theverge--2020-06-06--Facebook tells group admins to consider adding people of color as moderators

Facebook published new recommendations for group admins yesterday evening in an attempt to help them facilitate conversations about race and inequality .
Groups , which are essential to Facebook ’ s business strategy , have struggled to moderate discussions about the Black Lives Matter movement and injustice in the US , with many admins and moderators deleting posts they consider “ political.
” The deletion decisions prompted members to leave groups they ’ d been in for years , argue with each other , form splinter groups , and sometimes temporarily shut the groups down entirely .
Facebook directly addresses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ follow and recommends that leaders create specific lists of topics that aren ’ t allowed .
It cites “ discussions on legislation , political candidates , or specific campaigns ” as examples .
Facebook has previously recommended that groups create a list of rules to help moderate conversation , but these rules appear to be what ’ s tripping moderators up now .
A group dedicated to the musician Hozier , for example , allowed Hozier ’ s own political statements to stay live , but moderators deleted members ’ thoughts , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yesterday .
Facebook also recommends in its post that admins educate themselves on the issues ; “ create opportunities for new and diverse members ” to join the moderation team ; acknowledge current events with a post that outlines rules ; listen to members ; be “ open to change ” around what posts are allowed ; and potentially approve all posts before they go live .
“ We know these conversations are hard and reflect ongoing disparities in our society , ” Facebook writes .
“ They are also necessary , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help you facilitate ongoing discussions and learning .
”

Facebook published new recommendations for group admins yesterday evening in an attempt to help them facilitate conversations about race and inequality. Groups, which are essential to Facebook’s business strategy, have struggled to moderate discussions about the Black Lives Matter movement and injustice in the US, with many admins and moderators deleting posts they consider “political.” The deletion decisions prompted members to leave groups they’d been in for years, argue with each other, form splinter groups, and sometimes temporarily shut the groups down entirely.
Facebook directly addresses the political post ban that many groups follow and recommends that leaders create specific lists of topics that aren’t allowed. It cites “discussions on legislation, political candidates, or specific campaigns” as examples. Facebook has previously recommended that groups create a list of rules to help moderate conversation, but these rules appear to be what’s tripping moderators up now. A group dedicated to the musician Hozier, for example, allowed Hozier’s own political statements to stay live, but moderators deleted members’ thoughts, as The Verge documented in a separate story yesterday.
Facebook also recommends in its post that admins educate themselves on the issues; “create opportunities for new and diverse members” to join the moderation team; acknowledge current events with a post that outlines rules; listen to members; be “open to change” around what posts are allowed; and potentially approve all posts before they go live.


theverge--2020-06-06--7 new trailers to watch this week

7 new trailers to watch this week

HBO Max is here , and while I ’ ve been dreading the ways AT & T will inevitably ruin HBO , I actually like a lot about the new service .
The app is far nicer to browse than Netflix thanks to its curated highlights .
But the real standout to me has been that the service has most of Studio Ghibli ’ s catalog of films , which haven ’ t previously been available to stream .
I watched My Neighbor Totoro for the first time in years over the weekend .
The story is simpler than I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the story is a lot more charming than I remembered , too .
It really encapsulates what Ghibli would continue to do so well in later movies — build out worlds that feel real , quaint , and expansively magical all at once .
My colleague Sam Byford wrote a starter ’ s guide to Ghibli films if you ’ re just diving in .
I haven ’ t seen most of the movies yet , and this has me excited to see more .
Check out seven trailers from this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Country is one of the most intriguing shows coming up on HBO .
The series follows three black travelers on a journey through Jim Crow America who have to deal with racist threats and the added horrors of Lovecraftian monsters ( which seems like a potentially compelling way to address Lovecraft ’ s racism , too , as some recent adaptations have done ) .
The show starts some time in August .
Disney took the formula behind Legends of the Hidden Temple and build a Star Wars themed challenge around it , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be one hit of a kids show .
The trailer doesn ’ t highlight it , but she show is hosted by Ahmed Best , who voiced Jar Jar .
The series was scheduled to debut this week , but it ’ s been pushed to June 10th .
Miss Juneteenth is a generational drama about a mother and daughter trying to win a pageant in Texas and the different goals the two see in finding success .
The film got some positive reviews after its debut at Sundance , and it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on , fittingly , June 19th .
While the Hamilton recording is heading to Disney Plus next month , this documentary about Freestyle Love Supreme , a hip-hop improv group co-created by Lin-Manuel Miranda , will land on the primarily Disney-owned Hulu .
It looks fun and like an obvious watch for people who can ’ t get enough from Miranda .
The documentary was supposed to come out on Friday , but the group decided to delay its release to not distract from the Black Lives Matter movement and the ongoing protests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Here ’ s another look at HBO ’ s reboot of Perry Mason , which has Matthew Rhys starring as the classic detective ( slash lawyer ) in what looks like a really fun , classically styled whodunnit series .
It debuts June 21st .
Netflix has a documentary coming up about the Scripps National Spelling Bee focused on how and why Indian Americans have often come out on top over the last two decades .
It came out earlier this week .
Here ’ s something unusual for this column : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t exist .
Last week , Primer director Shane Carruth published this nearly decade-old trailer he cut together ( at least partially using shots from other films ) to help explain what his next movie , A Topiary , would look like .
Unfortunately , all these years later , it seems like we ’ re unlikely to ever see the final result .
Carruth has said he ’ s quitting filmmaking , and he seems pretty frustrated with Hollywood .

HBO Max is here, and while I’ve been dreading the ways AT&T will inevitably ruin HBO, I actually like a lot about the new service. The app is far nicer to browse than Netflix thanks to its curated highlights. But the real standout to me has been that the service has most of Studio Ghibli’s catalog of films, which haven’t previously been available to stream.
I watched My Neighbor Totoro for the first time in years over the weekend. The story is simpler than I remembered (perhaps too simple!), but the story is a lot more charming than I remembered, too. It really encapsulates what Ghibli would continue to do so well in later movies — build out worlds that feel real, quaint, and expansively magical all at once.
My colleague Sam Byford wrote a starter’s guide to Ghibli films if you’re just diving in. I haven’t seen most of the movies yet, and this has me excited to see more.
Check out seven trailers from this week and last week below.
Lovecraft Country
Lovecraft Country is one of the most intriguing shows coming up on HBO. The series follows three black travelers on a journey through Jim Crow America who have to deal with racist threats and the added horrors of Lovecraftian monsters (which seems like a potentially compelling way to address Lovecraft’s racism, too, as some recent adaptations have done). The show starts some time in August.
Star Wars: Jedi Temple Challenge
Disney took the formula behind Legends of the Hidden Temple and build a Star Wars themed challenge around it, so I have to imagine this will be one hit of a kids show. The trailer doesn’t highlight it, but she show is hosted by Ahmed Best, who voiced Jar Jar. The series was scheduled to debut this week, but it’s been pushed to June 10th.
Miss Juneteenth
Miss Juneteenth is a generational drama about a mother and daughter trying to win a pageant in Texas and the different goals the two see in finding success. The film got some positive reviews after its debut at Sundance, and it’s now heading for a wide release on, fittingly, June 19th.
We Are Freestyle Love Supreme
While the Hamilton recording is heading to Disney Plus next month, this documentary about Freestyle Love Supreme, a hip-hop improv group co-created by Lin-Manuel Miranda, will land on the primarily Disney-owned Hulu. It looks fun and like an obvious watch for people who can’t get enough from Miranda. The documentary was supposed to come out on Friday, but the group decided to delay its release to not distract from the Black Lives Matter movement and the ongoing protests against police brutality across the United States.
Perry Mason
Here’s another look at HBO’s reboot of Perry Mason, which has Matthew Rhys starring as the classic detective (slash lawyer) in what looks like a really fun, classically styled whodunnit series. It debuts June 21st.
Spelling the Dream
Netflix has a documentary coming up about the Scripps National Spelling Bee focused on how and why Indian Americans have often come out on top over the last two decades. It came out earlier this week.
A Topiary


theverge--2020-06-06--Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram removed a Trump campaign video over copyright complaint

Twitter , Facebook , and Instagram have all removed a Trump campaign video from their platforms after receiving copyright complaints , Reuters reported .
The nearly four-minute video featured images of the late George Floyd of Minneapolis , who died May 25th after a police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes .
A video of the incident has prompted nationwide protests of police violence .
Twitter disabled the video , while Facebook and Instagram removed posts containing the video .
When President Trump objected to the removal in a tweet , calling it “ illegal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Not true and not illegal .
This was pulled because we got a DMCA complaint from copyright holder.
” A spokesperson for Facebook , which owns Instagram , told Reuters it also had received a copyright complaint under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act .
“ Organizations that use original art shared on Instagram are expected to have the right to do so , ” the spokesperson said .
YouTube did not remove a version of the video from its platform , saying it did not contain the content that violated the copyright @ @ @ @ @ @ @ YouTube version of the video had nearly half a million views .
It wasn ’ t clear who filed the copyright complaint about the video , titled “ Healing Not Hatred , ” which includes images of demonstrations protesting Floyd ’ s death and a voiceover of a President Trump speech where he says the “ death of George Floyd was a grave tragedy.
” Last month , Twitter applied labels to two of President Trump ’ s tweets , one that used the phrase “ when the looting starts , the shooting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and another one for being “ potentially misleading ” about mail-in voting .
Trump later issued an executive order governing how websites can moderate content .

Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram have all removed a Trump campaign video from their platforms after receiving copyright complaints, Reuters reported. The nearly four-minute video featured images of the late George Floyd of Minneapolis, who died May 25th after a police officer kneeled on his neck for more than eight minutes. A video of the incident has prompted nationwide protests of police violence.
Twitter disabled the video, while Facebook and Instagram removed posts containing the video. When President Trump objected to the removal in a tweet, calling it “illegal,” Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey responded: “Not true and not illegal. This was pulled because we got a DMCA complaint from copyright holder.”
A spokesperson for Facebook, which owns Instagram, told Reuters it also had received a copyright complaint under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. “Organizations that use original art shared on Instagram are expected to have the right to do so,” the spokesperson said. YouTube did not remove a version of the video from its platform, saying it did not contain the content that violated the copyright. As of Saturday morning, the YouTube version of the video had nearly half a million views.
See more 2020 election coverage from Vox Media (parent company of The Verge), including how to vote and how different policies will impact your community.
It wasn’t clear who filed the copyright complaint about the video, titled “Healing Not Hatred,” which includes images of demonstrations protesting Floyd’s death and a voiceover of a President Trump speech where he says the “death of George Floyd was a grave tragedy.”


theverge--2020-06-06--The Verge’s 17 favorite kitchen gadgets

The Verge’s 17 favorite kitchen gadgets

When you ’ re stuck at home because of pandemics , bad weather , or just because you don ’ t feel like going out , there ’ s nothing more satisfying than cooking something really fantastic .
Even if you ’ re not an experienced or enthusiastic cook , sometimes it ’ s really satisfying to create a new and tasty dish for you , your friends , and / or family .
We asked the staff of The Verge what kinds of equipment , gadgets , and tools they use to make their kitchen adventures better tasting , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Here are some of the answers we got .
This is one of my favorite tools in the kitchen .
It ’ s a hand-held blender that can be used to prepare soups , smoothies , whipped coffee , and more .
I often use it in my Indian cooking just to smooth out the sauce a little and bring the dish together .
It ’ s a game-changer , and I honestly just have so much fun using it .
We also don ’ t own an actual blender so this has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shakes as well .
When I was in college , I drove through a literal Maine blizzard to buy an immersion blender because I really wanted soup .
I have been making a lot of sauces and smoothies , and since I have a tiny kitchen , I don ’ t have a lot of counter space for more gadgets .
This is why I love my immersion blender .
I love my Breville hand blender .
It makes soups and stuff that you don ’ t want to transfer into a blender @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I have , but clearly , there are a lot of good options out there .
The Paprika Recipe Manager is my entire cooking process now .
Paprika is good because it : • Isn ’ t linked to a specific cooking service , so the features aren ’ t tied to a particular set of recipes • Can download and cleanly convert recipes from almost any site pretty well , either through its built-in web browser or a bookmark widget • Comes with a meal calendar and grocery list function that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weekly grocery runs I ’ m seconding Adi ’ s recommendation of Paprika , which is the best recipe app , bar-none .
It ’ s also got really great app support , with desktop and mobile apps on every platform ( Mac ( $ 15 ) , Windows ( $ 15 ) , iOS ( $ 5 ) , and Android ( free for up to 50 recipes ) .
We just received a GoWise Air Fryer as a quarantine gift , and we couldn ’ t be happier with it !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time for reheating , and food comes out tasting crisp and delicious .
It ’ s also great at cooking .
We ’ ve made stuffed mushrooms , fried chicken , steak sandwiches — you name it , this thing makes it .
In the UK , where I ’ m from , it ’ s pretty unusual for a kitchen to come without an electric kettle , and honestly , I ’ ve got no idea how anyone manages without them .
Obviously , the main thing my kettle gets used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but it ’ s just as happy boiling water for coffee if you ’ re brewing it in a device like an AeroPress .
When the water ’ s boiled the power automatically cuts off , which certainly feels a lot safer than the risk of leaving a burner on .
Unfortunately , the US ’ s lower voltage means that electric kettles aren ’ t quite as fast as a burner if you ’ re boiling water to cook with , but I think they ’ re still a pretty useful kitchen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and I never have to worry about stuff catching fire .
Also +1ing an electric kettle .
I love my Bonavita kettle .
KitchenAid stand mixers are great for mixing cake mix or whisking , but the thing I most regularly use mine for is kneading dough using its dough hook accessory .
I ’ m sure there are purists out there who ’ ll claim that a machine can never match the process of kneading by hand , but for me , it ’ s worth it just so I can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to cover an entire work surface with flour .
I will accept that using a stand mixer means I ’ ll never end up with Paul Hollywood ’ s forearms of steel , but that ’ s my burden to bear .
I can ’ t stop buying KitchenAid attachments !
Specifically , the sifter , scale , and the pasta roller .
There are so many great things you can do with the Cuisinart food processor : pesto , perfectly mandolined veggie slices for lasagna , babka dough , savory crackers , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ met a Cuisinart employee who swore by the 11-cup as their least-repaired model .
I ’ ve never been a great cook so , in an attempt to get me to eat more home-cooked food , my mom gifted me an Instant Pot .
This was years ago , and I ’ ve never looked back .
I am the queen of soups , but it ’ s such a handy tool to cut down cooking time and effort on almost any dish .
For the most part , you just toss in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and go about your business .
About 90 percent of our quarantine meals have been made in an Instant Pot .
There ’ s just no time to do anything anymore , and we can make large amounts of healthy food , with little attention , and have leftovers .
I liked it before , but now I ’ m ready to build a shrine to it .
+1 to everything above .
Also , the Instant Pot makes delicious rice — just make sure to wash the rice a few times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really like my overpriced Baratza Virtuoso coffee grinder .
It ’ s expensive but has served me well for nearly five years now .
It works very well for everything from fine-grind espresso to coarse French press .
Almost every part is replaceable , as well , meaning I can keep it going for many more years to come .
( Apparently , the exact model I have has been replaced by this newer one with a digital timer . )
I ’ m a big believer in the AeroPress .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ iron pots are one of my key kitchen tools .
First off , they ’ re essential for getting a great crust on a homemade loaf of bread ( especially sourdough ) .
But they ’ ve got myriad uses beyond that : soups , stews , roasting , deep-frying , and more .
Plus , they ’ re relatively cheap , and if you take care of them , they can last a lifetime .
I ’ m a big fan of Lodge ’ s Double Dutch Oven since the lid doubles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making it twice as useful .
Full disclosure : I have never used my fish spatula for fish .
But its thin , flexible edge makes it perfect for getting under the edges of fried eggs , seared meat , and grilled cheeses .
We actually do use our fish spatula for fish , among other things , and it works beautifully , especially when trying to flip over delicate filets .
If you ’ re picking up an especially large piece , two are better .
And if you ’ ve got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( see above ) , you can use it to scrape off the burned bits .
I hate when pieces of chopped veggies roll off the edge of a cutting board , so I insist on using one big enough to fill up most of the counter .
It can fit an onion and garlic with room to spare , so I don ’ t feel cramped while I ’ m focusing on my ( mediocre ) knife skills .
I only use it once every few months , but I love my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bit of setup , but once everything is in the water bath , my job is basically over for a few hours .
It cooks everything to the perfect temperature every time , meaning no more over- or undercooking .
I get the perfect amount of pink with my steak , my veggies don ’ t get mushy , my chicken breasts stay moist , and I don ’ t have to stick everything with a food thermometer 15 times to make sure I don ’ t accidentally give my family food poisoning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I use mine all the time — I can proof bread in it , make garlic confit , lots of good meat / fish options .
Is it big ?
Yes .
Is it extremely limited in what it can do ?
Also yes .
Can I make ice cream and sorbet whenever I want ?
Yes .
We use a lot of garlic in my household , and traditional garlic presses never did it for us — they usually produced a messy , slushy paste .
A friend of ours introduced us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only fun to play with but produces beautifully minced pieces of garlic , perfect for sautéing and other uses .
A must for bread baking , especially if you ’ ve gotten your hands on some sourdough starter ( or made your own ) .
Anything that measures in grams and ounces will work — just get whatever ’ s cheapest .

When you’re stuck at home because of pandemics, bad weather, or just because you don’t feel like going out, there’s nothing more satisfying than cooking something really fantastic. Even if you’re not an experienced or enthusiastic cook, sometimes it’s really satisfying to create a new and tasty dish for you, your friends, and / or family.
We asked the staff of The Verge what kinds of equipment, gadgets, and tools they use to make their kitchen adventures better tasting, easier, or just more fun. Here are some of the answers we got.
Pots, pans, and cookers
Air fryer
GoWise air fryer. Photo: GoWise
We just received a GoWise Air Fryer as a quarantine gift, and we couldn’t be happier with it! It replaces our microwave 90 percent of the time for reheating, and food comes out tasting crisp and delicious. It’s also great at cooking. We’ve made stuffed mushrooms, fried chicken, steak sandwiches — you name it, this thing makes it. — Grayson Blackmon, senior designer
GoWise USA 5.8-Quart Air Fryer $ 60 $ 120 50 % off $ 60 $ 60 $ 120 50 % off Air fryer $60 at Amazon
Cast iron pot
Lodge Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven. Photo: Lodge
Cast iron pots are one of my key kitchen tools. First off, they’re essential for getting a great crust on a homemade loaf of bread (especially sourdough). But they’ve got myriad uses beyond that: soups, stews, roasting, deep-frying, and more. Plus, they’re relatively cheap, and if you take care of them, they can last a lifetime.
I’m a big fan of Lodge’s Double Dutch Oven since the lid doubles as a second cast iron pan, making it twice as useful. — Chaim Gartenberg, former Verger
Instant Pot
Instant Pot cooker. Photo: Instant Pot
I’ve never been a great cook so, in an attempt to get me to eat more home-cooked food, my mom gifted me an Instant Pot. This was years ago, and I’ve never looked back. I am the queen of soups, but it’s such a handy tool to cut down cooking time and effort on almost any dish. For the most part, you just toss in all the ingredients, set the timer, and go about your business. — Kaitlin Hatton, audience manager
About 90 percent of our quarantine meals have been made in an Instant Pot. There’s just no time to do anything anymore, and we can make large amounts of healthy food, with little attention, and have leftovers. I liked it before, but now I’m ready to build a shrine to it. — Christopher Grant, group publisher, Polygon and The Verge
+1 to everything above. Also, the Instant Pot makes delicious rice — just make sure to wash the rice a few times before you put it in! — Jay Peters, news writer
Sous Vide
A sous vide heats your food with the help of a mobile app. Photo: ChefSteps
I only use it once every few months, but I love my Joule sous vide. It takes a bit of setup, but once everything is in the water bath, my job is basically over for a few hours. It cooks everything to the perfect temperature every time, meaning no more over- or undercooking. I get the perfect amount of pink with my steak, my veggies don’t get mushy, my chicken breasts stay moist, and I don’t have to stick everything with a food thermometer 15 times to make sure I don’t accidentally give my family food poisoning. — Sarah Smithers, senior editorial coordinator
A sous vide is great. I use mine all the time — I can proof bread in it, make garlic confit, lots of good meat / fish options. — Chaim Gartenberg
Big-ass wok
13.5-inch Yosukata Carbon Steel Wok Pan. Photo: Yosukata
Every home kitchen should have a big-ass wok. They’re great for all kinds of meals, because they heat up quickly and fit a lot of rice, veggies, noodles, or whatever — all at once. A quick, stir-fry meal on a busy weeknight is much easier with a wok and you probably have enough leftovers for another night. — Antonio Di Benedetto, writer, commerce
Yosukata Carbon Steel Wok Pan $ 60 $ 70 14 % off $ 60 $ 60 $ 70 14 % off Large 13.5-inch flat-bottomed wok $60 at Amazon
Ice cream machine
Cuisinart Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream, and Sorbet Maker. Photo: Cuisinart
Is it big? Yes. Is it extremely limited in what it can do? Also yes. Can I make ice cream and sorbet whenever I want? Yes. — Chaim Gartenberg
Prep tech
Food mixers & processors
KitchenAid mixer. Photo: KitchenAid
KitchenAid stand mixers are great for mixing cake mix or whisking, but the thing I most regularly use mine for is kneading dough using its dough hook accessory. I’m sure there are purists out there who’ll claim that a machine can never match the process of kneading by hand, but for me, it’s worth it just so I can get dough ready for baking without having to cover an entire work surface with flour. I will accept that using a stand mixer means I’ll never end up with Paul Hollywood’s forearms of steel, but that’s my burden to bear. — Jon Porter, reporter
I can’t stop buying KitchenAid attachments! Specifically, the sifter, scale, and the pasta roller. — Sarah Smithers
There are so many great things you can do with the Cuisinart food processor: pesto, perfectly mandolined veggie slices for lasagna, babka dough, savory crackers, dicing onions without weeping. My mom met a Cuisinart employee who swore by the 11-cup as their least-repaired model. — Helen Havlak, publisher
Immersion blender
The Mueller Austria Ultra-Stick hand blender. Photo: Mueller Austria
This is one of my favorite tools in the kitchen. It’s a hand-held blender that can be used to prepare soups, smoothies, whipped coffee, and more. I often use it in my Indian cooking just to smooth out the sauce a little and bring the dish together. It’s a game-changer, and I honestly just have so much fun using it. We also don’t own an actual blender so this has come in handy to make smoothies and shakes as well. — Dilpreet Kainth, former Verger
When I was in college, I drove through a literal Maine blizzard to buy an immersion blender because I really wanted soup. — Nicole Wetsman, reporter
I have been making a lot of sauces and smoothies, and since I have a tiny kitchen, I don’t have a lot of counter space for more gadgets. This is why I love my immersion blender. — Kim Lyons, former Verger
I love my Breville hand blender. It makes soups and stuff that you don’t want to transfer into a blender so easy. I love the model I have, but clearly, there are a lot of good options out there. — Amelia Holowaty Krales, senior photo editor
Cooking app
Paprika Recipe Manager.
The Paprika Recipe Manager is my entire cooking process now. Paprika is good because it:
Isn’t linked to a specific cooking service, so the features aren’t tied to a particular set of recipes
Can download and cleanly convert recipes from almost any site pretty well, either through its built-in web browser or a bookmark widget
Comes with a meal calendar and grocery list function that has become remarkably useful now that I do weekly grocery runs — Adi Robertson, senior reporter
I’m seconding Adi’s recommendation of Paprika, which is the best recipe app, bar-none. It’s also got really great app support, with desktop and mobile apps on every platform: Mac ($30), Windows ($30), iOS ($5), and Android (free for up to 50 recipes). — Chaim Gartenberg
Coffee and tea
Electric kettle
Bonavita electric kettle. Photo: Bonavita
In the UK, where I’m from, it’s pretty unusual for a kitchen to come without an electric kettle, and honestly, I’ve got no idea how anyone manages without them. Obviously, the main thing my kettle gets used for is brewing cups of tea, but it’s just as happy boiling water for coffee if you’re brewing it in a device like an AeroPress. When the water’s boiled the power automatically cuts off, which certainly feels a lot safer than the risk of leaving a burner on. Unfortunately, the US’s lower voltage means that electric kettles aren’t quite as fast as a burner if you’re boiling water to cook with, but I think they’re still a pretty useful kitchen addition. — Jon Porter
It’s so fast, and I never have to worry about stuff catching fire. — Russell Brandom, policy editor
Also +1ing an electric kettle. I love my Bonavita kettle. — Dan Seifert, deputy editor
Bonavita 1.0L Variable Temperature Electric Kettle $ 100 $ 105 5 % off $ 100 $ 100 $ 105 5 % off Electric kettle $100 at Amazon
Coffee makers
Baratza coffee grinder. Photo: Baratza
I really like my overpriced Baratza Virtuoso coffee grinder. It’s expensive but has served me well for nearly five years now. It works very well for everything from fine-grind espresso to coarse French press. Almost every part is replaceable, as well, meaning I can keep it going for many more years to come. (Apparently, the exact model I have has been replaced by this newer one with a digital timer.) — Dan Seifert
I’m a big believer in the AeroPress. It’s especially good for camping. — Andrew Hawkins, transportation editor
Baratza Virtuoso+ Conical Burr Coffee Grinder $ 250 $ 289 13 % off $ 250 $ 250 $ 289 13 % off Coffee grinder $250 at Amazon
AeroPress $ 40 The coffee maker that has made a name among enthusiasts for great brewing. $40 at Amazon
Simple tools
Fish spatula
Agrus fish spatula. Photo: Agrus
Full disclosure: I have never used my fish spatula for fish. But its thin, flexible edge makes it perfect for getting under the edges of fried eggs, seared meat, and grilled cheeses. — Nicole Wetsman
We actually do use our fish spatula for fish, among other things, and it works beautifully, especially when trying to flip over delicate filets. If you’re picking up an especially large piece, two are better. And if you’ve got one of the Lodge cast iron pans (see above), you can use it to scrape off the burned bits. — Barbara Krasnoff, reviews editor
Turner spatula
OXO Restaurant Solid Turner Spatula Photo: OXO
This is the best spatula I have ever owned — wide enough for large items, thin enough to get under things to turn them, sharp enough to double as a bench scraper — Helen Havlak
Cutting board
Bamboo cutting board. Photo: Royal Craft Wood
I hate when pieces of chopped veggies roll off the edge of a cutting board, so I insist on using one big enough to fill up most of the counter. It can fit an onion and garlic with room to spare, so I don’t feel cramped while I’m focusing on my (mediocre) knife skills. — Nicole Wetsman
Pancake batter mixer
Whiskware Pancake Batter Mixer. Photo: Whiskware
Who doesn’t like pancakes? There’s something simply beautiful about a short stack of pancakes. But I felt I was using way too many dishes whenever I made pancakes. So I bought this pancake batter mixer.
It looks like a huge baby bottle, but it’s one of the best things I purchased for under $20. You place all the ingredients to make the batter in the bottle and shake it like a protein shake. Once the batter forms, you can squirt the batter out and adjust how big or how little you want your pancakes. The nozzle is great because it’s wide enough for things like chocolate chips to squeeze out the bottle as well. — Taylor Lyles, former Verger
Garlic rocker
Garlic rocker / mincer / crusher. Photo: Joseph Joseph
We use a lot of garlic in my household, and traditional garlic presses never did it for us — they usually produced a messy, slushy paste. A friend of ours introduced us to the garlic rocker, which is not only fun to play with but produces beautifully minced pieces of garlic, perfect for sautéing and other uses. — Barbara Krasnoff
Joseph Joseph Garlic Rocker $ 20 $ 24 17 % off $ 20 $ 20 $ 24 17 % off The Joseph Joseph Garlic Rocker is just a simple curved piece of metal with holes in it, but it’s one of the easiest and most effective ways to mince / crush garlic. $20 at Amazon
Digital scale
Ozeri Pronto digital scale. Photo: Ozeri
A must for bread baking, especially if you’ve gotten your hands on some sourdough starter (or made your own). Anything that measures in grams and ounces will work — just get whatever’s cheapest. — Chaim Gartenberg
Ozeri Pronto Digital Multifunction Kitchen and Food Scale $ 10 $ 15 33 % off $ 10 $ 10 $ 15 33 % off Digital scale $10 at Amazon
Microplane grater
Microplane grater. Photo: Microplane
The Microplane is incredible for grating cheese super-fine and fast, it’s the ideal citrus zesting device, and it’s a solid replacement for a garlic press, all for a very reasonable price. — Adi Robertson
Label maker
DYMO LabelManager 280. Photo: DYMO
You might think of label makers as an office gadget, but I keep mine in the kitchen. It’s a must-have if you do any home canning or kombucha brewing, but also comes in handy for labeling your spice jars, pantry staples, or soups etc. that are going into the freezer. — Helen Havlak
DYMO LabelManager 280 $ 50 $ 92 46 % off $ 50 $ 50 $ 92 46 % off Rechargeable portable label maker
$50 at Amazon
Salad spinner
I love my salad spinner. I know it is bulky and there isn’t a lot of space in my small apartment kitchen, but it is well worth the real estate! After washing greens, the towel method is so messy and this is so easy and fast. — Amelia Holowaty Krales
Frozen pop molds
Zoku Classic Pop Mold. Photo: Zoku
My kids eat smoothies a lot and there’s always leftovers so I started pouring the remainder into popsicle molds and they love them. My favorite is lemonade pops in the summer. With this kind of mold you don’t have to make the whole batch either. — Amelia Holowaty Krales
When I was a kid, my mother had something very much like this to make ice pops using grape juice or orange juice. When I grew up, I saw a set of similar molds in a store and immediately grabbed them. It’s a great summer dessert. — Barbara Krasnoff


theverge--2020-06-07--Apple granted patent for software that would let you take socially distant group selfies

Apple has just been granted a patent for software that would generate “ synthetic group selfies , ” which as Protocol points out , could be a way to take group selfies for social media even if you ’ re trying to stay socially distant from your friends .
According to the patent application ( first discovered by Patently Apple ) , an Apple device user ( it ’ s not clear whether the feature would be available on iPads , iPhones , or both ) could invite others to take part in a group selfie , and the software @ @ @ @ @ @ @ image .
The selfie could include still photos , stored video images , or live streaming images .
Users could keep the original selfie as well as the group version , and the original user and recipients of the group image could modify the selfie , for instance , putting themselves in a different position in the group .
Here ’ s what it would look like , according to the patent application : Even though the idea of a socially-distant selfie seems perfect for a moment when there ’ s a global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a safe bet that the concept wasn ’ t developed specifically with the current state of affairs in mind ; Apple first filed for the patent in 2018 and it was just granted June 2nd .
Of course , as is always the case with patents , the standard caveats apply : there ’ s no indication when or how Apple might decide to use the software , or whether synthetic group selfies will ever become a thing .

Apple has just been granted a patent for software that would generate “synthetic group selfies,” which as Protocol points out, could be a way to take group selfies for social media even if you’re trying to stay socially distant from your friends.
According to the patent application (first discovered by Patently Apple), an Apple device user (it’s not clear whether the feature would be available on iPads, iPhones, or both) could invite others to take part in a group selfie, and the software would arrange them together in a single image. The selfie could include still photos, stored video images, or live streaming images. Users could keep the original selfie as well as the group version, and the original user and recipients of the group image could modify the selfie, for instance, putting themselves in a different position in the group.
Here’s what it would look like, according to the patent application:
Even though the idea of a socially-distant selfie seems perfect for a moment when there’s a global pandemic restricting social gatherings, it’s a safe bet that the concept wasn’t developed specifically with the current state of affairs in mind; Apple first filed for the patent in 2018 and it was just granted June 2nd.


theverge--2020-06-07--Facebook deactivates almost 200 accounts linked to hate groups

Facebook has removed almost 200 accounts connected to white supremacist groups that were trying to rally supporters to attend protests over police violence against black people , the Associated Press reported .
The accounts in question were linked to two hate groups Facebook had already banned , the Proud Boys and the American Guard .
Demonstrations continued over the weekend across the US , spurred by the May 25th death of George Floyd in Minneapolis .
Authorities have charged fired Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin with second-degree murder in Floyd ’ s death , after a video showed Chauvin kneeling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officers looked on .
The other officers , who were also fired , have been charged with aiding and abetting murder .
Facebook had been monitoring the accounts and started to see posts encouraging people to attend protests in person .
Some were preparing to go with weapons , a company official told the AP .
The company didn ’ t provide details about where the account users were located , or what specifically they may have planned to do at the protests .
Last week Facebook said it would limit the spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ connected to the term “ boogaloo , ” which some far-right groups use to refer to a supposedly forthcoming second American Civil War .
It will demote the pages and groups in search results and won ’ t recommend them to users , Facebook said .

Facebook has removed almost 200 accounts connected to white supremacist groups that were trying to rally supporters to attend protests over police violence against black people, the Associated Press reported. The accounts in question were linked to two hate groups Facebook had already banned, the Proud Boys and the American Guard.
Demonstrations continued over the weekend across the US, spurred by the May 25th death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Authorities have charged fired Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin with second-degree murder in Floyd’s death, after a video showed Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck as other officers looked on. The other officers, who were also fired, have been charged with aiding and abetting murder.
Facebook had been monitoring the accounts and started to see posts encouraging people to attend protests in person. Some were preparing to go with weapons, a company official told the AP. The company didn’t provide details about where the account users were located, or what specifically they may have planned to do at the protests.


theverge--2020-06-08--Apple Maps already updated with Black Lives Matter DC mural

Apple has updated the satellite imagery in its maps app to include Washington DC ’ s new Black Lives Matter mural .
The mural takes over two blocks of 16th Street near the White House , since renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza by DC mayor Muriel Bowser .
Notably , Apple appears to have patched its existing satellite imagery to show the new mural , leaving the surrounding area as it was , as noted by app sleuth Jane Manchun Wong .
That suggests a fast-track update outside of normal refresh cycles .
Google Maps shows the renamed plaza but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imagery .
The mural was revealed on Friday as a message of support and solidarity with Americans protesting police brutality after George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis .
It ’ s also a highly defiant gesture by Mayor Bowser towards President Trump who has sparred with the mayor over how best to respond to protestors .
The mural ends at St. John ’ s Episcopal Church , where Trump staged a photo op holding a bible , immediately after officers forcefully cleared peaceful demonstrators , including the priests of St. John @ @ @ @ @ @ @ riot shields .
The mural was described as “ a powerful work of art ” by US Representative John Lewis .
The 80-year-old civil rights icon said he was so moved that he “ wanted to see it in person , ” reports CNN , despite his Stage 4 cancer .

Apple has updated the satellite imagery in its maps app to include Washington DC’s new Black Lives Matter mural. The mural takes over two blocks of 16th Street near the White House, since renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza by DC mayor Muriel Bowser.
Notably, Apple appears to have patched its existing satellite imagery to show the new mural, leaving the surrounding area as it was, as noted by app sleuth Jane Manchun Wong. That suggests a fast-track update outside of normal refresh cycles. Google Maps shows the renamed plaza but not the new mural in its satellite imagery.
The mural was revealed on Friday as a message of support and solidarity with Americans protesting police brutality after George Floyd was killed by police in Minneapolis. It’s also a highly defiant gesture by Mayor Bowser towards President Trump who has sparred with the mayor over how best to respond to protestors. The mural ends at St. John’s Episcopal Church, where Trump staged a photo op holding a bible, immediately after officers forcefully cleared peaceful demonstrators, including the priests of St. John’s, using tear gas and riot shields.


theverge--2020-06-08--Airbnb reports surge in demand for local holidays

More people are booking local holidays in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic , Bloomberg reports .
According to Airbnb ’ s CEO , the number of nights booked at US listings between May 17th and June 3rd was greater than the same weeks from the previous year , and similar increases in domestic holidays are being seen in other countries including Germany , Portugal , South Korea , and New Zealand .
The shift is a small piece of good news for the travel industry , which has been hammered by travel restrictions , social distancing regulations , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
At the beginning of May , Airbnb laid off 25 percent of its staff as business slowed .
Vacation homes are reportedly growing more popular than hotels Things are far from being back to normal , but this latest data suggest that the types of holidays people are taking have changed , rather than disappearing entirely .
Since the beginning of the pandemic , over a half of Airbnb ’ s bookings are at locations within 200 miles of the customer ’ s location , which Bloomberg notes is a short enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tank of gas — up from a third of bookings in February .
People are shifting their holiday travel “ from airplane to car ” according to the company ’ s CEO .
People are also reportedly changing their vacation preferences .
Short international trips are being replaced with longer in-country stays in vacation homes , since the increase in remote working means some people can work from anywhere .
The president of travel website company VRBO , Jeff Hurst , told Bloomberg that people are turning towards vacation homes rather than hotels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people can more easily socially distance .
It ’ s unclear how long the reported trend will last .
Multiple states across the US had begun to relax their lockdown restrictions as of the week of May 17th , including New York , which could mean this shift is a temporary spike .
But with most experts predicting that a COVID-19 vaccine won ’ t be developed until the middle of next year , these short-term shifts have the potential to become a long-term trend .

More people are booking local holidays in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bloomberg reports. According to Airbnb’s CEO, the number of nights booked at US listings between May 17th and June 3rd was greater than the same weeks from the previous year, and similar increases in domestic holidays are being seen in other countries including Germany, Portugal, South Korea, and New Zealand.
The shift is a small piece of good news for the travel industry, which has been hammered by travel restrictions, social distancing regulations, and a wider economic downturn caused by COVID-19. At the beginning of May, Airbnb laid off 25 percent of its staff as business slowed.
Vacation homes are reportedly growing more popular than hotels
Things are far from being back to normal, but this latest data suggest that the types of holidays people are taking have changed, rather than disappearing entirely. Since the beginning of the pandemic, over a half of Airbnb’s bookings are at locations within 200 miles of the customer’s location, which Bloomberg notes is a short enough round trip to do on a single tank of gas — up from a third of bookings in February. People are shifting their holiday travel “from airplane to car” according to the company’s CEO.
People are also reportedly changing their vacation preferences. Short international trips are being replaced with longer in-country stays in vacation homes, since the increase in remote working means some people can work from anywhere. The president of travel website company VRBO, Jeff Hurst, told Bloomberg that people are turning towards vacation homes rather than hotels, since they’re places where people can more easily socially distance.


theverge--2020-06-08--Samsung heir Lee may be arrested soon on new corruption charges

Lee Jae-yong , Samsung Electronics vice chairman and the de facto leader of the Samsung Group conglomerate , may soon find himself back in jail .
Prosecutors are seeking an arrest warrant against Lee , known as Jay Y. Lee in the West , arguing that he should be detained while they investigate new allegations against him .
The new legal controversy involves the 2015 merger of two Samsung Group companies , Cheil Industries and Samsung C & T .
Lee is accused of accounting fraud that allegedly could have helped him gain more power over the sprawling chaebol .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ beyond common sense ” to suggest that Lee was directly involved , according to Reuters .
Lee attended a hearing this morning in Seoul and is currently waiting to find out if he will be re-arrested .
Courts can order detention of up to 20 days before prosecutors need to file charges , at which point the suspect can be held for up to six months .
A decision is expected today or tomorrow .
This won ’ t be an unfamiliar process for Lee , nor will it be the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ request is denied .
The Samsung scion spent almost a year in jail after being arrested in February 2017 and ultimately found guilty for his role in the seismic corruption scandal that took down South Korea ’ s former president Park Geun-hye .
Lee was released on appeal , although the Supreme Court later ordered a retrial that is yet to take place .

Lee Jae-yong, Samsung Electronics vice chairman and the de facto leader of the Samsung Group conglomerate, may soon find himself back in jail. Prosecutors are seeking an arrest warrant against Lee, known as Jay Y. Lee in the West, arguing that he should be detained while they investigate new allegations against him.
The new legal controversy involves the 2015 merger of two Samsung Group companies, Cheil Industries and Samsung C&T. Lee is accused of accounting fraud that allegedly could have helped him gain more power over the sprawling chaebol. Samsung last week said it was “beyond common sense” to suggest that Lee was directly involved, according to Reuters.
Lee attended a hearing this morning in Seoul and is currently waiting to find out if he will be re-arrested. Courts can order detention of up to 20 days before prosecutors need to file charges, at which point the suspect can be held for up to six months. A decision is expected today or tomorrow.


theverge--2020-06-08--IBM will no longer offer, develop, or research facial recognition technology

IBM will no longer offer general purpose facial recognition or analysis software , IBM CEO Arvind Krishna said in a letter to Congress today .
The company will also no longer develop or research the technology , IBM tells The Verge .
Krishna addressed the letter to Sens .
Cory Booker ( D-NJ ) and Kamala Harris ( D-CA ) and Reps. Karen Bass ( D-CA ) , Hakeem Jeffries ( D-NY ) , and Jerrold Nadler ( D-NY ) .
“ IBM firmly opposes and will not condone uses of any [ facial recognition ] technology , including facial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for mass surveillance , racial profiling , violations of basic human rights and freedoms , or any purpose which is not consistent with our values and Principles of Trust and Transparency , ” Krishna said in the letter .
“ We believe now is the time to begin a national dialogue on whether and how facial recognition technology should be employed by domestic law enforcement agencies.
” Facial recognition software has come under scrutiny for issues with racial bias and privacy concerns Facial recognition software has improved greatly over the last decade thanks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same time , the technology — because it is often provided by private companies with little regulation or federal oversight — has been shown to suffer from bias along lines of age , race , and ethnicity , which can make the tools unreliable for law enforcement and security and ripe for potential civil rights abuses .
A December 2019 National Institute of Standards and Technology study found “ empirical evidence for the existence of a wide range of accuracy across demographic differences in the majority of the current face recognition algorithms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The technology has also come under fire for its role in privacy violations .
Notably , the NIST ’ s study did not include technology from Amazon , which is one of the few major tech companies to sell facial recognition software to law enforcement .
Yet Rekognition , the name of the program , has also been criticized for its accuracy .
In 2018 , the American Civil Liberties Union found that Rekognition incorrectly matched 28 members of Congress to faces picked from 25,000 public mugshots , for example .
Another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under heavy scrutiny starting earlier this year when it was discovered that its facial recognition tool , built with more than 3 billion images compiled in part from scraping social media sites , was being widely used by private sector companies and law enforcement agencies .
Clearview has since been issued numerous cease and desist orders and is at the center of a number of privacy lawsuits .
Facebook was also ordered in January to pay $ 550 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over its unlawful use of facial recognition technology .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ issue of bias in facial recognition , releasing a public data set in 2018 designed to help reduce bias as part of the training data for a facial recognition model .
But IBM was also found to be sharing a separate training data set of nearly one million photos in January 2019 taken from Flickr without the consent of the subjects — though the photos were shared under a Creative Commons license .
IBM told The Verge in a statement at the time that the data set would only be accessed by verified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publicly available .
The company also said that individuals can opt-out of the data set .
In his letter , Krishna also advocated for police reform , arguing that more police misconduct cases should be put under the purview of federal court and that Congress should make changes to qualified immunity doctrine , among other measures .
In addition , Krishna said that “ we need to create more open and equitable pathways for all Americans to acquire marketable skills and training , ” and he suggested Congress consider scaling the P-TECH school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Grants .

IBM will no longer offer general purpose facial recognition or analysis software, IBM CEO Arvind Krishna said in a letter to Congress today. The company will also no longer develop or research the technology, IBM tells The Verge. Krishna addressed the letter to Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Reps. Karen Bass (D-CA), Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), and Jerrold Nadler (D-NY).
“IBM firmly opposes and will not condone uses of any [facial recognition] technology, including facial recognition technology offered by other vendors, for mass surveillance, racial profiling, violations of basic human rights and freedoms, or any purpose which is not consistent with our values and Principles of Trust and Transparency,” Krishna said in the letter. “We believe now is the time to begin a national dialogue on whether and how facial recognition technology should be employed by domestic law enforcement agencies.”
Facial recognition software has come under scrutiny for issues with racial bias and privacy concerns
Facial recognition software has improved greatly over the last decade thanks to advances in artificial intelligence. At the same time, the technology — because it is often provided by private companies with little regulation or federal oversight — has been shown to suffer from bias along lines of age, race, and ethnicity, which can make the tools unreliable for law enforcement and security and ripe for potential civil rights abuses.
In 2018, research by Joy Buolamwini and Timnit Gebru revealed for the first time the extent to which many commercial facial recognition systems (including IBM’s) were biased. This work and the pair’s subsequent studies led to mainstream criticism of these algorithms and ongoing attempts to rectify bias.
A December 2019 National Institute of Standards and Technology study found “empirical evidence for the existence of a wide range of accuracy across demographic differences in the majority of the current face recognition algorithms that were evaluated,” for example. The technology has also come under fire for its role in privacy violations.
Notably, NIST’s study did not include technology from Amazon, which is one of the few major tech companies to sell facial recognition software to law enforcement. Yet Rekognition, the name of the program, has also been criticized for its accuracy. In 2018, the American Civil Liberties Union found that Rekognition incorrectly matched 28 members of Congress to faces picked from 25,000 public mugshots, for example.
Another company, Clearview AI, has come under heavy scrutiny starting earlier this year when it was discovered that its facial recognition tool, built with more than 3 billion images compiled in part from scraping social media sites, was being widely used by private sector companies and law enforcement agencies. Clearview has since been issued numerous cease and desist orders and is at the center of a number of privacy lawsuits. Facebook was also ordered in January to pay $550 million to settle a class-action lawsuit over its unlawful use of facial recognition technology.
IBM has tried to help with the issue of bias in facial recognition, releasing a public data set in 2018 designed to help reduce bias as part of the training data for a facial recognition model. But IBM was also found to be sharing a separate training data set of nearly one million photos in January 2019 taken from Flickr without the consent of the subjects — though the photos were shared under a Creative Commons license. IBM told The Verge in a statement at the time that the data set would only be accessed by verified researchers and only included images that were publicly available. The company also said that individuals can opt-out of the data set.
In his letter, Krishna also advocated for police reform, arguing that more police misconduct cases should be put under the purview of federal court and that Congress should make changes to qualified immunity doctrine, among other measures. In addition, Krishna said that “we need to create more open and equitable pathways for all Americans to acquire marketable skills and training,” and he suggested Congress consider scaling the P-TECH school model nationally and expanding eligibility for Pell Grants.


theverge--2020-06-08--Google Duo now lets you send Zoom-like invite links for group video calls

Google ’ s Duo video calling platform now has invite links on mobile , making it even more of a viable competitor to Zoom and other videoconferencing apps , according to Android Police .
Unlike Google Meet , the company ’ s more fully-featured platform designed for businesses , Duo is a more mobile-friendly and consumer-focused app .
Yet given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic , more people than ever before are using video conferencing for casual hangouts at scales much larger than your standard video call .
That ’ s led Google to plan and launch more robust features to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Duo included .
Invite links help Duo better compete with Zoom The app recently gained a bump in call quality thanks to Google supporting the new AV1 codec , and Duo also now supports up to 12 people on a call .
Google also made Meet calls available for free to consumers at the end of April in the event you need a more powerful , web-based option for videoconferencing on desktop or a laptop ( though in the future , your meetings may be restricted to 60 minutes ) .
The invite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of a broader feature rollout that including planned web support , which is still on the way , and an already-live family mode for onscreen doodling and Snapchat-style masks effects .
The invite links were said to be coming soon , and we can confirm they ’ re now active even in older versions of the app thanks to a server-side update on Google ’ s end .
Now , if you want to create a Duo call and add more people to it , you can do so through a dedicated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been created .
Right now , this only works on mobile , including Android and iOS , meaning anyone clicking the link shared on the web won ’ t be able to join unless they ’ re on a Chromebook that supports the Android version of the app , according to 9to5Google .

Google’s Duo video calling platform now has invite links on mobile, making it even more of a viable competitor to Zoom and other videoconferencing apps, according to Android Police.
Unlike Google Meet, the company’s more fully-featured platform designed for businesses, Duo is a more mobile-friendly and consumer-focused app. Yet given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, more people than ever before are using video conferencing for casual hangouts at scales much larger than your standard video call. That’s led Google to plan and launch more robust features to all of its various chat apps, Duo included.
Invite links help Duo better compete with Zoom
The app recently gained a bump in call quality thanks to Google supporting the new AV1 codec, and Duo also now supports up to 12 people on a call. Google also made Meet calls available for free to consumers at the end of April in the event you need a more powerful, web-based option for videoconferencing on desktop or a laptop (though in the future, your meetings may be restricted to 60 minutes).
The invite links were first announced last month as part of a broader feature rollout that including planned web support, which is still on the way, and an already-live family mode for onscreen doodling and Snapchat-style masks effects. The invite links were said to be coming soon, and we can confirm they’re now active even in older versions of the app thanks to a server-side update on Google’s end.


theverge--2020-06-08--Tesla’s second largest shareholder invests $35 million in air taxi startup Lilium

German air taxi startup Lilium said on Monday it has raised an additional $ 35 million to fuel its goal of launching an electric vertical takeoff and landing ( eVTOL ) vehicle by 2025 .
That ’ s in addition to $ 240 million raised by the company in early March , when much of the globe began to feel the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic .
Lilium , which is based in Munich , is one of the more promising ventures with its sights set on an urban taxi service meant to supplant normal car traffic .
And while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic , Lilium is continuing to raise funds .
As part of its expanded round , Lilium is adding a new investor : Baillie Gifford , the 112-year-old Scottish asset management firm that is the second biggest shareholder in Tesla after Elon Musk .
The firm is said to own 7.67 percent of Tesla , which is worth $ 10.35 billion .
The March announcement included funding from existing investors , like Atomico , Freigeist Capital , LGT , and Tencent , which led the round .
“ Baillie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s most influential tech investors and their commitment to Lilium represents a significant vote of confidence in both our physical product and our business case , ” Christopher Delbrück , Lilium ’ s chief financial officer , said in a statement .
“ Baillie Gifford is one of the world ’ s most influential tech investors ” But Lilium ’ s funding round fell short of the $ 400-500 million that TechCrunch reported the company was pursuing last October .
Lilium denied that it was ever its ambition to raise that much money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compared to Silicon Valley .
“ We said at the time of that article that we didn ’ t recognize that number and we still don ’ t , ” a spokesperson said .
“ We ’ re very happy with the level of investment we ’ ve attracted , both from existing investors and new.
” The type of aircraft Lilium is developing is typically called a “ flying car , ” electric-powered , able to carry only a handful of passengers , and intended for short flights within a city or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still in their prototype phase and have yet to be rolled out for commercial service .
The company completed the first phase of testing of its five-seater 36-rotor electric prototype in October 2019 , with the aircraft hitting speeds of 100 km/h ( 62 mph ) .
Lilium says it remains “ on track ” to launch passenger operations in several locations around the world by 2025 .
When it ’ s complete , the Lilium Jet will have a range of 300 kilometers ( 186 miles ) and a top speed of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company says .
Lilium says this puts it ahead of its competitors and allows it to fly between regions rather than just short hops within cities .

German air taxi startup Lilium said on Monday it has raised an additional $35 million to fuel its goal of launching an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle by 2025. That’s in addition to $240 million raised by the company in early March, when much of the globe began to feel the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lilium, which is based in Munich, is one of the more promising ventures with its sights set on an urban taxi service meant to supplant normal car traffic. And while other eVTOL companies are struggling to stay afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic, Lilium is continuing to raise funds.
As part of its expanded round, Lilium is adding a new investor: Baillie Gifford, the 112-year-old Scottish asset management firm that is the second biggest shareholder in Tesla after Elon Musk. The firm is said to own 7.67 percent of Tesla, which is worth $10.35 billion. The March announcement included funding from existing investors, like Atomico, Freigeist Capital, LGT, and Tencent, which led the round.
“Baillie Gifford is one of the world’s most influential tech investors and their commitment to Lilium represents a significant vote of confidence in both our physical product and our business case,” Christopher Delbrück, Lilium’s chief financial officer, said in a statement.
“Baillie Gifford is one of the world’s most influential tech investors”
But Lilium’s funding round fell short of the $400-500 million that TechCrunch reported the company was pursuing last October. Lilium denied that it was ever its ambition to raise that much money, citing lower labor costs in Germany compared to Silicon Valley. “We said at the time of that article that we didn’t recognize that number and we still don’t,” a spokesperson said. “We’re very happy with the level of investment we’ve attracted, both from existing investors and new.”
The type of aircraft Lilium is developing is typically called a “flying car,” electric-powered, able to carry only a handful of passengers, and intended for short flights within a city or regionally. These types of vehicles are still in their prototype phase and have yet to be rolled out for commercial service.
The company completed the first phase of testing of its five-seater 36-rotor electric prototype in October 2019, with the aircraft hitting speeds of 100 km/h (62 mph). Lilium says it remains “on track” to launch passenger operations in several locations around the world by 2025.


theverge--2020-06-08--Here’s how Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri answer the question, ‘Do black lives matter?’

Digital assistants from Amazon , Apple , and Google state their support for the Black Lives Matter movement when prompted ( via Business Insider ) .
As people have protested in all 50 states and across the world over the death of George Floyd and against racism and police brutality , tech companies have responded by putting out statements of solidarity against racial injustice .
Though not all tech companies or their executives have outright said the words “ black lives matter ” in their public statements , Amazon , Apple , and Google have programmed their voice assistants state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have responses to the question “ do all lives matter ?
” , referencing a right-wing refrain commonly used to criticize the Black Lives Matter movement .
Apple and Google ’ s assistants more emphatically refute the question than Amazon ’ s Alexa , which is surprising given Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos last week publicly corrected a customer who angrily used the phrase in an email .
Here are the current responses to both questions from the voice assistants , with screenshots .
On iOS and macOS , Siri then shows a button @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Matter ’ is often used in response to the phrase ‘ Black Lives Matter , ’ but it does not represent the same concerns .
To learn more about the Black Lives Matter human rights movement , visit BlackLivesMatter.com On iOS and macOS , Siri then shows a button linking to blacklivesmatter.com .

‘All Lives Matter’ is often used in response to the phrase ‘Black Lives Matter,’ but it does not represent the same concerns.
To learn more about the Black Lives Matter human rights movement, visit BlackLivesMatter.com


theverge--2020-06-08--This Nintendo Switch stylus pen makes pressure-sensitive art

Nintendo Switch styluses aren ’ t exactly a common accessory for the hybrid gaming system .
Sure , there have been a few attempts , but nothing has come close to making a stylus a practical accessory for Switch owners .
The Colors SonarPen , the latest attempt at a Switch stylus , goes beyond hardware to try to transform the device into a proper tablet .
The stylus is an accompanying piece for Colors Live , a digital painting app for the Nintendo Switch that is the successor to the Nintendo 3DS stylus art game Colors !
3D .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ connects to the Switch ’ s 3.5mm audio jack due to the console ’ s lack of built-in Bluetooth .
“ Because the Switch doesn ’ t have general Bluetooth , it ’ s not possible to use professional styluses available for other platforms , ” Colors Live designer Jens Andersson told The Verge .
The stylus is also pressure sensitive , so Switch owners can apply the appropriate amount of pressure onto the Switch ’ s LCD touchscreen to produce various degrees of lightness or darkness onto a drawing .
It comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cable can appear in a different color as the pen itself has a default black color .
Colors Live , with the pressure-sensitive stylus Kickstarter project , launched on May 13th with a funding goal of $ 16,337 and successfully reached its goal on the same day — it ’ s currently raised more than $ 130,000 .
The Kickstarter project is still running for the next several days .
If you want to back the project , you can pledge $ 53 ( or more for additional perks ) to obtain a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a SonarPen .

Nintendo Switch styluses aren’t exactly a common accessory for the hybrid gaming system. Sure, there have been a few attempts, but nothing has come close to making a stylus a practical accessory for Switch owners. The Colors SonarPen, the latest attempt at a Switch stylus, goes beyond hardware to try to transform the device into a proper tablet.
The stylus is an accompanying piece for Colors Live, a digital painting app for the Nintendo Switch that is the successor to the Nintendo 3DS stylus art game Colors! 3D. The SonarPen is a wired stylus that connects to the Switch’s 3.5mm audio jack due to the console’s lack of built-in Bluetooth.
A note on crowdfunding: Crowdfunding is a chaotic field by nature: companies looking for funding tend to make big promises. According to a study run by Kickstarter in 2015, roughly 1 in 10 “successful” products that reach their funding goals fail to actually deliver rewards. Of the ones that do deliver, delays, missed deadlines, or overpromised ideas mean that there’s often disappointment in store for those products that do get done. The best defense is to use your best judgment. Ask yourself: does the product look legitimate? Is the company making outlandish claims? Is there a working prototype? Does the company mention existing plans to manufacture and ship finished products? Has it completed a Kickstarter before? And remember: you’re not necessarily buying a product when you back it on a crowdfunding site.
“Because the Switch doesn’t have general Bluetooth, it’s not possible to use professional styluses available for other platforms,” Colors Live designer Jens Andersson told The Verge.
The stylus is also pressure sensitive, so Switch owners can apply the appropriate amount of pressure onto the Switch’s LCD touchscreen to produce various degrees of lightness or darkness onto a drawing. It comes in 10 colors, though only the cable can appear in a different color as the pen itself has a default black color.


theverge--2020-06-08--Twitter is working to bring back verification

Twitter is working on a new system for verifying users , according to a tweet by reverse engineer and online sleuth Jane Manchun Wong .
She discovered a “ request verification ” field in the Twitter app in the “ personal information ” section of the app ’ s settings .
Twitter confirmed Wong ’ s tweet but declined to comment further .
The company ’ s help page still says its verified account program is on hold , and “ we are not accepting any new requests at this time , ” however .
So it ’ s not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ users or what the new process may entail .
Twitter used to add a blue check next to the names of accounts it had verified as authentic , and that were “ of public interest.
” Although Twitter originally stated that a verified badge did not imply a formal endorsement by the company , it has since acknowledged that there was some confusion over the purpose of the badge and what it represents .
The verification process was paused in 2017 after widespread outcry over the company ’ s decision to give a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tweeted disparaging comments about Heather Heyer , a woman killed during the 2017 Charlottesville rally .
Twitter said in 2018 it didn ’ t have the bandwidth to continue work on the verification system , and instead shifted focus to election integrity .
It attempted to verify candidates on primary ballots and elected officials but with mixed results .
And earlier this year , Twitter started granting blue checks to public health officials to give authenticity to their tweets about COVID-19 .

Twitter is working on a new system for verifying users, according to a tweet by reverse engineer and online sleuth Jane Manchun Wong. She discovered a “request verification” field in the Twitter app in the “personal information” section of the app’s settings.
Twitter confirmed Wong’s tweet but declined to comment further. The company’s help page still says its verified account program is on hold, and “we are not accepting any new requests at this time,” however. So it’s not clear when Twitter may reopen verification to users or what the new process may entail.
Twitter used to add a blue check next to the names of accounts it had verified as authentic, and that were “of public interest.” Although Twitter originally stated that a verified badge did not imply a formal endorsement by the company, it has since acknowledged that there was some confusion over the purpose of the badge and what it represents.
The verification process was paused in 2017 after widespread outcry over the company’s decision to give a blue check to a white supremacist who tweeted disparaging comments about Heather Heyer, a woman killed during the 2017 Charlottesville rally.


theverge--2020-06-08--The ACLU is suing Los Angeles over its controversial scooter tracking system

The American Civil Liberties Union sued Los Angeles Monday over the city ’ s requirement that electric scooter rental companies provide anonymized real-time location data .
The lawsuit centers on the Los Angeles Department of Transportation ’ s use of a digital tool called the Mobility Data Specification program ( MDS ) , which the agency created as a way to track and regulate electric scooters operating on its streets .
MDS provides the city with data on where each bike and scooter trip starts , the route each vehicle takes , and where each trip ends .
LADOT has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shared with police without a warrant , won ’ t contain personal identifiers , and won ’ t be subject to public records requests .
But the ACLU says the data tool is unconstitutional .
“ Renting an electric scooter should not give the government the right to trace your every move — where you start , where you end , and all stops , twists , and turns in between , ” the ACLU said in a statement .
The group ’ s California chapter is joined on the suit by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger LLP .
“ Renting an electric scooter should not give the government the right to trace your every move ” Naturally , MDS has proven controversial with scooter companies , which have balked over having to share location data with the city .
It ’ s growing into a bigger problem beyond LA .
Cities such as Columbus , Ohio ; Chattanooga , Tennessee ; Omaha , Nebraska ; San Jose , California ; Seattle , Washington ; Austin , Texas ; and Louisville , Kentucky are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through MDS as a condition for operating on their streets .
Uber , which until recently owned the dockless scooter and bike company Jump , has said MDS would lead to “ an unprecedented level of surveillance.
” The company , which filed its own lawsuit earlier this year , was leaning on an analysis by California ’ s Legislative Counsel to make its argument .
The counsel said MDS could violate the California Electronic Communications Privacy Act , which was signed into law in 2015 .
The ACLU is going a step @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution preventing unlawful search and seizure .
“ The government ’ s appropriate impulse to regulate city streets and ensure affordable , accessible transportation for all should not mean that individual vehicle riders ’ every move is tracked and stored without their knowledge , ” said Mohammad Tajsar , senior staff attorney at ACLU SoCal .
“ There are better ways to keep ride-share companies in check than to violate the constitutional rights of ordinary Angelenos who ride their vehicles.
” In an interview with The Verge last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the city “ encoded ” privacy protections into the regulations in order to give them “ the force of law.
” She added that it ’ s a “ Day One job and a forever job ” of city officials to make sure that the “ open source tools that we build do not become tools that people can use to invade the privacy of others.
” But the ACLU says the city ’ s argument that MDS is free of personal identifying information rings false .
For example , when a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a sensitive location — such as a therapist ’ s office , marijuana dispensary , a Planned Parenthood clinic , or a political protest — all the government would need to know is who lives at the house in order to identify the rider and why the rider was making the trip .
After its collected , this kind of detailed information can ultimately be lost , shared , stolen , or subpoenaed .
If in the wrong hands , it can also result in arrest , domestic abuse , and stalking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ license plate reader information in California revealed .
In other cases , location information in the hands of authorities can stoke racial and gender-based violence .
“ We can not comment on pending litigation , which we also have not seen , ” Colin Sweeney , spokesperson for LADOT , said in an email .
“ The department requires reasonable information about shared vehicles operated by for-profit transportation technology companies and remains committed to ensuring the safety and accessibility of our streets .
”

The American Civil Liberties Union sued Los Angeles Monday over the city’s requirement that electric scooter rental companies provide anonymized real-time location data.
MDS provides the city with data on where each bike and scooter trip starts, the route each vehicle takes, and where each trip ends. LADOT has said the data won’t be shared with police without a warrant, won’t contain personal identifiers, and won’t be subject to public records requests. But the ACLU says the data tool is unconstitutional.
“Renting an electric scooter should not give the government the right to trace your every move — where you start, where you end, and all stops, twists, and turns in between,” the ACLU said in a statement. The group’s California chapter is joined on the suit by the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the law firm Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger LLP.
“Renting an electric scooter should not give the government the right to trace your every move”
Naturally, MDS has proven controversial with scooter companies, which have balked over having to share location data with the city. It’s growing into a bigger problem beyond LA. Cities such as Columbus, Ohio; Chattanooga, Tennessee; Omaha, Nebraska; San Jose, California; Seattle, Washington; Austin, Texas; and Louisville, Kentucky are demanding scooter companies agree to share data through MDS as a condition for operating on their streets.
Uber, which until recently owned the dockless scooter and bike company Jump, has said MDS would lead to “an unprecedented level of surveillance.” The company, which filed its own lawsuit earlier this year, was leaning on an analysis by California’s Legislative Counsel to make its argument. The counsel said MDS could violate the California Electronic Communications Privacy Act, which was signed into law in 2015.
The ACLU is going a step further, alleging that MDS violates the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution preventing unlawful search and seizure.
“The government’s appropriate impulse to regulate city streets and ensure affordable, accessible transportation for all should not mean that individual vehicle riders’ every move is tracked and stored without their knowledge,” said Mohammad Tajsar, senior staff attorney at ACLU SoCal. “There are better ways to keep ride-share companies in check than to violate the constitutional rights of ordinary Angelenos who ride their vehicles.”
In an interview with The Verge last year, LADOT Director Seleta Reynolds said that the city “encoded” privacy protections into the regulations in order to give them “the force of law.” She added that it’s a “Day One job and a forever job” of city officials to make sure that the “open source tools that we build do not become tools that people can use to invade the privacy of others.”
But the ACLU says the city’s argument that MDS is free of personal identifying information rings false.
For example, when a trip begins at a home and ends at a sensitive location — such as a therapist’s office, marijuana dispensary, a Planned Parenthood clinic, or a political protest — all the government would need to know is who lives at the house in order to identify the rider and why the rider was making the trip. After its collected, this kind of detailed information can ultimately be lost, shared, stolen, or subpoenaed. If in the wrong hands, it can also result in arrest, domestic abuse, and stalking, as a recent investigation of automatic license plate reader information in California revealed. In other cases, location information in the hands of authorities can stoke racial and gender-based violence.


theverge--2020-06-08--Twitch streamers are getting blindsided by years-old copyright notices

Over the last few days , a furor has been brewing on Twitch : out of the blue , streamers started seeing copyright takedown notices appear in their inboxes .
The claimant was listed as the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) , and the infringing material was mostly recorded clips of old live broadcasts .
And that ’ s a problem because it ’ s stated very clearly in the Twitch terms of service that if your account is dinged with three of these strikes , you get permabanned from Twitch .
The clips themselves were sometimes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bigger headache because streamers who have been on the platform long enough have accumulated tons of these and now have a backlog rights holders can mine to file takedowns .
Twitch doesn ’ t have the tools yet to let creators bulk delete clips , let alone sift through hundreds at a time that may or may not contain copyright infringing content .
Clips are an integral part of live-streaming culture : they ’ re short videos from a stream , no longer than 60 seconds , and they ’ re generated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They usually contain the punchiest and most pungent moments from a stream ; because they ’ re so short , they travel well outside of Twitch , which means they ’ re useful for introducing new audiences to a channel or streamer .
( Clips don ’ t really go viral on Twitch .
It ’ s not part of the platform ’ s design because of its lack of a traditional algorithmic feed . )
As an internet platform , Twitch has to abide by these takedowns under the Digital Millennium Copyright @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s the law that governs copyright online .
Essentially , Twitch can protect itself from copyright infringement lawsuits if it complies with the safe harbor provisions set out in the law itself , which include taking down infringing material as a platform becomes aware of it and adopting and implementing a repeat offender policy .
The same is true for videos and music uploaded to Twitter , YouTube , and other platforms .
That means the streamers affected by the recent flurry of takedowns are theoretically in a lot of trouble .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitch is required to take action — even if that isn ’ t fair at all to streamers .
But because these notices are sudden , myriad , and targeted , it ’ s not clear exactly how this is going to play out .
Twitch says it is now building new tools for streamers to use to take down infringing clips , which will help .
But because of the way these takedowns were delivered , I also think that Twitch might bend its rules slightly .
I don ’ t think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of bans .
At least I hope we won ’ t because that would be a very strange precedent for Twitch to set .
This mass takedown also conveniently represents a much larger question : is the way we handle copyright on the internet broken ?
I don ’ t think the answer would surprise anyone .

Over the last few days, a furor has been brewing on Twitch: out of the blue, streamers started seeing copyright takedown notices appear in their inboxes. The claimant was listed as the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and the infringing material was mostly recorded clips of old live broadcasts. And that’s a problem because it’s stated very clearly in the Twitch terms of service that if your account is dinged with three of these strikes, you get permabanned from Twitch.
The clips themselves were sometimes years old, too, which is a bigger headache because streamers who have been on the platform long enough have accumulated tons of these and now have a backlog rights holders can mine to file takedowns. Twitch doesn’t have the tools yet to let creators bulk delete clips, let alone sift through hundreds at a time that may or may not contain copyright infringing content.
Clips are an integral part of live-streaming culture: they’re short videos from a stream, no longer than 60 seconds, and they’re generated by viewers instead of the streamers. They usually contain the punchiest and most pungent moments from a stream; because they’re so short, they travel well outside of Twitch, which means they’re useful for introducing new audiences to a channel or streamer. (Clips don’t really go viral on Twitch. It’s not part of the platform’s design because of its lack of a traditional algorithmic feed.)
As an internet platform, Twitch has to abide by these takedowns under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) because it’s the law that governs copyright online. Essentially, Twitch can protect itself from copyright infringement lawsuits if it complies with the safe harbor provisions set out in the law itself, which include taking down infringing material as a platform becomes aware of it and adopting and implementing a repeat offender policy. The same is true for videos and music uploaded to Twitter, YouTube, and other platforms.
That means the streamers affected by the recent flurry of takedowns are theoretically in a lot of trouble. The notices have been sent, and now Twitch is required to take action — even if that isn’t fair at all to streamers. But because these notices are sudden, myriad, and targeted, it’s not clear exactly how this is going to play out. Twitch says it is now building new tools for streamers to use to take down infringing clips, which will help.