check out products in AR and then buy them directly .
Quick Look already let retailers offer an AR preview of their products by uploading a flat sticker or 3D product model so shoppers could see how a product might look in a real-world space .
Now , TechCrunch says that retailers can add a new button into that AR preview , which could let a customer immediately buy that product using Apple Pay , for example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1-800-Flowers already support Quick Look , according to TechCrunch .
So if you are looking to buy flowers , you can see how the vase and bouquet might look on a table or you can see how that new couch from Wayfair could look in your living room .
Apple debuted Quick Look in 2018 with the release of ARKit 2 , but you could only browse AR models .
If you wanted to do further research or buy the item , you ’ d have to close Quick Look and go to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yourself — but one of these new buttons , in theory , could take you directly to the buy page .
Apple also started quietly rolling out spatial audio support to Quick Look ’ s iOS and iPad OS developer builds .
This upgrade adds appropriate sounds to the 3D models , such as a speaker blasting music .

This week, Apple began rolling out a new update to its Quick Look augmented reality tool, letting iPhone and iPad users check out products in AR and then buy them directly.
Quick Look already let retailers offer an AR preview of their products by uploading a flat sticker or 3D product model so shoppers could see how a product might look in a real-world space. Now, TechCrunch says that retailers can add a new button into that AR preview, which could let a customer immediately buy that product using Apple Pay, for example.
Home Depot, Wayfair, and 1-800-Flowers already support Quick Look, according to TechCrunch. So if you are looking to buy flowers, you can see how the vase and bouquet might look on a table or you can see how that new couch from Wayfair could look in your living room.
Apple debuted Quick Look in 2018 with the release of ARKit 2, but you could only browse AR models. If you wanted to do further research or buy the item, you’d have to close Quick Look and go to the product’s website or app yourself — but one of these new buttons, in theory, could take you directly to the buy page.


theverge--2020-02-14--Redbox launches an ad-supported streaming TV service

This week , DVD kiosk company Redbox quietly launched an ad-supported online video streaming service .
It ’ s still in a limited release , but you can check it out right now in your web browser or through the Redbox Android and iOS mobile apps .
Free Live TV ’ s layout is similar to other ad-supported live TV services like Xumo .
It offers specific channels like Film Rise and The Pet Collective as well as general categories like Comedy , Epic Viral Videos , and Celebrity & Entertainment News .
These include curated movies and TV shows @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
I took a look at Free Live TV and noticed that the offerings are basic .
Sure , you can watch compilations of Steve Harvey ’ s best moments on Family Feud and listen to the latest gossip from TMZ .
But the service certainly doesn ’ t have a lot of the content you ’ d find in a traditional TV package , and you can find more channels on Xumo on your mobile device , smart TV , or a media player like Roku , although you need to create @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offerings .
Before Free Live TV , Redbox experimented with streaming with On Demand , an on-demand video service launched by the company in late 2017 .
It allowed users to make a one-time payment to rent or purchase movies and stream them instantly .

This week, DVD kiosk company Redbox quietly launched an ad-supported online video streaming service. It’s still in a limited release, but you can check it out right now in your web browser or through the Redbox Android and iOS mobile apps.
Free Live TV’s layout is similar to other ad-supported live TV services like Xumo. It offers specific channels like Film Rise and The Pet Collective as well as general categories like Comedy, Epic Viral Videos, and Celebrity & Entertainment News. These include curated movies and TV shows like Forensic Files and The Accidental Husband.
I took a look at Free Live TV and noticed that the offerings are basic. Sure, you can watch compilations of Steve Harvey’s best moments on Family Feud and listen to the latest gossip from TMZ. But the service certainly doesn’t have a lot of the content you’d find in a traditional TV package, and you can find more channels on Xumo on your mobile device, smart TV, or a media player like Roku, although you need to create an account to access Xumo’s offerings.


theverge--2020-02-14--Facebook cancels global marketing conference due to the coronavirus outbreak

Facebook has canceled its upcoming global marketing conference out of caution for the coronavirus outbreak , according to Reuters .
The conference was set to take place in March at San Francisco ’ s Moscone Center , and 4,000 people were expected to attend .
“ Out of an abundance of caution , we canceled our global marketing summit due to evolving public health risks related to coronavirus , ” a Facebook spokesman said to Reuters .
Facebook canceling its global marketing conference comes on the heels of this week ’ s cancellation of Mobile World Congress , also due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leading up to MWC ’ s cancelation , several vendors , including LG , Ericsson , Nvidia , Intel , Vivo , Sony , Amazon , NTT Docomo , Cisco , Nokia , BT , and HMD , all pulled out from the show over fears of endangering attendees .
Coronavirus has infected more than 49,000 people to date , and 1,383 people have died so far from the disease .
It has had wide-ranging effects on the tech industry , including store closures , production shortages , and manufacturing delays .
Right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be spreading widely in other countries besides China , and the World Health Organization has not made a recommendation to cancel meetings outside of China .
You can read all of The Verge ’ s coverage of coronavirus right here .

Facebook has canceled its upcoming global marketing conference out of caution for the coronavirus outbreak, according to Reuters. The conference was set to take place in March at San Francisco’s Moscone Center, and 4,000 people were expected to attend.
“Our priority is the health and safety of our teams, so out of an abundance of caution, we cancelled our Global Marketing Summit due to evolving public health risks related to coronavirus,” said a Facebook spokesperson in a statement to The Verge.
Facebook canceling its global marketing conference comes on the heels of this week’s cancellation of Mobile World Congress, also due to coronavirus concerns. In the days leading up to MWC’s cancelation, several vendors, including LG, Ericsson, Nvidia, Intel, Vivo, Sony, Amazon, NTT Docomo, Cisco, Nokia, BT, and HMD, all pulled out from the show over fears of endangering attendees.
Coronavirus has infected more than 49,000 people to date, and 1,383 people have died so far from the disease. It has had wide-ranging effects on the tech industry, including store closures, production shortages, and manufacturing delays. Right now, the virus does not seem to be spreading widely in other countries besides China, and the World Health Organization has not made a recommendation to cancel meetings outside of China.
You can read all of The Verge’s coverage of coronavirus right here.


theverge--2020-02-14--Blizzard moves previously canceled Overwatch League games from China to Korea

Last month , Blizzard announced that all of its scheduled Overwatch League games in China during February and March were canceled in the wake of the coronavirus .
Now the publisher has revealed its plan to reschedule the games — and it involves moving them out of the country altogether .
According to Blizzard , all of the canceled matches — which were set to take place in Shanghai , Guangzhou , and Hangzhou — will now take place in a studio in Seoul .
The matches will be played during the sixth and seventh weeks of OWL , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14th and March 21st .
Previously scheduled games in Miami and Atlanta that were set to take place those weekends will be unaffected , according to Blizzard .
Specific match times are expected to be announced “ soon.
” The Overwatch League is far from the only esports league impacted by the fallout of the coronavirus .
The League of Legends Pro League in China has postponed matches indefinitely , while League of Legends Champions Korea is currently playing games without spectators present for safety reasons .
Similarly , a PUBG tournament in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with no makeup date announced .
OWL kicked off its third season on February 8th with games in New York and Dallas .
This season is particularly important for the league as it represents a move toward a city-based structure , with matches hosted by teams around the world .
Week two starts on February 15th with matches hosted by the Philadelphia Fusion .

Last month, Blizzard announced that all of its scheduled Overwatch League games in China during February and March were canceled in the wake of the coronavirus. Now the publisher has revealed its plan to reschedule the games — and it involves moving them out of the country altogether.
According to Blizzard, all of the canceled matches — which were set to take place in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Hangzhou — will now take place in a studio in Seoul. The matches will be played during the sixth and seventh weeks of OWL, which take place on the weekends of March 14th and March 21st. Previously scheduled games in Miami and Atlanta that were set to take place those weekends will be unaffected, according to Blizzard. Specific match times are expected to be announced “soon.”
Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Blizzard Entertainment “It’s been three years in the making.” — Blizzard’s Jon Spector on the 2020 Overwatch League season
(Seoul will also be home to OWL games on the weekend of March 7th, when the Seoul Dynasty host matches at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza.)
The Overwatch League is far from the only esports league impacted by the fallout of the coronavirus. The League of Legends Pro League in China has postponed matches indefinitely, while League of Legends Champions Korea is currently playing games without spectators present for safety reasons. Similarly, a PUBG tournament in Berlin scheduled for April has been postponed with no makeup date announced.


theverge--2020-02-14--HQ, maker of the once-popular HQ Trivia, is shutting down

HQ , which made the once-popular HQ Trivia app , is shutting down and laying off its 25 employees , according to CNN Business .
HQ CEO Rus Yusupov reportedly sent a note to employees announcing that HQ would cease operations .
In the note , he said that there had been an offer “ from an established business ” to acquire HQ that had a closing date of tomorrow , but that the potential acquirer “ suddenly changed their position.
” You can read the full note below : The HQ Trivia app launched in 2017 and quickly became @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the novel live nature of the game , its real cash prizes , and because of popular host Scott Rogowsky .
Over time , though , the app slowly started to lose popularity and even its host : Rogowsky announced last April that he would be leaving to host a baseball show on sports streaming service DAZN .
HQ also tried a variety of ideas to keep users engaged with HQ Trivia , such as extra lives for playing multiple games in a row and an in-person event with a $ 10,000 prize @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a second live game , a Wheel of Fortune-style game called HQ Words .
But it seems the company ’ s efforts weren ’ t enough to keep users interested in its games after the novelty wore off .
The company was founded by two co-founders of Vine , Yusupov and Colin Kroll .
Kroll , who was formerly HQ ’ s CEO , died of an accidental drug overdose in December 2018 .

HQ, which made the once-popular HQ Trivia app, is shutting down and laying off its 25 employees, according to CNN Business.
HQ CEO Rus Yusupov reportedly sent a note to employees announcing that HQ would cease operations. In the note, he said that there had been an offer “from an established business” to acquire HQ that had a closing date of tomorrow, but that the potential acquirer “suddenly changed their position.” You can read the full note below:
The HQ Trivia app launched in 2017 and quickly became a huge hit in part due to the novel live nature of the game, its real cash prizes, and because of popular host Scott Rogowsky. Over time, though, the app slowly started to lose popularity and even its host: Rogowsky announced last April that he would be leaving to host a baseball show on sports streaming service DAZN.
HQ also tried a variety of ideas to keep users engaged with HQ Trivia, such as extra lives for playing multiple games in a row and an in-person event with a $10,000 prize. And in 2018, HQ released a second live game, a Wheel of Fortune-style game called HQ Words. But it seems the company’s efforts weren’t enough to keep users interested in its games after the novelty wore off.


theverge--2020-02-14--Michigan computer science faculty calls for Jason Mars to take a leave of absence following Verge in

Michigan computer science faculty calls for Jason Mars to take a leave of absence following Verge investigation

The faculty at the University of Michigan ’ s computer science and engineering department wrote a letter calling for professor Jason Mars to take a leave of absence , following an investigation from The Verge into his behavior as CEO of Clinc , an AI startup with ties to the school .
“ On behalf of the entire CSE community , we vehemently condemn the alleged conduct , which violates not only the high standards to which we hold ourselves at Michigan but basic tenets of human decency , ” they wrote .
“ The Computer Science and Engineering faculty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a leave of absence , until a full account of his behavior can be known.
” Michigan ’ s School of Information also said it was suspending its recruiting relationship with Clinc due to Mars ’ alleged conduct .
In a separate email Friday morning , a school administrator wrote “ ... our judgement is that Clinc does not meet UMSI ’ s expectations as a professional work environment.
” The administrator also said the department would “ periodically evaluate conditions at Clinc ” to see if it made sense to reopen the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Verge ’ s investigation centered on Mars ’ role as CEO of Clinc , an AI company in Ann Arbor , Michigan .
According to 13 current and former employees , Mars has allegedly engaged in a pattern of sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct with Clinc employees and clients .
Two of these allegations resulted in employees filing legal claims against the company .
Clinc investigated these claims , and while they concluded that “ certain events that were alleged did not happen as claimed , ” Mars stepped down as CEO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admitted to drinking too much , partying with employees , and failing to set proper boundaries .
“ I ’ ve learned a hard lesson about seeing my employees as friends , ” he said .
The Verge ’ s article highlighted one instance where Mars ’ lack of boundary setting prompted a PhD student to complain to the school .
In 2017 , while the student was interning at Clinc , Mars allegedly made inappropriate sexual comments about the student ’ s girlfriend , who was a recent graduate of the University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company .
According to the PhD student ’ s notes , Mars said she had a “ nice ass ” and asked if she “ shaved.
” He also said , “ She can sit on my face.
” The student brought these allegations to the head of the computer science department , yet ultimately decided not to file an official complaint for fear that Mars would learn he was involved .
He later dropped out of his PhD program , and the following year Mars got tenure .
When The Verge initially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it would going to take disciplinary action against Mars in light of these allegations , the school said “ Jason Mars is an associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science in the College of Engineering .
His employment status has not changed.
” On Friday , the dean of the college of engineering , Dr. Alec D. Gallimore , wrote a letter to the department , saying : “ We have been and continue to review these matters carefully ...
Although I do not have details to share today , I want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these matters and take action as appropriate .
We are working toward solutions to not only address immediate issues , but that also support a culture of respect within the entire College.
” Today ’ s full statement from the computer science faculty is below : The faculty of the Computer Science and Engineering division is shocked and outraged by the alleged behavior of our colleague Jason Mars in his role as CEO of Clinc , which was reported yesterday by The Verge .
On behalf of the entire CSE community , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violates not only the high standards to which we hold ourselves at Michigan but basic tenets of human decency .
The Computer Science and Engineering faculty calls on Professor Mars to immediately take a leave of absence , until a full account of his behavior can be known .
Should students or anyone else have information that is relevant to the faculty ’ s understanding of Professor Mars ’ s conduct at Michigan , or any similar misconduct by others , we urge them to come forward .
Avenues for reporting , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ //cse.engin.umich.edu/about/reporting-concerns-and-misconduct/ Update February 14th , 7:00PM ET : This article has been updated to include a statement from the dean of the college of engineering at the University of Michigan .

The faculty at the University of Michigan’s computer science and engineering department wrote a letter calling for professor Jason Mars to take a leave of absence, following an investigation from The Verge into his behavior as CEO of Clinc, an AI startup with ties to the school.
“On behalf of the entire CSE community, we vehemently condemn the alleged conduct, which violates not only the high standards to which we hold ourselves at Michigan but basic tenets of human decency,” they wrote. “The Computer Science and Engineering faculty calls on Professor Mars to immediately take a leave of absence, until a full account of his behavior can be known.”
Michigan’s School of Information also said it was suspending its recruiting relationship with Clinc due to Mars’ alleged conduct. In a separate email Friday morning, a school administrator wrote “...our judgement is that Clinc does not meet UMSI’s expectations as a professional work environment.” The administrator also said the department would “periodically evaluate conditions at Clinc” to see if it made sense to reopen the recruiting relationship.
The allegations outlined in The Verge’s investigation centered on Mars’ role as CEO of Clinc, an AI company in Ann Arbor, Michigan. According to 13 current and former employees, Mars has allegedly engaged in a pattern of sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct with Clinc employees and clients. Two of these allegations resulted in employees filing legal claims against the company. Clinc investigated these claims, and while they concluded that “certain events that were alleged did not happen as claimed,” Mars stepped down as CEO.
In his resignation letter, Mars admitted to drinking too much, partying with employees, and failing to set proper boundaries. “I’ve learned a hard lesson about seeing my employees as friends,” he said.
The Verge’s article highlighted one instance where Mars’ lack of boundary setting prompted a PhD student to complain to the school. In 2017, while the student was interning at Clinc, Mars allegedly made inappropriate sexual comments about the student’s girlfriend, who was a recent graduate of the University of Michigan and an employee at the company. According to the PhD student’s notes, Mars said she had a “nice ass” and asked if she “shaved.” He also said, “She can sit on my face.”
The student brought these allegations to the head of the computer science department, yet ultimately decided not to file an official complaint for fear that Mars would learn he was involved. He later dropped out of his PhD program, and the following year Mars got tenure.
When The Verge initially asked the University of Michigan about whether it would going to take disciplinary action against Mars in light of these allegations, the school said “Jason Mars is an associate professor of electrical engineering and computer science in the College of Engineering. His employment status has not changed.”
On Friday, the dean of the college of engineering, Dr. Alec D. Gallimore, wrote a letter to the department, saying: “We have been and continue to review these matters carefully...Although I do not have details to share today, I want to assure you that we will address these matters and take action as appropriate. We are working toward solutions to not only address immediate issues, but that also support a culture of respect within the entire College.”
Today’s full statement from the computer science faculty is below:
The faculty of the Computer Science and Engineering division is shocked and outraged by the alleged behavior of our colleague Jason Mars in his role as CEO of Clinc, which was reported yesterday by The Verge. On behalf of the entire CSE community, we vehemently condemn the alleged conduct, which violates not only the high standards to which we hold ourselves at Michigan but basic tenets of human decency. The Computer Science and Engineering faculty calls on Professor Mars to immediately take a leave of absence, until a full account of his behavior can be known. Should students or anyone else have information that is relevant to the faculty’s understanding of Professor Mars’s conduct at Michigan, or any similar misconduct by others, we urge them to come forward. Avenues for reporting, including anonymously, are available at https://cse.engin.umich.edu/about/reporting-concerns-and-misconduct/


theverge--2020-02-14--Go read this grim Motherboard report about what it’s like to work at Target delivery company Shipt

The gig economy of ride-sharing and grocery delivery has become notorious for exploiting and mistreating workers — and now , Motherboard has an inside look at one particularly bad example .
A new piece digs into Target-owned grocery delivery company Shipt , examining all the extra work drivers feel pressured to do just to stay active and keep receiving work on the platform .
It ’ s a thorough investigation of a company culture that seems based on fear and intimidation .
Workers say Shipt customers often live in gated and upscale communities and that the app encourages workers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , hot cocoa , flowers , and balloons onto orders ( paid for out of their own pocket ) and to offer to walk customer ’ s dogs and take out their trash , as a courtesy .
Shipt calls this kind of service “ Bringing the Magic , ” which can improve workers ’ ratings from customers that factor into the algorithm that determines who gets offered the most lucrative orders .
So it ’ s not enough to deliver the customer ’ s order from Target , now if you want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work you have to take out their trash and walk their dogs .
Cool system !
The article also details how Shipt workers worry about the company retaliating against them for posting negative comments or asking pointed questions on internal message boards and Facebook groups .
One worker described being temporarily deactivated after criticizing the company ’ s new logo .
And then there ’ s the issue of pay : Shipt workers told Motherboard that the company recently switched from a straightforward per-order pay structure to a confusing algorithm that considers ... @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re paid .
You will be shocked to hear that the new algorithm does not favor the workers ; some report their pay has dropped by 50 percent since Shipt made the switch .
It ’ s part of an unsettling pattern for gig worker platforms .
DoorDash had to address complaints it was skimming drivers ’ tips .
Uber workers went on strike to protest unfair pay , poor working conditions , and an overall lack of transparency from the company .
Independent contractor drivers for Amazon have described brutal working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breaks to meet the demands of Prime shipping orders .
And The Verge has written about the appalling conditions for content moderators at Facebook and the waiver YouTube moderators sign acknowledging they ’ ll likely get PTSD from the work .
But go read this Motherboard story about Shipt because it has a lot of great details about how real people are affected when a company treats them like disposable cogs in their corporate wheel .
And you should be aware when you place an order online — whether it ’ s at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company — how they treat the workers who bring your deliveries .

The gig economy of ride-sharing and grocery delivery has become notorious for exploiting and mistreating workers — and now, Motherboard has an inside look at one particularly bad example. A new piece digs into Target-owned grocery delivery company Shipt, examining all the extra work drivers feel pressured to do just to stay active and keep receiving work on the platform. It’s a thorough investigation of a company culture that seems based on fear and intimidation.
Workers say Shipt customers often live in gated and upscale communities and that the app encourages workers to tack on gifts like thank you cards, hot cocoa, flowers, and balloons onto orders (paid for out of their own pocket) and to offer to walk customer’s dogs and take out their trash, as a courtesy. Shipt calls this kind of service “Bringing the Magic,” which can improve workers’ ratings from customers that factor into the algorithm that determines who gets offered the most lucrative orders.
So it’s not enough to deliver the customer’s order from Target, now if you want to keep getting good ratings and more work you have to take out their trash and walk their dogs. Cool system! The article also details how Shipt workers worry about the company retaliating against them for posting negative comments or asking pointed questions on internal message boards and Facebook groups. One worker described being temporarily deactivated after criticizing the company’s new logo.
Shipt logo
And then there’s the issue of pay: Shipt workers told Motherboard that the company recently switched from a straightforward per-order pay structure to a confusing algorithm that considers... some factors... to determine how they’re paid. You will be shocked to hear that the new algorithm does not favor the workers; some report their pay has dropped by 50 percent since Shipt made the switch.


theverge--2020-02-14--Apple might use its own 5G antenna in its 2020 iPhones

Apple is widely expected to debut its first 5G iPhones this fall , powered by Qualcomm ’ s X55 modem — thanks to Apple and Qualcomm ’ s surprise settlement last year that saw the two companies resume business .
But a new report from Fast Company indicates that Apple is looking to limit its reliance on Qualcomm , with the iPhone maker said to be exploring designing its own 5G antenna rather than relying on Qualcomm ’ s existing hardware .
The issue at hand is apparently the size of Qualcomm ’ s QTM525 antenna , specifically for accessing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which a Fast Company source claims is too large for the slim profile of Apple ’ s next iPhones .
As such , Apple is said to be developing its own , in-house antenna system that would better fit the intended iPhone design .
Antennas for mmWave technology in particular are important , given the relatively poor range of the ultra-fast wireless technology , with 5G phones generally requiring multiple mmWave antennas to ensure good connectivity .
It ’ s not finalized that Apple will actually use its own 5G antenna for its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considering two designs : a thinner one using Apple-made antennas , and a thicker one that would feature Qualcomm ’ s .
Apple ’ s development of its own 5G antenna system makes a lot of sense , given that the company ’ s reliance on Qualcomm is likely to be temporary .
Apple had only settled its ongoing lawsuit with Qualcomm in the first place because its then partner Intel wasn ’ t able to provide 5G chips for Apple in the time frame it wanted — according to Fast Company ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s “ getting screwed on royalties ” in its dealings with Qualcomm .
Apple would go on to purchase Intel ’ s entire 5G modem business from it .
This allowed Apple to take the groundwork that Intel had already done and continue to build on it for fully customized , in-house modems that could be designed from the ground up specifically for future iPhones , iPads , and other devices .
It may still be some time before that modem group is able to produce a product on par with Qualcomm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ almost certainly on the horizon for Apple — and having its own custom 5G antennas to go with those eventual chips makes perfect sense .

Apple is widely expected to debut its first 5G iPhones this fall, powered by Qualcomm’s X55 modem — thanks to Apple and Qualcomm’s surprise settlement last year that saw the two companies resume business. But a new report from Fast Company indicates that Apple is looking to limit its reliance on Qualcomm, with the iPhone maker said to be exploring designing its own 5G antenna rather than relying on Qualcomm’s existing hardware.
The issue at hand is apparently the size of Qualcomm’s QTM525 antenna, specifically for accessing the faster mmWave version of 5G, which a Fast Company source claims is too large for the slim profile of Apple’s next iPhones. As such, Apple is said to be developing its own, in-house antenna system that would better fit the intended iPhone design. Antennas for mmWave technology in particular are important, given the relatively poor range of the ultra-fast wireless technology, with 5G phones generally requiring multiple mmWave antennas to ensure good connectivity.
Apple is still deciding
It’s not finalized that Apple will actually use its own 5G antenna for its 2020 iPhones. The company is apparently considering two designs: a thinner one using Apple-made antennas, and a thicker one that would feature Qualcomm’s.
Apple’s development of its own 5G antenna system makes a lot of sense, given that the company’s reliance on Qualcomm is likely to be temporary. Apple had only settled its ongoing lawsuit with Qualcomm in the first place because its then partner Intel wasn’t able to provide 5G chips for Apple in the time frame it wanted — according to Fast Company’s source, Apple still feels it’s “getting screwed on royalties” in its dealings with Qualcomm.
Apple would go on to purchase Intel’s entire 5G modem business from it. This allowed Apple to take the groundwork that Intel had already done and continue to build on it for fully customized, in-house modems that could be designed from the ground up specifically for future iPhones, iPads, and other devices.


theverge--2020-02-14--Coronavirus cancellations show evidence-based decisions are rare during epidemics

Giant corporations , governments , and individuals are all making decisions that they hope will reduce the risk of spreading the new coronavirus — but not all of those tough calls are solely based on the latest health information .
The factors that led people to enact two-week travel restrictions , or stock up on face masks , or cancel the Mobile World Congress are far more complex , and are based just as much on what scientists don ’ t know as what they do know .
Reactions to public health problems are mediated by more than just public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ experts .
“ It also depends on what other social and cultural influences are out there , ” says Megan Jehn , who studies global health in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change at Arizona State University .
“ It depends on how different choices are framed or structured .
The bottom line is , people are not making decisions based on empirical data.
” The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern .
But at this point , the virus does not appear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other than China , which has the vast majority of cases .
The WHO has not recommended that any groups cancel gatherings or meetings outside of China .
In the US , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) continues to reiterate during press calls that face masks aren ’ t recommended .
But cancellations and closings are piling up just as fast as face masks are flying off the shelves .
People make choices during epidemics based on how much risk they think the disease poses .
The trouble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ significant difference between how the risk appears and the actual risk that they face .
That perceived risk is influenced by a handful of factors , including the size of the threat , the types of information that they ’ re collecting on the threat , and the types of actions that other people are taking .
The threat posed by the new coronavirus is still unknown , which makes it seem more frightening than it actually might be .
“ That unknown risk makes it seem riskier , ” says Gretchen Chapman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Carnegie Mellon University .
“ Imagine you had two diseases that both had a three percent mortality rate , but one rate was ambiguous and could change , and the other was really certain .
The one that had ambiguity would seem scarier.
” Information travels differently now than it did during epidemic outbreaks before the internet , and people seek out and believe disease information differently than they used to , says David Abramson , an associate professor at New York University ’ s School of Global Public Health .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misleading , inflammatory , or false information about this virus to take hold — like the dozens of conspiracy theories blossoming on social media .
That , too , changes what people think about their risk from the coronavirus .
One key piece of information , though , is what people see their peers and those around them doing , Abramson says .
“ It ’ s often a predictor of what you will do , ” he says .
“ If you ’ re walking down the street , and half of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think , ‘ should I be doing the same thing ?
’ ” When companies , organizations , and governments are weighing their responses to disease outbreaks , their perceptions of risk are also influenced by politics and economics .
Groups making decisions consider the appearances of actions , how accountable they would be if something bad happened , and the impact on their reputation that could cause .
They also take external pressures into account : for example , multiple high-profile companies , like LG and Sony , backed out of appearances @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event was formally canceled .
The relative contribution of those factors to the decision-making process , compared with the weight of public health recommendations , depends on the specifics of each situation , Chapman says .
“ Maybe , on average , it makes people more aggressive in terms of taking action , ” she says .
If the Mobile World Congress had gone on as planned , Abramson says it probably wouldn ’ t have put attendees ’ health at increased risk , if precautions were taken — it was set to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t have active spread of the virus .
“ They were being cautious and probably overreacting at the same time , ” Abramson says .
The overreaction led to a decision that is based on recognized public health practices .
Isolating people from each other and canceling mass gatherings can help to prevent the spread of active disease .
But it ’ s only effective if there ’ s enough disease for it to be warranted , and only to a limit : for example , even though China shut down cities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been too late to stop the spread by the time they put those measures in place .
“ Depending on how prevalent the disease is , it could be easy to over-apply these actions , ” Chapman says .
Continued actions that aren ’ t in line with public health recommendations , like the ongoing travel restrictions , which the World Health Organization has objected to , might be done for other reasons if a group thinks that it is in harm ’ s way .
“ They could be doing it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ panic , ” Jehn says — and may see keeping their customers or attendees or citizens calm as an even more important goal .
The gap between how people perceive the risk of the coronavirus and how at risk they actually are will stick around until scientists learn more about what the actual risk is , and how well they can communicate it , she says .
“ And we still really don ’ t know how that will happen .
”

Giant corporations, governments, and individuals are all making decisions that they hope will reduce the risk of spreading the new coronavirus — but not all of those tough calls are solely based on the latest health information. The factors that led people to enact two-week travel restrictions, or stock up on face masks, or cancel the Mobile World Congress are far more complex, and are based just as much on what scientists don’t know as what they do know.
Reactions to public health problems are mediated by more than just public health evidence or recommendations from public health experts. “It also depends on what other social and cultural influences are out there,” says Megan Jehn, who studies global health in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change at Arizona State University. “It depends on how different choices are framed or structured. The bottom line is, people are not making decisions based on empirical data.”
The World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. But at this point, the virus does not appear to be spreading widely in any countries other than China, which has the vast majority of cases. The WHO has not recommended that any groups cancel gatherings or meetings outside of China. In the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to reiterate during press calls that face masks aren’t recommended. But cancellations and closings are piling up just as fast as face masks are flying off the shelves.
People make choices during epidemics based on how much risk they think the disease poses. The trouble is that there’s usually a significant difference between how the risk appears and the actual risk that they face. That perceived risk is influenced by a handful of factors, including the size of the threat, the types of information that they’re collecting on the threat, and the types of actions that other people are taking.
The threat posed by the new coronavirus is still unknown, which makes it seem more frightening than it actually might be. “That unknown risk makes it seem riskier,” says Gretchen Chapman, professor of social and decision sciences at Carnegie Mellon University. “Imagine you had two diseases that both had a three percent mortality rate, but one rate was ambiguous and could change, and the other was really certain. The one that had ambiguity would seem scarier.”
Information travels differently now than it did during epidemic outbreaks before the internet, and people seek out and believe disease information differently than they used to, says David Abramson, an associate professor at New York University’s School of Global Public Health. He says it’s much easier for misleading, inflammatory, or false information about this virus to take hold — like the dozens of conspiracy theories blossoming on social media. That, too, changes what people think about their risk from the coronavirus.
One key piece of information, though, is what people see their peers and those around them doing, Abramson says. “It’s often a predictor of what you will do,” he says. “If you’re walking down the street, and half of the people are wearing masks, you think, ‘should I be doing the same thing?’”
When companies, organizations, and governments are weighing their responses to disease outbreaks, their perceptions of risk are also influenced by politics and economics. Groups making decisions consider the appearances of actions, how accountable they would be if something bad happened, and the impact on their reputation that could cause. They also take external pressures into account: for example, multiple high-profile companies, like LG and Sony, backed out of appearances at the Mobile World Congress before the event was formally canceled.
The relative contribution of those factors to the decision-making process, compared with the weight of public health recommendations, depends on the specifics of each situation, Chapman says. “Maybe, on average, it makes people more aggressive in terms of taking action,” she says.
If the Mobile World Congress had gone on as planned, Abramson says it probably wouldn’t have put attendees’ health at increased risk, if precautions were taken — it was set to take place in Spain, which doesn’t have active spread of the virus. “They were being cautious and probably overreacting at the same time,” Abramson says.
The overreaction led to a decision that is based on recognized public health practices. Isolating people from each other and canceling mass gatherings can help to prevent the spread of active disease. But it’s only effective if there’s enough disease for it to be warranted, and only to a limit: for example, even though China shut down cities affected by the virus, it may have been too late to stop the spread by the time they put those measures in place. “Depending on how prevalent the disease is, it could be easy to over-apply these actions,” Chapman says.
Continued actions that aren’t in line with public health recommendations, like the ongoing travel restrictions, which the World Health Organization has objected to, might be done for other reasons if a group thinks that it is in harm’s way. “They could be doing it for other reasons, like to control panic,” Jehn says — and may see keeping their customers or attendees or citizens calm as an even more important goal.


theverge--2020-02-14--IRS backtracks on whether video game currencies are taxable

On Wednesday , the IRS quietly changed a provision on its website that said transactions of virtual currency like Fortnite ’ s V-bucks were taxable and may have to be reported on tax returns , as reported by CNN .
The provision had been on the IRS ’ s website since at least October , and you can see it right here , thanks to the Wayback Machine .
On the archived version of the site , bitcoin , Ether , Roblox ( likely referring to Robux from the game Roblox ) , and V-bucks are listed as specific examples @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The IRS defines a convertible virtual currency as one that has an equivalent value to or acts as a substitute for real currency .
The IRS ’ s website now only lists bitcoin as an example of a convertible virtual currency .
However , the IRS ’ s inclusion of video game currencies was apparently a mistake .
IRS chief counsel Michael Desmond told reporters today that the issue was “ corrected and that was done quickly—as soon as it was brought to our attention , ” according to Bloomberg Tax .
Desmond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t anything else to read into the situation , according to the author of Bloomberg Tax ’ s story , Ally Versprille , who questioned Desmond on Thursday : Despite Desmond ’ s comments and mentions of video game currencies being removed from the IRS ’ s websites , there was some confusion about whether they needed to be reported because the IRS hadn ’ t explicitly exempted them , according to tax experts who spoke to Brian Fung , the author of the CNN article .
Jerry Brito , executive director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said on Wednesday that the IRS ’ s policies still didn ’ t entirely rule out that people might need to report video game currencies .
But the IRS finally made it clear on Friday that you don ’ t have report video game currencies that don ’ t leave the game ( or become “ convertible ” ) .
Here ’ s the IRS ’ s full statement , shared by Fung on Twitter : The IRS recognizes that the language on our page potentially caused concern for some taxpayers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to lessen any confusion .
Transacting in virtual currencies as part of a game that do not leave the game environment ( virtual currencies that are not convertible ) would not require a taxpayer to indicate this on their tax return .
Update February 14th , 3:34PM ET : Added IRS statement and adjusted language throughout to reflect statement .


theverge--2020-02-16--Galaxy Z Flip durability test calls Samsung’s Ultra Thin ‘Glass’ into question

Samsung ’ s claim that the new Galaxy Z Flip uses “ Ultra Thin Glass ” sounded like a true breakthrough when the foldable phone was announced last week .
Until now , foldable screens have used plastic displays , which can be easily scratched with even a fingernail .
The Z Flip making the switch to glass , however thin it might be , had us hopeful that it would hold up better to long-term use .
But it seems that might not be the case .
Zack Nelson has gotten his hands on Samsung ’ s second attempt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ results of his JerryRigEverything durability test do not inspire confidence .
The Z Flip ’ s display starts showing permanent marks and scratches far earlier than actual glass would .
Part of the tried and true JerryRigEverything test is putting phones through a gauntlet of Mohs hardness picks to test when the display glass starts showing damage .
If you ’ ve watched Zack ’ s videos before , you ’ ve likely heard that modern smartphones have “ scratches starting at a level 6 , with deeper grooves at a level 7.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ damage at level 2 and more significantly at 3 , which is on par with the plastic screens of the Galaxy Fold and more recent Motorola Razr .
“ This screen is in no way scratch resistant whatsoever , ” Nelson says near the end of the video .
At the end of the clip , he begins poking holes in the screen that make the OLED panel go on the fritz — but there ’ s no sign of any glass fracturing .
At the unveiling of the Galaxy Z Flip , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
My colleague Dieter Bohn pressed Samsung representatives for more information on who Samsung ’ s partner is for manufacturing it , how it was made to bend , and what processes were applied to the glass .
At the time , Samsung declined to comment on all those questions .
But the company offered a response when we asked for comment on this story .
Is Samsung trying to say that we ’ re only seeing scratches on the outer protective layer ?
Those look pretty deep and permanent , but it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ layer Samsung is talking about : We asked Samsung if it planned to offer a screen replacement service for the Z Flip as it did with the Galaxy Fold .
It will .
Z Flip buyers can get a one-time screen replacement for $ 119 , Samsung says .
In addition , you can also get a specialized screen protector designed for the Z Flip for free one time .
Here ’ s the company ’ s statement on that : Nelson thinks Samsung could be using a hybrid plastic polymer ( with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so it can advertise this display as “ glass.
” But if it really can be scratched this easily , what seemed like a significant selling point for the $ 1,380 Galaxy Z Flip is starting to look like overblown marketing .

Samsung’s claim that the new Galaxy Z Flip uses “Ultra Thin Glass” sounded like a true breakthrough when the foldable phone was announced last week. Until now, foldable screens have used plastic displays, which can be easily scratched with even a fingernail. The Z Flip making the switch to glass, however thin it might be, had us hopeful that it would hold up better to long-term use.
But it seems that might not be the case.
Zack Nelson has gotten his hands on Samsung’s second attempt at a foldable phone, and the results of his JerryRigEverything durability test do not inspire confidence.
The Z Flip’s display starts showing permanent marks and scratches far earlier than actual glass would. Part of the tried and true JerryRigEverything test is putting phones through a gauntlet of Mohs hardness picks to test when the display glass starts showing damage. If you’ve watched Zack’s videos before, you’ve likely heard that modern smartphones have “scratches starting at a level 6, with deeper grooves at a level 7.”
The Z Flip starts picking up damage at level 2 and more significantly at 3, which is on par with the plastic screens of the Galaxy Fold and more recent Motorola Razr. “This screen is in no way scratch resistant whatsoever,” Nelson says near the end of the video. At the end of the clip, he begins poking holes in the screen that make the OLED panel go on the fritz — but there’s no sign of any glass fracturing.
At the unveiling of the Galaxy Z Flip, Samsung was categorical that it was glass. My colleague Dieter Bohn pressed Samsung representatives for more information on who Samsung’s partner is for manufacturing it, how it was made to bend, and what processes were applied to the glass. At the time, Samsung declined to comment on all those questions. But the company offered a response when we asked for comment on this story.
Galaxy Z Flip features an Infinity Flex Display with Samsung’s Ultra Thin Glass (UTG) to deliver a sleek, premium look and offer an immersive viewing experience,” a spokesperson said by email. “Samsung’s first-of-its-kind UTG technology is different from other Galaxy flagship devices. While the display does bend, it should be handled with care. Also, Galaxy Z Flip has a protective layer on top of the UTG similar to Galaxy Fold.
Is Samsung trying to say that we’re only seeing scratches on the outer protective layer? Those look pretty deep and permanent, but it’s possible. This is the layer Samsung is talking about:
GIF: Samsung
We asked Samsung if it planned to offer a screen replacement service for the Z Flip as it did with the Galaxy Fold. It will. Z Flip buyers can get a one-time screen replacement for $119, Samsung says. In addition, you can also get a specialized screen protector designed for the Z Flip for free one time. Here’s the company’s statement on that:
As part of Premier Service, we will offer a one-time free application of a screen protector for the Z Flip at select UBIF [U Break I Fix], Samsung branded locations or by sending it to Samsung Premier Service via mail,” the company added. “The screen protector will be applied by a specialist with the proper equipment to align and apply it. The program is rolling out soon.


theverge--2020-02-16--You don’t play Wide Ocean Big Jacket; you participate

It can be difficult to find time to finish a video game , especially if you only have a few hours a week to play .
In our biweekly column Short Play we suggest video games that can be started and finished in a weekend .
Video games and film are fairly diametrically opposed mediums , despite attempts by game creators to emulate the visual medium of film .
The issue is that games are interactive , while films are passive .
So often , when games attempt to emulate film , it is with non-interactive cutscenes in a medium @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Red Dead Redemption , The Last of Us , and Final Fantasy , this has become the way a story is told .
But there are also games like Wide Ocean Big Jacket that take techniques from film and apply them to their interactivity instead of a cutscene .
It ’ s enough to make you wish there were more games like it .
Wide Ocean Big Jacket follows 13-year-old teens Mord and Ben , longtime friends who recently started dating , as they go camping overnight with Mord ’ s Uncle Brad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the course of that night is the awkwardness of ex-tweens starting to engage with the world around them less as kids and more as adults , along with the adults awkwardly engaging with ex-tweens who they ’ re used to thinking of as kids .
It gets even more awkward when you factor in the ways these interactions affect each couple ’ s relationship .
What has stuck with me isn ’ t the story itself ( which is quite good ) , but the way in which it is told .
You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; instead , you ’ re acting more as the scene ’ s director .
Any choices you are asked to make have less to do with changing the words or path of the narrative and more to do with the experience you have viewing it .
It ’ s something like Thirty Flights of Loving or Virginia , which both use film techniques like cross-cutting to jump between moments in the story , combined with aspects of Kentucky Route Zero ’ s player as co-writer approach interactive storytelling .
A good example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game frequently employs , which is a sort of circle shot .
Perhaps best known for its use in That ‘ 70s Show , the camera is at a fixed location in a scene , and it pans to reframe itself at specific people or places in the environment when prompted by the player .
It ’ s used early on in the game ( and you can see it in the trailer above at around 0:13 ) .
The camera is located in Uncle Brad ’ s car , looking at him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ windshield as they check a notice board at the campsite .
Pressing right swings the camera to Mord sitting the back seat of the car behind the passenger seat , pressing right again pans to Ben , and pressing it again returns it to Brad and Cloanne in the distance .
Pressing left at any point would cause it to pan in the opposite direction .
In this instance , the camera move is being used to let you select if you want to prompt Mord or Ben to talk about something .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ scenes between dialogues .
In a moment later in the game , while one of the characters is telling a scary story , the tale is broken up by moments where you are able to pan around to see the physical reactions of the characters circling the campfire after each new part of the story is told .
What helps to sell the cuts between these moments is the dialogue appears as white text on a blacked-out screen , which is separate from whatever scene you were looking at .
It is like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ film , with the character ’ s name and an icon of their face so you know who is talking .
The blacked-out screens allow the game to cross-cut between scenes across different times or locations without being disorienting .
It ’ s a seemingly small technique , but it shows how Wide Ocean Big Jacket uses interactivity to be engaging and immersive , despite the fact that you aren ’ t solving puzzles or making dramatic narrative choices .
Instead , it makes you invested in the story by turning you into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
You can get it for $ 7.99 on the ( Windows , macOS , and Linux ) , or on ( Windows and macOS ) .
It takes about an hour or two to finish .

It can be difficult to find time to finish a video game, especially if you only have a few hours a week to play. In our biweekly column Short Play we suggest video games that can be started and finished in a weekend.
Video games and film are fairly diametrically opposed mediums, despite attempts by game creators to emulate the visual medium of film. The issue is that games are interactive, while films are passive. So often, when games attempt to emulate film, it is with non-interactive cutscenes in a medium about interactivity. In big-budget games like Red Dead Redemption, The Last of Us, and Final Fantasy, this has become the way a story is told. But there are also games like Wide Ocean Big Jacket that take techniques from film and apply them to their interactivity instead of a cutscene. It’s enough to make you wish there were more games like it.
Wide Ocean Big Jacket follows 13-year-old teens Mord and Ben, longtime friends who recently started dating, as they go camping overnight with Mord’s Uncle Brad and Aunt Cloanne. What unfolds over the course of that night is the awkwardness of ex-tweens starting to engage with the world around them less as kids and more as adults, along with the adults awkwardly engaging with ex-tweens who they’re used to thinking of as kids. It gets even more awkward when you factor in the ways these interactions affect each couple’s relationship.
What has stuck with me isn’t the story itself (which is quite good), but the way in which it is told. You aren’t controlling a specific character; instead, you’re acting more as the scene’s director. Any choices you are asked to make have less to do with changing the words or path of the narrative and more to do with the experience you have viewing it. It’s something like Thirty Flights of Loving or Virginia, which both use film techniques like cross-cutting to jump between moments in the story, combined with aspects of Kentucky Route Zero’s player as co-writer approach interactive storytelling.
Turnfollow
A good example of this is a technique that the game frequently employs, which is a sort of circle shot. Perhaps best known for its use in That ‘70s Show, the camera is at a fixed location in a scene, and it pans to reframe itself at specific people or places in the environment when prompted by the player. It’s used early on in the game (and you can see it in the trailer above at around 0:13). The camera is located in Uncle Brad’s car, looking at him and Cloanne through the car’s windshield as they check a notice board at the campsite. Pressing right swings the camera to Mord sitting the back seat of the car behind the passenger seat, pressing right again pans to Ben, and pressing it again returns it to Brad and Cloanne in the distance. Pressing left at any point would cause it to pan in the opposite direction.
In this instance, the camera move is being used to let you select if you want to prompt Mord or Ben to talk about something. But it also shows changes to the scenes between dialogues. In a moment later in the game, while one of the characters is telling a scary story, the tale is broken up by moments where you are able to pan around to see the physical reactions of the characters circling the campfire after each new part of the story is told.
What helps to sell the cuts between these moments is the dialogue appears as white text on a blacked-out screen, which is separate from whatever scene you were looking at. It is like something you might see in a silent film, with the character’s name and an icon of their face so you know who is talking. The blacked-out screens allow the game to cross-cut between scenes across different times or locations without being disorienting.
It’s a seemingly small technique, but it shows how Wide Ocean Big Jacket uses interactivity to be engaging and immersive, despite the fact that you aren’t solving puzzles or making dramatic narrative choices. Instead, it makes you invested in the story by turning you into a participant.