theverge--2020-07-23--Even Android 11 is cake

Even Android 11 is cake

In 2020 , everything is cake — including Android 11 .
Android VP of engineering Dave Burke revealed the internal codename “ Red Velvet Cake ” in an interview with All About Android , via Droid Life .
Google ’ s alphabetical dessert naming scheme was an Android tradition for years , dating back to Android 1.5 Cupcake in 2009 .
But last year , instead of naming Android Q after an obscure pastry tart or candy , Google made the choice to desert desserts entirely for its public releases in favor of numerical names instead , beginning with Android @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Android 11 this fall .
But that ’ s not the whole story .
As Google ’ s Sameer Samat , VP of product management for Android , told The Verge last year , the company is still using alphabetical , dessert-based codenames internally for new Android releases .
Burke revealed last year that Android Q had been internally known as “ Quince Tart ” and likely would have been called “ Queen Cake ” had the decision to continue using tasty titles continued .
Red Velvet Cake appears to be the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s version of Android , which would have been named Android R under the old naming scheme .
It goes to show : it ’ s cake all the way down .

Google’s alphabetical dessert naming scheme was an Android tradition for years, dating back to Android 1.5 Cupcake in 2009. But last year, instead of naming Android Q after an obscure pastry tart or candy, Google made the choice to desert desserts entirely for its public releases in favor of numerical names instead, beginning with Android 10 and continued with the upcoming release of Android 11 this fall.
Everything is cake
But that’s not the whole story. As Google’s Sameer Samat, VP of product management for Android, told The Verge last year, the company is still using alphabetical, dessert-based codenames internally for new Android releases. Burke revealed last year that Android Q had been internally known as “Quince Tart” and likely would have been called “Queen Cake” had the decision to continue using tasty titles continued.


theverge--2020-07-23--Disney delays Mulan indefinitely, following Christopher Nolan’s Tenet

In a widely anticipated move , Disney has once again delayed its live-action adaptation of Mulan , this time indefinitely .
“ Over the last few months , it ’ s become clear that nothing can be set in stone when it comes to how we release films during this global health crisis , and today that means pausing our release plans for Mulan as we assess how we can most effectively bring this film to audiences around the world , ” a Disney spokesperson told Variety .
This marks the latest round of delays for Mulan ; it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 27th , but was pushed to July 24th .
Then , Disney delayed it again to August 21st — one week before Disney is still set to debut The New Mutants .
Disney has also moved around a number of other titles , including the upcoming Avatar and Star Wars films .
Every Avatar and Star Wars movie will move back one year , according to The Hollywood Reporter .
For example , Avatar 2 will move to December 2022 .
An untitled live-action Disney movie will take the December 2021 release date @ @ @ @ @ @ @ next Star Wars movie scheduled for December 2022 will move back to 2023 .
Whether or not it ’ s Taika Waititi ’ s Star Wars movie is unclear .
Disney ’ s decision to delay Mulan comes on the heels of Warner Bros. delaying Tenet indefinitely .
The studios have played a game of release date chicken with one another , delaying their respective films a couple of weeks at a time .
Disney CEO Bob Chapek alluded to watching how Tenet played out in theaters before releasing Mulan .
While Tenet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be the first guy back in theaters , Warner Bros. has to think about how it can “ ensure the highest odds of success for our films , ” as Emmerich said in his statement .
As theaters in key areas like Los Angeles and New York remain closed , it ’ s basically impossible for Disney and Warner Bros. to release their films .
While Warner Bros. chairman Toby Emmerich announced that the company will “ will share a new 2020 release date imminently for Tenet , ” there ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We ’ re grateful for the support we ’ ve received from exhibitors and remain steadfast in our commitment to the theatrical experience around the world , ” Emmerich said .
“ Unfortunately , the pandemic continues to proliferate , causing us to reevaluate our release dates.
” Like Tenet , Mulan isn ’ t the type of film that Disney can simply make a digital or streaming exclusive .
Before the pandemic , both Mulan and Tenet could have passed $ 1 billion at the global box office .
Making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Disney ’ s overall revenue on the film , but would also further escalate tense relationships between theater exhibitors like AMC or Regal , and the studio itself .
Other films , however , have gone straight to Disney Plus , including Artemis Fowl and Hamilton .
Now the big question is what happens to one of Disney ’ s biggest movies of the year — Black Widow .
The Scarlett Johansson Marvel movie was supposed to be released in May , but was pushed back to November .
If things don ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , this could be the first year without a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie since 2009 .
Update July 23rd , 5:16pm ET : Updated to include additional details about Star Wars and Avatar dates moving .

In a widely anticipated move, Disney has once again delayed its live-action adaptation of Mulan, this time indefinitely.
“Over the last few months, it’s become clear that nothing can be set in stone when it comes to how we release films during this global health crisis, and today that means pausing our release plans for Mulan as we assess how we can most effectively bring this film to audiences around the world,” a Disney spokesperson told Variety.
This marks the latest round of delays for Mulan; it was originally supposed to be released on March 27th, but was pushed to July 24th. Then, Disney delayed it again to August 21st — one week before Disney is still set to debut The New Mutants. Disney has also moved around a number of other titles, including the upcoming Avatar and Star Wars films.
Every Avatar and Star Wars movie will move back one year, according to The Hollywood Reporter. For example, Avatar 2 will move to December 2022. An untitled live-action Disney movie will take the December 2021 release date, according to the Reporter. The next Star Wars movie scheduled for December 2022 will move back to 2023. Whether or not it’s Taika Waititi’s Star Wars movie is unclear.
Disney’s decision to delay Mulan comes on the heels of Warner Bros. delaying Tenet indefinitely. The studios have played a game of release date chicken with one another, delaying their respective films a couple of weeks at a time. Disney CEO Bob Chapek alluded to watching how Tenet played out in theaters before releasing Mulan. While Tenet director Christopher Nolan was more than happy to be the first guy back in theaters, Warner Bros. has to think about how it can “ensure the highest odds of success for our films,” as Emmerich said in his statement. As theaters in key areas like Los Angeles and New York remain closed, it’s basically impossible for Disney and Warner Bros. to release their films.
While Warner Bros. chairman Toby Emmerich announced that the company will “will share a new 2020 release date imminently for Tenet,” there’s no concrete date attached to the film.
“We’re grateful for the support we’ve received from exhibitors and remain steadfast in our commitment to the theatrical experience around the world,” Emmerich said. “Unfortunately, the pandemic continues to proliferate, causing us to reevaluate our release dates.”
Like Tenet, Mulan isn’t the type of film that Disney can simply make a digital or streaming exclusive. Before the pandemic, both Mulan and Tenet could have passed $1 billion at the global box office. Making Mulan a digital exclusive not only affects Disney’s overall revenue on the film, but would also further escalate tense relationships between theater exhibitors like AMC or Regal, and the studio itself. Other films, however, have gone straight to Disney Plus, including Artemis Fowl and Hamilton.
Now the big question is what happens to one of Disney’s biggest movies of the year — Black Widow. The Scarlett Johansson Marvel movie was supposed to be released in May, but was pushed back to November. If things don’t change much between then and now, this could be the first year without a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie since 2009.


theverge--2020-07-23--Quibi will finally let you screenshot, but it’s a little bit complicated

One of the biggest complaints Quibi received upon its initial launch was subscribers being unable to screenshot what they were watching and share it with the world .
For a mobile-first streaming service , it seemed like a bit of an oversight .
Now , Quibi has introduced screenshot capabilities , but it ’ s not as easy as holding down the right buttons on your iPhone .
Quibi built its own screenshot tool inside the app that subscribers must use to get the image they want instead of the blacked out photo that would appear in their photos folder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to touch and hold the screen until a pop-up menu appears .
There ’ s an option to take a screenshot , and sliding your finger over to that option will produce the screenshot people want to take .
Quibi ’ s chief product officer , Tom Conrad , tweeted a photo of the screenshot tool , seen above .
The process seems frustrating for people who are used to just holding down a button or two on their devices .
( I use an iPhone XR , so I usually just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ volume up buttons to produce a screenshot . )
There ’ s a good reason for it , though , which Conrad gets into on Twitter .
It also explains why Quibi subscribers couldn ’ t take screenshots before the new tool rolled out .
“ In this case we have to honor the DRM preferred by our content creators while satisfying your desire to meme-ify.
” The culprit is DRM , or digital rights management .
It ’ s typically a software restriction that ’ s used to protect copyrighted works from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any streaming service on mobile devices are prohibited because nearly all of the platforms have such copyright protection built into them already .
This is why people can ’ t screenshot Disney Plus series and films on their phones , either .
“ Products live with constraints [ and ] in this case we have to honor the DRM preferred by our content creators while satisfying your desire to meme-ify , ” Conrad tweeted .
“ The struggle ( and it ’ s real ) is as soon as we turn on DRM @ @ @ @ @ @ @ story .
So our engineers came up with this nifty alternative.
” Is this going to be a game-changer for Quibi ?
Probably not , but the new feature could help spread awareness of Quibi ’ s shows on social media .
When Quibi first launched , I noted that the streamer ’ s “ best content operates on the belief that ‘ the more ludicrous , the better.
’ ” So not having a way to share those moments is “ detrimental to new shows looking for success.
” For Quibi , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the app — or , at least let people outside specific Twitter circles know that Quibi actually exists in the first place .
Conrad did say that the team is still working on some details , “ so it ’ s a sort of public beta in our 1.7 release , ” but the version is available in app stores now .

One of the biggest complaints Quibi received upon its initial launch was subscribers being unable to screenshot what they were watching and share it with the world. For a mobile-first streaming service, it seemed like a bit of an oversight. Now, Quibi has introduced screenshot capabilities, but it’s not as easy as holding down the right buttons on your iPhone.
Quibi built its own screenshot tool inside the app that subscribers must use to get the image they want instead of the blacked out photo that would appear in their photos folder otherwise. To use it, users have to touch and hold the screen until a pop-up menu appears. There’s an option to take a screenshot, and sliding your finger over to that option will produce the screenshot people want to take. Quibi’s chief product officer, Tom Conrad, tweeted a photo of the screenshot tool, seen above.
The process seems frustrating for people who are used to just holding down a button or two on their devices. (I use an iPhone XR, so I usually just have to hold down the power and volume up buttons to produce a screenshot.) There’s a good reason for it, though, which Conrad gets into on Twitter. It also explains why Quibi subscribers couldn’t take screenshots before the new tool rolled out.
“In this case we have to honor the DRM preferred by our content creators while satisfying your desire to meme-ify.”
The culprit is DRM, or digital rights management. It’s typically a software restriction that’s used to protect copyrighted works from unlawful distribution or replication. Screenshots on any streaming service on mobile devices are prohibited because nearly all of the platforms have such copyright protection built into them already. This is why people can’t screenshot Disney Plus series and films on their phones, either.
“Products live with constraints [and] in this case we have to honor the DRM preferred by our content creators while satisfying your desire to meme-ify,” Conrad tweeted. “The struggle (and it’s real) is as soon as we turn on DRM the OS blocks screenshots. End of story. So our engineers came up with this nifty alternative.”
Is this going to be a game-changer for Quibi? Probably not, but the new feature could help spread awareness of Quibi’s shows on social media. When Quibi first launched, I noted that the streamer’s “best content operates on the belief that ‘the more ludicrous, the better.’” So not having a way to share those moments is “detrimental to new shows looking for success.” For Quibi, this will hopefully expose some more customers to the app — or, at least let people outside specific Twitter circles know that Quibi actually exists in the first place.
Conrad did say that the team is still working on some details, “so it’s a sort of public beta in our 1.7 release,” but the version is available in app stores now.


theverge--2020-07-23--Google Messages now lets you reply with emoji reactions

Google is adding a number of new features to its Messages app for Android , including the ability to reply to messages with emoji reactions , something that ’ s long been available in other messaging apps like Facebook Messenger and iOS ’ s built-in Messages app .
The feature was first spotted in testing in May , but Google has now officially rolled it out as part of the latest version of its Messages app .
To use an emoji reaction , just tap and hold the message you want to react to and a short list of cute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can pick from .
You ’ ll only be able to use emoji reactions if you have RCS chat turned on , however .
Here ’ s a GIF from Google showing how to use emoji reactions and what the emoji will look like : Google is also adding a new feature to Smart Reply , which already automatically suggests potential responses for you : it can now suggest emoji stickers in addition to just text .
Right now , though , the feature is only available in English , according to Google @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feature works in this GIF from Google : If text , an emoji , or a sticker just won ’ t cut it , Google is adding a few other handy tools to help you communicate in Messages , including a new video call button you can tap to go straight from a text conversation to a Google Duo video call and media editor you can use to mark up photos and share them right inside a conversation .

Google is adding a number of new features to its Messages app for Android, including the ability to reply to messages with emoji reactions, something that’s long been available in other messaging apps like Facebook Messenger and iOS’s built-in Messages app. The feature was first spotted in testing in May, but Google has now officially rolled it out as part of the latest version of its Messages app.
To use an emoji reaction, just tap and hold the message you want to react to and a short list of cute animated emoji will pop up that you can pick from. You’ll only be able to use emoji reactions if you have RCS chat turned on, however.
Here’s a GIF from Google showing how to use emoji reactions and what the emoji will look like:
Google is also adding a new feature to Smart Reply, which already automatically suggests potential responses for you: it can now suggest emoji stickers in addition to just text. Right now, though, the feature is only available in English, according to Google.
Take a look at how the feature works in this GIF from Google:


theverge--2020-07-24--OnePlus Buds review: cheap AirPods for OnePlus phones

OnePlus has been making excellent earbuds for years now , and today , the company is introducing its first true wireless pair .
The aggressively priced $ 79 OnePlus Buds have an AirPod-like rigid design that ’ s all hard plastic — marking a shift away from the Bullets , Bullets Wireless 2 , and other OnePlus earbuds that used silicone tips for a sealed-off , in-ear fit .
The OnePlus Buds require a OnePlus phone if you want to get the most from them , so these really won ’ t appeal to owners of other Android devices .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ wireless charging or noise cancellation at a price this low , but if you ’ ve found yourself envious of Apple ’ s AirPods and don ’ t like how in-ear earbuds feel , it ’ s hard to beat the value factor here .
The OnePlus Buds have strong battery life , decent sound , and a stable wireless connection .
They ’ re available in white and gray in the US , with the divisive blue / green combo reserved for international markets .
I think it looks very toy-like , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a breath of fresh air to some .
The reality is that a one-size-fits-most approach — OnePlus calls it a “ half in-ear ” design — is always going to leave some people out of luck .
I ’ ve never enjoyed how regular AirPods feel in my ears ; they ’ re not particularly stable , and for all the praise they receive for all-day comfort , my ears don ’ t seem well-suited for them .
The OnePlus Buds haven ’ t fared much better .
When in my ears @ @ @ @ @ @ @ place just fine while I was seated or walking around .
But if I tried to run with them , they ’ d eventually get jostled loose .
Other people I let try them on told me that they felt just as snug as AirPods and they ’ d have no hesitation working out while wearing them , so this comes down to your ear shape .
As for why OnePlus went this route , the company gave me this explanation : Like with AirPods , the open-air design of the OnePlus Buds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re going to hear a whole lot of the world around you , and there ’ s no avoiding that without cranking the volume to a potentially uncomfortable and possibly unsafe level .
OnePlus says it tuned the earbuds to boost bass , but without an in-ear seal , the result still falls short of the low-end oomph you ’ ll hear from the Bullets Wireless 2 neckband earbuds or our top true wireless picks .
If you can live with that , the sound they produce has a pleasantly wide soundstage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” shines with ample separation for the acoustic instruments and harmonies .
But other tracks like The Weeknd ’ s enduring “ Blinding Lights ” sound hollow without that full seal .
The OnePlus Buds will do the job for casual , through-the-day listening but if you want more powerful bass and better noise isolation , you ’ ll have to spend a bit more money .
OnePlus supports SBC and AAC codecs with the Buds ; the company went with a non-Qualcomm chipset inside , so it couldn ’ t use higher-quality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re not going to be able to tell any difference between codecs with this open style of earbud anyway . )
The charging case looks like a squished , squatter version of the Pixel Buds case .
OnePlus claims it worked for around 90 days to perfect the case ’ s matte texture .
I like the end result , and matte always wins over glossy — especially in the dog days of summer .
Take note , Samsung .
( The earbuds themselves are glossy , however . )
The Buds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continuous battery life , and the case has enough juice to get you to around 30 hours of total listening time .
During my time testing the OnePlus Buds so far , I ’ ve been unable to do much with the tap controls on each side .
There ’ s no way to pause music with the earbuds right now ; all you can do is double-tap to skip to the next song or hold down for three seconds to switch between synced devices .
More customization is on the way , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shipping at the end of July , OnePlus will roll out a software update to its phones that will allow you to choose your preferred action for a double-tap so you can pause , activate Google Assistant , or go back to the last song instead of always skipping forward .
It ’ s a bit strange that the controls are so limited out of the box — and this is why you should avoid the OnePlus Buds if you ’ ve got a different Android phone — but at least a fix @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deny their AirPodish looks , but the OnePlus Buds benefit from those long stems .
Each bud has three mics — at the top , middle , and bottom — and runs some noise-reduction algorithms to help people hear you more clearly on calls .
Everyone I called while wearing the OnePlus Buds was able to hear me without any issue .
The company is also touting extremely low latency between the earbuds and OnePlus phones when in game / fanatic mode , which should help them keep up with all of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the OnePlus Buds do pack some frills despite the low price : they ’ re rated IPX4 water resistant , so they can withstand sweat and some splashes of water .
They ’ ll automatically pause music when one earbud is removed , and they also support Android ’ s Fast Pair feature , which ties them to your Google account , shows battery levels for the buds and case , and lets you find a misplaced earbud by playing a sound .
Unfortunately , you can ’ t use either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making calls , and they can only pair to one device at a time .
I think future OnePlus true wireless earbuds will put a bigger emphasis on sound and have a design more in line with the company ’ s Bullets series .
But with the OnePlus Buds , the focus was clearly trying to come up with a cheaper version of AirPods for OnePlus customers .
You ’ re getting a very solid set of earbuds for that $ 79 — if the fit is right .
Update July 24 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ originally published on July 21 , 2020 and has been updated to include video .

OnePlus has been making excellent earbuds for years now, and today, the company is introducing its first true wireless pair. The aggressively priced $79 OnePlus Buds have an AirPod-like rigid design that’s all hard plastic — marking a shift away from the Bullets, Bullets Wireless 2, and other OnePlus earbuds that used silicone tips for a sealed-off, in-ear fit.
The OnePlus Buds require a OnePlus phone if you want to get the most from them, so these really won’t appeal to owners of other Android devices. You won’t get features like wireless charging or noise cancellation at a price this low, but if you’ve found yourself envious of Apple’s AirPods and don’t like how in-ear earbuds feel, it’s hard to beat the value factor here. The OnePlus Buds have strong battery life, decent sound, and a stable wireless connection. They’re available in white and gray in the US, with the divisive blue / green combo reserved for international markets. I think it looks very toy-like, but such a bold color option might be a breath of fresh air to some.
7 Verge Score OnePlus Buds $ 79 The Good Appealing $79 price
Very good battery life
IPX4 water and sweat resistance The Bad Rigid design won’t work for all ears
Like AirPods, you’ll deal with a lot of outside noise
Requires a OnePlus phone to customize controls $79 at OnePlus How we rate and review products
The reality is that a one-size-fits-most approach — OnePlus calls it a “half in-ear” design — is always going to leave some people out of luck. I’ve never enjoyed how regular AirPods feel in my ears; they’re not particularly stable, and for all the praise they receive for all-day comfort, my ears don’t seem well-suited for them.
The OnePlus Buds haven’t fared much better. When in my ears, I found that they held in place just fine while I was seated or walking around. But if I tried to run with them, they’d eventually get jostled loose. Other people I let try them on told me that they felt just as snug as AirPods and they’d have no hesitation working out while wearing them, so this comes down to your ear shape.
At a distance, the OnePlus Buds look a lot like Apple’s standard AirPods.
As for why OnePlus went this route, the company gave me this explanation:
Half in-ear buds are generally more comfortable for more people, so we wanted to make the OnePlus Buds more friendly for a wider range of users, especially users who are looking for their first truly wireless earphones. We do understand that different people have different preferences, so we will continue to listen to user feedback for future products. Our goal is always to provide a great balance between high-quality sound, fast charging, comfort, and a reasonable price.
Like with AirPods, the open-air design of the OnePlus Buds will limit their sound potential. You’re going to hear a whole lot of the world around you, and there’s no avoiding that without cranking the volume to a potentially uncomfortable and possibly unsafe level. OnePlus says it tuned the earbuds to boost bass, but without an in-ear seal, the result still falls short of the low-end oomph you’ll hear from the Bullets Wireless 2 neckband earbuds or our top true wireless picks.
If you can live with that, the sound they produce has a pleasantly wide soundstage; Phoebe Bridgers’ “Graceland Too” shines with ample separation for the acoustic instruments and harmonies. But other tracks like The Weeknd’s enduring “Blinding Lights” sound hollow without that full seal. The OnePlus Buds will do the job for casual, through-the-day listening but if you want more powerful bass and better noise isolation, you’ll have to spend a bit more money. OnePlus supports SBC and AAC codecs with the Buds; the company went with a non-Qualcomm chipset inside, so it couldn’t use higher-quality codecs like apt-X HD. (You’re not going to be able to tell any difference between codecs with this open style of earbud anyway.)
The OnePlus Buds feature a hard plastic, one-size-fits-most design.
The charging case looks like a squished, squatter version of the Pixel Buds case. OnePlus claims it worked for around 90 days to perfect the case’s matte texture. I like the end result, and matte always wins over glossy — especially in the dog days of summer. Take note, Samsung. (The earbuds themselves are glossy, however.) The Buds can reach up to seven hours of continuous battery life, and the case has enough juice to get you to around 30 hours of total listening time.
During my time testing the OnePlus Buds so far, I’ve been unable to do much with the tap controls on each side. There’s no way to pause music with the earbuds right now; all you can do is double-tap to skip to the next song or hold down for three seconds to switch between synced devices. More customization is on the way, thankfully: by the time these start shipping at the end of July, OnePlus will roll out a software update to its phones that will allow you to choose your preferred action for a double-tap so you can pause, activate Google Assistant, or go back to the last song instead of always skipping forward. It’s a bit strange that the controls are so limited out of the box — and this is why you should avoid the OnePlus Buds if you’ve got a different Android phone — but at least a fix is coming.
AGREE TO CONTINUE: ONEPLUS BUDS Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them, since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate. The OnePlus Buds can be set up and used over Bluetooth without any software agreements. But by using the the earbuds, you’re agreeing to the OnePlus user agreement and privacy policy. Final tally: two mandatory agreements.
The “CD-like” outer circle is a design touch from previous OnePlus earbuds.
You can’t deny their AirPodish looks, but the OnePlus Buds benefit from those long stems. Each bud has three mics — at the top, middle, and bottom — and runs some noise-reduction algorithms to help people hear you more clearly on calls. Everyone I called while wearing the OnePlus Buds was able to hear me without any issue. The company is also touting extremely low latency between the earbuds and OnePlus phones when in game / fanatic mode, which should help them keep up with all of the action on-screen.
They lack wireless charging, but the OnePlus Buds do pack some frills despite the low price: they’re rated IPX4 water resistant, so they can withstand sweat and some splashes of water. They’ll automatically pause music when one earbud is removed, and they also support Android’s Fast Pair feature, which ties them to your Google account, shows battery levels for the buds and case, and lets you find a misplaced earbud by playing a sound. Unfortunately, you can’t use either of the earbuds standalone for audio or making calls, and they can only pair to one device at a time.
The blue color option won’t be for everyone, but it most definitely stands out.
I think future OnePlus true wireless earbuds will put a bigger emphasis on sound and have a design more in line with the company’s Bullets series. But with the OnePlus Buds, the focus was clearly trying to come up with a cheaper version of AirPods for OnePlus customers. You’re getting a very solid set of earbuds for that $79 — if the fit is right.
Photography by Chris Welch / The Verge
Update July 24, 2020 9:00AM ET: This article was originally published on July 21, 2020 and has been updated to include video.


theverge--2020-07-24--Lenovo’s Legion 5i is a gaming laptop of few compromises and few perks

Many companies use Intel or AMD ’ s yearly leap in processor generations as an opportunity to completely reinvent their laptops or desktops .
Lenovo hasn ’ t gone that far with its 15-inch Legion 5i , but I ’ m not complaining too much .
It ’ s still an attractive , yet plainly designed gaming laptop that I think could attract a broader audience than just gamers .
To give you a few examples of how low-lift the visible changes are in this year ’ s model , Lenovo simplified the naming convention from the clunkier Legion Y540 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5i denotes an Intel-based processor .
Lenovo also sells the Legion 5 with AMD ’ s Ryzen 5 and 7 4000-series processors as options .
It also improved the trackpad this year by getting rid of the left and right mouse buttons , giving you more space to move the pointer around .
It moved the webcam to the top of the display to avoid the nostril-view perspective that the Y540 provided .
If you ’ re looking for big year-over-year improvements , you ’ ll only find those on the inside of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10th Gen Intel Core i5 and i7 H-series processors to this machine , and each configuration has a dedicated Nvidia graphics chip .
The model that Lenovo sent us is the top-end model that can be bought for about $ 1,350 ( at time of publish , it ’ s discounted to $ 1,289 ) .
It features a 1080p IPS panel with a 144Hz refresh rate , Intel ’ s hexa-core Core i7-10750H CPU , an Nvidia RTX 2060 graphics card , 16GB of RAM and a 1TB NVMe SSD .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most of your games at 60 frames per second without docking the visuals much , it ’ s the only configuration offered that ’ s worth any serious consideration .
I don ’ t want to gussy up the Legion 5i too much , though .
The overall package is similar to Lenovo ’ s $ 989 IdeaPad Gaming 3 that I recently reviewed .
It might be hard to tell them apart if you ’ re standing a few feet away , though the Legion 5i has the distinct advantage with double @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faster refresh rate in the display ( 144Hz from 120Hz ) , and the stronger RTX 2060 .
These specs make a noticeable improvement in the performance , and having now reviewed both machines , the $ 350 price hike that these specs incur seems acceptable , as much as I wish it offered the RTX 2060 in a cheaper configuration .
I also wish Lenovo had included something else in addition here , like a Thunderbolt 3 port , to make the jump up more rewarding .
Alas , the RTX 2060 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If you ’ re confused about the many graphics chip options on the market , this is the one to aim for if you don ’ t want to do much fiddling with the graphics settings in games .
Unlike my experience with the GTX 1650 in the IdeaPad Gaming 3 , or the Radeon RX 5600M in the Dell G5 15 SE , this laptop ’ s graphics card required far fewer compromises to run my favorite games , like Control , at a smooth clip above 60 frames per second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ powerful GPU ever in a laptop by a long shot , but it ’ s capable enough to breezily run games with medium-to-high shadow quality and anti-aliasing — those are usually the first settings I immediately turn all the way down or off to get a smooth frame rate .
Grand Theft Auto V ’ s benchmark is getting old , though it ’ s still a good test for processing and graphical chops in a laptop .
This machine made short work of it with all settings ( excluding the long-distance textures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ highest , averaging at about 100 frames per second .
This and other games I tried look great on the IPS panel , which is surrounded by slim bezels .
Colors appear vivid and accurate with good viewing angles , and it manages all that with a fast 144Hz refresh rate that doesn ’ t exhibit any screen tearing or other artifacts .
Also , it ’ s worth noting that the Legion 5i is one of the few all-plastic laptops that doesn ’ t creak when I lift up , or adjust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the 2-in-1 laptop concept , is good at making hinges .
Who knew ?
The trackpad here has gotten a small upgrade .
Instead of having two mouse buttons near the bottom like previous Y540 models have , it ’ s all one contiguous sheet of smooth plastic now .
That ’ s by no means innovative , but it ’ s nice to have more space .
And , with its Precision drivers , gestures and scrolling work as intended on the trackpad .
Less has changed with the keyboard , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to type on .
It ’ s mostly identical to what you ’ ll find on Lenovo ’ s less expensive IdeaPad Gaming 3 , but the keyboard here supports four-zone RGB backlighting as opposed to just blue backlighting , though you ’ ll need to pay an extra $ 30 when you configure it .
Otherwise , you ’ ll get a white backlit keyboard .
Outside of gaming , this configuration with 16GB of RAM has no issue running a swath of my most-used applications at the same time without slowdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 Microsoft Edge tabs , Spotify , Slack , and Affinity Photo , to give you an idea .
It ’ s a shame that base models of most laptops , including this one , come with 8GB of RAM by default .
At least this one lets you upgrade it ( along with the storage ) yourself by unscrewing the bottom .
The components here make for decent export speeds if you use Adobe Premiere Pro for video production , and as it did during gaming , it keeps relatively quiet and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a five-minute , 33-second 4K file faster than real time in just five minutes and one second .
The app ’ s hardware acceleration takes advantage of Nvidia ’ s CUDA cores , and these results beat the AMD-powered Dell G5 15 SE by two and a half minutes .
For context , it ’ s a few minutes slower than a few laptops that feature the octa-core Intel Core i7-10875H , more RAM , and even stronger GPUs .
This isn ’ t a bad result , though I wouldn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moving large files to and from this machine is a relatively speedy affair , since it has a USB-C 3.1 port located on its rear and a PCIe-based SSD with fast read and write speeds .
Speaking of ports , this laptop has them scattered around its left , right , and back .
There ’ s one USB Type-A port and a headphone jack on the left side , and a single USB Type-A port on the right .
Everything else is on the back , including Ethernet , the aforementioned USB-C @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t work for charging , two USB Type-A ports , HDMI , a power plug for its thin but still hefty 230W brick , and a horizontal lock slot .
To its credit , the Legion 5i does pack in a larger battery than the IdeaPad Gaming 3 despite being a similar size and weight .
It ’ s a four-cell 60Wh battery that averages around four hours of consecutive screentime while multitasking during work .
Considering that it ’ s powering a more capable GPU and a faster refresh rate display , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laptop .
But if you plan to do any gaming during that time , you won ’ t make it long without the power brick , so don ’ t leave that behind .
This package is what I wanted the IdeaPad Gaming 3 to be : a powerful gaming laptop that doesn ’ t make heavy compromises in visual fidelity to get a fast frame rate .
The Legion 5i is far from perfect , though .
Its 720p webcam looks horrendous , and there are too few perks ( specs aside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s more affordable gaming machine .
A Thunderbolt 3 port and an SD card reader would have been appreciated .
Alas , your main reward for spending more cash here simply results in a faster computer , and one that ’ s still relatively affordable compared to similarly configured 15.6-inch computers from competitors like Razer and MSI .

Many companies use Intel or AMD’s yearly leap in processor generations as an opportunity to completely reinvent their laptops or desktops. Lenovo hasn’t gone that far with its 15-inch Legion 5i, but I’m not complaining too much. It’s still an attractive, yet plainly designed gaming laptop that I think could attract a broader audience than just gamers.
To give you a few examples of how low-lift the visible changes are in this year’s model, Lenovo simplified the naming convention from the clunkier Legion Y540. The ‘i’ in Legion 5i denotes an Intel-based processor. Lenovo also sells the Legion 5 with AMD’s Ryzen 5 and 7 4000-series processors as options. It also improved the trackpad this year by getting rid of the left and right mouse buttons, giving you more space to move the pointer around. It moved the webcam to the top of the display to avoid the nostril-view perspective that the Y540 provided.
If you’re looking for big year-over-year improvements, you’ll only find those on the inside of the Legion 5i. Lenovo brought the 10th Gen Intel Core i5 and i7 H-series processors to this machine, and each configuration has a dedicated Nvidia graphics chip. The model that Lenovo sent us is the top-end model that can be bought for about $1,350 (at time of publish, it’s discounted to $1,289). It features a 1080p IPS panel with a 144Hz refresh rate, Intel’s hexa-core Core i7-10750H CPU, an Nvidia RTX 2060 graphics card, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB NVMe SSD. If you want a laptop that can play most of your games at 60 frames per second without docking the visuals much, it’s the only configuration offered that’s worth any serious consideration.
7 Verge Score Lenovo Legion 5i $ 1289.9 The Good The concave keys are still a joy to type on
Good performance
Can run most games at 60 frames per second with minimal compromises The Bad An SD card reader and Thunderbolt would have been nice
Poor webcam quality
It’s eerily similar to the more affordable IdeaPad Gaming 3 $1290 at Lenovo How we rate and review products
I don’t want to gussy up the Legion 5i too much, though. The overall package is similar to Lenovo’s $989 IdeaPad Gaming 3 that I recently reviewed. It might be hard to tell them apart if you’re standing a few feet away, though the Legion 5i has the distinct advantage with double the RAM and storage, a slightly faster refresh rate in the display (144Hz from 120Hz), and the stronger RTX 2060. These specs make a noticeable improvement in the performance, and having now reviewed both machines, the $350 price hike that these specs incur seems acceptable, as much as I wish it offered the RTX 2060 in a cheaper configuration. I also wish Lenovo had included something else in addition here, like a Thunderbolt 3 port, to make the jump up more rewarding.
Lenovo Legion 5i specs (as reviewed) 2.6GHz Intel Core i7-10750H processor (12MB total cache, up to 5GHz, six cores)
16GB DDR4-2933MHz, 2x8GB
Nvidia RTX 2060 with 6GB GDDR6
1TB NVMe M.2 SSD
15-inch IPS panel, 1920 x 1080, 300 nits, 144Hz refresh rate
14.3 x 10.22 x 0.93 inches, 5.07 pounds
Four-cell battery, 60Wh
230W power brick
Four USB Type-A 3.1 ports, HDMI 2.0, Ethernet, headphone jack, USB-C 3.1 port with DisplayPort support, plug for charger, lock slot
Full-size backlit keyboard
Plastic Precision touchpad
Wi-Fi 6 802.11AX (2x2)
Bluetooth 5.0
Alas, the RTX 2060 turns it into an excellent midrange machine. If you’re confused about the many graphics chip options on the market, this is the one to aim for if you don’t want to do much fiddling with the graphics settings in games. Unlike my experience with the GTX 1650 in the IdeaPad Gaming 3, or the Radeon RX 5600M in the Dell G5 15 SE, this laptop’s graphics card required far fewer compromises to run my favorite games, like Control, at a smooth clip above 60 frames per second. It’s not the most powerful GPU ever in a laptop by a long shot, but it’s capable enough to breezily run games with medium-to-high shadow quality and anti-aliasing — those are usually the first settings I immediately turn all the way down or off to get a smooth frame rate.
Grand Theft Auto V’s benchmark is getting old, though it’s still a good test for processing and graphical chops in a laptop. This machine made short work of it with all settings (excluding the long-distance textures and shadows) turned up to their highest, averaging at about 100 frames per second. This and other games I tried look great on the IPS panel, which is surrounded by slim bezels. Colors appear vivid and accurate with good viewing angles, and it manages all that with a fast 144Hz refresh rate that doesn’t exhibit any screen tearing or other artifacts. Also, it’s worth noting that the Legion 5i is one of the few all-plastic laptops that doesn’t creak when I lift up, or adjust, the screen. Lenovo, pioneer of the 2-in-1 laptop concept, is good at making hinges. Who knew?
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The trackpad here has gotten a small upgrade. Instead of having two mouse buttons near the bottom like previous Y540 models have, it’s all one contiguous sheet of smooth plastic now. That’s by no means innovative, but it’s nice to have more space. And, with its Precision drivers, gestures and scrolling work as intended on the trackpad. Less has changed with the keyboard, though it’s still a joy to type on. It’s mostly identical to what you’ll find on Lenovo’s less expensive IdeaPad Gaming 3, but the keyboard here supports four-zone RGB backlighting as opposed to just blue backlighting, though you’ll need to pay an extra $30 when you configure it. Otherwise, you’ll get a white backlit keyboard.
Outside of gaming, this configuration with 16GB of RAM has no issue running a swath of my most-used applications at the same time without slowdown. My usual workload includes running over 20 Microsoft Edge tabs, Spotify, Slack, and Affinity Photo, to give you an idea. It’s a shame that base models of most laptops, including this one, come with 8GB of RAM by default. At least this one lets you upgrade it (along with the storage) yourself by unscrewing the bottom.
The keyboard is stuffed to the brim with keys, all of which feel great to type on. It can feel a little crowded, though.
The components here make for decent export speeds if you use Adobe Premiere Pro for video production, and as it did during gaming, it keeps relatively quiet and cool when under stress. It exported a five-minute, 33-second 4K file faster than real time in just five minutes and one second. The app’s hardware acceleration takes advantage of Nvidia’s CUDA cores, and these results beat the AMD-powered Dell G5 15 SE by two and a half minutes. For context, it’s a few minutes slower than a few laptops that feature the octa-core Intel Core i7-10875H, more RAM, and even stronger GPUs. This isn’t a bad result, though I wouldn’t buy it just for video production.
Agree to Continue: Lenovo Legion 5i Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we started counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate. To use the Legion 5i, you have to agree to: Request for your region and keyboard layout
Windows 10 License Agreement
Microsoft account
Windows Hello PIN The following agreements are optional: Connecting to Wi-Fi
Activity history
Sync an Android phone
OneDrive backup
Microsoft 365
Set up Cortana
Privacy settings, including online speech recognition, find my device, inking and typing, advertising ID, location, diagnostic data, and tailored experiences
Save your email address on your device
Add the device to your Lenovo ID for support, updates, and more Final tally: four mandatory agreements and 15 optional ones
Moving large files to and from this machine is a relatively speedy affair, since it has a USB-C 3.1 port located on its rear and a PCIe-based SSD with fast read and write speeds. Speaking of ports, this laptop has them scattered around its left, right, and back. There’s one USB Type-A port and a headphone jack on the left side, and a single USB Type-A port on the right. Everything else is on the back, including Ethernet, the aforementioned USB-C port that, unfortunately, doesn’t work for charging, two USB Type-A ports, HDMI, a power plug for its thin but still hefty 230W brick, and a horizontal lock slot.
The Legion 5i is a gaming laptop, but its design isn’t a dead giveaway.
To its credit, the Legion 5i does pack in a larger battery than the IdeaPad Gaming 3 despite being a similar size and weight. It’s a four-cell 60Wh battery that averages around four hours of consecutive screentime while multitasking during work. Considering that it’s powering a more capable GPU and a faster refresh rate display, this is decent performance for a gaming laptop. But if you plan to do any gaming during that time, you won’t make it long without the power brick, so don’t leave that behind.
This package is what I wanted the IdeaPad Gaming 3 to be: a powerful gaming laptop that doesn’t make heavy compromises in visual fidelity to get a fast frame rate. The Legion 5i is far from perfect, though. Its 720p webcam looks horrendous, and there are too few perks (specs aside) included with buying this over Lenovo’s more affordable gaming machine. A Thunderbolt 3 port and an SD card reader would have been appreciated. Alas, your main reward for spending more cash here simply results in a faster computer, and one that’s still relatively affordable compared to similarly configured 15.6-inch computers from competitors like Razer and MSI.


theverge--2020-07-24--Black K-pop fans continue to face racism online

As the Black Lives Matter movement took over the national conversation , K-pop fans have regularly been credited with large-scale protest actions .
K-pop fans used fancams to flood and crash a watchdog app after Dallas Police asked for footage of “ illegal activity from the protests.
” Fans of the group BTS donated $ 1 million to organizations fighting for racial justice after the group donated the same amount to Black Lives Matter .
And K-pop fans were credited with reserving tickets to a Trump rally , inflating ticket numbers and making the actual attendance look like a disappointment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a narrative around these events that portrayed fans of Korean pop music as a suddenly politically active and socially conscious monolith .
But Black K-pop fans have endured years of anti-blackness from fellow K-pop fans , and it hasn ’ t changed recently , despite these seemingly progressive moves .
“ To turn around and denounce all of that for a K-pop group is extremely frustrating.
” The latest backlash against Black fans happened just last week , when Hongjoong , of the K-pop group ATEEZ , appeared in a promotional photo wearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Twitter , some Black fans criticized the artist for cultural appropriation , the practice of taking and often benefiting from cultural elements historically tied to another group , often one that ’ s been a subject of oppression .
Hongjoong ’ s supporters told those speaking out that they should leave the fandom , with one user writing , “ that ’ s why people out there hate black people.
” The backlash against Black fans who criticized Hongjoong for cultural appropriation was difficult to see after weeks of Black Lives Matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said over Twitter DM .
She asked to be kept anonymous out of fear of backlash .
“ To turn around and denounce all of that for a K-pop group is extremely frustrating , ” she told The Verge .
KQ Entertainment , ATEEZ ’ s management company , later apologized for Hongjoong ’ s appearance .
Korean pop acts draw heavily from Black forms of music , notably ’ 90s R & B .
That extends to artists ’ behavior and appearance , which can have a racist history in the United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blackface , worn traditionally Black hairstyles like dreadlocks and cornrows , done mocking impressions of Black people talking , said the n-word in songs and on variety shows , worn clothing with the Confederate flag on it in a music video , and dressed up as racist stereotypes .
In a conversation with Vox ’ s Reset , Miranda Ruth Larsen , a PhD candidate at the University of Tokyo , recently referred to this repeat behavior as “ cultural misappropriation ” since the artists may not understand the global connotation of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got attacked calling out a person for saying the N-word ?
” When Black fans speak out about racist behaviors in K-pop , they ’ re often hit with backlash from other fans .
Christa , a Black K-pop fan , said she was met with denial and vitriol after pointing out an artist ’ s use of a racial slur .
Christa , like several other fans The Verge spoke to , asked to be identified by her first name only out of concern for harassment .
“ I woke up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my mentions telling me to delete it , ” Christa said .
Eventually , another fan used the n-word while arguing with her .
“ And I was like , whoa , I really got attacked calling out a person for saying the N-word ?
” She deleted her tweet to put an end to the attacks .
Christa ’ s experience is not unique .
The same kind of mass coordination that K-pop fans use to get an artist ’ s single to the top of the charts or flood a hashtag @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , especially Black ones , Larsen told The Verge .
Artists ’ success starts to be seen as a personal achievement for K-pop fans , said Davonna , a Black fan who has been listening to K-pop since 2008 .
“ And I think that mindset is really dangerous .
Anything negative , you take that as someone ’ s attacking you.
” The attacks Black fans face can range from aggressive replies to upsetting direct messages to the threat of doxxing .
Fans tweet out handles of accounts who have criticized their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ block them , report them , or demand their removal from Twitter .
Black fans have been speaking out about discrimination for years Black fans have been speaking out about the discrimination they ’ ve faced for years .
In 2018 , South Sonder reported on Black fans starting hashtags such as # BLACKGIRLSLIKEKPOP to bring attention to their experiences .
BuzzFeed spoke to over a dozen Black K-pop fans that same year who described other fans calling them slurs and sending them rape and death threats .
Insider also talked to fans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being overlooked .
In articles for Vice and Refinery 29 , fans spoke about how they are harassed when they spoke out about cultural appropriation .
The K-pop industry has been slow to take notice .
Suga , a member of BTS , recently released a song sampling a speech by cult leader Jim Jones , who was responsible for the mass murder-suicide of more than 900 people , the majority of whom were Black .
The song was released shortly before protests broke out over the death of George Floyd , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speaking out about it .
Carolyn Hinds , a Black film critic , journalist , and K-pop fan , was among the fans who criticized Suga ’ s usage of the Jim Jones sample on Twitter .
“ Black fans were getting insulted , people were called gorillas , roaches .
I was told that I was an Anti and I was a hater and I wasn ’ t smart enough to understand , ” Hinds said .
Big Hit Entertainment , BTS ’ s management company , later apologized and rereleased the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to see the idols we like do better.
” This repeat behavior makes K-pop fans ’ activism even more fraught .
Only days later , K-pop fans flooded the hashtag # whitelivesmatter with videos of their favorite stars to drown out racist voices on Twitter and Instagram amid the Black Lives Matter protests .
They also got that hashtag to trend , giving it a larger audience .
“ I could just imagine Black people going on Twitter and the first thing they see is this racist hashtag trending , ” Christa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have chosen to elevate anti-racist hashtags or tweet links to petitions , like those supporting victims of racial violence , instead of posting fancams .
Davonna said she later saw racist comments from people with Black Lives Matter in their display names .
Some fans also used artists ’ and fandoms ’ actions in support of Black Lives Matter to defend stars ’ racist actions .
“ We want to see the idols we like do better , ” Chelsea S. , a Black K-pop fan since 2006 , said .
“ [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and correct them in the first place , because we like these people .
We like the music .
”

As the Black Lives Matter movement took over the national conversation, K-pop fans have regularly been credited with large-scale protest actions. K-pop fans used fancams to flood and crash a watchdog app after Dallas Police asked for footage of “illegal activity from the protests.” Fans of the group BTS donated $1 million to organizations fighting for racial justice after the group donated the same amount to Black Lives Matter. And K-pop fans were credited with reserving tickets to a Trump rally, inflating ticket numbers and making the actual attendance look like a disappointment.
Media coverage started to quickly form a narrative around these events that portrayed fans of Korean pop music as a suddenly politically active and socially conscious monolith. But Black K-pop fans have endured years of anti-blackness from fellow K-pop fans, and it hasn’t changed recently, despite these seemingly progressive moves.
“To turn around and denounce all of that for a K-pop group is extremely frustrating.”
The latest backlash against Black fans happened just last week, when Hongjoong, of the K-pop group ATEEZ, appeared in a promotional photo wearing cornrows, a traditionally Black hairstyle. On Twitter, some Black fans criticized the artist for cultural appropriation, the practice of taking and often benefiting from cultural elements historically tied to another group, often one that’s been a subject of oppression. Hongjoong’s supporters told those speaking out that they should leave the fandom, with one user writing, “that’s why people out there hate black people.”
The backlash against Black fans who criticized Hongjoong for cultural appropriation was difficult to see after weeks of Black Lives Matter protests, a 24-year-old Black American fan said over Twitter DM. She asked to be kept anonymous out of fear of backlash. “To turn around and denounce all of that for a K-pop group is extremely frustrating,” she told The Verge. KQ Entertainment, ATEEZ’s management company, later apologized for Hongjoong’s appearance.
“I really got attacked calling out a person for saying the N-word.”
When Black fans speak out about racist behaviors in K-pop, they’re often hit with backlash from other fans. Christa, a Black K-pop fan, said she was met with denial and vitriol after pointing out an artist’s use of a racial slur. Christa, like several other fans The Verge spoke to, asked to be identified by her first name only out of concern for harassment. “I woke up to a lot of retweets and people in my mentions telling me to delete it,” Christa said. Eventually, another fan used the n-word while arguing with her. “And I was like, whoa, I really got attacked calling out a person for saying the N-word.” She deleted her tweet to put an end to the attacks.
Christa’s experience is not unique. The same kind of mass coordination that K-pop fans use to get an artist’s single to the top of the charts or flood a hashtag is very quickly turned against perceived critics, especially Black ones, Larsen told The Verge. Artists’ success starts to be seen as a personal achievement for K-pop fans, said Davonna, a Black fan who has been listening to K-pop since 2008. “And I think that mindset is really dangerous. Anything negative, you take that as someone’s attacking you.”
The attacks Black fans face can range from aggressive replies to upsetting direct messages to the threat of doxxing. Fans tweet out handles of accounts who have criticized their favorite artists, asking other fans to block them, report them, or demand their removal from Twitter.
Black fans have been speaking out about discrimination for years
The K-pop industry has been slow to take notice. Suga, a member of BTS, recently released a song sampling a speech by cult leader Jim Jones, who was responsible for the mass murder-suicide of more than 900 people, the majority of whom were Black. The song was released shortly before protests broke out over the death of George Floyd, and Black fans were met with harassment for speaking out about it.
Carolyn Hinds, a Black film critic, journalist, and K-pop fan, was among the fans who criticized Suga’s usage of the Jim Jones sample on Twitter. “Black fans were getting insulted, people were called gorillas, roaches. I was told that I was an Anti and I was a hater and I wasn’t smart enough to understand,” Hinds said. Big Hit Entertainment, BTS’s management company, later apologized and rereleased the track without the sample.
“We want to see the idols we like do better.”
This repeat behavior makes K-pop fans’ activism even more fraught. Only days later, K-pop fans flooded the hashtag #whitelivesmatter with videos of their favorite stars to drown out racist voices on Twitter and Instagram amid the Black Lives Matter protests. They also got that hashtag to trend, giving it a larger audience.
“I could just imagine Black people going on Twitter and the first thing they see is this racist hashtag trending,” Christa said. She suggested that fans could have chosen to elevate anti-racist hashtags or tweet links to petitions, like those supporting victims of racial violence, instead of posting fancams.
Davonna said she later saw racist comments from people with Black Lives Matter in their display names. Some fans also used artists’ and fandoms’ actions in support of Black Lives Matter to defend stars’ racist actions.


theverge--2020-07-24--Google reportedly keeps tabs on usage of rival Android apps to develop competitors

An internal program at Google known as “ Android Lockbox ” can give the company ’ s employees access to information about how Android users interact with popular , non-Google apps and services , according to a new report in The Information .
The program , which works via Google Mobile Services , means that employees can reportedly see “ sensitive ” data about other apps , including how often they ’ re opened and for how long they ’ re used .
Sources claim this information has been used to keep tabs on rivals to Google ’ s Gmail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usage .
Google is also thought to have used it to plan the launch of its TikTok competitor , Shorts .
The Information notes that Google ’ s employees have to request permission to see this data in some cases , and that these requests are sometimes denied .
Google ’ s CEO is due to testify in a congressional antitrust hearing The report comes as Google ’ s business is facing an intense amount of antitrust scrutiny in the US .
Google CEO Sundar Pichai is due to testify in Congress ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by almost every US state , and the Justice Department is reportedly planning to file an antitrust case of its own .
Although these investigations are believed to be focusing on the company ’ s search and ad businesses , discoveries about possible unfair Android business practices are unlikely to be welcomed .
The Information reports that Android Lockbox gets its most useful information when users agree to share information with Google as part of the Android setup process .
Users are told that this data allows Google to offer a more personalized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also provides data for competitive research .
Responding to The Information ’ s report , Google admitted that it has access to usage data from rival apps , but it said that the program is public and that other developers can also access similar data .
However , Google ’ s reach with the program is believed to be far wider , since it covers any device with Google ’ s preinstalled apps , while other developers can only see information from phones that have their apps .
Google said that the data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people behave while they ’ re using individual apps , but it wouldn ’ t say whether it had been used to develop competing apps .
The data gathered is anonymous and is not personally identifiable , The Information says .
Google says the data collection is disclosed to users and that they have control over it .
If true , Google wouldn ’ t be the only company to have tried to gather data from phones about competing services .
Back in 2017 , a report from The Wall Street Journal said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ owned , Onavo , to monitor rival services and plan its acquisitions , such as WhatsApp .
The app was shut down in 2019 .

An internal program at Google known as “Android Lockbox” can give the company’s employees access to information about how Android users interact with popular, non-Google apps and services, according to a new report in The Information. The program, which works via Google Mobile Services, means that employees can reportedly see “sensitive” data about other apps, including how often they’re opened and for how long they’re used.
Sources claim this information has been used to keep tabs on rivals to Google’s Gmail service or to monitor Facebook and Instagram usage. Google is also thought to have used it to plan the launch of its TikTok competitor, Shorts. The Information notes that Google’s employees have to request permission to see this data in some cases, and that these requests are sometimes denied.
Google’s CEO is due to testify in a congressional antitrust hearing
The report comes as Google’s business is facing an intense amount of antitrust scrutiny in the US. Google CEO Sundar Pichai is due to testify in Congress; the company is facing an antitrust investigation by almost every US state, and the Justice Department is reportedly planning to file an antitrust case of its own. Although these investigations are believed to be focusing on the company’s search and ad businesses, discoveries about possible unfair Android business practices are unlikely to be welcomed.
The Information reports that Android Lockbox gets its most useful information when users agree to share information with Google as part of the Android setup process. Users are told that this data allows Google to offer a more personalized experience, but The Information says it also provides data for competitive research.
Responding to The Information’s report, Google admitted that it has access to usage data from rival apps, but it said that the program is public and that other developers can also access similar data. However, Google’s reach with the program is believed to be far wider, since it covers any device with Google’s preinstalled apps, while other developers can only see information from phones that have their apps. Google said that the data doesn’t give information about how people behave while they’re using individual apps, but it wouldn’t say whether it had been used to develop competing apps.
The data gathered is anonymous and is not personally identifiable, The Information says. Google says the data collection is disclosed to users and that they have control over it.
“Since 2014, the Android App Usage Data API has been used by Google and Android developers who have been authorized by Android OEMs or users to access basic data about app usage—such as how often apps are opened—to analyze and improve services,” a company spokesperson said in an email to The Verge.
According to the spokesperson, app usage information is “obtained solely via this API” and may be used to allocate battery power to frequently-used apps, for Google’s Digital Wellbeing features, and to improve app discovery in its Play Store. “The API doesn’t obtain any information about in-app activity and our collection of this data is disclosed to and controllable by users,” the spokesperson said.
Google isn’t the only company that’s been accused of trying to gather data from phones about competing services. Back in 2017, a report from The Wall Street Journal said that Facebook used a VPN service it owned, Onavo, to monitor rival services and plan its acquisitions, such as WhatsApp. The app was shut down in 2019.


theverge--2020-07-24--LG Display is doubling down on OLED TVs

LG Display is doubling down on OLED TVs

LG Display has started mass-production at its second OLED panel production plant , the company announced Thursday .
The new plant , located in Guangzhou , China , has the capacity to initially produce 60,000 OLED sheets a month , which combined with LG ’ s existing plant in Paju , South Korea means that LG Display ’ s total OLED production capacity has almost doubled to 130,000 sheets monthly .
According to LG , the panels produced at its new plant will be used to create displays ranging in size from 48 to 77-inches .
They ’ re for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Display is a major supplier of OLED panels for TVs across the industry .
19 brands , including LG , Vizio , Sony , Panasonic , Hisense , Bang & Olufsen , and Toshiba , use LG Display OLED panels in their TVs according to FlatPanelsHD .
LG Display ’ s OLED panels are used by numerous TV manufacturers The opening of LG Display ’ s new plant comes as it and competitor Samsung Display are shifting their attention away from LCD panels , which the majority of TVs currently use .
LG @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is ending production of LCD TV panels in South Korea , Reuters reports , while Samsung Display said it was ending LCD display production in South Korea and China .
LG Display ’ s CEO , James Hoyoung Jeong , said he hoped the new plant will “ enable more rapid adoption of OLED displays in the market.
” He called large OLED displays an “ essential growth engine ” for LG Display .
LG Display says that production capacity could increased to 90,000 sheets a month in the future at the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has said it wants OLED panels to make up 50 percent of its revenue , up from around 30 percent in 2018 , according to Reuters .
Samsung Display , meanwhile , is pinning its hopes on quantum dot , with ZDNet reporting that its future QD displays will incorporate an OLED panel rather than the LCD layer used by its existing displays .

LG Display has started mass-production at its second OLED panel production plant, the company announced Thursday. The new plant, located in Guangzhou, China, has the capacity to initially produce 60,000 OLED sheets a month, which combined with LG’s existing plant in Paju, South Korea means that LG Display’s total OLED production capacity has almost doubled to 130,000 sheets monthly.
According to LG, the panels produced at its new plant will be used to create displays ranging in size from 48 to 77-inches. They’re for TVs, in other words. LG Display is a major supplier of OLED panels for TVs across the industry. 19 brands, including LG, Vizio, Sony, Panasonic, Hisense, Bang & Olufsen, and Toshiba, use LG Display OLED panels in their TVs according to FlatPanelsHD.
LG Display’s OLED panels are used by numerous TV manufacturers
The opening of LG Display’s new plant comes as it and competitor Samsung Display are shifting their attention away from LCD panels, which the majority of TVs currently use. LG Display announced earlier this year that it is ending production of LCD TV panels in South Korea, Reuters reports, while Samsung Display said it was ending LCD display production in South Korea and China.
LG Display’s CEO, James Hoyoung Jeong, said he hoped the new plant will “enable more rapid adoption of OLED displays in the market.” He called large OLED displays an “essential growth engine” for LG Display. LG Display says that production capacity could increased to 90,000 sheets a month in the future at the new factory.


theverge--2020-07-24--Microsoft’s Surface Duo looks like it’s ready to launch

Microsoft has spent the past few weeks teasing the Surface Duo on Twitter , and it now looks like the dual-screen device is ready to launch .
Microsoft ’ s new Android-powered device first appeared at the FCC earlier this week , and today it has shown up on the Bluetooth SIG certification page .
Devices typically appear in FCC and Bluetooth listings just a few weeks away from launch .
Recent rumors had suggested the Surface Duo might appear in July , but it ’ s clear the device isn ’ t ready to launch this month .
Instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will launch the Surface Duo in the coming weeks .
Sources familiar with Microsoft ’ s plans tell The Verge that the company had originally planned to focus on the Surface Duo and dual-screen devices at Build earlier this year .
These plans changed once it was clear Build would be held virtually due to the pandemic , and Microsoft also pushed back its Windows 10X dual-screen plans to far beyond 2020 .
While some developers already have access to dual-screen developer units , Microsoft had planned at one point to get Surface @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Like many things , the pandemic has impacted Surface Duo launch plans , but we understand Microsoft is still hoping to ship the device by the end of September .
Adding fuel to the Surface Duo launch rumors , phone leaker Evan Blass has also hinted that the Surface Duo will appear on AT & T ’ s network in the US .
Blass typically obtains marketing images and materials of unreleased phones a few weeks or months before they ’ re about to launch , which also suggests that the Surface Duo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has also spent the summer teasing the Surface Duo on Twitter ahead of its launch .
Microsoft ’ s communications chief , Frank Shaw , posted a photo of the Surface Duo earlier this month , just days after Surface chief Panos Panay teased the device on Twitter with what appeared to be a new bumper case .
This same case also appeared in a video on LinkedIn featuring Microsoft executive Brad Anderson last week .
Microsoft first unveiled the Surface Duo at a press event in New York City back in October @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the device .
While the company has not shared official hardware specifications just yet , leaks have suggested it will include a Qualcomm Snapdragon 855 processor , 6GB of RAM , up to 256GB of storage , and include two 5.6-inch displays .

Microsoft has spent the past few weeks teasing the Surface Duo on Twitter, and it now looks like the dual-screen device is ready to launch. Microsoft’s new Android-powered device first appeared at the FCC earlier this week, and today it has shown up on the Bluetooth SIG certification page. Devices typically appear in FCC and Bluetooth listings just a few weeks away from launch.
Recent rumors had suggested the Surface Duo might appear in July, but it’s clear the device isn’t ready to launch this month. Instead, it looks increasingly likely that Microsoft will launch the Surface Duo in the coming weeks.
Sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans tell The Verge that the company had originally planned to focus on the Surface Duo and dual-screen devices at Build earlier this year. These plans changed once it was clear Build would be held virtually due to the pandemic, and Microsoft also pushed back its Windows 10X dual-screen plans to far beyond 2020.
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
While some developers already have access to dual-screen developer units, Microsoft had planned at one point to get Surface Duo to developers a lot sooner. Like many things, the pandemic has impacted Surface Duo launch plans, but we understand Microsoft is still hoping to ship the device by the end of September.
Adding fuel to the Surface Duo launch rumors, phone leaker Evan Blass has also hinted that the Surface Duo will appear on AT&T’s network in the US. Blass typically obtains marketing images and materials of unreleased phones a few weeks or months before they’re about to launch, which also suggests that the Surface Duo is nearly ready to go.
Microsoft has also spent the summer teasing the Surface Duo on Twitter ahead of its launch. Microsoft’s communications chief, Frank Shaw, posted a photo of the Surface Duo earlier this month, just days after Surface chief Panos Panay teased the device on Twitter with what appeared to be a new bumper case. This same case also appeared in a video on LinkedIn featuring Microsoft executive Brad Anderson last week.