theverge--2020-02-12--DoorDash drivers use their forced arbitration clause to force DoorDash into arbitration

DoorDash contractors have turned a forced arbitration clause in their contract against their employer , as a federal judge has ordered DoorDash to arbitrate 5,010 labor disputes , potentially costing the company millions in arbitration fees ( via Quartz ) .
And in a rich bit of irony , DoorDash essentially brought this situation onto itself .
The DoorDash workers originally sought arbitration because they felt DoorDash violated federal and California labor law and wanted to settle the dispute .
DoorDash argued it was under no obligation to pay the fees needed to arbitrate those thousands of disputes .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pending class-action case about the same dispute by arguing that the workers had a duty to arbitrate .
In other words , the company ’ s trying to have it both ways .
The irony of the situation was not lost on Judge William Alsup : The employer here , DoorDash , faced with having to actually honor its side of the bargain , now blanches at the cost of the filing fees it agreed to pay in the arbitration clause .
No doubt , DoorDash never expected that so many would actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upon irony , DoorDash now wishes to resort to a class-wide lawsuit , the very device it denied to the workers , to avoid its duty to arbitrate .
This hypocrisy will not be blessed , at least by this order .
You can read the judge ’ s full decision here .
Last year , DoorDash also got in hot water after drivers complained about its policy of taking their tips to cover their pay .
In August , the company changed that policy , saying that drivers would get 100 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ base pay .
Judge Alsup is no stranger to cases involving big tech companies , by the way — he presided over parts of Oracle ’ s lawsuit against Google over whether or not Google took code from Oracle .
You can read The Verge ’ s 2017 profile of him right here .
Forced arbitration is a common and contentious issue in the tech industry that doesn ’ t just affect contract workers .
One of the demands of the Google walkout was to end forced arbitration , and the search company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Games employees staged a walkout to protest the gaming studio ’ s forced arbitration policies last May , and Facebook ended forced arbitration for sexual harassment complaints in November 2018 .

DoorDash contractors have turned a forced arbitration clause in their contract against their employer, as a federal judge has ordered DoorDash to arbitrate 5,010 labor disputes, potentially costing the company millions in arbitration fees (via Quartz). And in a rich bit of irony, DoorDash essentially brought this situation onto itself.
The DoorDash workers originally sought arbitration because they felt DoorDash violated federal and California labor law and wanted to settle the dispute. DoorDash argued it was under no obligation to pay the fees needed to arbitrate those thousands of disputes.
But DoorDash also originally hoped to dismiss a pending class-action case about the same dispute by arguing that the workers had a duty to arbitrate. In other words, the company’s trying to have it both ways.
The irony of the situation was not lost on Judge William Alsup:
The employer here, DoorDash, faced with having to actually honor its side of the bargain, now blanches at the cost of the filing fees it agreed to pay in the arbitration clause. No doubt, DoorDash never expected that so many would actually seek arbitration. Instead, in irony upon irony, DoorDash now wishes to resort to a class-wide lawsuit, the very device it denied to the workers, to avoid its duty to arbitrate. This hypocrisy will not be blessed, at least by this order.
You can read the judge’s full decision here.
Last year, DoorDash also got in hot water after drivers complained about its policy of taking their tips to cover their pay. In August, the company changed that policy, saying that drivers would get 100 percent of their tips and it would increase base pay.
Judge Alsup is no stranger to cases involving big tech companies, by the way — he presided over parts of Oracle’s lawsuit against Google over whether or not Google took code from Oracle. You can read The Verge’s 2017 profile of him right here.


theverge--2020-02-13--Facebook quietly releases a Pinterest clone

A new app from Facebook ’ s new products division looks an awful lot like Pinterest , The Information reports .
Hobbi is a photo-sharing app where you can “ capture and organize your creative process ” like cooking , baking , arts and crafts , fitness or home decor , according to its page in the App Store .
Aimed at hobbyists , the app organizes photos of projects into collections so users can track their progress over time , TechCrunch notes .
It doesn ’ t have a social sharing component , but Hobbi can be used to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re finished .
Facebook introduced its New Product Experimentation team last summer to develop experimental apps outside of the company ’ s core brands .
So far its products have included a meme-making app called Whale , social networking app Bump , and music DJ app Aux .
None have achieved significant success .
Hobbi was released first in Colombia , Belgium , Spain , and Ukraine , according to The Information ; we found it in the App Store on a US-based phone Thursday evening .
It ’ s compatible with iPhone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ running iOS 11.0 or later .
How or if Hobbi would fit into Facebook ’ s overall brand isn ’ t clear , but the company has said previously it would “ expect many failures ” from its NPE , and that apps could be shut down if they ’ re not useful .

A new app from Facebook’s new products division looks an awful lot like Pinterest, The Information reports. Hobbi is a photo-sharing app where you can “capture and organize your creative process” like cooking, baking, arts and crafts, fitness or home decor, according to its page in the App Store.
Aimed at hobbyists, the app organizes photos of projects into collections so users can track their progress over time, TechCrunch notes. It doesn’t have a social sharing component, but Hobbi can be used to create videos of projects after they’re finished.
App Store preview of Hobbi
Hobbi was released first in Colombia, Belgium, Spain, and Ukraine, according to The Information; we found it in the App Store on a US-based phone Thursday evening. It’s compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch devices running iOS 11.0 or later.


theverge--2020-02-13--Robert Pattinson’s Batman revealed in new teaser video

Robert Pattinson is the new Batman , and thanks to a new teaser , we just got a first look @ @ @ @ @ in the famous batsuit .
Matt Reeves , who is directing the new Batman movie @ @ @ @ @ of Pattinson in the new suit , and many Verge editors , myself included , @ @ @ @ @ .
I loved Christian Bale as Batman , and I never thought another actor would @ @ @ @ @ Batman in my mind .
( I never saw any of the movies with Ben @ @ @ @ @ my understanding is that they weren ’ t great . )
But based just on @ @ @ @ @ think Pattinson could have a real shot at becoming my favorite version of the caped @ @ @ @ @ still have a long wait until we can see Pattinson take up the cowl , @ @ @ @ @ ’ t scheduled to release until June 25th , 2021 .
But until then , @ @ @ @ @ got this epic teaser .

Robert Pattinson is the new Batman, and thanks to a new teaser, we just got a first look at what he looks like in the famous batsuit.
Matt Reeves, who is directing the new Batman movie, shared a screen test of Pattinson in the new suit, and many Verge editors, myself included, are very here for it.
I loved Christian Bale as Batman, and I never thought another actor would really replace him as the Batman in my mind. (I never saw any of the movies with Ben Affleck as Batman, but my understanding is that they weren’t great.) But based just on this short video, I think Pattinson could have a real shot at becoming my favorite version of the caped crusader.


theverge--2020-02-13--What you need to know about the Australia bushfires

Australia faced a devastating start to it ’ s fire season in late 2019 , and things swiftly got worse before rains helped contain many of the worst fires in February 2020 .
The Verge will update this page with news and analyses .
Dozens of fires erupted in New South Wales , Australia , prompting the government to declare a state of emergency in November 2019 .
Fires rapidly spread across all states to become some of the most devastating on record .
An area about the size of South Korea , roughly 25.5 million acres , has burned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including at least three volunteer firefighters , and more are missing .
Around 3,000 homes have been destroyed or damaged .
As blazes intensified in the days leading up to New Year ’ s Eve , thousands of people who were forced to evacuate sought shelter on beaches across New South Wales and Victoria .
Summer extends from December to February in Australia , with fire season typically peaking in late January or early February .
On January 3rd , officials warned that conditions would get worse over the following few days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be a blast furnace , ” New South Wales Transport Minister Andrew Constance said to The Sydney Morning Herald .
By January 10th , another round of massive evacuations began across the hardest-hit regions of the southeast due to dangerous winds fanning the flames .
The fires in New South Wales , the state most affected , were finally declared “ contained ” on February 13th .
“ After what ’ s been a truly devastating fire season for both fire fighters and residents who ’ ve suffered through so much this season @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people rebuild , ” New South Wales Rural Fire Service deputy commissioner Rob Rogers said in a video shared on Twitter .
The relief came after torrential rains marked the wettest week in the region in three decades .
The smoke became another disaster .
On January 1st , Australia ’ s capital recorded the worst pollution it ’ s ever seen , with an air quality index 23 times higher than what ’ s considered “ hazardous.
” Smoke in the city crept into birthing rooms , stopped MRI machines from working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elderly woman who died soon after she stepped off a plane .
The smoke reached New Zealand , 1,000 miles away , where it has created eerie scenes atop glacier-covered peaks .
The plumes were so thick that a NASA satellite snapped pictures of it from space .
More than 1 billion mammals , birds , and reptiles likely lost their lives in the blazes , according to one estimate from the University of Sydney .
Around 25,000 koalas were feared dead on Kangaroo Island .
Eight thousand koalas , a third of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , are believed to have perished , and about 30 percent of the koalas ’ habitat has also been wiped out .
The devastation only adds to existing pressures on Australia ’ s unique ecosystems .
The continent is home to 244 species that are not found anywhere else .
The region also has the highest rate of native mammals becoming extinct over the past 200 years .
The Department of Agriculture , Water and the Environment published a list on February 11th of the 113 animal species , including the platypus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fires .
“ The potential impacts on wildlife are devastating , ” Crystal Kolden , an associate professor of fire science at the University of Idaho who studied wildfires in Tasmania in 2018 , tells The Verge .
“ There won ’ t be a full accounting for how bad it actually is for years.
” Some ecosystems , like eucalyptus forests , are prone to fires and will come back .
But Kolden points out that Australia is also home to pockets of vegetation , inhabited by species that have managed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These really incredible remnants of , you know , the era of the dinosaurs essentially , [ are ] not adapted for fire and when it burns , it will be gone.
” During the Golden Globe Awards on January 5th , celebrities , including Joaquin Phoenix , Ellen DeGeneres , Patricia Arquette , and Cate Blanchett , shared their concern about the fires .
Australian native Russell Crowe skipped the awards ceremony because of the blazes ( his home was damaged by the fires in November ) , but Jennifer Aniston delivered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Best Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for TV .
“ Make no mistake .
The tragedy unfolding in Australia is climate change-based , ” his message said .
What does climate change have to do with it ?
Firestorms are not new to Australia .
It ’ s typically hot and dry , similar to conditions in California or the Mediterranean .
Eucalyptus forests in Australia have a unique relationship to fire ; the trees actually depend on fire to release their seeds .
This season ’ s fires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s a much earlier fire season , and the fires have gotten very big , very early , Kolden tells The Verge .
Weather conditions feeding the fires are historic .
Australia suffered from its hottest day on record on December 18th , reaching a national average temperature of 41.9 degrees Celsius ( 107.4 degrees Fahrenheit ) .
Last month was Australia ’ s hottest December , and 2019 was the country ’ s hottest and driest year on record .
Extreme heat and drought create more tinder to fuel fires .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall in line with scientists ’ predictions for a warming world .
“ The reality is , this is a function of climate change — this extreme heat , these extreme conditions that are so volatile and are producing the types of intensity and early season burning that we do not normally see in Australia , ” Kolden says .
Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison is facing heat for his own inaction on climate change and defense of coal .
Morrison ’ s administration faced criticism for thwarting global efforts to complete a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a United Nations climate conference in Madrid in December .
Morrison also got backlash for taking a vacation to Hawaii — which he ended up cutting short — in the midst of the fires .
“ I think there is a feeling among environmental scientists and ecologists in Australia that we ’ ve been frozen out of the debate , certainly out of policymaking .
I think it ’ s now time to bring the scientists back into the tent to look at what is likely to be happening over the next few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ecologist at the University of Sydney who estimated the death toll of animals in the flames , told Public Radio International ’ s The World .
“ We ’ re probably looking at what climate change may look like for other parts of the world in the first stages in Australia at the moment , ” Dickman said .
Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Sydney , Melbourne , and other cities across Australia on January 10th .
Demonstrators called for an end to fossil fuel subsidies and action on climate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ roads while demanding that Prime Minister Morrison leave office .
How are the fires being fought ?
Australia relies heavily on volunteer firefighters , especially in the rural bush where much of the fires are burning .
Its fire response relies more heavily on community efforts compared to places like the United States that have centralized fire management systems .
The current crisis has led to some policy changes .
As volunteers missed work to fight local blazes , Morrison announced in December that they would be compensated .
To bolster the local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its own aircraft and vessels and 3,000 army reservists .
Help is also coming from abroad : the United States and Canada have sent firefighters to battle the blazes .
Malaysia is preparing to send help , too .
Experts told The Verge that under the extreme conditions , there was not much more that firefighters could do until there was enough rainfall to stop the blazes or the fires ran out of fuel and burned themselves out .
“ It ’ s not humanly possible to prevent [ these fires ] or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , executive director of Firefighters United for Safety , Ethics , and Ecology based in Oregon , tells The Verge .
“ We have put so much of our strategy for living in fire environments all on firefighters , all on suppression , reacting to blazes .
And , you know , now we are facing conditions , given climate change in particular , we can ’ t do that.
” Correction January 6th , 11:08AM ET : A previous version of the article stated that the temperature reached 40.9 degrees Celsius , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ average temperature set on December 17th .
That record was broken on December 18th when the national average temperature reached 41.9 degrees Celsius .

Australia faced a devastating start to it’s fire season in late 2019, and things swiftly got worse before rains helped contain many of the worst fires in February 2020. The Verge will update this page with news and analyses.
What’s happened so far?
Dozens of fires erupted in New South Wales, Australia, prompting the government to declare a state of emergency in November 2019. Fires rapidly spread across all states to become some of the most devastating on record. An area about the size of South Korea, roughly 25.5 million acres, has burned. At least 33 people are dead, including at least three volunteer firefighters, and more are missing. Around 3,000 homes have been destroyed or damaged. As blazes intensified in the days leading up to New Year’s Eve, thousands of people who were forced to evacuate sought shelter on beaches across New South Wales and Victoria.
Summer extends from December to February in Australia, with fire season typically peaking in late January or early February. On January 3rd, officials warned that conditions would get worse over the following few days. “It’s going to be a blast furnace,” New South Wales Transport Minister Andrew Constance said to The Sydney Morning Herald. By January 10th, another round of massive evacuations began across the hardest-hit regions of the southeast due to dangerous winds fanning the flames.
The fires in New South Wales, the state most affected, were finally declared “contained” on February 13th. “After what’s been a truly devastating fire season for both fire fighters and residents who’ve suffered through so much this season ... We can really focus on helping people rebuild,” New South Wales Rural Fire Service deputy commissioner Rob Rogers said in a video shared on Twitter. The relief came after torrential rains marked the wettest week in the region in three decades.
The smoke became another disaster. On January 1st, Australia’s capital recorded the worst pollution it’s ever seen, with an air quality index 23 times higher than what’s considered “hazardous.” Smoke in the city crept into birthing rooms, stopped MRI machines from working, and triggered respiratory distress in one elderly woman who died soon after she stepped off a plane.
The smoke reached New Zealand, 1,000 miles away, where it has created eerie scenes atop glacier-covered peaks. The plumes were so thick that a NASA satellite snapped pictures of it from space.
More than 1 billion mammals, birds, and reptiles likely lost their lives in the blazes, according to one estimate from the University of Sydney. Around 25,000 koalas were feared dead on Kangaroo Island. Eight thousand koalas, a third of all the koalas in New South Wales, are believed to have perished, and about 30 percent of the koalas’ habitat has also been wiped out. The devastation only adds to existing pressures on Australia’s unique ecosystems. The continent is home to 244 species that are not found anywhere else. The region also has the highest rate of native mammals becoming extinct over the past 200 years. The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment published a list on February 11th of the 113 animal species, including the platypus, that most urgently need help following the fires.
“The potential impacts on wildlife are devastating,” Crystal Kolden, an associate professor of fire science at the University of Idaho who studied wildfires in Tasmania in 2018, tells The Verge. “There won’t be a full accounting for how bad it actually is for years.” Some ecosystems, like eucalyptus forests, are prone to fires and will come back. But Kolden points out that Australia is also home to pockets of vegetation, inhabited by species that have managed to survive for millions of years. “These really incredible remnants of, you know, the era of the dinosaurs essentially, [are] not adapted for fire and when it burns, it will be gone.”
A koala named Pete from Pappinbarra at the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital on November 29th, 2019, in Port Macquarie, Australia. Photo by Nathan Edwards / Getty Images
During the Golden Globe Awards on January 5th, celebrities, including Joaquin Phoenix, Ellen DeGeneres, Patricia Arquette, and Cate Blanchett, shared their concern about the fires. Australian native Russell Crowe skipped the awards ceremony because of the blazes (his home was damaged by the fires in November), but Jennifer Aniston delivered a message from him after he won Best Actor in a Limited Series or Motion Picture Made for TV. “Make no mistake. The tragedy unfolding in Australia is climate change-based,” his message said.
What does climate change have to do with it?
Firestorms are not new to Australia. It’s typically hot and dry, similar to conditions in California or the Mediterranean. Eucalyptus forests in Australia have a unique relationship to fire; the trees actually depend on fire to release their seeds.
Photo by David Gray / Getty Images
“The reality is, this is a function of climate change — this extreme heat, these extreme conditions that are so volatile and are producing the types of intensity and early season burning that we do not normally see in Australia,” Kolden says.
Australia Prime Minister Scott Morrison is facing heat for his own inaction on climate change and defense of coal. Morrison’s administration faced criticism for thwarting global efforts to complete a rulebook for implementing the Paris agreement during a United Nations climate conference in Madrid in December. Morrison also got backlash for taking a vacation to Hawaii — which he ended up cutting short — in the midst of the fires.
“This is a function of climate change.“
“I think there is a feeling among environmental scientists and ecologists in Australia that we’ve been frozen out of the debate, certainly out of policymaking. I think it’s now time to bring the scientists back into the tent to look at what is likely to be happening over the next few decades,” Chris Dickman, the ecologist at the University of Sydney who estimated the death toll of animals in the flames, told Public Radio International’s The World. “We’re probably looking at what climate change may look like for other parts of the world in the first stages in Australia at the moment,” Dickman said.
Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Sydney, Melbourne, and other cities across Australia on January 10th. Demonstrators called for an end to fossil fuel subsidies and action on climate change, and they shut down some roads while demanding that Prime Minister Morrison leave office.
How are the fires being fought?
Australia relies heavily on volunteer firefighters, especially in the rural bush where much of the fires are burning. Its fire response relies more heavily on community efforts compared to places like the United States that have centralized fire management systems. The current crisis has led to some policy changes. As volunteers missed work to fight local blazes, Morrison announced in December that they would be compensated. To bolster the local forces, the Australian military sent in its own aircraft and vessels and 3,000 army reservists. Help is also coming from abroad: the United States and Canada have sent firefighters to battle the blazes. Malaysia is preparing to send help, too.
“It’s not humanly possible.”
Experts told The Verge that under the extreme conditions, there was not much more that firefighters could do until there was enough rainfall to stop the blazes or the fires ran out of fuel and burned themselves out. “It’s not humanly possible to prevent [these fires] or put them out,” Timothy Ingalsbee, executive director of Firefighters United for Safety, Ethics, and Ecology based in Oregon, tells The Verge. “We have put so much of our strategy for living in fire environments all on firefighters, all on suppression, reacting to blazes. And, you know, now we are facing conditions, given climate change in particular, we can’t do that.”


theverge--2020-02-13--Roku predicts half of US households with a TV will cut the cord by 2024

Roku just reported a strong holiday quarter , which doesn ’ t really come as a surprise : there ’ s no time of year when people buy more streaming boxes , sticks , or new TVs that happen to run Roku ’ s software .
The company ended 2019 with 36.9 million active accounts , and customers streamed 11.7 billion hours of content in the fourth quarter .
“ We have now entered the streaming decade when we believe consumers around the world will choose streaming as their primary way of viewing TV , ” Roku CEO Anthony Wood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roku believes that by 2024 , half of all US households with a TV will have either cut the cord or never had cable to begin with .
During the earnings call , Roku CFO Steve Louden said the company ’ s hardware operations have “ only experienced minor impacts ” due to the coronavirus .
But the real story continues to be Roku ’ s thriving ad business .
“ Throughout 2019 , our growth in monetizable video ad impressions significantly outpaced streaming hour growth , ” Wood wrote , saying that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of OTT advertising.
” “ In 2019 , all top 10 technology and telecom advertisers , as well as all top 10 consumer packaged goods companies , spent with Roku , ” Wood said in the letter .
And Roku has been willing to exert its power in the streaming market to help bolster its ad numbers .
This excellent report from The Information yesterday went over some of the friction that has developed between Roku and major entertainment businesses like Fox and NBC .
Last month , Roku and Fox got into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failed to come to terms on a new carriage agreement .
The rift came just ahead of the Super Bowl , but both sides struck a new pact that kept Fox ’ s apps on Roku devices for the big game .
Without mentioning the Fox dust-up , Wood said that he watched Super Bowl LIV on a Roku .
In 4K , naturally .
According to The Information , Comcast ’ s NBCUniversal found itself in a similar dispute with Roku in late 2018 and was preparing for the possibility of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like USA and Syfy being kicked off Roku ’ s platform .
But that situation was resolved before anything went public .
Whenever it comes time to renew one of these deals , Roku uses the opportunity to continue growing out its advertising unit .
And it has multiple ad strategies in play .
You can ’ t miss the large ads on Roku ’ s home screen .
That ’ s prime placement , and Roku noted in its earnings release today that Disney took advantage to promote the launch of Disney+ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Channel is also an important vehicle for ad revenue .
But there ’ s a third pillar that ’ s just as important as those two : Roku also sells ads for third-party streaming apps .
Per The Information : Roku ’ s advertising business earns the company much more money than hardware sales of low-cost streaming players .
But its ambitions to keep building upon that business have caused Roku to butt heads with some content providers .
Smaller channels don ’ t really have much in the way of bargaining power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lose Roku ’ s massive user base .
But larger players can push back .
According to The Information , Fox resisted Roku ’ s requests to provide programming for The Roku Channel when coming to the last-minute carriage renewal , and advertising terms fell short of what Roku had hoped for .
Roku still insists it ’ s a neutral party in the streaming wars Despite the strained negotiations , Roku still positions itself as “ a neutral partner at the center of the streaming ecosystem , ” per the investor letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its power with its own partners .
Inside this report from Protocol chronicling TCL ’ s rise as a TV manufacturer is an interesting nugget : “ TCL is said to have pushed for a change to the terms of the deal ” with Roku , the report says .
Margins on TV sales are razor thin , and Roku keeps all of the advertising and services revenue that come from Roku TVs to itself .
TCL makes the well-reviewed hardware , but Roku controls the software , new features , and updates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a licensing program for companies that want to build soundbars and speakers for Roku TV sets .
In total , Roku customers streamed 40.3 billion hours of content in 2019 .
But sometimes new software features can actually work against that figure .
Here ’ s what the company said as to why Q4 streaming growth seemed a little tame compared to 2018 : “ While 2019 was a tipping point in commitments to streaming , the full force of change is still to come , ” Wood wrote in the investor letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new streaming decade as we continue to differentiate our platform , deliver strong growth , execute our strategic plans and bring together even more consumers , TV brands , content providers and advertisers .
”

Roku just reported a strong holiday quarter, which doesn’t really come as a surprise: there’s no time of year when people buy more streaming boxes, sticks, or new TVs that happen to run Roku’s software. The company ended 2019 with 36.9 million active accounts, and customers streamed 11.7 billion hours of content in the fourth quarter.
“We have now entered the streaming decade when we believe consumers around the world will choose streaming as their primary way of viewing TV,” Roku CEO Anthony Wood wrote in his letter to investors. Roku believes that by 2024, half of all US households with a TV will have either cut the cord or never had cable to begin with.
During the earnings call, Roku CFO Steve Louden said the company’s hardware operations have “only experienced minor impacts” due to the coronavirus.
But the real story continues to be Roku’s thriving ad business. “Throughout 2019, our growth in monetizable video ad impressions significantly outpaced streaming hour growth,” Wood wrote, saying that Roku aims to “shape the future of OTT advertising.”
Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
“In 2019, all top 10 technology and telecom advertisers, as well as all top 10 consumer packaged goods companies, spent with Roku,” Wood said in the letter. And Roku has been willing to exert its power in the streaming market to help bolster its ad numbers. This excellent report from The Information yesterday went over some of the friction that has developed between Roku and major entertainment businesses like Fox and NBC. Last month, Roku and Fox got into a brief-but-acrimonious public spat after the companies failed to come to terms on a new carriage agreement. The rift came just ahead of the Super Bowl, but both sides struck a new pact that kept Fox’s apps on Roku devices for the big game.
Without mentioning the Fox dust-up, Wood said that he watched Super Bowl LIV on a Roku. In 4K, naturally.
According to The Information, Comcast’s NBCUniversal found itself in a similar dispute with Roku in late 2018 and was preparing for the possibility of the banner NBC app and other NBCU networks like USA and Syfy being kicked off Roku’s platform. But that situation was resolved before anything went public.
Whenever it comes time to renew one of these deals, Roku uses the opportunity to continue growing out its advertising unit. And it has multiple ad strategies in play. You can’t miss the large ads on Roku’s home screen. That’s prime placement, and Roku noted in its earnings release today that Disney took advantage to promote the launch of Disney+. The company’s free-to-watch Roku Channel is also an important vehicle for ad revenue. But there’s a third pillar that’s just as important as those two: Roku also sells ads for third-party streaming apps. Per The Information:
It also sells some of the ad space on other companies’ apps. It does that by buying a portion of those apps’ ad inventory from the companies at a reduced rate, pooling the inventory with other inventory it has and re-selling it to advertisers.
Roku’s advertising business earns the company much more money than hardware sales of low-cost streaming players. But its ambitions to keep building upon that business have caused Roku to butt heads with some content providers. Smaller channels don’t really have much in the way of bargaining power; they can’t afford to lose Roku’s massive user base. But larger players can push back. According to The Information, Fox resisted Roku’s requests to provide programming for The Roku Channel when coming to the last-minute carriage renewal, and advertising terms fell short of what Roku had hoped for.
Roku still insists it’s a neutral party in the streaming wars
Despite the strained negotiations, Roku still positions itself as “a neutral partner at the center of the streaming ecosystem,” per the investor letter.
But the company sometimes even flexes its power with its own partners. Inside this report from Protocol chronicling TCL’s rise as a TV manufacturer is an interesting nugget: “TCL is said to have pushed for a change to the terms of the deal” with Roku, the report says. Margins on TV sales are razor thin, and Roku keeps all of the advertising and services revenue that come from Roku TVs to itself. TCL makes the well-reviewed hardware, but Roku controls the software, new features, and updates. It’s now even got a licensing program for companies that want to build soundbars and speakers for Roku TV sets.
In total, Roku customers streamed 40.3 billion hours of content in 2019. But sometimes new software features can actually work against that figure. Here’s what the company said as to why Q4 streaming growth seemed a little tame compared to 2018:
The year-over-year growth rate in streaming hours moderated somewhat in Q4 2019 versus Q4 2018 due in part to the timing of Black Friday falling a week later in 2019 and the partial rollout of the “Are you still watching” feature, which prompts users to confirm they are watching after a period of inactivity.


theverge--2020-02-13--NASA’s next science missions will head for Venus, Io, or Triton

NASA just gave four teams $ 3 million each to bring their Solar System exploration dreams closer to reality .
Two of the scientific teams have their sights set on Venus , one is focused on Jupiter ’ s highly volcanic moon Io , and the last is targeting Triton , a moon of Neptune .
“ These selected missions have the potential to transform our understanding of some of the solar system ’ s most active and complex worlds , ” Thomas Zurbuchen , associate administrator of NASA ’ s Science Mission Directorate , said in a press release @ @ @ @ @ @ @ celestial bodies will help unlock the secrets of how it , and others like it , came to be in the cosmos.
” The four teams are finalists for NASA ’ s next round of Discovery-class missions .
Discovery-class missions are considered NASA ’ s “ small ” planetary science missions .
These projects can cost no more than $ 450 million and are intended to complement NASA ’ s larger Solar System exploration missions , including the midsized New Frontiers missions and the flagship Solar System Exploration missions .
Of the four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two will actually be fully funded .
The $ 3 million that they ’ ve just been awarded will be used to develop their mission plan , and concepts related to their mission over the course of nine months .
At the end , each will present NASA with a study report and wait to see which of them actually makes the cut .
Here are the four projects selected today : VERITAS — VERITAS stands for Venus Emissivity , Radio Science , InSAR , Topography , and Spectroscopy .
Its focus would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and gathering data about how and why this planet developed so differently from Earth .
DAVINCI+ — DAVINCI+ stands for Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases , Chemistry , and Imaging Plus and , as the name suggests , is also looking to go to Venus .
Instead of focusing on the planet itself , it would focus on the gases surrounding the planet .
One highlight of the potential mission would be sending a probe deep into Venus ’ atmosphere .
Its goals are to see how Venus ’ atmosphere evolved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ IVO — The Io Volcano Observer would visit Io , a moon of Jupiter and the most volcanic body in the Solar System .
This mission would get a closer look at Io ’ s extreme volcanism and try to understand more about the moon ’ s structure .
Trident — The only non-acronymed proposal in the bunch , Trident would visit Triton , one of Neptune ’ s moons .
The flyby mission would map the moon ’ s surface , and would look for clues as to whether the moon really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Discovery missions include the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter ( LRO ) and the Mars InSight probe .
The track records of the projects have been mixed .
While the LRO has been in orbit around the Moon since 2009 , and continues to collect valuable data , the InSight lander ran into trouble last year when a burrowing heat probe unexpectedly popped back up out of the Martian surface .
Two other Discovery-class missions were selected in 2017 and will launch in the next few years .
Lucy will launch in 2021 and will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launch in 2023 and will explore a giant metal asteroid .
A final decision on which of the four newest projects will become fully funded missions is expected next year .

NASA just gave four teams $3 million each to bring their Solar System exploration dreams closer to reality. Two of the scientific teams have their sights set on Venus, one is focused on Jupiter’s highly volcanic moon Io, and the last is targeting Triton, a moon of Neptune.
“These selected missions have the potential to transform our understanding of some of the solar system’s most active and complex worlds,” Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, said in a press release. “Exploring any one of these celestial bodies will help unlock the secrets of how it, and others like it, came to be in the cosmos.”
The four teams are finalists for NASA’s next round of Discovery-class missions. Discovery-class missions are considered NASA’s “small” planetary science missions. These projects can cost no more than $450 million and are intended to complement NASA’s larger Solar System exploration missions, including the midsized New Frontiers missions and the flagship Solar System Exploration missions.
Of the four teams selected today, no more than two will actually be fully funded. The $3 million that they’ve just been awarded will be used to develop their mission plan, and concepts related to their mission over the course of nine months. At the end, each will present NASA with a study report and wait to see which of them actually makes the cut.
Here are the four projects selected today:
VERITAS — VERITAS stands for Venus Emissivity, Radio Science, InSAR, Topography, and Spectroscopy. Its focus would be on mapping the surface of Venus and gathering data about how and why this planet developed so differently from Earth.
DAVINCI+ — DAVINCI+ stands for Deep Atmosphere Venus Investigation of Noble gases, Chemistry, and Imaging Plus and, as the name suggests, is also looking to go to Venus. Instead of focusing on the planet itself, it would focus on the gases surrounding the planet. One highlight of the potential mission would be sending a probe deep into Venus’ atmosphere. Its goals are to see how Venus’ atmosphere evolved and whether it had an ocean.
IVO — The Io Volcano Observer would visit Io, a moon of Jupiter and the most volcanic body in the Solar System. This mission would get a closer look at Io’s extreme volcanism and try to understand more about the moon’s structure.
Trident — The only non-acronymed proposal in the bunch, Trident would visit Triton, one of Neptune’s moons. The flyby mission would map the moon’s surface, and would look for clues as to whether the moon really has a predicted subsurface ocean.
Current Discovery missions include the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) and the Mars InSight probe. The track records of the projects have been mixed. While the LRO has been in orbit around the Moon since 2009, and continues to collect valuable data, the InSight lander ran into trouble last year when a burrowing heat probe unexpectedly popped back up out of the Martian surface.
Two other Discovery-class missions were selected in 2017 and will launch in the next few years. Lucy will launch in 2021 and will explore seven asteroids, while Psyche will launch in 2023 and will explore a giant metal asteroid.


theverge--2020-02-13--‘Disgruntled’ former Waymo self-driving car operator arrested for causing car crash

A former Waymo contractor was arrested after allegedly forcing one of the company ’ s self-driving cars to crash in Tempe last month , according to AZ Central .
Police say 31-year-old Raymond Tang drove his Mazda recklessly around the Waymo vehicle , eventually swerving in front of the self-driving car and slamming his brakes , causing the Waymo vehicle to rear-end him .
The collision was captured on video by the Waymo vehicle ’ s cameras and posted online by ABC15 .
A dark Mazda can be seen swerving several times in front of the Waymo vehicle before eventually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minor fender-bender .
Waymo , which has the same parent company as Google , operates hundreds of self-driving minivans in the suburbs of Phoenix , Arizona , where it runs a limited ride-hailing service for around 1,000 customers .
The Waymo vehicle was being driven manually by a human safety driver at the time of the crash .
Tang admitted to “ brake-checking the Waymo ” in a later interview with police , according to AZ Central .
The Waymo safety driver went to the hospital for her injuries and asthma-related difficulties , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Genesis10 , one of the third-party contractors that supplies autonomous vehicle operators to Waymo , until he was fired a year ago when he “ failed to meet the high safety standards , ” a spokesperson for the company said in a statement .
Tang was also involved in an incident on January 30th , which resulted in misdemeanor charges for disorderly conduct and criminal damage against him , the spokesperson said .
“ Incidents such as this one reinforce the importance of Waymo ’ s mission : to make it safe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re going and to help save the thousands of lives now lost to traffic crashes caused by humans , ” Waymo said .
Genesis10 is one of several contracting firms that supplies workers , such as vehicle operators and maintenance workers , to Waymo .
The company recently changed many of their statuses from contractors to vendors , leading several to complain to The Verge about slashed benefits and unsafe working conditions .

A former Waymo contractor was arrested after allegedly forcing one of the company’s self-driving cars to crash in Tempe last month, according to AZ Central. Police say 31-year-old Raymond Tang drove his Mazda recklessly around the Waymo vehicle, eventually swerving in front of the self-driving car and slamming his brakes, causing the Waymo vehicle to rear-end him.
The collision was captured on video by the Waymo vehicle’s cameras and posted online by ABC15. A dark Mazda can be seen swerving several times in front of the Waymo vehicle before eventually slamming on the brakes and causing a minor fender-bender.
Waymo, which has the same parent company as Google, operates hundreds of self-driving minivans in the suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona, where it runs a limited ride-hailing service for around 1,000 customers.
The Waymo vehicle was being driven manually by a human safety driver at the time of the crash. Tang admitted to “brake-checking the Waymo” in a later interview with police, according to AZ Central. The Waymo safety driver went to the hospital for her injuries and asthma-related difficulties, according to court records.
Tang worked for Genesis10
Tang worked for Genesis10, one of the third-party contractors that supplies autonomous vehicle operators to Waymo, until he was fired a year ago when he “failed to meet the high safety standards,” a spokesperson for the company said in a statement. Tang was also involved in an incident on January 30th, which resulted in misdemeanor charges for disorderly conduct and criminal damage against him, the spokesperson said.
“Incidents such as this one reinforce the importance of Waymo’s mission: to make it safe for people to get where they’re going and to help save the thousands of lives now lost to traffic crashes caused by humans,” Waymo said.


theverge--2020-02-13--Tesla owner says remotely disabled Autopilot features have been restored

Tesla has restored the Autopilot driver assistance features it remotely disabled on a used Model S , just days after Jalopnik published a story about the customer ’ s ordeal .
The owner , who Jalopnik simply referred to as Alec , confirmed to The Verge that the features are back after The Next Web spotted new Tesla Motors Club forum posts he wrote earlier this week .
Alec said he was contacted by a Tesla customer experience rep who “ apologized for my troubles , told me that Tesla has restored all missed options ” and “ cited a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company pulled the Autopilot features in the first place .
Alec had purchased the used 2017 Model S in December from a third-party dealer that acquired the car from Tesla at auction in November .
The original owner had equipped the car with the ( now-retired ) “ Enhanced Autopilot ” version of Tesla ’ s driver assistance package and the company ’ s “ Full Self-Driving ” package , which promises increased autonomy over the years .
Three days after Tesla sold the car to the dealer , Tesla performed a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for removal , according to Jalopnik .
The owner bought the used car from a third-party dealer — which bought the car from Tesla Even then , the features were never removed , and the dealer posted the car for sale with both Enhanced Autopilot and Full Self-Driving featured on the car ’ s Monroney sticker — meaning Alec paid for a car with those features .
But when Alec took the car to a Tesla service center a few weeks after his purchase , he was told that the features were removed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he was told this : Tesla has recent identified instances of customers being incorrectly configured for Autopilot versions that they did not pay for .
Since , there was an audit done to correct these instances .
Your vehicle is one of the vehicles that was incorrectly configured for Autopilot .
We looked back at your purchase history and unfortunately Full-Self Driving was not a feature that you had paid for .
We apologize for the confusion .
If you are still interested in having those additional features we can begin the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has removed features from used cars in the past , but typically does so before the car is sold off to a third-party dealer or a new owner .
Since Tesla pulled these features both after it sold the car to the dealer , and after that dealer sold it to Alec , it caused some fear that the company was setting a precedent for yanking features on a whim .
That now seems less likely to be true , although owners and potential customers should always be prepared to deal with changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it comes to adding new features and generally making cars upgradeable via over-the-air software updates , and other automakers are ( slowly ) following suit .
But the easier it gets for automakers to remotely update or change the features of a car , the easier it gets to take those features away , too .
Exactly what Tesla ’ s policy is here is hard to say , though .
The automaker did not respond to multiple requests for clarification or comment .

Tesla has restored the Autopilot driver assistance features it remotely disabled on a used Model S, just days after Jalopnik published a story about the customer’s ordeal.
The owner, who Jalopnik simply referred to as Alec, confirmed to The Verge that the features are back after The Next Web spotted new Tesla Motors Club forum posts he wrote earlier this week. Alec said he was contacted by a Tesla customer experience rep who “apologized for my troubles, told me that Tesla has restored all missed options” and “cited a miscommunication” as the reason why the company pulled the Autopilot features in the first place.
Alec had purchased the used 2017 Model S in December from a third-party dealer that acquired the car from Tesla at auction in November. The original owner had equipped the car with the (now-retired) “Enhanced Autopilot” version of Tesla’s driver assistance package and the company’s “Full Self-Driving” package, which promises increased autonomy over the years. Three days after Tesla sold the car to the dealer, Tesla performed a “remote audit” that flagged those features for removal, according to Jalopnik.
The owner bought the used car from a third-party dealer — which bought the car from Tesla
Even then, the features were never removed, and the dealer posted the car for sale with both Enhanced Autopilot and Full Self-Driving featured on the car’s Monroney sticker — meaning Alec paid for a car with those features.
But when Alec took the car to a Tesla service center a few weeks after his purchase, he was told that the features were removed. When he contacted Tesla customer support, he was told this:
Tesla has recent identified instances of customers being incorrectly configured for Autopilot versions that they did not pay for. Since, there was an audit done to correct these instances. Your vehicle is one of the vehicles that was incorrectly configured for Autopilot. We looked back at your purchase history and unfortunately Full-Self Driving was not a feature that you had paid for. We apologize for the confusion. If you are still interested in having those additional features we can begin the process to purchase the upgrade.
Tesla has removed features from used cars in the past, but typically does so before the car is sold off to a third-party dealer or a new owner. Since Tesla pulled these features both after it sold the car to the dealer, and after that dealer sold it to Alec, it caused some fear that the company was setting a precedent for yanking features on a whim.
That now seems less likely to be true, although owners and potential customers should always be prepared to deal with changes. Tesla is pushing the boundaries when it comes to adding new features and generally making cars upgradeable via over-the-air software updates, and other automakers are (slowly) following suit. But the easier it gets for automakers to remotely update or change the features of a car, the easier it gets to take those features away, too.


theverge--2020-02-13--EA reassigns future Need for Speed projects to Burnout developer Criterion Games

EA says that future games in the Need for Speed series will be developed by Criterion Games , while the series ’ s previous developer Ghost Games will be rebranded as a support studio to aid in various projects under the EA umbrella , according to GamesIndustry.biz .
Criterion Games is best known for creating the Burnout series .
However , the studio previously produced two games in the Need for Speed series — 2010 ’ s Need for Speed : Hot Pursuit and 2012 ’ s Need for Speed : Most Wanted , which are some of the more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I felt that 2012 ’ s Most Wanted was a high point in the series because it felt like a spiritual sequel to Burnout , while maintaining the identity of Need for Speed .
Meanwhile , my editor Sean says 2005 ’ s Most Wanted was his everything and refuses to acknowledge the sequel .
But because Criterion ’ s Burnout 3 : Takedown is his favorite racer of all time , both of us are actually pretty excited to see what the studio does with Need for Speed now .
Ghost @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2013 with the release of Need for Speed : Rivals , which was received well , but the next two games were met with mixed reviews .
The most recent installment , Need for Speed : Heat , has fared a bit better , though .
As our sister site Polygon points out , Criterion has actually spent its recent years as a support studio for EA ’ s other franchises , creating the Star Wars : Battlefront series ’ s much-loved space battles and Battlefield V ’ s epic Firestorm battle royale @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see the studio build its own games again .

EA says that future games in the Need for Speed series will be developed by Criterion Games, while the series’s previous developer Ghost Games will be rebranded as a support studio to aid in various projects under the EA umbrella, according to GamesIndustry.biz.
Criterion Games is best known for creating the Burnout series. However, the studio previously produced two games in the Need for Speed series — 2010’s Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit and 2012’s Need for Speed: Most Wanted, which are some of the more popular installments in the franchise.
Personally, I felt that 2012’s Most Wanted was a high point in the series because it felt like a spiritual sequel to Burnout, while maintaining the identity of Need for Speed. Meanwhile, my editor Sean says 2005’s Most Wanted was his everything and refuses to acknowledge the sequel. But because Criterion’s Burnout 3: Takedown is his favorite racer of all time, both of us are actually pretty excited to see what the studio does with Need for Speed now.
Ghost Games took over Need for Speed in 2013 with the release of Need for Speed: Rivals, which was received well, but the next two games were met with mixed reviews. The most recent installment, Need for Speed: Heat, has fared a bit better, though.


theverge--2020-02-13--DOJ charges Ohio man with laundering over $300 million via bitcoin

Federal authorities arrested an Ohio man for operating a cryptocurrency laundering service that moved some $ 300 million in bitcoin via a “ tumbling ” operation .
Larry Dean Harmon of Akron ran an operation called Helix , which partnered with now-defunct underground marketplace AlphaBay , known for illegal activity including drug deals , according to the Department of Justice .
The feds shut down AlphaBay in 2017 .
According to an indictment , Harmon exchanged more than 350,000 bitcoin on Helix between 2014 and 2017 .
Customers could send bitcoin to recipients in a way that was designed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bitcoin , authorities said .
“ The brazenness with which Helix operated should be the most appalling aspect of this operation to every day citizens .
There are bad actors and then there are criminals who facilitate hundreds of other crimes , ” Don Fort , chief of the IRS Criminal Investigation division said in a statement .
“ The sole purpose of Harmon ’ s operation was to conceal criminal transactions from law enforcement on the Darknet , and because of our growing expertise in this area , he could not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known as mixing , bitcoin tumbling allows owners to blend their cryptocurrency transactions to obscure them from oversight , often to hide illegal activity such as selling drugs .
Harmon is charged with money laundering conspiracy , operating an unlicensed money transmitting business , and conducting money transmission without a DC license .
Once a popular medium for laundering drug money , cryptocurrency exchanges now require disclosures that make operations like Helix less common .
In 2018 , more than 40 alleged dark-web drug dealers were arrested as part of a federal sting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cash for bitcoin , Homeland Security agents traced more than $ 20 million in drug-linked cryptocurrency transactions to individual dealers .

Federal authorities arrested an Ohio man for operating a cryptocurrency laundering service that moved some $300 million in bitcoin via a “tumbling” operation. Larry Dean Harmon of Akron ran an operation called Helix, which partnered with now-defunct underground marketplace AlphaBay, known for illegal activity including drug deals, according to the Department of Justice. The feds shut down AlphaBay in 2017.
According to an indictment, Harmon exchanged more than 350,000 bitcoin on Helix between 2014 and 2017. Customers could send bitcoin to recipients in a way that was designed to conceal the transaction and the owner of the bitcoin, authorities said.
“The brazenness with which Helix operated should be the most appalling aspect of this operation to every day citizens. There are bad actors and then there are criminals who facilitate hundreds of other crimes,” Don Fort, chief of the IRS Criminal Investigation division said in a statement. “The sole purpose of Harmon’s operation was to conceal criminal transactions from law enforcement on the Darknet, and because of our growing expertise in this area, he could not make good on that promise.”
Also known as mixing, bitcoin tumbling allows owners to blend their cryptocurrency transactions to obscure them from oversight, often to hide illegal activity such as selling drugs.
Harmon is charged with money laundering conspiracy, operating an unlicensed money transmitting business, and conducting money transmission without a DC license.


theverge--2020-02-13--Apple’s new 16-inch MacBook Pro is now available refurbished, starting at $2,039

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Apple ’ s 16-inch MacBook Pro is now available through the company ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This model from late 2019 has an improved keyboard , lots of power , and what The Verge ’ s Dieter Bohn thinks are the “ best speakers on a laptop.
” It ’ s usually very expensive , starting at $ 2,399 for a new machine and moving up from there .
But starting today ( via MacRumors ) you can decide between several refurbished models through Apple ’ s online store .
The base $ 2,399 configuration is now $ 2,039 and it comes with a six-core 2.6GHz Intel Core @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a 512GB SSD , and AMD ’ s Radeon Pro 5300M integrated graphics chip .
The higher-end $ 2,799 model is also discounted to $ 2,379 refurbished ( which is actually $ 20 less than the new , base model configuration ) .
It features an eight-core Intel Core i9 CPU , 16GB of RAM , a bigger 1TB SSD , and a slightly faster AMD Radeon Pro 5500M graphics chip .
There are several configurations available through Apple ’ s refurbished site , ranging from some that don ’ t cost much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ones that are more astronomical in price .
Though , as is usually the case with popular products that hit Apple ’ s refurbished page , they may go out of stock soon .
If you haven ’ t purchased anything refurbished through Apple , there ’ s no good reason not to .
I ’ m just as quick to raise an eyebrow when I see refurbished products sold online as you might be , but Apple ’ s refurbishment program is pretty great .
Your purchase will show up good as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ warranty , and you can add AppleCare to it for extra assurance .

Apple’s 16-inch MacBook Pro is now available through the company’s refurbished store starting at $2,039. This model from late 2019 has an improved keyboard, lots of power, and what The Verge’s Dieter Bohn thinks are the “best speakers on a laptop.” It’s usually very expensive, starting at $2,399 for a new machine and moving up from there. But starting today (via MacRumors) you can decide between several refurbished models through Apple’s online store. The publication recently noted that they’re now available through Apple’s site in the UK, Germany, and Japan, in addition to the US.
The base $2,399 configuration is now $2,039 and it comes with a six-core 2.6GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and AMD’s Radeon Pro 5300M integrated graphics chip.
Apple 16-inch MacBook Pro (six-core Intel Core i7) / Was $2,399, now 15 percent off $2,039 at Apple
The higher-end $2,799 model is also discounted to $2,379 refurbished (which is actually $20 less than the new, base model configuration). It features an eight-core Intel Core i9 CPU, 16GB of RAM, a bigger 1TB SSD, and a slightly faster AMD Radeon Pro 5500M graphics chip.
Apple 16-inch MacBook Pro (eight-core Intel Core i9) / Was $2,799, now 15 percent off $2,379 at Apple
There are several configurations available through Apple’s refurbished site, ranging from some that don’t cost much more than the aforementioned configurations, to ones that are more astronomical in price. Though, as is usually the case with popular products that hit Apple’s refurbished page, they may go out of stock soon.
If you haven’t purchased anything refurbished through Apple, there’s no good reason not to. I’m just as quick to raise an eyebrow when I see refurbished products sold online as you might be, but Apple’s refurbishment program is pretty great. Your purchase will show up good as new, be covered by a one-year warranty, and you can add AppleCare to it for extra assurance.


theverge--2020-02-14--PS4 game Dreams is an amazing creation tool with an exposure problem

Dreams is a game about creating games .
And not just games , but music , animation , and art , all through powerful creation tools provided by developers Media Molecule .
Players have created hyperrealistic breakfast food and 90-minute detective games during the seven-month early access period , and a community emerged to teach one another tricks they ’ d discovered or showcase amazing creations they ’ d found .
There ’ s just one big hitch : there ’ s no way to fully release a Dreams game ( confusingly called a “ dream ” ) outside of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Media Molecule has said that it wants to give creators commercial rights and the ability to export away from the PlayStation 4 where Dreams is an exclusive title published through Sony Entertainment .
But there ’ s been no elaboration on how or when that might happen .
Right now , the only ones directly benefiting financially from these players ’ creativity and work are the developer and publisher .
But as with all games , Dreams and its player creations can be experienced elsewhere ( albeit in a limited form ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and streaming .
This is something Cameron Kunzelman notes in his piece on Dreams as a walled garden where anything that ’ s shared to outside platforms serves as an advertisement to draw more people into the game .
That advertisement does little for those who made the creations .
They might gain more attention within the Dreams ecosystem , but there ’ s no tangible reward for that .
It ’ s predominantly Media Molecule and Sony that benefit .
But the streamers and YouTubers who curate and broadcast their discoveries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monetizing their content .
“ I would want to be given credit if the roles were flipped.
” The fairness ( and legality ) of broadcasting a game for an audience that isn ’ t paying the original developers has long been a complicated issue .
Dreams complicates it further by showcasing the work of players who are also unpaid creators , and who stand to gain nothing .
In this way , Dreams ’ closest analog doesn ’ t come from games at all , but from short-form video .
Creators on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all have their content mined to be uploaded to compilation videos on YouTube , often without so much as a credit .
But the YouTubers who upload them may get tens of millions of views and the ad money associated with it .
Throughout Dreams ’ early access period , video creators have been doing something similar with players ’ creations .
But theirs is a more involved process than making a Vine compilation .
Curating from Dreams ’ massively varied library of creations is itself a skill , and the videos typically @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all its own kind of work .
These YouTubers also tend to be a part of the community ( including sometimes being Dreams creators themselves ) , and they want to give the games ’ creators what they can .
At the very least , this means clear credit .
Content creator Project Genesis , who preferred to be only referred to by his first name , Franck , was recently accoladed by developer Media Molecule as Dreams ’ “ best streamer ” and “ community star ” during its Impy awards ceremony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the creations in the description , as well as a link to the “ indreams ” website where players can save the game to play when they get back to their PS4s .
“ I find it important to credit because I would want to be given credit if the roles were flipped , ” he explains .
Lee and Sam , a married couple who also preferred I omit their surname , create videos as Ugly Sofa Gaming on YouTube .
They say that crediting was a discussion they had “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s history .
“ We think [ it ’ s ] very important , ” they told me .
“ We always take the time to post the level name , creator name…and an [ indreams ] link to the level so it can be easily found.
” When their videos take the form of large compilations , for example “ 35 Dreams in 6 minutes , ” they say they ’ re careful to timestamp each creation for the ease of the viewer .
“ Half the reason we make these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help bring positive attention to Dreams and the creators , so doing anything less than this would be counterproductive , ” they explain .
“ I like to think that ‘ Dreams ’ will become the next place for creative expression.
” Other YouTubers have different processes .
Sakku , who asked to be referred to by his channel name , doesn ’ t list the creators or their indreams links in the description .
But their compilations are always edited to include a shot of the game ’ s title card “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name and how everyone can access the dream in the Dreamiverse , ” they explain .
“ I think crediting people is important , I created this series in the first place to show my community other creators and the amazing stuff they make as well as what ’ s possible with Dreams.
” It ’ s not quite as convenient as Franck or Lee and Sam ’ s clickable links , but Sakku isn ’ t the only one who landed on this solution .
Media Molecule streams the creations of players @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then uploaded to YouTube , but no extra notes are added to the description .
Some viewers have taken to listing timestamps alongside the title of the dream in the comments themselves for others ’ ease .
Media Molecule is a very different kind of curator than the other YouTubers in the Dreams community .
While every video serves as a kind of advertisement for the game , Media Molecule ’ s are far more direct , produced by direct employees of the company .
While many of the YouTubers I spoke to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ job , either full or part time , they are predominantly hobbyists .
As well as benefiting in a greater way than other YouTube curators , Media Molecule doesn ’ t have to worry about getting credited like its players might .
All creations are watermarked with “ made in Dreams , ” whether played on the PS4 or captured to share elsewhere .
That way , it ’ s impossible to share without attributing to the game , even if the actual creator is obscured .
Media Molecule also curates for reasons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ date trailer states that it ’ s “ filled with wonderful community creations , ” but none are credited .
The early access EULA has players sign away their user-generated content “ for any purpose , including for promoting , advertising , selling , and re-distributing the software.
” It also states that “ no compensation will be paid to you or any third party with respect to the use of your user material.
” ( Media Molecule did not respond to a request for comment in time of publication . )
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compilation I saw , created by a YouTuber who goes by Jiar300 .
Called “ 2 seconds from 300 different Dreams Vol .
2 , ” it showcases so much of the variety of players ’ creations that even picking a few to be representative feels reductive .
He says that his goal was to “ show people a quick look at everything that is possible in Dreams.
” “ It ’ s hard to tell the author of every detail.
” The video has no credits .
“ I would love to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down every name and creator would take ages , ” he says .
Besides , he points out , players can lift others ’ creations and use them in their own games , so “ it ’ s hard to tell the author of every detail.
” It ’ s true that even the best videos ’ crediting only demonstrates who put the final creation together , not who made its composite parts .
Credit-blurring is built into Dreams .
The only surefire credit goes to Media Molecule and Sony .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been invested enough to create through Dreams ’ early access period don ’ t seem to mind creating for the sake of their own satisfaction .
YouTube curations are therefore a happy part of the process .
“ We have had a unanimous positive response from featuring [ creator ’ s ] work , ” say Lee and Sam .
“ Creators have fed back to us that they love seeing people playing and experiencing what they have put together .
It provides validation seeing that their dream , that they have spent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actually playable and enjoyable !
Seeing the game played by someone else also helps them spot ways to improve their game design as they see the player react in ways they didn ’ t anticipate.
” They also say that creators have reached out to ask them to feature their dreams next .
The YouTubers I spoke with also expressed a sense of responsibility for the success of Dreams .
Sakku said that one of their goals was to help “ the whole project to grow.
” “ My general aim is to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dreams is , ” Franck told me .
“ I like to think that Dreams will become the next place for creative expression , just like YouTube is for videos , Instagram for pictures , SoundCloud for music , ” says Jiar300 .
In the short-form video industry , the battle over who has rights to uploaded content was won by — what else — a company .
Digital rights management corporation Collab now often issues copyright strikes on Vine compilations , paying out to creators after taking their cut .
This doesn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dreams for multiple reasons , not least that the question of who has intellectual rights over their creations is unclear .
Instead , the uneven relationship between creators and Media Molecule and Sony will continue to play out both in and outside of the game , with YouTubers and streamers caught in the middle .

Dreams is a game about creating games. And not just games, but music, animation, and art, all through powerful creation tools provided by developers Media Molecule. Players have created hyperrealistic breakfast food and 90-minute detective games during the seven-month early access period, and a community emerged to teach one another tricks they’d discovered or showcase amazing creations they’d found. There’s just one big hitch: there’s no way to fully release a Dreams game (confusingly called a “dream”) outside of the tool in which it was made.
Media Molecule has said that it wants to give creators commercial rights and the ability to export away from the PlayStation 4 where Dreams is an exclusive title published through Sony Entertainment. But there’s been no elaboration on how or when that might happen. Right now, the only ones directly benefiting financially from these players’ creativity and work are the developer and publisher.
But as with all games, Dreams and its player creations can be experienced elsewhere (albeit in a limited form), thanks to social media, YouTube, and streaming. This is something Cameron Kunzelman notes in his piece on Dreams as a walled garden where anything that’s shared to outside platforms serves as an advertisement to draw more people into the game. That advertisement does little for those who made the creations. They might gain more attention within the Dreams ecosystem, but there’s no tangible reward for that. It’s predominantly Media Molecule and Sony that benefit. But the streamers and YouTubers who curate and broadcast their discoveries outside of Dreams also have ways of monetizing their content.
“I would want to be given credit if the roles were flipped.”
The fairness (and legality) of broadcasting a game for an audience that isn’t paying the original developers has long been a complicated issue. Dreams complicates it further by showcasing the work of players who are also unpaid creators, and who stand to gain nothing. In this way, Dreams’ closest analog doesn’t come from games at all, but from short-form video. Creators on Vine, TikTok, and now Byte all have their content mined to be uploaded to compilation videos on YouTube, often without so much as a credit. But the YouTubers who upload them may get tens of millions of views and the ad money associated with it.
Throughout Dreams’ early access period, video creators have been doing something similar with players’ creations. But theirs is a more involved process than making a Vine compilation. Curating from Dreams’ massively varied library of creations is itself a skill, and the videos typically include commentary and entertainment, which is all its own kind of work. These YouTubers also tend to be a part of the community (including sometimes being Dreams creators themselves), and they want to give the games’ creators what they can. At the very least, this means clear credit.
Content creator Project Genesis, who preferred to be only referred to by his first name, Franck, was recently accoladed by developer Media Molecule as Dreams’ “best streamer” and “community star” during its Impy awards ceremony. His compilation videos always include lists of the creations in the description, as well as a link to the “indreams” website where players can save the game to play when they get back to their PS4s. “I find it important to credit because I would want to be given credit if the roles were flipped,” he explains.
Lee and Sam, a married couple who also preferred I omit their surname, create videos as Ugly Sofa Gaming on YouTube. They say that crediting was a discussion they had “very early on” in their channel’s history. “We think [it’s] very important,” they told me. “We always take the time to post the level name, creator name…and an [indreams] link to the level so it can be easily found.” When their videos take the form of large compilations, for example “35 Dreams in 6 minutes,” they say they’re careful to timestamp each creation for the ease of the viewer. “Half the reason we make these videos in the first place is to help bring positive attention to Dreams and the creators, so doing anything less than this would be counterproductive,” they explain.
“I like to think that ‘Dreams’ will become the next place for creative expression.”
Other YouTubers have different processes. Sakku, who asked to be referred to by his channel name, doesn’t list the creators or their indreams links in the description. But their compilations are always edited to include a shot of the game’s title card “because I want to show the creators name and how everyone can access the dream in the Dreamiverse,” they explain. “I think crediting people is important, I created this series in the first place to show my community other creators and the amazing stuff they make as well as what’s possible with Dreams.”
It’s not quite as convenient as Franck or Lee and Sam’s clickable links, but Sakku isn’t the only one who landed on this solution. Media Molecule streams the creations of players weekly on Twitch. The streams are then uploaded to YouTube, but no extra notes are added to the description. Some viewers have taken to listing timestamps alongside the title of the dream in the comments themselves for others’ ease.
Media Molecule is a very different kind of curator than the other YouTubers in the Dreams community. While every video serves as a kind of advertisement for the game, Media Molecule’s are far more direct, produced by direct employees of the company. While many of the YouTubers I spoke to mentioned wanting to make the gig their job, either full or part time, they are predominantly hobbyists.
“Asparagus Standup” by Redep1994.
As well as benefiting in a greater way than other YouTube curators, Media Molecule doesn’t have to worry about getting credited like its players might. All creations are watermarked with “made in Dreams,” whether played on the PS4 or captured to share elsewhere. That way, it’s impossible to share without attributing to the game, even if the actual creator is obscured.
Media Molecule also curates for reasons other than community streams. The release date trailer states that it’s “filled with wonderful community creations,” but none are credited. The early access EULA has players sign away their user-generated content “for any purpose, including for promoting, advertising, selling, and re-distributing the software.” It also states that “no compensation will be paid to you or any third party with respect to the use of your user material.” (Media Molecule did not respond to a request for comment in time of publication.)
The trailer is reminiscent of the first Dreams compilation I saw, created by a YouTuber who goes by Jiar300. Called “2 seconds from 300 different Dreams Vol. 2,” it showcases so much of the variety of players’ creations that even picking a few to be representative feels reductive. He says that his goal was to “show people a quick look at everything that is possible in Dreams.”
“It’s hard to tell the author of every detail.”
The video has no credits. “I would love to credit everyone but the process of writing down every name and creator would take ages,” he says. Besides, he points out, players can lift others’ creations and use them in their own games, so “it’s hard to tell the author of every detail.” It’s true that even the best videos’ crediting only demonstrates who put the final creation together, not who made its composite parts. Credit-blurring is built into Dreams. The only surefire credit goes to Media Molecule and Sony.
It’s not surprising that those who have been invested enough to create through Dreams’ early access period don’t seem to mind creating for the sake of their own satisfaction. YouTube curations are therefore a happy part of the process. “We have had a unanimous positive response from featuring [creator’s] work,” say Lee and Sam. “Creators have fed back to us that they love seeing people playing and experiencing what they have put together. It provides validation seeing that their dream, that they have spent so much time working on, is actually playable and enjoyable! Seeing the game played by someone else also helps them spot ways to improve their game design as they see the player react in ways they didn’t anticipate.” They also say that creators have reached out to ask them to feature their dreams next.
The YouTubers I spoke with also expressed a sense of responsibility for the success of Dreams. Sakku said that one of their goals was to help “the whole project to grow.” “My general aim is to really show as many people how amazing Dreams is,” Franck told me. “I like to think that Dreams will become the next place for creative expression, just like YouTube is for videos, Instagram for pictures, SoundCloud for music,” says Jiar300.


theverge--2020-02-14--Flip phones deserve a shot because phones all look the same now

As more folding phones get released , I ’ m seeing more people ask an important and honest question : does anybody really need this ?
There are many different answers but I think the most important one is simply this : not at the prices we ’ ve seen so far , no .
But if prices can come down and build quality can go up , I can see all sorts of cases for folding phones .
The easiest case to make is for something like the Galaxy Fold , a phone that unfolds into a little mini @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of that device , I came away disappointed in the execution but interested in the idea .
Little tablets are nicer than giant phones , and making one more portable seems like a good idea .
A flip phone is a tougher call , though .
For the Motorola Razr , there was an opportunity for it to just ride on its nostalgia value — a squandered one , it turns out .
It ’ s an opportunity I don ’ t think will come around a second time .
Motorola tarnished the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ importantly , many ( maybe most ! )
people just don ’ t feel that nostalgia at all , as Marques Brownlee recently pointed out .
The main reason I think people might want a folding phone is that it is , in fact , more portable .
It fits better into small pockets and handbags .
Yes , they are thicker than equivalent smartphones , but there really are people who care less about that Z-axis than not having a slab sticking out of their jeans .
The Galaxy Fold has two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for quick things and the tablet mode for immersive things .
What was interesting about it is that there was nothing in between , so it made me more conscious of my phone usage .
I didn ’ t experience anything like that with the Razr .
I don ’ t think it ’ s likely that a flip phone will fundamentally change our sometimes overindulgent relationship with our phones .
Sure , there is a tactile satisfaction to closing it and maybe a psychological benefit of seeing it closed and not in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there , but I don ’ t know how much .
But I don ’ t want to dismiss this form factor just yet .
Before everybody settled on monolithic slabs of glass , there was a wide diversity of form factors for phones .
It meant that you could find a phone that fit your preferences and personality , something that had a little character .
Back in the day we had “ candybars ” and “ flip phones ” and which one you got was purely a matter of style and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do much , so literally you ’ d go to the store and pick one based on something other than specs .
You ’ d pick the one that looked cool , had the battery life you wanted , was the most durable , or some other thing .
Now , most of that expression comes through phone cases .
But as smartphones get ever harder to distinguish from one another , I don ’ t think it would be such a terrible thing for us to have more choices in form factors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same thing , we could go back to picking one that looks cool or is the most durable .
There ’ s still the iOS vs Android divide , of course , but at least in Android world there could be more choice .
If folding phones can come down in price and come up in their durability , I don ’ t see why we couldn ’ t have that kind of choice with our smartphones again , too .
┏ Motorola Razr review : folding flip phone flops .
If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least listen to the creaking at the top of the video .
I have to say that this was a pretty big disappointment — Motorola did so many things right and had so many clever solutions to some of the problems folding phones have .
It just couldn ’ t get all the other parts of a phone right .
See also : Motorola Razr undergoes iFixit ’ s ‘ most complicated ’ teardown yet .
┏ MSI Prestige 14 review : hot pink and hot in your lap .
Very good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I also love this pink color and would love to see more daring color choices from more companies .
It ’ s all the better that MSI did it on a gaming laptop with a discrete GPU — though as Monica writes , there ’ s some issues with heat to worry about .
┏ Half-Life : Alyx will launch on March 23rd .
Admission that will make at least one reader unsubscribe to this newsletter in absolute disgust : though I have played Wolfenstein 3D , the original Doom , Quake , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ultima Underworld players make some noise ) , I have never played Half-Life 2 .
┏ Xiaomi ’ s Mi 10 flagship 5G phones launch in China .
This almost reads like the spec sheet for the Samsung Galaxy S20 , doesn ’ t it ?
┏ Microsoft and Nike have created a custom Jordan-branded Xbox One X ┏ Uber is testing out a new 1-800 number for people who don ’ t use apps .
You might think this is a good opportunity for a joke but I strongly disagree .
Making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big win for accessibility and access .
Not everybody has , can afford , or even can use a smartphone .
If you see anybody cracking wise , please push back .
┏ Oracle strikes back at Google in Supreme Court copyright case .
I know this is a consequential case for the laws surrounding code and copyright and I know the outcome is going to be a big deal .
It is the Paul Rudd of court cases .
You ’ re continually reminded that oh yeah , it ’ s still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it still looks exactly the same as it did ten years ago .
Also : it ’ s sort of funny in a non-threatening way at this point .
┏ Copyright could be the next way for Congress to take on Big Tech .
It ’ s not just section 230 that has a ton of proposed legislation in the works .
Adi Robertson has a good overview of the state of play for this other work happening right now in Congress — and makes a very good point here : ┏ Kirsten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take on Big Tech .
Makena Kelly details the proposed legislation .
I have to say it ’ s great to finally start seeing actual proposals about data privacy instead of the vague talk about the need for and acceptance of regulation .
It ’ s all been so hazy .
┏ Amazon pauses Microsoft ’ s $ 10 billion Pentagon contract as trial proceeds .
Whatever you might think of the ethics of these companies providing services to the DoD , I think you have to admit that Amazon ’ s claim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump ’ s animosity towards Jeff Bezos is not an outlandish worry .
More from The Verge ┏ Inside Clinc , the AI startup facing troubling allegations of sexual harassment .
Another big story from Zoe Schiffer , who summarizes it well in her Tweet : “ A professor at the University of Michigan is stepping down as CEO of his buzzy AI company following multiple claims of sexual misconduct from current and former employees.
” ┏ Tesla owner says remotely disabled Autopilot features have been restored .
Glad this happened , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ upgrades and used vehicles sure do seem confusing — and they shouldn ’ t be .
┏ YouTube is the frontrunner in the mobile streaming wars , and it ’ s not even close .
Julia Alexander provides a good overview here , including your regular reminder that as big as you might think Netflix is , it ’ s still tiny compared to YouTube :

As more folding phones get released, I’m seeing more people ask an important and honest question: does anybody really need this? There are many different answers but I think the most important one is simply this: not at the prices we’ve seen so far, no.
But if prices can come down and build quality can go up, I can see all sorts of cases for folding phones. The easiest case to make is for something like the Galaxy Fold, a phone that unfolds into a little mini tablet. In both of my reviews of that device, I came away disappointed in the execution but interested in the idea. Little tablets are nicer than giant phones, and making one more portable seems like a good idea.
A flip phone is a tougher call, though. For the Motorola Razr, there was an opportunity for it to just ride on its nostalgia value — a squandered one, it turns out. It’s an opportunity I don’t think will come around a second time. Motorola tarnished the Razr brand with this launch. More importantly, many (maybe most!) people just don’t feel that nostalgia at all, as Marques Brownlee recently pointed out.
You are reading Processor, a newsletter about computers, software, and tech by Dieter Bohn. Dieter writes about consumer tech, software, and the most important tech news of the day from The Verge. You can read an archive of Processor newsletters here and subscribe to all of The Verge’s great videos here! Subscribe
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The main reason I think people might want a folding phone is that it is, in fact, more portable. It fits better into small pockets and handbags. Yes, they are thicker than equivalent smartphones, but there really are people who care less about that Z-axis than not having a slab sticking out of their jeans.
The Galaxy Fold has two main use cases: the phone mode for quick things and the tablet mode for immersive things. What was interesting about it is that there was nothing in between, so it made me more conscious of my phone usage.
I didn’t experience anything like that with the Razr. I don’t think it’s likely that a flip phone will fundamentally change our sometimes overindulgent relationship with our phones. Sure, there is a tactile satisfaction to closing it and maybe a psychological benefit of seeing it closed and not in use. There’s some value there, but I don’t know how much.
But I don’t want to dismiss this form factor just yet. Before everybody settled on monolithic slabs of glass, there was a wide diversity of form factors for phones. It meant that you could find a phone that fit your preferences and personality, something that had a little character.
Back in the day we had “candybars” and “flip phones” and which one you got was purely a matter of style and personal preference. They didn’t do much, so literally you’d go to the store and pick one based on something other than specs. You’d pick the one that looked cool, had the battery life you wanted, was the most durable, or some other thing.
Now, most of that expression comes through phone cases. But as smartphones get ever harder to distinguish from one another, I don’t think it would be such a terrible thing for us to have more choices in form factors. If most smartphones do basically the same thing, we could go back to picking one that looks cool or is the most durable. There’s still the iOS vs Android divide, of course, but at least in Android world there could be more choice.
If folding phones can come down in price and come up in their durability, I don’t see why we couldn’t have that kind of choice with our smartphones again, too.
Verge Deal of the day Apple’s AirPods Pro are $30 off at Amazon Normally $250, the Apple AirPods Pro wireless earbuds are down to $220 at Amazon. Compared to the standard AirPods, these feature better sound quality and noise cancellation. We’ve seen these drop a bit lower in price before, but that’s a pretty rare occurrence. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. For more information, see our ethics policy . Prices displayed are based on the MSRP at time of posting.
Reviews from The Verge
┏ Motorola Razr review: folding flip phone flops. If you haven’t, click through and at least listen to the creaking at the top of the video. I have to say that this was a pretty big disappointment — Motorola did so many things right and had so many clever solutions to some of the problems folding phones have. It just couldn’t get all the other parts of a phone right.
┏ MSI Prestige 14 review: hot pink and hot in your lap. Very good and comprehensive review from Monica Chin. I also love this pink color and would love to see more daring color choices from more companies. It’s all the better that MSI did it on a gaming laptop with a discrete GPU — though as Monica writes, there’s some issues with heat to worry about.
Product launches
┏ Half-Life: Alyx will launch on March 23rd. Admission that will make at least one reader unsubscribe to this newsletter in absolute disgust: though I have played Wolfenstein 3D, the original Doom, Quake, and many other early first-person games (Ultima Underworld players make some noise), I have never played Half-Life 2.
┏ Xiaomi’s Mi 10 flagship 5G phones launch in China. This almost reads like the spec sheet for the Samsung Galaxy S20, doesn’t it?
Xiaomi just took the wraps off its latest 5G phones, the flagship Mi 10 series. Both the Mi 10 and Mi 10 Pro feature 6.67-inch 2340 x 1080 OLED displays with a 90Hz refresh rate, Snapdragon 865 processors, dual-mode 5G, Wi-Fi 6, up to 12GB of RAM, wireless charging, and quad-camera configurations with a trendy 108-megapixel main shooter that can record 8K video. Both phones will ship in China first before going international.
┏ Uber is testing out a new 1-800 number for people who don’t use apps. You might think this is a good opportunity for a joke but I strongly disagree. Making this service available by phone is a big win for accessibility and access. Not everybody has, can afford, or even can use a smartphone. If you see anybody cracking wise, please push back.
Tech policy
┏ Oracle strikes back at Google in Supreme Court copyright case. I know this is a consequential case for the laws surrounding code and copyright and I know the outcome is going to be a big deal. It is the Paul Rudd of court cases. You’re continually reminded that oh yeah, it’s still around and continually sort of surprised that it still looks exactly the same as it did ten years ago. Also: it’s sort of funny in a non-threatening way at this point.
┏ Copyright could be the next way for Congress to take on Big Tech. It’s not just section 230 that has a ton of proposed legislation in the works. Adi Robertson has a good overview of the state of play for this other work happening right now in Congress — and makes a very good point here:
Proposed copyright overhauls have set the internet on fire in the past. In 2012, sites like Google and Reddit went dark to protest the SOPA anti-piracy bill. But by 2020, many sites are busy battling complaints about harassment, child abuse, political radicalization, and other issues. So this year’s hearings will be taking place in a landscape where “internet freedom” isn’t as compelling a rallying cry as it once seemed,
┏ Kirsten Gillibrand outlines new Data Protection Agency to take on Big Tech. Makena Kelly details the proposed legislation. I have to say it’s great to finally start seeing actual proposals about data privacy instead of the vague talk about the need for and acceptance of regulation. It’s all been so hazy.
The proposal has already garnered a high-profile endorsement from Shoshana Zuboff, former Harvard Business School professor and author of The Age of Surveillance Capitalism. ... “With this Bill, Senator Gillibrand joins a history-making new wave of legislative and regulatory efforts in the US and Europe that promise to assert democratic governance over commerce in the digital age,” Zuboff said in a statement.
┏ Amazon pauses Microsoft’s $10 billion Pentagon contract as trial proceeds. Whatever you might think of the ethics of these companies providing services to the DoD, I think you have to admit that Amazon’s claim that it lost the contract because of Donald Trump’s animosity towards Jeff Bezos is not an outlandish worry.
Amazon has claimed that it lost out on the $10 billion contract because of Trump’s personal animosity toward Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and The Washington Post, which Bezos owns. Amazon argued that the process of granting the contract had “clear deficiencies, errors and unmistakable bias.”
More from The Verge
┏ Inside Clinc, the AI startup facing troubling allegations of sexual harassment. Another big story from Zoe Schiffer, who summarizes it well in her Tweet: “A professor at the University of Michigan is stepping down as CEO of his buzzy AI company following multiple claims of sexual misconduct from current and former employees.”
┏ Tesla owner says remotely disabled Autopilot features have been restored. Glad this happened, but Tesla’s policies around these upgrades and used vehicles sure do seem confusing — and they shouldn’t be.
┏ YouTube is the frontrunner in the mobile streaming wars, and it’s not even close. Julia Alexander provides a good overview here, including your regular reminder that as big as you might think Netflix is, it’s still tiny compared to YouTube:


theverge--2020-02-14--Samsung’s busted union buster quits

Samsung’s busted union buster quits

Lee Sang-hoon , the chairman of Samsung Electronics ’ board , has resigned from his role just under two months after being found guilty of union sabotage , Reuters reports .
Lee was sentenced to 18 months in jail in December after a court ruled that he had violated labor laws by disrupting union activities at Samsung .
The company says a new board chairman will be appointed soon .
The resignation comes as Samsung Group heir Lee Jae-yong ( better known as Jay Y. Lee in the west ) is facing a retrial over a bribery scandal that has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s former president Park Geun-hye .
Lee was previously found guilty of perjury , embezzlement , and bribery in 2017 and sentenced to five years in jail .
He was released on appeal the following year .
The Samsung Group ’ s chairman , Lee Kun-hee — Lee Jae-yong ’ s father and the son of Samsung ’ s founder Lee Byung-chull — is currently incapacitated following a heart attack he suffered in 2014 .
Chairman Lee has his own sordid history of convictions and pardons ( yes , plural ) as head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chaebol .
The company had hoped that Lee Sang-hoon ’ s appointment two years ago would increase transparency at the company by splitting the board chairman and chief executive roles in the wake of Lee Jae-yong ’ s corruption scandal , Reuters notes .
Despite the changes , Samsung seems to be struggling to move on from its scandalous past , which you can read all about in our explainer from 2017 .

Lee Sang-hoon, the chairman of Samsung Electronics’ board, has resigned from his role just under two months after being found guilty of union sabotage, Reuters reports. Lee was sentenced to 18 months in jail in December after a court ruled that he had violated labor laws by disrupting union activities at Samsung. The company says a new board chairman will be appointed soon.
The resignation comes as Samsung Group heir Lee Jae-yong (better known as Jay Y. Lee in the west) is facing a retrial over a bribery scandal that has engulfed Samsung execs and South Korea’s former president Park Geun-hye. Lee was previously found guilty of perjury, embezzlement, and bribery in 2017 and sentenced to five years in jail. He was released on appeal the following year. The Samsung Group’s chairman, Lee Kun-hee — Lee Jae-yong’s father and the son of Samsung’s founder Lee Byung-chull — is currently incapacitated following a heart attack he suffered in 2014. Chairman Lee has his own sordid history of convictions and pardons (yes, plural) as head of South Korea’s most famous chaebol.