theverge--2020-02-19--Foldable phones can’t catch a break, mainly because they keep breaking

Soon , I swear to you , we will stop talking about folding phones so much in this space .
We ’ re just about finished , as I ’ ll be working with our video team for the review of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip today — expect it later this week .
A quick thanks to everybody who sent in questions and if you have one , let me know and I ’ ll try to address it in the review .
There ’ s a cliché is that three instances makes a pattern and now that there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the US , a pattern has emerged .
The Galaxy Fold , Motorola Razr , and Galaxy Z Flip have each had their respective launch dramas , complete with broken screens , availability issues , and very hard to justify prices .
Recapping the Galaxy Fold and the Motorola Razr at this point seems like overkill , but it is worth noting that at least one Razr developed an absolutely bizarre screen separation issue .
Put that next to the well-trod issues with the Fold ’ s screen and drama round the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weekend and we ’ re three-for-three on folding phones with durability issues .
For the Z Flip , it ’ s at least one cracked screen from the cold and what you might call failures in durability stress testing .
JerryRigEverything produced a video showing just how easily the plastic coating on the glass screen picks up marks and scratches and also how the “ ultra thin glass ” is so thin it hardly acts like glass at all when punctured with a fine point .
I will tell you that our reporting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a full day of confusing ire in my Twitter replies about whether or not Samsung was telling the truth about the Z Flip being made of glass .
For the record : it ’ s glass covered in a plastic coating , which has some advantages over the purely plastic screens on other folding phones but not nearly as many as you might assume .
JerryRigEverything ’ s video is proof of that .
Meanwhile , iFixit will have posted a full teardown by the time you read this story and has also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Z Flip utterly failed to stand up to what I think was some pretty harsh abuse : being shaken in a bag of very fine and gritty powder .
It was not at all reflective of how I think anybody would treat these phones , but nevertheless not entirely unfair .
The Z Flip has some extra protections against dust ingress and it does have that glass substrate .
Compared to both the Galaxy Fold and the Motorola Razr , the Z Flip is a marked upgrade in build quality .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ more fragile than any smartphone we ’ ve seen in quite some time — maybe ever .
Samsung ’ s improvements deserve credit , but it ’ s baffling to me that the company didn ’ t get out ahead of what seem like entirely predictable issues with the Z Flip .
Of course people were going to beat it to hell and of course that would lead to justifiable worries about durability .
Samsung ’ s decision to only provide 24-hour loaners to reviewers like myself only adds to the sense of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was finally able to purchase after trying all weekend , not the loaner ) .
Samsung ’ s response to the screen durability problem is to note there ’ s a $ 119 one-time screen replacement and that buyers can go to a U Break I Fix store to have some sort of screen protector installed for free — apparently it requires a professional .
But it shouldn ’ t have been a response , it should have been communicated from the jump .
The other response is a press release touting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggesting it ’ s in high demand .
There ’ s even a tagline , “ tough , yet tender.
” Because what you want out of glass is to think of it like the title of a romance novel .
All three phones had three major launch problems : price , durability , and initial availability .
Put all that together and I am confused why Samsung and Motorola treated these phones so much like regular consumer devices instead of the experiments they clearly are .
A much better strategy would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limited editions.
” Treat them like something in between a sneaker drop and Google Glass .
A little hype but also a lot of expectation setting about how they ’ re not ready for the real world yet — plus you could make a big deal out of how few were being produced .
Because all three of these phones share a fourth commonality : the vast , vast majority of people shouldn ’ t buy one .
┏ Apple warns revenue will be lower than expected because of coronavirus impact .
┏ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during epidemics .
Nicole Wetsman with the analysis I have been waiting for .
“ Being cautious and overreacting at the same time ” is the perfect way to describe it .
All the below stories from the past day or two are technically unrelated but , as TC Sottek noted on Twitter , seem related on some deeper , metaphysical level .
This isn ’ t a complete thought so don ’ t hold me to it , but there ’ s there ’ s an argument to be made that Bill @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 1990s and Elon Musk is the tech CEO we deserve ( for better or worse ) in the 2020s .
┏ Bill Gates bought a Porsche , and then Elon Musk talked trash about him .
┏ Elon Musk says AI development should be better regulated , even at Tesla .
┏ Marshall adds active noise cancellation to its over-ear headphones , now with USB-C. ┏ Nintendo announces first new Switch Lite color since launch .
Coral , the new color , is the second best Switch Lite color after yellow , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
┏ Ring enables mandatory two-factor authentication and new privacy controls in response to scandals .
This should have been Amazon ’ s ( Ring ’ s parent company ) very first reaction .
┏ Google appeases Stadia subscribers with the first new game announcements since launch .
But at least Google is starting to give more specifics about upcoming games .
It ’ s easy enough to turn the subscription back on if and when I want it .
Google also announced a ton of newly compatible phones — though most are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stadia Pro subscription is easy , and you won ’ t lose your paid games .
I did this .
When there are more games I might consider re-subscribing — but for now I mainly use it in contexts where the higher resolution is either not that important or not possible because of bandwidth issues .
Also , here ’ s your regular reminder to think of subscriptions in terms of yearly costs instead of monthly ones , which means you should think of Stadia Pro as costing $ 120 per year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ platform , that seems worth it .
If it ’ s not , well , the free tier works fine .
As with streaming video services , you can subscribe and unsubscribe as often as you like .
More from The Verge ┏ Civilized Cycles is an electric bike full of surprises .
Andrew Hawkins is having way more fun testing out weird and different kinds of e-bikes than I am testing weird and different kinds of smartphones : ┏ Apple might use its own 5G antenna in its 2020 iPhones .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I think .
If it can significantly outperform Qualcomm on this part , I would expect Apple to be more aggressive on its timeline for dropping other parts .
There are easy jokes to make about Antennagate here , but I ’ ll avoid them .
The stakes are quite high .

Soon, I swear to you, we will stop talking about folding phones so much in this space. We’re just about finished, as I’ll be working with our video team for the review of the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip today — expect it later this week. A quick thanks to everybody who sent in questions and if you have one, let me know and I’ll try to address it in the review.
There’s a cliché is that three instances makes a pattern and now that there have been three folding phones sold here in the US, a pattern has emerged. The Galaxy Fold, Motorola Razr, and Galaxy Z Flip have each had their respective launch dramas, complete with broken screens, availability issues, and very hard to justify prices.
Recapping the Galaxy Fold and the Motorola Razr at this point seems like overkill, but it is worth noting that at least one Razr developed an absolutely bizarre screen separation issue. Put that next to the well-trod issues with the Fold’s screen and drama round the Z Flip’s screen over the weekend and we’re three-for-three on folding phones with durability issues.
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For the Z Flip, it’s at least one cracked screen from the cold and what you might call failures in durability stress testing. JerryRigEverything produced a video showing just how easily the plastic coating on the glass screen picks up marks and scratches and also how the “ultra thin glass” is so thin it hardly acts like glass at all when punctured with a fine point.
I will tell you that our reporting on Samsung’s response led to a full day of confusing ire in my Twitter replies about whether or not Samsung was telling the truth about the Z Flip being made of glass. For the record: it’s glass covered in a plastic coating, which has some advantages over the purely plastic screens on other folding phones but not nearly as many as you might assume. JerryRigEverything’s video is proof of that.
Meanwhile, iFixit will have posted a full teardown by the time you read this story and has also put up a video of its own. The Z Flip utterly failed to stand up to what I think was some pretty harsh abuse: being shaken in a bag of very fine and gritty powder. It was not at all reflective of how I think anybody would treat these phones, but nevertheless not entirely unfair.
The Z Flip has some extra protections against dust ingress and it does have that glass substrate. Compared to both the Galaxy Fold and the Motorola Razr, the Z Flip is a marked upgrade in build quality. Fundamentally, though, these phones are more fragile than any smartphone we’ve seen in quite some time — maybe ever.
Samsung’s improvements deserve credit, but it’s baffling to me that the company didn’t get out ahead of what seem like entirely predictable issues with the Z Flip. Of course people were going to beat it to hell and of course that would lead to justifiable worries about durability. Samsung’s decision to only provide 24-hour loaners to reviewers like myself only adds to the sense of mistrust (I am reviewing a phone I was finally able to purchase after trying all weekend, not the loaner).
Samsung’s response to the screen durability problem is to note there’s a $119 one-time screen replacement and that buyers can go to a U Break I Fix store to have some sort of screen protector installed for free — apparently it requires a professional. But it shouldn’t have been a response, it should have been communicated from the jump.
The other response is a press release touting the qualities of this new glass and suggesting it’s in high demand. There’s even a tagline, “tough, yet tender.” Because what you want out of glass is to think of it like the title of a romance novel.
All three phones had three major launch problems: price, durability, and initial availability. Put all that together and I am confused why Samsung and Motorola treated these phones so much like regular consumer devices instead of the experiments they clearly are.
A much better strategy would have been to just label them as “limited editions.” Treat them like something in between a sneaker drop and Google Glass. A little hype but also a lot of expectation setting about how they’re not ready for the real world yet — plus you could make a big deal out of how few were being produced.
Because all three of these phones share a fourth commonality: the vast, vast majority of people shouldn’t buy one.
Coronavirus
┏ Coronavirus cancellations show evidence-based decisions are rare during epidemics. Nicole Wetsman with the analysis I have been waiting for. “Being cautious and overreacting at the same time” is the perfect way to describe it.
If the Mobile World Congress had gone on as planned, Abramson says it probably wouldn’t have put attendees’ health at increased risk, if precautions were taken — it was set to take place in Spain, which doesn’t have active spread of the virus. “They were being cautious and probably overreacting at the same time,” Abramson says.
Elon Musk and Bill Gates
All the below stories from the past day or two are technically unrelated but, as TC Sottek noted on Twitter, seem related on some deeper, metaphysical level. This isn’t a complete thought so don’t hold me to it, but there’s there’s an argument to be made that Bill Gates was the perfect tech CEO for the 1990s and Elon Musk is the tech CEO we deserve (for better or worse) in the 2020s.
Product launches, product fixes
┏ Nintendo announces first new Switch Lite color since launch. Coral, the new color, is the second best Switch Lite color after yellow, which is the best Switch Lite color.
┏ Ring enables mandatory two-factor authentication and new privacy controls in response to scandals. This should have been Amazon’s (Ring’s parent company) very first reaction.
Google keeps pushing Stadia
┏ Google appeases Stadia subscribers with the first new game announcements since launch. But at least Google is starting to give more specifics about upcoming games. It’s easy enough to turn the subscription back on if and when I want it. Google also announced a ton of newly compatible phones — though most are Samsung Galaxy phones.
┏ Canceling your Stadia Pro subscription is easy, and you won’t lose your paid games. I did this. When there are more games I might consider re-subscribing — but for now I mainly use it in contexts where the higher resolution is either not that important or not possible because of bandwidth issues.
Also, here’s your regular reminder to think of subscriptions in terms of yearly costs instead of monthly ones, which means you should think of Stadia Pro as costing $120 per year. If it’s your primary gaming platform, that seems worth it. If it’s not, well, the free tier works fine. As with streaming video services, you can subscribe and unsubscribe as often as you like.
More from The Verge
┏ Civilized Cycles is an electric bike full of surprises. Andrew Hawkins is having way more fun testing out weird and different kinds of e-bikes than I am testing weird and different kinds of smartphones:
One of the things that excite me the most about e-bikes is the experimentation with form factors: mini-bikes that look like motorcycles, freight bikes that look like tiny trucks, fat tire bikes with a ton of power and maybe an automotive badge.
┏ Apple might use its own 5G antenna in its 2020 iPhones. This will be a real test for Apple, I think. If it can significantly outperform Qualcomm on this part, I would expect Apple to be more aggressive on its timeline for dropping other parts. There are easy jokes to make about Antennagate here, but I’ll avoid them. The stakes are quite high.


theverge--2020-02-19--Steam cross-save is a game-changer for the Switch

Apologies in advance for the unpopular statement , but I could never get into The Witcher 3 .
I bought it on PC when it came out nearly five years ago , and while it ’ s obviously beautiful and filled with great characters , something about the combat never really clicked with me and I bounced off the game altogether .
But , like many other people , the endearingly irreverent Netflix adaptation made me want to give the game another shot , and the recently released Switch port felt like a good opportunity .
( If nothing else @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on earth the game would actually run on the Switch . )
Despite picking it up on sale , though , I still never really felt like diving back in .
I didn ’ t play that much of the PC original , but the prospect of replaying even the opening 10 percent of a 100-hour-plus game turned out not to be all that appealing .
Fortunately , I won ’ t have to do that anymore .
CD Projekt Red just released an update for the Switch version that includes various graphical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ importantly lets you share cloud saves with the PC version through Steam and CD Projekt Red ’ s own GOG platform .
And you know what ?
I think this might finally get me into The Witcher 3 for real .
The process is simple — you select the cloud saves option from the main menu , which brings up a browser window from which you can log into either service .
I popped in my Steam details , and in under a minute I had a list of my untouched-since-2016 save files @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the game loaded , I was right where I ’ d left off all those years ago .
This is an incredible feature This is an incredible feature .
The Switch version of The Witcher 3 might be a technical marvel for existing at all , and it lets you play the game in situations that would otherwise be impossible .
But it ’ s obviously a compromised experience , and not really something I could see myself playing from start to finish .
The ability to swap between the PC and Switch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makes the Switch version much more compelling .
The whole point of the port is its portability , but this way you don ’ t have to play a worse-looking version on a bigger screen at home .
You can have the best possible experience in any situation .
I should also note that the Switch version ’ s new graphical options can make a meaningful difference to the game ’ s visual presentation .
The ability to turn off anti-aliasing , for example , makes for a much less blurry image .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sharpening , which I find to be a little overdone on the high setting but is generally an improvement when set to low .
The Witcher 3 isn ’ t the first Switch game to support Steam cross-saves , but the list is very short .
While some other games offer cross-save through other methods like Microsoft ’ s Xbox Play Anywhere ( Ori and the Blind Forest ) or their own proprietary services ( Fortnite ) , very few work through the built-in cloud save system provided by Valve ’ s dominant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came across that worked this way with Steam was the recent port of Divinity : Original Sin II , which I also wrote about last year because of its surprisingly excellent Mac version .
( As pointed out on Twitter , Civilization VI was actually the first . )
Like The Witcher 3 , it ’ s a huge RPG with vast scope and it ’ s a wonder it runs on the Switch at all ; it ’ s also something that really benefits from having a portable version that you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Accessing your Steam saves is exactly as easy as it is on The Witcher 3 , and while Divinity doesn ’ t quite map to a controller as naturally , it ’ s still a great option to have for such a deep and engrossing game .
I don ’ t think this feature should be limited to life-dominating RPGs , though .
I ’ ve re-bought a bunch of Switch games that I already owned on PC because I wanted to play them on the go , and I definitely would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from scratch on each of them .
Games like Celeste , Doom , Valkyria Chronicles , Axiom Verge , Return of the Obra Dinn , Stardew Valley , Into the Breach , Resident Evil 4 , and even oddball ports like Jedi Knight II : Jedi Outcast are all examples of games that I own on both platforms and would love to share progress across .
I ’ m sure there are technical reasons for why Steam cross-save wouldn ’ t work on some Switch games , and I ’ m not about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knowing how tricky it is to get up and running .
But I ’ m also sure that most people didn ’ t even know it was a possibility until recently , and I ’ m hopeful that The Witcher 3 ’ s high-profile addition of the feature helps drive its adoption across Switch games in the future .
It makes Switch ports of PC games , and by extension the system they run on , a way more interesting proposition .

Apologies in advance for the unpopular statement, but I could never get into The Witcher 3. I bought it on PC when it came out nearly five years ago, and while it’s obviously beautiful and filled with great characters, something about the combat never really clicked with me and I bounced off the game altogether.
But, like many other people, the endearingly irreverent Netflix adaptation made me want to give the game another shot, and the recently released Switch port felt like a good opportunity. (If nothing else, I just wanted to see how on earth the game would actually run on the Switch.) Despite picking it up on sale, though, I still never really felt like diving back in. I didn’t play that much of the PC original, but the prospect of replaying even the opening 10 percent of a 100-hour-plus game turned out not to be all that appealing.
Fortunately, I won’t have to do that anymore. CD Projekt Red just released an update for the Switch version that includes various graphical tweaks and performance improvements, but more importantly lets you share cloud saves with the PC version through Steam and CD Projekt Red’s own GOG platform. And you know what? I think this might finally get me into The Witcher 3 for real.
The process is simple — you select the cloud saves option from the main menu, which brings up a browser window from which you can log into either service. I popped in my Steam details, and in under a minute I had a list of my untouched-since-2016 save files to pick from. Then, once the game loaded, I was right where I’d left off all those years ago.
This is an incredible feature
This is an incredible feature. The Switch version of The Witcher 3 might be a technical marvel for existing at all, and it lets you play the game in situations that would otherwise be impossible. But it’s obviously a compromised experience, and not really something I could see myself playing from start to finish. The ability to swap between the PC and Switch for the same adventure, though, makes the Switch version much more compelling. The whole point of the port is its portability, but this way you don’t have to play a worse-looking version on a bigger screen at home. You can have the best possible experience in any situation.
I should also note that the Switch version’s new graphical options can make a meaningful difference to the game’s visual presentation. The ability to turn off anti-aliasing, for example, makes for a much less blurry image. You can also adjust the level of sharpening, which I find to be a little overdone on the high setting but is generally an improvement when set to low.
The Witcher 3 isn’t the first Switch game to support Steam cross-saves, but the list is very short. While some other games offer cross-save through other methods like Microsoft’s Xbox Play Anywhere (Ori and the Blind Forest) or their own proprietary services (Fortnite), very few work through the built-in cloud save system provided by Valve’s dominant platform.
‘The Witcher 3’ follows ‘Divinity: Original Sin II’
The first Switch game I came across that worked this way with Steam was the recent port of Divinity: Original Sin II, which I also wrote about last year because of its surprisingly excellent Mac version. (As pointed out on Twitter, Civilization VI was actually the first.) Like The Witcher 3, it’s a huge RPG with vast scope and it’s a wonder it runs on the Switch at all; it’s also something that really benefits from having a portable version that you can dip into when you have the time. Accessing your Steam saves is exactly as easy as it is on The Witcher 3, and while Divinity doesn’t quite map to a controller as naturally, it’s still a great option to have for such a deep and engrossing game.
I don’t think this feature should be limited to life-dominating RPGs, though. I’ve re-bought a bunch of Switch games that I already owned on PC because I wanted to play them on the go, and I definitely would have appreciated the ability to avoid starting from scratch on each of them. Games like Celeste, Doom, Valkyria Chronicles, Axiom Verge, Return of the Obra Dinn, Stardew Valley, Into the Breach, Resident Evil 4, and even oddball ports like Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast are all examples of games that I own on both platforms and would love to share progress across.
I’m sure there are technical reasons for why Steam cross-save wouldn’t work on some Switch games, and I’m not about to call for its universal implementation without knowing how tricky it is to get up and running. But I’m also sure that most people didn’t even know it was a possibility until recently, and I’m hopeful that The Witcher 3’s high-profile addition of the feature helps drive its adoption across Switch games in the future. It makes Switch ports of PC games, and by extension the system they run on, a way more interesting proposition.


theverge--2020-02-19--Facebook’s proposed regulations are just things it’s already doing

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Over the weekend , a familiar debate broke out over a Facebook policy decision .
The company announced that ads made by influencers , on behalf of politicians , would be allowed on the platform so long as they were labeled as ads .
The company will not , however , put those ads in its Ads Library , where they can be reviewed by the public .
It ’ s not clear that anyone will review those ads outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Commission , which regulates political advertising , currently has no policy on influencer marketing .
The influencer posts can be fact-checked , unless they contain the speech of a politician , in which case they can not .
Got all that ?
Great .
I don ’ t know why you would build a whole public ads library , require a certain subset of posts to be labeled as ads , and then exempt those ads from your ads library .
I also don ’ t know why you would invite a fresh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over unlabeled viral political ads from influencers , false political ads from influencers that are not fact-checked due to the presence of candidate political speech , and so on .
The situation would seem to pit the company ’ s integrity teams against their advertising teams , with the advertising teams winning all the most important battles .
But set all that aside for a moment .
Who should be setting all these policies in the first place ?
Should it be Facebook , or should it be someone else ?
Someone like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Well , that ’ s what Facebook says it wants .
Mark Zuckerberg said as much during a trip over the weekend to Europe .
Facebook also released a white paper ( PDF ) outlining the approach it would like to see regulators take to creating legal standards for content moderation .
The approach it would like to see , you may not be surprised to learn , is one that largely follows the avenues Facebook has already taken .
That includes : requiring public reporting on policy enforcement actions ; reducing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; and blocking attempts to regulate speech based on the content of that speech .
( The paper does not address how countries might regulate political ads , though Zuckerberg ’ s statement that posts on Facebook ought to be regulated like something in between a telecom company and a newspaper suggests the answer is “ very lightly.
” European regulators , for their part , dismissed Facebook ’ s white paper so quickly that you wondered if they had even bothered to read it .
Here ’ s Valentina Pop in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find Facebook ’ s suggested regulations self-serving , they do highlight important trade-offs that states will have to make as they consider new laws .
Consider , for example , the increasingly popular idea of legally requiring platforms to remove bad posts within 24 hours .
Facebook points out , rightly I think , that this creates the wrong incentives : Here Facebook ’ s preferred solution — requiring companies to take down bad posts that hit a certain threshold of virality — strikes me as more likely to create a positive effect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and lives in the world that the internet creates , has a rooting interest in both platforms and nation states finding a good balance .
And even as we watch Facebook struggle to articulate a coherent position on political ads , we see nation states adopting awful regulations that serve only to censor their citizens .
Here ’ s Eileen Yu from over the weekend in ZDNet : Among the stories that had outraged Singapore ’ s government was ... a story about two critics of the government being arrested .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — see also these brand-new rules for social media in Pakistan . )
It ’ s easy to root for tech platforms to be regulated .
It ’ s harder to accept that those regulations , when they finally do appear , are so often terrible .
Today in news that could affect public perception of the big tech platforms .
Trending up : Google is in talks with publishers about paying a licensing fee for content in a news product .
If it moves forward , it would mark a shift in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ news organizations .
( Benjamin Mullin / The Wall Street Journal ) Trending sideways : Amazon ’ s Ring is changing its privacy settings two weeks after a study showed the company shares peoples ’ personal information with Facebook and Google without their consent .
The change will let Ring users block the company from sharing most , but not all , of their data .
⭐ Kickstarter employees voted to unionize today , becoming the first prominent American technology company to join a resurgent labor movement .
Here ’ s Kate Conger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times : An Israeli court ordered Facebook to unblock the account of an NSO Group employee .
The social media giant blocked the account after accusing NSO Group of helping government spies break into the phones of about 1,400 WhatsApp users , including journalists and activists .
( Reuters ) Facebook ’ s former security chief Alex Stamos spoke about the likelihood of state-backed spies workingin Silicon Valley on a podcast last week .
“ I expect that every major US tech company has at least several people that have been turned by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probably Israel , and a couple other US allies , ” he said .
Fun !
( Dot Dot Dot ) Google redraws the borders on its maps depending on who ’ s looking .
The team in charge of these changes says they often have to alter maps due to political pressure and the whims of executives .
( Greg Bensinger / The Washington Post ) An Australian court has ordered Google to identify an anonymous user who gave a negative review to a Melbourne dental surgeon .
Dr. Matthew Kabbabe says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three months ago urged others to “ stay away ” from his practice , which damaged his business .
( Kim Lyons / The Verge ) Oracle ’ s top lobbyist in Washington DC , Ken Glueck , is a major force behind the increased government scrutiny of leading technology companies like Google and Amazon .
Recently , he ’ s prodded federal antitrust regulators to investigate whether Google is violating competition laws .
And now his boss , Larry Ellison , is throwing a fundraiser for President Trump .
( James V. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McKinnon / The Wall Street Journal ) Deepfake videos are making their way into Indian electoral campaigns .
It ’ s a sign that the technology , first used extensively in porn , has become a political weapon .
( Nilesh Christopher / Vice ) ⭐ Microsoft has a new product called ElectionGuard that could help election officials instantly detect hacks .
The open-source voting-machine software gets its first real-world test today , when it ’ s used in a local election in Fulton , Wisconsin .
Here ’ s CNET ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter style seems to have encouraged other old rich men like Mike Bloomberg , Jay Carney , and Jeff Bezos to loosen up online .
Just what the internet needed .
( Jonah Engel Bromwich / The New York Times ) Twitter ’ s global data protection officer , Damien Kieran , is trying to build a privacy-conscious company culture .
In an interview , he also said that the company “ absolutely ” supports strong privacy laws .
( David Pierce / Protocol ) Signal is putting its $ 50 million investment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use , building out features to help it go mainstream .
In the last three months , the company has added support for iPad and ephemeral images and video designed to disappear after a single viewing .
It ’ s also announced plans to roll out a new system for group messaging .
( Andy Greenberg / Wired ) Google has been slow to embrace AR , unlike Apple and Facebook .
Part of this stems from the company ’ s experience with Google Glass , which bombed with consumers and raised privacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Information ) For YouTube ’ s 15th birthday , CEO Susan Wojcicki wrote a blogpost about the company ’ s goals , which include growing the revenue and audiences of YouTube creators and removing content that violates the company ’ s policies as quickly as possible .
( YouTube ) Facebook internally prototyped a tabbed version of the News Feed for mobile devices .
The prototype includes the standard Most Relevant feed , the Most Recent feed of reverse chronological posts that was previously buried as a sidebar bookmark , and an Already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already viewed .
( Josh Constine / TechCrunch ) Instagram is in talks with video producers to increase its funding for shows on IGTV , its platform for longer-form videos .
The conversations come as Facebook tests ways for creators to make more money from IGTV , including an advertising product and revenue-sharing program similar to those available on other social media platforms .
( Sahil Patel / The Wall Street Journal ) Jalaiah Harmon , a 14-year-old in Atlanta , created one of the biggest dances on TikTok .
But when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t get any credit .
Luckily , this article seems to have changed that — Harmon performed the dance this weekend at the NBA All-Star game .
( Taylor Lorenz / The New York Times ) The subreddit r/FemaleDatingStrategy offers dating advice to women and rules on how to act .
But the advice can quickly turn judgmental and oppressively conservative .
( Erin Taylor / The Verge ) The company behind the once-popular live mobile game HQ Trivia was said to be shutting down .
Then CEO Rus Yusupov announced he may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prior to this news , former host Scott Rogowsky tweeted : “ HQ didn ’ t die of natural causes .
It was poisoned with a lethal cocktail of incompetence , arrogance , short-sightedness & sociopathic delusion.
” ( Kerry Flynn / CNN ) The drunken HQ Trivia finale was apparently pretty wild .
The hosts cursed , sprayed champagne , threatened to defecate on the homes of trolls in the chat window and begged for new jobs .
Josh Constine at TechCrunch : Send us tips , comments , questions , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zoe @ theverge.com .

Over the weekend, a familiar debate broke out over a Facebook policy decision. The company announced that ads made by influencers, on behalf of politicians, would be allowed on the platform so long as they were labeled as ads. The company will not, however, put those ads in its Ads Library, where they can be reviewed by the public. It’s not clear that anyone will review those ads outside of Facebook, as the Federal Elections Commission, which regulates political advertising, currently has no policy on influencer marketing. The influencer posts can be fact-checked, unless they contain the speech of a politician, in which case they cannot.
Got all that? Great.
I don’t know why you would build a whole public ads library, require a certain subset of posts to be labeled as ads, and then exempt those ads from your ads library. I also don’t know why you would invite a fresh nine months’ worth of news cycles over unlabeled viral political ads from influencers, false political ads from influencers that are not fact-checked due to the presence of candidate political speech, and so on. The situation would seem to pit the company’s integrity teams against their advertising teams, with the advertising teams winning all the most important battles.
But set all that aside for a moment. Who should be setting all these policies in the first place? Should it be Facebook, or should it be someone else? Someone like, oh, say, the government?
Well, that’s what Facebook says it wants. Mark Zuckerberg said as much during a trip over the weekend to Europe.
“Even if I’m not going to agree with every regulation in the near term, I do think it’s going to be the kind of thing that builds trust and better governance of the internet, and will benefit everyone, including us, over the long term,” Zuckerberg said at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday. He followed up with an op-ed in the Financial Times on Sunday, asserting that Facebook needs “more oversight and accountability.”
Facebook also released a white paper (PDF) outlining the approach it would like to see regulators take to creating legal standards for content moderation. The approach it would like to see, you may not be surprised to learn, is one that largely follows the avenues Facebook has already taken. That includes: requiring public reporting on policy enforcement actions; reducing the visibility of content that violates standards; and blocking attempts to regulate speech based on the content of that speech. (The paper does not address how countries might regulate political ads, though Zuckerberg’s statement that posts on Facebook ought to be regulated like something in between a telecom company and a newspaper suggests the answer is “very lightly.”
European regulators, for their part, dismissed Facebook’s white paper so quickly that you wondered if they had even bothered to read it. Here’s Valentina Pop in the Wall Street Journal:
Thierry Breton, the EU commissioner for internal market and services, who met with Mr. Zuckerberg on Monday, told reporters afterward that the Facebook white paper “is too low in terms of responsibility. There are interesting things, but it’s not enough.” He said the commission will decide by the end of the year what kind of liability to impose on online platforms. “I told him the comparison with telecoms is not relevant. A message [on Facebook] reaches hundreds of millions. On telcos you have one-on-one communications.”
Even if you find Facebook’s suggested regulations self-serving, they do highlight important trade-offs that states will have to make as they consider new laws. Consider, for example, the increasingly popular idea of legally requiring platforms to remove bad posts within 24 hours. Facebook points out, rightly I think, that this creates the wrong incentives:
A requirement that companies “remove all hate speech within 24 hours of receiving a report from a user or government” may incentivize platforms to cease any proactive searches for such content, and to instead use those resources to more quickly review user and government reports on a firstin-first-out basis. In terms of preventing harm, this shift would have serious costs. [...] Companies focused on average speed of assessment would end up prioritizing review of posts unlikely to violate or unlikely to reach many viewers, simply because those posts are closer to the 24-hour deadline, even while other posts are going viral and reaching millions.
Here Facebook’s preferred solution — requiring companies to take down bad posts that hit a certain threshold of virality — strikes me as more likely to create a positive effect.
Everyone who posts on the internet, and lives in the world that the internet creates, has a rooting interest in both platforms and nation states finding a good balance. And even as we watch Facebook struggle to articulate a coherent position on political ads, we see nation states adopting awful regulations that serve only to censor their citizens. Here’s Eileen Yu from over the weekend in ZDNet:
Singapore’s Ministry of Communications and Information (MCI) on Monday instructed Facebook to block access to the States Times Review (STR) page after the latter repeatedly refused to comply with previous directives issued under POFMA. The “disabling” order, outlined under Section 34 of the Act, requires Facebook to disable access for local users. [...] The spokesperson said: “We believe orders like this are disproportionate and contradict the government’s claim that POFMA would not be used as a censorship tool. We’ve repeatedly highlighted this law’s potential for overreach and we’re deeply concerned about the precedent this sets for the stifling of freedom of expression in Singapore.”
Among the stories that had outraged Singapore’s government was ... a story about two critics of the government being arrested. (And it’s not just Singapore — see also these brand-new rules for social media in Pakistan.)
It’s easy to root for tech platforms to be regulated. It’s harder to accept that those regulations, when they finally do appear, are so often terrible.
The Ratio
Today in news that could affect public perception of the big tech platforms.
🔼 Trending up: Google is in talks with publishers about paying a licensing fee for content in a news product. If it moves forward, it would mark a shift in the search giant’s relationship with news organizations. (Benjamin Mullin / The Wall Street Journal)
🔃 Trending sideways: Amazon’s Ring is changing its privacy settings two weeks after a study showed the company shares peoples’ personal information with Facebook and Google without their consent. The change will let Ring users block the company from sharing most, but not all, of their data.
Governing
⭐ Kickstarter employees voted to unionize today, becoming the first prominent American technology company to join a resurgent labor movement. Here’s Kate Conger and Noam Scheiber in The New York Times:
The pro-union vote is significant for the technology industry, where workers have become increasingly activist in recent years over issues as varied as sexual harassment and climate change. Behemoth companies such as Google and Amazon have struggled to get a handle on their employees, who have staged walkouts and demanded that their companies not work with government entities and others. But large-scale unionization efforts have faltered. Only a group of contractors at a Google office in Pittsburgh unionized last year, and a small group of Instacart workers managed to do so this month. In the past, most unionization drives have been associated with blue-collar workers and lower-paid white-collar workers rather than white-collar tech workers, who are often paid upward of $150,000 a year.
An Israeli court ordered Facebook to unblock the account of an NSO Group employee. The social media giant blocked the account after accusing NSO Group of helping government spies break into the phones of about 1,400 WhatsApp users, including journalists and activists. (Reuters)
Facebook’s former security chief Alex Stamos spoke about the likelihood of state-backed spies workingin Silicon Valley on a podcast last week. “I expect that every major US tech company has at least several people that have been turned by at least China, maybe Russia, probably Israel, and a couple other US allies,” he said. Fun! (Dot Dot Dot)
Google redraws the borders on its maps depending on who’s looking. The team in charge of these changes says they often have to alter maps due to political pressure and the whims of executives. (Greg Bensinger / The Washington Post)
An Australian court has ordered Google to identify an anonymous user who gave a negative review to a Melbourne dental surgeon. Dr. Matthew Kabbabe says a reviewer’s comment posted about three months ago urged others to “stay away” from his practice, which damaged his business. (Kim Lyons / The Verge)
Oracle’s top lobbyist in Washington DC, Ken Glueck, is a major force behind the increased government scrutiny of leading technology companies like Google and Amazon. Recently, he’s prodded federal antitrust regulators to investigate whether Google is violating competition laws. And now his boss, Larry Ellison, is throwing a fundraiser for President Trump. (James V. Grimaldi, Brody Mullins and John D. McKinnon / The Wall Street Journal)
Deepfake videos are making their way into Indian electoral campaigns. It’s a sign that the technology, first used extensively in porn, has become a political weapon. (Nilesh Christopher / Vice)
Industry
⭐ Microsoft has a new product called ElectionGuard that could help election officials instantly detect hacks. The open-source voting-machine software gets its first real-world test today, when it’s used in a local election in Fulton, Wisconsin. Here’s CNET’s Alfred Ng:
ElectionGuard addresses what has become a crucial concern in US democracy: the integrity of the vote. The software is designed to establish end-to-end verification for voting machines. A voter can check whether his or her vote was counted. If a hacker had managed to alter a vote, it would be immediately obvious because encryption attached to the vote wouldn’t have changed. [...] The local election will provide Microsoft an opportunity to find blind spots in the ElectionGuard system. The question is how many it will find. During ElectionGuard’s first demo at the Aspen Security Forum last July, Microsoft identified some user experience flaws. A big one: Voters were confused as to why two sheets of paper were printing out.
President Trump’s Twitter style seems to have encouraged other old rich men like Mike Bloomberg, Jay Carney, and Jeff Bezos to loosen up online. Just what the internet needed. (Jonah Engel Bromwich / The New York Times)
Twitter’s global data protection officer, Damien Kieran, is trying to build a privacy-conscious company culture. In an interview, he also said that the company “absolutely” supports strong privacy laws. (David Pierce / Protocol)
Signal is putting its $50 million investment from WhatsApp cofounder Brian Acton to good use, building out features to help it go mainstream. In the last three months, the company has added support for iPad and ephemeral images and video designed to disappear after a single viewing. It’s also announced plans to roll out a new system for group messaging. (Andy Greenberg / Wired)
Google has been slow to embrace AR, unlike Apple and Facebook. Part of this stems from the company’s experience with Google Glass, which bombed with consumers and raised privacy concerns. (Nick Bastone / The Information)
For YouTube’s 15th birthday, CEO Susan Wojcicki wrote a blogpost about the company’s goals, which include growing the revenue and audiences of YouTube creators and removing content that violates the company’s policies as quickly as possible. (YouTube)
Facebook internally prototyped a tabbed version of the News Feed for mobile devices. The prototype includes the standard Most Relevant feed, the Most Recent feed of reverse chronological posts that was previously buried as a sidebar bookmark, and an Already Seen feed of posts that people have already viewed. (Josh Constine / TechCrunch)
Instagram is in talks with video producers to increase its funding for shows on IGTV, its platform for longer-form videos. The conversations come as Facebook tests ways for creators to make more money from IGTV, including an advertising product and revenue-sharing program similar to those available on other social media platforms. (Sahil Patel / The Wall Street Journal)
Jalaiah Harmon, a 14-year-old in Atlanta, created one of the biggest dances on TikTok. But when the dance went viral, she didn’t get any credit. Luckily, this article seems to have changed that — Harmon performed the dance this weekend at the NBA All-Star game. (Taylor Lorenz / The New York Times)
The subreddit r/FemaleDatingStrategy offers dating advice to women and rules on how to act. But the advice can quickly turn judgmental and oppressively conservative. (Erin Taylor / The Verge)
And finally...
The drunken HQ Trivia finale was apparently pretty wild. The hosts cursed, sprayed champagne, threatened to defecate on the homes of trolls in the chat window and begged for new jobs. Josh Constine at TechCrunch:
“520 people are splitting $5. Send me your Venmo requests and I’ll send you your fraction of a penny.”
Talk to us


theverge--2020-02-19--Samsung’s Z Flip glass covering is ready for non-Samsung foldables

Samsung ’ s display unit has provided further details on the glass used in the Galaxy Z Flip and pointed to its potential wider adoption on non-Samsung foldables in the future .
Yonhap reports that the 30-micrometer-thick covering is the result of a collaboration with glass manufacturer Dowoo Insys , in which Samsung Display holds a minority stake .
Samsung Display currently provides display technologies to a variety of smartphone manufacturers , including the OLED panels found in Apple ’ s recent iPhones .
Although the Z Flip ’ s display is covered by this new ultra-thin glass ( UTG @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by an additional layer of plastic that YouTube channel JerryRigEverything found was highly susceptible to scratching .
Removing the plastic layer caused the screen to break ( similar to what we saw with Samsung ’ s original Galaxy Fold ) , which shows that the layer is still integral to the display unlike regular aftermarket screen protectors .
Samsung Display claims that its glass is “ tough , yet tender ” and able to withstand 200,000 folds .
Nevertheless , commercialization of Samsung Display ’ s ultra-thin glass is a big step for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a major manufacturer to turn to for their foldable glass needs .
Yes , its durability has come into question , but that could improve over time as we ’ ve seen with each successive generation of Corning ’ s Gorilla Glass .

Samsung’s display unit has provided further details on the glass used in the Galaxy Z Flip and pointed to its potential wider adoption on non-Samsung foldables in the future. Yonhap reports that the 30-micrometer-thick covering is the result of a collaboration with glass manufacturer Dowoo Insys, in which Samsung Display holds a minority stake. Samsung Display currently provides display technologies to a variety of smartphone manufacturers, including the OLED panels found in Apple’s recent iPhones.
Although the Z Flip’s display is covered by this new ultra-thin glass (UTG), the glass layer is protected by an additional layer of plastic that YouTube channel JerryRigEverything found was highly susceptible to scratching. Removing the plastic layer caused the screen to break (similar to what we saw with Samsung’s original Galaxy Fold), which shows that the layer is still integral to the display unlike regular aftermarket screen protectors. Samsung Display claims that its glass is “tough, yet tender” and able to withstand 200,000 folds.


theverge--2020-02-19--Electric Citi Bikes are back after braking malfunction grounded the fleet

Electric bikes have returned to Citi Bike , after a braking malfunction led to their temporary removal from the nation ’ s largest bike-share system .
Starting this week , Citi Bike will begin adding “ several hundred ” e-bikes to its network of 900 stations in New York City .
The rollout will increase gradually over the next several months , with operators hoping to have a promised 4,000 e-bikes as part of the fleet by the end of the year .
Citi Bike , which is owned by Lyft , was forced to remove hundreds of pedal assist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were injured due to malfunctioning brakes .
E-bikes were also removed from Lyft-owned bike-share systems in Washington , DC and San Francisco — though battery fires were to blame for the removal from San Francisco .
( Lyft-owned Bay Wheels reintroduced its e-bikes late last year . )
Citi Bike described the issue as “ stronger than expected braking force on the front wheel , ” though later the problem was attributed to the absence of a power modulator on the electric Citi Bikes .
Citi Bike , which is owned by Lyft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pedal assist e-bikes last April Some customers were reported to have flipped over the front handlebars after a braking problem caused the front wheel to lock up , according to multiple reports .
One rider told AM New York that he broke his hip after flying off an electric Citi Bike .
The New York Times reports that there have been “ dozens ” of injuries reported .
Some of those injured have filed claims against Lyft .
Uber , Lyft ’ s ride-share rival , said it dealt with a similar problem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bikes last year .
The Washington Post reported that Uber , which offers electric share bikes under the Jump brand , replaced bikes with the Shimano brakes with new models — though not before some Jump customers reported being injured , too .
Amid the controversy last year , Shimano pointed a finger at the operators for failing to follow its requirements when assembling the front brakes .
The company released a statement saying “ the specification requires the use of a power modulator for this brake .
It appears this specification was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bicycles in question.
” Citi Bike and Lyft both declined to comment on why the power modulator was missing from the first version of the bike , but Citi Bike general manager Laura Fox said the bike has been “ completely redesigned , ” including new wheels , a new braking system , and new batteries — everything except the familiar , blue step-through frame .
“ We wanted to be like sustainability forward , which is our perspective in terms of keeping the frame , ” Fox said .
“ But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different.
” Lyft put this new bike through “ exhaustive testing , ” including modeling and simulation , said Gary Shambat , a product manager at the ride-hailing company who oversaw the process .
Lyft employees also road the bikes in real conditions to ensure there weren ’ t any lingering problems .
“ everything else on the bike is actually different ” The e-bikes operate with a rear-hub motor that runs on a battery attached to the frame .
Whereas the previous version required customers to push a button to activate the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on .
The battery provides about 30 miles of range , and Lyft will take a bike offline before its battery is fully drained in order to prevent riders from getting stranded without power .
The bikes aren ’ t light — each weighs around 70 pounds — but are still lighter than the “ hybrid ” e-bikes used in San Francisco by sister operator Bay Wheels , which include integrated locking mechanisms .
But to maximize their use , Lyft revamped the pricing , getting rid of the flat fee in favor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ top speed is 18 mph , which is fine for biking up hills or over bridges , but is less than most throttle-powered e-bikes used by food delivery workers .
Last year , Citi Bike outlined its plans to expand into the Bronx , as well as deeper into the outer boroughs .
Fox said that it is Lyft ’ s hope that , with the return of e-bikes , more people will consider using an electric bike to travel between boroughs .
“ We already know that regular bikes are faster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Midtown during rush hour , ” she said .
“ I think that we ’ re going to see more people willing to take on an e-bike longer distances .
”

Electric bikes have returned to Citi Bike, after a braking malfunction led to their temporary removal from the nation’s largest bike-share system.
Starting this week, Citi Bike will begin adding “several thousand” e-bikes to its network of 900 stations in New York City. The rollout will increase gradually over the next several months, with operators hoping to have a promised 4,000 e-bikes as part of the fleet by the end of the year.
Citi Bike, which is owned by Lyft, was forced to remove hundreds of pedal assist e-bikes last April after dozens of people were injured due to malfunctioning brakes. E-bikes were also removed from Lyft-owned bike-share systems in Washington, DC and San Francisco — though battery fires were to blame for the removal from San Francisco. (Lyft-owned Bay Wheels reintroduced its e-bikes late last year.)
Citi Bike described the issue as “stronger than expected braking force on the front wheel,” though later the problem was attributed to the absence of a power modulator on the electric Citi Bikes.
Citi Bike, which is owned by Lyft, was forced to remove hundreds of pedal assist e-bikes last April
Some customers were reported to have flipped over the front handlebars after a braking problem caused the front wheel to lock up, according to multiple reports. One rider told AM New York that he broke his hip after flying off an electric Citi Bike. The New York Times reports that there have been “dozens” of injuries reported. Some of those injured have filed claims against Lyft.
Uber, Lyft’s ride-share rival, said it dealt with a similar problem with Shimano brakes on its electric Jump bikes last year. The Washington Post reported that Uber, which offers electric share bikes under the Jump brand, replaced bikes with the Shimano brakes with new models — though not before some Jump customers reported being injured, too.
Amid the controversy last year, Shimano pointed a finger at the operators for failing to follow its requirements when assembling the front brakes. The company released a statement saying “the specification requires the use of a power modulator for this brake. It appears this specification was not followed by manufacturers of some of the bicycles in question.”
Citi Bike and Lyft both declined to comment on why the power modulator was missing from the first version of the bike, but Citi Bike general manager Laura Fox said the bike has been “completely redesigned,” including new wheels, a new braking system, and new batteries — everything except the familiar, blue step-through frame.
“We wanted to be like sustainability forward, which is our perspective in terms of keeping the frame,” Fox said. “But everything else on the bike is actually different.”
Lyft put this new bike through “exhaustive testing,” including modeling and simulation, said Gary Shambat, a product manager at the ride-hailing company who oversaw the process. Lyft employees also road the bikes in real conditions to ensure there weren’t any lingering problems.
“everything else on the bike is actually different”
The e-bikes operate with a rear-hub motor that runs on a battery attached to the frame. Whereas the previous version required customers to push a button to activate the motor, this e-bike will always be on. The battery provides about 30 miles of range, and Lyft will take a bike offline before its battery is fully drained in order to prevent riders from getting stranded without power.
The bikes aren’t light — each weighs around 60 pounds — but are still lighter than the “hybrid” e-bikes used in San Francisco by sister operator Bay Wheels, which include integrated locking mechanisms. But to maximize their use, Lyft revamped the pricing, getting rid of the flat fee in favor of a per-minute charge. The bikes’ top speed is 18 mph, which is fine for biking up hills or over bridges, but is less than most throttle-powered e-bikes used by food delivery workers.
Last year, Citi Bike outlined its plans to expand into the Bronx, as well as deeper into the outer boroughs. Fox said that it is Lyft’s hope that, with the return of e-bikes, more people will consider using an electric bike to travel between boroughs.


theverge--2020-02-18--Galaxy Z Flip teardown reveals that its hinge brushes may not block much dust

iFixit has posted a video teardown of Samsung ’ s new Galaxy Z Flip , giving us good look at the phone ’ s internals and revealing that the brushes on its hinge might not stop much dust from getting inside your phone .
When Samsung announced the Z Flip last week , it highlighted how the phone ’ s hinge has a “ fiber shield ” intended to trap stray dust and keep it from getting inside the phone .
You can see Samsung ’ s zoomed-in marketing photo of it below .
It looks impressive in the marketing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shield to the test — and the results weren ’ t great .
For the test , iFixit folded up the Z Flip and dropped it into a bag of purple dust .
After taking the phone out of the bag , iFixit shook a lot of dust out of the phone , which you can see in the GIF below .
Enough dust got inside the phone that it even stopped the hinge from opening up all the way .
Here ’ s what that hinge looks like on the inside .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the purple dust caught in it : Here ’ s the hinge completely removed from the phone — and covered in purple dust .
You can also see the fiber shields outlined by iFixit ’ s white rectangles .
Interestingly , they look quite clean , possibly suggesting that they don ’ t actually trap that much dust .
It ’ s important to note that Samsung says in a support doc that the Z Flip isn ’ t water or dust resistant , and a splash screen says something similar when you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to iFixit .
And iFixit acknowledges that its bag test isn ’ t necessarily indicative of normal , real-world use , so perhaps the Z Flip ’ s fibers are better designed for repelling day-to-day pocket lint than the very fine powder that iFixit used .
Note that iFixit ’ s video isn ’ t of the site ’ s usual full-scale teardown — the full Z Flip teardown is supposed to go live here at 3 a.m .
ET .
The Galaxy Z Flip has also been torn down by Zack Nelson @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his teardown gives us a great look at Samsung ’ s “ Ultra Thin Glass ” display .
In Nelson ’ s recent durability test video , the screen showed marks and scratches like a plastic screen would , even though the screen is advertised to be glass .
When asked about Nelson ’ s video , Samsung told The Verge that the display is indeed glass , but has a “ protective layer ” on top , which Nelson ’ s teardown video confirms : Nelson found that when he removed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — much like how the screen on the original Galaxy Fold wouldn ’ t work if you peeled off a similar screen protector .
The Z Flip ’ s bezel seems as if it ’ s better designed than the original Fold to keep that layer in place , but if it does begin peeling , your screen might not work like it ’ s supposed to .
And if you needed proof that the screen is glass , here ’ s what the glass looks like after Nelson scrapes it : Both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teardown videos show that the Galaxy Z Flip is a pretty impressive piece of engineering — but they also show that the phone has some flaws that could lead to durability issues at some point .

iFixit has posted a video teardown of Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Flip, giving us good look at the phone’s internals and revealing that the brushes on its hinge might not stop much dust from getting inside your phone.
When Samsung announced the Z Flip last week, it highlighted how the phone’s hinge has a “fiber shield” intended to trap stray dust and keep it from getting inside the phone. You can see Samsung’s zoomed-in marketing photo of it below. It looks impressive in the marketing photo, but iFixit put that fiber shield to the test — and the results weren’t great.
Samsung’s marketing image of the fiber shield.
For the test, iFixit folded up the Z Flip and dropped it into a bag of purple dust. After taking the phone out of the bag, iFixit shook a lot of dust out of the phone, which you can see in the GIF below. Enough dust got inside the phone that it even stopped the hinge from opening up all the way.
Here’s what that hinge looks like on the inside. You can clearly see a lot of the purple dust caught in it:
Image: iFixit
Here’s the hinge completely removed from the phone — and covered in purple dust. You can also see the fiber shields outlined by iFixit’s white rectangles. Interestingly, they look quite clean, possibly suggesting that they don’t actually trap that much dust.
Image: iFixit
It’s important to note that Samsung says in a support doc that the Z Flip isn’t water or dust resistant, and a splash screen says something similar when you first turn on the phone, according to iFixit. And iFixit acknowledges that its bag test isn’t necessarily indicative of normal, real-world use, so perhaps the Z Flip’s fibers are better designed for repelling day-to-day pocket lint than the very fine powder that iFixit used.
Note that iFixit’s video isn’t of the site’s usual full-scale teardown — the full Z Flip teardown is supposed to go live here at 3 a.m. ET.
The Galaxy Z Flip has also been torn down by Zack Nelson on his YouTube channel JerryRigEverything, and his teardown gives us a great look at Samsung’s “Ultra Thin Glass” display.
In Nelson’s recent durability test video, the screen showed marks and scratches like a plastic screen would, even though the screen is advertised to be glass. When asked about Nelson’s video, Samsung told The Verge that the display is indeed glass, but has a “protective layer” on top, which Nelson’s teardown video confirms:
Image: JerryRigEverything
Nelson found that when he removed that protective layer, the screen stops working — much like how the screen on the original Galaxy Fold wouldn’t work if you peeled off a similar screen protector. The Z Flip’s bezel seems as if it’s better designed than the original Fold to keep that layer in place, but if it does begin peeling, your screen might not work like it’s supposed to.
And if you needed proof that the screen is glass, here’s what the glass looks like after Nelson scrapes it:
Image: JerryRigEverything


theverge--2020-02-20--T-Mobile’s OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren is getting faster with a software update

The OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren was T-Mobile ’ s second 5G smartphone , but thanks to the complexity of 5G networks , it ’ s actually going to get even faster mobile internet today , months after its original release , thanks to a new software update .
The update allows for the phone to use T-Mobile ’ s 600MHz LTE and 600MHz 5G networks simultaneously , which the company says will improve download speeds as well as enable more reliably accessible 5G uploads in more places .
Similarly , T-Mobile says that the dual-connection update will help it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5G and LTE networks .
T-Mobile , like other carriers , is taking a broad approach to its 5G network , with a low-band 600MHz network designed to provide wider national coverage , albeit at slower speeds than the more limited mmWave technology .
That said , T-Mobile also has plans to utilize Sprint ’ s mid-band 2.5GHz network for faster , more localized speeds once that merger is completed later this year for more concentrated areas as well as its own nascent mmWave network for small but highly saturated areas ( like @ @ @ @ @ @ @

The OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren was T-Mobile’s second 5G smartphone, but thanks to the complexity of 5G networks, it’s actually going to get even faster mobile internet today, months after its original release, thanks to a new software update.
The update allows for the phone to use T-Mobile’s 600MHz LTE and 600MHz 5G networks simultaneously, which the company says will improve download speeds as well as enable more reliably accessible 5G uploads in more places. Similarly, T-Mobile says that the dual-connection update will help it offer more upload bandwidth to customers across 5G and LTE networks.


theverge--2020-02-20--HTC is prototyping an AR headset that looks like sunglasses

HTC just announced updates to the Vive Cosmos , its lineup of consumer-ready virtual reality headsets .
But it ’ s also testing a more streamlined mixed reality device codenamed “ Project Proton.
” While the Proton is just a prototype , HTC shared concept images of its design , shedding some light on the company ’ s goals .
The Proton headset seems functionally similar to the upcoming Cosmos XR .
Both are built for mixed or augmented reality experiences , but unlike Microsoft or Magic Leap ’ s mixed reality glasses , they use passthrough video instead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you ’ re looking at a VR-style screen , but it shows you live video overlaid with virtual elements . )
But where the Cosmos XR looks like the Cosmos VR headset , the Proton looks more like ski goggles or — to put it generously — very large sunglasses .
The company is revealing two different visions for the product : one that ’ s fully self-contained and one that offloads some components to a wired external pack , similar to the Magic Leap One ’ s puck-like Lightpack .
HTC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the latter design : it could support 5G , and test users made it “ massively clear ” that they ’ re leery of a headset with a 5G antenna .
“ We do believe that it ’ s not reasonable to have a 5G antenna near the brain of customers , so obviously this is something that we don ’ t want to do , ” says Maitre .
HTC originally said that the Cosmos might work with mobile phones .
It ’ s been mostly silent on that feature lately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ Brien says it ’ s now a longer-term goal .
“ We ’ re still iterating on that idea .
The experience isn ’ t quite there , ” he says .
“ But we do think that we ’ re making very good strides in that direction.
” In the long run , Maitre wants 5G phones to power the headset because users shouldn ’ t have to buy a bunch of different computing devices .
“ It ’ s not reasonable to have a 5G antenna near the brain of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the Proton is still in development , so there aren ’ t specs , a price , or even a final form factor .
It currently uses a pointer-style controller , not fully tracked motion controllers like the Cosmos .
HTC was cagey about the headset ’ s screen , although it told Input that the Proton uses high-resolution “ microdisplays.
” We ’ ve seen a few glasses-style VR headsets , including a steampunky prototype from Panasonic .
Other companies , like Varjo , have reworked a VR headset into a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the two and offering the pedigree of its big VR brand .
We had mixed results with the Cosmos , but the Vive Pro is still a go-to high-end headset .
Microsoft and Magic Leap have also set a clear standard for waveguide-style AR glasses , and a passthrough design avoids putting HTC in direct competition with them .
Beyond any practical value , Maitre says the Proton is proof that HTC really cares about mixed reality .
“ We want to move one day to [ normal-looking ] glasses , and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We just want to show that we are committed to the journey , that we are investing toward this journey , and we have a first product .
”

HTC just announced updates to the Vive Cosmos, its lineup of consumer-ready virtual reality headsets. But it’s also testing a more streamlined mixed reality device codenamed “Project Proton.” While the Proton is just a prototype, HTC shared concept images of its design, shedding some light on the company’s goals.
The Proton headset seems functionally similar to the upcoming Cosmos XR. Both are built for mixed or augmented reality experiences, but unlike Microsoft or Magic Leap’s mixed reality glasses, they use passthrough video instead of transparent waveguide lenses. (So basically, you’re looking at a VR-style screen, but it shows you live video overlaid with virtual elements.) But where the Cosmos XR looks like the Cosmos VR headset, the Proton looks more like ski goggles or — to put it generously — very large sunglasses.
The company is revealing two different visions for the product: one that’s fully self-contained and one that offloads some components to a wired external pack, similar to the Magic Leap One’s puck-like Lightpack. HTC CEO Yves Maitre offered an interesting reason for the latter design: it could support 5G, and test users made it “massively clear” that they’re leery of a headset with a 5G antenna. “We do believe that it’s not reasonable to have a 5G antenna near the brain of customers, so obviously this is something that we don’t want to do,” says Maitre.
Concept image of the Proton prototype. Image: HTC
HTC originally said that the Cosmos might work with mobile phones. It’s been mostly silent on that feature lately, and Vive Americas manager Dan O’Brien says it’s now a longer-term goal. “We’re still iterating on that idea. The experience isn’t quite there,” he says. “But we do think that we’re making very good strides in that direction.” In the long run, Maitre wants 5G phones to power the headset because users shouldn’t have to buy a bunch of different computing devices.
“It’s not reasonable to have a 5G antenna near the brain of customers.”
Maitre stressed to The Verge that the Proton is still in development, so there aren’t specs, a price, or even a final form factor. It currently uses a pointer-style controller, not fully tracked motion controllers like the Cosmos. HTC was cagey about the headset’s screen, although it told Input that the Proton uses high-resolution “microdisplays.”
We’ve seen a few glasses-style VR headsets, including a steampunky prototype from Panasonic. Other companies, like Varjo, have reworked a VR headset into a high-resolution AR system. HTC is combining the two and offering the pedigree of its big VR brand. We had mixed results with the Cosmos, but the Vive Pro is still a go-to high-end headset. Microsoft and Magic Leap have also set a clear standard for waveguide-style AR glasses, and a passthrough design avoids putting HTC in direct competition with them.


theverge--2020-02-20--Coronavirus-contaminated cruise ships mirror the global crisis

Cruise ships are , depending on your preferences , floating nightmares or simple , resistance-free retreats .
They isolate travelers from the world while offering idealized versions of cities on land .
But problems ashore — like a massive coronavirus outbreak — sometimes sneak aboard .
Thousands were quarantined off the coast of Japan on board one cruise ship , the Diamond Princess , after the virus was detected in someone who ’ d recently disembarked .
They weren ’ t allowed to leave until February 19th .
The virus rocketed through the population of the boat , and now @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ship are sick , and two passengers died .
Despite efforts to build a tightly controlled-but-effortless environment on cruise ships , cracks show easily when something like an infectious disease takes hold on board .
The coronavirus outbreak is affecting other ships , too : the World Dream was quarantined off of Hong Kong for four days .
Royal Caribbean and the Norwegian Cruise Line aren ’ t allowing passengers who have passports from China , Hong Kong , or Macao , or who have recently traveled to China on board for scheduled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from five countries before it was allowed to dock in Cambodia .
The new coronavirus breaks down the promise of the cruise ship as a bubble of independent banality of the open ocean .
As the virus — and fears of the virus — spread , the problems balloon , and the bubble bursts .
And it shows how that environment reflects the medical , political , and cultural effects of epidemic disease .
Ships have been targets for disease control for centuries .
In fact , the combination of horrifying illness and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine.
” When the Black Death terrorized Europe in the 14th century , the Venetian trading colony Ragusa didn ’ t close itself off entirely .
Instead , in 1377 , the city passed new laws for visiting ships .
If they came from places where the plague was spreading , they were required to stay anchored offshore for a month to prove that they weren ’ t carrying it .
Eventually , the period was extended to 40 days and called a quarantino from the Italian word for 40 .
The Diamond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close to 40 days .
But both the current Japanese government and 14th century Venetian authorities wanted to prevent passengers who might be carrying disease from spreading it to land — the fact that diseases might spread around the ship during that time wasn ’ t the main concern .
the period was extended to 40 days and called a quarantino During the two-week period when it was isolated in port , the Diamond Princess had the largest concentration of people infected with coronavirus outside of mainland China .
The ship ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had already left the ship tested positive for the coronavirus on February 1st , six days after disembarking in Hong Kong .
The ship rerouted its scheduled trip and returned to the port city of Yokohama , Japan , and passengers were confined to their rooms as health screenings began .
On February 4th , the first day the Diamond Princess was under quarantine , 10 people out of 3,711 passengers and crew tested positive for the virus .
By February 8th , there were 16 .
The numbers ballooned from there : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 218 cases , and up to 454 by February 17th .
The sick left the ship and were taken to Japanese hospitals , as remaining passengers watched from their stateroom windows .
By the time the quarantine lifted on February 19th and patients without the virus were allowed to disembark , at least 621 people linked to the ship had tested positive for the virus .
The escalating case numbers aboard that ship made it appear as if it was “ facilitating transmission , ” tweeted Alexandra Phelan , a member of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Georgetown University .
at least 621 people linked to the ship had tested positive for the virus Cruise ships , with their emphasis on communal dining and group activities , are notorious for being an incubator of infectious disease .
Norovirus , the highly contagious virus that causes a stomach bug , is often referred to as the “ cruise ship virus ” because of how easily it spreads through the tightly packed environment on board the ships .
In 2008 , for example , 196 people became ill with the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ British Isles , and most fell ill after spending time in the most highly trafficked areas of the ship .
Germs sit on shared serving utensils , bocce balls , and handles .
People sweat and cough on neighboring lounge chairs or while on deck .
And who wants to stay in their tiny cabin when there are so many things to do ?
Cruise ships can easily help pathogens spread from person to person .
That ’ s particularly true if proper infection control procedures aren ’ t being followed , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Diamond Princess .
Passengers were confined to their cabins during the quarantine , but crew members kept moving around the vessel — possibly spreading the bug around — and passed materials , like paper forms , in and out of passenger rooms .
As much as the quarantine was a public health crisis for those on board , it also could function as a miniature experiment : the ship functions as a small-scale model of the larger outbreak , although it ’ s under accelerated , artificial conditions .
Scientists on Twitter are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way symptoms developed in sick passengers over time and how disease progressed in a group that tested positive for the virus but didn ’ t appear to be ill.
It ’ s not clear if an investigation is being conducted at this point , but the data from on board the ship would likely be valuable .
Though passengers on the Diamond Princess were stuck in their cabins during the quarantine , they were stuck with satellite TV , a selection of movies , activities for children , and food delivered on schedule @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crew who are still at work serving the international passengers and still moving around the virus-laden ship .
Continued work means crew members are traveling through the ship and coming into contact with passengers .
At least a few dozen contracted the virus .
Because they ’ re also in regular contact with each other and live in close quarters , some worry they were at a higher risk of passing it around .
( Unlike passengers , they weren ’ t isolated from each other . )
“ We all eat together @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all are together , not separated from each other , ” crew member Sonali Thakkar told CNN .
“ Especially when we sit in the same mess hall and eat together , the place where it can spread very fast.
” “ We all eat together .
There are many places where we all are together , not separated from each other.
” Cruise ship companies like Carnival Corporation , which owns the Diamond Princess , often register their ships in countries with permissive labor laws .
Working conditions are reportedly bad , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s very little job security .
The lowest-paying and most challenging positions on cruise ships are often given to people from lower-income or developing countries .
In the world beyond the bulkheads , the vulnerable always see a disproportionate burden of infectious disease .
Wealthier countries and the wealthy , in general , have the resources to protect themselves more effectively against disease and to treat it if it appears .
That dynamic is playing out on board the ship , with a greater ( though still apparently insufficient ) level of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members who sometimes have their own rooms and more space .
“ The crew is scared to death , ” Arnold Hopland , a doctor vacationing on the ship , told Politico .
“ They ’ re frightened and they ’ re packed together in tight quarters , working elbow to elbow.
” Policy decisions made during public health emergencies are based on more than just health information .
The choices are based on politics , economics , and to mirror those made by others .
As countries negotiate their responses to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cruise ships — and the people on board .
The Westerdam cruise ship , for example , made a stop in Hong Kong , which has a higher number of cases than most places outside of mainland China .
When it came time to return to port , it had trouble finding a place to go .
The ship was turned away from Thailand , Japan , Taiwan , the Philippines , and Guam over concerns that its passengers would bring the new coronavirus ashore .
Eventually , Cambodia gave the ship permission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ making ports more sensitive to illnesses , ” says Ross Klein , who studies the cruise ship industry at Memorial University of Newfoundland .
The Westerdam ’ s experience reflects worldwide decisions made in response to the outbreak .
Despite the World Health Organization ’ s recommendations that countries not restrict travel and trade , the policy response has trended toward isolationism : the US instituted travel bans , Russia closed its borders , New Zealand is not allowing foreign nationals traveling from China to enter .
Cruise ships occupy a unique geopolitical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entities and avoid being subject to the laws and jurisdiction of countries with heavy regulatory pull .
The new coronavirus , though , highlights their dependence on structures and policies on land .
Crew and passengers on the Diamond Princess , for example , were subject to quarantine decisions out of Japan .
And now that they ’ re allowed off the ship , they ’ re beholden to the regulations of their home countries .
The United Kingdom said it ’ s flying its citizens out , after facing public pressure , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Other countries , like Australia and India , made similar calls .
The US Department of State brought back one group of people , but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention then backtracked , saying the remaining citizens who were on the ship ( around 100 people ) will have to wait 14 days virus-free before they can return Stateside .
As the global crisis continues to unfold , it ’ s challenging to follow the complex web of new scientific information and policy changes — and it ’ s harder still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new developments happen .
The Diamond Princess and other cruise ships offer pockets of the crisis that showcase the overall dynamics of viral transmission , class division , and international decision-making .
They show the public health machine in action .
It ’ s a machine that the passengers who streamed off the Diamond Princess on Wednesday will stay ensnared in , with the notorious distinction of having endured the largest new coronavirus hotspot outside of mainland China .
Reality intruded on their vehicle for escape , and it ’ s disembarking with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of uncertainty over what happens next .
There ’ s a lot of uncertainty about what ’ s next for them .
Passengers worry about restrictions they ’ ll face on land , additional quarantines , and trips back home .
“ It ’ s a big concern , ” Diamond Princess passenger Kent Frasure told NBC News .
“ Am I allowed to walk the streets of Tokyo ?
Can I walk into a Pizza Hut or something ?
Can I go into this sushi place or are we stuck again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of housing ?
” Their experience still matches the larger outbreak .
Despite the best efforts of leading scientists , the new coronavirus is still a global public health crisis , and the future is unpredictable .

Cruise ships are, depending on your preferences, floating nightmares or simple, resistance-free retreats. They isolate travelers from the world while offering idealized versions of cities on land. But problems ashore — like a massive coronavirus outbreak — sometimes sneak aboard.
Thousands were quarantined off the coast of Japan on board one cruise ship, the Diamond Princess, after the virus was detected in someone who’d recently disembarked. They weren’t allowed to leave until February 19th. The virus rocketed through the population of the boat, and now, over 600 people connected with the ship are sick, and two passengers died.
Despite efforts to build a tightly controlled-but-effortless environment on cruise ships, cracks show easily when something like an infectious disease takes hold on board. The coronavirus outbreak is affecting other ships, too: the World Dream was quarantined off of Hong Kong for four days. Royal Caribbean and the Norwegian Cruise Line aren’t allowing passengers who have passports from China, Hong Kong, or Macao, or who have recently traveled to China on board for scheduled trips. The Westerdam was turned away from five countries before it was allowed to dock in Cambodia.
The new coronavirus breaks down the promise of the cruise ship as a bubble of independent banality of the open ocean. As the virus — and fears of the virus — spread, the problems balloon, and the bubble bursts. And it shows how that environment reflects the medical, political, and cultural effects of epidemic disease.
Accelerating outbreaks
Photo by Takashi Aoyama / Getty Images
Ships have been targets for disease control for centuries. In fact, the combination of horrifying illness and ships gives us the modern word “quarantine.” When the Black Death terrorized Europe in the 14th century, the Venetian trading colony Ragusa didn’t close itself off entirely. Instead, in 1377, the city passed new laws for visiting ships. If they came from places where the plague was spreading, they were required to stay anchored offshore for a month to prove that they weren’t carrying it. Eventually, the period was extended to 40 days and called a quarantino from the Italian word for 40.
The Diamond Princess wasn’t quarantined for anything close to 40 days. But both the current Japanese government and 14th century Venetian authorities wanted to prevent passengers who might be carrying disease from spreading it to land — the fact that diseases might spread around the ship during that time wasn’t the main concern.
the period was extended to 40 days and called a quarantino
During the two-week period when it was isolated in port, the Diamond Princess had the largest concentration of people infected with coronavirus outside of mainland China. The ship’s trials started when an 80-year-old passenger who had already left the ship tested positive for the coronavirus on February 1st, six days after disembarking in Hong Kong. The ship rerouted its scheduled trip and returned to the port city of Yokohama, Japan, and passengers were confined to their rooms as health screenings began.
On February 4th, the first day the Diamond Princess was under quarantine, 10 people out of 3,711 passengers and crew tested positive for the virus. By February 8th, there were 16. The numbers ballooned from there: to 135 cases, 174 cases, 218 cases, and up to 454 by February 17th. The sick left the ship and were taken to Japanese hospitals, as remaining passengers watched from their stateroom windows. By the time the quarantine lifted on February 19th and patients without the virus were allowed to disembark, at least 621 people linked to the ship had tested positive for the virus.
The escalating case numbers aboard that ship made it appear as if it was “facilitating transmission,” tweeted Alexandra Phelan, a member of the Center for Global Health Science and Security at Georgetown University.
at least 621 people linked to the ship had tested positive for the virus
Cruise ships, with their emphasis on communal dining and group activities, are notorious for being an incubator of infectious disease. Norovirus, the highly contagious virus that causes a stomach bug, is often referred to as the “cruise ship virus” because of how easily it spreads through the tightly packed environment on board the ships. In 2008, for example, 196 people became ill with the virus on a cruise ship traveling through the British Isles, and most fell ill after spending time in the most highly trafficked areas of the ship. Germs sit on shared serving utensils, bocce balls, and handles. People sweat and cough on neighboring lounge chairs or while on deck. And who wants to stay in their tiny cabin when there are so many things to do? Cruise ships can easily help pathogens spread from person to person.
That’s particularly true if proper infection control procedures aren’t being followed, which experts say was the case on the Diamond Princess. Passengers were confined to their cabins during the quarantine, but crew members kept moving around the vessel — possibly spreading the bug around — and passed materials, like paper forms, in and out of passenger rooms.
As much as the quarantine was a public health crisis for those on board, it also could function as a miniature experiment: the ship functions as a small-scale model of the larger outbreak, although it’s under accelerated, artificial conditions. Scientists on Twitter are calling for a close look at the way symptoms developed in sick passengers over time and how disease progressed in a group that tested positive for the virus but didn’t appear to be ill. It’s not clear if an investigation is being conducted at this point, but the data from on board the ship would likely be valuable.
Crew members work on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship as the ship arrives at Daikoku Pier on February 12th, 2020. Photo by Tomohiro Ohsumi / Getty Images
Exacerbating inequities
Though passengers on the Diamond Princess were stuck in their cabins during the quarantine, they were stuck with satellite TV, a selection of movies, activities for children, and food delivered on schedule. Those meals are delivered by the crew who are still at work serving the international passengers and still moving around the virus-laden ship.
Continued work means crew members are traveling through the ship and coming into contact with passengers. At least a few dozen contracted the virus. Because they’re also in regular contact with each other and live in close quarters, some worry they were at a higher risk of passing it around. (Unlike passengers, they weren’t isolated from each other.)
“We all eat together. There are many places where we all are together, not separated from each other,” crew member Sonali Thakkar told CNN. “Especially when we sit in the same mess hall and eat together, the place where it can spread very fast.”
“We all eat together. There are many places where we all are together, not separated from each other.”
Cruise ship companies like Carnival Corporation, which owns the Diamond Princess, often register their ships in countries with permissive labor laws. Working conditions are reportedly bad, pay can be low, and there’s very little job security. The lowest-paying and most challenging positions on cruise ships are often given to people from lower-income or developing countries.
In the world beyond the bulkheads, the vulnerable always see a disproportionate burden of infectious disease. Wealthier countries and the wealthy, in general, have the resources to protect themselves more effectively against disease and to treat it if it appears. That dynamic is playing out on board the ship, with a greater (though still apparently insufficient) level of protection awarded to passengers and higher-status crew members who sometimes have their own rooms and more space. “The crew is scared to death,” Arnold Hopland, a doctor vacationing on the ship, told Politico. “They’re frightened and they’re packed together in tight quarters, working elbow to elbow.”
International waters
Policy decisions made during public health emergencies are based on more than just health information. The choices are based on politics, economics, and to mirror those made by others. As countries negotiate their responses to the outbreaks, the geopolitical jockeying also impacts cruise ships — and the people on board.
The Westerdam cruise ship, for example, made a stop in Hong Kong, which has a higher number of cases than most places outside of mainland China. When it came time to return to port, it had trouble finding a place to go. The ship was turned away from Thailand, Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, and Guam over concerns that its passengers would bring the new coronavirus ashore. Eventually, Cambodia gave the ship permission to dock. “The coronavirus is making ports more sensitive to illnesses,” says Ross Klein, who studies the cruise ship industry at Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Photo by Tang Chhin Sothy / AFP via Getty Images
The Westerdam’s experience reflects worldwide decisions made in response to the outbreak. Despite the World Health Organization’s recommendations that countries not restrict travel and trade, the policy response has trended toward isolationism: the US instituted travel bans, Russia closed its borders, New Zealand is not allowing foreign nationals traveling from China to enter.
Cruise ships occupy a unique geopolitical position: they operate as their own entities and avoid being subject to the laws and jurisdiction of countries with heavy regulatory pull. The new coronavirus, though, highlights their dependence on structures and policies on land. Crew and passengers on the Diamond Princess, for example, were subject to quarantine decisions out of Japan. And now that they’re allowed off the ship, they’re beholden to the regulations of their home countries.
The United Kingdom said it’s flying its citizens out, after facing public pressure, and quarantining them again back home. Other countries, like Australia and India, made similar calls. The US Department of State brought back one group of people, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention then backtracked, saying the remaining citizens who were on the ship (around 100 people) will have to wait 14 days virus-free before they can return Stateside.
As the global crisis continues to unfold, it’s challenging to follow the complex web of new scientific information and policy changes — and it’s harder still to keep track of how and why new developments happen. The Diamond Princess and other cruise ships offer pockets of the crisis that showcase the overall dynamics of viral transmission, class division, and international decision-making. They show the public health machine in action.
“Can I walk into a Pizza Hut or something?”
It’s a machine that the passengers who streamed off the Diamond Princess on Wednesday will stay ensnared in, with the notorious distinction of having endured the largest new coronavirus hotspot outside of mainland China. Reality intruded on their vehicle for escape, and it’s disembarking with them, too.
There’s a lot of uncertainty about what’s next. Passengers worry about restrictions they’ll face on land, additional quarantines, and trips back home. “It’s a big concern,” Diamond Princess passenger Kent Frasure told NBC News. “Am I allowed to walk the streets of Tokyo? Can I walk into a Pizza Hut or something? Can I go into this sushi place or are we stuck again for 14 more days in some sort of housing?”


theverge--2020-02-20--Microsoft is bringing its antivirus software to iOS and Android

Microsoft is planning to bring its Defender antivirus software to Android and iOS later this year .
The software giant is developing apps for both mobile operating systems that are designed to provide antivirus prevention and a “ full command line experience.
” Microsoft isn ’ t revealing exactly what the apps will do just yet , but the company plans to preview them at the RSA Conference next week .
The mobile apps come just under a year after Microsoft started a public preview for its Defender antivirus on macOS .
Microsoft renamed Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Protection ( ATP ) as a result , and the Mac client provides full virus and threat protection mixed with the ability to perform quick or full scans .
Microsoft ’ s mobile antivirus will have to be very different to desktop versions Microsoft ’ s mobile Defender clients will likely be very different to the desktop versions , especially as Apple ’ s iOS platform doesn ’ t allow apps to scan for malware across an iPhone or iPad .
There are a variety of Android antivirus apps available , though .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevent malware in Android apps that are sideloaded onto devices .
One of the bigger goals for Defender on iOS and Android is phishing prevention to stop employees at companies from accidentally revealing their usernames , passwords , or other account information .
How Microsoft achieves this on iOS isn ’ t clear just yet , though .
As both of these mobile apps come as part of Microsoft ’ s enterprise security platform , it ’ s unlikely that they will be available for consumers to use .
Alongside the mobile news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ATP for Linux today .
A preview is available for businesses to test as part of Microsoft ’ s broader effort to secure devices beyond Windows and macOS .

Microsoft is planning to bring its Defender antivirus software to Android and iOS later this year. The software giant is developing apps for both mobile operating systems that are designed to provide antivirus prevention and a “full command line experience.” Microsoft isn’t revealing exactly what the apps will do just yet, but the company plans to preview them at the RSA Conference next week.
The mobile apps come just under a year after Microsoft started a public preview for its Defender antivirus on macOS. Microsoft renamed Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) to Microsoft Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) as a result, and the Mac client provides full virus and threat protection mixed with the ability to perform quick or full scans.
Microsoft’s mobile antivirus will have to be very different to desktop versions
Microsoft’s mobile Defender clients will likely be very different to the desktop versions, especially as Apple’s iOS platform doesn’t allow apps to scan for malware across an iPhone or iPad. There are a variety of Android antivirus apps available, though. Microsoft will join this growing market to prevent malware in Android apps that are sideloaded onto devices.
One of the bigger goals for Defender on iOS and Android is phishing prevention to stop employees at companies from accidentally revealing their usernames, passwords, or other account information. How Microsoft achieves this on iOS isn’t clear just yet, though.