theverge--2020-03-15--Electric scooters scooting closer to legality on British roads

The British government is opening a public consultation into the use of electric scooters in what is likely to be the first step toward legalizing them in the country .
The consultation , news of which leaked in January , is an attempt to work out what rules should be placed on scooter riders and manufacturers to make sure they ’ re safe on the UK ’ s roads .
It ’ s been announced as part of a broader review into transport in the country , which transport secretary Grant Shapps called “ the biggest review of transport laws @ @ @ @ @ @ @ popularity around the world , electric scooters have remained essentially illegal in the UK because of the country ’ s preexisting laws .
These laws categorize electric scooters as motor vehicles , but because scooters can ’ t pass the same safety and legal regulations as cars they ’ re illegal to use on public roads .
Since they ’ re motorized , they ’ re also illegal to use on the sidewalk under the 1835 Highway Act .
The consultation is an attempt by the government to work out the kinds of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scooters and their riders , which have caused injuries in places where they ’ re legal .
The government wants to establish minimum vehicle requirements , and is also considering whether to require riders to wear helmets , have insurance , or carry a license .
There are also questions about whether scooters should be allowed to be ridden in cycle lanes or on pavements .
The current situation means that most major electric scooter rental companies have been excluded from the UK .
Bird has been a notable exception .
For the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Santa Monica-based company has been running a trial of its electric scooters in London ’ s Olympic Park , which is legal because the park is technically private property .
However , despite their illegality , electric scooters have become an increasingly common site on British roads , and the first person died in an electric scooter crash last July , The Guardian reports .
Anyone currently riding an electric scooter on the road risks facing a £300 fine and six points on their driver ’ s license .
Despite their popularity , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UK Now , individuals and companies will be able to give their input on how they ’ d like to see scooters legalized .
Companies we ’ ve spoken to in the past have said they ’ d be in favor of minimum safety requirements .
Speaking to The Verge last November , Lime ’ s UK head of policy Alan Clarke said that the company would like to see a top speed of 15.5 mph in place for electric scooters , and requirements put in place for all scooters to have both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lights , and reflectors for visibility .
Although it offers electric scooter rentals elsewhere , Lime currently serves the UK market with electric bikes .
Although the announcement of the consultation is a step toward legalization , it will still be some time before electric scooters can legally be ridden on any public road .
The consultation is due to run until May 22nd , after which the government wants to conduct small-scale trials in its “ Future Transport Zones.
” However , even this trial can ’ t take place until the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , meaning they ’ re unlikely to start until late 2020 .
In total , the government has announced four of these transport zones , where it hopes to trial the new transport tech .
One is in Portsmouth and Southampton , which covers the two cities as well as Winchester and parts of the Isle of Wight .
The second is in Derby and Nottingham , which covers the two cities and the area in between .
Third is the West of England Combined Authority , which has four areas across Bath @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Bristol Airport .
The West Midlands is the fourth zone .
Electric scooter trials are just one part of the Future of Transport Regulatory Review , which will include a number of other initiatives , such as allowing buses to work more like on-demand ride-hailing services .
It also plans to trial using e-cargo bikes for last-mile deliveries and drones for medical deliveries .

The British government is opening a public consultation into the use of electric scooters in what is likely to be the first step toward legalizing them in the country. The consultation, news of which leaked in January, is an attempt to work out what rules should be placed on scooter riders and manufacturers to make sure they’re safe on the UK’s roads.
It’s been announced as part of a broader review into transport in the country, which transport secretary Grant Shapps called “the biggest review of transport laws in a generation.”
Despite their increasing popularity around the world, electric scooters have remained essentially illegal in the UK because of the country’s preexisting laws. These laws categorize electric scooters as motor vehicles, but because scooters can’t pass the same safety and legal regulations as cars they’re illegal to use on public roads. Since they’re motorized, they’re also illegal to use on the sidewalk under the 1835 Highway Act.
“The biggest review of transport laws in a generation”
The consultation is an attempt by the government to work out the kinds of regulations that should be applied to electric scooters and their riders, which have caused injuries in places where they’re legal. The government wants to establish minimum vehicle requirements, and is also considering whether to require riders to wear helmets, have insurance, or carry a license. There are also questions about whether scooters should be allowed to be ridden in cycle lanes or on pavements.
The current situation means that most major electric scooter rental companies have been excluded from the UK. Bird has been a notable exception. For the past year and a half, the Santa Monica-based company has been running a trial of its electric scooters in London’s Olympic Park, which is legal because the park is technically private property.
However, despite their illegality, electric scooters have become an increasingly common site on British roads, and the first person died in an electric scooter crash last July, The Guardian reports. Anyone currently riding an electric scooter on the road risks facing a £300 fine and six points on their driver’s license.
Despite their popularity, electric scooters are currently illegal in the UK
Now, individuals and companies will be able to give their input on how they’d like to see scooters legalized. Companies we’ve spoken to in the past have said they’d be in favor of minimum safety requirements. Speaking to The Verge last November, Lime’s UK head of policy Alan Clarke said that the company would like to see a top speed of 15.5 mph in place for electric scooters, and requirements put in place for all scooters to have both front and rear brakes, suspension, lights, and reflectors for visibility. Although it offers electric scooter rentals elsewhere, Lime currently serves the UK market with electric bikes.
Although the announcement of the consultation is a step toward legalization, it will still be some time before electric scooters can legally be ridden on any public road. The consultation is due to run until May 22nd, after which the government wants to conduct small-scale trials in its “Future Transport Zones.” However, even this trial can’t take place until the country’s existing legislation is amended, meaning they’re unlikely to start until late 2020.
In total, the government has announced four of these transport zones, where it hopes to trial the new transport tech. One is in Portsmouth and Southampton, which covers the two cities as well as Winchester and parts of the Isle of Wight. The second is in Derby and Nottingham, which covers the two cities and the area in between. Third is the West of England Combined Authority, which has four areas across Bath, Bristol, the Northern Arc, and Bristol Airport. The West Midlands is the fourth zone.


theverge--2020-03-15--Xbox Live says service has been restored after more than two hours offline

Microsoft ’ s Xbox Live service was experiencing issues today , meaning a lot of homebound people who are practicing social distancing weren ’ t able to log into Xbox consoles .
The issues appear to have started around 5PM ET today , with many Xbox users reporting that they were unable to sign in to Xbox One consoles .
The Xbox Support Twitter account tweeted at about 7:30PM ET that “ Players should once again be able to sign in and access Xbox Live services normally.
” However , while in-game matchmaking , cloud storage , finding friends , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or pictures appeared restored , the Xbox Live support page was still showing “ core services ” as in a “ pending ” status at 7:43PM ET : The issues began around 5:10 PM ET , when Microsoft ’ s Xbox support account tweeted that “ We understand some users may be experiencing errors with sign in or matching making on Xbox Live , and are currently investigating.
” The status page for Xbox Live support also was offline for about two hours Sunday evening but had been restored by 7:45PM ET @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Xbox says service has been restored .

Microsoft’s Xbox Live service was experiencing issues today, meaning a lot of homebound people who are practicing social distancing weren’t able to log into Xbox consoles. The issues appear to have started around 5PM ET today, with many Xbox users reporting that they were unable to sign in to Xbox One consoles.
The Xbox Support Twitter account tweeted at about 7:30PM ET that “Players should once again be able to sign in and access Xbox Live services normally.”
The Xbox Live status page was showing all services fully restored as of 8:43PM ET.
The issues began around 5:10 PM ET, when Microsoft’s Xbox support account tweeted that “We understand some users may be experiencing errors with sign in or matching making on Xbox Live, and are currently investigating.”
The status page for Xbox Live support also was offline for about two hours Sunday evening but had been restored by 7:45PM ET.
Update March 15th, 7:45PM ET: Xbox says service has been restored.


theverge--2020-03-15--Some Amazon Prime deliveries are delayed and it’s running out of staples due to coronavirus

Amazon says its Prime delivery service is experiencing delays , and it ’ s running out of stock on some household staples due to the coronavirus outbreak , CNBC reports .
The company said in a blog post that the problems are due to a “ dramatic increase in the rate that people are shopping online , ” leading to “ delivery promises [ that ] are longer than usual.
” Amazon added that it was “ working around the clock with our selling partners to ensure availability on all of our products , and bring on additional capacity to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not clear how much of the slowdown is due to employees opting not to come to work ; as CNBC notes , Amazon made temporary changes to the attendance policy for its warehouse workers , offering them unlimited unpaid time off for the rest of March .
Amazon has tried to curb coronavirus-related abuse on its platform , removing millions of products for making false coronavirus claims , as well as removing hundreds of thousands of listings over price gouging and banning sellers who jacked up prices on high-demand items like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company has offered two weeks of pay to employees put into quarantine or diagnosed with the coronavirus , including its part-time warehouse workers .
It also established a relief fund to help support its contractors and gig workers affected by the coronavirus .
Amazon ’ s independent delivery service partners , Flex delivery drivers , and other seasonal employees can apply for grants “ approximately equal to up to two weeks of pay ” if diagnosed with the coronavirus or put into quarantine .
Amazon made an initial contribution of $ 25 million @ @ @ @ @ @

Amazon says its Prime delivery service is experiencing delays, and it’s running out of stock on some household staples due to the coronavirus outbreak, CNBC reports.
The company said in a blog post that the problems are due to a “dramatic increase in the rate that people are shopping online,” leading to “delivery promises [that] are longer than usual.” Amazon added that it was “working around the clock with our selling partners to ensure availability on all of our products, and bring on additional capacity to deliver all of your orders.”
It’s not clear how much of the slowdown is due to employees opting not to come to work; as CNBC notes, Amazon made temporary changes to the attendance policy for its warehouse workers, offering them unlimited unpaid time off for the rest of March.
Amazon has tried to curb coronavirus-related abuse on its platform, removing millions of products for making false coronavirus claims, as well as removing hundreds of thousands of listings over price gouging and banning sellers who jacked up prices on high-demand items like face masks and hand sanitizer. The company has offered two weeks of pay to employees put into quarantine or diagnosed with the coronavirus, including its part-time warehouse workers.


theverge--2020-03-15--Trump’s Google testing announcement mixed up several real projects

Saturday night , Google laid out everything it ’ s doing in response to the coronavirus outbreak in its own words — after days of confusion over exactly how the search giant is collaborating with the White House in the face of a growing public health crisis .
As Google ’ s official PR described it in a string of tweets , there are at least three distinct projects at work .
First , Alphabet medical subsidiary Verily is building a system for triaging individuals for testing , as reported on Friday .
But the project is in the early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are limited to a pilot in the Bay Area , far from the national testing system described by Trump .
At the same time , Google now says it is partnering with the government to build “ a nationwide website that includes information about COVID-19 symptoms , risk and testing information , ” something ever so slightly closer to what Trump described at the press conference , but still not a website that facilitates tests and delivers results .
Alongside those two projects , Google is also pushing verified information ( usually from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , YouTube and its various other web outlets .
As Google framed it , those projects were all President Trump was talking about in his confusing announcement on Friday .
“ We are fully aligned and continue to work with the US Government to contain the spread of COVID-19 , inform citizens , and protect the health of our communities , ” the company said .
In a Sunday blog post , Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai wrote that the company was “ continuing to help ” with COVID-19 response , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ screening and testing for people at high risk of COVID-19.
” Pichai wrote that “ while Verily is in the early stages of this pilot program , the plan is to expand to other locations over time.
” While the Google efforts are ambitious , they still fall far short of the comprehensive testing system described by President Trump on Friday , much less the 1,700 Google engineers that were supposedly working on that system .
And it ’ s still far from clear what the president was referring to when he described @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether a test is warranted and to facilitate testing at a nearby convenient location.
” New reporting suggests the idea of such a site was part of a muddled line of communication between White House advisor Jared Kushner and his various contacts in the tech world .
The New York Times has reported that Kushner was in close contact with Verily CEO Andy Conrad , who described the triage project to Kushner in advance of the meeting .
The idea of 1,700 Google engineers number seems to have come from a volunteer sheet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But while those 1,700 Googlers were volunteering to help , that work would have been in addition to their everyday duties .
It ’ s unclear whether any volunteers actually contributed to the project .
The resulting announcement caught the company entirely off guard .
A senior White House official told The Washington Post that much of the confusion was the result of plans being rushed out too early , as the administration rushed to present news that would calm financial markets .
“ Neither one of the announcements were ready for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Post .
“ People wanted news to announce.
” The diagram unveiled at Friday ’ s press conference — which promised a website that could screen patients , recommend clinics , coordinate with labs , and display test results — also seems to have been Kushner ’ s work .
It ’ s not reflective of Verily ’ s project , but raised expectations for the broad role Google might play in testing potentially infected patients .
But process is eerily similar to a website unveiled by another Kushner-linked firm that same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Health announced a new testing-center locator feature , which would link to the platform ’ s telemedicine services .
The steps described in the press release bear a marked similarity to the flowchart , both referring to the test subjects as “ consumers ” rather than “ patients.
” Joshua Kushner ( brother to Jared ) is a major investor in Oscar Health , and the Times reported that Jared was in close communication with Joshua ’ s father-in-law in the day ’ s leading up to the announcement .
Still , Oscar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or any connection between its new locator service and the broader White House effort .
“ We did not connect with the White House to provide input on their flow chart or tool idea before the press conference on Friday , ” a representative told The Verge .
“ We take the pandemic seriously and want to do all we can to ensure our members and Americans , in general , are safe and healthy.
” US testing for the coronavirus continues to lag significantly behind other countries , presenting a major @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus .
According to CDC data , the agency has processed fewer than 20,000 specimens since the outbreak began .
South Korea , a far smaller country , has tested more than 248,000 people .

Saturday night, Google laid out everything it’s doing in response to the coronavirus outbreak in its own words — after days of confusion over exactly how the search giant is collaborating with the White House in the face of a growing public health crisis.
As Google’s official PR described it in a string of tweets, there are at least three distinct projects at work. First, Alphabet medical subsidiary Verily is building a system for triaging individuals for testing, as reported on Friday. But the project is in the early stages of development, and current plans are limited to a pilot in the Bay Area, far from the national testing system described by Trump.
The new coronavirus is spreading through the US, and several states have made emergency declarations. The World Health Organization has declared it a pandemic. Here are the basics: Everything you need to know about the coronavirus
At the same time, Google now says it is partnering with the government to build “a nationwide website that includes information about COVID-19 symptoms, risk and testing information,” something ever so slightly closer to what Trump described at the press conference, but still not a website that facilitates tests and delivers results. Alongside those two projects, Google is also pushing verified information (usually from the CDC or WHO) through Search, YouTube and its various other web outlets.
As Google framed it, those projects were all President Trump was talking about in his confusing announcement on Friday. “We are fully aligned and continue to work with the US Government to contain the spread of COVID-19, inform citizens, and protect the health of our communities,” the company said.
In a Sunday blog post, Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai wrote that the company was “continuing to help” with COVID-19 response, including “an online tool to increase risk screening and testing for people at high risk of COVID-19.” Pichai wrote that “while Verily is in the early stages of this pilot program, the plan is to expand to other locations over time.”
While the Google efforts are ambitious, they still fall far short of the comprehensive testing system described by President Trump on Friday, much less the 1,700 Google engineers that were supposedly working on that system. And it’s still far from clear what the president was referring to when he described a Google-built website that would “determine whether a test is warranted and to facilitate testing at a nearby convenient location.”
New reporting suggests the idea of such a site was part of a muddled line of communication between White House advisor Jared Kushner and his various contacts in the tech world. The New York Times has reported that Kushner was in close contact with Verily CEO Andy Conrad, who described the triage project to Kushner in advance of the meeting. The idea of 1,700 Google engineers number seems to have come from a volunteer sheet that circulated at a Google all-hands meeting. But while those 1,700 Googlers were volunteering to help, that work would have been in addition to their everyday duties. It’s unclear whether any volunteers actually contributed to the project.
The resulting announcement caught the company entirely off guard. A senior White House official told The Washington Post that much of the confusion was the result of plans being rushed out too early, as the administration rushed to present news that would calm financial markets.
“Neither one of the announcements were ready for prime time,” the official told the Post. “People wanted news to announce.”
The diagram unveiled at Friday’s press conference — which promised a website that could screen patients, recommend clinics, coordinate with labs, and display test results — also seems to have been Kushner’s work. It’s not reflective of Verily’s project, but raised expectations for the broad role Google might play in testing potentially infected patients.
But process is eerily similar to a website unveiled by another Kushner-linked firm that same day. Earlier on Friday, Oscar Health announced a new testing-center locator feature, which would link to the platform’s telemedicine services. The steps described in the press release bear a marked similarity to the flowchart, both referring to the test subjects as “consumers” rather than “patients.”
Joshua Kushner (brother to Jared) is a major investor in Oscar Health, and the Times reported that Jared was in close communication with Joshua’s father-in-law in the day’s leading up to the announcement.
Still, Oscar Health denied any involvement with the announcement, or any connection between its new locator service and the broader White House effort. “We did not connect with the White House to provide input on their flow chart or tool idea before the press conference on Friday,” a representative told The Verge. “We take the pandemic seriously and want to do all we can to ensure our members and Americans, in general, are safe and healthy.”
US testing for the coronavirus continues to lag significantly behind other countries, presenting a major challenge for any attempt to contain the virus. According to CDC data, the agency has processed fewer than 20,000 specimens since the outbreak began. South Korea, a far smaller country, has tested more than 248,000 people.


theverge--2020-03-15--How to live stream tonight’s 2020 Democratic debate

Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden will participate in tonight ’ s Democratic debate in Washington , DC .
It was originally scheduled to take place in Arizona , a state that , along with Ohio , Florida , and Illinois , will hold its Democratic primary election on Tuesday , March 17th .
However , the debate was moved to the country ’ s capital by the Democratic National Committee in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
Unlike other debates , this one will be held without a live audience .
How this will impact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be seen , but with fewer candidates and no pauses for audience reactions , the candidates should have more time to speak on the issues at hand .
The debate will air on CNN , CNN en Español , CNN International , and Univision .
If you don ’ t have a cable or satellite login , you can watch it for free without paid credentials on CNN.com or its mobile app for iOS and Android .
Alternatively , you can tune in for free on your TV via the CNNgo app , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Roku , Amazon Fire TV , Chromecast , and Android TV .
The March 15th debate begins at 8PM ET and is expected to last until 10PM ET .
Which candidates will be onstage ?
Super Tuesday results eliminated five candidates from the US presidential race , including former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg , Sen. Amy Klobuchar , former South Bend , Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg , Tom Steyer , and , most recently , Sen. Elizabeth Warren .
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is technically still in the running , but she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ elections to be eligible to participate in this debate .
Who are the moderators ?
Univision ’ s Jorge Ramos was originally scheduled to moderate the debate , but according to the DNC , he withdrew from the role after possibly being exposed to the novel coronavirus .
Calderón was set to answer audience questions , but without an audience , she is stepping in to cover Ramos as a moderator .

Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden will participate in tonight’s Democratic debate in Washington, DC. It was originally scheduled to take place in Arizona, a state that, along with Ohio, Florida, and Illinois, will hold its Democratic primary election on Tuesday, March 17th. However, the debate was moved to the country’s capital by the Democratic National Committee in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Unlike other debates, this one will be held without a live audience. How this will impact the pacing of the debate remains to be seen, but with fewer candidates and no pauses for audience reactions, the candidates should have more time to speak on the issues at hand.
How do I watch tonight’s Democratic debate?
The debate will air on CNN, CNN en Español, CNN International, and Univision. If you don’t have a cable or satellite login, you can watch it for free without paid credentials on CNN.com or its mobile app for iOS and Android.
Alternatively, you can tune in for free on your TV via the CNNgo app, which is available for Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, and Android TV.
What time does tonight’s Democratic debate start?
The March 15th debate begins at 8PM ET and is expected to last until 10PM ET.
Which candidates will be onstage?
Sen. Bernie Sanders
Former Vice President Joe Biden
Super Tuesday results eliminated five candidates from the US presidential race, including former New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, former South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Tom Steyer, and, most recently, Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard is technically still in the running, but she has won too few delegates in primary elections to be eligible to participate in this debate.
Who are the moderators?
CNN anchor Dana Bash
CNN anchor Jake Tapper
Univision’s Ilia Calderón


theverge--2020-03-15--The Bookshelf Limbo gamifies the decision paralysis of gift-giving

It can be difficult to find time to finish a video game , especially if you only have a few hours a week to play .
In our biweekly column Short Play we suggest video games that can be started and finished in a weekend .
Sometimes what isn ’ t said in a story is just as important as what is said .
Usually , that ’ s because it can help provide the audience with a deeper understanding of the characters and their actions , but it also leaves things up to the interpretation of the audience .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ patterns , with enough information , they ’ ll try to piece things together for the full picture .
The Bookshelf Limbo is a game about a character trying to pick out the right comic book for their father ’ s birthday by perusing the shelves of a bookstore .
There are only nine books on the shelves you are able to select from , and each has only a little bit of text to go with it .
But much of what the game is trying to convey isn ’ t explicitly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of information you can glean is from reading between the lines of what is said and in what choices are and aren ’ t available for you to make .
This gives it a feeling sometimes that the storytelling is happening more in the negative space of the writing than the text of the work .
The game is played only with a mouse , and as you move the cursor over parts of the bookshelf , circles appear to show you which books have caught the character ’ s eye @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see its cover , title , author , and a brief description .
You ’ re then prompted with a few choices : you can read some online reviews for the book , you can read the quotes on the back of the book , you can decide this might be the book you want to give as a present , or you can put it back to go look at another .
The online reviews in particular provide some great insight into who the book might appeal to as they tend to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get right to the point .
You ’ ll also start to see the same reviewers popping up across various books .
This acts as a subtle way to get your mind to try to profile what the reviewers might like from limited information .
It also plays into the fact that you don ’ t actually know anything about the character or their father , making it seem like an impossible task to actually choose a good present for them .
There is actually a lot of information you can gather , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you have a book you want to choose .
When you pick the “ this might be the book you want to give ” option , you are given three unique choices for each book .
These choices are different concerns the character has for picking that specific book One book , for instance , has poly relationships in it , and the character remarks that they don ’ t want to have a discussion about poly relationships with their father .
You need to go through all three choices before you can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but each time you pick one , the player character will put the book back onto the shelf .
You then have to highlight and click on it again before you can choose a different concern .
While that ’ s a somewhat annoying set of interactions to repeat , it does generally help give the sense of a character who is indecisive and caught in a decision paralysis .
Additionally , the different reasons they come up with for not choosing a book help to provide a lot of information about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of person their dad is , or at least how they perceive him .
With these little snippets of information you glean from the text , the gameplay , and even from questions , you can start to construct an incomplete understanding of the characters .
It ’ s like a jigsaw puzzle full of missing pieces .
The fascinating thing about The Bookshelf Limbo , though , is that there is just enough there that you can start to see what the full picture is .
Especially if you start filling in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your own life , whether from stories you ’ ve read / watched or your own experiences .
It helps turn a simple game into something much more engaging and empathetic .
The Bookshelf Limbo was created by Deconstructeam .
You can get it on Itch.io ( Windows ) for free .
It takes about 30 minutes to finish .

It can be difficult to find time to finish a video game, especially if you only have a few hours a week to play. In our biweekly column Short Play we suggest video games that can be started and finished in a weekend.
Sometimes what isn’t said in a story is just as important as what is said. Usually, that’s because it can help provide the audience with a deeper understanding of the characters and their actions, but it also leaves things up to the interpretation of the audience. And because human brains love to find patterns, with enough information, they’ll try to piece things together for the full picture.
The Bookshelf Limbo is a game about a character trying to pick out the right comic book for their father’s birthday by perusing the shelves of a bookstore. There are only nine books on the shelves you are able to select from, and each has only a little bit of text to go with it. But much of what the game is trying to convey isn’t explicitly expressed in the text. Rather, a lot of information you can glean is from reading between the lines of what is said and in what choices are and aren’t available for you to make. This gives it a feeling sometimes that the storytelling is happening more in the negative space of the writing than the text of the work.
The game is played only with a mouse, and as you move the cursor over parts of the bookshelf, circles appear to show you which books have caught the character’s eye. Clicking on the book lets you see its cover, title, author, and a brief description. You’re then prompted with a few choices: you can read some online reviews for the book, you can read the quotes on the back of the book, you can decide this might be the book you want to give as a present, or you can put it back to go look at another.
The online reviews in particular provide some great insight into who the book might appeal to as they tend to be a pretty blunt few sentences that get right to the point. You’ll also start to see the same reviewers popping up across various books. This acts as a subtle way to get your mind to try to profile what the reviewers might like from limited information. It also plays into the fact that you don’t actually know anything about the character or their father, making it seem like an impossible task to actually choose a good present for them.
There is actually a lot of information you can gather, it’s just somewhat hidden until you have a book you want to choose. When you pick the “this might be the book you want to give” option, you are given three unique choices for each book. These choices are different concerns the character has for picking that specific book One book, for instance, has poly relationships in it, and the character remarks that they don’t want to have a discussion about poly relationships with their father.
You need to go through all three choices before you can actually pick that book for the present, but each time you pick one, the player character will put the book back onto the shelf. You then have to highlight and click on it again before you can choose a different concern. While that’s a somewhat annoying set of interactions to repeat, it does generally help give the sense of a character who is indecisive and caught in a decision paralysis. Additionally, the different reasons they come up with for not choosing a book help to provide a lot of information about them as a person and what kind of person their dad is, or at least how they perceive him.
With these little snippets of information you glean from the text, the gameplay, and even from questions, you can start to construct an incomplete understanding of the characters. It’s like a jigsaw puzzle full of missing pieces. The fascinating thing about The Bookshelf Limbo, though, is that there is just enough there that you can start to see what the full picture is. Especially if you start filling in the holes with people or things from your own life, whether from stories you’ve read / watched or your own experiences. It helps turn a simple game into something much more engaging and empathetic.


theverge--2020-03-15--Apple’s Powerbeats 4 earbuds spotted at a Walmart

Apple ’ s still-unannounced Powerbeats 4 earbuds were spotted at a Walmart in Rochester , New York over the weekend , confirming some specs that previously leaked including 15 hours of battery life , 9to5Mac reports .
A photo posted to Twitter showed the earbuds in red , white , and black , with a price tag of $ 149 , which is $ 50 less than the price of the Powerbeats 3 .
The expected 15-hour battery life is likely due to Apple ’ s new H1 wireless chip , similar to the Powerbeats Pro , which also should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Announce Messages with Siri.
” AppleInsider got their hands on a pair of the earbuds and says they ’ re “ an easy win for Apple and Beats , ” with substantial battery gains , a new , more polished design and a round cable instead of the flat one of its predecessor .
Clues about Powerbeats 4 started appearing online back in January , when icons of what appeared to be the new earbuds appeared in iOS , followed by an FCC listing in February .
Leaked images surfaced earlier this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been any update from Apple about when the earbuds would be officially released , and with numerous tech events being canceled or modified due to the coronavirus , it ’ s possible the company could delay a launch event .

Apple’s still-unannounced Powerbeats 4 earbuds were spotted at a Walmart in Rochester, New York over the weekend, confirming some specs that previously leaked including 15 hours of battery life, 9to5Mac reports. A photo posted to Twitter showed the earbuds in red, white, and black, with a price tag of $149, which is $50 less than the price of the Powerbeats 3.
The expected 15-hour battery life is likely due to Apple’s new H1 wireless chip, similar to the Powerbeats Pro, which also should enable “Hey Siri” support and “Announce Messages with Siri.”
AppleInsider got their hands on a pair of the earbuds and says they’re “an easy win for Apple and Beats,” with substantial battery gains, a new, more polished design and a round cable instead of the flat one of its predecessor.
Clues about Powerbeats 4 started appearing online back in January, when icons of what appeared to be the new earbuds appeared in iOS, followed by an FCC listing in February. Leaked images surfaced earlier this month. But there hasn’t been any update from Apple about when the earbuds would be officially released, and with numerous tech events being canceled or modified due to the coronavirus, it’s possible the company could delay a launch event.


theverge--2020-03-15--Coronavirus screenings force travelers to wait hours in long lines at US airports

Travelers entering the US from Europe waited for hours in long lines Saturday as new coronavirus screenings led to bottlenecks at major airports , the Washington Post reports .
The Trump administration unveiled its new “ enhanced entry screenings ” on Friday , which route passengers on flights from 26 European countries through 13 US airports , including Chicago ’ s O ’ Hare and Dallas-Fort Worth .
The new screenings , which include an examination for symptoms and medical histories and instructions for self-quarantine — but not coronavirus tests — were meant to help slow the spread of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But photos on social media showed hundreds of people waiting in close proximity to each other , which is contrary to the CDC recommendations for people to practice social distancing .
The Twitter account for O ’ Hare International Airport in Chicago posted photos of local staff giving out water and snacks to people stuck in the long lines .
President Trump acknowledged the airport delays in a tweet on Sunday , saying the US is “ moving as quickly as possible , but it is very important that we be vigilant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ secretary of Homeland Security , tweeted that the agency was aware of the long lines and was working on adding additional screening capacity .
“ I understand this is very stressful , ” Wolf tweeted .
“ In these unprecedented times , we ask for your patience .
It currently takes ~60 seconds for medical professionals to screen each passenger .
We will be increasing capacity but the health and safety of the American public is first & foremost.
” Illinois Gov .
JB Pritzker tweeted “ the federal government needs to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NOW , ” and criticized the Trump administration for the situation .
“ The crowds & lines O ’ Hare are unacceptable & need to be addressed immediately , ” he said .
As of Sunday morning , there were more than 2,700 known cases of coronavirus infection in the US , with West Virginia the only remaining state with no cases reported .

Travelers entering the US from Europe waited for hours in long lines Saturday as new coronavirus screenings led to bottlenecks at major airports, the Washington Post reports. The Trump administration unveiled its new “enhanced entry screenings” on Friday, which route passengers on flights from 26 European countries through 13 US airports, including Chicago’s O’Hare and Dallas-Fort Worth.
The new screenings, which include an examination for symptoms and medical histories and instructions for self-quarantine — but not coronavirus tests — were meant to help slow the spread of the virus that has spread quickly across Europe.
But photos on social media showed hundreds of people waiting in close proximity to each other, which is contrary to the CDC recommendations for people to practice social distancing.
The Twitter account for O’Hare International Airport in Chicago posted photos of local staff giving out water and snacks to people stuck in the long lines.
President Trump acknowledged the airport delays in a tweet on Sunday, saying the US is “moving as quickly as possible, but it is very important that we be vigilant and careful.”
Chad Wolf, acting secretary of Homeland Security, tweeted that the agency was aware of the long lines and was working on adding additional screening capacity. “I understand this is very stressful,” Wolf tweeted. “In these unprecedented times, we ask for your patience. It currently takes ~60 seconds for medical professionals to screen each passenger. We will be increasing capacity but the health and safety of the American public is first & foremost.”
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker tweeted “the federal government needs to get its s@#t together. NOW,” and criticized the Trump administration for the situation. “The crowds & lines O’Hare are unacceptable & need to be addressed immediately,” he said.
As of Sunday morning, there were more than 2,700 known cases of coronavirus infection in the US, with West Virginia the only remaining state with no cases reported.


theverge--2020-03-15--From The Strategist: These Carry-on Bags (Almost) Turned My Twins’ Airplane Seats Into Beds

My husband and I have flown with our twin sons since they were infants .
I ’ ve breastfed them next to a couple of middle-aged men who were on their way to a golf vacation .
They ’ ve slept cradled in our arms , across our laps , and against our chests , La-Z-Boy style , as we ’ ve crisscrossed the country .
Whatever the position , I ’ m not sure any of us were ever really comfortable — especially those two golfers .
For our most recent trip , however — a flight from our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cousin ’ s wedding — we tested the JetKids by Stokke ’ s BedBox , a kid-sized rideable carry-on that converts an economy-class seat into a makeshift bed .
Even though my boys — now three and a half — were too long to lay down comfortably to sleep in their extended seat , when one felt sleepy , the extension gave him extra room for his legs while he laid his head in my lap .
There was an unexpected bonus , too : with their “ beds , ” our kids @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the black abyss of the airplane carpet and , more importantly , less likely to play on that same germy ground .
On our return flight , I couldn ’ t set the beds up fast enough for the boys after we took off .
I also realized that , had we splurged for economy plus , the increased pitch would have given the boys the little extra room they ’ d need to curl up on their own .
Even though they sat up most of the way home , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the BedBox away .
They were too happy for the extra play space .
I just wish we would have had these when the boys were younger because I imagine any kid under two would fall asleep immediately on one .
Online reviews have said as much , and the Stokke website has collected plenty of real-world pictures of cute kids , big and small , either stretched out or curled up , asleep or comfortably relaxing in their own personal lounge chair .
But what most people seem to love about the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kids have riding it .
That was definitely the case for our twins .
They tend to whine when we walk anywhere that doesn ’ t lead to a playground , but after straddling their bags in the parking lot at the airport , the only sounds they made were cries of delight as my husband and I each grabbed a pull strap and led them on what turned out to be a half-mile walk to our terminal .
We got endless smiles from strangers and brand-name requests from parents and flight attendants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the boys , even as we stood to check-in , in bagel lines , or along moving sidewalks .
The wheels are fast and smooth ( and have their own suspension ! )
, which made pulling easy .
The only real issue is the lack of brakes .
The BedBoxes tend to speed down ramps at a pace the boys loved a lot more than their parents did .
My only complaint is durability .
To turn the suitcase into a bed , you remove the top , flip it , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the open end up .
It looks like a cute little bulldozer with its scooped blade held high .
The top has two sliding plastic panels — one to extend the seat and hold the mattress , the other to cover a small storage area for toys and snacks .
But the first time I tried to set them up — trial runs at our home before heading to the airport — whenever I would flip over the top , one of the plastic panels clattered to the floor .
When I tried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ends of the tiny , flimsy rails meant to keep them in place .
The bed still worked , but picking up those panels was an extra step I would have been happy to avoid .
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

My husband and I have flown with our twin sons since they were infants. I’ve breastfed them next to a couple of middle-aged men who were on their way to a golf vacation. They’ve slept cradled in our arms, across our laps, and against our chests, La-Z-Boy style, as we’ve crisscrossed the country. Whatever the position, I’m not sure any of us were ever really comfortable — especially those two golfers.
For our most recent trip, however — a flight from our home in Denver to DC for my cousin’s wedding — we tested the JetKids by Stokke’s BedBox, a kid-sized rideable carry-on that converts an economy-class seat into a makeshift bed. Even though my boys — now three and a half — were too long to lay down comfortably to sleep in their extended seat, when one felt sleepy, the extension gave him extra room for his legs while he laid his head in my lap. There was an unexpected bonus, too: with their “beds,” our kids were less likely to lose their toys in the black abyss of the airplane carpet and, more importantly, less likely to play on that same germy ground. On our return flight, I couldn’t set the beds up fast enough for the boys after we took off. I also realized that, had we splurged for economy plus, the increased pitch would have given the boys the little extra room they’d need to curl up on their own. Even though they sat up most of the way home, they didn’t want me to put the BedBox away. They were too happy for the extra play space.
Jetkids by Stokke BedBox
I just wish we would have had these when the boys were younger because I imagine any kid under two would fall asleep immediately on one. Online reviews have said as much, and the Stokke website has collected plenty of real-world pictures of cute kids, big and small, either stretched out or curled up, asleep or comfortably relaxing in their own personal lounge chair. But what most people seem to love about the BedBox, is how much fun their kids have riding it.
That was definitely the case for our twins. They tend to whine when we walk anywhere that doesn’t lead to a playground, but after straddling their bags in the parking lot at the airport, the only sounds they made were cries of delight as my husband and I each grabbed a pull strap and led them on what turned out to be a half-mile walk to our terminal. We got endless smiles from strangers and brand-name requests from parents and flight attendants. And we got contented silence from the boys, even as we stood to check-in, in bagel lines, or along moving sidewalks. The wheels are fast and smooth (and have their own suspension!), which made pulling easy. The only real issue is the lack of brakes. The BedBoxes tend to speed down ramps at a pace the boys loved a lot more than their parents did.
They had even more fun riding them than they did sleeping on them. Photo: Rachel Sturtz
My only complaint is durability. To turn the suitcase into a bed, you remove the top, flip it, and put it back on the suitcase with the open end up. It looks like a cute little bulldozer with its scooped blade held high. The top has two sliding plastic panels — one to extend the seat and hold the mattress, the other to cover a small storage area for toys and snacks. But the first time I tried to set them up — trial runs at our home before heading to the airport — whenever I would flip over the top, one of the plastic panels clattered to the floor. When I tried to replace it, I broke the ends of the tiny, flimsy rails meant to keep them in place. The bed still worked, but picking up those panels was an extra step I would have been happy to avoid.
Jetkids by Stokke BedBox / The Strategist suggested kids carry-on luggage/bed $200 on Amazon
Jetkids by Stokke BedBox / The Strategist suggested kids carry-on luggage/bed $150 on Stokke


theverge--2020-03-16--Microsoft unveils full Xbox Series X specs with 1TB expansion cards

Microsoft is revealing the full specs for its Xbox Series X console today .
The software giant will be using a custom AMD Zen 2 CPU with eight cores clocked at 3.8GHz each , a custom AMD RNDA 2 GPU with 12 teraflops and 52 compute units clocked at 1.825GHz each .
This is all based on a 7nm process and includes 16GB of GDDR6 RAM with a 1TB custom NVME SSD storage drive .
Microsoft is using two mainboards on this Xbox Series X compact design , and the entire unit is cooled through air being pulled in from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top via a 130mm fan .
Developers will be using the overall 16GB of memory in two ways : there ’ s 10GB for fast GPU optimal memory , 3.5GB for standard memory , and 2.5GB reserved by the OS .
All of this power will include the ability to expand storage through 1TB expansion cards at the rear of the console , with USB 3.2 external HDD support and a 4K Blu-ray drive .
Microsoft is targeting overall performance at 4K 60fps , up to 120fps .
Microsoft is using a solid-state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the focus is on speed and load times for next-gen games .
The Xbox maker is using something called “ Xbox Velocity Architecture , ” that is designed to improve the integration between hardware and software for streaming of in game assets .
The result will be seen in large open world games , where developers can use this system to create high fidelity environments that load dynamically using the processing power and SSD of the Xbox Series X .
This new SSD support will also allow Xbox Series X owners to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ titles after the Series X is rebooted for a system update .
Game states will be saved directly to the system ’ s SSD , so you can resume days or even weeks later .
The next-gen Xbox will also support 8K gaming and frame rates of up to 120fps in games .
Microsoft has partnered with the HDMI forum and TV manufacturers to enable Auto Low Latency Mode ( ALLM ) and Variable Refresh Rate ( VRR ) on the Series X as part of its HDMI 2.1 support .
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industry ’ s leading TV manufacturers for the past two years to ensure the display ecosystem is ready for the features coming with Xbox Series X , ” explains Microsoft ’ s Will Tuttle .

Microsoft is revealing the full specs for its Xbox Series X console today, and it includes support for removable storage and much faster load times for games. The software giant will be using a custom AMD Zen 2 CPU with eight cores clocked at 3.8GHz each, a custom AMD RDNA 2 GPU with 12 teraflops and 52 compute units clocked at 1.825GHz each. This is all based on a 7nm process and includes 16GB of GDDR6 RAM with a 1TB custom NVME SSD storage drive.
Microsoft is using two mainboards on this Xbox Series X compact design, and the entire unit is cooled through air being pulled in from the bottom and pushed out at the top via a 130mm fan.
Developers will be using the overall 16GB of memory in two ways: there’s 10GB for fast GPU optimal memory, 3.5GB for standard memory, and 2.5GB reserved by the OS. All of this power will include the ability to expand storage through 1TB expansion cards at the rear of the console, with USB 3.2 external HDD support and a 4K Blu-ray drive. Microsoft is targeting overall performance at 4K 60fps, up to 120fps.
One of the most obvious improvements that Microsoft is demonstrating with the Xbox Series X today is load times. In one tech demo (above), State of Decay 2 loads a full 40 seconds quicker on the Series X compared to the Xbox One X. That’s a massive improvement over current consoles.
Microsoft is using a solid-state drive on the Xbox Series X, and the focus is on speed and load times for next-gen games. The Xbox maker is using something called “Xbox Velocity Architecture,” that is designed to improve the integration between hardware and software for streaming of in game assets. The result will be seen in large open world games, where developers can use this system to create high fidelity environments that load dynamically using the processing power and SSD of the Xbox Series X.
This new SSD support will also allow Xbox Series X owners to resume multiple games instantly and even resume titles after the Series X is rebooted for a system update. Game states will be saved directly to the system’s SSD, so you can resume days or even weeks later. Microsoft is demonstrating this quick resume feature, using what looks like the existing dashboard for the Xbox One.
Microsoft is also demonstrating some ray tracing aspects of the Xbox Series X today. Ray tracing will enable more realistic lighting changes to games, with improved shadows and cinematic effects. We haven’t seen enough ray-traced games on the PC side just yet, but Microsoft is showing off how the Xbox Series X can handle ray tracing in titles like Minecraft. Microsoft is also optimizing Gears 5 with higher resolution textures, fog, and particles counts, all running in 60fps in 4K.
The next-gen Xbox will also support 8K gaming and frame rates of up to 120fps in games. Microsoft has partnered with the HDMI forum and TV manufacturers to enable Auto Low Latency Mode (ALLM) and Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) on the Series X as part of its HDMI 2.1 support. “The team has also been working with the industry’s leading TV manufacturers for the past two years to ensure the display ecosystem is ready for the features coming with Xbox Series X,” explains Microsoft’s Will Tuttle.
Xbox Series X removable storage.
All of this should reduce latency from when you press a button on an Xbox controller to when you see that movement show up on screen. Speaking of the controller, it’s now USB-C, uses AA batteries, and supports Bluetooth Low Energy. There’s also a new share button for sending clips and screenshots to friends, and existing controllers will work just fine on the new Xbox Series X.


theverge--2020-03-16--Beats announces $149 Powerbeats 4 with 15 hours of battery life

They ’ ve already leaked plenty and Walmart even put them on shelves before an official announcement , but now Apple ’ s Beats brand is launching the new Powerbeats 4 earbuds .
Like past versions , these use a neckband design , though the cable now runs behind the ear .
The Powerbeats 4 have been upgraded on multiple fronts .
They ’ ve got improved 15-hour battery life ( up from 13 hours in the Powerbeats 4 ) and , like the Powerbeats Pro , are now rated IPX4 for sweat and water resistance .
They contain Apple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and hands-free “ Hey Siri ” voice controls .
And Beats says they should sound basically the same as the Powerbeats Pro , which remain among the best true wireless earbuds on the market in terms of audio quality .
Color options are black , white , and red .
The Powerbeats 4 charge over Lightning ; a USB-A to Lightning cable comes in the box , as does a soft carrying pouch .
They ’ ll be available starting March 18th from Apple , Best Buy , and other retailers that carry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t need to wait until then to know more .
I ’ ve been testing the Powerbeats 4 for several days now , and if you ’ re someone who doesn ’ t like true wireless earbuds or are afraid of losing then , these make for a decent ( and cheaper ) alternative to the Powerbeats Pro .
Read the full Powerbeats 4 review .

They’ve already leaked plenty and Walmart even put them on shelves before an official announcement, but now Apple’s Beats brand is launching the new Powerbeats 4 earbuds. They’re actually just called Powerbeats without a number tagged onto the end. Like past versions, these use a neckband design, though the cable now runs behind the ear.
The new Powerbeats have been upgraded on multiple fronts. They’ve got improved 15-hour battery life (up from 12 hours in the Powerbeats 3) and, like the Powerbeats Pro, are now rated IPX4 for sweat and water resistance. They contain Apple’s H1 chip for quick pairing and hands-free “Hey Siri” voice controls. And Beats says they should sound basically the same as the Powerbeats Pro, which remain among the best true wireless earbuds on the market in terms of audio quality. There’s a power button (on the left earbud), volume rocker, and a multi-function “b” button (on the right earbud only) for controlling music.
Image: Beats
Color options are black, white, and red. The Powerbeats charge over Lightning; a USB-A to Lightning cable comes in the box, as does a soft carrying pouch. They’ll be available starting March 18th from Apple, Best Buy, and other retailers that carry Beats headphones.


theverge--2020-03-16--Apple hit with record $1.2 billion fine by French antitrust authorities

France ’ s competition authority , the Autorité de la Concurrence , has fined Apple €1.1 billion ( around $ 1.2 billion ) for illegally restricting how wholesalers sell Apple products .
As well as fining Apple itself , the authority has also fined two of its wholesalers , Tech Data , and Ingram Micro , Reuters reports .
The Autorité de la Concurrence launched its probe in 2012 , when the premium reseller eBizcuss.com launched a complaint shortly before going out of business , Politico reported last week .
The authority said the fine is the highest it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Apple is guilty of a series of anti-competitive practices .
First , Apple and two of its wholesalers agreed to not compete with each other .
Second , it stopped its premium resellers from being able to lower their prices , meaning that pricing was identical across almost half of the Apple retail market .
Finally , Apple is accused of unfairly treating its premium resellers , in some cases limiting their supply compared to its own stores .
These practices are said to have applied to products like the iPad , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement , Apple called the French authority ’ s decision “ disheartening , ” and added that “ it relates to practices from over a decade ago and discards thirty years of legal precedent that all companies in France rely on with an order that will cause chaos for companies across all industries.
” Apple said it plans to appeal the ruling .
Apple has also faced complaints over its control of the market for its products elsewhere in the world .
In the US , for example , a deal between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small sellers to resell Apple hardware through the marketplace platform .
The FTC announced it was investigating the deal in August last year .

France’s competition authority, the Autorité de la Concurrence, has fined Apple €1.1 billion (around $1.2 billion) for illegally restricting how wholesalers sell Apple products. As well as fining Apple itself, the authority has also fined two of its wholesalers, Tech Data, and Ingram Micro, Reuters reports. The Autorité de la Concurrence launched its probe in 2012, when the premium reseller eBizcuss.com launched a complaint shortly before going out of business, Politico reported last week. The authority said the fine is the highest it’s ever given.
French authorities say that Apple is guilty of a series of anti-competitive practices. First, Apple and two of its wholesalers agreed to not compete with each other. Second, it stopped its premium resellers from being able to lower their prices, meaning that pricing was identical across almost half of the Apple retail market. Finally, Apple is accused of unfairly treating its premium resellers, in some cases limiting their supply compared to its own stores. These practices are said to have applied to products like the iPad, while the iPhone was unaffected.
Apple called the decision “disheartening”
In a statement, Apple called the French authority’s decision “disheartening,” and added that “it relates to practices from over a decade ago and discards thirty years of legal precedent that all companies in France rely on with an order that will cause chaos for companies across all industries.” Apple said it plans to appeal the ruling.


theverge--2020-03-16--Microsoft Bing launches interactive COVID-19 map to provide pandemic news

Microsoft has launched a new interactive Bing map to provide information on the spread of COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus .
The map shows the amount of cases on a per country basis , broken down by the number of currently active cases , recovered cases , and fatal cases .
In the US , meanwhile , you can view information state-by-state .
Selecting individual countries or states will provide links to relevant news stories and videos .
Unfortunately , the stories being promoted aren ’ t always the most timely or useful to understand the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Microsoft says the tool is pulling data from a collection of sources including the World Health Organization ( WHO ) , the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) , the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ( ECDC ) , and Wikipedia .
The tool itself doesn ’ t say how frequently its numbers are being updated , but at the time of publication we found the data to have been updated in the last hour .
Although the case numbers the tool is pulling are consistent with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s COVID-19 tracker appears to be having trouble surfacing relevant news stories .
When we tried to check news stories that were relevant to the outbreak in the UK , for example , one of the reports it surfaced was about a series of home improvement stores closing in France and Spain .
Even more strangely , the lead video was an old news segment from January 24th with the title “ No confirmed cases of coronavirus yet in the United Kingdom , ” despite the tracker listing 1,391 cases in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the most recent article on the Dutch map ( when viewed from The Netherlands ) is two weeks old , despite the fact that the country ’ s government took the major decision to shut down public places including restaurants and schools just yesterday .
Microsoft isn ’ t the only tech giant which is looking to provide information resources amidst the pandemic .
Google has said it will launch a website “ late Monday ” with information about the outbreak , including how to prevent its spread and links to local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the novel coronavirus on its homepage , and via YouTube and Maps .
The company is also launching a limited coronavirus screening website , which is currently only available to people in the Bay Area of California , in contrast to the nationwide service that the US government suggested it was building on Friday .

Microsoft has launched a new interactive Bing map to provide information on the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. The map shows the amount of cases on a per country basis, broken down by the number of currently active cases, recovered cases, and fatal cases. In the US, meanwhile, you can view information state-by-state. Selecting individual countries or states will provide links to relevant news stories and videos. Unfortunately, the stories being promoted aren’t always the most timely or useful to understand the current state of the evolving pandemic.
Microsoft says the tool is pulling data from a collection of sources including the World Health Organization (WHO), the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), and Wikipedia. The tool itself doesn’t say how frequently its numbers are being updated, but at the time of publication we found the data to have been updated in the last hour.
In the UK, the tool surfaced an old video which claimed there were no cases in the country. Image: Bing
Although the case numbers the tool is pulling are consistent with those published by the WHO, Microsoft’s COVID-19 tracker appears to be having trouble surfacing relevant news stories. When we tried to check news stories that were relevant to the outbreak in the UK, for example, one of the reports it surfaced was about a series of home improvement stores closing in France and Spain. Even more strangely, the lead video was an old news segment from January 24th with the title “No confirmed cases of coronavirus yet in the United Kingdom,” despite the tracker listing 1,391 cases in the country.
Meanwhile, in the Netherlands, the most recent article on the Dutch map (when viewed from The Netherlands) is two weeks old, despite the fact that the country’s government took the major decision to shut down public places including restaurants and schools just yesterday.


theverge--2020-03-16--Microsoft Teams goes down just as Europe logs on to work remotely

Microsoft ’ s chat and communications tool , Microsoft Teams , went down across Europe this morning for more than two hours .
The outage started just as thousands of workers started to sign into the service and attempt to work remotely amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic .
Microsoft Teams users were experiencing issues signing into the service and sending messages , and Microsoft rectified the issues after just over two hours .
The timing was less than ideal , just as many businesses are encouraging employees to work remotely and collaborate using services like Microsoft Teams .
Even schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for remote education , with some schools in The Netherlands instructing students to log into the service today for digital questions .
This is the second major outage to hit Microsoft Teams this year .
The service also went down after Microsoft forgot to renew a key SSL security certificate last month .
Microsoft eventually got Teams working again after three hours of issues , and apologized for missing the expired certificate .
Microsoft ’ s Teams issues also come just hours after Xbox Live went down briefly .
Microsoft hasn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Live outage , but it ’ s likely related to an increase in demand .
Steam reached a new concurrent online user record of 20 million , just as people start to stay at home more during the coronavirus pandemic .
Update , March 16th 6:50AM ET : Article updated with confirmation the issues are now resolved .

Microsoft’s chat and communications tool, Microsoft Teams, went down across Europe this morning for more than two hours. The outage started just as thousands of workers started to sign into the service and attempt to work remotely amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Microsoft Teams users were experiencing issues signing into the service and sending messages, and Microsoft rectified the European issues after just over two hours.
The software giant initially issued a statement revealing that the company had “resolved an issue that may have impacted a subset of customers in Europe,” but then the service experienced issues once again as more workers around the world started accessing it at around 11:30AM ET today. The issues appear to be intermittent, and Microsoft is now monitoring the performance of Teams.
“We’ve taken steps to address an issue that a subset of our customers may have experienced. Our engineering teams continue to actively monitor performance and usage trends,” says a Microsoft spokesperson.
The timing is less than ideal, just as many businesses are encouraging employees to work remotely and collaborate using services like Microsoft Teams. Even schools are also using tools like Microsoft Teams for remote education, with some schools in The Netherlands instructing students to log into the service today for digital questions.
This is the second major outage to hit Microsoft Teams this year. The service also went down after Microsoft forgot to renew a key SSL security certificate last month. Microsoft eventually got Teams working again after three hours of issues, and apologized for missing the expired certificate.
Microsoft’s Teams issues also come just hours after Xbox Live went down briefly. Microsoft hasn’t revealed the exact cause of the Xbox Live outage, but it’s likely related to an increase in demand. Steam reached a new concurrent online user record of 20 million, just as people start to stay at home more during the coronavirus pandemic.


theverge--2020-03-16--Steam hit its all-time concurrent user peak over the weekend

Steam smashed its all-time record for concurrent users over the weekend with a 24-hour peak set at 20,313,451 , according to data from the PC gaming platform ’ s website .
It ’ s the first time Steam has ever had more than 20 million users online at once ; nearly 6.4 million of them were actively playing a game .
The previous record wasn ’ t particularly long-standing , and Steam outdoes itself pretty often — the 19 million mark was first reached just over a month ago .
But the milestone is notable , as is the speed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weren ’ t really any notable Steam releases last week , so it ’ s probably safe to say that the spike in users staying home and logging on was sparked by the fact that it is generally not advisable to go out in public if you can help it right now .
Players mostly stuck to old favorites ; Counter-Strike : Global Offensive hit an all-time peak of 1,024,845 simultaneous players to become the most popular game over the weekend , while Dota 2 and PUBG followed with 701,632 and 515,050 players @ @ @ @ @ @ @ showing signs of slowing down in much of the world , so Steam is likely to see further leaps in usage .
New York City mayor Bill de Blasio just announced an executive order banning nightclubs , movie theaters , and concert venues from opening as of this Tuesday morning , for example , while restaurants will be limited to take-out and delivery .

Steam smashed its all-time record for concurrent users over the weekend with a 24-hour peak set at 20,313,451, according to data from the PC gaming platform’s website. It’s the first time Steam has ever had more than 20 million users online at once; nearly 6.4 million of them were actively playing a game.
The previous record wasn’t particularly long-standing, and Steam outdoes itself pretty often — the 19 million mark was first reached just over a month ago. But the milestone is notable, as is the speed with which it was reached.
There weren’t really any notable Steam releases last week, so it’s probably safe to say that the spike in users staying home and logging on was sparked by the fact that it is generally not advisable to go out in public if you can help it right now. Players mostly stuck to old favorites; Counter-Strike: Global Offensive hit an all-time peak of 1,024,845 simultaneous players to become the most popular game over the weekend, while Dota 2 and PUBG followed with 701,632 and 515,050 players respectively.


theverge--2020-03-16--Verily’s coronavirus screening website launches with very limited access

Google ’ s sister company Verily has launched a screening website for people who want to get tested for COVID-19 .
However , Verily ’ s website is very limited in scope : it ’ s only available to people in the Bay Area of California and it ’ s more of a pilot program than a public health utility .
In fact , it ’ s even more limited than that : in order to qualify you must be 18 years of age or older , be able to speak English , and be a US resident .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Verily spokesperson described to us on the phone on Friday and not the expansive triage system that the Trump administration promised .
The initial question on Verily ’ s site asks “ Are you currently experiencing severe cough , shortness of breath , fever , or other concerning symptoms ?
” If you answer “ yes , ” you are told that the program is “ not the right fit ” and to seek medical attention .
Reached for comment on this issue , a Verily spokesperson said that : If you answer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked to sign in with a Google account and sign an Informed Consent authorization form .
It details that your data may be shared with public health officials .
After that , you are led through a series of screener questions about your symptoms : In a blog post on Sunday , Verily said that it was working closely with the state of California on the pilot program .
It did not make any promises about expanding the program beyond the state of California : Verily ’ s site is located at Project @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been used to connect people up with potential clinical trials .
That infrastructure for collecting and protecting health data was one of the reasons that Verily ’ s screening site was put on Project Baseline .
The site also claims that any information you provide won ’ t be shared with your insurance company or connected to your Google account — though a Google account is necessary to use the site .
The website launched after a weekend of confused and inaccurate statements from the White House about a website it claimed Google @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be mentioned in Friday ’ s press conference , according to Wired .
And so it initially had not planned to build such a site , Axios reported , but began to scramble after Trump ’ s statements .
Over the course of the weekend , Google itself did not correct the record but instead issued a series of tweets pointing to Verily ’ s sites and to its own efforts to provide information on the coronavirus .
Earlier on Sunday , President Trump held up a printout of those tweets from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they “ substantiated ” his original statements on Friday .
Google ’ s tweets did not , but they also carefully avoided directly contradicting the president .
Google itself has not announced a screening website for COVID-19 .
Google has instead said it will launch an informational website , according to this post from CEO Sundar Pichai : That more comprehensive site may yet come , as Vice President Mike Pence again promised in Sunday ’ s press conference that such a site could be made , and he made a point to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with other tech companies .
It is not clear what that work looks like , or if those tech companies were approached before the scramble over the weekend .
What ’ s clear right now is that Verily ’ s website as it currently exists is a pilot program limited in scope and availability .
What ’ s even clearer is that the administration has not yet provided full details to US citizens on when and how they will be able to gain access to a coronavirus test , though it is clearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so .

Google’s sister company Verily has launched a screening website for people who want to get tested for COVID-19. However, Verily’s website is very limited in scope: it’s only available to people in the Bay Area of California and it’s more of a pilot program than a public health utility.
In fact, it’s even more limited than that: in order to qualify you must be 18 years of age or older, be able to speak English, and be a US resident. It very much looks like the program a Verily spokesperson described to us on the phone on Friday and not the expansive triage system that the Trump administration promised.
The new coronavirus is spreading through the US, and several states have made emergency declarations. The World Health Organization has declared it a pandemic. Here are the basics: Everything you need to know about the coronavirus
The initial question on Verily’s site asks “Are you currently experiencing severe cough, shortness of breath, fever, or other concerning symptoms?” If you answer “yes,” you are told that the program is “not the right fit” and to seek medical attention. Reached for comment on this issue, a Verily spokesperson said that:
This screener was developed in partnership with government health officials. The initial question is meant to ensure that anyone who is seriously ill does not come to our sites because they are not prepared to provide medical attention. We are early in this pilot and are going to be learning more that will help us refine this COVID-9 risk screening and testing.
If you answer “no,” you’re asked to sign in with a Google account and sign an Informed Consent authorization form. It details that your data may be shared with public health officials.
After that, you are led through a series of screener questions about your symptoms:
In a blog post on Sunday, Verily said that it was working closely with the state of California on the pilot program. It did not make any promises about expanding the program beyond the state of California:
Ultimately, our goal is to help local authorities expand testing access in California as the need continues to increase. The program is in its early stages, and we will take the time to assess operations at pilot sites in the Bay Area before rolling out to additional sites. We are working closely with Governor Newsom’s office, federal authorities and local public health authorities to ensure we have the right capabilities in place to help more people over the coming weeks.
Verily’s site is located at Project Baseline, which to date has only been used to connect people up with potential clinical trials. That infrastructure for collecting and protecting health data was one of the reasons that Verily’s screening site was put on Project Baseline. The site also claims that any information you provide won’t be shared with your insurance company or connected to your Google account — though a Google account is necessary to use the site.
A screenshot from Verily’s new site
The website launched after a weekend of confused and inaccurate statements from the White House about a website it claimed Google is building. Google had not expected to be mentioned in Friday’s press conference, according to Wired. And so it initially had not planned to build such a site, Axios reported, but began to scramble after Trump’s statements. Over the course of the weekend, Google itself did not correct the record but instead issued a series of tweets pointing to Verily’s sites and to its own efforts to provide information on the coronavirus.
Earlier on Sunday, President Trump held up a printout of those tweets from the Google Comms account and claimed that they “substantiated” his original statements on Friday. Google’s tweets did not, but they also carefully avoided directly contradicting the president. Google itself has not announced a screening website for COVID-19.
Google has instead said it will launch an informational website, according to this post from CEO Sundar Pichai:
This includes best practices on prevention, links to authoritative information from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and helpful tips and tools from Google for individuals, teachers and businesses. We’ll be rolling out an initial version of the website late Monday, March 16, and we’ll continue to enhance and update it with more resources on an ongoing basis.
That more comprehensive site may yet come, as Vice President Mike Pence again promised in Sunday’s press conference that such a site could be made, and he made a point to say that the administration was also working with other tech companies. It is not clear what that work looks like, or if those tech companies were approached before the scramble over the weekend.


theverge--2020-03-16--Judge denies Ohio governor’s attempt to postpone the state’s presidential primary

An attempt by Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine to delay Tuesday ’ s presidential primary until June 2nd has been denied by a Franklin County judge , according to the Columbus Dispatch .
DeWine had filed a lawsuit in an attempt to delay the primary to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus .
DeWine specifically cited new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) guidance on avoiding large gatherings that he said would make it impossible to hold the election as scheduled , the Columbus Dispatch reports .
“ It is clear that tomorrow ’ s in-person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conform with these CDC guidelines , ” DeWine said at his daily press briefing .
He also said the state does not want to force its vulnerable populations , who are most susceptible to the virus , to have to choose between their health and voting .
“ We should not force them to make this choice , the choice between their health and their Constitutional rights and their duties as American citizens , ” DeWine added .
“ Further , we should not be in the situation where the votes of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suppressed.
” DeWine does not have the authority to order the primary date to be changed except in the case of an invasion .
He said the suit would be filed in Franklin County seeking to delay the election , and he added that he hoped the judge would side with plaintiffs .
Ohio ’ s secretary of state said he was instructing the state attorney general to not contest the lawsuit , the Wall Street Journal reported .
Ohio has 50 confirmed cases of coronavirus so far .
Ohio is one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Florida , and Illinois — scheduled to hold primaries on March 17th .
Georgia has delayed its primary until May 19th , and Louisiana delayed its primary until June 20th .
Update March 16th , 7:55PM ET : Added that a judge has denied the request .

An attempt by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine to delay Tuesday’s presidential primary until June 2nd has been denied by a Franklin County judge, according to the Columbus Dispatch.
DeWine had filed a lawsuit in an attempt to delay the primary to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus. DeWine specifically cited new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance on avoiding large gatherings that he said would make it impossible to hold the election as scheduled, the Columbus Dispatch reports.
“It is clear that tomorrow’s in-person voting does not conform and cannot conform with these CDC guidelines,” DeWine said at his daily press briefing. He also said the state does not want to force its vulnerable populations, who are most susceptible to the virus, to have to choose between their health and voting.
“We should not force them to make this choice, the choice between their health and their Constitutional rights and their duties as American citizens,” DeWine added. “Further, we should not be in the situation where the votes of these individuals, who are conflicted, are suppressed.”
DeWine does not have the authority to order the primary date to be changed except in the case of an invasion. He said the suit would be filed in Franklin County seeking to delay the election, and he added that he hoped the judge would side with plaintiffs. Ohio’s secretary of state said he was instructing the state attorney general to not contest the lawsuit, the Wall Street Journal reported. Ohio has 50 confirmed cases of coronavirus so far.
Ohio is one of four states — along with Arizona, Florida, and Illinois — scheduled to hold primaries on March 17th. Georgia has delayed its primary until May 19th, and Louisiana delayed its primary until June 20th.


theverge--2020-03-16--Regal Cinemas to close all US theaters until further notice starting March 17th

Regal Cinemas , the second-largest theater chain in the country , will close all of its theaters in the US starting tomorrow , March 17th , out of caution for the ongoing spread of coronavirus , according to Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter .
The theaters will remain closed until further notice .
“ Any time , at any Regal , it ’ s our goal to provide a safe and healthy environment for our employees and guests , ” said Mooky Greidinger , CEO of Regal Cinema parent company Cineworld , in a statement to Deadline .
“ At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficult decision to close our theaters .
We value our movie-loving customers and have no doubt we will be serving them again as soon as possible with a full slate of Hollywood blockbusters.
” AMC , which is the biggest theater chain , said earlier today that no more than 50 people could be in a theater at the same time , according to The Hollywood Reporter .
Other cinemas may follow Regal ’ s move to close all theaters in the coming days , sources told The Hollywood Reporter .
The moves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weekend and new White House guidelines issued today to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people .
Universal will be releasing some movies that are currently in theaters as $ 20 rentals starting Friday , the company announced today .
And over the last few weeks , Mulan , F9 , and No Time to Die , the newest James Bond movie , all had their theatrical release dates delayed due to the coronavirus outbreak .

Regal Cinemas, the second-largest theater chain in the country, will close all of its theaters in the US starting tomorrow, March 17th, out of caution for the ongoing spread of coronavirus, according to Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter. The theaters will remain closed until further notice.
“Any time, at any Regal, it’s our goal to provide a safe and healthy environment for our employees and guests,” said Mooky Greidinger, CEO of Regal Cinema parent company Cineworld, in a statement to Deadline. “At this time, we have made the difficult decision to close our theaters. We value our movie-loving customers and have no doubt we will be serving them again as soon as possible with a full slate of Hollywood blockbusters.”
AMC, which is the biggest theater chain, said earlier today that no more than 50 people could be in a theater at the same time, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Other cinemas may follow Regal’s move to close all theaters in the coming days, sources told The Hollywood Reporter.
The moves follow historically low box office sales this weekend and new White House guidelines issued today to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people.


theverge--2020-03-16--Discord experienced an outage that made many servers unavailable

Popular chat service Discord experienced widespread server outages on Monday , taking many communities offline .
During the outage , @ @ @ @ @ investigating an issue where a number of Discord servers are completely unavailable.
” Many reported @ @ @ @ @ to load due to “ server outages and increased API errors.
” The service ’ @ @ @ @ @ that all systems are operational .
Discord ’ s outage happened just over an hour @ @ @ @ @ has “ increased capacity worldwide by more than 20 percent to ensure that you ’ @ @ @ @ @ video & voice chat smoothly.
” The outage was the second major chat app outage @ @ @ @ @ Microsoft Teams suffered intermittent issues throughout the day .
Microsoft , Discord , and many @ @ @ @ @ experiencing an increase in demand due to the coronavirus pandemic .
As more people stay @ @ @ @ @ increasingly turning toward vital communication apps and services to help keep in touch with friends @ @ @ @ @ 16th , 6:42PM ET : Updated to reflect that the outage is over .

Popular chat service Discord experienced widespread server outages on Monday, taking many communities offline. During the outage, Discord said it was “investigating an issue where a number of Discord servers are completely unavailable.” Many reported that the app was failing to load due to “server outages and increased API errors.” The service’s status page now says that all systems are operational.
Discord’s outage happened just over an hour after the company revealed it has “increased capacity worldwide by more than 20 percent to ensure that you’re able to text, video & voice chat smoothly.”
The outage was the second major chat app outage of the day, after Microsoft Teams suffered intermittent issues throughout the day. Microsoft, Discord, and many other web services are currently experiencing an increase in demand due to the coronavirus pandemic. As more people stay indoors, they’re increasingly turning toward vital communication apps and services to help keep in touch with friends and family.


theverge--2020-03-16--Amazon wants to hire 100,000 new workers to meet coronavirus demand

Amazon is looking to hire 100,000 new warehouse and delivery workers to meet increased demands for shipments as a result of the novel coronavirus pandemic , the company announced on Monday .
It will also increase the hourly pay of workers employed in these positions by an additional $ 2 in the United States through April .
As more Americans stay indoors to protect themselves from the coronavirus outbreak , they ’ re turning to e-commerce stores like Amazon to purchase groceries and household supplies .
On Friday , Amazon told customers that they could experience delays in Prime shipments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of stock on some highly sought-after household staples .
“ We are seeing a significant increase in demand ” “ Getting a priority item to your doorstep is vital as communities practice social-distancing , particularly for the elderly and others with underlying health issues .
We are seeing a significant increase in demand , which means our labor needs are unprecedented for this time of year , ” Dave Clark , Amazon ’ s senior vice president of worldwide operations , said in a blog post on Monday .
Many of the restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Officials from organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization have advised people to stay indoors and away from large groups of people to protect themselves from the disease .
States like New York and Ohio have closed down highly trafficked businesses like bars , restaurants , and movie theaters to mitigate the threat , leaving thousands of employees out of work and a paycheck for the next few weeks .
Amazon is looking to bring those people into their warehouses , Clark said in his statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know we welcome them on our teams until things return to normal and their past employer is able to bring them back .
”

Amazon is looking to hire 100,000 new warehouse and delivery workers to meet increased demands for shipments as a result of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the company announced on Monday. It will also increase the hourly pay of workers employed in these positions by an additional $2 in the United States through April.
As more Americans stay indoors to protect themselves from the coronavirus outbreak, they’re turning to e-commerce stores like Amazon to purchase groceries and household supplies. On Friday, Amazon told customers that they could experience delays in Prime shipments and that the company was running out of stock on some highly sought-after household staples.
“We are seeing a significant increase in demand”
“Getting a priority item to your doorstep is vital as communities practice social-distancing, particularly for the elderly and others with underlying health issues. We are seeing a significant increase in demand, which means our labor needs are unprecedented for this time of year,” Dave Clark, Amazon’s senior vice president of worldwide operations, said in a blog post on Monday.
Many of the restrictions are growing as the virus spreads. Officials from organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization have advised people to stay indoors and away from large groups of people to protect themselves from the disease. States like New York and Ohio have closed down highly trafficked businesses like bars, restaurants, and movie theaters to mitigate the threat, leaving thousands of employees out of work and a paycheck for the next few weeks.


theverge--2020-03-16--Peloton offers free 90-day subscription trial for its at-home workout app

Peloton knows people are stuck at home , so it ’ s now offering new subscribers a 90-day trial , @ @ @ @ @ to its app .
The app doesn ’ t require people to own a Peloton-branded @ @ @ @ @ .
People can try yoga , HIIT , stretching , strength training , and other @ @ @ @ @ after an earlier email to members explained that live Peloton classes would still continue , @ @ @ @ @ It has also closed its retail stores through at least March 29th , although it @ @ @ @ @ and bikes remotely .
Multiple streaming workout services have begun offering free trials for the @ @ @ @ @ being told to stay inside for the foreseeable future .
Peloton might have one of @ @ @ @ @ however , because it ’ s giving away three months ’ worth of programming , @ @ @ @ @ people to develop a habit and possibly want to stick with the routine .

Peloton knows people are stuck at home, so it’s now offering new subscribers a 90-day trial, rather than 30 days, to its app. The app doesn’t require people to own a Peloton-branded treadmill or bike to participate. People can try yoga, HIIT, stretching, strength training, and other classes.
This news comes after an earlier email to members explained that live Peloton classes would still continue, although without public attendees. It has also closed its retail stores through at least March 29th, although it still plans to deliver treadmills and bikes remotely.


theverge--2020-03-16--San Francisco and Bay Area will shelter in place to slow coronavirus spread

Six counties in the San Francisco Bay Area — about 6.7 million people — are under a “ shelter in place ” order to try to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus , the Los Angeles Times reports .
The order will go into effect at 12:01AM PT on Tuesday , March 17th , and it will include San Francisco , Santa Clara , San Mateo , Marin , Contra Costa , and Alameda counties , according to the San Francisco Chronicle .
The order , which will affect most businesses in the Bay Area , will stay in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mayor London Breed tweeted that the directive “ will require people to stay home except for essential needs ” and that “ necessary government functions & essential stores will remain open.
” The order bans nonessential gatherings of any size as well as nonessential travel “ on foot , bicycle , scooter , automobile or public transit , ” the Chronicle reports .
Travel for medical care , to shop for necessary supplies , and to help family and friends who need assistance will be allowed .
Airports , public transit , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel .
People are encouraged to practice social distancing and keep six feet apart from others when possible .
Delivery services that bring food , goods or services directly to residences can continue to operate as well .
“ We are in a rough place , and we are going to have difficult times ahead of us , ” San Mateo County Health Officer Scott Morrow told the Mercury News .
“ The measures we ’ re putting in place are temporary , but they will last longer than any of us want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a community , come to each other ’ s aid and dig really deep to find your best inner self and pull out all the compassion , gratitude and kindness you can.
” This is the biggest metro area in the US to implement such a lockdown in response to the outbreak .
As of Monday morning , California had 335 confirmed cases of the virus , with 114 in the Bay Area and 37 in in San Francisco proper .
In-person classes at Stanford University were canceled beginning March 9th after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ novel coronavirus .
On March 11th , Breed ordered all gatherings of more than 1,000 people banned in the city for two weeks , but a few days later , the order was revised to ban gatherings of just 100 people or more .
Nearby counties , like San Mateo , also recently began implementing social gathering bans of 50 or more people , which is what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends .
Update March 16th , 5PM ET : Adds information that food delivery can continue and comment @ @ @ @ @ @

Six counties in the San Francisco Bay Area — about 6.7 million people — are under a “shelter in place” order to try to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, the Los Angeles Times reports.
The order will go into effect at 12:01AM PT on Tuesday, March 17th, and it will include San Francisco, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa, and Alameda counties, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. The order, which will affect most businesses in the Bay Area, will stay in effect through April 7th.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed tweeted that the directive “will require people to stay home except for essential needs” and that “necessary government functions & essential stores will remain open.”
The order bans nonessential gatherings of any size as well as nonessential travel “on foot, bicycle, scooter, automobile or public transit,” the Chronicle reports.
Travel for medical care, to shop for necessary supplies, and to help family and friends who need assistance will be allowed. Airports, public transit, and taxis will continue to operate for essential travel. People are encouraged to practice social distancing and keep six feet apart from others when possible. Delivery services that bring food, goods or services directly to residences can continue to operate as well.
“We are in a rough place, and we are going to have difficult times ahead of us,” San Mateo County Health Officer Scott Morrow told the Mercury News. “The measures we’re putting in place are temporary, but they will last longer than any of us want. This is the time to unite as a community, come to each other’s aid and dig really deep to find your best inner self and pull out all the compassion, gratitude and kindness you can.”
This is the biggest metro area in the US to implement such a lockdown in response to the outbreak. As of Monday morning, California had 335 confirmed cases of the virus, with 114 in the Bay Area and 37 in in San Francisco proper. In-person classes at Stanford University were canceled beginning March 9th after a faculty member tested positive for the novel coronavirus.