theverge--2020-12-15--The Surface Duo gets better TikTok support and availability outside the US

Microsoft announced in a blog today that its dual screen phone , the Surface Duo , will be getting an “ enhanced ” TikTok app that takes advantage of its design .
The company also announced the Duo will be available outside the US in early 2021 .
When The Verge reviewed the Surface Duo , we liked the hardware of the device , but had concerns with its modified Android software .
The Duo was buggy at release and didn ’ t feature many non-Microsoft apps that took advantage of the dual screen setup .
The Surface Duo can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ screen , but using the split-screen features Microsoft designed requires specific tailoring .
The group of apps that use Microsoft ’ s “ postures ” and multitasking features remains small , but TikTok is a major social media addition .
The company says that TikTok will use both of the Duo ’ s screens , allowing you to watch the “ For You ” feed on one screen , while browsing hashtags and searching for videos on the other .
Microsoft highlighted the Spotify and Kindle apps when the Duo launched , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to add full support since then .
( Microsoft itself attempted to purchase the company from ByteDance earlier this year . )
In addition to the new app , Microsoft says the Surface Duo will be available for purchase in Canada , France , Germany , and the United Kingdom in early 2021 .
The company says they ’ ll have more to share “ at the beginning of 2021 , ” so expect a more specific release date or maybe even an update on the Duo ’ s larger sibling , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The “ enhanced ” TikTok app should be available now for Duo owners .

Microsoft announced in a blog today that its dual screen phone, the Surface Duo, will be getting an “enhanced” TikTok app that takes advantage of its design. The company also announced the Duo will be available outside the US in early 2021.
When The Verge reviewed the Surface Duo, we liked the hardware of the device, but had concerns with its modified Android software. The Duo was buggy at release and didn’t feature many non-Microsoft apps that took advantage of the dual screen setup. The Surface Duo can run normal Android phone apps on either screen, but using the split-screen features Microsoft designed requires specific tailoring.
The group of apps that use Microsoft’s “postures” and multitasking features remains small, but TikTok is a major social media addition.
The new TikTok experience on the Surface Duo. Image: Microsoft
The company says that TikTok will use both of the Duo’s screens, allowing you to watch the “For You” feed on one screen, while browsing hashtags and searching for videos on the other. Microsoft highlighted the Spotify and Kindle apps when the Duo launched, but TikTok is one of the biggest apps to add full support since then. (Microsoft itself attempted to purchase the company from ByteDance earlier this year.)
In addition to the new app, Microsoft says the Surface Duo will be available for purchase in Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom in early 2021. The company says they’ll have more to share “at the beginning of 2021,” so expect a more specific release date or maybe even an update on the Duo’s larger sibling, the Surface Neo, in the future.


theverge--2020-12-15--Oculus is shipping the Quest 2 Elite Strap again and extending its warranty after quality issues

Oculus is resuming shipments of its Quest 2 Elite Strap accessory and extending the warranty after reports of defective straps .
As UploadVR reported earlier , the Facebook-owned virtual reality company paused Elite Strap shipments in November , saying a small number of users had reported them snapping after use .
Now , it tells Android Central that it ’ s pinpointed the issue as a “ processing inconsistency with some early units , ” and the product is going back on sale .
Oculus maintains that the Elite Strap problems affect a “ very small percentage ” of customers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standard one-year warranty to a two-year period , during which Oculus will replace broken straps free of charge .
The $ 49 Elite Strap ( and a $ 129 version with an external battery and carrying case ) replaces the standard cloth strap of the Oculus Quest 2 VR headset .
It ’ s a major upgrade that makes the $ 299 Quest 2 far more comfortable , and since it ’ s reappeared on the Oculus store and is being restocked elsewhere , it ’ s apparently a viable option once again @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been updated to reflect the Elite Strap being restocked on the Oculus store .

Oculus is resuming shipments of its Quest 2 Elite Strap accessory and extending the warranty after reports of defective straps. As UploadVR reported earlier, the Facebook-owned virtual reality company paused Elite Strap shipments in November, saying a small number of users had reported them snapping after use. Now, it tells Android Central that it’s pinpointed the issue as a “processing inconsistency with some early units,” and the product is going back on sale.
Oculus maintains that the Elite Strap problems affect a “very small percentage” of customers. But it’s increasing the standard one-year warranty to a two-year period, during which Oculus will replace broken straps free of charge.
The $49 Elite Strap (and a $129 version with an external battery and carrying case) replaces the standard cloth strap of the Oculus Quest 2 VR headset. It’s a major upgrade that makes the $299 Quest 2 far more comfortable, and since it’s reappeared on the Oculus store and is being restocked elsewhere, it’s apparently a viable option once again.


theverge--2020-12-15--Siri can now play animal sounds and more

With yesterday ’ s release of iOS 14.3 , Siri got a new trick : the ability to play real-world sound samples on command .
Ask “ Hey Siri , what does _____ sound like ?
” and it will start playing the sound for you .
If you ask on an iPhone or iPad , it will show you a picture as well .
Google Assistant has been able to do this for a few years now , but now it ’ s available for the iPhone , iPad , and HomePod .
Apple hasn ’ t announced how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but it ’ s been able to handle most of the animals I asked about ( except for some obscure ones that I ’ m not sure have a real distinctive noise , like an anteater ) .
At the moment , it seems like the sounds are limited to animals , vehicles , and musical instruments .
I tried asking for some nature-y sounds , such as thunder or a waterfall , and Siri didn ’ t play anything .
This feature is probably best heard , rather than read about , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ask Siri to play different sounds .
Interestingly , it ’ s got samples for different breeds of dog , so you can hear what a mastiff sounds like compared to a Shih Tzu .
There are obviously quite a few things that Siri doesn ’ t have sound samples for , and in some cases ( like when I asked what humans sound like ) , it doesn ’ t even try .
As you can tell from the end of the video , Siri is Siri — technical imperfections and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Siri started answering the question , stopped , said it was sorry , and restarted its answer . )
I know I ’ m going to be asking Siri for random sounds every now and then , trying to figure out what it has sounds for and what it doesn ’ t .
If you ’ re not as easily amused as I am , the feature could also be useful if you have kids , who I ’ ve heard are always asking what things sound like .
It ’ s also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says that foxes sound like people screaming , and you just have to know if they ’ re right .
( Here ’ s a YouTube link so you can see as well as hear it . )

With yesterday’s release of iOS 14.3, Siri got a new trick: the ability to play real-world sound samples on command. Ask “Hey Siri, what does _____ sound like?” and it will start playing the sound for you. If you ask on an iPhone or iPad, it will show you a picture as well. Google Assistant has been able to do this for a few years now, but now it’s available for the iPhone, iPad, and HomePod.
Apple hasn’t announced how many sounds it’s added, but it’s been able to handle most of the animals I asked about (except for some obscure ones that I’m not sure have a real distinctive noise, like an anteater). At the moment, it seems like the sounds are limited to animals, vehicles, and musical instruments. I tried asking for some nature-y sounds, such as thunder or a waterfall, and Siri didn’t play anything.
This feature is probably best heard, rather than read about, so I made a video in which I ask Siri to play different sounds.
I asked Siri what several things and animals sound like. (Warning: this may activate any iOS devices if they have “Hey Siri” turned on.)
Interestingly, it’s got samples for different breeds of dog, so you can hear what a mastiff sounds like compared to a Shih Tzu. There are obviously quite a few things that Siri doesn’t have sound samples for, and in some cases (like when I asked what humans sound like), it doesn’t even try. As you can tell from the end of the video, Siri is Siri — technical imperfections and all. (At one point, Siri started answering the question, stopped, said it was sorry, and restarted its answer.)


theverge--2020-12-16--The year Instagram became Facebook

The year Instagram became Facebook

Instagram spent much of the past eight years fighting to maintain its independence from Facebook .
In 2020 , the fight was over .
Instagram has rolled out a series of features that are thoroughly Facebookian in nature .
They ’ re largely focused around getting you to use the app for longer ( and also tend to feel messy and incomplete ) .
It ’ s hard not to see this as the moment that Instagram succumbed to Facebook ’ s worst tendency : a focus on growth at all costs , even if it means making a product @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The most telling change was one of the less explosive The changes are numerous .
Facebook Messenger was integrated into Instagram DMs , a beat-for-beat TikTok clone was created and given its own section within the app , the primary “ post a photo ” button was tucked away into a corner , and an entire tab was given over to shopping .
The most telling change was one of the less explosive ones : it was a tweak to the app ’ s classic photo feed .
Instagram now displays an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you get through the pictures your friends put up .
( On my feed , I ’ m mostly presented with vibey pictures of European models , with some ads mixed in between . )
This is a simple growth hack ( see : Facebook injecting news stories and your friend ’ s friend ’ s dad ’ s questionable political group post into your News Feed ) , but it ’ s the kind of cheap trick that Instagram had avoided for a decade .
It seems plainly antithetical to a goal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Kevin Systrom , who said that any time spent on the app “ should be positive and intentional.
” At the time , Instagram was adding an alert that told you when you were out of new posts in the feed , which served as a gentle nudge that you might be able to close the app and move on to something else .
A behind-the-scenes shake-up in 2019 led to major changes in 2020 Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg increasingly applied pressure on Instagram over the years to , in essence , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initial promise to leave the company alone , as detailed in Sarah Frier ’ s No Filter , a chronicle of Instagram ’ s rise .
The pressure culminated in Instagram ’ s co-founders walking out the door in late 2018 , when they were replaced by Adam Mosseri , who previously ran Facebook ’ s News Feed .
While the app mostly had a quiet 2019 on the surface — it tweaked the camera interface , hid like counts , and restricted more problematic content — behind the scenes , there was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top leadership taking place , and more orders were starting to come down from Facebook proper , The Information reported last year .
That set the stage for this year , when those changes became visible to users .
The home screen layout , which — aside from the addition of story bubbles at the top — had largely stayed unchanged since Instagram ’ s founding , has been shuffled around to make room for two new initiatives .
The most notable of those , Reels , is a TikTok ripoff with no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to crush an innovative and competing product .
The other addition , the Shop tab , presents an underwhelming array of product posts in a way that mixes the confusion of a Pinterest page with the blandness of Google Shopping ads .
None of this is to say Instagram has been “ ruined ” or even changed all that dramatically on the surface .
The app has always been teeming with brands and influencers , Stories had ruthlessly sidelined Snapchat as the hot new app years ago , and Instagram ’ s aesthetic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ubiquitous cliche .
It ’ s still fun to look through your friends ’ photos , and the new features aren ’ t strictly bad — Reels offers creators another avenue to promote their work , and shopping is an obvious , if undercooked , addition to Instagram .
The difference is that so many of Instagram ’ s prior changes felt like Instagram .
In 2020 , the changes felt like new services shoehorned into Instagram so that the moment we got bored , we could find our next distraction without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ familiar , maybe it ’ s because that ’ s what Facebook does , too .
This year , Instagram didn ’ t just build more services — its service starting demanding more from you .

Instagram spent much of the past eight years fighting to maintain its independence from Facebook. In 2020, the fight was over.
Instagram has rolled out a series of features that are thoroughly Facebookian in nature. They’re largely focused around getting you to use the app for longer (and also tend to feel messy and incomplete). It’s hard not to see this as the moment that Instagram succumbed to Facebook’s worst tendency: a focus on growth at all costs, even if it means making a product that’s less enjoyable to use.
The most telling change was one of the less explosive
The most telling change was one of the less explosive ones: it was a tweak to the app’s classic photo feed. Instagram now displays an endless row of algorithmically recommended posts once you get through the pictures your friends put up. (On my feed, I’m mostly presented with vibey pictures of European models, with some ads mixed in between.)
This is a simple growth hack (see: Facebook injecting news stories and your friend’s friend’s dad’s questionable political group post into your News Feed), but it’s the kind of cheap trick that Instagram had avoided for a decade. It seems plainly antithetical to a goal outlined by Instagram’s founding CEO, Kevin Systrom, who said that any time spent on the app “should be positive and intentional.” At the time, Instagram was adding an alert that told you when you were out of new posts in the feed, which served as a gentle nudge that you might be able to close the app and move on to something else.
A behind-the-scenes shake-up in 2019 led to major changes in 2020
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg increasingly applied pressure on Instagram over the years to, in essence, play more like Facebook, despite an initial promise to leave the company alone, as detailed in Sarah Frier’s No Filter, a chronicle of Instagram’s rise. The pressure culminated in Instagram’s co-founders walking out the door in late 2018, when they were replaced by Adam Mosseri, who previously ran Facebook’s News Feed. While the app mostly had a quiet 2019 on the surface — it tweaked the camera interface, hid like counts, and restricted more problematic content — behind the scenes, there was a significant shake-up of Instagram’s top leadership taking place, and more orders were starting to come down from Facebook proper, The Information reported last year.
That set the stage for this year, when those changes became visible to users. The home screen layout, which — aside from the addition of story bubbles at the top — had largely stayed unchanged since Instagram’s founding, has been shuffled around to make room for two new initiatives. The most notable of those, Reels, is a TikTok ripoff with no original ideas that’s purely meant to crush an innovative and competing product. The other addition, the Shop tab, presents an underwhelming array of product posts in a way that mixes the confusion of a Pinterest page with the blandness of Google Shopping ads.
None of this is to say Instagram has been “ruined” or even changed all that dramatically on the surface. The app has always been teeming with brands and influencers, Stories had ruthlessly sidelined Snapchat as the hot new app years ago, and Instagram’s aesthetic has long since gone from cultural phenomenon to ubiquitous cliche. It’s still fun to look through your friends’ photos, and the new features aren’t strictly bad — Reels offers creators another avenue to promote their work, and shopping is an obvious, if undercooked, addition to Instagram.


theverge--2020-12-16--Startup Astra reaches space for the first time — but barely misses orbit

Astra , a California-based startup aimed at launching small satellites , successfully launched its rocket to space for the first time yesterday from Alaska , but the vehicle barely missed reaching the right speed to achieve orbit .
Still , the company says the test flight was a major success and is preparing to fly its next rocket , this time with a payload on board .
“ This far exceeded our team ’ s expectations , ” Chris Kemp , Astra ’ s CEO , said on a press call .
Astra ’ s rocket , dubbed 3.2 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spaceport Complex just before 4PM ET on Tuesday .
The vehicle successfully climbed to space , performing all of its expected engine burns and separations .
The rocket reached its target altitude of 390 kilometers , or about 242 miles , and a final speed of 7.2 kilometers per second , or more than 16,000 miles per hour .
Unfortunately , that was just short of 7.68 kilometers per second , the speed the company needed to reach to make orbit .
“ We were just a few short seconds from putting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Kemp says .
The company says it ’ s an easy fix for the next flight .
Kemp blamed the problem on some residual liquid oxygen propellant leftover in the rocket ’ s tanks , which prevented the vehicle from getting where it needed to go .
On the next flight , engineers simply need to adjust the ratio of the propellants in the tanks , Kemp said .
“ There are absolutely no design changes and no general hardware changes and no software changes , ” Adam London , Astra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ call .
Kemp says that Astra has another rocket ready to go and a payload ready to fly on it .
The company didn ’ t fly a payload on this flight , but the rocket did signal that it would have released a payload just fine if there had been one on the mission .
“ A nice Christmas present for the whole team.
” “ This outcome surprised us and is certainly a nice Christmas present for the whole team , ” Kemp said .
This flight comes three months after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Alaska in September .
During that flight , Astra ’ s Rocket 3.1 , successfully took off , but the rocket started to drift and the vehicle ’ s engines shut down early .
The rocket then fell back to Earth and exploded on impact .
Formed in 2016 , Astra is one of many startups dedicated to launching small satellites into space .
So far , just one other launch company , Rocket Lab , has been successful in the arena and has been launching small payloads into orbit since 2018 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launch on its rocket will cost $ 2.5 million .

Astra, a California-based startup aimed at launching small satellites, successfully launched its rocket to space for the first time yesterday from Alaska, but the vehicle barely missed reaching the right speed to achieve orbit. Still, the company says the test flight was a major success and is preparing to fly its next rocket, this time with a payload on board.
“This far exceeded our team’s expectations,” Chris Kemp, Astra’s CEO, said on a press call.
“This far exceeded our team’s expectations.”
Astra’s rocket, dubbed 3.2, took off from Alaska’s Pacific Spaceport Complex just before 4PM ET on Tuesday. The vehicle successfully climbed to space, performing all of its expected engine burns and separations. The rocket reached its target altitude of 390 kilometers, or about 242 miles, and a final speed of 7.2 kilometers per second, or more than 16,000 miles per hour. Unfortunately, that was just short of 7.68 kilometers per second, the speed the company needed to reach to make orbit.
“We were just a few short seconds from putting the upper stage of the spacecraft in orbit,” Kemp says.
The company says it’s an easy fix for the next flight. Kemp blamed the problem on some residual liquid oxygen propellant leftover in the rocket’s tanks, which prevented the vehicle from getting where it needed to go. On the next flight, engineers simply need to adjust the ratio of the propellants in the tanks, Kemp said. “There are absolutely no design changes and no general hardware changes and no software changes,” Adam London, Astra’s co-founder, said during the call.
Kemp says that Astra has another rocket ready to go and a payload ready to fly on it. The company didn’t fly a payload on this flight, but the rocket did signal that it would have released a payload just fine if there had been one on the mission.
“A nice Christmas present for the whole team.”
“This outcome surprised us and is certainly a nice Christmas present for the whole team,” Kemp said.
This flight comes three months after Astra’s last launch attempt out of Alaska in September. During that flight, Astra’s Rocket 3.1, successfully took off, but the rocket started to drift and the vehicle’s engines shut down early. The rocket then fell back to Earth and exploded on impact.


theverge--2020-12-16--Apple AirPods Max review: luxurious sound for a luxury price

After a long lead-up of rumors , Apple managed to squeeze in the AirPods Max just under the wire as its last big hardware release of 2020 .
It wasn ’ t surprising to see the company launch its own over-ear , noise-canceling headphones after the meteoric rise and popularity of AirPods , which have come to define the category of true wireless earbuds ; nobody really managed to crack it before Apple .
The AirPods Max are entering a very different space , where many other companies have excellent options available .
There have been a lot of initial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the one that ’ s dominated them all is sticker shock : the $ 549 price is hundreds more than what established competitors like Bose and Sony are charging for their quite excellent noise-canceling headphones .
And that ’ s the crux of the challenge Apple faces : unlike with AirPods , it ’ s late to this game , and there ’ s a lot to prove if consumers are going to be sold on spending so much more .
The price tag of the AirPods Max sits far above mainstream noise-canceling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that go for the same amount and beyond — wireless ones , too .
I don ’ t think it makes sense to compare these against thousand-dollar ( and wired ) open-back headphones you ’ d plug into a DAC for listening sessions with a hi-fi music collection ; fundamentally , these are Bluetooth headphones aimed at a large consumer audience .
Even so , Apple has tried to match that upper echelon of boutique headphones in terms of build quality and craftsmanship : the AirPods Max have a design heavy on aluminum @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s the polar opposite of something like Sony ’ s plastic-everywhere WH-1000XM4 headphones .
There ’ s nothing wrong with plastic ; those Sony cans have taken a beating in my bag and still work great .
But everything about the AirPods Max exudes precision — even their unibody metal ear cups , bland as they might seem .
( The widely ridiculed carrying “ case ” is antithetical to this whole notion , but I ’ ll get to that later . )
This isn ’ t a review where I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Max are the best headphones for most people .
They are not .
If all you want is a good , reliable set of noise-canceling headphones for commuting , travel , or working from home , save your money and stick with something like the Sony 1000XM4s , Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 , or the Microsoft Surface Headphones 2 , all of which cost at least $ 200 less .
You ’ ll be well served by any of them .
That said , the AirPods Max will make sense for certain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re “ worth it.
” The comfort and feel are top notch , they sound wonderful , the noise cancellation is up there with the very best , and they offer unique features like spatial audio that you really can ’ t get elsewhere .
At least , not quite like this .
So it ’ s worth breaking down some reasons why the AirPods Max could be worth buying if you ’ ve got the disposable cash .
Fit and finish top the list of pros .
The AirPods Max @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s wrapped in a soft polyurethane material .
A knit mesh canopy does a good job of keeping the substantial weight of these headphones from putting irritating pressure on the top of your head .
The rotating , pivoting aluminum ear cups are attached by telescoping steel stems that take some effort to extend but always stay in place at whatever length you leave them .
( The headphones can ’ t fold up for more efficient storage , unfortunately . )
The ear cushions are made from acoustic memory foam with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that ’ ll make for less sweaty ears in warmer months .
They attach magnetically , are easy to take off , and popping them back into place is immensely satisfying .
The ear cushions are large and oval-shaped , so they won ’ t uncomfortably press against your ears like some circular ear pads can .
Replacement sets ( and other colors ) are available for $ 69 a pair .
I ’ d recommend steering clear of the silver or other lighter colors ; the white ear cushions on my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bit dirty after just a few days of wearing them .
Going for space gray or the blue color would be my recommendation .
The trade-off of Apple ’ s high-style design is that these materials won ’ t stay pristine ; the company provides basic cleaning instructions , and the ear cushions are easy enough to pop off and wipe down , but I ’ m not sure what you ’ re supposed to do if , say , the headband fabric gets mucked up .
Look around the AirPods Max @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buttons : there ’ s the Digital Crown — a much larger version than the dial on the Apple Watch — and a button that switches between noise canceling and transparency modes .
I ’ ve really come to like the crown for controlling volume and playback ; you don ’ t get the false inputs or missed swipes that can happen with touch gestures .
It ’ s also easier to use with gloves in cold weather .
You press it once to play / pause , twice to skip tracks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holding it down will activate Siri .
Sometimes my fingers will hit the steel stem when feeling for it since they ’ re close together , but that ’ s a minor gripe that muscle memory should overcome .
You ’ ll notice I said nothing about a power button , and that ’ s because the AirPods Max lack one .
They power on when placed on your head , and automatically pause music if removed ( or if you lift one ear cup ) .
Take them off fully , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mode when left on a table or around your neck for a few minutes .
When slid into their case , the headphones enter a deeper ultra-low-power mode .
I ’ ve left the AirPods Max out overnight several times without the case and they ’ ve barely lost any of their charge , so you don ’ t need to worry about battery drain .
This design quirk has been deemed “ very Apple ” by some , but I wish they ’ d just stuck a power button somewhere for simplicity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of cutouts for microphones and sensors around the AirPods Max — there are nine microphones in all , with eight of them used for noise cancellation — and behind those ear cushions are powerful , custom-designed 40-millimeter drivers .
Apple says the “ dual-neodymium ring magnet motor ” backing each driver is inspired by floor-standing speakers and is the reason you won ’ t hear any distortion even when the Max headphones are cranked to peak volume .
On that note , the second pro for the AirPods Max is sound quality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Apple has struck a great balance between the highs , mids , and lows , and there ’ s a broader soundstage with these than you ’ d get from the Sony or the Bose cans .
The bass isn ’ t going to rattle your skull , but in my tests , I ’ ve consistently found there ’ s always enough to make songs shine as they ’ re supposed to .
Apple uses “ computational audio ” with the H1 chips in each ear cup and the aforementioned mics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hearing from the headphones , and it adjusts EQ to account for how the headphones fit your head and seal against your ears .
The company says it aims for a faithful reproduction of your music , but don ’ t mistake these for flat or neutral studio headphones .
If I had to pick two words to describe them , I ’ d say tight and refined .
You get ample bass , and higher frequencies never sound harsh or fatiguing .
Complex , multi-layered arrangements from Bon Iver or Phoebe Bridgers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come through with satisfying warmth and clarity .
The low end is never muddy — regardless of genre — and the AirPods Max do a great job of showcasing every element of a well-produced track .
With these headphones , you get the best of everything Apple has learned about audio .
But a lot of people want to know whether the AirPods Max sound so much better to justify their high price .
And there ’ s no easy answer .
If you ’ re nitpicky about audio quality , you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But the Sony 1000XM4s are popular for a reason , and one of them is booming bass , a criteria where they can still handily beat out the AirPods Max .
Other noise-canceling headphones like the Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless also give Apple a run for its money on sound quality .
When it comes to active noise cancellation , Apple is neck and neck with the very best .
The AirPods Max do an equally good job as Sony and Bose at quieting the outside world .
They might even be better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close .
They aced my tests at the coffee shop , on the subway , and walking through Manhattan .
When you do need to hear what ’ s happening , transparency mode sounds just as natural here — almost like you ’ re not wearing headphones at all — as with the AirPods Pro .
Apple leads the pack on this feature .
Another reason to consider the AirPods Max is spatial audio .
Like the AirPods Pro , these can give you an immersive experience that mimics surround sound on an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watching videos with supported apps like Apple TV Plus , Disney Plus , and HBO Max .
( Audio from shows and movies with a 5.1 or 7.1 mix can be converted into spatial audio . )
We ’ ve seen Dolby and other companies pursue immersive surround sound headphones before , but Apple ’ s approach feels a bit more visceral and captivating and should only get better with time .
Since iPhones and iPads have positional awareness from their built-in sensors , they can send that data to the headphones to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at all times ; even if you turn your head side to side , the sound field stays planted wherever the device is .
Spatial audio doesn ’ t quite stack up to an actual 7.1 Atmos system .
How could it ?
But it ’ s a captivating experience that will come in handy once everyone starts traveling again .
You ’ ll absolutely notice the downgrade if you switch back to regular stereo audio for a superhero flick .
I really wish spatial audio worked with the Apple TV , so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ living room — and from a big screen — even if you don ’ t have a soundbar or surround setup .
This would also let you get absorbed in an action blockbuster with a partner sleeping beside you at night .
But for now , the Apple TV can ’ t do spatial audio since it lacks the positional sensors in Apple ’ s mobile devices .
The last big win for the AirPods Max is that they ’ re just… easy .
Like regular AirPods , they pair to your phone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And with the latest iOS and macOS software updates , they can now automatically switch between an iPhone , iPad , and Mac depending on what device you ’ re using at that moment — without you having to do anything .
If I ’ m paying $ 550 for headphones , I damn sure want that level of convenience .
That said , the Sony , Bose , and many other headphones let you pair with two devices at the same time , so that might be enough flexibility for you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use has an Apple logo on it .
But now we come to the cons , and far and away the worst thing about the AirPods Max is their case .
If you can call it that , which I consider generous .
Look , putting aside all the memes about it looking like a handbag or bra , it ’ s a failure on every level at functionality , and I don ’ t know what Apple was thinking .
It makes the AirPods Max easy to recognize at a distance — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but in terms of doing case things , it ’ s a joke that offers virtually no protection for your $ 550 headphones .
I wouldn ’ t feel good about throwing this into a packed bag ; the ear cups could get scratched since there are so many slits in the case , and something could poke through that exposed mesh canopy .
The case also picks up dirt and smudges in no time .
This is a bad enough misfire that it drags down the entire product .
Everyone else gets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ baffling that Apple could get it so wrong .
I ’ d expect to see many third-party cases for the AirPods Max very soon , and I predict Apple will sell some of those directly — because this thing is just untenable .
Another downside ?
No 3.5mm jack .
The AirPods Max only have a Lightning connector , so if you want higher-quality wired audio or to plug them in on a plane , you ’ ve got to get a $ 35 cable .
( No , putting an aux cord @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t work . )
Ouch .
I can live without the 3.5mm jack , but to not include the cable in the box ?
At this price ?
!
Rude .
Also , it ’ s worth mentioning that there ’ s no passive mode for the AirPods Max .
When they ’ re out of juice , they stop working altogether — even if you ’ re wired .
You can ’ t use the very good , clear-sounding voice mics on the headphones when plugged in , either .
But the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if you want to use the AirPods Max for recording or monitoring purposes .
Battery life is rated at 20 hours with all the features like noise cancellation turned on , which is good and more than adequate for lengthy flights , but still 10 or so hours less than Sony ’ s total running time .
On a drained battery , charging for five minutes will get you around 90 minutes of playing time .
Now let me double back to just how much the AirPods Max weigh .
The open mesh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their heft ( even on my enormous head ) , and the ear cushions reduce any feeling of being weighed down .
But at 385 grams , there ’ s no denying these are a good deal heavier than cans from Bose or Sony ( 254 grams ) .
They ’ re not uncomfortable for me — even after a couple hours of nonstop listening — but I ’ m always very aware that they ’ re on .
And it ’ s something to be mindful of if you ’ ve had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leisure headphones meant for the couch or sitting at your desk — and , eventually , they ’ ll be great travel headphones — but gym or running headphones they are not .
The AirPods Max aren ’ t water resistant at all , but that ’ s true of most premium noise-canceling headphones .
The last reason to hold off on the AirPods Max right now is what I consider unrealized potential .
Most people are going to be streaming Apple Music or Spotify through these things .
And that means ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you ’ re limited to the same compressed 256kbps AAC files we ’ ve been listening to for years .
Apple still doesn ’ t offer a lossless tier , and I have to ask , if not now , when ?
I can plug into my iPhone with the cable and get higher quality music from Amazon Music HD or Tidal than I can from Apple itself .
On the Android side , Sony ’ s headphones have LDAC , a wireless codec that can wirelessly stream music at near-CD quality .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ there ’ s no indication that the company cares .
You can make all the arguments you want about how it doesn ’ t matter or that people can ’ t hear any difference , but when we ’ re talking about $ 550 headphones — not to mention the powerful HomePod speaker — an option to enjoy higher-quality audio should at least be there .
Apple moved to 256kbps AAC all the way back in 2007 and we ’ ve been stuck there ever since .
( “ Mastered for iTunes ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subtle enhancements , but it ’ s no replacement for going lossless . )
Shipping estimates for the AirPods Max are already extending into March , but I hesitate to read too much into that .
These headphones might end up a hit like the earbuds they share a name with , but they could also just coast by in the same vein as something like the HomePod , another Apple product that was priced higher than the competition when released ( and hurt by it ) .
If you ’ re the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll love the AirPods Max , you shouldn ’ t hesitate to go for it .
They sound killer for music and movies alike .
And they feel like they should cost even more money .
They ’ re about as luxurious as noise-canceling headphones get — but not as expensive as they come .
But there ’ s still no world where I recommend the AirPods Max to your average headphone shopper , especially when the AirPods Pro offer a lot of the same features for less .
Many consumers will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Sony , Bose , Microsoft , and elsewhere .
At the very least , it ’ s probably worth waiting for Apple Music HD or spatial audio on the Apple TV or , for god ’ s sake , a better case .
Photography by Chris Welch except for lead image by Becca Farsace / The Verge

After a long lead-up of rumors, Apple managed to squeeze in the AirPods Max just under the wire as its last big hardware release of 2020. It wasn’t surprising to see the company launch its own over-ear, noise-canceling headphones after the meteoric rise and popularity of AirPods, which have come to define the category of true wireless earbuds; nobody really managed to crack it before Apple. The AirPods Max are entering a very different space, where many other companies have excellent options available.
There have been a lot of initial reactions to the AirPods Max, but the one that’s dominated them all is sticker shock: the $549 price is hundreds more than what established competitors like Bose and Sony are charging for their quite excellent noise-canceling headphones. And that’s the crux of the challenge Apple faces: unlike with AirPods, it’s late to this game, and there’s a lot to prove if consumers are going to be sold on spending so much more.
The price tag of the AirPods Max sits far above mainstream noise-canceling headphones, but there are many headphones that go for the same amount and beyond — wireless ones, too. I don’t think it makes sense to compare these against thousand-dollar (and wired) open-back headphones you’d plug into a DAC for listening sessions with a hi-fi music collection; fundamentally, these are Bluetooth headphones aimed at a large consumer audience.
Even so, Apple has tried to match that upper echelon of boutique headphones in terms of build quality and craftsmanship: the AirPods Max have a design heavy on aluminum, steel, and fabric that’s the polar opposite of something like Sony’s plastic-everywhere WH-1000XM4 headphones. There’s nothing wrong with plastic; those Sony cans have taken a beating in my bag and still work great. But everything about the AirPods Max exudes precision — even their unibody metal ear cups, bland as they might seem. (The widely ridiculed carrying “case” is antithetical to this whole notion, but I’ll get to that later.)
This isn’t a review where I’m going to say that the AirPods Max are the best headphones for most people. They are not. If all you want is a good, reliable set of noise-canceling headphones for commuting, travel, or working from home, save your money and stick with something like the Sony 1000XM4s, Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700, or the Microsoft Surface Headphones 2, all of which cost at least $200 less. You’ll be well served by any of them.
That said, the AirPods Max will make sense for certain people who can immediately find a reason they’re “worth it.” The comfort and feel are top notch, they sound wonderful, the noise cancellation is up there with the very best, and they offer unique features like spatial audio that you really can’t get elsewhere. At least, not quite like this. So it’s worth breaking down some reasons why the AirPods Max could be worth buying if you’ve got the disposable cash.
Fit and finish top the list of pros. The AirPods Max have a stainless steel headband that’s wrapped in a soft polyurethane material. A knit mesh canopy does a good job of keeping the substantial weight of these headphones from putting irritating pressure on the top of your head. The rotating, pivoting aluminum ear cups are attached by telescoping steel stems that take some effort to extend but always stay in place at whatever length you leave them. (The headphones can’t fold up for more efficient storage, unfortunately.)
Apple’s craftsmanship is on full display with the AirPods Max.
The ear cushions are made from acoustic memory foam with a breathable mesh layer on top. Hopefully, that’ll make for less sweaty ears in warmer months. They attach magnetically, are easy to take off, and popping them back into place is immensely satisfying. The ear cushions are large and oval-shaped, so they won’t uncomfortably press against your ears like some circular ear pads can. Replacement sets (and other colors) are available for $69 a pair.
I’d recommend steering clear of the silver or other lighter colors; the white ear cushions on my review unit are already starting to look a bit dirty after just a few days of wearing them. Going for space gray or the blue color would be my recommendation. The trade-off of Apple’s high-style design is that these materials won’t stay pristine; the company provides basic cleaning instructions, and the ear cushions are easy enough to pop off and wipe down, but I’m not sure what you’re supposed to do if, say, the headband fabric gets mucked up.
The cushions are super comfortable and should accommodate ears of any size.
Look around the AirPods Max and you’ll find just two buttons: there’s the Digital Crown — a much larger version than the dial on the Apple Watch — and a button that switches between noise canceling and transparency modes. I’ve really come to like the crown for controlling volume and playback; you don’t get the false inputs or missed swipes that can happen with touch gestures. It’s also easier to use with gloves in cold weather. You press it once to play / pause, twice to skip tracks, or three times to go back; holding it down will activate Siri. Sometimes my fingers will hit the steel stem when feeling for it since they’re close together, but that’s a minor gripe that muscle memory should overcome.
You’ll notice I said nothing about a power button, and that’s because the AirPods Max lack one. They power on when placed on your head, and automatically pause music if removed (or if you lift one ear cup). Take them off fully, and they’ll go into a sleep mode when left on a table or around your neck for a few minutes. When slid into their case, the headphones enter a deeper ultra-low-power mode. I’ve left the AirPods Max out overnight several times without the case and they’ve barely lost any of their charge, so you don’t need to worry about battery drain. This design quirk has been deemed “very Apple” by some, but I wish they’d just stuck a power button somewhere for simplicity’s sake.
There are a lot of cutouts for microphones and sensors around the AirPods Max — there are nine microphones in all, with eight of them used for noise cancellation — and behind those ear cushions are powerful, custom-designed 40-millimeter drivers. Apple says the “dual-neodymium ring magnet motor” backing each driver is inspired by floor-standing speakers and is the reason you won’t hear any distortion even when the Max headphones are cranked to peak volume.
The AirPods Max feature 40mm drivers designed by Apple.
On that note, the second pro for the AirPods Max is sound quality. These headphones make for delightful listening. Apple has struck a great balance between the highs, mids, and lows, and there’s a broader soundstage with these than you’d get from the Sony or the Bose cans. The bass isn’t going to rattle your skull, but in my tests, I’ve consistently found there’s always enough to make songs shine as they’re supposed to.
Apple uses “computational audio” with the H1 chips in each ear cup and the aforementioned mics to constantly measure what you’re hearing from the headphones, and it adjusts EQ to account for how the headphones fit your head and seal against your ears. The company says it aims for a faithful reproduction of your music, but don’t mistake these for flat or neutral studio headphones. If I had to pick two words to describe them, I’d say tight and refined. You get ample bass, and higher frequencies never sound harsh or fatiguing. Complex, multi-layered arrangements from Bon Iver or Phoebe Bridgers are immersive and uncluttered. Acoustic guitars come through with satisfying warmth and clarity. The low end is never muddy — regardless of genre — and the AirPods Max do a great job of showcasing every element of a well-produced track. With these headphones, you get the best of everything Apple has learned about audio.
But a lot of people want to know whether the AirPods Max sound so much better to justify their high price. And there’s no easy answer. If you’re nitpicky about audio quality, you’ll notice how great these sound. But the Sony 1000XM4s are popular for a reason, and one of them is booming bass, a criteria where they can still handily beat out the AirPods Max. Other noise-canceling headphones like the Sennheiser Momentum 3 Wireless also give Apple a run for its money on sound quality.
AGREE TO CONTINUE: AIRPODS MAX Every smart device now requires you to agree to a series of terms and conditions before you can use it — contracts that no one actually reads. It’s impossible for us to read and analyze every single one of these agreements. But we’re going to start counting exactly how many times you have to hit “agree” to use devices when we review them since these are agreements most people don’t read and definitely can’t negotiate. Like any other Bluetooth headphones, the AirPods Max can be set up and used without you agreeing to anything in software. But in using them, you’re agreeing to: Apple’s warranty agreement There are also the usual software license agreements if you’re using an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Final tally is two mandatory agreements, depending on what device you’re using with the AirPods Max.
When it comes to active noise cancellation, Apple is neck and neck with the very best. The AirPods Max do an equally good job as Sony and Bose at quieting the outside world. They might even be better, but it’s all very close. They aced my tests at the coffee shop, on the subway, and walking through Manhattan. When you do need to hear what’s happening, transparency mode sounds just as natural here — almost like you’re not wearing headphones at all — as with the AirPods Pro. Apple leads the pack on this feature.
Another reason to consider the AirPods Max is spatial audio. Like the AirPods Pro, these can give you an immersive experience that mimics surround sound on an iPhone or iPad when you’re watching videos with supported apps like Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus, and HBO Max. (Audio from shows and movies with a 5.1 or 7.1 mix can be converted into spatial audio.) We’ve seen Dolby and other companies pursue immersive surround sound headphones before, but Apple’s approach feels a bit more visceral and captivating and should only get better with time.
Since iPhones and iPads have positional awareness from their built-in sensors, they can send that data to the headphones to keep the sound in front of you at all times; even if you turn your head side to side, the sound field stays planted wherever the device is. Spatial audio doesn’t quite stack up to an actual 7.1 Atmos system. How could it? But it’s a captivating experience that will come in handy once everyone starts traveling again. You’ll absolutely notice the downgrade if you switch back to regular stereo audio for a superhero flick. I really wish spatial audio worked with the Apple TV, so you could experience great sound in the living room — and from a big screen — even if you don’t have a soundbar or surround setup. This would also let you get absorbed in an action blockbuster with a partner sleeping beside you at night. But for now, the Apple TV can’t do spatial audio since it lacks the positional sensors in Apple’s mobile devices.
The last big win for the AirPods Max is that they’re just… easy. Like regular AirPods, they pair to your phone simply by holding the two close together. And with the latest iOS and macOS software updates, they can now automatically switch between an iPhone, iPad, and Mac depending on what device you’re using at that moment — without you having to do anything. If I’m paying $550 for headphones, I damn sure want that level of convenience. That said, the Sony, Bose, and many other headphones let you pair with two devices at the same time, so that might be enough flexibility for you, especially if not every device you use has an Apple logo on it.
This AirPods Max “case” offers little in the way of everyday protection.
But now we come to the cons, and far and away the worst thing about the AirPods Max is their case. If you can call it that, which I consider generous. Look, putting aside all the memes about it looking like a handbag or bra, it’s a failure on every level at functionality, and I don’t know what Apple was thinking. It makes the AirPods Max easy to recognize at a distance — maybe that was the main goal — but in terms of doing case things, it’s a joke that offers virtually no protection for your $550 headphones.
I wouldn’t feel good about throwing this into a packed bag; the ear cups could get scratched since there are so many slits in the case, and something could poke through that exposed mesh canopy. The case also picks up dirt and smudges in no time. This is a bad enough misfire that it drags down the entire product. Everyone else gets this right, and it’s baffling that Apple could get it so wrong. I’d expect to see many third-party cases for the AirPods Max very soon, and I predict Apple will sell some of those directly — because this thing is just untenable.
The AirPods Max lack a 3.5mm jack and only have a Lightning port.
Another downside? No 3.5mm jack. The AirPods Max only have a Lightning connector, so if you want higher-quality wired audio or to plug them in on a plane, you’ve got to get a $35 cable. (No, putting an aux cord between two iPhone headphone dongles won’t work.) Ouch. I can live without the 3.5mm jack, but to not include the cable in the box? At this price?! Rude. Also, it’s worth mentioning that there’s no passive mode for the AirPods Max. When they’re out of juice, they stop working altogether — even if you’re wired. You can’t use the very good, clear-sounding voice mics on the headphones when plugged in, either. But the cable is good for eliminating all latency if you want to use the AirPods Max for recording or monitoring purposes.
Battery life is rated at 20 hours with all the features like noise cancellation turned on, which is good and more than adequate for lengthy flights, but still 10 or so hours less than Sony’s total running time. On a drained battery, charging for five minutes will get you around 90 minutes of playing time.
Now let me double back to just how much the AirPods Max weigh. The open mesh canopy does a good job of distributing their heft (even on my enormous head), and the ear cushions reduce any feeling of being weighed down. But at 385 grams, there’s no denying these are a good deal heavier than cans from Bose or Sony (254 grams). They’re not uncomfortable for me — even after a couple hours of nonstop listening — but I’m always very aware that they’re on. And it’s something to be mindful of if you’ve had any neck problems. These are definitely leisure headphones meant for the couch or sitting at your desk — and, eventually, they’ll be great travel headphones — but gym or running headphones they are not. The AirPods Max aren’t water resistant at all, but that’s true of most premium noise-canceling headphones.
The last reason to hold off on the AirPods Max right now is what I consider unrealized potential. Most people are going to be streaming Apple Music or Spotify through these things. And that means (in the case of Apple Music) you’re limited to the same compressed 256kbps AAC files we’ve been listening to for years. Apple still doesn’t offer a lossless tier, and I have to ask, if not now, when? I can plug into my iPhone with the cable and get higher quality music from Amazon Music HD or Tidal than I can from Apple itself.
On the Android side, Sony’s headphones have LDAC, a wireless codec that can wirelessly stream music at near-CD quality. Apple is falling behind here, but there’s no indication that the company cares. You can make all the arguments you want about how it doesn’t matter or that people can’t hear any difference, but when we’re talking about $550 headphones — not to mention the powerful HomePod speaker — an option to enjoy higher-quality audio should at least be there. Apple moved to 256kbps AAC all the way back in 2007 and we’ve been stuck there ever since. (“Mastered for iTunes” albums can offer improved dynamic range and subtle enhancements, but it’s no replacement for going lossless.)
Shipping estimates for the AirPods Max are already extending into March, but I hesitate to read too much into that. These headphones might end up a hit like the earbuds they share a name with, but they could also just coast by in the same vein as something like the HomePod, another Apple product that was priced higher than the competition when released (and hurt by it). If you’re the kind of person that knows you’ll love the AirPods Max, you shouldn’t hesitate to go for it. They sound killer for music and movies alike. And they feel like they should cost even more money. They’re about as luxurious as noise-canceling headphones get — but not as expensive as they come.
But there’s still no world where I recommend the AirPods Max to your average headphone shopper, especially when the AirPods Pro offer a lot of the same features for less. Many consumers will be perfectly happy sticking with the tried-and-true options from Sony, Bose, Microsoft, and elsewhere. At the very least, it’s probably worth waiting for Apple Music HD or spatial audio on the Apple TV or, for god’s sake, a better case.


theverge--2020-12-16--2020 was the year of the Twitch streamer

I ’ m calling it now : live-streaming won the pandemic .
( Broadly speaking , so did billionaires . )
At this point , the numbers are annihilating .
In October , millions ( including myself ) spent 1.6 billion hours on Twitch , which represents a 99 percent jump in year-over-year growth , according to StreamElements and Arsenal.gg ’ s November report .
And even that doesn ’ t account for just how many things were converted into streaming video — events , holidays , relationships , and more .
In the early days of the pandemic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the series of tubes we call online .
Now , nine long months later , it ’ s hard for me to remember how novel Zoom socializing felt .
I think about the many small adjustments we made to work and socialize a lot these days .
Enough people cared about their video appearances that there were shortages of ring lights and webcams ; Zoom ’ s stock price even shot up .
( It dropped with news of a vaccine . )
Back in the beginning , when I was staring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as though through the wrong end of a telescope — I made a joke that was more of a confession about spending more time on Twitch .
I wanted to take the whole thing more seriously , and staying inside felt like permission .
“ im going to start my twitch partner push while everyone is locked inside , ” I wrote on March 1st , 2020 .
It was early enough into lockdown that the whole thing felt a little novel ; things would eventually go back to normal , I surmised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around me in my city were committed to doing the right things .
Eight months and more than a quarter of a million deaths in , that telescope has righted itself .
It ’ s become clear that the federal government has deemed 2020 ’ s chaos — widespread job losses and business closures , mass unemployment , unchecked viral spread — acceptable .
I ’ ve been reporting on Twitch as a business and as a social space the entire time , and it occurs to me that while it ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about streaming , what I ’ ve noticed is that the work does seem to matter .
I admire the streamers who have made it their whole business to bring people moments of joy , or at least a respite from how unrelentingly terrible this year has been .
Streamers are important because they ’ re important to people , which feels obvious to write .
But this crisis has underscored just how valuable those small , tenuous connections can be .
And it ’ s worked on me .
These days I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I like ( or East Coasters who run late ) just before bed , when I ’ m alone with my anxiety about the state of the world .
I think there ’ s something noble in their broadcasts ; I can ’ t imagine I ’ m the only one who needs to hear a soothing human voice sometimes , or one that ’ s only upset about the momentary ugliness of a fictional universe .
As the writer Charlotte Shane eloquently put it in a recent piece on TikTok , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ language .
I understand the necessity of comfort , but I don ’ t like being consoled , not by another human being discernibly laboring toward that end.
” The virtual world is the actual one now , and it ’ s going to take a long while to tease out what that means .
The thing I can ’ t stop thinking about is the lesson the Trump administration unintentionally provided : all we really have is each other .
And it goes double in a socially distanced world , one where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friends and family .
So I watch streamers , some of whom are friends , and it ’ s almost like togetherness .
In my own life , on the other hand , I ’ ve found that streaming regularly on Twitch has helped structure my weeks .
A schedule provides a measure of accountability and some feeling of responsibility to a group of people with whom I enjoy spending time .
It ’ s also helped me find a community of people I never would have met before , either online or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , are the small things that matter .
I ’ ve been thinking of 2020 as the year of the Twitch streamer for a while now .
As the internet has become the main place people socialize over these last nine months , it feels like we ’ ve all become a little more like streamers — we present our whole selves online behind a webcam and a microphone , and we expect people to see us .

I’m calling it now: live-streaming won the pandemic. (Broadly speaking, so did billionaires.) At this point, the numbers are annihilating. In October, millions (including myself) spent 1.6 billion hours on Twitch, which represents a 99 percent jump in year-over-year growth, according to StreamElements and Arsenal.gg’s November report. And even that doesn’t account for just how many things were converted into streaming video — events, holidays, relationships, and more. In the early days of the pandemic, we tried to cram the offline world into the series of tubes we call online. Now, nine long months later, it’s hard for me to remember how novel Zoom socializing felt.
I think about the many small adjustments we made to work and socialize a lot these days. Enough people cared about their video appearances that there were shortages of ring lights and webcams; Zoom’s stock price even shot up. (It dropped with news of a vaccine.)
Back in the beginning, when I was staring down the barrel of indefinite quarantine — as though through the wrong end of a telescope — I made a joke that was more of a confession about spending more time on Twitch. I wanted to take the whole thing more seriously, and staying inside felt like permission. “im going to start my twitch partner push while everyone is locked inside,” I wrote on March 1st, 2020. It was early enough into lockdown that the whole thing felt a little novel; things would eventually go back to normal, I surmised, and it seemed like the people around me in my city were committed to doing the right things.
Eight months and more than a quarter of a million deaths in, that telescope has righted itself. It’s become clear that the federal government has deemed 2020’s chaos — widespread job losses and business closures, mass unemployment, unchecked viral spread — acceptable. I’ve been reporting on Twitch as a business and as a social space the entire time, and it occurs to me that while it’s felt a little useless talking to people about streaming, what I’ve noticed is that the work does seem to matter. I admire the streamers who have made it their whole business to bring people moments of joy, or at least a respite from how unrelentingly terrible this year has been. Streamers are important because they’re important to people, which feels obvious to write. But this crisis has underscored just how valuable those small, tenuous connections can be.
And it’s worked on me. These days I find myself tuning into West Coast streamers I like (or East Coasters who run late) just before bed, when I’m alone with my anxiety about the state of the world. I think there’s something noble in their broadcasts; I can’t imagine I’m the only one who needs to hear a soothing human voice sometimes, or one that’s only upset about the momentary ugliness of a fictional universe. As the writer Charlotte Shane eloquently put it in a recent piece on TikTok, “But humor and distraction are my love language. I understand the necessity of comfort, but I don’t like being consoled, not by another human being discernibly laboring toward that end.”
The virtual world is the actual one now, and it’s going to take a long while to tease out what that means. The thing I can’t stop thinking about is the lesson the Trump administration unintentionally provided: all we really have is each other. And it goes double in a socially distanced world, one where we can’t even hug our friends and family. So I watch streamers, some of whom are friends, and it’s almost like togetherness.
In my own life, on the other hand, I’ve found that streaming regularly on Twitch has helped structure my weeks. A schedule provides a measure of accountability and some feeling of responsibility to a group of people with whom I enjoy spending time. It’s also helped me find a community of people I never would have met before, either online or off. And these, I think, are the small things that matter.


theverge--2020-12-16--In 2020, the Trump administration declared war on dancing teens

On July 7th , Mike Pompeo , the US secretary of state , told Fox News he was considering a ban on TikTok , the Chinese-owned app best known for dancing teenagers , roller skating , and Fleetwood Mac enthusiasts .
You should only use TikTok “ if you want your private information in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party , ” Pompeo said .
All hell promptly broke loose .
Amazon banned and then unbanned TikTok from employees ’ phones ; Wells Fargo asked employees to remove TikTok from their phones ; and the Democratic and Republican national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ avoiding TikTok .
On July 31st , President Donald Trump announced he ’ d ban the app from the US .
Trump then issued an executive order on August 6th banning “ transactions ” between people in the US and TikTok ’ s Chinese parent company , ByteDance .
He also declared TikTok a “ national emergency , ” which is honestly the kind of publicity you can ’ t buy .
A national emergency !
Understandably , TikTok ’ s CEO , Kevin Mayer , quit on August 27th .
He had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left a lucrative post as Disney ’ s head of streaming .
By December , the controversy had matured into a pile of lawsuits The administration ’ s fears aren ’ t really about the content of TikToks — though some of the content , such as Sarah Cooper ’ s Trump impression , or the teens who are credited with organizing on TikTok to ruin one of his rallies , may have gotten under the president ’ s skin .
Rather , the stated concern was about how much data on US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to gather .
The privacy freak-out occurred shortly after the revelation that the app was snooping on users ’ clipboard data , a practice TikTok says it would stop .
( For what it ’ s worth , LinkedIn and several other apps were up to the exact same thing ; while TikTok collects a lot of unnecessary data , so does everyone else . )
By December , the controversy had matured into a pile of lawsuits — with judges ordering the TikTok ban should be entirely blocked .
The entire farce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2020 would be willing to do to competitive , non-US apps .
It is trivially obvious that the debacle was less about TikTok and more about anti-Chinese sentiment .
Once upon a time , Americans might have pointed out that American companies running on a commercial version of a military project were projecting American values : freedom of speech , including the freedom to dissent against one ’ s government .
Of course , in 2013 Edward Snowden smashed that impression — the US was spying on everyone , collecting bulk data from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the help of American tech companies .
The fear is that China might be doing the exact same thing .
Any government collecting this kind of bulk data is a threat to freedom for all people , but that appears to be beside the point .
There is no moral reason to view China ’ s collection of bulk data as any different than American collection of bulk data , particularly after President Donald Trump attempted a coup to reject democratic election results .
The Trump administration chose to try to strongarm TikTok @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But let ’ s imagine an American government that is actually interested in its citizens ’ privacy .
One possible remedy for discovering that TikTok and everyone else were collecting a scary amount of data is an internet privacy bill that treats every company the same , American or not .
Legislation could also decree that companies dispose of the sensitive data they collect on their users after a certain period of time .
And if the concerns are around state actors such as China or even the US collecting sensitive data through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like the kind of thing one sorts out at the United Nations !
The Trump administration , instead , chose to try to strongarm TikTok into being sold to an American company , highlighting the view that the problem was not that TikTok was collecting the data in the first place , but simply that it was collecting the data for the wrong country .
The August 6th executive order , which demanded that an American company purchase TikTok ’ s US business within 45 days , was later extended to give ByteDance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — the Department of Commerce was still operating with a 45-day deadline , on September 20th .
Once TikTok was on the auction block , Walmart , Microsoft , Twitter , and Oracle were reportedly among the interested parties .
Except the Oracle / Walmart deal that emerged addressed none of the purported security concerns .
The deal that emerged addressed none of the purported security concerns The deal — which has not yet closed — created a new company called TikTok Global .
There is , however , some confusion about how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ According to ByteDance , it will own 80 percent of the company and the Oracle / Walmart consortium will own 20 percent .
Oracle , however , views this differently .
“ Upon creation of TikTok Global , Oracle/Walmart will make their investment and the TikTok Global shares will be distributed to their owners , Americans will be the majority and ByteDance will have no ownership in TikTok Global , ” Oracle said in a statement to reporters .
To add to the hilarity , the Oracle deal appears to be… for hosting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and accomplishes absolutely nothing in assuaging the security concerns that were the pretext for the deal ’ s existence in the first place .
Oracle isn ’ t writing the code ; even if they ’ re auditing it , it ’ s still possible for ByteDance to sneak stuff by .
Oracle doesn ’ t get the algorithm or moderation , either .
“ A deal where Oracle takes over hosting without source code and significant operational changes would not address any of the legitimate concerns about TikTok , ” former Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , “ and the White House accepting such a deal would demonstrate that this exercise was pure grift.
” “ If TikTok is saved , you can thank me.
” Walmart has promised the new company , TikTok Global , will pay $ 5 billion more in taxes to the US .
Bragging about new jobs and tax revenue isn ’ t necessarily unusual in the corporate world , but this time it feels weird — since Trump publicly said in August that the US Treasury ought to get a “ very big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sold at .
Incidentally , in October it came out that Oracle ’ s bombastic founder , Larry Ellison , donated a cool quarter-million to a super PAC that supported Lindsey Graham .
In an August interview with Vanity Fair , Graham said he was the one who told Trump to find a US company to buy TikTok .
“ Let Microsoft or somebody buy it , put it in American hands and allow the platform to survive and thrive because so many people enjoy it , ” Graham claims he told Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can thank me.
” Twice now , judges have said the Trump administration can ’ t ban TikTok .
But the wheels of justice turn slowly — and so TikTok has sustained plenty of damage while the courts have been catching up to the Trump administration ’ s pronouncements .
In fact , there is another American business that benefits from this digital protectionism , besides Oracle and Walmart : Facebook .
When India banned TikTok in June , a Facebook data scientist reported that use of Facebook products surged in response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s daily users increased 9 percent and were spending 19 percent more time within the app , ” Casey Newton reported for The Verge .
“ With TikTok gone , they posted 5 million more stories and sent 214 million more messages on Instagram alone.
” So , what have we learned from this bizarre episode ?
The Trump administration has a shaky grasp on what ’ s legal ; despite an order being potentially illegal , it can still do a great deal of damage before any judges catch up ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ network ; Graham is either the Trump tech whisperer or a shameless braggart ; and no one in government really seems to give a shit about user privacy — from China or otherwise .
At least the teens kept dancing .

On July 7th, Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state, told Fox News he was considering a ban on TikTok, the Chinese-owned app best known for dancing teenagers, roller skating, and Fleetwood Mac enthusiasts. You should only use TikTok “if you want your private information in the hands of the Chinese Communist Party,” Pompeo said.
On July 31st, President Donald Trump announced he’d ban the app from the US. Trump then issued an executive order on August 6th banning “transactions” between people in the US and TikTok’s Chinese parent company, ByteDance. He also declared TikTok a “national emergency,” which is honestly the kind of publicity you can’t buy. A national emergency!
Understandably, TikTok’s CEO, Kevin Mayer, quit on August 27th. He had joined the company in May, having left a lucrative post as Disney’s head of streaming.
By December, the controversy had matured into a pile of lawsuits
The administration’s fears aren’t really about the content of TikToks — though some of the content, such as Sarah Cooper’s Trump impression, or the teens who are credited with organizing on TikTok to ruin one of his rallies, may have gotten under the president’s skin. Rather, the stated concern was about how much data on US users the Chinese government should be allowed to gather. The privacy freak-out occurred shortly after the revelation that the app was snooping on users’ clipboard data, a practice TikTok says it would stop. (For what it’s worth, LinkedIn and several other apps were up to the exact same thing; while TikTok collects a lot of unnecessary data, so does everyone else.)
By December, the controversy had matured into a pile of lawsuits — with judges ordering the TikTok ban should be entirely blocked. The entire farce seemed to demonstrate what the US in 2020 would be willing to do to competitive, non-US apps.
It is trivially obvious that the debacle was less about TikTok and more about anti-Chinese sentiment. Once upon a time, Americans might have pointed out that American companies running on a commercial version of a military project were projecting American values: freedom of speech, including the freedom to dissent against one’s government. Of course, in 2013 Edward Snowden smashed that impression — the US was spying on everyone, collecting bulk data from every US company in secret, with the help of American tech companies. The fear is that China might be doing the exact same thing.
Any government collecting this kind of bulk data is a threat to freedom for all people, but that appears to be beside the point. There is no moral reason to view China’s collection of bulk data as any different than American collection of bulk data, particularly after President Donald Trump attempted a coup to reject democratic election results.
The Trump administration chose to try to strongarm TikTok into being sold to an American company
But let’s imagine an American government that is actually interested in its citizens’ privacy. One possible remedy for discovering that TikTok and everyone else were collecting a scary amount of data is an internet privacy bill that treats every company the same, American or not. Legislation could also decree that companies dispose of the sensitive data they collect on their users after a certain period of time. And if the concerns are around state actors such as China or even the US collecting sensitive data through these companies, well, that seems like the kind of thing one sorts out at the United Nations!
The Trump administration, instead, chose to try to strongarm TikTok into being sold to an American company, highlighting the view that the problem was not that TikTok was collecting the data in the first place, but simply that it was collecting the data for the wrong country. The August 6th executive order, which demanded that an American company purchase TikTok’s US business within 45 days, was later extended to give ByteDance 90 days instead, though — confusingly — the Department of Commerce was still operating with a 45-day deadline, on September 20th.
Once TikTok was on the auction block, Walmart, Microsoft, Twitter, and Oracle were reportedly among the interested parties. Except the Oracle / Walmart deal that emerged addressed none of the purported security concerns.
The deal that emerged addressed none of the purported security concerns
The deal — which has not yet closed — created a new company called TikTok Global. There is, however, some confusion about how that company is going to work. According to ByteDance, it will own 80 percent of the company and the Oracle / Walmart consortium will own 20 percent.
Oracle, however, views this differently. “Upon creation of TikTok Global, Oracle/Walmart will make their investment and the TikTok Global shares will be distributed to their owners, Americans will be the majority and ByteDance will have no ownership in TikTok Global,” Oracle said in a statement to reporters.
To add to the hilarity, the Oracle deal appears to be… for hosting on Oracle’s cloud servers, and accomplishes absolutely nothing in assuaging the security concerns that were the pretext for the deal’s existence in the first place. Oracle isn’t writing the code; even if they’re auditing it, it’s still possible for ByteDance to sneak stuff by. Oracle doesn’t get the algorithm or moderation, either.
“A deal where Oracle takes over hosting without source code and significant operational changes would not address any of the legitimate concerns about TikTok,” former Facebook security chief Alex Stamos said on Twitter, “and the White House accepting such a deal would demonstrate that this exercise was pure grift.”
“If TikTok is saved, you can thank me.”
Walmart has promised the new company, TikTok Global, will pay $5 billion more in taxes to the US. Bragging about new jobs and tax revenue isn’t necessarily unusual in the corporate world, but this time it feels weird — since Trump publicly said in August that the US Treasury ought to get a “very big proportion” of whatever price TikTok was sold at.
Incidentally, in October it came out that Oracle’s bombastic founder, Larry Ellison, donated a cool quarter-million to a super PAC that supported Lindsey Graham. In an August interview with Vanity Fair, Graham said he was the one who told Trump to find a US company to buy TikTok. “Let Microsoft or somebody buy it, put it in American hands and allow the platform to survive and thrive because so many people enjoy it,” Graham claims he told Trump. “If TikTok is saved, you can thank me.”
Twice now, judges have said the Trump administration can’t ban TikTok. But the wheels of justice turn slowly — and so TikTok has sustained plenty of damage while the courts have been catching up to the Trump administration’s pronouncements. In fact, there is another American business that benefits from this digital protectionism, besides Oracle and Walmart: Facebook.
When India banned TikTok in June, a Facebook data scientist reported that use of Facebook products surged in response. “With TikTok gone, Instagram’s daily users increased 9 percent and were spending 19 percent more time within the app,” Casey Newton reported for The Verge. “With TikTok gone, they posted 5 million more stories and sent 214 million more messages on Instagram alone.”
So, what have we learned from this bizarre episode? The Trump administration has a shaky grasp on what’s legal; despite an order being potentially illegal, it can still do a great deal of damage before any judges catch up; Walmart apparently wants in on a social network; Graham is either the Trump tech whisperer or a shameless braggart; and no one in government really seems to give a shit about user privacy — from China or otherwise.


theverge--2020-12-16--Facebook criticizes Apple’s iOS privacy changes with full-page newspaper ads

Facebook is publicly criticizing Apple ’ s upcoming iOS privacy changes in full-page newspaper ads today .
“ We ’ re standing up to Apple for small businesses everywhere , ” reads the headline on an ad inside the New York Times , the Washington Post , and the Wall Street Journal today .
Bloomberg News reports that the ads are related to Apple ’ s iOS 14 privacy changes that will make it more difficult for companies like Facebook to target users with ads .
Developers will need to ask iOS 14 users for permission to gather data and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on an iPhone and iPad soon .
Apple had planned to implement these changes with the initial iOS 14 release in September , but delayed enforcing them until early next year .
These changes will impact Facebook ’ s ad business , and in particular its ad network for developers and businesses , as end users are more likely to opt out of tracking prompts .
Facebook claims Apple ’ s changes will be “ devastating to small businesses ” that rely on its ad network to generate sales .
The newspaper ads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ speak up for small business ” site , where a series of business owners speak out about Apple ’ s changes .
“ Small businesses deserve to be heard , ” Facebook writes .
“ We hear your concerns , and we stand with you.
” While Apple hasn ’ t responded directly to today ’ s newspaper ads , the company did respond to similar Facebook claims last month .
The iPhone maker accused Facebook of a “ disregard for user privacy.
” Apple is adamant that its iOS 14 privacy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and has previously said it ’ s “ committed to ensuring users can choose whether or not they allow an app to track them.
” Apple launched new App Store Privacy labels this week , shining a light on how iOS apps use your data .
Notably , the privacy label on Facebook ’ s iOS app expands across several pages , listing all the data that can be used to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies .
These full-page newspaper ads are the latest in a public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , policies , and more .
Facebook slammed Apple ’ s App Store policies earlier this year , after it had to remove a mini games feature to pass Apple ’ s strict App Store approval process .
Facebook also welcomed the EU ’ s new Digital Markets Act ( DMA ) and the Digital Services Act ( DSA ) this week .
Both acts introduce new rules for digital platform holders , and aim to force companies to rapidly remove illegal content from the web .
“ We hope the DMA will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said a Facebook spokesperson in a statement to CNBC .
“ Apple controls an entire ecosystem from device to app store and apps , and uses this power to harm developers and consumers , as well as large platforms like Facebook .
”

Facebook is publicly criticizing Apple’s upcoming iOS privacy changes in full-page newspaper ads today. “We’re standing up to Apple for small businesses everywhere,” reads the headline on an ad inside the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Wall Street Journal today. Bloomberg News reports that the ads are related to Apple’s iOS 14 privacy changes that will make it more difficult for companies like Facebook to target users with ads.
Developers will need to ask iOS 14 users for permission to gather data and track them across mobile apps and websites on an iPhone and iPad soon. Apple had planned to implement these changes with the initial iOS 14 release in September, but delayed enforcing them until early next year. These changes will impact Facebook’s ad business, and in particular its ad network for developers and businesses, as end users are more likely to opt out of tracking prompts.
Facebook claims Apple’s changes will be “devastating to small businesses” that rely on its ad network to generate sales. The newspaper ads direct small businesses to Facebook’s “speak up for small business” site, where a series of business owners speak out about Apple’s changes. “Small businesses deserve to be heard,” Facebook writes. “We hear your concerns, and we stand with you.”
While Apple hasn’t responded directly to today’s newspaper ads, the company did respond to similar Facebook claims last month. The iPhone maker accused Facebook of a “disregard for user privacy.” Apple is adamant that its iOS 14 privacy policies will be enforced in early 2021, and has previously said it’s “committed to ensuring users can choose whether or not they allow an app to track them.”
Apple launched new App Store Privacy labels this week, shining a light on how iOS apps use your data. Notably, the privacy label on Facebook’s iOS app expands across several pages, listing all the data that can be used to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies.
These full-page newspaper ads are the latest in a public spat between Facebook and Apple over privacy, policies, and more. Facebook slammed Apple’s App Store policies earlier this year, after it had to remove a mini games feature to pass Apple’s strict App Store approval process. Facebook also welcomed the EU’s new Digital Markets Act (DMA) and the Digital Services Act (DSA) this week. Both acts introduce new rules for digital platform holders, and aim to force companies to rapidly remove illegal content from the web.


theverge--2020-12-16--Microsoft’s new password manager works across Edge, Chrome, and mobile devices

Microsoft is building a new password manager that syncs credentials across its Edge browser , Google Chrome , and mobile iOS or Android devices .
A preview version of the password manager is now built into Microsoft Authenticator , a free mobile app that ’ s used for multi-factor authentication .
Like many other password managers , it can autofill passwords in apps or websites on iOS or Android .
Passwords are synced from the Microsoft Edge browser , and can be shared across multiple devices using a Microsoft Account .
You can also sync these passwords to Google Chrome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This will sync any passwords stored on your Microsoft Account .
Rumors had suggested Microsoft would create a full password manager for its Microsoft 365 consumer service , but this appears to be the next best thing .
The autofill feature will be useful for Microsoft Account users working across multiple devices , but a full password manager like 1Password or LastPass is still a good option .
This new autofill feature is available as a preview in Microsoft Authenticator today , and you ’ ll need to enable it as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Android settings of your device .
Autofill only works with consumer Microsoft Accounts and is disabled for enterprise users who are using the app for phone sign in or multi-factor authentication .
Businesses need to join an allow list to enable this for enterprise Microsoft Authenticator users .

Microsoft is building a new password manager that syncs credentials across its Edge browser, Google Chrome, and mobile iOS or Android devices. A preview version of the password manager is now built into Microsoft Authenticator, a free mobile app that’s used for multi-factor authentication. Like many other password managers, it can autofill passwords in apps or websites on iOS or Android.
Passwords are synced from the Microsoft Edge browser, and can be shared across multiple devices using a Microsoft Account. You can also sync these passwords to Google Chrome, using a new Microsoft Autofill extension. This will sync any passwords stored on your Microsoft Account.
The new autofill feature in Microsoft Authenticator. Microsoft
Rumors had suggested Microsoft would create a full password manager for its Microsoft 365 consumer service, but this appears to be the next best thing. The autofill feature will be useful for Microsoft Account users working across multiple devices, but a full password manager like 1Password or LastPass is still a good option.


theverge--2020-12-16--Amazon will make custom-fitted $25 T-shirts after photographing your body

Amazon just launched its new Made for You custom clothing service in the US that requires users to upload their measurements and two photos to create a “ virtual body double.
” The first product is a $ 25 Made for You T-shirt available in a variety of colors , fabrics , necklines , and shirt / sleeve lengths .
Amazon Made for You requires two head-to-toe photos taken by the Amazon app , showing the front and back of your torso .
Then , after entering your height , weight , and body type , Amazon will create your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ build custom T-shirts complete with a personalized name tag .
The Made for You product page is littered with zealous quotes from fashion influencers .
Sai De Silva is especially enthusiastic about sending Amazon her intensely private data : “ I got to create a virtual body double with my measurements .
So much fun.
” While the collection of body-type data will undoubtedly help Amazon compete with traditional fashion houses , Amazon says customers can delete it at any time by tapping the profile icon in the upper left of their Made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Amazon also says that photos are deleted immediately after creating the body double .
Amazon plans to enhance Made for You with more styles and options based on customer feedback , according to TechCrunch .
The launch of Made for You follows Amazon ’ s discontinued Echo Look experiment that involved standalone cameras that offered fashion advice , and arrives just as the company ’ s $ 99.99 Halo tracker becomes more widely available to track your body fat in 3D .

Amazon just launched its new Made for You custom clothing service in the US that requires users to upload their measurements and two photos to create a “virtual body double.” The first product is a $25 Made for You T-shirt available in a variety of colors, fabrics, necklines, and shirt / sleeve lengths.
Amazon Made for You requires two head-to-toe photos taken by the Amazon app, showing the front and back of your torso. Then, after entering your height, weight, and body type, Amazon will create your custom avatar. From there you can build custom T-shirts complete with a personalized name tag.
The Made for You product page is littered with zealous quotes from fashion influencers. Sai De Silva is especially enthusiastic about sending Amazon her intensely private data:
“So much fun”
“I got to create a virtual body double with my measurements. So much fun.”
Fun!
While the collection of body-type data will undoubtedly help Amazon compete with traditional fashion houses, Amazon says customers can delete it at any time by tapping the profile icon in the upper left of their Made for You page, according to TechCrunch. Amazon also says that photos are deleted immediately after creating the body double. Amazon plans to enhance Made for You with more styles and options based on customer feedback, according to TechCrunch.
The launch of Made for You follows Amazon’s discontinued Echo Look experiment that involved standalone cameras that offered fashion advice, and arrives just as the company’s $99.99 Halo tracker becomes more widely available to track your body fat in 3D.


theverge--2020-12-16--NPR shows are now available on Spotify worldwide

Two unlikely podcasting networks — NPR and Spotify — are teaming up .
The companies announced a new distribution deal today that ’ ll bring select NPR programs , like Planet Money , TED Radio Hour , and Invisibilia to Spotify ’ s global audience .
NPR first brought its shows to Spotify in 2018 , but only for US audiences because of various regulations and country-specific licensing structures .
Now it ’ s able to distribute those shows globally , although the details of the new arrangement remain unclear .
The companies won ’ t be sharing revenue or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal , but they both have committed to respective marketing pushes .
The new agreement speaks to Spotify ’ s reach around the world and simultaneous role as both a formidable competitor to networks like NPR and an essential ally .
Spotify has signed exclusive podcasting deals with big names and effectively moved to push the podcasting industry toward more of a walled-garden approach .
This puts some of its competitors in an awkward position , specifically if they were looking to contract some of this talent or if they find Spotify promoting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this case , NPR knows Spotify is available on both iOS and Android and is available in many countries around the world , making it a crucial partner for releasing programming everywhere .
They ’ re playing nice for now .

Two unlikely podcasting networks — NPR and Spotify — are teaming up. The companies announced a new distribution deal today that’ll bring select NPR programs, like Planet Money, TED Radio Hour, and Invisibilia to Spotify’s global audience. NPR first brought its shows to Spotify in 2018 , but only for US audiences because of various regulations and country-specific licensing structures. Now it’s able to distribute those shows globally, although the details of the new arrangement remain unclear. The companies won’t be sharing revenue or jointly selling ads from this broader distribution deal, but they both have committed to respective marketing pushes.
The new agreement speaks to Spotify’s reach around the world and simultaneous role as both a formidable competitor to networks like NPR and an essential ally. Spotify has signed exclusive podcasting deals with big names and effectively moved to push the podcasting industry toward more of a walled-garden approach. This puts some of its competitors in an awkward position, specifically if they were looking to contract some of this talent or if they find Spotify promoting its in-network shows over theirs. In this case, NPR knows Spotify is available on both iOS and Android and is available in many countries around the world, making it a crucial partner for releasing programming everywhere. They’re playing nice for now.


theverge--2020-12-16--Samsung’s Galaxy Note series will reportedly still continue next year

While Samsung ’ s mobile boss TM Roh has telegraphed plans to bring stylus support to more phones across its lineup , there may still be a new Galaxy Note in 2021 .
An anonymous Samsung official tells Yonhap that the company is “ preparing to release the Galaxy Note series next year ” and that “ Roh ’ s message does not mean that the Galaxy Note series will be discontinued.
” Samsung declined to comment on the specifics of Yonhap ’ s report when contacted by The Verge , but provided the following statement : Samsung confirms plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ features of the Galaxy Note to more device categories in 2021 .
We remain committed to providing the best mobile experience to our consumers and will continue to actively listen and consider consumer feedback in all our product innovations .
We can not share any further details at this time .
The obvious question , if Yonhap ’ s report is accurate , is how Samsung will set the Note series apart .
This year ’ s model already felt like you were paying for the S Pen support alone , considering how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specs and undercut it on price .
The Note 20 Ultra was a more compelling — albeit expensive – proposition , but it ’ s hard to see how it ’ d fit alongside a presumable full complement of stylus-compatible Galaxy S21 devices with comparable screen sizes .
And the Galaxy Z Fold 2 shows that foldable phones may soon be a more broadly viable option at the top end of Samsung ’ s range .
Samsung is expected to unveil its widely-leaked next flagship Galaxy S phones in January , a little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to wait and see if that lineup leaves any gaps for a potential Note 21 to fill .

While Samsung’s mobile boss TM Roh has telegraphed plans to bring stylus support to more phones across its lineup, there may still be a new Galaxy Note in 2021. An anonymous Samsung official tells Yonhap that the company is “preparing to release the Galaxy Note series next year” and that “Roh’s message does not mean that the Galaxy Note series will be discontinued.”
Samsung declined to comment on the specifics of Yonhap’s report when contacted by The Verge, but provided the following statement:
Samsung confirms plans to bring some of the most beloved features of the Galaxy Note to more device categories in 2021. We remain committed to providing the best mobile experience to our consumers and will continue to actively listen and consider consumer feedback in all our product innovations. We cannot share any further details at this time.
The obvious question, if Yonhap’s report is accurate, is how Samsung will set the Note series apart. This year’s model already felt like you were paying for the S Pen support alone, considering how the Galaxy S20 FE outpaced it on specs and undercut it on price.
The Note 20 Ultra was a more compelling — albeit expensive – proposition, but it’s hard to see how it’d fit alongside a presumable full complement of stylus-compatible Galaxy S21 devices with comparable screen sizes. And the Galaxy Z Fold 2 shows that foldable phones may soon be a more broadly viable option at the top end of Samsung’s range.


theverge--2020-12-16--Apple defends upcoming privacy changes as ‘standing up for our users’

Apple has responded to Facebook ’ s critiques of its upcoming privacy changes by saying that is “ standing up for our users , ” in a statement shared with The Verge .
Facebook has been criticizing the company ahead of a future iOS update that will require users to give their permission for apps to collect data about them .
Facebook took out full-page newspaper ads today attacking Apple , claiming that the changes will “ limit businesses ’ ability to run personalized ads and reach their customers effectively.
” We believe that this is a simple matter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should know when their data is being collected and shared across other apps and websites — and they should have the choice to allow that or not .
App Tracking Transparency in iOS 14 does not require Facebook to change its approach to tracking users and creating targeted advertising , it simply requires they give users a choice .
Apple ’ s statement comes as Facebook reportedly plans to run another anti-Apple ad on Friday , according to BuzzFeed News editor John Paczkowski .
This new ad will reportedly claim that Apple ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ internet as we know it for the worse ” because places like blogs and cooking sites will have to charge for subscriptions or in-app purchases instead of running personalized ads that would allow them to offer content for free .
Apps won ’ t be required to ask for users ’ permission until sometime early next year .
The change has already been delayed once — it was originally supposed to kick in with the release of iOS 14 this fall .
The spat between the two companies comes on the heels of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that spell out how iOS apps use your data .

Apple has responded to Facebook’s critiques of its upcoming privacy changes by saying that is “standing up for our users,” in a statement shared with The Verge. Facebook has been criticizing the company ahead of a future iOS update that will require users to give their permission for apps to collect data about them. Facebook took out full-page newspaper ads today attacking Apple, claiming that the changes will “limit businesses’ ability to run personalized ads and reach their customers effectively.”
Here is Apple’s full statement:
We believe that this is a simple matter of standing up for our users. Users should know when their data is being collected and shared across other apps and websites — and they should have the choice to allow that or not. App Tracking Transparency in iOS 14 does not require Facebook to change its approach to tracking users and creating targeted advertising, it simply requires they give users a choice.
Apple’s statement comes as Facebook reportedly plans to run another anti-Apple ad on Friday, according to BuzzFeed News editor John Paczkowski. This new ad will reportedly claim that Apple’s software update will “change the internet as we know it for the worse” because places like blogs and cooking sites will have to charge for subscriptions or in-app purchases instead of running personalized ads that would allow them to offer content for free.
Apps won’t be required to ask for users’ permission until sometime early next year. The change has already been delayed once — it was originally supposed to kick in with the release of iOS 14 this fall.