theverge--2020-02-24--China reportedly using WeChat and Twitter to find and silence people sharing coronavirus information

The Chinese government is tracking down people on social platforms like Twitter and WeChat who share what officials consider to be negative information about the coronavirus outbreak , Vice reports .
The regulation of protest and dissent is not new in China , but people who have shared information about the virus that originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan describe relatively tame social media interactions that nonetheless resulted in both direct and indirect responses from the Chinese government , according to Vice .
The coronavirus has become a subject of dissent in China , with online protests like the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wenliang racking up angry reactions that are then swiftly taken down .
The hashtag “ I want freedom of speech ” spread on Chinese social media site Weibo in the hours after Li ’ s death , racking up 2 million posts that were removed by the following day , NPR reported .
One man was reportedly confronted at his home by Chinese officials over a tweet But Vice says the crackdowns are starting to focus on individual and sometimes totally benign posts rather than just larger mass movements .
A Chinese man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was trying to share information about the coronavirus with family in Wuhan on WeChat .
He says he believes the Chinese government pushed friends in China to ask about his whereabouts in the US and received a warning that someone in Shanghai was trying to access his WeChat account .
Another man based in China said that officials visited him at his home in Dongguan after he responded to a tweet that was critical of how the Chinese government handled the spread of the virus .
The officials told him his tweet was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His phone was confiscated , and he was forced to sign a statement saying he would not repeat the so-called threat , Vice reports .
More than 2,600 people have died after contracting the new coronavirus , and it ’ s sickened more than 79,000 people since it was first detected in Wuhan in December .
The Chinese government has been harshly criticized for its mishandling of the outbreak , which has included censoring news reports about the situation in Wuhan and taking down Wuhan residents ’ social media posts , many of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also has cracked down on the use of virtual private networks ( VPNs ) .
Many people in China use VPNs to try to evade government censors online .
The government has even instructed health workers not to mention the coronavirus in group chats , Vice reports .

The Chinese government is tracking down people on social platforms like Twitter and WeChat who share what officials consider to be negative information about the coronavirus outbreak, Vice reports. The regulation of protest and dissent is not new in China, but people who have shared information about the virus that originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan describe relatively tame social media interactions that nonetheless resulted in both direct and indirect responses from the Chinese government, according to Vice.
The coronavirus has become a subject of dissent in China, with online protests like the one following the death of whistleblower Li Wenliang racking up angry reactions that are then swiftly taken down. The hashtag “I want freedom of speech” spread on Chinese social media site Weibo in the hours after Li’s death, racking up 2 million posts that were removed by the following day, NPR reported.
One man was reportedly confronted at his home by Chinese officials over a tweet
But Vice says the crackdowns are starting to focus on individual and sometimes totally benign posts rather than just larger mass movements. A Chinese man vacationing in California told Vice that he was trying to share information about the coronavirus with family in Wuhan on WeChat. He says he believes the Chinese government pushed friends in China to ask about his whereabouts in the US and received a warning that someone in Shanghai was trying to access his WeChat account.
Another man based in China said that officials visited him at his home in Dongguan after he responded to a tweet that was critical of how the Chinese government handled the spread of the virus. The officials told him his tweet was an attack on the Chinese government. His phone was confiscated, and he was forced to sign a statement saying he would not repeat the so-called threat, Vice reports.
Related Everything you need to know about the coronavirus from China
More than 2,600 people have died after contracting the new coronavirus, and it’s sickened more than 79,000 people since it was first detected in Wuhan in December. The Chinese government has been harshly criticized for its mishandling of the outbreak, which has included censoring news reports about the situation in Wuhan and taking down Wuhan residents’ social media posts, many of which reportedly described dire conditions.


theverge--2020-02-24--Apple’s new Mac Pro and Pro Display technology overviews show off just how ‘pro’ they are

Apple ’ s Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR have been out in the world for a while now , but Apple is just now publishing its white papers for the two new devices , which go into far greater detail about the high-end hardware .
The fact that Apple waited months to offer this information is odd , given that there are some important details about the two products , including caveats for third-party compatibility and explanations for some of the design and spec choices Apple made here .
It ’ s the sort of information that you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 6,000-plus on a new computer or screen , so it ’ s good to see that Apple is providing it now .
How pro can you go ?
As one might expect from a technical overview produced in-house by Apple , the two documents read largely like a laundry list of Apple congratulating itself for all its innovation and impressive specs , but they do reveal some new small details about the Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR that Apple hadn ’ t announced before .
Should you not have the time ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of pages of technical documentation , we ’ ve taken the liberty of highlighting the most interesting new details on the Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR below .
• While plenty of third-party sites have done speed tests comparing Apple ’ s old and new Mac Pro models , Apple gives the hard numbers itself : the new model ’ s processor is up to 6.5 times faster than the old 12-core Mac Pro ( depending on what you ’ re doing and the processor you pick ) , while the GPU @ @ @ @ @ @ @ performance compared to the dual FirePro D700 on the 2013 model .
• Technically , the 24- and 28-core processor options can support up to 2TB of RAM , well beyond the 1.5TB at which Apple maxes out .
The reason is that offering 2TB of RAM would required unbalanced DIMM configurations ( where you have a different amount of RAM on different sticks ) , which Apple is looking to avoid .
• Apple ’ s custom MPX modules for GPUs are big for a reason : they allow passive cooling , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ solutions in the future.
” It ’ s not exactly a surprise that Apple wants the new Mac Pro to be more modular , but here ’ s the confirmation that the company is looking to do more with its flagship pro device .
• Apple ’ s I/O card ( the piece that has the headphone jack , USB-A ports , and Thunderbolt 3 ports ) has “ a special connector that connects it to the DisplayPort connections routed from the MPX Modules , enabling video over its Thunderbolt 3 ports.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ports , you can also remove it entirely .
• The Mac Pro has an internal USB-A port “ for internal use , ” designed for license keys for pro software .
The goal here is two-fold : keeping those license key drives out of the way , and making sure they ’ re less easily stolen .
• All Mac Pro configurations ( from Apple at least ) work completely with Windows through Boot Camp… except for Apple ’ s Afterburner card .
• Apple makes a point to note that its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offer “ increased multithreaded performance ” at the expense of “ decreased base clock.
” The white paper specifically tells customers that “ it is important to know if your primary applications can scale to higher core counts to get maximum performance from top-end Xeon processors.
” In other words : make sure you can actually use those extra cores , or you ’ ll get stuck with a slower computer .
• Apple supports both third-party SATA storage and some third-party AMD GPUs , but there are some big caveats for both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ external drive from a macOS perspective , meaning that it won ’ t be able to be encrypted by Apple ’ s T2 co-processor , unlike the main drive .
And while other GPUs can be used , they ’ ll need AUX power cables ( sold separately ) and will prevent using the Mac Pro Thunderbolt 3 ports for video : “ an Apple MPX Module is required to provide video support over Mac Pro Thunderbolt 3 ports ; without one , Thunderbolt 3 ports become data only and are unable to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apple notes that the Mac Pro can draw so much power that “ facility power sources should be carefully considered to avoid overloading a given circuit , especially for a fully configured system with displays and accessories , or multiple Mac Pro systems.
” • The Pro Display XDR has two ambient light sensors , one on the front and one on the back , which are used to adjust backlight brightness , content black level , and white point ( if True Tone is enabled ) on the display for your given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you should avoid having any bright lights on your desk by the back of the display ( like , say , a desk lamp ) to avoid confusing the sensors .
• Another odd caveat : Apple says that the Pro Display XDR can “ sustain 1000 nits of brightness across the entire screen indefinitely in environments up to 25° C ( 77° F ) .
” Crank the brightness up past 1,000 nits , or the temperature past 77 degrees Fahrenheit , and the brightness may go down .

Apple’s Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR have been out in the world for a while now, but Apple is just now publishing its white papers for the two new devices, which go into far greater detail about the high-end hardware.
The fact that Apple waited months to offer this information is odd, given that there are some important details about the two products, including caveats for third-party compatibility and explanations for some of the design and spec choices Apple made here. It’s the sort of information that you’d probably want before you spend $6,000-plus on a new computer or screen, so it’s good to see that Apple is providing it now.
How pro can you go?
As one might expect from a technical overview produced in-house by Apple, the two documents read largely like a laundry list of Apple congratulating itself for all its innovation and impressive specs, but they do reveal some new small details about the Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR that Apple hadn’t announced before.
Should you not have the time (or the inclination) to read dozens of pages of technical documentation, we’ve taken the liberty of highlighting the most interesting new details on the Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR below.
Mac Pro
While plenty of third-party sites have done speed tests comparing Apple’s old and new Mac Pro models, Apple gives the hard numbers itself: the new model’s processor is up to 6.5 times faster than the old 12-core Mac Pro (depending on what you’re doing and the processor you pick), while the GPU can reach up to 6.8 times the performance compared to the dual FirePro D700 on the 2013 model.
Technically, the 24- and 28-core processor options can support up to 2TB of RAM, well beyond the 1.5TB at which Apple maxes out. The reason is that offering 2TB of RAM would required unbalanced DIMM configurations (where you have a different amount of RAM on different sticks), which Apple is looking to avoid.
Apple’s custom MPX modules for GPUs are big for a reason: they allow passive cooling, dual GPU modules, and “other solutions in the future.” It’s not exactly a surprise that Apple wants the new Mac Pro to be more modular, but here’s the confirmation that the company is looking to do more with its flagship pro device.
Apple’s I/O card (the piece that has the headphone jack, USB-A ports, and Thunderbolt 3 ports) has “a special connector that connects it to the DisplayPort connections routed from the MPX Modules, enabling video over its Thunderbolt 3 ports.” Should you not need the extra I/O ports, you can also remove it entirely.
The Mac Pro has an internal USB-A port “for internal use,” designed for license keys for pro software. The goal here is two-fold: keeping those license key drives out of the way, and making sure they’re less easily stolen.
All Mac Pro configurations (from Apple at least) work completely with Windows through Boot Camp… except for Apple’s Afterburner card.
Apple makes a point to note that its pricier, higher core count Xeon processors offer “increased multithreaded performance” at the expense of “decreased base clock.” The white paper specifically tells customers that “it is important to know if your primary applications can scale to higher core counts to get maximum performance from top-end Xeon processors.” In other words: make sure you can actually use those extra cores, or you’ll get stuck with a slower computer.
Apple supports both third-party SATA storage and some third-party AMD GPUs, but there are some big caveats for both. SATA storage is treated like an external drive from a macOS perspective, meaning that it won’t be able to be encrypted by Apple’s T2 co-processor, unlike the main drive. And while other GPUs can be used, they’ll need AUX power cables (sold separately) and will prevent using the Mac Pro Thunderbolt 3 ports for video: “an Apple MPX Module is required to provide video support over Mac Pro Thunderbolt 3 ports; without one, Thunderbolt 3 ports become data only and are unable to light a display.”
Amusingly, Apple notes that the Mac Pro can draw so much power that “facility power sources should be carefully considered to avoid overloading a given circuit, especially for a fully configured system with displays and accessories, or multiple Mac Pro systems.”
Pro Display XDR


theverge--2020-02-24--Uber will start putting ads on top of some of its vehicles

Uber inked a deal to place ads on the roof of some of its vehicles , in a move that will likely generate some new revenue for the notorious cash-burning company and comparisons to Uber ’ s original adversary , the old-school taxi industry .
Adweek is reporting that Uber struck a deal with out-of-home ad-tech company Adomni that will introduce ads to some of its vehicles in three cities starting April 1st .
While Uber drivers could place ad displays on top of their vehicles through third-party companies like Firefly , this marks the first time that the ride-hailing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its own .
Around 1,000 vehicles will feature rooftop ads during the initial rollout .
The publication has more details : The partnership with Adomni also opens a new business unit for Uber , called Uber OOH Powered by Adomni , as well as an additional revenue stream for the company , which went public in May 2019 .
Cargo Systems , which has had an exclusive agreement with Uber since July 2018 to provide in-car commerce offerings like snacks and beauty products , is providing the displays in a separate deal with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for advertising between Uber and Adomni .
Cargo , which struck a deal with Uber in 2018 to sell snacks and tech accessories to Uber passengers , recently shut down its in-car convenience stores and is pivoting to — you guessed it !
— car-top advertising .
As you would expect with a data-rich company like Uber , the ad display will respond to both location and time of day .
According to Adweek , the ads will be geofenced and can also sync with other Adomni-managed displays .
“ Imagine you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the cars and billboards are showing the same ad , ” Adweek reporter Scott Nover tweeted , which is really just a harrowing thing to imagine .
Of course , Uber doesn ’ t own its fleet of vehicles , so drivers will need to get something out of this to incentivize them to install the ad displays .
Adweek says that drivers in three cities — Phoenix , Dallas , and Atlanta — will get $ 300 to install the rooftop displays and an additional $ 100 each week they drive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1st , drivers will be paid based on how many hours they drive .
It ’ s unclear how permanent these displays are and whether they will potentially damage drivers ’ cars .
A spokesperson for Uber declined to comment .
Uber isn ’ t the only ride-share company interested in ads Uber isn ’ t the only ride-share company interested in ads ( and ad revenue ) .
Lyft recently acquired a small startup called Halo Cars that lets drivers earn money by installing rooftop ads on their cars .
And Uber @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years now , but until recently that ’ s been confined to the company ’ s app .
This is the first time that those experiments have moved into the car itself .
Uber will be walking a fine line , though , as it inches closer and closer to looking like the thing it claimed to abhor the most : the old-school ( and corruption-rife ) taxi industry .

Uber inked a deal to place ads on the roof of some of its vehicles, in a move that will likely generate some new revenue for the notorious cash-burning company and comparisons to Uber’s original adversary, the old-school taxi industry.
Adweek is reporting that Uber struck a deal with out-of-home ad-tech company Adomni that will introduce ads to some of its vehicles in three cities starting April 1st. While Uber drivers could place ad displays on top of their vehicles through third-party companies like Firefly, this marks the first time that the ride-hailing company plans to roll out ads of its own. Around 1,000 vehicles will feature rooftop ads during the initial rollout. The publication has more details:
The partnership with Adomni also opens a new business unit for Uber, called Uber OOH Powered by Adomni, as well as an additional revenue stream for the company, which went public in May 2019. Cargo Systems, which has had an exclusive agreement with Uber since July 2018 to provide in-car commerce offerings like snacks and beauty products, is providing the displays in a separate deal with Uber, outside of the revenue-sharing agreement for advertising between Uber and Adomni.
Cargo, which struck a deal with Uber in 2018 to sell snacks and tech accessories to Uber passengers, recently shut down its in-car convenience stores and is pivoting to — you guessed it! — car-top advertising.
As you would expect with a data-rich company like Uber, the ad display will respond to both location and time of day. According to Adweek, the ads will be geofenced and can also sync with other Adomni-managed displays. “Imagine you’re at a busy urban intersection and all the cars and billboards are showing the same ad,” Adweek reporter Scott Nover tweeted, which is really just a harrowing thing to imagine.
Of course, Uber doesn’t own its fleet of vehicles, so drivers will need to get something out of this to incentivize them to install the ad displays. Adweek says that drivers in three cities — Phoenix, Dallas, and Atlanta — will get $300 to install the rooftop displays and an additional $100 each week they drive more than 20 hours. After April 1st, drivers will be paid based on how many hours they drive. It’s unclear how permanent these displays are and whether they will potentially damage drivers’ cars. A spokesperson for Uber declined to comment.
Uber isn’t the only ride-share company interested in ads
Uber isn’t the only ride-share company interested in ads (and ad revenue). Lyft recently acquired a small startup called Halo Cars that lets drivers earn money by installing rooftop ads on their cars. And Uber has been experimenting with ad content for years now, but until recently that’s been confined to the company’s app. This is the first time that those experiments have moved into the car itself.


theverge--2020-02-24--Apple investor Warren Buffett finally upgrades from a flip phone to an iPhone

Billionaire Warren Buffett is finally the proud owner of a smartphone .
The 89-year-old business magnate , who just so happens to own 5.6 percent of Apple ’ s stock , told CNBC that he recently upgraded from his Samsung Haven flip phone to an iPhone 11 .
After using the flip phone as recently as 2019 , Buffett notes that he has officially parted ways with it and is embracing smartphones , though he did not mention which model of the iPhone 11 he is using .
“ My flip phone is permanently gone , ” Buffett said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ purchase an iPhone , but rather was gifted “ several of them ” by numerous people , including Apple CEO Tim Cook , who has been trying to get Buffett to switch to an Apple-made device for at least a few years .
Cook even told Bloomberg TV in 2018 that he would personally fly out to Omaha and perform tech support for Buffett , should he ever need it .
Even though Buffett has finally switched over , he says he is strictly using his iPhone to make phone calls .
Buffett @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it to conduct research and check stock prices .

Billionaire Warren Buffett is finally the proud owner of a smartphone. The 89-year-old business magnate, who just so happens to own 5.6 percent of Apple’s stock, told CNBC that he recently upgraded from his Samsung Haven flip phone to an iPhone 11.
After using the flip phone as recently as 2019, Buffett notes that he has officially parted ways with it and is embracing smartphones, though he did not mention which model of the iPhone 11 he is using. “My flip phone is permanently gone,” Buffett said.
Buffett tells CNBC that he did not purchase an iPhone, but rather was gifted “several of them” by numerous people, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, who has been trying to get Buffett to switch to an Apple-made device for at least a few years. Cook even told Bloomberg TV in 2018 that he would personally fly out to Omaha and perform tech support for Buffett, should he ever need it.


theverge--2020-02-24--TurboTax maker is spending $7.1 billion to buy Credit Karma, a free tax service competitor

Intuit has reached a deal to acquire Credit Karma , a company known for offering free credit score checks .
The acquisition gives Intuit — which owns TurboTax , Quickbooks , and Mint — another set of consumer-oriented financial products .
It also knocks out a potentially serious competitor : Credit Karma has been offering free tax filing services since 2017 , possibly taking away customers from TurboTax .
That ’ s a serious consequence of this merger .
Over the past year , Intuit has been highly criticized for its handling of free tax filing , haven been caught @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the IRS it would give away for free and steering customers toward paid products .
It ’ s theoretically bad news if the company behind those policies takes control of another free-to-use alternative .
Intuit is known for hiding its free tax-filing software Credit Karma had been expected to go public this year .
Instead , it ’ s accepting $ 7.1 billion in cash and stock from Intuit to be acquired .
The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2020 .
Founded in 2007 , Credit Karma is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — like credit checks , which , in the past , were generally a paid product — and making money later off of additional financial services it offers to customers once it has their information .
That includes offering credit cards and loans from partners , then getting a fee from referring the customer .
Credit Karma promises its service “ will always be free .
”

Intuit has reached a deal to acquire Credit Karma, a company known for offering free credit score checks. The acquisition gives Intuit — which owns TurboTax, Quickbooks, and Mint — another set of consumer-oriented financial products. It also knocks out a potentially serious competitor: Credit Karma has been offering free tax filing services since 2017, possibly taking away customers from TurboTax.
That’s a serious consequence of this merger. Over the past year, Intuit has been highly criticized for its handling of free tax filing, haven been caught actively hiding a tax-filing product it promised the IRS it would give away for free and steering customers toward paid products. It’s theoretically bad news if the company behind those policies takes control of another free-to-use alternative.
Intuit is known for hiding its free tax-filing software
Credit Karma had been expected to go public this year. Instead, it’s accepting $7.1 billion in cash and stock from Intuit to be acquired. The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2020.


theverge--2020-02-24--NASA’s InSight lander officially detects ‘marsquakes’ on Mars

NASA ’ s InSight lander has detected hundreds of “ marsquakes ” on Mars , including about 20 tremors that were relatively significant .
Compared to quakes here on Earth , the marsquakes were pretty puny , but the new data could provide planetary scientists with more information about the interior of Mars .
The initial results of the mission were published on Monday in the journals Nature Geoscience and Nature Communications .
The lander , which touched down on Mars via supersonic parachute in 2018 , detected its first possible marsquake in April 2019 .
Many of the quakes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they probably wouldn ’ t be felt if they happened on Earth , Philippe Lognonné , principal investigator for one of the lander ’ s instruments , said in a press conference .
“ Mars is a place where we can probably say the seismic hazard is extremely low , ” Lognonné added .
“ At least at this time.
” The 24 largest quakes discussed in the paper only reached a magnitude 3 or 4 , which on Earth , might be powerful enough to be felt as a rumble on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enough to cause serious damage .
But unlike on Earth , where quakes can happen closer to the surface , it appears that the marsquakes InSight detected tended to originate far deeper in the planet ( 30 to 50 kilometers ) .
The deeper the quake , the less shaking is felt on the surface .
The researchers had hoped to register larger quakes , which would have given them a more detailed look at the interior of the planet — and even potentially the core — but that hasn ’ t happened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marsquakes is the long-term cooling of the planet , ” Bruce Banerdt , InSight principal investigator , said in a press call on Friday .
The interior of Mars , like Earth , has been cooling down since it was formed .
As the planet cools down , Banerdt says , it contracts and the brittle crust of the planet cracks , causing the surface to shudder .
That ’ s the general outlook , but the specific cause of each quake is still unknown .
“ The details of the particular mechanisms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mystery , ” Banerdt says .
“ We don ’ t have any conclusions of the mechanisms on any individual quakes yet.
” They may not know what drives each quake , but they 've measured a lot of them .
In the papers , the authors discuss data from 174 marsquakes collected before September 30th , 2019 .
Since then , the instrument on board InSight that measures quakes has detected about 450 rumblings .
NASA says the “ vast majority ” of these are probably quakes .
Other sensors were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was registering quakes .
One detected thousands of whirlwinds near the lander , while another recorded strong magnetic signals coming from underground rocks .
Another instrument , a self-hammering probe that was supposed to measure the interior temperature of Mars , hasn ’ t been as lucky .
It was supposed to burrow into the surface , but it encountered trouble last fall when it popped back out of the planet .
As a last-ditch attempt to salvage this part of the mission , NASA plans to try to push the probe into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March .
InSight ’ s mission lasts for nearly another year , and the team here on Earth will continue to gather more data about the inner workings of the Red Planet until then .

NASA’s InSight lander has detected hundreds of “marsquakes” on Mars, including about 20 tremors that were relatively significant. Compared to quakes here on Earth, the marsquakes were pretty puny, but the new data could provide planetary scientists with more information about the interior of Mars.
The initial results of the mission were published on Monday in the journals Nature Geoscience and Nature Communications. The lander, which touched down on Mars via supersonic parachute in 2018, detected its first possible marsquake in April 2019.
Many of the quakes that InSight detected were small enough that they probably wouldn’t be felt if they happened on Earth, Philippe Lognonné, principal investigator for one of the lander’s instruments, said in a press conference. “Mars is a place where we can probably say the seismic hazard is extremely low,” Lognonné added. “At least at this time.”
The 24 largest quakes discussed in the paper only reached a magnitude 3 or 4, which on Earth, might be powerful enough to be felt as a rumble on the ground but usually aren’t strong enough to cause serious damage. But unlike on Earth, where quakes can happen closer to the surface, it appears that the marsquakes InSight detected tended to originate far deeper in the planet (30 to 50 kilometers). The deeper the quake, the less shaking is felt on the surface.
The researchers had hoped to register larger quakes, which would have given them a more detailed look at the interior of the planet — and even potentially the core — but that hasn’t happened yet.
“The general cause of marsquakes is the long-term cooling of the planet,” Bruce Banerdt, InSight principal investigator, said in a press call on Friday. The interior of Mars, like Earth, has been cooling down since it was formed. As the planet cools down, Banerdt says, it contracts and the brittle crust of the planet cracks, causing the surface to shudder.
That’s the general outlook, but the specific cause of each quake is still unknown. “The details of the particular mechanisms for these quakes is still for us a mystery,” Banerdt says. “We don’t have any conclusions of the mechanisms on any individual quakes yet.”
They may not know what drives each quake, but they've measured a lot of them. In the papers, the authors discuss data from 174 marsquakes collected before September 30th, 2019. Since then, the instrument on board InSight that measures quakes has detected about 450 rumblings. NASA says the “vast majority” of these are probably quakes.
Other sensors were also working while InSight’s seismometer was registering quakes. One detected thousands of whirlwinds near the lander, while another recorded strong magnetic signals coming from underground rocks. Another instrument, a self-hammering probe that was supposed to measure the interior temperature of Mars, hasn’t been as lucky. It was supposed to burrow into the surface, but it encountered trouble last fall when it popped back out of the planet. As a last-ditch attempt to salvage this part of the mission, NASA plans to try to push the probe into the surface in late February and early March.


theverge--2020-02-24--Netflix rolls out Top 10 feature to help show what people are actually watching

Netflix is trying to make it easier for subscribers to keep up with what people around the country are watching by introducing a Top 10 row to its homepage .
A new blog post from the company published today notes that the Top 10 row will be updated every day with the most popular titles within a subscriber ’ s country , and the position of the row will also change depending on how relevant the shows and movies in the list are to their interests .
Netflix also notes that subscribers can get an even better sense of what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual movies and TV show tabs to get top 10 lists for each respective category .
Netflix first started experimenting with a top 10 list in the UK and Mexico last year .
“ For those who want to watch what others are watching , this may make choosing titles even easier , ” CEO Reed Hastings wrote in a letter to investors back in April 2019 .
It ’ s unclear just how many of the movies and TV shows that make it into the Top 10 are licensed and how many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are eligible , the company confirmed to The Verge .
At the end of last year , Netflix released a list of its most popular movies and TV shows and , with the exception of Disney Pixar ’ s Incredibles 2 , every title on the list was a Netflix original .
The company has lost many of its top titles that it licensed from studios and networks like Disney , FX , NBCUniversal , and Warner Bros. as the companies release and gear up to launch their own streaming services .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and films Netflix produces more popular on the platform and more vital to the company ’ s business .
The Top 10 row is available to Netflix subscribers starting today , and it will appear with a different design than other traditional rows of content on the streaming service to make it easier to distinguish .

Netflix is trying to make it easier for subscribers to keep up with what people around the country are watching by introducing a Top 10 row to its homepage.
A new blog post from the company published today notes that the Top 10 row will be updated every day with the most popular titles within a subscriber’s country, and the position of the row will also change depending on how relevant the shows and movies in the list are to their interests. Netflix also notes that subscribers can get an even better sense of what’s trending by clicking on the individual movies and TV show tabs to get top 10 lists for each respective category.
Netflix first started experimenting with a top 10 list in the UK and Mexico last year. “For those who want to watch what others are watching, this may make choosing titles even easier,” CEO Reed Hastings wrote in a letter to investors back in April 2019. It’s unclear just how many of the movies and TV shows that make it into the Top 10 are licensed and how many are Netflix original series, but both are eligible, the company confirmed to The Verge.
At the end of last year, Netflix released a list of its most popular movies and TV shows and, with the exception of Disney Pixar’s Incredibles 2, every title on the list was a Netflix original. The company has lost many of its top titles that it licensed from studios and networks like Disney, FX, NBCUniversal, and Warner Bros. as the companies release and gear up to launch their own streaming services. That, in turn, makes the shows and films Netflix produces more popular on the platform and more vital to the company’s business.


theverge--2020-02-24--Tesla Autopilot’s role in fatal 2018 crash will be decided this week

Tesla ’ s Autopilot is about to be in the government ’ s spotlight once again .
On February 25th in Washington , DC , investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board ( NTSB ) will present the findings of its nearly two-year probe into the fatal crash of Wei “ Walter ” Huang .
Huang died on March 23rd , 2018 , when his Tesla Model X hit the barrier between a left exit and the HOV lane on US-101 , just outside of Mountain View , California .
He was using Tesla ’ s advanced driver assistance feature @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crash .
It will be the second time the NTSB has held a public meeting about an investigation into an Autopilot-related crash ; in 2017 , the NTSB found that a lack of “ safeguards ” helped contribute to the death of 40-year-old Joshua Brown in Florida .
Tomorrow ’ s event also comes just a few months after the NTSB held a similar meeting where it said Uber was partially at fault for the death of Elaine Herzberg , the pedestrian who was killed in 2018 after being hit by one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vehicles .
After investigators lay out their findings , the board ’ s members will then vote on any recommendations proposed and issue a final ruling on the probable cause of the crash .
While the NTSB doesn ’ t have the legal authority to implement or enforce those recommendations , they can be adopted by regulators .
The entire meeting will be live-streamed on the NTSB ’ s website starting at 9:30AM ET .
The meeting starts at 9:30AM ET , and it will be live-streamed In the days before the meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the investigation , putting the factual information collected by the NTSB investigators on display .
( Among the findings : Huang had experienced problems with Autopilot in the same spot where he crashed , and he was possibly playing a mobile game before the crash . )
The NTSB also released a preliminary report back in June 2018 that spelled out some of its earliest findings , including that Huang ’ s car steered itself toward the barrier and sped up before impact .
Tesla admitted shortly after Huang ’ s death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it pointed out that he “ had received several visual and one audible hands-on warning earlier in the drive , ” and claimed that Huang ’ s hands “ were not detected on the wheel for six seconds prior to the collision , ” which is why “ no action was taken ” to avoid the barrier .
That announcement led to the NTSB removing Tesla from the investigation for releasing information “ before it was vetted and confirmed by ” the board — a process that all parties have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigations .
The newly released documents show that a constellation of factors likely contributed to Huang ’ s death , and Autopilot was just one among them .
Determining what role Tesla ’ s advanced driver assistance feature played is likely to be just one part of what the investigators and the board will discuss .
But since this is just the second time the NTSB is wrapping up an investigation into a crash that involves Autopilot , its conclusions could carry weight .
With all that said , here ’ s what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s meeting .
One of the first things that will happen after NTSB chairman Robert Sumwalt opens tomorrow ’ s meeting ( and introduces the people who are there ) is that the lead investigator will run through an overview of the crash .
Most of the details of the crash are well-established , especially after the preliminary report was released in 2018 .
But the documents released last week paint a fuller picture .
At 8:53AM PT on March 23rd , 2018 , Huang dropped his son off at preschool in Foster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did most days .
Huang then drove his 2017 Tesla Model X to US-101 and began the 40-minute drive south to his job at Apple in Mountain View , California .
Huang was very interested in how Autopilot worked and used it frequently , investigators found Along the way , he engaged Tesla ’ s driver assistance system , Autopilot .
Huang had used Autopilot a lot since he bought the Model X in late 2017 , investigators found .
His wife told them that he became “ very familiar ” with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and he even watched YouTube videos about it .
He talked to co-workers about Autopilot , too , and his supervisor said Huang — who was a software engineer — was fascinated by the software behind Autopilot .
Huang turned Autopilot on four times during that drive to work .
The last time he activated it , he left it on for 18 minutes , right up until the crash .
Tesla instructs owners ( in its cars ’ owners manuals and also via the cars ’ infotainment screens ) to keep their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re using Autopilot .
When Autopilot is active , the car also constantly monitors whether a driver is applying torque to the steering wheel in an effort to make sure their hands are on the wheel .
( Tesla CEO Elon Musk rejected more complex driver monitoring systems because he said they were “ ineffective.
” ) If the car doesn ’ t measure enough torque input on the wheel , it will flash an increasing series of visual , and then audible , warnings at the driver .
During that final 18-minute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of those warnings , according to data collected by investigators .
Less than two minutes after he activated Autopilot for the final time , the system issued a visual and then an audible warning for him to put his hands on the steering wheel , which he did .
One minute later , he got another visual warning .
He didn ’ t receive any more warnings during the final 13 to 14 minutes before the crash .
But the data shows the car didn ’ t measure any steering input for about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ session .
Autopilot was still engaged when Huang approached a section of US-101 south where a left exit lane allows cars to join State Route 85 .
As that exit lane moves farther to the left , a “ gore area ” develops between it and the HOV lane .
Eventually , a concrete median rises up to act as a barrier between the two lanes .
Huang was driving in the HOV lane , thanks to the clean air sticker afforded by owning an electric vehicle .
Five seconds before the crash @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the left , Huang ’ s Model X “ began following the lines ” into the gore area between the HOV lane and the exit lane .
Investigators found that Autopilot initially lost sight of the HOV lane lines , then quickly picked up the lines of the gore area as if it were its own highway lane .
Huang ’ s Tesla steered him toward the barrier and sped up before the crash Huang had set his cruise control to 75 miles per hour , but he was following cars that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hour .
As his Model X aimed him toward the barrier , it also no longer registered any cars ahead of it and started speeding back up to 75 miles per hour .
Huang crashed into the barrier a few seconds later .
The large metal crash attenuator in front of the barrier , which is supposed to help deflect some of the kinetic energy of a moving car , had been fully crushed 11 days before during a different crash .
Investigators found that California ’ s transit department hadn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repair time of “ 15 to 30 minutes ” and an average cost of “ less than $ 100.
” This meant Huang ’ s Model X essentially crashed into the concrete median behind the attenuator with most of his car ’ s kinetic energy intact .
Despite the violent hit , Huang initially survived the crash .
( He was also hit by one car from behind . )
A number of cars stopped on the highway .
Multiple people called 911 .
A few drivers and one motorcyclist approached Huang ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because they noticed the Model X ’ s batteries were starting to sizzle and pop .
After struggling to remove his jacket , they were able to pull Huang to relative safety before the Model X ’ s battery caught fire .
Paramedics performed CPR on Huang and performed a blood transfusion as they brought him to a nearby hospital .
He was treated for cardiac arrest and blunt trauma to the pelvis , but he died a few hours later .
One of the new details that emerged in the documents released @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been playing a mobile game called Three Kingdoms while driving to work that day .
Investigators obtained Huang ’ s cellphone records from AT & T , and because he primarily used a development model iPhone provided by Apple , they were also able to pull diagnostic data from his phone with help from the company .
Looking at this data , investigators say they were able to determine that there was a “ pattern of active gameplay ” every morning around the same time in the week leading up to Huang ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the data didn ’ t provide enough information to “ ascertain whether [ Huang ] was holding the phone or how interactive he was with the game at the time of the crash.
” Another possible contributing factor to Huang ’ s death is the crash attenuator itself and the fact that it had gone 11 days without being repaired .
The NTSB even issued an early recommendation to California officials back in September 2019 , telling them to move faster when it comes to repairing attenuators .
The NTSB will likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Huang ’ s death The design of the left exit and the gore area in front of the attenuator is also something that the board is likely to find contributed to Huang ’ s death .
In fact , Huang struggled with Autopilot at this same section of the highway a number of times before his death , as new information made public last week shows .
Huang ’ s family has said since his death that he previously complained about how Autopilot would pull him left at the spot where he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this in the month before his death in the data .
On February 27th , 2018 , data shows that Autopilot turned Huang ’ s wheel 6 degrees to the left , aiming him toward the gore area between the HOV lane and the left exit .
Huang ’ s hands were on the wheel , though , and two seconds later , he turned the wheel and kept himself in the HOV lane .
On March 19th , 2018 — the Monday before he died — Autopilot turned Huang ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ toward that same gore area .
Huang turned the car back into the HOV lane one second later .
Huang had complained about this problem to one of his friends who was a fellow Tesla owner .
The two were commiserating about a new software update from Tesla five days before the crash when Huang told the friend how Autopilot “ almost led me to hit the median again this morning.
” Whether Autopilot played a role in Huang ’ s death ( and if so , to what extent ) is likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday ’ s meeting .
The NTSB has already completed one investigation into a fatal crash that involved the use of Autopilot , and it issued recommendations based on that case .
But the circumstances of that crash were much different than Huang ’ s .
In 2016 , Joshua Brown was using Autopilot on a divided highway in Florida when a tractor-trailer crossed in front of him .
Autopilot was not able to recognize the broad side of the trailer before Brown crashed into it , and Brown did not take evasive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permitted the car driver ’ s overreliance on the automation , ” the NTSB wrote in its findings in 2017 .
( Tesla has said that overconfidence in Autopilot is at the root of many crashes that happen while the feature is engaged , though it continues to profess that driving with Autopilot reduces the chance of a crash . )
The board wrote that Autopilot “ allowed prolonged disengagement from the driving task and enabled the driver to use it in ways inconsistent with manufacturer guidance and warnings.
” In turn , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any other automaker working on similar advanced driver assistance systems ) should add new safeguards that limit the misuse of features like Autopilot .
The NTSB also recommended that companies like Tesla should develop better ways to sense a driver ’ s level of engagement while using features like Autopilot .
Tesla has increased the frequency of warnings since Huang ’ s death Since Huang ’ s death , Tesla has increased the frequency and reduced the lag time of the warnings to drivers who don ’ t appear to have their hands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Whether the company has gone far enough is likely to be discussed on Tuesday .
Why Tesla was kicked off the probe On March 30th , 2018 , one week after Huang died , Tesla announced that Autopilot was engaged during the crash .
The company also claimed that Huang did not have his hands on the steering wheel and that he had received multiple warnings in the minutes leading up to the crash .
The NTSB was not happy that Tesla shared this information while the investigation was still ongoing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 , to tell him this was a violation of the agreement Tesla signed in order to be a party to the investigation .
Tesla then issued another statement to the press on April 10th , which the NTSB considered to be “ incomplete , analytical in nature , and [ speculative ] as to the cause ” of the crash .
So Sumwalt called Musk again and told him Tesla was being removed from the investigation .
Tesla claimed it withdrew from the probe because , as The Wall Street Journal put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ felt that “ restrictions on disclosures could jeopardize public safety.
” Whether this comes up in tomorrow ’ s meeting will be another thing to watch for .
What comes next ?
One thing that won ’ t be resolved on Tuesday is the lawsuit Huang ’ s family filed against Tesla in 2019 .
The family ’ s lawyer argued last year that Huang died because “ Tesla is beta testing its Autopilot software on live drivers.
” That case is still ongoing .
The NTSB is likely to make a set @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s hearings based on the findings of the probe .
If it feels the need , it can label a recommendation as “ urgent , ” too .
It ’ s possible that the board will comment on whether it thinks Tesla has made progress on the recommendations it laid out in the 2017 meeting about Brown ’ s fatal crash .
Those recommendations included : • Crash data should be “ captured and available in standard formats on new vehicles equipped with automated vehicle control systems ” • Manufacturers should “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of automated control systems to conditions for which they are designed ” ( and that there should be a standard method to verify those safeguards ) • Automakers should develop ways to “ more effectively sense a driver ’ s level of engagement and alert when engagement is lacking ” • Automakers should “ report incidents , crashes , and exposure numbers involving vehicles equipped with automated vehicle control systems ” While Tesla helped the NTSB recover and process the data from Huang ’ s car , the company is still far more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ manufacturers .
In fact , some owners have sued to gain access to that data .
And while Tesla increased the frequency of Autopilot alerts after Huang ’ s crash , it largely hasn ’ t changed how it monitors drivers who use the feature .
( Other companies , like Cadillac , use methods like eye-tracking tech to ensure drivers are paying attention to the road while using driver assistance features . )
The NTSB ’ s recommendations could hone this original guidance or even go beyond it .
While it won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Huang died in 2018 , the agency ’ s actions on Tuesday could help further shape the experience of Autopilot moving forward .
The NTSB also recently opening the docket of another investigation into an Autopilot-related death , and Autopilot is starting to face scrutiny from lawmakers .
So whatever comes from Tuesday ’ s meeting , it seems the spotlight on Autopilot is only going to get brighter from here on out .

Tesla’s Autopilot is about to be in the government’s spotlight once again. On February 25th in Washington, DC, investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) will present the findings of its nearly two-year probe into the fatal crash of Wei “Walter” Huang. Huang died on March 23rd, 2018, when his Tesla Model X hit the barrier between a left exit and the HOV lane on US-101, just outside of Mountain View, California. He was using Tesla’s advanced driver assistance feature, Autopilot, at the time of the crash.
It will be the second time the NTSB has held a public meeting about an investigation into an Autopilot-related crash; in 2017, the NTSB found that a lack of “safeguards” helped contribute to the death of 40-year-old Joshua Brown in Florida. Tomorrow’s event also comes just a few months after the NTSB held a similar meeting where it said Uber was partially at fault for the death of Elaine Herzberg, the pedestrian who was killed in 2018 after being hit by one of the company’s self-driving test vehicles.
After investigators lay out their findings, the board’s members will then vote on any recommendations proposed and issue a final ruling on the probable cause of the crash. While the NTSB doesn’t have the legal authority to implement or enforce those recommendations, they can be adopted by regulators. The entire meeting will be live-streamed on the NTSB’s website starting at 1:00PM ET.
The meeting starts at 1:00PM ET, and it will be live-streamed
In the days before the meeting, the NTSB opened the public docket for the investigation, putting the factual information collected by the NTSB investigators on display. (Among the findings: Huang had experienced problems with Autopilot in the same spot where he crashed, and he was possibly playing a mobile game before the crash.) The NTSB also released a preliminary report back in June 2018 that spelled out some of its earliest findings, including that Huang’s car steered itself toward the barrier and sped up before impact.
Tesla admitted shortly after Huang’s death that Autopilot was engaged during the crash, but it pointed out that he “had received several visual and one audible hands-on warning earlier in the drive,” and claimed that Huang’s hands “were not detected on the wheel for six seconds prior to the collision,” which is why “no action was taken” to avoid the barrier.
That announcement led to the NTSB removing Tesla from the investigation for releasing information “before it was vetted and confirmed by” the board — a process that all parties have to agree to when they sign onto NTSB investigations.
The newly released documents show that a constellation of factors likely contributed to Huang’s death, and Autopilot was just one among them. Determining what role Tesla’s advanced driver assistance feature played is likely to be just one part of what the investigators and the board will discuss. But since this is just the second time the NTSB is wrapping up an investigation into a crash that involves Autopilot, its conclusions could carry weight.
With all that said, here’s what we’re expecting from tomorrow’s meeting.
Image: NTSB
The Crash
One of the first things that will happen after NTSB chairman Robert Sumwalt opens tomorrow’s meeting (and introduces the people who are there) is that the lead investigator will run through an overview of the crash.
Most of the details of the crash are well-established, especially after the preliminary report was released in 2018. But the documents released last week paint a fuller picture.
At 8:53AM PT on March 23rd, 2018, Huang dropped his son off at preschool in Foster City, California, just like he did most days. Huang then drove his 2017 Tesla Model X to US-101 and began the 40-minute drive south to his job at Apple in Mountain View, California.
Huang was very interested in how Autopilot worked and used it frequently, investigators found
Along the way, he engaged Tesla’s driver assistance system, Autopilot. Huang had used Autopilot a lot since he bought the Model X in late 2017, investigators found. His wife told them that he became “very familiar” with the feature, as investigators put it, and he even watched YouTube videos about it. He talked to co-workers about Autopilot, too, and his supervisor said Huang — who was a software engineer — was fascinated by the software behind Autopilot.
Huang turned Autopilot on four times during that drive to work. The last time he activated it, he left it on for 18 minutes, right up until the crash.
Tesla instructs owners (in its cars’ owners manuals and also via the cars’ infotainment screens) to keep their hands on the wheel whenever they’re using Autopilot. When Autopilot is active, the car also constantly monitors whether a driver is applying torque to the steering wheel in an effort to make sure their hands are on the wheel. (Tesla CEO Elon Musk rejected more complex driver monitoring systems because he said they were “ineffective.”)
If the car doesn’t measure enough torque input on the wheel, it will flash an increasing series of visual, and then audible, warnings at the driver.
During that final 18-minute Autopilot engagement, Huang received a number of those warnings, according to data collected by investigators. Less than two minutes after he activated Autopilot for the final time, the system issued a visual and then an audible warning for him to put his hands on the steering wheel, which he did. One minute later, he got another visual warning. He didn’t receive any more warnings during the final 13 to 14 minutes before the crash. But the data shows the car didn’t measure any steering input for about 34.4 percent of that final 18-minute Autopilot session.
Autopilot was still engaged when Huang approached a section of US-101 south where a left exit lane allows cars to join State Route 85. As that exit lane moves farther to the left, a “gore area” develops between it and the HOV lane. Eventually, a concrete median rises up to act as a barrier between the two lanes.
Huang was driving in the HOV lane, thanks to the clean air sticker afforded by owning an electric vehicle. Five seconds before the crash, as the exit lane split off to the left, Huang’s Model X “began following the lines” into the gore area between the HOV lane and the exit lane. Investigators found that Autopilot initially lost sight of the HOV lane lines, then quickly picked up the lines of the gore area as if it were its own highway lane.
Huang’s Tesla steered him toward the barrier and sped up before the crash
Huang had set his cruise control to 75 miles per hour, but he was following cars that were traveling closer to 62 miles per hour. As his Model X aimed him toward the barrier, it also no longer registered any cars ahead of it and started speeding back up to 75 miles per hour.
Huang crashed into the barrier a few seconds later. The large metal crash attenuator in front of the barrier, which is supposed to help deflect some of the kinetic energy of a moving car, had been fully crushed 11 days before during a different crash. Investigators found that California’s transit department hadn’t fixed the attenuator, despite an estimated repair time of “15 to 30 minutes” and an average cost of “less than $100.” This meant Huang’s Model X essentially crashed into the concrete median behind the attenuator with most of his car’s kinetic energy intact.
Image: NTSB
Despite the violent hit, Huang initially survived the crash. (He was also hit by one car from behind.) A number of cars stopped on the highway. Multiple people called 911. A few drivers and one motorcyclist approached Huang’s car and helped pull him out because they noticed the Model X’s batteries were starting to sizzle and pop. After struggling to remove his jacket, they were able to pull Huang to relative safety before the Model X’s battery caught fire.
Paramedics performed CPR on Huang and performed a blood transfusion as they brought him to a nearby hospital. He was treated for cardiac arrest and blunt trauma to the pelvis, but he died a few hours later.
Possible contributing factors
One of the new details that emerged in the documents released last week is that Huang may have been playing a mobile game called Three Kingdoms while driving to work that day.
Investigators obtained Huang’s cellphone records from AT&T, and because he primarily used a development model iPhone provided by Apple, they were also able to pull diagnostic data from his phone with help from the company. Looking at this data, investigators say they were able to determine that there was a “pattern of active gameplay” every morning around the same time in the week leading up to Huang’s death, though they point out that the data didn’t provide enough information to “ascertain whether [Huang] was holding the phone or how interactive he was with the game at the time of the crash.”
Another possible contributing factor to Huang’s death is the crash attenuator itself and the fact that it had gone 11 days without being repaired. The NTSB even issued an early recommendation to California officials back in September 2019, telling them to move faster when it comes to repairing attenuators.
The NTSB will likely point out a number of contributing factors to Huang’s death
The design of the left exit and the gore area in front of the attenuator is also something that the board is likely to find contributed to Huang’s death. In fact, Huang struggled with Autopilot at this same section of the highway a number of times before his death, as new information made public last week shows.
Huang’s family has said since his death that he previously complained about how Autopilot would pull him left at the spot where he eventually crashed. Investigators found two examples of this in the month before his death in the data.
On February 27th, 2018, data shows that Autopilot turned Huang’s wheel 6 degrees to the left, aiming him toward the gore area between the HOV lane and the left exit. Huang’s hands were on the wheel, though, and two seconds later, he turned the wheel and kept himself in the HOV lane. On March 19th, 2018 — the Monday before he died — Autopilot turned Huang’s wheel by 5.1 degrees and steered him toward that same gore area. Huang turned the car back into the HOV lane one second later.
Huang had complained about this problem to one of his friends who was a fellow Tesla owner. The two were commiserating about a new software update from Tesla five days before the crash when Huang told the friend how Autopilot “almost led me to hit the median again this morning.”
Autopilot’s role
Whether Autopilot played a role in Huang’s death (and if so, to what extent) is likely to get a lot of attention during Tuesday’s meeting.
The NTSB has already completed one investigation into a fatal crash that involved the use of Autopilot, and it issued recommendations based on that case. But the circumstances of that crash were much different than Huang’s. In 2016, Joshua Brown was using Autopilot on a divided highway in Florida when a tractor-trailer crossed in front of him. Autopilot was not able to recognize the broad side of the trailer before Brown crashed into it, and Brown did not take evasive action.
Image: NTSB
The design of Autopilot “permitted the car driver’s overreliance on the automation,” the NTSB wrote in its findings in 2017. (Tesla has said that overconfidence in Autopilot is at the root of many crashes that happen while the feature is engaged, though it continues to profess that driving with Autopilot reduces the chance of a crash.) The board wrote that Autopilot “allowed prolonged disengagement from the driving task and enabled the driver to use it in ways inconsistent with manufacturer guidance and warnings.”
In turn, the NTSB recommended that Tesla (and any other automaker working on similar advanced driver assistance systems) should add new safeguards that limit the misuse of features like Autopilot. The NTSB also recommended that companies like Tesla should develop better ways to sense a driver’s level of engagement while using features like Autopilot.
Tesla has increased the frequency of warnings since Huang’s death
Since Huang’s death, Tesla has increased the frequency and reduced the lag time of the warnings to drivers who don’t appear to have their hands on the wheel while Autopilot is active. Whether the company has gone far enough is likely to be discussed on Tuesday.
Why Tesla was kicked off the probe
On March 30th, 2018, one week after Huang died, Tesla announced that Autopilot was engaged during the crash. The company also claimed that Huang did not have his hands on the steering wheel and that he had received multiple warnings in the minutes leading up to the crash.
The NTSB was not happy that Tesla shared this information while the investigation was still ongoing. Sumwalt called Musk on April 6th, 2018, to tell him this was a violation of the agreement Tesla signed in order to be a party to the investigation. Tesla then issued another statement to the press on April 10th, which the NTSB considered to be “incomplete, analytical in nature, and [speculative] as to the cause” of the crash. So Sumwalt called Musk again and told him Tesla was being removed from the investigation.
Tesla claimed it withdrew from the probe because, as The Wall Street Journal put it at the time, the company felt that “restrictions on disclosures could jeopardize public safety.” Whether this comes up in tomorrow’s meeting will be another thing to watch for.
What comes next?
One thing that won’t be resolved on Tuesday is the lawsuit Huang’s family filed against Tesla in 2019. The family’s lawyer argued last year that Huang died because “Tesla is beta testing its Autopilot software on live drivers.” That case is still ongoing.
The NTSB is likely to make a set of recommendations at the end of tomorrow’s hearings based on the findings of the probe. If it feels the need, it can label a recommendation as “urgent,” too. It’s possible that the board will comment on whether it thinks Tesla has made progress on the recommendations it laid out in the 2017 meeting about Brown’s fatal crash. Those recommendations included:
Crash data should be “captured and available in standard formats on new vehicles equipped with automated vehicle control systems”
Manufacturers should “incorporate system safeguards to limit the use of automated control systems to conditions for which they are designed” (and that there should be a standard method to verify those safeguards)
Automakers should develop ways to “more effectively sense a driver’s level of engagement and alert when engagement is lacking”
Automakers should “report incidents, crashes, and exposure numbers involving vehicles equipped with automated vehicle control systems”
While Tesla helped the NTSB recover and process the data from Huang’s car, the company is still far more protective of its crash data than other manufacturers. In fact, some owners have sued to gain access to that data. And while Tesla increased the frequency of Autopilot alerts after Huang’s crash, it largely hasn’t changed how it monitors drivers who use the feature. (Other companies, like Cadillac, use methods like eye-tracking tech to ensure drivers are paying attention to the road while using driver assistance features.)
The NTSB’s recommendations could hone this original guidance or even go beyond it. While it won’t change the fact that Walter Huang died in 2018, the agency’s actions on Tuesday could help further shape the experience of Autopilot moving forward. The NTSB also recently opening the docket of another investigation into an Autopilot-related death, and Autopilot is starting to face scrutiny from lawmakers. So whatever comes from Tuesday’s meeting, it seems the spotlight on Autopilot is only going to get brighter from here on out.


theverge--2020-02-24--Huawei’s P40 lineup will launch March 26th in Paris

Huawei will unveil its next flagship phones , the P40 and P40 Pro , on March 26th at an event in Paris , the company announced today ( via Android Central ) .
Unlike their impressive P-series predecessors , however , the P40s will not have access to Google ’ s various apps and services ( including the Google Play Store ) since the White House has banned US companies from doing business with the Chinese telecom giant .
Huawei ’ s Mate 30 Pro launched under similar constraints last year .
Google addressed the situation on Friday and discouraged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The new devices are expected to launch with 120Hz displays on both models , with three cameras on the P40 and five cameras on the P40 Pro .
The phones will ship with Android 10 and Huawei ’ s EMUI 10 , Android Central reports .
Leaked images showed the P40 Pro with a sizable camera bump to house the five lenses , a notchless screen with hole-punch selfie camera , no headphone jack , a USB-C port on the bottom , and curved sides .
Earlier leaked images also showed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mint green .
This is the third time Huawei has launched its new P-series model in Paris in March , so the plan isn ’ t necessarily in response to the canceled Mobile World Congress .
Huawei CEO Richard Yu has described the P40 Pro as the “ world ’ s most powerful 5G flagship .
”

The new devices are expected to launch with 120Hz displays on both models, with three cameras on the P40 and five cameras on the P40 Pro. The phones will ship with Android 10 and Huawei’s EMUI 10, Android Central reports.
Leaked images showed the P40 Pro with a sizable camera bump to house the five lenses, a notchless screen with hole-punch selfie camera, no headphone jack, a USB-C port on the bottom, and curved sides.
Earlier leaked images also showed the P40 in six different colors, including mint green.


theverge--2020-02-28--Netflix asks court to cancel the Choose Your Own Adventure trademark

Netflix has taken an aggressive step in its fight with publishing company Chooseco .
It ’ s asking a court to cancel the Choose Your Own Adventure trademark , arguing that it ’ s a generic descriptor rather than a meaningful brand .
As The Hollywood Reporter noted earlier this week , Netflix filed a response to Chooseco ’ s lawsuit over Black Mirror : Bandersnatch , an interactive film released in late 2018 .
Netflix admits that it negotiated with Chooseco over licensing the Choose Your Own Adventure brand .
But it denies that Bandersnatch — in which a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ book while losing his grip on reality — needs a license .
The response argues that Netflix didn ’ t stylistically copy the Choose Your Own Adventure book covers or overtly reference the series .
But it also makes a counterclaim : that Chooseco can no longer control the term , the way that you can ’ t be sued for selling generic aspirin or a thermos .
“ In contemporary parlance , any situation that requires making a series of unguided choices , or that provides an opportunity to go back and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out badly , is referred to as a ‘ Choose Your Own Adventure , ’ ” it reads .
It cites judges casually using the term in rulings , as well as a wealth of interactive fiction that ’ s described as “ choose your own adventure ” for its branching structure .
Chooseco ( which controls a trademark originally owned by Bantam Books ) has been trying to prevent this outcome for years .
It ’ s filed suits against other big companies , including Chrysler , for using the phrase .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ small , obscure indie games that might dilute its trademark .
Some publishers have gone to deliberately ridiculous extents to avoid using the term , like calling their book a “ Select Your Own Choose-Venture ” story .

Netflix has taken an aggressive step in its fight with publishing company Chooseco. It’s asking a court to cancel the Choose Your Own Adventure trademark, arguing that it’s a generic descriptor rather than a meaningful brand.
As The Hollywood Reporter noted earlier this week, Netflix filed a response to Chooseco’s lawsuit over Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, an interactive film released in late 2018. Netflix admits that it negotiated with Chooseco over licensing the Choose Your Own Adventure brand. But it denies that Bandersnatch — in which a game developer adapts a multiple choice ending book while losing his grip on reality — needs a license.
The response argues that Netflix didn’t stylistically copy the Choose Your Own Adventure book covers or overtly reference the series. But it also makes a counterclaim: that Chooseco can no longer control the term, the way that you can’t be sued for selling generic aspirin or a thermos. “In contemporary parlance, any situation that requires making a series of unguided choices, or that provides an opportunity to go back and re-make a series of choices that turned out badly, is referred to as a ‘Choose Your Own Adventure,’” it reads. It cites judges casually using the term in rulings, as well as a wealth of interactive fiction that’s described as “choose your own adventure” for its branching structure.


theverge--2020-02-28--The most ambitious climate pledges from Big Oil are still weak

Another day , another oil giant pledging to fight climate change .
Eni , one of the world ’ s biggest fossil fuel companies , announced today that its oil and gas production will peak in 2025 .
Earlier this month , BP said that it wants to virtually eliminate its greenhouse gases by 2050 .
Royal Dutch Shell and Spanish petroleum company Repsol have made promises to cut down on how much planet-heating pollution they put out , too .
Yes , we now live in a world where corporations that make an extremely opulent living out of dredging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other for green credentials .
They ’ re somehow doing so without actually quitting the fossil fuels that are responsible for bringing about the climate crisis in the first place .
Eni plans to cut down its greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050 .
That includes reining in emissions from the company ’ s operations and from the fossil fuel products it makes and sells .
It says it will continue to up its production of oil and gas by 3.5 percent each year until 2025 .
After that , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pumps out — but build up its gas output to 85 percent of its total production by 2050 .
Even though Eni also plans to generate renewable energy , that ’ s still a whole lot of fossil fuels it plans to dig up and sell .
still a whole lot of fossil fuels Eni ’ s commitment has been hailed as “ among the most ambitious ” pledges yet to take action on climate change from Big Oil and Gas .
“ Italian Giant Eni Sees Oil Peak Just Six Years Away @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Let ’ s put that timeline into context .
The world is supposed to cut its greenhouse gas emissions nearly in half in less than 10 years if it wants to avoid catastrophic climate change .
By catastrophic , we ’ re talking changes that would essentially wipe out coral reefs and inundate a majority of the world ’ s coastlines .
But we ’ re supposed to be relieved that in “ just six years ” Eni will begin to ramp down its fossil fuel output ?
Once its planned shift takes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a transition from one fossil fuel to another .
Eni ’ s biggest business by 2050 will be natural gas , which does let out less carbon dioxide than coal and oil when burned .
But there ’ s more evidence than ever that methane leaks along the natural gas supply chain might cancel out much of those perceived climate gains .
Natural gas is like the e-cigarette of fossil fuels Natural gas is like the e-cigarette of fossil fuels .
Its proponents call it a “ bridge fuel ” that can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ addiction while societies build the infrastructure for a future that runs on renewable energy .
Good intentions aside , turning to natural gas , like e-cigarettes , can be habit-forming .
And if it makes up 85 percent of Eni ’ s production by 2050 , natural gas is looking less like a bridge to a renewable future and more like… just the future .
Never mind that by 2050 , the world is supposed to have figured out how to get its greenhouse gas emissions to nearly zero in order to avoid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to the United Nations panel of leading climate scientists .
So while we may be seeing a domino effect when it comes to environmental promises from Big Oil and Gas , this is not the fall of fossil fuels science shows is necessary to stop the crisis they put us in .

Another day, another oil giant pledging to fight climate change. Eni, one of the world’s biggest fossil fuel companies, announced today that its oil and gas production will peak in 2025. Earlier this month, BP said that it wants to virtually eliminate its greenhouse gases by 2050. Royal Dutch Shell and Spanish petroleum company Repsol have made promises to cut down on how much planet-heating pollution they put out, too. Yes, we now live in a world where corporations that make an extremely opulent living out of dredging up fossil fuels are competing with each other for green credentials. They’re somehow doing so without actually quitting the fossil fuels that are responsible for bringing about the climate crisis in the first place.
Another day, another oil giant pledging to fight climate change
Eni plans to cut down its greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050. That includes reining in emissions from the company’s operations and from the fossil fuel products it makes and sells. It says it will continue to up its production of oil and gas by 3.5 percent each year until 2025. After that, it will wind down how much oil it pumps out — but build up its gas output to 85 percent of its total production by 2050. Even though Eni also plans to generate renewable energy, that’s still a whole lot of fossil fuels it plans to dig up and sell.
Eni’s commitment has been hailed as “among the most ambitious” pledges yet to take action on climate change from Big Oil and Gas. “Italian Giant Eni Sees Oil Peak Just Six Years Away,” reads a Bloomberg headline.
Let’s put that timeline into context. The world is supposed to cut its greenhouse gas emissions nearly in half in less than 10 years if it wants to avoid catastrophic climate change. By catastrophic, we’re talking changes that would essentially wipe out coral reefs and inundate a majority of the world’s coastlines. But we’re supposed to be relieved that in “just six years” Eni will begin to ramp down its fossil fuel output?
Once its planned shift takes place in 2025, it will primarily be a transition from one fossil fuel to another. Eni’s biggest business by 2050 will be natural gas, which does let out less carbon dioxide than coal and oil when burned. But there’s more evidence than ever that methane leaks along the natural gas supply chain might cancel out much of those perceived climate gains.
Natural gas is like the e-cigarette of fossil fuels
Natural gas is like the e-cigarette of fossil fuels. Its proponents call it a “bridge fuel” that can help wean humans off their fossil fuel addiction while societies build the infrastructure for a future that runs on renewable energy. Good intentions aside, turning to natural gas, like e-cigarettes, can be habit-forming. And if it makes up 85 percent of Eni’s production by 2050, natural gas is looking less like a bridge to a renewable future and more like… just the future.
Never mind that by 2050, the world is supposed to have figured out how to get its greenhouse gas emissions to nearly zero in order to avoid that disastrous case climate scenario stated above, according to the United Nations panel of leading climate scientists.


theverge--2020-02-28--Vergecast: Samsung Galaxy S20 Ultra’s camera issues and Bob Iger steps down as Disney CEO

Two things that grabbed our attention this week at The Verge was Samsung ’ s Galaxy S20 Ultra and Bob Iger stepping down as Disney CEO .
So that ’ s what took up a lot of discussion on The Verge ’ s flagship podcast The Vergecast .
Executive editor of The Verge and co-host of The Vergecast Dieter Bohn published his review of the Galaxy S20 Ultra this week , and the podcast expands upon it , focusing mostly on the camera ( pun intended , I guess , since this is edited ) .
In the second half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Alexander returns to discuss the news that altered her week significantly : Bob Iger has stepped down as Disney CEO .
Julia explains how this will affect Disney ’ s business and who ’ s in charge now .
There ’ s a lot more news sprinkled throughout the show — like Paul ’ s weekly segment “ A plurality of puffs , ” some new phones announced after Mobile World Congress was canceled , and updates on specs for the upcoming Xbox series X — so listen through here or on your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
• Samsung pledges to improve Galaxy S20 camera after reviewers see issues • Bob Iger steps down as Disney CEO , replaced by Bob Chapek • Meet Bob Chapek , Disney ’ s new CEO and the Tim Cook to Iger ’ s Steve Jobs • Disney ’ s new corporate synergy nightmare is personified in Simpsons promo • New Juul patent application hints at AI-powered vape to help users quit nicotine • Apple ’ s new Mac Pro and Pro Display technology overviews show off just how ‘ pro ’ they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ThinQ 5G shows steady evolution for a company in need of big change • Samsung Galaxy Buds Plus review : better sound , even better stamina • Huawei announces the Mate XS foldable with a more durable display and faster processor • Xbox Series X official specs : AMD CPU , 12 teraflop GPU , SSD , and more • Microsoft ’ s Xbox Series X will be able to resume games even after a reboot

Two things that grabbed our attention this week at The Verge was Samsung’s Galaxy S20 Ultra and Bob Iger stepping down as Disney CEO. So that’s what took up a lot of discussion on The Verge’s flagship podcast The Vergecast.
Executive editor of The Verge and co-host of The Vergecast Dieter Bohn published his review of the Galaxy S20 Ultra this week, and the podcast expands upon it, focusing mostly on the camera (pun intended, I guess, since this is edited).
In the second half of the show, Verge reporter Julia Alexander returns to discuss the news that altered her week significantly: Bob Iger has stepped down as Disney CEO. Julia explains how this will affect Disney’s business and who’s in charge now.
There’s a lot more news sprinkled throughout the show — like Paul’s weekly segment “A plurality of puffs,” some new phones announced after Mobile World Congress was canceled, and updates on specs for the upcoming Xbox series X — so listen through here or on your preferred podcast player to hear it all.
Stories discussed this week:


theverge--2020-02-28--United Airlines suspends routes to Japan amid rising coronavirus fears

United Airlines said it would be suspending routes to Japan as the number of novel coronavirus cases in the island nation continue to rise .
It is the first US carrier to make broader cuts to service in Asia because of the virus .
Routes between Tokyo and US hubs in Los Angeles and Houston would be temporarily canceled starting March 3rd through April 24th , the airline said .
The once-daily Newark to Tokyo route would be reduced to just five times a week starting March 28th through April 24th .
And the Honolulu to Tokyo flight will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smaller 787-8 aircraft starting in April .
Flights to South Korea and Singapore are also being downgraded .
United is offering to waive change fees and refund travel to and from select cities .
“ We ’ ll stay in close contact with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health organizations as we continue to evaluate our schedule , ” the airline said on its website for coronavirus news .
Delta Air Lines is “ currently operating a normal schedule to Japan , ” a spokesperson said .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a request for comment .
The news comes after the US State Department issued a travel warning earlier this week against nonessential travel to Japan .
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that older travelers and people with underlying health issues should consider postponing nonessential travel .
The three major carriers have already temporarily suspended flights to China where the vast majority of novel coronavirus cases are .
United said that flights to China would be suspended until the end of April .
People with travel plans to Italy are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
United , Delta , and American are offering travel waivers amid an outbreak of the virus in that country .
All three airlines said they are waiving change fees for travelers who reschedule their trips to Italy .
As of Friday , the novel coronavirus had claimed the lives of 15 in Italy and infected more than 655 in the country .
The virus has so far killed over 2,800 around the globe and sickened more than 83,000 .

United Airlines said it would be suspending routes to Japan as the number of novel coronavirus cases in the island nation continue to rise. It is the first US carrier to make broader cuts to service in Asia because of the virus.
Routes between Tokyo and US hubs in Los Angeles and Houston would be temporarily canceled starting March 3rd through April 24th, the airline said. The once-daily Newark to Tokyo route would be reduced to just five times a week starting March 28th through April 24th. And the Honolulu to Tokyo flight will be downgraded from a Boeing 777-200 to a smaller 787-8 aircraft starting in April.
“we continue to evaluate our schedule”
Flights to South Korea and Singapore are also being downgraded. United is offering to waive change fees and refund travel to and from select cities. “We’ll stay in close contact with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other health organizations as we continue to evaluate our schedule,” the airline said on its website for coronavirus news.
Delta Air Lines is “currently operating a normal schedule to Japan,” a spokesperson said. A spokesperson for American Airlines said they were “closely monitoring the situation.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that older travelers and people with underlying health issues should consider postponing nonessential travel. The State Department issued a warning that mirrors that of the CDC —to “exercise increased caution, not cease travel.”
The three major carriers have already temporarily suspended flights to China where the vast majority of novel coronavirus cases are. United said that flights to China would be suspended until the end of April.
People with travel plans to Italy are also being urged to reschedule their flights. United, Delta, and American are offering travel waivers amid an outbreak of the virus in that country. All three airlines said they are waiving change fees for travelers who reschedule their trips to Italy.
As of Friday, the novel coronavirus had claimed the lives of 15 in Italy and infected more than 655 in the country. The virus has so far killed over 2,800 around the globe and sickened more than 83,000.


theverge--2020-02-28--Latest Stadia update hints at free tier launch, YouTube streaming features

Google Stadia had a rough launch , with plenty of missing features and unfulfilled promises .
But the latest update to the Stadia app hints that some of those features might be coming soon , including the highly anticipated free tier , YouTube streaming , family game sharing , and more , as spotted by 9to5Google .
The biggest thing is an indication that Google is gearing up to launch its free Stadia Base tier of service soon .
9to5Google ’ s report found strings in the app that allow for registration without a paid Stadia code , along with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ memberships ( which includes several free games , along with other benefits ) .
Also found in the app is an indication that Google may be limiting the number of people who can sign up and play Stadia at one time , with warnings that “ Sorry , Stadia is full in your area , ” and “ In order to provide the best game quality for everyone , we limit the number of accounts on Stadia .
We ’ ve hit that limit , but we ’ re working hard to build @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more people can enjoy the same high-quality game performance .
Please check back in the future for new player availability.
” Another new feature hinted at in the app is the long-promised ability to live-stream games directly from Stadia to YouTube , something Google has been showcasing as a major feature for Stadia since it was first announced .
New strings for buttons and menus related to starting , managing , and stopping YouTube live streams were spotted in the latest app , implying that the feature could be rolling out soon .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ console or PC still requires a fair amount of know-how and hardware , making it as simple as pressing a button in the Stadia app could be a big feature for Google ’ s service .
Sadly , the hinted-at features are just that for now : hints .
There ’ s no indication of when they ’ ll be available for customers to try for themselves .
Still , it ’ s an encouraging sign that Google is working hard to make its initial Stadia promises a reality — even if these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have hoped .

Google Stadia had a rough launch, with plenty of missing features and unfulfilled promises. But the latest update to the Stadia app hints that some of those features might be coming soon, including the highly anticipated free tier, YouTube streaming, family game sharing, and more, as spotted by 9to5Google.
The biggest thing is an indication that Google is gearing up to launch its free Stadia Base tier of service soon. 9to5Google’s report found strings in the app that allow for registration without a paid Stadia code, along with a free one-month trial for Stadia Pro memberships (which includes several free games, along with other benefits).
Also found in the app is an indication that Google may be limiting the number of people who can sign up and play Stadia at one time, with warnings that “Sorry, Stadia is full in your area,” and “In order to provide the best game quality for everyone, we limit the number of accounts on Stadia. We’ve hit that limit, but we’re working hard to build additional room in the Stadia cloud so more people can enjoy the same high-quality game performance. Please check back in the future for new player availability.”
Another new feature hinted at in the app is the long-promised ability to live-stream games directly from Stadia to YouTube, something Google has been showcasing as a major feature for Stadia since it was first announced. New strings for buttons and menus related to starting, managing, and stopping YouTube live streams were spotted in the latest app, implying that the feature could be rolling out soon.
Given that live-streaming games on a traditional console or PC still requires a fair amount of know-how and hardware, making it as simple as pressing a button in the Stadia app could be a big feature for Google’s service.


theverge--2020-02-28--Amazon has barred a million products for making false coronavirus claims

Amazon has blocked over a million products from being sold after they made misleading claims about being able to cure or prevent COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus , Reuters reports .
The retailer also says it has removed tens of thousands of deals due to price gouging , as sellers charge much higher prices for items like face masks as concerns about the virus spread .
The reports of items being removed come less than a week after Amazon issued a warning to sellers on its platform to not hike the price of face masks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak .
The e-commerce platform ’ s Fair Pricing Policy forbids price increases that “ harm customer trust , ” and it says that prices should not be “ significantly higher than recent prices offered on or off Amazon.
” “ There is no place for price gouging on Amazon , ” a spokesperson for the company told Reuters .
“ There is no place for price gouging on Amazon.
” Reuters notes that some face masks and respirators being sold on Amazon have been tripling or even quadrupling in price .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks had increased in price to $ 128 from an average price of $ 41.24 , while two-packs of respirators went from an average price of $ 6.65 to $ 24.99 in one instance .
However , there still appear to be products listed on the site that are being sold at much higher prices than normal .
At the time of publication , this pack of 100 face masks is being sold by a third-party seller for $ 56.99 , while CamelCamelCamel indicates that the product retailed for under $ 10 at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ isn ’ t the only tech platform that ’ s having to deal with companies attempting to profit off of the coronavirus outbreak .
Earlier this week , Facebook confirmed that it is cracking down on ads that make misleading claims about the novel coronavirus or otherwise try to “ create a sense of urgency ” by implying that products like face masks are in limited supply .
Facebook confirmed that these policies also apply to its Marketplace platform where its users can buy and sell items .
In some cases , sellers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s policies .
Most US states have laws against merchants price gouging products like water and medical supplies during emergencies .

Amazon has blocked over a million products from being sold after they made misleading claims about being able to cure or prevent COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, Reuters reports. The retailer also says it has removed tens of thousands of deals due to price gouging, as sellers charge much higher prices for items like face masks as concerns about the virus spread.
The reports of items being removed come less than a week after Amazon issued a warning to sellers on its platform to not hike the price of face masks, which are in high demand amid the outbreak. The e-commerce platform’s Fair Pricing Policy forbids price increases that “harm customer trust,” and it says that prices should not be “significantly higher than recent prices offered on or off Amazon.”
“There is no place for price gouging on Amazon,” a spokesperson for the company told Reuters.
“There is no place for price gouging on Amazon.”
Reuters notes that some face masks and respirators being sold on Amazon have been tripling or even quadrupling in price. One (since-removed) 10-pack of N95 face masks had increased in price to $128 from an average price of $41.24, while two-packs of respirators went from an average price of $6.65 to $24.99 in one instance.
However, there still appear to be products listed on the site that are being sold at much higher prices than normal. At the time of publication, this pack of 100 face masks is being sold by a third-party seller for $56.99, while CamelCamelCamel indicates that the product retailed for under $10 at the beginning of the month.
Amazon isn’t the only tech platform that’s having to deal with companies attempting to profit off of the coronavirus outbreak. Earlier this week, Facebook confirmed that it is cracking down on ads that make misleading claims about the novel coronavirus or otherwise try to “create a sense of urgency” by implying that products like face masks are in limited supply. Facebook confirmed that these policies also apply to its Marketplace platform where its users can buy and sell items.