theverge--2020-03-19--Self-driving car engineer Anthony Levandowski pleads guilty to stealing Google trade secrets

Anthony Levandowski , the self-driving car engineer and former Google executive who joined Uber via an acquisition of his autonomous truck company Otto , has agreed to plead guilty to stealing Google trade secrets , according to Reuters .
The decision is just the latest chapter in the multi-year legal saga involving Levandowski ’ s roles in both Google and Uber ’ s fast-growing self-driving car divisions .
The lawsuit between Waymo , Alphabet ’ s now-standalone autonomous car unit , and Uber eventually resulted in a settlement between the two companies back in February of 2018 .
( Uber @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a result . )
Levandowski could serve as much as 30 months in prison But Levandowski remained on the hook for criminal charges of trade secret theft brought by the US Attorney ’ s Office of the Northern District of California , charges that were brought primarily because Levandowski exercised his Fifth Amendment rights during the trial and refused to hand over any related documents .
In August of last year , he was charged with 33 counts of theft and attempted theft of trade secrets for allegedly stealing roughly 14,000 documents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Otto to Uber .
As part of the plea deal , Levandowski is agreeing to one of the 33 charges in exchange for prosecutors dropping the other 32 .
He has also admitted he downloaded one Waymo spreadsheet file and accessed it after leaving his role at Google , but not one containing secrets to Waymo ’ s LIDAR design , which was the blockbuster allegation in the original civil lawsuit with Uber .
According to The Washington Post , “ the file contained quarterly goals and weekly metrics and the objectives and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It also included a summary of technical challenges the team faced and some that had been overcome.
” Regardless , Levandowski ’ s plea agreement with federal prosecutors could translate to as much as 30 months of prison time .
“ Mr .
Levandowski accepts responsibility and is looking forward to resolving this matter , ” the engineer ’ s attorney , Miles Ehrlich , told The Washington Post in a statement .
“ Mr .
Levandowski is a young man with enormous talents and much to contribute to the fast-moving world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ automated vehicles ] and we hope that this plea will allow him to move on with his life and focus his energies where they matter most.
” More recently , Levandowski filed for bankruptcy protection after being ordered to pay Google $ 179 million over a contract dispute involving Levandowksi ’ s poaching of Waymo engineers .
An arbitration panel ruled last December that the controversial engineer did in fact engage in unfair and deceptive practices through his recruiting of former colleagues .
A San Francisco County court confirmed the ruling in early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Anthony Levandowski, the self-driving car engineer and former Google executive who joined Uber via an acquisition of his autonomous truck company Otto, has agreed to plead guilty to stealing Google trade secrets, according to Reuters.
The decision is just the latest chapter in the multi-year legal saga involving Levandowski’s roles in both Google and Uber’s fast-growing self-driving car divisions. The lawsuit between Waymo, Alphabet’s now-standalone autonomous car unit, and Uber eventually resulted in a settlement between the two companies back in February of 2018. (Uber paid Waymo more than $244 million as a result.)
Levandowski could serve as much as 30 months in prison
But Levandowski remained on the hook for criminal charges of trade secret theft brought by the US Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of California, charges that were brought primarily because Levandowski exercised his Fifth Amendment rights during the trial and refused to hand over any related documents. In August of last year, he was charged with 33 counts of theft and attempted theft of trade secrets for allegedly stealing roughly 14,000 documents from Google prior to founding and selling Otto to Uber.
As part of the plea deal, Levandowski is agreeing to one of the 33 charges in exchange for prosecutors dropping the other 32. He has also admitted he downloaded one Waymo spreadsheet file and accessed it after leaving his role at Google, although the plea agreement also says Levandowski was aware his “misappropriation” and possession of the trade secrets would do harm.
“Mr. Levandowski’s guilty plea in a criminal hearing today brings to an end a seminal case for our company and the self-driving industry, and underscores the value of Waymo’s intellectual property,” says a Waymo spokesperson in a statement given to The Verge. “Through today’s developments and related cases, we are successfully protecting our intellectual property as we build the world’s most experienced driver.”
Regardless, Levandowski’s plea agreement with federal prosecutors could translate to between 24 and 30 months of prison time. “Mr. Levandowski accepts responsibility and is looking forward to resolving this matter,” the engineer’s attorney, Miles Ehrlich, told The Washington Post in a statement. “Mr. Levandowski is a young man with enormous talents and much to contribute to the fast-moving world of [artificial intelligence] and [automated vehicles] and we hope that this plea will allow him to move on with his life and focus his energies where they matter most.”
More recently, Levandowski filed for bankruptcy protection after being ordered to pay Google $179 million over a contract dispute involving Levandowksi’s poaching of Waymo engineers. An arbitration panel ruled last December that the controversial engineer did in fact engage in unfair and deceptive practices through his recruiting of former colleagues. A San Francisco County court confirmed the ruling in early March, The New York Times reported.


theverge--2020-03-19--Dish is letting the major US carriers borrow spectrum during quarantine data crunch

If the company makes good on its word ( and assuming the T-Mobile and Sprint merger successfully closes ) , Dish is poised to become a significant player in the US mobile provider market this year .
But before any of that happens , Dish is lending a hand to Verizon , AT & T , and T-Mobile by letting them utilize some of its vast spectrum holdings to shore up their 4G LTE networks .
With millions of people staying indoors to help slow the novel coronavirus outbreak , you can bet that phone usage — on both the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
PC Mag has a breakdown of how Dish is distributing its unused spectrum over the next 60 days .
Each provider is getting spectrum that can temporarily help bolster its 4G LTE data network and increase speeds .
In AT & T ’ s case , Segan estimates that wireless customers could notice up to a 20Mbps uptick in data performance while the spectrum loan is in effect .
T-Mobile is also getting a significant boost .
On Sunday , the FCC granted the carrier permission to use additional spectrum in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , NewLevel , and several other companies for 60 days .
“ This temporary authority will help T-Mobile better serve customers who , like all of us , are making significant adjustments to their daily lives to minimize in-person interactions and slow the spread of COVID-19 , ” FCC chairman Ajit Pai said in a press release .
None of the major carriers have suffered outages or disruptive downtime during the COVID-19 outbreak thus far , but it ’ s good to see them reinforcing their networks however possible .
Yes , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wi-Fi during these long days and evenings at home ; broadband providers have agreed to drop their data caps and refrain from disconnecting customers over late bills .
But not everyone has reliable Wi-Fi — especially when several people are home sharing it at the same time — and they might now be turning to their smartphones and mobile hotspot functionality to carry out work and voice calls at home .
Any extra bit of spectrum is going to help there .
US Cellular has also been granted additional spectrum in four US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for hoarding spectrum and not putting it to any actual use , and even risked fines from the FCC for failing to build an actual network .
But that was before the company was brought into the T-Mobile and Sprint deal and positioned as the replacement fourth “ major ” carrier once the merger is finalized .
Earlier today , T-Mobile issued a news release stating that the company remains prepared to close the merger with Sprint even as financial markets are in turmoil due to the coronavirus pandemic .
All necessary US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two providers emerged victorious over a challenge from several US states .

If the company makes good on its word (and assuming the T-Mobile and Sprint merger successfully closes), Dish is poised to become a significant player in the US mobile provider market this year. But before any of that happens, Dish is lending a hand to Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile by letting them utilize some of its vast spectrum holdings to shore up their 4G LTE networks. With millions of people staying indoors to help slow the novel coronavirus outbreak, you can bet that phone usage — on both the data and voice sides — is skyrocketing.
PC Mag has a breakdown of how Dish is distributing its unused spectrum over the next 60 days. Each provider is getting spectrum that can temporarily help bolster its 4G LTE data network and increase speeds. In AT&T’s case, Segan estimates that wireless customers could notice up to a 20Mbps uptick in data performance while the spectrum loan is in effect.
T-Mobile is also getting a significant boost. On Sunday, the FCC granted the carrier permission to use additional spectrum in the 600MHz made available by Dish, Comcast, NewLevel, and several other companies for 60 days. “This temporary authority will help T-Mobile better serve customers who, like all of us, are making significant adjustments to their daily lives to minimize in-person interactions and slow the spread of COVID-19,” FCC chairman Ajit Pai said in a press release.
None of the major carriers have suffered outages or disruptive downtime during the COVID-19 outbreak thus far, but it’s good to see them reinforcing their networks however possible. Yes, a lot of us are heavily leaning on Wi-Fi during these long days and evenings at home; broadband providers have agreed to drop their data caps and refrain from disconnecting customers over late bills.
But not everyone has reliable Wi-Fi — especially when several people are home sharing it at the same time — and they might now be turning to their smartphones and mobile hotspot functionality to carry out work and voice calls at home. Any extra bit of spectrum is going to help there. US Cellular has also been granted additional spectrum in four US states.


theverge--2020-03-19--Facebook’s less cluttered desktop redesign is more widely available starting today

Facebook has begun rolling out the overhauled version of its desktop site .
Starting today , users have the option to opt in to the new design , which places a heavier emphasis on two of Facebook ’ s most critical features : events and groups .
The redesign was previously exclusive to the Facebook mobile app and was first announced at the company ’ s F8 developer conference last year .
“ Starting today , the majority of people on Facebook will have access to the new desktop design , ” a Facebook spokesperson tells The Verge .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new design before it becomes default later this year.
” So if you don ’ t have access now , it should be showing up shortly .
Similar to the mobile app redesign last year , the new desktop layout gives you quicker access to some major Facebook features and employs a cleaner , simpler design with more generous amounts of white space .
The redesign includes larger fonts and sleeker icons , a dark mode , and a simplified layout with fewer columns of information to look at .
Facebook Stories have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” box , while just above the “ Stories ” section , there ’ s a redesigned menu bar housing several tabs previously found in the left-hand corner of the screen , such as Events and Marketplace .
The most significant change in the desktop ’ s design is the new “ Groups ” tab located on the redesigned menu bar .
Clicking on the tab will bring you to a personalized feed of updates from groups you are a member of while also suggesting groups for you to join based on your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ design by heading to Facebook and logging in to your account .
Head to your Settings menu , and click “ See New Facebook.
” If you don ’ t like it and want to delay using the new redesign , you can click “ Switch to Classic Facebook.
” Facebook has committed to transforming its social network into a “ privacy-focused communications platform , ” in part by pushing more focus on groups and events .
Groups currently has 400 million active users ( many more users belong to inactive groups or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while 700 million people use Facebook Events each month .
The new design makes those two products more prominent , and Facebook hopes people will be more inclined to use them as reliance on the News Feed continues to shrink .

Facebook has begun rolling out the overhauled version of its desktop site. Starting today, users have the option to opt in to the new design, which places a heavier emphasis on two of Facebook’s most critical features: events and groups. The redesign was previously exclusive to the Facebook mobile app and was first announced at the company’s F8 developer conference last year.
“Starting today, the majority of people on Facebook will have access to the new desktop design,” a Facebook spokesperson tells The Verge. “People can opt-in to try out the new design before it becomes default later this year.” So if you don’t have access now, it should be showing up shortly.
Similar to the mobile app redesign last year, the new desktop layout gives you quicker access to some major Facebook features and employs a cleaner, simpler design with more generous amounts of white space. The redesign includes larger fonts and sleeker icons, a dark mode, and a simplified layout with fewer columns of information to look at. Facebook Stories have been moved above the “Update Status” box, while just above the “Stories” section, there’s a redesigned menu bar housing several tabs previously found in the left-hand corner of the screen, such as Events and Marketplace.
Image: Facebook
The most significant change in the desktop’s design is the new “Groups” tab located on the redesigned menu bar. Clicking on the tab will bring you to a personalized feed of updates from groups you are a member of while also suggesting groups for you to join based on your interests.
You can try the new design by heading to Facebook and logging in to your account. Head to your Settings menu, and click “See New Facebook.” If you don’t like it and want to delay using the new redesign, you can click “Switch to Classic Facebook.”


theverge--2020-03-19--YouTube will start displaying trustworthy coronavirus videos on its homepage

YouTube will introduce a new row of verified videos to its homepage for anyone trying to find authoritative news on the ongoing coronavirus story .
Pulling from a list of authoritative news outlets and local health authorities that upload to YouTube , the goal is to provide people with a source of information that is more reliable than just general videos on the subject uploaded by random users .
Videos are generated algorithmically , according to YouTube , with hundreds of different signals being used to help pick videos .
This includes relevancy to coronavirus , how new the videos @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region .
YouTube , like other organizations , is trying to combat misinformation during the unprecedented global health crisis YouTube , like other organizations , is trying to combat misinformation during the unprecedented global health crisis .
Conspiracy videos falsely claiming the coronavirus is caused by 5G radiation , among other hoaxes , have been uploaded to the platform since the outbreak started in Wuhan , China at the end of 2019 .
The rate of new videos on the subject has only picked up speed as the novel coronavirus has spread and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continues to intensify .
Other social media sites like Facebook , Twitter , Snapchat , and TikTok have instituted their own methods of combating misinformation and elevating authoritative voices .
Some of the biggest technology corporations in the United States have said they ’ ve formed a group to try to combat misinformation and fraud related to coronavirus .
The group includes Facebook , Google , LinkedIn , Microsoft , Reddit , Twitter , and YouTube .
This does not appear to be part of that initiative .
YouTube has used shelves like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that viewers can rely on , including during massive world news events .
There ’ s also a Breaking News shelf on the homepage that pulls from authoritative voices .
Anecdotally , the shelf seems to have mostly contained COVID-19 news over the last week or so already .
YouTube ’ s COVID-19 shelf will initially launch in 16 countries , including the US , UK , Brazil , India , Germany , France , Italy , and Japan starting this week .
The company will expand to more countries in the coming @ @

YouTube will introduce a new row of verified videos to its homepage for anyone trying to find authoritative news on the ongoing coronavirus story.
Pulling from a list of authoritative news outlets and local health authorities that upload to YouTube, the goal is to provide people with a source of information that is more reliable than just general videos on the subject uploaded by random users. Videos are generated algorithmically, according to YouTube, with hundreds of different signals being used to help pick videos. This includes relevancy to coronavirus, how new the videos are, and a viewer’s region.
YouTube, like other organizations, is trying to combat misinformation during the unprecedented global health crisis
YouTube, like other organizations, is trying to combat misinformation during the unprecedented global health crisis. Conspiracy videos falsely claiming the coronavirus is caused by 5G radiation, among other hoaxes, have been uploaded to the platform since the outbreak started in Wuhan, China at the end of 2019. The rate of new videos on the subject has only picked up speed as the novel coronavirus has spread and the volume of news about the pandemic continues to intensify.
Other social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and TikTok have instituted their own methods of combating misinformation and elevating authoritative voices. Some of the biggest technology corporations in the United States have said they’ve formed a group to try to combat misinformation and fraud related to coronavirus. The group includes Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Microsoft, Reddit, Twitter, and YouTube. This does not appear to be part of that initiative.
YouTube has used shelves like this in the past to elevate videos that viewers can rely on, including during massive world news events. There’s also a Breaking News shelf on the homepage that pulls from authoritative voices. Anecdotally, the shelf seems to have mostly contained COVID-19 news over the last week or so already.


theverge--2020-03-19--Kickstarter creators can extend live project deadlines by seven days

Kickstarter is giving creators extra time to meet their crowdfunding goals .
On Thursday , the company said any creator with a campaign live now can request a seven-day extension .
To ask for extra time , they just have to email extensions @ kickstarter.com from the email address associated with their project along with a link to the campaign .
Kickstarter says creators have reached out to say COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus , has affected existing campaigns on the platform , and they ’ d like extra time to adjust and possibly reach more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s official response .
( The company has previously offered seven-day extensions for specific circumstances , like for French creators after the Paris attacks . )
Creators are worried about how COVID-19 might impact their projects In its post announcing the extension , Kickstarter notes that creators should rethink their established production timeline and give backers more accurate estimates .
They can also adjust their campaign messaging and promotional plans while also asking backers for help in promoting the project .
The team noted it hasn ’ t seen a “ noticeable decline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The company also took the opportunity to address anyone who ’ s thinking about launching a campaign , telling them to consider their health and well-being before going ahead with their project .
Generally , Kickstarter said earlier this week that it noticed backers being more forgiving to creators , so long as they were kept in the loop .
The team recommended that creators acknowledge the pandemic and frequently update .
COVID-19 is already disrupting the supply chain and manufacturing process for large retailers , let alone smaller independent businesses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaigns in the months to come .

Kickstarter is giving creators extra time to meet their crowdfunding goals. On Thursday, the company said any creator with a campaign live now can request a seven-day extension. To ask for extra time, they just have to email extensions@kickstarter.com from the email address associated with their project along with a link to the campaign.
Kickstarter says creators have reached out to say COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, has affected existing campaigns on the platform, and they’d like extra time to adjust and possibly reach more people. This is now Kickstarter’s official response. (The company has previously offered seven-day extensions for specific circumstances, like for French creators after the Paris attacks.)
Creators are worried about how COVID-19 might impact their projects
In its post announcing the extension, Kickstarter notes that creators should rethink their established production timeline and give backers more accurate estimates. They can also adjust their campaign messaging and promotional plans while also asking backers for help in promoting the project. The team noted it hasn’t seen a “noticeable decline” in support for live projects yet.
The company also took the opportunity to address anyone who’s thinking about launching a campaign, telling them to consider their health and well-being before going ahead with their project.


theverge--2020-03-19--A shorter Game Developers Conference has been rescheduled for August

The Game Developers Conference , an annual gathering of game creators in San Francisco , has been rescheduled after being delayed earlier this year .
The original event , which was slated to take place this week , was postponed at the end of February due to the novel coronavirus pandemic .
( Many of the scheduled talks have since been streamed on Twitch . )
The new version , dubbed GDC Summer , will be a three-day-long event that kicks off on August 4th , with a show floor that will be open August 5th-6th .
It will still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ San Francisco .
Here ’ s how the new iteration of the event is being described : GDC Summer ’ s conference program will consist of high-quality technical content , mixed with valuable roundtable discussions to foster conversation and connection .
The event will host a new series of microtalks and fireside chats , as well as a dedicated space for comprehensive career development sessions covering topics such as how to pitch your game , effective communication strategies , how to land an investor / publisher , and business development strategies .
Of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only major event impacted by the pandemic ; the likes of E3 , Coachella , and SXSW have all been canceled or delayed as well .
Some , like Microsoft Build , have been reimagined as virtual events .
“ Safety remains the GDC organizers ’ paramount concern and the GDC team will continue to monitor the latest information from health officials to ensure a safe and compelling event for everyone at GDC Summer , GDC 2021 , and beyond , ” the organizers explained in a press release .

The Game Developers Conference, an annual gathering of game creators in San Francisco, has been rescheduled after being delayed earlier this year. The original event, which was slated to take place this week, was postponed at the end of February due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. (Many of the scheduled talks have since been streamed on Twitch.)
The new version, dubbed GDC Summer, will be a three-day-long event that kicks off on August 4th, with a show floor that will be open August 5th-6th. It will still be held at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.
Here’s how the new iteration of the event is being described:
GDC Summer’s conference program will consist of high-quality technical content, mixed with valuable roundtable discussions to foster conversation and connection. The event will host a new series of microtalks and fireside chats, as well as a dedicated space for comprehensive career development sessions covering topics such as how to pitch your game, effective communication strategies, how to land an investor / publisher, and business development strategies.
Of course, GDC is far from the only major event impacted by the pandemic; the likes of E3, Coachella, and SXSW have all been canceled or delayed as well. Some, like Microsoft Build, have been reimagined as virtual events.


theverge--2020-03-19--GameStop claims it is ‘essential retail’ to remain open amid coronavirus shutdowns

GameStop is instructing its retail employees to keep stores open , even in the face of local authorities who would seek to shut them down over coronavirus-related lockdowns .
“ GameStop is working diligently during this unprecedented time to provide our customers and associates with the safest environment possible , ” the company said in a statement posted to its website on Thursday .
“ We are implementing changes to our retail operations so that we may continue to provide essential products to our customers that allows them to stay connected , and provide products that allows business and consumers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is “ instituting multiple social distancing practices ” in its stores by allowing 10 people in at a time ; reducing its store hours ; rolling out a delivery-at-door policy so customers can pick up orders outside the retail location ; suspending trade-ins until March 29th ; postponing all events and midnight launches ; and disabling all in-store game stations .
Instead of instructing its retail employees to stay home , GameStop also says it is “ providing all our stores with the necessary supply of disinfectant materials and hand sanitizer ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they are sick and are experiencing any flu-like symptoms.
” In a memo first obtained by Kotaku earlier today , employees were told that “ due to the products we carry that enable and enhance our customers ’ experience in working from home , we believe GameStop is classified as essential retail and therefore is able to remain open during this time.
” The memo , which acknowledges that local authorities have attempted to enforce closure , adds that “ Store Managers are approved to provide the document [ to contact corporate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GameStop did not respond to a request for comment by time of publish .
The Verge has confirmed that this includes San Francisco , which became the first US city to enact a shelter-in-place order and mandate the closing of all nonessential businesses earlier this week .
GameStop says its business is “ essential ” and is requiring retail employees to stay A call placed by The Verge to a local GameStop store in the city confirmed that the retailer would remain open in the coming days , although on a slightly adjusted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the day at 12PM local time and staying open until 6PM .
The Verge ’ s sister site Polygon previously reported that many GameStop employees feel unsupported and unsafe in this difficult time .
“ I had a region call and a district call today .
Both showed very little care for the employees , ” a GameStop manager told Polygon .
“ The focus is on sales.
” The company has suspended many of its midnight launches , yet it has insisted on stores remaining open throughout state-mandated closures .
Employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ promised cleaning supplies , nor do they have the staff to properly sanitize their stores .
In San Francisco , Mayor London Breed has enforced more drastic measures to keep COVID-19 , the illness caused by the novel coronavirus , from spreading .
On March 16th , the city announced a public health order that requires all residents to remain inside “ with the only exception being for essential needs.
” The order will remain effective until April 7th or until it ’ s extended at a later date .
Officials in states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a similar order .
In the past few days , cities , including New York , Los Angeles , and Seattle , have closed bars and restaurants to the general public and are operating only through take-out or delivery .
Update March 19th , 5:47PM ET : Added official statement from GameStop and the company 's in-store guidelines in response to the coronavirus .

GameStop is instructing its retail employees to keep stores open, even in the face of local authorities who would seek to shut them down over coronavirus-related lockdowns.
“GameStop is working diligently during this unprecedented time to provide our customers and associates with the safest environment possible,” the company said in a statement posted to its website on Thursday. “We are implementing changes to our retail operations so that we may continue to provide essential products to our customers that allows them to stay connected, and provide products that allows business and consumers to work remotely.”
GameStop says it is “instituting multiple social distancing practices” in its stores by allowing 10 people in at a time; reducing its store hours; rolling out a delivery-at-door policy so customers can pick up orders outside the retail location; suspending trade-ins until March 29th; postponing all events and midnight launches; and disabling all in-store game stations.
Instead of instructing its retail employees to stay home, GameStop also says it is “providing all our stores with the necessary supply of disinfectant materials and hand sanitizer” and only allowing employees to remain home “if they are sick and are experiencing any flu-like symptoms.”
In a memo first obtained by Kotaku earlier today, employees were told that “due to the products we carry that enable and enhance our customers’ experience in working from home, we believe GameStop is classified as essential retail and therefore is able to remain open during this time.”
Essential government services include transit, police, fire, health care services, grocery markets, pharmacies, banks, and gas stations.
The memo, which acknowledges that local authorities have attempted to enforce closure, adds that “Store Managers are approved to provide the document [to contact corporate] to law enforcement as needed.” GameStop did not respond to a request for comment by time of publish. The Verge has confirmed that this includes San Francisco, which became the first US city to enact a shelter-in-place order and mandate the closing of all nonessential businesses earlier this week.
GameStop says its business is “essential” and is requiring retail employees to stay
A call placed by The Verge to a local GameStop store in the city confirmed that the retailer would remain open in the coming days, although on a slightly adjusted schedule that has the store opening later in the day at 12PM local time and staying open until 6PM.
The Verge’s sister site Polygon previously reported that many GameStop employees feel unsupported and unsafe in this difficult time. “I had a region call and a district call today. Both showed very little care for the employees,” a GameStop manager told Polygon. “The focus is on sales.” The company has suspended many of its midnight launches, yet it has insisted on stores remaining open throughout state-mandated closures. Employees have complained that they have neither received promised cleaning supplies, nor do they have the staff to properly sanitize their stores.
In San Francisco, Mayor London Breed has enforced more drastic measures to keep COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, from spreading. On March 16th, the city announced a public health order that requires all residents to remain inside “with the only exception being for essential needs.” The order will remain effective until April 7th or until it’s extended at a later date.
Officials in states like New York have also been eyeing a similar order. In the past few days, cities, including New York, Los Angeles, and Seattle, have closed bars and restaurants to the general public and are operating only through take-out or delivery.


theverge--2020-03-19--Tesla to shut down California and New York factories amid coronavirus pandemic

Tesla will temporarily shut down its car manufacturing plant in Fremont , California , starting at the end of Monday , March 23rd , joining nearly every other major automaker in suspending its US operations due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic .
The announcement comes after days of back-and-forth with the local authorities about whether the company was exempt from a recent shelter-in-place order in the San Francisco Bay Area .
Tesla will also suspend most operations at its solar panel factory in Buffalo , New York .
“ Despite taking all known health precautions , continued operations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our employees , their families and our suppliers , ” the company wrote in a press release .
“ As such , we have decided to temporarily suspend production ” at both factories .
Hourly employees at both factories will “ continue to receive their normal pay through Monday , after which point we will provide paid leave during suspended operations , ” according to an email from the company ’ s regional HR boss Valerie Workman viewed by The Verge .
“ Those who have been working from home should continue to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usual .
We understand you will have many questions and we will be providing you with additional resources in the coming hours and days , ” Workman wrote .
Tesla says it will keep some “ basic operations ” up and running , like work on its charging infrastructure .
The company ’ s Gigafactory in Nevada will continue as normal , despite a recent initiative from the state ’ s governor asking all nonessential businesses to close .
Tesla will keep making vehicle deliveries during the shutdown .
The company says it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ smartphone connectivity to implement “ touchless deliveries ” in “ many locations ” to help mitigate any spread of the virus .
With the touchless deliveries , “ customers are able to unlock their new cars at a delivery parking lot via the Tesla App , sign any remaining relevant paperwork that has been placed in their car , and return that paperwork to an on-site drop-off location prior to leaving , ” the company says .
The leaders of six counties across the San Francisco Bay Area announced the shelter-in-place order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , told all “ nonessential businesses ” to close down .
But Tesla kept its car factory open , despite not seeming to fit the order ’ s definition of an “ essential business.
” Late Tuesday evening , the Alameda County Sheriff ’ s Office announced that it believed Tesla was “ not an essential business , ” and said the company should scale back to the most basic operations , like payroll .
Tesla ’ s factory remained open , though .
Workman told employees that it was because the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ national critical infrastructure ” by the Department of Homeland Security , though the government agency has not responded to multiple requests to confirm this .
Guidance issued by its Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency on Thursday did not list automotive manufacturing among a list of “ critical infrastructure.
” On Thursday , the local police department tweeted that the police chief and members of the city ’ s management team was scheduled too meet with “ Tesla Factory management ” to “ discuss cooperation for compliance with the County Health Officer ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later , Tesla announced the factory closure .
Tesla said Thursday that it believes the $ 6.3 billion in cash it had at the end of 2019 , as well as the $ 2.3 billion it raised in February , will be “ sufficient to successfully navigate an extended period of uncertainty.
” Two employees at the California factory have told The Verge things already felt pretty uncertain this week as Tesla negotiated the immediate fate of the factory with local authorities .
One shared screenshots of messages from coworkers who were worried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disease caused by the coronavirus , but felt they had no way to get tested .

Tesla will temporarily shut down its car manufacturing plant in Fremont, California, starting at the end of Monday, March 23rd, joining nearly every other major automaker in suspending its US operations due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. The announcement comes after days of back-and-forth with the local authorities about whether the company was exempt from a recent shelter-in-place order in the San Francisco Bay Area. Tesla will also suspend most operations at its solar panel factory in Buffalo, New York.
“Despite taking all known health precautions, continued operations in certain locations has caused challenges for our employees, their families and our suppliers,” the company wrote in a press release. “As such, we have decided to temporarily suspend production” at both factories.
Hourly employees at both factories will “continue to receive their normal pay through Monday, after which point we will provide paid leave during suspended operations,” according to an email from the company’s regional HR boss Valerie Workman viewed by The Verge. “Those who have been working from home should continue to do so and consider it business as usual. We understand you will have many questions and we will be providing you with additional resources in the coming hours and days,” Workman wrote.
Tesla says it will keep some “basic operations” up and running, like work on its charging infrastructure. The company’s Gigafactory in Nevada will continue as normal, despite a recent initiative from the state’s governor asking all nonessential businesses to close.
Tesla will do “touchless deliveries” moving forward
Tesla will keep making vehicle deliveries during the shutdown. The company says it is leveraging its app and its cars’ smartphone connectivity to implement “touchless deliveries” in “many locations” to help mitigate any spread of the virus. With the touchless deliveries, “customers are able to unlock their new cars at a delivery parking lot via the Tesla App, sign any remaining relevant paperwork that has been placed in their car, and return that paperwork to an on-site drop-off location prior to leaving,” the company says.
The leaders of six counties across the San Francisco Bay Area announced the shelter-in-place order on Monday, and as part of it, told all “nonessential businesses” to close down. But Tesla kept its car factory open, despite not seeming to fit the order’s definition of an “essential business.”
Late Tuesday evening, the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office announced that it believed Tesla was “not an essential business,” and said the company should scale back to the most basic operations, like payroll. Tesla’s factory remained open, though.
Workman told employees that it was because the company had been told it was considered “national critical infrastructure” by the Department of Homeland Security, though the government agency has not responded to multiple requests to confirm this. Guidance issued by its Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency on Thursday did not list automotive manufacturing among a list of “critical infrastructure.”
On Thursday, the local police department tweeted that the police chief and members of the city’s management team was scheduled too meet with “Tesla Factory management” to “discuss cooperation for compliance with the County Health Officer’s Order.” Just a few hours later, Tesla announced the factory closure.
Tesla said Thursday that it believes the $6.3 billion in cash it had at the end of 2019, as well as the $2.3 billion it raised in February, will be “sufficient to successfully navigate an extended period of uncertainty.”


theverge--2020-03-19--Snap rolling out ‘Here For You’ mental health tool early with focus on coronavirus

Snap is rolling out its Here For You search tool a bit earlier than planned to help users who may be feeling anxious or stressed over the coronavirus pandemic , the company says .
The Here For You tool was first announced in February , and it ’ s designed to surface “ safety resources ” from mental health experts when users search for topics like anxiety , depression , suicide , or bullying .
The company has now added a coronavirus-specific section to the tool “ that will provide Snapchatters from the Ad Council , World Health Organization , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NHS , and other partners who are creating content on anxiety specifically related to coronavirus , ” the company says .
Originally slated for an April release , Snap expects the search tool to be available to all Snapchat users next week .
“ Here For You was informed by studies that show that connecting with friends , whether in person or online is often the best defense against feelings of loneliness and anxiety , ” a Snap spokesperson said in an email to The Verge .
“ We also know that Snapchatters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and how they can support friends who are struggling with them.
” Snapchat has one of the youngest audiences of any social media platform .
It reaches 90 percent of 13- to 24-year-olds , a group especially vulnerable to bullying or suggestive content .

Snap is rolling out its Here For You search tool a bit earlier than planned to help users who may be feeling anxious or stressed over the coronavirus pandemic, the company says. The Here For You tool was first announced in February, and it’s designed to surface “safety resources” from mental health experts when users search for topics like anxiety, depression, suicide, or bullying.
The company has now added a coronavirus-specific section to the tool “that will provide Snapchatters from the Ad Council, World Health Organization, the CDC, Crisis Text Line, NHS, and other partners who are creating content on anxiety specifically related to coronavirus,” the company says.
Originally slated for an April release, Snap expects the search tool to be available to all Snapchat users next week.
Snapchat’s new Here For You tool Snap
“Here For You was informed by studies that show that connecting with friends, whether in person or online is often the best defense against feelings of loneliness and anxiety,” a Snap spokesperson said in an email to The Verge. “We also know that Snapchatters are deeply interested in understanding these issues, and how they can support friends who are struggling with them.”


theverge--2020-03-19--Microsoft teases new Windows 10 UI in video celebrating a billion users

Microsoft ’ s Windows 10 operating system passed a billion active users earlier this week , and the company is now marking the occasion with a video that teases new features and UI changes .
In an Instagram video from Windows and Devices chief Panos Panay , Microsoft has revealed it ’ s pushing ahead with changes to the Windows 10 Start menu that will see the company deemphasize its Live Tiles .
Microsoft is planning to reduce the color of the blocks of the tiled interface on the Start menu to simplify it and make it easier to scan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the video alongside what appears to be some spacing changes to how Live Tiles are displayed .
Microsoft also appears to be working on improving its Fluent Design system in Windows 10 , with more modern context menus and even a new Files app .
We ’ ve been waiting quite some time for a modern take on the Windows File Explorer , and this video teases that one is coming soon .
It also includes many of Microsoft ’ s changes to the Windows icons that the company has been rolling out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gradually being updated with new and colorful icons ahead of a bigger effort to modernize the OS with Windows 10X for dual-screen devices like the Surface Neo .
The teaser video comes just days before Microsoft plans to unveil consumer subscriptions for its Microsoft 365 service during an online event on March 30th .
Microsoft is expected to bundle Office , Microsoft Teams , a password manager , and some general consumer-focused features into a monthly subscription .
We ’ re not expecting to hear anything about Microsoft ’ s upcoming Surface Book @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the event , but there will likely be some news on the company ’ s plans with Windows for 2020 and beyond .
Microsoft is also holding its Build developer event online this year , where we ’ ll hear more about Windows and Windows 10X for dual-screen devices .

Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system passed a billion active users earlier this week, and the company is now marking the occasion with a video that teases new features and UI changes. In an Instagram video from Windows and Devices chief Panos Panay, Microsoft has revealed it’s pushing ahead with changes to the Windows 10 Start menu that will see the company deemphasize its Live Tiles.
Microsoft is planning to reduce the color of the blocks of the tiled interface on the Start menu to simplify it and make it easier to scan for apps. This is shown in the video alongside what appears to be some spacing changes to how Live Tiles are displayed.
Microsoft also appears to be working on improving its Fluent Design system in Windows 10, with more modern context menus and even a new Files app. We’ve been waiting quite some time for a modern take on the Windows File Explorer, and this video teases that one is coming soon.
It also includes many of Microsoft’s changes to the Windows icons that the company has been rolling out recently. Built-in Windows 10 apps are gradually being updated with new and colorful icons ahead of a bigger effort to modernize the OS with Windows 10X for dual-screen devices like the Surface Neo.
Modern context menus. A new File Explorer.
The teaser video comes just days before Microsoft plans to unveil consumer subscriptions for its Microsoft 365 service during an online event on March 30th. Microsoft is expected to bundle Office, Microsoft Teams, a password manager, and some general consumer-focused features into a monthly subscription.


theverge--2020-03-20--Esports are back: how to watch the top League of Legends and CS:GO competitions

Esports leagues all over the world have been significantly affected by the ongoing spread of the novel coronavirus .
Many have been briefly suspended as the organizers have shifted matches from in-person LAN events to online formats to help prevent the spread of the virus .
Now , some leagues are starting to return , including the Overwatch League and the League of Legends Championship Series ( LCS ) , but in a new online format .
Weekends will once again be packed with great esports leagues to watch .
We ’ ve rounded up a few you can follow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inside because of social distancing .
The ESL Pro League , where teams compete in Counter-Strike : Global Offensive , has a match today at 9:25AM ET , and there are matches nearly every day until early April .
All of the league ’ s regular season matches of Season 11 will be played online instead of in front of a live audience , ESL Pro League announced on March 11th .
Teams have been split into four regional divisions to help the players avoid travel and to reduce latency in matches .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ full schedule here and catch games on the league ’ s Twitch channel .
Flashpoint , a new Counter-Strike : Global Offensive league that debuted in February , has its first match of the weekend today at 1PM ET , according to a tweet from Flashpoint .
The league said that it would be moving from LAN matches in Los Angeles to an online league on March 16th .
Flashpoint differs from other leagues in that it ’ s owned and managed by the teams that play in it — and some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Cloud9 , Gen.G , and Dignitas .
You can watch matches on Flashpoint ’ s Twitch channel .
League of Legends Championship Series : Saturday , March 21st at 5PM ET The LCS is back starting Saturday , March 21st at 5PM ET .
Matches will be played online for the remainder of the spring split , which ends on Sunday , March 29th , and the spring split finals , which end on Sunday , April 19th .
However , there won ’ t be Monday Night League games through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that means each day of LCS now has five games instead of the usual four .
Saturday ’ s match is the first since a one-weekend hiatus put in place to protect players and staff from the spread of the novel coronavirus .
LCS ’ s full schedule is here , and you can see games when they happen on the LCS ’ s Twitch channel .
League of Legends European Championship : Friday , March 20th at 1PM ET The League of Legends European Championship teams will also be playing the rest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with matches starting today at 1PM ET .
Matches will now be played every weekend until the finals , which take place on April 18th and 19th .
You can see the LEC ’ s full schedule here and watch games on the LEC ’ s Twitch channel .
Update March 20th , 8:10AM ET : Removed section on the Overwatch League , which has since postponed its online matches .

Esports leagues all over the world have been significantly affected by the ongoing spread of the novel coronavirus. Many have been briefly suspended as the organizers have shifted matches from in-person LAN events to online formats to help prevent the spread of the virus. Now, some leagues are starting to return, including the Overwatch League and the League of Legends Championship Series (LCS), but in a new online format. Weekends will once again be packed with great esports leagues to watch.
We’ve rounded up a few you can follow this weekend while you’re stuck inside because of social distancing.
Image: ESL Archives on Youtube
ESL Pro League: Friday, March 20th at 9:25AM ET
The ESL Pro League, where teams compete in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, has a match today at 9:25AM ET, and there are matches nearly every day until early April. All of the league’s regular season matches of Season 11 will be played online instead of in front of a live audience, ESL Pro League announced on March 11th. Teams have been split into four regional divisions to help the players avoid travel and to reduce latency in matches. You can see the league’s full schedule here and catch games on the league’s Twitch channel.
Image: Flashpoint on YouTube
Flashpoint: Friday, March 20th at 1PM ET
Flashpoint, a new Counter-Strike: Global Offensive league that debuted in February, has its first match of the weekend today at 1PM ET, according to a tweet from Flashpoint. The league said that it would be moving from LAN matches in Los Angeles to an online league on March 16th. Flashpoint differs from other leagues in that it’s owned and managed by the teams that play in it — and some of those teams are big names in esports, including Cloud9, Gen.G, and Dignitas. You can watch matches on Flashpoint’s Twitch channel.
Photo: Colin Young-Wolff / Riot Games
League of Legends Championship Series: Saturday, March 21st at 5PM ET
The LCS is back starting Saturday, March 21st at 5PM ET. Matches will be played online for the remainder of the spring split, which ends on Sunday, March 29th, and the spring split finals, which end on Sunday, April 19th. However, there won’t be Monday Night League games through the rest of the split — but that means each day of LCS now has five games instead of the usual four. Saturday’s match is the first since a one-weekend hiatus put in place to protect players and staff from the spread of the novel coronavirus. LCS’s full schedule is here, and you can see games when they happen on the LCS’s Twitch channel.
Image: Riot Games
League of Legends European Championship: Friday, March 20th at 1PM ET
The League of Legends European Championship teams will also be playing the rest of the spring split entirely online, with matches starting today at 1PM ET. Matches will now be played every weekend until the finals, which take place on April 18th and 19th. You can see the LEC’s full schedule here and watch games on the LEC’s Twitch channel.


theverge--2020-03-20--YouTube joins Netflix in reducing video quality in Europe

YouTube is reducing the quality of its videos in Europe , as an increase in home usage strains the continent ’ s internet during the novel coronavirus outbreak , Reuters reports .
“ We are making a commitment to temporarily switch all traffic in the EU to standard definition by default , ” the company said in a statement .
The decision comes after EU industry chief Thierry Breton called on streaming platforms to help reduce their load on the continent ’ s infrastructure .
Internet traffic is increasing as more people spend time at home in line with social-distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fears about the strain this could place on the internet ’ s infrastructure , and cause further disruption to remote workers and e-learning activities now that businesses and schools have been shuttered .
“ We are making a commitment to temporarily switch all traffic in the EU to standard definition by default ” The decision follows Netflix ’ s announcement that it will reduce the bitrate of its streams for 30 days , in an attempt to lower its network traffic by 25 percent .
Video streaming is a major source of internet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game downloads , while remote-work technologies like webmail and video-conferencing are thought to place relatively less strain on networks .
However , internet providers have stressed that their networks have enough headroom to handle the increased demand .
British telecoms provider BT recently put out a statement in which it said that while weekday daytime traffic has increased by between 35 and 60 percent , it is still half of average evening peak usage , and “ nowhere near ” its network ’ s full capacity .
Vodafone and TalkTalk , which also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ similar assurances to BBC News despite also seeing increases in web traffic .

YouTube is reducing the quality of its videos in Europe, as an increase in home usage strains the continent’s internet during the novel coronavirus outbreak, Reuters reports. “We are making a commitment to temporarily switch all traffic in the EU to standard definition by default,” the company said in a statement.
The decision comes after EU industry chief Thierry Breton called on streaming platforms to help reduce their load on the continent’s infrastructure. Internet traffic is increasing as more people spend time at home in line with social-distancing guidelines during the pandemic. There are fears about the strain this could place on the internet’s infrastructure, and cause further disruption to remote workers and e-learning activities now that businesses and schools have been shuttered.
“We are making a commitment to temporarily switch all traffic in the EU to standard definition by default”
The decision follows Netflix’s announcement that it will reduce the bitrate of its streams for 30 days, in an attempt to lower its network traffic by 25 percent. Video streaming is a major source of internet traffic, BBC News notes, alongside game downloads, while remote-work technologies like webmail and video-conferencing are thought to place relatively less strain on networks.


theverge--2020-03-20--Google discounts Stadia for the first time just as Doom Eternal launches

Google is discounting its Stadia cloud gaming service for the first time since its November launch .
The Stadia Premiere Edition , which includes a Stadia controller , Chromecast Ultra , and three months of Stadia Pro , is dropping from $ 129 to $ 99 for a one day sale until 11:59PM PT tonight ( 2:59AM ET on March 21st ) .
The sale is limited to the US to celebrate the launch of Doom Eternal , which arrives on Google Stadia today .
The game is priced at $ 59.99 for the standard edition and $ 89.99 for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stadia sale also comes just as the company is preparing to launch a free tier of the service in the coming months .
You ’ ll still need to purchase games individually on Stadia Pro or the free tier , but Google is promising 120 games this year , including 10 exclusives .
Google also launched 4K streaming support for Stadia on the web earlier this month .
Games like Assassin ’ s Creed Odyssey , Mortal Kombat 11 , and Grid can all be streamed at 4K from a Chrome browser , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ YouTube streaming and family game sharing might be coming soon , too .

Google is discounting its Stadia cloud gaming service for the first time since its November launch. The Stadia Premiere Edition, which includes a Stadia controller, Chromecast Ultra, and three months of Stadia Pro, is dropping from $129 to $99 for a one day sale until 11:59PM PT tonight (2:59AM ET on March 21st).
The sale is limited to the US to celebrate the launch of Doom Eternal, which arrives on Google Stadia today. The game is priced at $59.99 for the standard edition and $89.99 for the deluxe edition. Google’s Stadia sale also comes just as the company is preparing to launch a free tier of the service in the coming months. You’ll still need to purchase games individually on Stadia Pro or the free tier, but Google is promising 120 games this year, including 10 exclusives.


theverge--2020-03-20--Tech companies could face more pressure to share location data with governments to fight coronavirus

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By now most Americans have gotten the message that , as much as possible , they need to stay away from everyone else .
In San Francisco and a growing number of other cities around the world , all non-essential travel has been banned .
Even in cases where life more closely resembles normalcy , the government has encouraged social distancing .
And if anyone in your life isn ’ t yet under self-quarantine , sending them this brutal essay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trick .
It ’ s a plausible account of how you might contract COVID-19 even while doing your best to wash your hands and minimize social contacts ; the prose is so sharp and severe that I almost found it cruel .
OK , so you ’ re social distancing ; I ’ m social distancing .
How ’ s everyone else doing ?
It ’ s a question we all have a vested interest in answering , from government and elected officials managing the outbreak to everyday citizens wondering how long we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up .
But the fatally slow rollout of testing in the United States has made it much harder than it should be to trace the path of the disease throughout the country .
And so the government has begun to consider other solutions .
Here ’ s Tony Romm , Elizabeth Dwoskin , and Craig Timberg this week in the Washington Post : You don ’ t have to be a dues-paying member of the Electronic Frontier Foundation to shiver at some of the implications here .
The government is going to monitor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staying a safe distance away from people most of the time ?
Even if the data was anonymized as promised , it still might seem like a dangerous precedent to set .
When else might the government ask to track our phones ?
Given the sensitivity people have had lately around the potential misuse of their Facebook data in particular , it makes sense that this was the first question Mark Zuckerberg got yesterday during his briefing with the press .
As it turns out , Facebook has made aggregated , anonymized location @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lapowsky wrote about the program on Tuesday in Protocol : Schroeder told Protocol that he plans to begin sharing a daily briefing with the California Department of Public Health with his findings .
But Facebook isn ’ t sharing data directly with the government .
“ We ’ re not aware of any active conversations or asks with the U.S. or other governments at this point asking for access to that data directly , ” Zuckerberg said on Wednesday ’ s call .
“ So I think some of those reports might have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ projects that we ’ ve been doing in the past.
” That would seem to explain the Facebook part of the story .
But how about Google ?
Here ’ s what the company said when I asked .
( It was the same thing the company told the Post . )
I ’ m told that this work is in the very early stages of development .
At the moment , Google hasn ’ t shared any anonymized location data with the government , and has no plans to join in on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In short , whatever conversations may have been had between Big Tech and the government recently , it doesn ’ t seem like it ’ s going to lead to the direct sharing of location data .
Still , Sen. Ed Markey , D-MA , sent a letter to the office of the chief technology officer of the United States on Thursday with questions about how the CTO planned to use any such data .
“ Although I agree that we must use technological innovations and collaboration with the private sector to combat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action that represents a wholesale privacy invasion , particularly when it involves highly sensitive and personal location information.
” Of course , other governments have no such compunctions about the use of surveillance .
For example , here ’ s the scene in Israel , according to the Post ’ s Steve Hendrix and Ruth Eglash : And here ’ s what ’ s happening in England , via Sky News ’ Alexander Martin : One lesson from all this is that if a tech giant ever tells a government that it can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there ’ s likely a telecom in that country that will be happy to give it away or sell it .
Another is that we ’ re about to learn a lot about the effectiveness of varying technological approaches to addressing the pandemic .
Again , it would be best for everyone in the United States if the company began testing people for COVID-19 with the diligence that other modern nations have .
But if that effort continues to lag , we would do well to push harder on developing alternatives .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that if Facebook and its CEO could take questions from the press about the company ’ s COVID-19 response , so could the other big tech companies that now make up a vital part of our national infrastructure : Amazon , Google , and Twitter .
I also tweeted as much , and to my pleasant surprise , got a tweet back from Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey .
I ’ m glad to hear it — and , of course , will bring you whatever transpires from that briefing here in this space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public perception of the big tech platforms .
Trending up : TikTok is partnering with After-School All-Stars to donate $ 3 million to help families who ’ ve lost access to free or reduced-cost school meals due the coronavirus pandemic .
Trending up : Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan ’ s philanthropic project the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is collaborating with UCSF to expand COVID-19 testing in the Bay Area .
Trending up : YouTube is launching a specific section for COVID-19 news to give people more access to reliable information about the crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out its Here For You search tool a bit earlier than planned to help users who may be feeling anxious or stressed over the coronavirus pandemic .
⭐ More than 8 million people who live in Kashmir , the disputed region between India and Pakistan , are unable to get reliable information about the coronavirus pandemic because the government is slowing down the internet .
Pranav Dixit has the sad story at BuzzFeed : More than half of Californians could be infected by the coronavirus within the next eight weeks , Gov .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the president asking for aid .
( Taryn Luna / Los Angeles Times ) Twitter is relying more heavily on AI to flag content that violates its policies while staff stays home due to the novel coronavirus .
It ’ s an effort to suppress misinformation — but how bad will the false positives be ?
( Twitter ) Amazon is scrambling to improve its warehouse safety after employees spoke out about potentially dangerous conditions given the outbreak of the coronavirus .
The company will no longer force warehouse workers to gather in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” meetings before every shift .
( Caroline O ’ Donovan and Ken Bensinger / BuzzFeed ) Sadly , Amazon also confirmed the first case of coronavirus at one of its American warehouses .
Workers at the company ’ s warehouse in Queens , New York were informed of the news in a text message .
( Olga Khazan / The Atlantic ) Uber said rides are down as much as 70 percent in cities like Seattle due to the novel coronavirus .
The company is considering leveraging its network to deliver medicine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lunden / TechCrunch ) Coronavirus testing is in short supply in areas of the country , but some celebrities have been able to get tested without even exhibiting symptoms .
The situation has prompted a debate about access and elitism , and whether those who are well-connected go to the front of the line .
( Megan Twohey , Steve Eder and Marc Stein / The New York Times ) Scammers are trying to trick people into reserving a COVID-19 vaccine over the phone .
They ’ re pretending to be from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peoples ’ credit card and social security numbers .
( Zoe Schiffer / The Verge ) Facebook is putting review of augmented reality filters on hold during the crisis .
It ’ s an effect of sending most of its contracted content moderators home .
Netflix is slowing down in Europe to keep the internet from breaking .
The move comes in response to an unprecedented uptick in internet usage since more people started staying in their homes due to the coronavirus pandemic .
( Hadas Gold / CNN ) This Q & @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from New Yorker ace interviewer Isaac Chotiner is really helpful for understanding what you can and can not do right now .
Coronavirus has split people into two factions : Those who can afford to offload their risk of becoming infected with a deadly pandemic onto others , and those who deliver food and other goods to their homes .
( Jason Koebler / Vice ) Even in the middle of a national emergency , some companies are still asking employees to come into the office to work for questionable reasons .
( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are springing up as social media continues to elevate the voices of some people speaking out about the crisis , regardless of whether or not they have a background in medicine or public health .
( Ryan Broderick / BuzzFeed ) Social media platforms have been unexpectedly reliable in spreading information about the coronavirus pandemic .
But they ’ ve also made coronavirus content impossible to escape .
( Amanda Hess / The New York Times ) What does coming back to work from coronavirus look like ?
Zheping Huang shares the view @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bloomberg ) PSA : 40 percent of coronavirus hospitalizations so far have been for people ages 20 to 54 .
The Federal Communications Commission ( FCC ) temporarily waived rules in its Rural Health Care and E-Rate programs to help promote better access to broadband for remote learning during the coronavirus pandemic .
( Marguerite Reardon / CNET ) Microsoft Teams usage rose nearly 40 percent in a week as more businesses turn to remote work .
The company is planning to introduce a new real-time noise suppression feature for Teams meetings later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Verge ) ⭐Trump signed off on a new coronavirus aid bill .
The measure provides free coronavirus testing and ensures paid emergency leave for those who are infected or caring for a family member with the illness .
Here ’ s Lauren Egan at NBC : Joe Biden postponed a virtual fundraiser until next week following technical difficulties with an online town hall .
The campaign has moved to virtual events as the coronavirus continues to spread .
( Brian Schwartz / CNBC ) A mathematical model of how coronavirus could reshape @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( William Wan , Joel Achenbach , Carolyn Y. Johnson and Ben Guarino / The Washington Post ) Elon Musk tweeted that he ’ s willing to have Tesla and SpaceX make ventilators to help patients with severe symptoms of COVID-19 .
Now New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio wants to take him up on that offer .
( Sean O ’ Kane / The Verge ) Google approved the creation of a worker council in Europe to give employees more power over company decisions .
The council would give employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such as organizational changes or job cuts .
( Ryan Gallagher / Bloomberg ) The EARN IT Act takes aim at free speech and privacy on the internet , under the pretense of saving sexually abused children .
It sounds a lot like the 2018 “ sex trafficking ” law FOSTA .
( Elizabeth Nolan Brown / Reason ) Content moderation in India is often outsourced to third-party companies .
The process puts a lot of power in the hands of young contractors who have to make split-second decisions about what people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Banerjee / Livemint ) While we ’ re all stuck at home , we have a moral responsibility to share are boring lives on the internet .
( Kaitlyn Tiffany / The Atlantic ) A new project aims to turn social distancing into a dating game , taking a cue from “ Love Is Blind.
” Here , the pods are cells on a Google spreadsheet .
The dates are phone calls .
( Taylor Lorenz / The New York Times ) The dating site Plenty of Fish is launching a new video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ users to meet virtually without abandoning the practice of social distancing .
What could possibly go wrong ?
( Cody Toombs / Android Police ) Celebrities are flocking to Instagram Live to entertain fans while they isolate themselves from crowds amid the coronavirus outbreak .
Some notable faces include Miley Cyrus , Demi Lovato , Justin Bieber , John Legend , and Chrissy Teigen .
( Kalhan Rosenblatt / NBC ) Stuff to occupy you online during the quarantine .
Pick a weekend project to help on the coronavirus response effort from this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Here are three ways San Franciscans can help with the crisis .
Check out this list of relief funds for restaurants , bars , and service industry workers — some of the people and places hardest hit by the crisis .
Try a free month of Scribd , a kind of Netflix for books with millions of ebooks , audiobooks , and magazine articles .
Another meditation app is going free through April .
Read the censored journalism that is being maintained in a library in Minecraft .
Send us tips , comments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirming that you are complying with social distancing guidelines : casey @ theverge.com and zoe @ theverge.com .

By now most Americans have gotten the message that, as much as possible, they need to stay away from everyone else. In San Francisco and a growing number of other cities around the world, all non-essential travel has been banned. Even in cases where life more closely resembles normalcy, the government has encouraged social distancing. And if anyone in your life isn’t yet under self-quarantine, sending them this brutal essay by Jeff Wise ought to do the trick. It’s a plausible account of how you might contract COVID-19 even while doing your best to wash your hands and minimize social contacts; the prose is so sharp and severe that I almost found it cruel.
OK, so you’re social distancing; I’m social distancing. How’s everyone else doing? It’s a question we all have a vested interest in answering, from government and elected officials managing the outbreak to everyday citizens wondering how long we’re all going to be caged up. But the fatally slow rollout of testing in the United States has made it much harder than it should be to trace the path of the disease throughout the country. And so the government has begun to consider other solutions.
Tech solutions.
Here’s Tony Romm, Elizabeth Dwoskin, and Craig Timberg this week in the Washington Post:
The U.S. government is in active talks with Facebook, Google and a wide array of tech companies and health experts about how they can use location data gleaned from Americans’ phones to combat the novel coronavirus, including tracking whether people are keeping one another at safe distances to stem the outbreak. Public-health experts are interested in the possibility that private-sector companies could compile the data in anonymous, aggregated form, which they could then use to map the spread of the infection, according to three people familiar with the effort, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the project is in its early stages.
You don’t have to be a dues-paying member of the Electronic Frontier Foundation to shiver at some of the implications here. The government is going to monitor your location to ensure you’re staying a safe distance away from people most of the time? Even if the data was anonymized as promised, it still might seem like a dangerous precedent to set. When else might the government ask to track our phones?
Given the sensitivity people have had lately around the potential misuse of their Facebook data in particular, it makes sense that this was the first question Mark Zuckerberg got yesterday during his briefing with the press. As it turns out, Facebook has made aggregated, anonymized location data available to academic researchers. Issie Lapowsky wrote about the program on Tuesday in Protocol:
Andrew Schroeder is vice president of research and analysis at Direct Relief, an international disaster relief organization based in Santa Barbara. Since 2017, Schroeder has been using mapping tools developed by Facebook’s Data for Good team to track population movements during natural disasters and disease outbreaks. These maps use aggregated, de-identified location data from Facebook users who have location history turned on in their Facebook apps. Some 125 nonprofits and research institutions around the world have access to them. Schroeder has used them to track evacuation efforts during California’s wildfires and map the cholera outbreak in Mozambique. But as social distancing efforts have swept the country over the last week, Schroeder began to realize that the same tools he’s used to track where people in crisis are moving could also be used to track whether they’re staying put.
Schroeder told Protocol that he plans to begin sharing a daily briefing with the California Department of Public Health with his findings.
But Facebook isn’t sharing data directly with the government. “We’re not aware of any active conversations or asks with the U.S. or other governments at this point asking for access to that data directly,” Zuckerberg said on Wednesday’s call. “So I think some of those reports might have just been rehashing the disease prevention maps projects that we’ve been doing in the past.”
That would seem to explain the Facebook part of the story. But how about Google? Here’s what the company said when I asked. (It was the same thing the company told the Post.)
“We’re exploring ways that aggregated anonymized location information could help in the fight against COVID-19. One example could be helping health authorities determine the impact of social distancing, similar to the way we show popular restaurant times and traffic patterns in Google Maps. This work would follow our stringent privacy protocols and would not involve sharing data about any individual’s location, movement, or contacts. We will provide more details when available.”
I’m told that this work is in the very early stages of development. At the moment, Google hasn’t shared any anonymized location data with the government, and has no plans to join in on an industry effort should one materialize.
In short, whatever conversations may have been had between Big Tech and the government recently, it doesn’t seem like it’s going to lead to the direct sharing of location data. Still, Sen. Ed Markey, D-MA, sent a letter to the office of the chief technology officer of the United States on Thursday with questions about how the CTO planned to use any such data. “Although I agree that we must use technological innovations and collaboration with the private sector to combat the coronavirus, we cannot embrace action that represents a wholesale privacy invasion, particularly when it involves highly sensitive and personal location information.”
Of course, other governments have no such compunctions about the use of surveillance. For example, here’s the scene in Israel, according to the Post’s Steve Hendrix and Ruth Eglash:
Four hundred Israelis looked at their cellphones Wednesday night and discovered just how closely their government is keeping tabs on them during the coronavirus crisis. The country’s Health Ministry had sent tailored text alerts telling citizens that a digital review of their movements showed they had been in proximity to a person known to have tested positive for the virus. It was not just an advisory. The text also delivered an instant quarantine order, in keeping with ever tightening restrictions dictated by the Israeli government. “You must immediately go into isolation [for 14 days] to protect your relatives and the public,” the notice said.
And here’s what’s happening in England, via Sky News’ Alexander Martin:
The government is working with mobile network O2 to analyse anonymous smartphone location data to see whether people are following its social distancing guidelines, Sky News has learned. Ministers and officials believe they can use anonymous mobile phone location data to analyse how Londoners have reacted to its guidance on social distancing and the new transport restrictions.
One lesson from all this is that if a tech giant ever tells a government that it can’t have a data set, there’s likely a telecom in that country that will be happy to give it away or sell it. Another is that we’re about to learn a lot about the effectiveness of varying technological approaches to addressing the pandemic. Again, it would be best for everyone in the United States if the company began testing people for COVID-19 with the diligence that other modern nations have. But if that effort continues to lag, we would do well to push harder on developing alternatives.
Pushback
In yesterday’s column, I wrote that if Facebook and its CEO could take questions from the press about the company’s COVID-19 response, so could the other big tech companies that now make up a vital part of our national infrastructure: Amazon, Google, and Twitter. I also tweeted as much, and to my pleasant surprise, got a tweet back from Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey.
I’m glad to hear it — and, of course, will bring you whatever transpires from that briefing here in this space.
The Ratio
Today in news that could affect public perception of the big tech platforms.
Pandemic
⭐ More than 8 million people who live in Kashmir, the disputed region between India and Pakistan, are unable to get reliable information about the coronavirus pandemic because the government is slowing down the internet. Pranav Dixit has the sad story at BuzzFeed:
A new government order, which was released Tuesday, has extended the region’s existing restrictions on internet speed until March 26 to “prevent misuse of social media applications” and following “recent terror activities” in the region. But locals said that the restrictions on internet speed are unacceptable at a time when access to timely and reliable information about the coronavirus is crucial. “I can’t open even basic websites that provide information and advice about the pandemic,” Nayeem Rather, a freelance writer based in Srinagar, the largest city in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, told BuzzFeed News. “Most people in Kashmir don’t really have any information about the coronavirus or what is going on in the world right now. It’s a crisis.”
More than half of Californians could be infected by the coronavirus within the next eight weeks, Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a letter to the president asking for aid. (Taryn Luna / Los Angeles Times)
Twitter is relying more heavily on AI to flag content that violates its policies while staff stays home due to the novel coronavirus. It’s an effort to suppress misinformation — but how bad will the false positives be? (Twitter)
Amazon is scrambling to improve its warehouse safety after employees spoke out about potentially dangerous conditions given the outbreak of the coronavirus. The company will no longer force warehouse workers to gather in closely packed groups for “stand up” meetings before every shift. (Caroline O’Donovan and Ken Bensinger / BuzzFeed)
Sadly, Amazon also confirmed the first case of coronavirus at one of its American warehouses. Workers at the company’s warehouse in Queens, New York were informed of the news in a text message. (Olga Khazan / The Atlantic)
Uber said rides are down as much as 70 percent in cities like Seattle due to the novel coronavirus. The company is considering leveraging its network to deliver medicine or other basic goods. (Ingrid Lunden / TechCrunch)
Coronavirus testing is in short supply in areas of the country, but some celebrities have been able to get tested without even exhibiting symptoms. The situation has prompted a debate about access and elitism, and whether those who are well-connected go to the front of the line. (Megan Twohey, Steve Eder and Marc Stein / The New York Times)
Scammers are trying to trick people into reserving a COVID-19 vaccine over the phone. They’re pretending to be from the Centers for Disease Control and asking for peoples’ credit card and social security numbers. (Zoe Schiffer / The Verge)
Facebook is putting review of augmented reality filters on hold during the crisis. It’s an effect of sending most of its contracted content moderators home.
Netflix is slowing down in Europe to keep the internet from breaking. The move comes in response to an unprecedented uptick in internet usage since more people started staying in their homes due to the coronavirus pandemic. (Hadas Gold / CNN)
Coronavirus has split people into two factions: Those who can afford to offload their risk of becoming infected with a deadly pandemic onto others, and those who deliver food and other goods to their homes. (Jason Koebler / Vice)
Social media platforms have been unexpectedly reliable in spreading information about the coronavirus pandemic. But they’ve also made coronavirus content impossible to escape. (Amanda Hess / The New York Times)
Microsoft Teams usage rose nearly 40 percent in a week as more businesses turn to remote work. The company is planning to introduce a new real-time noise suppression feature for Teams meetings later this year. (Tom Warren / The Verge)
Governing
⭐Trump signed off on a new coronavirus aid bill. The measure provides free coronavirus testing and ensures paid emergency leave for those who are infected or caring for a family member with the illness. Here’s Lauren Egan at NBC:
The aid package sent to Trump on Wednesday is the second emergency bill that Congress has passed in recent weeks. Last week, the Senate approved an $8.3 billion House-passed measure that focused on vaccine research and development. With passage of the second emergency bill Wednesday, Senate Republicans are turning their attention to what they are calling the third phase of the coronavirus response: a $1 trillion spending proposal from the White House that would include $500 billion in direct payments to Americans.
Joe Biden postponed a virtual fundraiser until next week following technical difficulties with an online town hall. The campaign has moved to virtual events as the coronavirus continues to spread. (Brian Schwartz / CNBC)
A mathematical model of how coronavirus could reshape the United States in the coming months. (William Wan, Joel Achenbach, Carolyn Y. Johnson and Ben Guarino / The Washington Post)
Elon Musk tweeted that he’s willing to have Tesla and SpaceX make ventilators to help patients with severe symptoms of COVID-19. Now New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio wants to take him up on that offer. (Sean O’Kane / The Verge)
Google approved the creation of a worker council in Europe to give employees more power over company decisions. The council would give employees the right to be consulted about issues such as organizational changes or job cuts. (Ryan Gallagher / Bloomberg)
The EARN IT Act takes aim at free speech and privacy on the internet, under the pretense of saving sexually abused children. It sounds a lot like the 2018 “sex trafficking” law FOSTA. (Elizabeth Nolan Brown / Reason)
Industry
Content moderation in India is often outsourced to third-party companies. The process puts a lot of power in the hands of young contractors who have to make split-second decisions about what people are allowed to see online. (Prasid Banerjee / Livemint)
A new project aims to turn social distancing into a dating game, taking a cue from “Love Is Blind.” Here, the pods are cells on a Google spreadsheet. The dates are phone calls. (Taylor Lorenz / The New York Times)
The dating site Plenty of Fish is launching a new video streaming feature to make it easier for users to meet virtually without abandoning the practice of social distancing. What could possibly go wrong? (Cody Toombs / Android Police)
Celebrities are flocking to Instagram Live to entertain fans while they isolate themselves from crowds amid the coronavirus outbreak. Some notable faces include Miley Cyrus, Demi Lovato, Justin Bieber, John Legend, and Chrissy Teigen. (Kalhan Rosenblatt / NBC)
Things to do
Stuff to occupy you online during the quarantine.
Those good tweets
Talk to us


theverge--2020-03-20--Twitter won’t remove irresponsible Elon Musk tweet about coronavirus

Twitter will not take down a tweet from billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk where he said children are “ essentially immune ” to COVID-19 , the disease caused by the novel coronavirus , despite early evidence that they can be infected and become seriously ill. Musk sent the tweet at 5:55PM ET on Thursday in response to a question from a user with the display name “ Hopeful Pope of Muskanity.
” “ Kids are essentially immune , but elderly with existing conditions are vulnerable .
Family gatherings with close contact between kids & grandparents probably most risky , ” Musk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it was joining forces with Facebook and others to fight misinformation about the growing pandemic .
And while experts agree that elderly people with preexisting conditions are at high risk , the first clause of Musk ’ s tweet appeared to be at odds with new guidelines from Twitter about how it plans to moderate coronavirus content .
In a blog published this week , Twitter said it was “ [ b ] roadening our definition of harm to address content that goes directly against guidance from authoritative sources of global and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the examples the company gave was this : While younger people do , on average , seem to be less affected by COVID-19 , there is early evidence that it can still cause major health issues in some children , and especially infants .
But that ’ s not enough to put Musk ’ s tweet into the territory of misinformation , according to Twitter .
“ When reviewing the overall context and conclusion of the Tweet , it does not break our rules , the company said in a statement to The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to consult with trusted partners such as health authorities to identify content that is most harmful.
” Musk has repeatedly underplayed the coronavirus pandemic throughout the month of March .
After saying the panic over the virus was “ dumb , ” he compared the lethality of COVID-19 to that of car crashes — which do not spread virally and are not contagious — in an email to employees at SpaceX .
He continued this trend on Thursday , even after offering to make desperately-needed ventilators .
The thread that led up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sharing a New York Times story about how China had reported no new cases of domestic spread of the novel coronavirus on Thursday .
When asked if he believed the numbers coming from China ’ s authoritarian leadership , Musk said yes .
He then followed up with another tweet where he said he believed there would “ probably ” be no new cases of COVID-19 by the “ end of April.
” Just hours after Musk ’ s tweets , California governor Gavin Newsom ordered the state ’ s 40 million residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notice ( except for essential activities like buying food ) to help stomp out the spread of the coronavirus .
The governor said Thursday he believes over 25 million California residents could become infected within the next eight weeks .
Earlier this month , Twitter removed tweets from John McAfee , David Clarke , and others as part of a “ zero-tolerance approach to platform manipulation and any other attempts to abuse our service at this critical juncture .
”

Twitter will not take down a tweet from billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk where he said children are “essentially immune” to COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, despite early evidence that they can be infected and become seriously ill.
Musk sent the tweet at 5:55PM ET on Thursday in response to a question from a user with the display name “Hopeful Pope of Muskanity.”
“Kids are essentially immune, but elderly with existing conditions are vulnerable. Family gatherings with close contact between kids & grandparents probably most risky,” Musk wrote.
Twitter announced earlier this week that it was joining forces with Facebook and others to fight misinformation about the growing pandemic. And while experts agree that elderly people with preexisting conditions are at high risk, the first clause of Musk’s tweet appeared to be at odds with new guidelines from Twitter about how it plans to moderate coronavirus content. In a blog published this week, Twitter said it was “[b]roadening our definition of harm to address content that goes directly against guidance from authoritative sources of global and local public health information.” One of the examples the company gave was this:
Denial of established scientific facts about transmission during the incubation period or transmission guidance from global and local health authorities, such as “COVID-19 does not infect children because we haven’t seen any cases of children being sick.”
While younger people do, on average, seem to be less affected by COVID-19, there is early evidence that it can still cause major health issues in some children, and especially infants.
But that’s not enough to put Musk’s tweet into the territory of misinformation, according to Twitter.
“When reviewing the overall context and conclusion of the Tweet, it does not break our rules, the company said in a statement to The Verge. “We’ll continue to consult with trusted partners such as health authorities to identify content that is most harmful.”
Musk has repeatedly underplayed the coronavirus pandemic throughout the month of March. After saying the panic over the virus was “dumb,” he compared the lethality of COVID-19 to that of car crashes — which do not spread virally and are not contagious — in an email to employees at SpaceX.
He continued this trend on Thursday, even after offering to make desperately-needed ventilators.
The thread that led up to the tweet in question started with Musk sharing a New York Times story about how China had reported no new cases of domestic spread of the novel coronavirus on Thursday. When asked if he believed the numbers coming from China’s authoritarian leadership, Musk said yes. He then followed up with another tweet where he said he believed there would “probably” be no new cases of COVID-19 by the “end of April.”
Just hours after Musk’s tweets, California governor Gavin Newsom ordered the state’s 40 million residents to stay in their homes until further notice (except for essential activities like buying food) to help stomp out the spread of the coronavirus. The governor said Thursday he believes over 25 million California residents could become infected within the next eight weeks.


theverge--2020-03-20--Xbox Live is down for the second time this week

Microsoft ’ s Xbox Live service is down again for the second time this week .
Issues first began popping up some time after 7PM ET on Friday , with Down Detector indicating sharp spikes in user-reported connection problems and Microsoft later confirming Twitter that it ’ s “ experiencing issues ” with matchmaking , Party Chat , and Looking for Groups.
” On Sunday , Xbox Live experienced a similar outage that lasted more than two hours .
That was slightly more serious , with users reporting issues signing into Xbox One devices .
This time around , Microsoft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t seem to be indicating any problems yet , although the company is acknowledging that it ’ s working on a fix .
Unfortunately for Microsoft , this is a rather inopportune time to for its multiplayer gaming service to suffer another outage .
There are millions of people in the US right now practicing social distancing and being asked by local governments to stay away from public spaces now that bars , restaurants , and other core social institutions have ceased operating in response to the coronavirus crisis .
That means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video games and staying in touch with friends online in the process , or at least in the case of Xbox users , trying to do so .

Microsoft’s Xbox Live service went down again for the second time this week. Issues first began popping up some time after 7PM ET on Friday, with Down Detector indicating sharp spikes in user-reported connection problems and Microsoft later confirming Twitter that it’s “experiencing issues” with matchmaking, Party Chat, and Looking for Groups.”
On Sunday, Xbox Live experienced a similar outage that lasted more than two hours. That was slightly more serious, with users reporting issues signing into Xbox One devices. Microsoft’s Xbox Live Status page currently says there are still issues with the social and gaming portions of the platform.
At roughly 10:45PM ET, Microsoft said it had resolved the issues around matchmaking and Party Chat, but it did not say it had fixed Looking For Groups.
Unfortunately for Microsoft, it was a rather inopportune time to for its multiplayer gaming service to suffer another outage.
There are millions of people in the US right now practicing social distancing and being asked by local governments to stay away from public spaces now that bars, restaurants, and other core social institutions have ceased operating in response to the coronavirus crisis. That means there are quite a few people playing video games and staying in touch with friends online in the process, or at least in the case of Xbox users, trying to do so.


theverge--2020-03-20--A first look at Microsoft’s xCloud game streaming service for Windows PCs

Microsoft has started testing its Project xCloud game streaming service for Windows 10 PCs this week .
The software giant is making the preview version , which lets you stream Xbox games to a PC , available to all Microsoft employees .
The Verge has been able to obtain exclusive screenshots of how xCloud will work on PCs .
Microsoft has developed an Xbox Game Streaming app for Windows 10 that will be available in the Windows Store .
Much like the Android or iOS versions , the app requires a Bluetooth Xbox One controller , a Microsoft account , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ PC app will also support streaming games from an Xbox One console locally or remotely , instead of using Microsoft ’ s xCloud server blades .
There are a variety of games available to Microsoft employees to test , but the app is currently limited to 720p streams for now .
“ This internal preview is running at 720p resolution with 1080p just around the corner , ” reveals an internal Microsoft support note .
The experience is very similar to what is available on Android and iOS , even down to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and stream games .
It certainly looks ready to be tested broadly , and it ’ s likely that Microsoft will roll this out to external Xbox testers soon .
Microsoft also recently upgraded its xCloud server blades to include eight Xbox One S consoles in a single server instance .
That ’ s up from the four the company was previously testing .
Microsoft is now working to eventually transition these xCloud servers to the Xbox Series X processor .
This next-gen processor is far more powerful and capable of running four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a single chip .
It also includes a new built-in video encoder that is up to six times faster than the current external encoder that Microsoft uses on existing xCloud servers .
Microsoft has committed to launching xCloud this year , with PS4 controller support and this Windows 10 streaming on the way .
The Xbox maker is planning to integrate Project xCloud with Xbox Game Pass later this year , allowing players to stream games from the company ’ s subscription service directly from the cloud .

Microsoft has started testing its Project xCloud game streaming service for Windows 10 PCs this week. The software giant is making the preview version, which lets you stream Xbox games to a PC, available to all Microsoft employees. The Verge has been able to obtain exclusive screenshots of how xCloud will work on PCs.
Microsoft has developed an Xbox Game Streaming app for Windows 10 that will be available in the Windows Store. Much like the Android or iOS versions, the app requires a Bluetooth Xbox One controller, a Microsoft account, and a good internet connection. The PC app will also support streaming games from an Xbox One console locally or remotely, instead of using Microsoft’s xCloud server blades.
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There are a variety of games available to Microsoft employees to test, but the app is currently limited to 720p streams for now. “This internal preview is running at 720p resolution with 1080p just around the corner,” reveals an internal Microsoft support note.
The experience is very similar to what is available on Android and iOS, even down to the user interface and the way you access and stream games. It certainly looks ready to be tested broadly, and it’s likely that Microsoft will roll this out to external Xbox testers soon.
Microsoft also recently upgraded its xCloud server blades to include eight Xbox One S consoles in a single server instance. That’s up from the four the company was previously testing.
Microsoft’s xCloud server
Microsoft is now working to eventually transition these xCloud servers to the Xbox Series X processor. This next-gen processor is far more powerful and capable of running four Xbox One S game sessions simultaneously on a single chip. It also includes a new built-in video encoder that is up to six times faster than the current external encoder that Microsoft uses on existing xCloud servers.