theverge--2020-09-05--Read Epic’s new, full argument why a court should force Apple to reinstate Fortnite

Shortly before midnight on the Friday before Labor Day weekend — we ’ re curious about the timing — Epic Games pushed the button on its next legal action against Apple ’ s ban on the immensely popular Fortnite .
There was no question that Epic would file for a preliminary injunction against Apple in an attempt to force the iPhone maker to bring Fortnite back to the App Store — hearings were already scheduled for September 28th .
But now , you can read the company ’ s full argument ( here ’ s a PDF ; it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether you think Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers is likely to be swayed .
You may remember that Judge Rogers was already unwilling to issue a temporary restraining order against Apple to protect Epic ’ s games , partly because Epic hadn ’ t proven it had actually been harmed , and partly because the judge felt that Epic “ strategically chose to breach its agreements with Apple ” and so was at least partially to blame .
But in the new filing , Epic argues that more than its reputation has been harmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have declined by over 60 % since Fortnite ’ s removal from the App Store , ” Epic claims .
( It measured through September 2nd , in case you ’ re curious ; by that point Fortnite had effectively split into two different games . )
Fortnite on iOS is practically a third of the entire game ’ s audience Epic says iOS is the biggest platform for Fortnite , too : 116 million registered users , or nearly a third of the 350 million registered users Epic says Fortnite has attracted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent of Fortnite users on iOS access Fortnite only on iOS , and that it ’ s the only way for many people to play the game .
Epic says it ’ s worried it “ may never see these users again ” ( referring to the 60 percent decline ) ; that its Fortnite community of players has been torn apart ; and that some of its non-Fortnite customers have also been collateral damage .
As we reported last week , some of Epic ’ s other games are no longer available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its Shadow Complex Remastered has been removed from the Mac App Store , too , after Apple terminated Epic ’ s developer account .
Epic also claims that Apple is threatening to deny any attempts to apply for a new developer account “ for at least a year , ” quoting a communication from Apple itself , and is arguing that the harm it would endure by being “ denied the opportunity to access even a single new user among the one-billion-plus iOS users for at least the next year ” is harm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There ’ s a lot more to read in the full document .
The first motion runs 38 pages , not to mention the addendums that Epic tacked on .
Apple didn ’ t immediately respond to a request for comment , but we weren ’ t really expecting them to at this hour .
We ’ ll see what happens on September 28th .

Shortly before midnight on the Friday before Labor Day weekend, Epic Games pushed the button on its next legal action against Apple’s ban on the immensely popular Fortnite.
There was no question that Epic would file for a preliminary injunction against Apple in an attempt to force the iPhone maker to bring Fortnite back to the App Store — hearings were already scheduled for September 28th. But now, you can read the company’s full argument (here’s a PDF; it’s also embedded below) and decide whether you think Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers is likely to be swayed.
You may remember that Judge Rogers was already unwilling to issue a temporary restraining order against Apple to protect Epic’s games, partly because Epic hadn’t proven it had actually been harmed, and partly because the judge felt that Epic “strategically chose to breach its agreements with Apple” and so was at least partially to blame.
But in the new filing, Epic argues that more than its reputation has been harmed: “Daily active users on iOS have declined by over 60% since Fortnite’s removal from the App Store,” Epic claims. (It measured through September 2nd, in case you’re curious; by that point Fortnite had effectively split into two different games.)
Fortnite on iOS is practically a third of the entire game’s audience
Epic says iOS is the biggest platform for Fortnite, too: 116 million registered users, or nearly a third of the 350 million registered users Epic says Fortnite has attracted in total. It also claims 63 percent of Fortnite users on iOS access Fortnite only on iOS, and that it’s the only way for many people to play the game.
Epic says it’s worried it “may never see these users again” (referring to the 60 percent decline); that its Fortnite community of players has been torn apart; and that some of its non-Fortnite customers have also been collateral damage. As we reported last week, some of Epic’s other games are no longer available to re-download, and Epic says that its Shadow Complex Remastered has been removed from the Mac App Store, too, after Apple terminated Epic’s developer account.
Epic also claims that Apple is threatening to deny any attempts to apply for a new developer account “for at least a year,” quoting a communication from Apple itself, and is arguing that the harm it would endure by being “denied the opportunity to access even a single new user among the one-billion-plus iOS users for at least the next year” is harm worth creating a preliminary injunction for.
There’s a lot more to read in the full document. The first motion runs 38 pages, not to mention the addendums that Epic tacked on.
Apple referred us to its previous statements, the most recent of which is this:
We are disappointed that we have had to terminate the Epic Games account on the App Store. We have worked with the team at Epic Games for many years on their launches and releases. The court recommended that Epic comply with the App Store guidelines while their case moves forward, guidelines they’ve followed for the past decade until they created this situation. Epic has refused. Instead they repeatedly submit Fortnite updates designed to violate the guidelines of the App Store. This is not fair to all other developers on the App Store and is putting customers in the middle of their fight. We hope that we can work together again in the future, but unfortunately that is not possible today.
We’ll see what happens on September 28th.


theverge--2020-09-05--Black Panther titles are free right now on Comixology

Amazon-owned cloud-based comic book platform Comixology appears to be offering a wide selection of Marvel ’ s Black Panther comics for free this weekend .
The unannounced sale was noticed by tweeters and Redditors ; many Marvel comics related to the fictional African country Wakanda , where Black Panther is set , are available for free .
It ’ s not clear how long the “ sale ” will last , however ; there doesn ’ t appear to have been any official announcement .
The timing of the free event follows a week after the untimely death of Chadwick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ T ’ Challa in the 2018 blockbuster Black Panther film , and other movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe .
Boseman had battled colon cancer for four years , and died August 28th .
Included on the list of free comics at Comixology , at least at the moment , are the Black Panther series by Ta-Nehisi Coates , the comic Shuri— so named for the sister of King T ’ Challa— by Nnedi Okorafor , and the Rise of the Black Panther series by Evan Narcisse .
Marvel joined the Comixology Unlimited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gave subscribers access to some of its biggest story arcs .
Members pay $ 5.99 a month for unlimited access to what Comixology says is more than 25,000 titles , from Marvel , DC , Dark Horse and other indie publishers .
It doesn ’ t appear that a subscription is necessary to get the free Black Panther titles , however .
The holiday weekend seems like a perfect time to get into the wonders of Wakanda .

Amazon-owned cloud-based comic book platform Comixology appears to be offering a wide selection of Marvel’s Black Panther comics for free this weekend. The unannounced sale was noticed by tweeters and Redditors; many Marvel comics related to the fictional African country Wakanda, where Black Panther is set, are available for free.
It’s not clear how long the “sale” will last, however; there doesn’t appear to have been any official announcement.
The timing of the free event follows a week after the untimely death of Chadwick Boseman, the actor who played King T’Challa in the 2018 blockbuster Black Panther film, and other movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Boseman had battled colon cancer for four years, and died August 28th.
Included on the list of free comics at Comixology, at least at the moment, are the Black Panther series by Ta-Nehisi Coates, the comic Shuri— so named for the sister of King T’Challa— by Nnedi Okorafor, and the Rise of the Black Panther series by Evan Narcisse.
Marvel joined the Comixology Unlimited subscription service back in 2017, which gave subscribers access to some of its biggest story arcs. Members pay $5.99 a month for unlimited access to what Comixology says is more than 25,000 titles, from Marvel, DC, Dark Horse and other indie publishers. It doesn’t appear that a subscription is necessary to get the free Black Panther titles, however.


theverge--2020-09-05--Google Magenta’s Lo-Fi Player lets you create your own virtual music room

A new Google Magenta project ( created by an intern ! )
lets you mix lo-fi , hip-hop music tracks to build a custom music room in your browser , with no musical ability required .
Magenta is designed to use Google ’ s machine learning systems for the creation of art and music , and the Lo-Fi Player is a fun example of what it can do .
When you open Lo-Fi Player , you ’ re taken to a pixellated virtual “ room ” where you click different objects — a clock , a cat , or a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to change the different tracks , like the bass line and the melody .
“ The view outside the window relates to the background sound in the track , and you can change both the visual and the music by clicking on the window , ” Lo-Fi Player creator Vibert Thio wrote in a blog post .
Thio writes that the team chose the format of a music-generating room rather than a composition tool or musical instrument because it ’ s “ a popular genre with a relatively simple music structure.
” It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ open source JavaScript API for using Magenta in-browser ( check out DrumBot as another example ) .
Lo-Fi Player also has an interactive YouTube stream , a “ shared space ” where people can be in the same music room together .
But instead of clicking on elements in the room , players type commands into the live chat window to rearrange the tracks .
Magenta is powered by Google ’ s open source TensorFlow system , part of an ongoing research project “ explorting the role of machine learning as a tool @ @ @ @ @ @ @ projects have included the Piano Genie , an AI program that lets anyone “ play ” the piano ( think Guitar Hero ) , and NSynth , a machine learning algorithm that uses a neural network to learn and create new sounds .
The Lo Fi Player is customizable ; its source code can be found on GitHub , and Thio says the team also built a tutorial called “ Play , Magenta !
” where users can edit sounds and canvas live in their own browsers .
Thio also emphasizes that Lo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ replace human producers or existing lo-fi hip hop streams .
“ Think of it more as a prototype for an interactive music piece or an interactive introduction to the genre to help people appreciate the art even more , ” he says .
Check out the Lo-Fi Player here .

A new Google Magenta project (created by an intern!) lets you mix lo-fi, hip-hop music tracks to build a custom music room in your browser, with no musical ability required. Magenta is designed to use Google’s machine learning systems for the creation of art and music, and the Lo-Fi Player is a fun example of what it can do.
When you open Lo-Fi Player, you’re taken to a pixellated virtual “room” where you click different objects — a clock, a cat, or a piano, for instance— in the room to change the different tracks, like the bass line and the melody. “The view outside the window relates to the background sound in the track, and you can change both the visual and the music by clicking on the window,” Lo-Fi Player creator Vibert Thio wrote in a blog post.
Thio writes that the team chose the format of a music-generating room rather than a composition tool or musical instrument because it’s “a popular genre with a relatively simple music structure.” It’s powered by magenta.js, the open source JavaScript API for using Magenta in-browser (check out DrumBot as another example).
Lo-Fi Player also has an interactive YouTube stream, a “shared space” where people can be in the same music room together. But instead of clicking on elements in the room, players type commands into the live chat window to rearrange the tracks.
Magenta is powered by Google’s open source TensorFlow system, part of an ongoing research project “explorting the role of machine learning as a tool in the creative process.” Other Magenta projects have included the Piano Genie, an AI program that lets anyone “play” the piano (think Guitar Hero), and NSynth, a machine learning algorithm that uses a neural network to learn and create new sounds.
The Lo Fi Player is customizable; its source code can be found on GitHub, and Thio says the team also built a tutorial called “Play, Magenta!” where users can edit sounds and canvas live in their own browsers. Thio also emphasizes that Lo Fi Player isn’t designed to replace human producers or existing lo-fi hip hop streams. “Think of it more as a prototype for an interactive music piece or an interactive introduction to the genre to help people appreciate the art even more,” he says.


theverge--2020-09-05--Facebook blocks livestream of an ill French man who wanted to broadcast his death

Facebook has blocked the live stream of a man in France suffering from an incurable ailment who planned to broadcast his death , Agence France-Press reported .
Alain Cocq , 57 , has a medical condition that causes his arteries to stick together , and stopped all food and drink as of Friday night .
He has used his condition to try to bring about changes to France ’ s right-to-die law , and announced he would live-stream his death on Facebook .
“ Our hearts go out to Alain Cocq and those who are affected by this sad situation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an email to The Verge on Saturday .
“ While we respect his decision to draw attention to this complex and difficult issue , based on the guidance of experts , we have taken steps to keep Alain from broadcasting live , as we do not allow the depiction of suicide attempts.
” Cocq had written to French President Emmanuel Macron in July , asking to be allowed to “ die with dignity , ” using “ active medical assistance , ” CNN reported .
Cocq wrote that he was of sound @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Macron wrote back that he admired Cocq ’ s “ remarkable willpower ” but said he could not grant Cocq ’ s request .
In France , euthanasia is illegal , and French law prohibits deep sedation that renders a patient unconscious until their death except under specific circumstances .
However , French citizens can decide to cease medical treatment , and French law has no provision to prosecute people for suicide , according to CNN .
According to Agence France-Press , Cocq said he would seek another way to post his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blocked his attempt .

Facebook has blocked the live stream of a man in France suffering from an incurable ailment who planned to broadcast his death, Agence France-Press reported. Alain Cocq, 57, has a medical condition that causes his arteries to stick together, and stopped all food and drink as of Friday night. He has used his condition to try to bring about changes to France’s right-to-die law, and announced he would live-stream his death on Facebook.
“Our hearts go out to Alain Cocq and those who are affected by this sad situation,” Facebook spokesperson Emily Cain wrote in an email to The Verge on Saturday. “While we respect his decision to draw attention to this complex and difficult issue, based on the guidance of experts, we have taken steps to keep Alain from broadcasting live, as we do not allow the depiction of suicide attempts.”
Cocq had written to French President Emmanuel Macron in July, asking to be allowed to “die with dignity,” using “active medical assistance,” CNN reported. Cocq wrote that he was of sound mind but was “crippled by suffering.” Macron wrote back that he admired Cocq’s “remarkable willpower” but said he could not grant Cocq’s request.
In France, euthanasia is illegal, and French law prohibits deep sedation that renders a patient unconscious until their death except under specific circumstances. However, French citizens can decide to cease medical treatment, and French law has no provision to prosecute people for suicide, according to CNN.


theverge--2020-09-05--iPhone 12: everything we think we know about Apple’s 2020 5G iPhones

We ’ re likely just weeks away from Apple taking the wraps off its 2020 iPhones , and the rumor mill is in full swing , hinting at some major changes this year .
If you ’ ve been hanging on to your first-generation iPhone SE because you just love its squared-off edges , the newest iPhones could be the ones for you — there are already a lot of rumors pointing to a brand new design with squared edges instead of rounded ones .
( If you ’ re keeping that SE because of its smaller size , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , too . )
And all signs are pointing toward this being the year the iPhone gets 5G , which should set you up for faster data speeds — once the networks can reliably deliver them .
There is still a lot of mystery surrounding the next iPhones — they haven ’ t leaked quite as much as , say , recent Google Pixel or Samsung Galaxy handsets — but there ’ s enough out there to piece together a decent picture of what Apple is planning .
The likeliest rumor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four new iPhones this year .
Four new iPhones this fall , with two new screen sizes All of the most trusted sources of Apple rumors seem to agree : instead of announcing three new iPhone models , like Apple did in 2017 , 2018 , and 2019 , the company will reveal four : • A new 5.4-inch model , which would be smaller screen than the 5.8-inch iPhone 11 Pro ( and presumably be an entirely smaller phone ) • A low-end 6.1-inch model — the same screen size as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its 5.4-inch sibling • A new 6.7-inch model , which would be a bigger screen than the 6.5-inch iPhone 11 Pro Max ( and likely be larger in size as well ) Originally , the credible rumor came from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo , who ’ s reliably predicted the sizes and features of new iPhones for several years now — but The Wall Street Journal also corroborated those screen sizes in April , and as of this past week , Bloomberg is reporting them as fact as well .
A new industrial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5 Apple has stuck with the same basic silhouette for the iPhone — a rounded rectangle with rounded sides — since the iPhone 6 , a phone that came out all the way back in 2014 .
But this year , rumors indicate the newest iPhones could have flat edges , returning iPhone design to the glory days of the iPhone 4 , iPhone 5 , and iPhone SE .
( Or the recent iPad Pros , if you want a newer point of reference . )
Apparent dummy models of the phones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ based on the expected dimensions of the upcoming iPhones , and they give us our best idea of what that new design could look like , and how their size compares to other phones in Apple ’ s lineup .
Check out this photo of those dummy models from MacRumors .
They kind of remind me of the iPhone 4 : Bloomberg is reporting that all four new iPhones will have squared-off edges , and will continue to have stainless steel edges on the pricier models and aluminum on the less expensive ones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sense of how these phones might size up to Apple ’ s 2019 iPhones , check out this MacRumors post : I find this next MacRumors photo particularly intriguing , comparing the rumored 5.4-inch model ( middle ) to the first generation iPhone SE ( left ) and the second-generation iPhone SE ( right ) .
I ’ ve wanted an iPhone that ’ s smaller than the iPhone X / XS / 11 Pro with an edge-to-edge display so badly , and the size of this dummy model looks almost perfect to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see what the rumored new iPhone sizes could look like in person , check out MKBHD ’ s video where he goes hands-on with a set of dummy models : The first iPhones with 5G , but which flavors ?
2020 ’ s iPhones are expected to be the first to supports 5G cellular networks , which means the phones might be able to take advantage of faster network speeds — depending on the 5G coverage in your area , and possibly depending on which version of the next iPhone you end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reported in April that “ some ” of this year ’ s iPhones would get 5G , while Bloomberg said that 5G will be added to “ as many as four new handset models.
” Fast Company has a source that claims only the top-of-the-line model will offer the fastest mmWave flavor of 5G .
All the way back in January , Ming-Chi Kuo said that all four upcoming iPhone models will support both sub-6GHz and the faster ( but far shorter range ) mmWave 5G , and we ’ d generally weight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rest ... but even Kuo revised his guidance this past week to say that shipments of mmWave 5G iPhones would be “ lower than expected , ” without specifying whether any iPhones had dropped the technology .
So it seems like a safe bet that 5G should come to new iPhones — Qualcomm and Apple fought hard to make it happen — but right now , it ’ s just not clear which phones might have which forms of 5G .
An OLED screen in every iPhone , but what about refresh rates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lineup is finally expected to have OLED screens this year , The Wall Street Journal reported in April , and Bloomberg now agrees .
Despite much of the industry moving on to OLED years ago , LCD screens have hung around in some of Apple ’ s recent phones , including 2018 ’ s iPhone XR and 2019 ’ s iPhone 11 .
OLED screens have some advantages over LCD — because each pixel on an OLED screen is individually lit , the screen can just turn those pixels off when showing blacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ truer colors , more vibrance , and sometimes better battery life .
Flagship Android phones have also moved on to high-refresh-rate screens for smoother scrolling , animations and games , but it ’ s unclear if that technology will arrive on any iPhones this year .
We ’ ve heard rumors both ways , and some sources say Apple has tested prototypes with and without the feature .
If the iPhone 12 does offer 120Hz , don ’ t be surprised if Apple calls it “ ProMotion ” on stage — that ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its iPad Pros , which have had high refresh rate screens since 2017 .
Don ’ t expect four cameras , but high-end iPhones could get LIDAR This year ’ s iPhones are expected to keep a dual-camera setup for the lower-end models and a triple-camera setup for the higher-end models .
The highest-end model could also be getting something new , according to Bloomberg : a LIDAR sensor , which can detect objects using lasers .
That , in theory , can enable better augmented reality experiences , because your phone could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Apple first added a LIDAR sensor to the iPad Pros in March , and in his review , my colleague Dieter Bohn found that the LIDAR sensor “ seems quite advanced but built for a software future that hasn ’ t arrived yet.
” We ’ ll have to wait and see if Apple can make a strong case for it in the iPhone .
No charger or headphones in the box One of the biggest changes to this year ’ s iPhone lineup could be in the box they come in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the in-box charger and earbuds , analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported in June .
This would be a big shift , as iPhones have come with power adapters and earphones since the first iPhone launched in 2007 .
But perhaps Apple is just trying to avoid giving everyone yet another extra power adapter or set of headphones that just get shoved in a drawer .
( The decision could also significantly reduce e-waste . )
That doesn ’ t mean Apple won ’ t offer ways to charge your phone — the new iPhones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to USB-C cable , according to Kuo , which would let you connect your phone to a computer or a power adapter with a USB-C port .
( That rumor of a Lightning to USB-C cable suggests the phone itself likely won ’ t have a USB-C port this year , even though the iPad Pro switched over to USB-C in 2018 . )
Kuo also said that Apple would sell a new 20-watt charger , which may have been corroborated by this picture posted to Twitter .
If this charger is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your devices faster than the 18-watt charger included with the iPhone 11 Pro and likely much faster than the anemic 5-watt charger included with the iPhone 11 .
And without an included charger and headphones , the new iPhones may have a thinner box .
Instagram account conceptsiphone posted a render of a tray that could be included in the new box , and it seems to only have space for a coiled-up cable and perhaps some papers and instructions .
That smaller box could help Apple claim that these iPhones are even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Like usual , the new iPhones should have a new processor This year ’ s iPhones are expected to have yet another new Apple-designed processor .
Bloomberg reports that the new phones will have “ a significant upgrade to the processor with an emphasis on speeding up artificial intelligence and AR tasks.
” It seems like a safe bet that the next iPhones ’ processor will have A14 in the name , as the iPhone 11 series processor was called the A13 Bionic .
Apple has tagged that “ Bionic ” moniker to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so perhaps we ’ ll be seeing an A14 Bionic this year .
This year ’ s iPhones are launching later than normal The release of a new iPhone in September almost feels like something you could set your clock to , but Apple has already said that this year ’ s iPhones will be available “ a few weeks later ” than their usual September launch date .
Bloomberg says we ’ ll get the less expensive iPhones soon than the higher-end models , too .
None of this rules out Apple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in September , however — perhaps alongside the launch of iOS 14 .
And even though restrictions on in-person gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic mean that Apple probably won ’ t host some kind of grand in-person iPhone unveiling at the Steve Jobs Theater , there ’ s always the chance the company does another highly-produced video keynote like it did for this year ’ s Worldwide Developers Conference .
There are a few other rumors floating around about the upcoming iPhones .
Apple leaker @ L0vetodream said in May the low-end @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , while the high-end models may have a base of 128GB .
They also said the low-end iPhone would have 4GB of RAM and the high-end one would have 6GB .
We may also have an idea about the battery sizes for the new phones , thanks to reported certifications .
The rumored 5.4-inch iPhone could have a 2227mAh battery , the 6.1-inch iPhones may both have a 2775mAh battery , while the 6.7-inch iPhone might get a 3687mAh pack .
By comparison , those batteries would be smaller than the reported capacities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( apparently , the 5.8-inch iPhone 11 Pro has a 3,045mAh battery , the 6.1-inch iPhone 11 has a 3,110mAh battery , and the iPhone 11 Pro Max has a 3,969mAh battery ) .
And despite the lowest-end iPhone likely being physically smaller than the current iPhone 11 , it ’ s unclear if Apple will change the starting price of this year ’ s iPhone lineup to reflect that change .
The iPhone 11 starts at $ 699 , which itself was a $ 50 price drop from 2018 ’ s similarly-sized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apple lops off yet another $ 50 for a starting price of $ 649 .
We also don ’ t know what the next iPhones might be called .
If you ask me , the rumored design changes and addition of 5G seem like significant enough departures from the iPhone 11 series for Apple to skip the “ S ” it sometimes uses for spec bumps and jump straight to iPhone 12 , iPhone 12 Pro , and so on .
But with four new models on top of the iPhone SE it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will take this opportunity for a new naming scheme .
“ iPhone 11 Pro Max ” still sounds pretty ridiculous , after all .

Apple is likely taking the wraps off its 2020 iPhones at an event on October 13th, and with just days to go until the big reveal, we might now know nearly everything about them — including when you might be able to buy them for yourself.
Many rumors suggest the iPhone 12 lineup will have a brand-new design with squared edges instead of rounded ones, perhaps similar to the beloved design of the iPhone 4 and 5. And all signs are pointing toward this being the year the iPhone gets 5G, which should set you up for faster data speeds — once the networks can reliably deliver them in your area. But if you’ve been waiting for iPhones to get 120Hz refresh rate screens, you might have to wait another year.
The likeliest rumor of them all? We’re getting four new iPhones this year.
Four new iPhones this fall, with two new screen sizes
All of the most trusted sources of Apple rumors seem to agree: instead of announcing three new iPhone models, like Apple did in 2017, 2018, and 2019, the company will reveal four. And we now might know their prices, colors, and release dates as well because of a Google-translated Weibo post from a leaker named Kang (who has a reliable track record, according to AppleTrack):
A new 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini , which would have a smaller screen than the 5.8-inch iPhone 11 Pro (and presumably be an entirely smaller phone). It could start at $699; come in black, white, red, blue, and green; and have 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB versions.
, which would have a smaller screen than the 5.8-inch iPhone 11 Pro (and presumably be an entirely smaller phone). It could start at $699; come in black, white, red, blue, and green; and have 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB versions. A 6.1-inch iPhone 12 , meaning it would have the same screen size as the iPhone 11, with similar specs as its 5.4-inch sibling. It might start at $799; also come in black, white, red, blue, and green; and also have 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB versions.
, meaning it would have the same screen size as the iPhone 11, with similar specs as its 5.4-inch sibling. It might start at $799; also come in black, white, red, blue, and green; and also have 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB versions. A second 6.1-inch model, the iPhone 12 Pro , which would have higher-end specs. It may start at $999; come in gold, silver, graphite, and blue; and have 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB versions.
, which would have higher-end specs. It may start at $999; come in gold, silver, graphite, and blue; and have 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB versions. A new 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max. That screen size would be bigger than the 6.5-inch iPhone 11 Pro Max (likely making the phone larger in size as well). It could start at $1,099; come in gold, silver, graphite, and blue; and have 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB versions.
A new industrial design reminiscent of the iPhone 4 and 5
Apple has stuck with the same basic silhouette for the iPhone — a rounded rectangle with rounded sides — since the iPhone 6, a phone that came out all the way back in 2014. But this year, rumors indicate the newest iPhones could have flat edges, returning iPhone design to the glory days of the iPhone 4, iPhone 5, and iPhone SE (or the recent iPad Pros, if you want a newer point of reference).
Apparent dummy models of the phones have been floating around this summer, based on the expected dimensions of the upcoming iPhones, and they give us our best idea of what that new design could look like, and how their sizes compare to other phones in Apple’s lineup.
Check out this photo of those dummy models from MacRumors. They kind of remind me of the iPhone 4:
Bloomberg is reporting that all four new iPhones will have squared-off edges and will continue to have stainless steel edges on the pricier models and aluminum on the less expensive ones.
If you want to get a sense of how these phones might size up to Apple’s 2019 iPhones, check out this MacRumors post:
I find this next MacRumors photo particularly intriguing, comparing the rumored 5.4-inch model (middle) to the first-generation iPhone SE (left) and the second-generation iPhone SE (right). I’ve wanted an iPhone that’s smaller than the iPhone X / XS / 11 Pro with an edge-to-edge display so badly, and the size of this dummy model looks almost perfect to me.
Plus, if you want to see what the rumored new iPhone sizes could look like in person, check out MKBHD’s video where he goes hands-on with a set of dummy models:
The first iPhones with 5G, but which flavors?
2020’s iPhones are expected to be the first to support 5G cellular networks, which means the phones might be able to take advantage of faster network speeds — depending on the 5G coverage in your area, and possibly depending on which version of the next iPhone you end up buying.
In January, Kuo said that all four upcoming iPhone models will support both sub-6GHz and the faster (but far shorter-range) mmWave 5G. We’d generally weight his rumors a tad higher than the rest, but even Kuo revised his guidance in September to say that shipments of mmWave 5G iPhones would be “lower than expected,” without specifying whether any iPhones had dropped the technology. And Kang reported on Friday that all four models will have 5G but said that mmWave will only be standard in the US models.
Throughout the year, other rumors have differed about which iPhones will get 5G. The Wall Street Journal reported in April that “some” of this year’s iPhones would get 5G, while Bloomberg said that 5G will be added to “as many as four new handset models.” Fast Company has a source that claims only the top-of-the-line models will offer the fastest mmWave flavor of 5G, according to a report from September.
So it seems like a safe bet that 5G should come to new iPhones — Qualcomm and Apple fought hard to make it happen — but right now, it’s not totally clear which phones might have which forms of 5G.
An OLED screen in every iPhone, but what about refresh rates?
Apple’s entire fall iPhone lineup is finally expected to have OLED screens this year, The Wall Street Journal reported in April, and Bloomberg agrees. Apple plans to bring its Super Retina XDR display, which was exclusive to last year’s iPhone 11 Pro lineup, to all four of this year’s iPhones, Kang reported on Friday.
Despite much of the industry moving on to OLED years ago, LCD screens have hung around in some of Apple’s recent phones, including 2018’s iPhone XR and 2019’s iPhone 11. OLED screens have some advantages over LCD. For example, because each pixel on an OLED screen is individually lit, the screen can just turn those pixels off when showing blacks. That can mean deeper blacks, truer colors, more vibrance, and sometimes better battery life.
Flagship Android phones have also moved on to high refresh rate screens for smoother scrolling, animations, and games, but it’s unclear if that technology will arrive on any iPhones this year. We’ve heard rumors both ways, and some sources say Apple has tested prototypes with and without the feature. But Kuo said in September that none of the new iPhones will have 120Hz — instead, Apple apparently plans to bring the feature to iPhone screens next year.
If the iPhone 12 does offer 120Hz, don’t be surprised if Apple calls it “ProMotion” onstage. (That’s the brand name it uses for its iPad Pros, which have had high refresh rate screens since 2017.)
Apple may also make the screens in this year’s iPhones tougher with a new ceramic substrate glass, according to Kang.
Don’t expect four cameras, but high-end iPhones could get LIDAR
This year’s iPhones are expected to keep a dual-camera setup for the lower-end models and a triple-camera setup for the higher-end models — but the high-end phones could also get a LIDAR sensor, according to Bloomberg, which can detect objects using lasers. That LIDAR sensor, in theory, can enable better augmented reality experiences because your phone could have a better sense of your surroundings.
Kang shared more about what cameras you might expect to see on each iPhone 12 model on Friday:
The iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 may have a wide-angle and an ultrawide
The iPhone 12 Pro could have a wide-angle, an ultrawide, a telephoto with 4X optical zoom, and a LIDAR sensor
The iPhone 12 Pro Max might have a wide-angle, an ultrawide, a telephoto with 5X optical zoom, and a LIDAR sensor
Apple first added a LIDAR sensor to the iPad Pros in March, and in his review, my colleague Dieter Bohn found that it “seems quite advanced but built for a software future that hasn’t arrived yet.” We’ll have to wait and see if Apple can make a strong case for it in the iPhone.
Kang also said Apple will be improving its Deep Fusion image processing pipeline, night mode photos, and its Smart HDR system with the new iPhones.
No charger or headphones in the box
One of the biggest changes to this year’s iPhone lineup could be in the box they come in. Apple is rumored to remove both the in-box charger and earbuds, Kuo reported in June, which Kang corroborated on Friday. Bloomberg also reported on October 6th that Apple plans to remove the charger from the box.
This would be a big shift, as iPhones have come with power adapters and EarPods since the first iPhone launched in 2007. But perhaps Apple is trying to avoid giving everyone yet another extra power adapter or set of headphones that will just get shoved in a drawer. (The decision could also significantly reduce e-waste.)
That doesn’t mean Apple won’t offer ways to charge your phone. The new iPhones will apparently still come with a Lightning to USB-C cable, according to Kuo, which would let you connect your phone to a computer or a power adapter with a USB-C port. (That rumor of a Lightning to USB-C cable suggests the phone itself likely won’t have a USB-C port this year, even though the iPad Pro switched over to USB-C in 2018.)
Kuo also said that Apple would sell a new 20-watt charger, which may have been corroborated by this picture posted to Twitter. If this charger is a real Apple product, it might charge your devices faster than the 18-watt charger included with the iPhone 11 Pro and likely much faster than the anemic 5-watt charger included with the iPhone 11.
Without an included charger and headphones, the new iPhones may have a thinner box. Instagram account conceptsiphone posted a render of a tray that could be included in the new box, and it seems to only have space for a coiled-up cable and perhaps some papers and instructions.
That smaller box could help Apple claim that these iPhones are even more environmentally-friendly than in previous years.
Like usual, the new iPhones should have a new processor
This year’s iPhones are expected to have yet another new Apple-designed processor, as Apple has included the next numerical A-series Bionic chip with new iPhones for the past few generations. Bloomberg reported on Friday that chip will be the A14 processor, which would be the same one included in the new iPad Air. The new chip will apparently be a “significant” upgrade “with an emphasis on speeding up artificial intelligence and AR tasks,” Bloomberg said in a separate report from April.
They might support MagSafe, but maybe not how we expect
Apple has sadly phased out the MagSafe magnetic power cable from its laptop lines, but Apple-branded magnetic charging tech might make a return with the release of the new iPhones. The company apparently plans to reveal wireless “MagSafe” chargers and a magnet-equipped iPhone case to help you align your phone more easily when you set it on a charging mat, according to Kang.
Google’s translation of Kang’s Weibo post is a bit confusing about how many chargers there might be and what they might be called:
Magsafe official magnetic casing, two Magsafe Charger wireless chargers, and Magsafe Duo Charger.
But leaker @L0vetodream said the names MagSafe Charger and MagSafe Duo Charger in a tweet on Friday. That seems to point to there being just two chargers: the MagSafe Charger and the MagSafe Duo Charger.
This isn’t the first we’ve heard of Apple possibly adding magnets to its products to help with wireless charging. Leaker EverythingApplePro shared photos of what appear to be magnets designed to be built into the iPhone 12’s casing in August:
EverythingApplePro also shared an image of what looks like that rumored MagSafe case in August as well.
This year’s iPhones are launching later than normal
The release of a new iPhone in September almost feels like something you could set your clock to, but now it seems like we’ll finally be seeing them at Apple’s October 13th event. That’s not entirely unexpected, though, as Apple has already said that this year’s iPhones will be available “a few weeks later” than their usual September launch date.
But now we might have a good idea about when you can expect to see the new iPhones in stores, thanks to rumored release information from Kang:
iPhone 12 mini: preorders on November 6th or 7th, release date of November 13th or 14th
iPhone 12: preorders on October 16th or 17th, release date of October 23rd or 24th
iPhone 12 Pro: preorders on October 16th or 17th, release date of October 23rd or 24th
iPhone 12 Pro Max: preorders on November 13th or 14th, release date of November 20th or 21st
However, Bloomberg said in September that we’ll get the less expensive iPhones sooner than the higher-end models, and it reported on October 9th that “at least” the 6.7-inch version may not be released until sometime later. So it seems like Apple won’t release every iPhone at the same time this year, but it’s hard to know for sure which iPhone will release when.
Other tidbits: battery, storage
There are a few other rumors floating around about the upcoming iPhones. Apple leaker @L0vetodream said the low-end iPhones might have 4GB of RAM and the high-end ones could have 6GB, for example.
We may also have an idea about the battery sizes for the new phones, thanks to reported certifications. The rumored 5.4-inch iPhone could have a 2,227mAh battery, the 6.1-inch iPhones may both have a 2,775mAh battery, while the 6.7-inch iPhone might get a 3,687mAh pack. By comparison, those batteries would be smaller than the reported capacities of similar-sized iPhones in the current lineup. (Apparently, the 5.8-inch iPhone 11 Pro has a 3,045mAh battery, the 6.1-inch iPhone 11 has a 3,110mAh battery, and the iPhone 11 Pro Max has a 3,969mAh battery.)


theverge--2020-09-05--A rough roadmap to a COVID-19 vaccine

A rough roadmap to a COVID-19 vaccine

Nine months into 2020 , there ’ s one question on a lot of people ’ s minds : “ Are we there yet ?
” We want to get back to watching weird movies in theaters , eating inside restaurants instead of on the sidewalks , and hanging out with our friends , without that pandemic dread setting in .
Bad news .
We are not there yet .
But even in the United States , which still has the highest death toll and case count in the world , there are some signs of progress .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts to the sidelines , and whose testing program is a muddled mess , most of the focus is on finding a vaccine .
It ’ s where a lot of people have pinned their “ are we there yet ” hopes .
“ When we have a vaccine ” is also when people hope they can put down their masks and their worries , and live like it ’ s 2019 again .
Even if we don ’ t have a definitive ETA , we do have a rough roadmap .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take for us to install a vaccine-based antivirus program : Development — This is straightforward .
We have to make and test the vaccine before we give it out .
A few vaccines are already being tested on tens of thousands of volunteers .
If these massive studies can show that the vaccines are both safe and effective , then that ’ s going to be the first major hurdle to people getting a vaccine .
Approval — Once a company has a vaccine with lots of data showing that it works , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the US ) is for the Food and Drug Administration to approve it .
Because of the urgency of the pandemic , it ’ s possible that the FDA might decide to issue an Emergency Use Authorization , or EUA , to get the vaccine out faster .
Trust — In order for a vaccine to work , people have to take it .
That means they have to trust the data from the company , and they have to trust the people approving it .
If the FDA goes with emergency approval @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face a skeptical public , who may worry that safety has been sacrificed at the altar of speed or political gain .
This part of the road is going to be especially bumpy , as we saw this week with the release of several documents from the CDC asking governments to start getting ready to distribute vaccines that might be available in small quantities as early as late October — right before the presidential election .
“ This timeline of the initial deployment at the end of October is deeply worrisome for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety ramifications , ” Saskia Popescu , an infection prevention epidemiologist , told The New York Times .
“ It ’ s hard not to see this as a push for a pre-election vaccine.
” “ It ’ s hard not to see this as a push for a pre-election vaccine.
” If a vaccine does come out then — something that experts have said is unlikely — officials will have to strongly demonstrate that the vaccine is not a political ploy designed to garner votes .
“ I would immediately resign if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Moncef Slaoui , the scientific lead of the US ’ s vaccine development program , in a candid interview with Science this week .
A former executive with GlaxoSmithKline , he also said , “ The science is what is going to guide us.
” Whether that will be enough to convince the public is still up in the air .
Logistics — One of the reasons that the CDC sent local and state governments those documents is that a few of the top vaccine candidates are really finicky .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ distribution process that could involve multiple doses per person and super-chilled storage temperatures to keep the vaccine ready-to-use .
Distributing the shot ( s ) will require needles , sure , but will also probably need freezers , refrigerated trucks , dry ice , and a whole lot of training .
There ’ s also the question of who will get the vaccine first .
Once a vaccine has data , approval , and a willing population , it still has to be produced , and that ’ s going to take time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CDC ’ s early guidance , there won ’ t be enough vaccines for everyone until sometime next year .
The National Institutes of Health are already working on a plan for who will get the vaccine first , with health care workers and high-risk populations at the top of the list .
Are we there yet ?
No .
But we ’ re getting closer .
Now , to switch gears — thanks for reading !
This is the first time that Antivirus is getting sent to the inboxes of readers like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taking the time to join us .
For folks who are new to this column-turned-newsletter , here ’ s what to expect : There are plenty of places that are already brilliantly covering the effects of the pandemic — the political standoffs , the economic collapse , how we ’ re coping .
But underlying all of that chaos is still this tiny virus that ’ s taken over the world .
All the decisions , the deaths , the long-term effects end up coming back to the science of this virus : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can we stop it ?
That ’ s where this newsletter is focused .
Once a week , we ’ ll give you a snapshot of what ’ s going on in the world of COVID-19 research .
Like I said in the first instance of the column , back in July , we ’ ll be looking at stories that explore the research into the virus , development of treatments and vaccines , and works that give a human perspective to the pandemic .
Here ’ s what else is going on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learning about the virus itself : how it spreads and what it does in the human body .
COVID-19 Can Wreck Your Heart , Even if You Haven ’ t Had Any Symptoms For the past several months , health care workers have noticed that some COVID-19 patients develop a worrying symptom — inflammation of the heart muscle , or myocarditis .
Emergency room physician Carolyn Barber pulled together a lot of the recent research in a writeup for Scientific American .
We still don ’ t know how common myocarditis is in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ condition lasts for people who do get it , but the data and cases that doctors are seeing is cause for concern .
( Carolyn Barber / Scientific American ) Why Does the Coronavirus Hit Men Harder ?
A New Clue A study in Nature published last week found that women produce a stronger immune response to the virus than men .
It was a small study , and it didn ’ t tell researchers why the differences exist .
But it could be important information as researchers continue to look at how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( Apoorva Mandavilli / The New York Times ) Flu Season and Covid-19 Are About to Collide .
Now What ?
This story is more about preparation than research , but flu season is coming and bringing a lot of complications along with it .
Maryn McKenna has a good look here at what might happen when the pandemic collides with seasonal flu .
( Maryn McKenna / Wired ) Notable news from the vaccine and treatment fronts : we won ’ t link to every paper , but we ’ ll keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when they come up .
Inexpensive steroids reduce deaths of hospitalized Covid-19 patients , WHO analysis confirms We ’ ve seen evidence since June that a cheap steroid can help improve survival in severe cases of COVID-19 .
Now , there ’ s even more evidence that this works , thanks to a new analysis from the World Health Organization .
( Adam Feuerstein / STAT ) Human trials of Oxford coronavirus vaccine have begun in the US The Oxford vaccine , made in partnership with AstraZeneca , just started its testing efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Brazil and the UK .
The first US participant in the trial was a man who lost seven relatives to the disease .
( Michael Le Page / New Scientist ) This is a disease that has profoundly shaken , wrecked , and ended lives .
At a distance , we can sometimes forget that each case and death was a human being .
These stories remind us that there are people behind each tick on the case counter or jump in the death toll .
ICU doctor says the challenges of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March John Evankovich is an ICU doctor .
He ’ s been treating COVID-19 patients for months .
In this interview , he talks about his experiences with treating patients and with convincing people to take this disease seriously .
‘ A real kick in the gut ’ : Dwayne ‘ The Rock ’ Johnson urges fans to wear masks after he and his family get covid-19 ( Tim Elfrink / The Washington Post ) Sent Home to Die Not everyone has Dwayne Johnson ’ s good fortune .
In New Orleans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hospice to die , against their families ’ wishes .
This is a heartbreaking and important investigation that shines a light on how the health care system can fail some of the most vulnerable patients .
( Annie Waldman and Joshua Kaplan / Propublica ) A weekly reminder of the scale of this pandemic .
To the more than 26,655,849 people worldwide who have tested positive , may your road to recovery be smooth .
To the families and friends of the 875,510 people who have died worldwide — 187,777 of those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are not forgotten .
Thanks for joining us this week , and stay safe , everyone .

Nine months into 2020, there’s one question on a lot of people’s minds: “Are we there yet?”
We want to get back to watching weird movies in theaters, eating inside restaurants instead of on the sidewalks, and hanging out with our friends, without that pandemic dread setting in.
Bad news. We are not there yet. But even in the United States, which still has the highest death toll and case count in the world, there are some signs of progress.
In the US, which has relegated contact tracing efforts to the sidelines, and whose testing program is a muddled mess, most of the focus is on finding a vaccine. It’s where a lot of people have pinned their “are we there yet” hopes. “When we have a vaccine” is also when people hope they can put down their masks and their worries, and live like it’s 2019 again.
live like it’s 2019 again
Even if we don’t have a definitive ETA, we do have a rough roadmap. This is what it’s going to take for us to install a vaccine-based antivirus program:
A Brazilian doctor, Monica Levi, who volunteered to test the University of Oxford / AstraZeneca vaccine. Photo by Nelson Almeida / AFP via Getty Images
Development — This is straightforward. We have to make and test the vaccine before we give it out. A few vaccines are already being tested on tens of thousands of volunteers. If these massive studies can show that the vaccines are both safe and effective, then that’s going to be the first major hurdle to people getting a vaccine.
Approval — Once a company has a vaccine with lots of data showing that it works, the next step (at least in the US) is for the Food and Drug Administration to approve it. Because of the urgency of the pandemic, it’s possible that the FDA might decide to issue an Emergency Use Authorization, or EUA, to get the vaccine out faster.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases, testifies before a House Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis on July 31st. Photo by Kevin Dietsch-Pool / Getty Images
Trust — In order for a vaccine to work, people have to take it. That means they have to trust the data from the company, and they have to trust the people approving it. If the FDA goes with emergency approval, they’re also likely to face a skeptical public, who may worry that safety has been sacrificed at the altar of speed or political gain.
This part of the road is going to be especially bumpy, as we saw this week with the release of several documents from the CDC asking governments to start getting ready to distribute vaccines that might be available in small quantities as early as late October — right before the presidential election.
“This timeline of the initial deployment at the end of October is deeply worrisome for the politicization of public health and the potential safety ramifications,” Saskia Popescu, an infection prevention epidemiologist, told The New York Times. “It’s hard not to see this as a push for a pre-election vaccine.”
“It’s hard not to see this as a push for a pre-election vaccine.”
If a vaccine does come out then — something that experts have said is unlikely — officials will have to strongly demonstrate that the vaccine is not a political ploy designed to garner votes.
“I would immediately resign if there is undue interference in this process,” said Moncef Slaoui, the scientific lead of the US’s vaccine development program, in a candid interview with Science this week. A former executive with GlaxoSmithKline, he also said, “The science is what is going to guide us.” Whether that will be enough to convince the public is still up in the air.
Logistics — One of the reasons that the CDC sent local and state governments those documents is that a few of the top vaccine candidates are really finicky. We’re facing a wildly complex distribution process that could involve multiple doses per person and super-chilled storage temperatures to keep the vaccine ready-to-use. Distributing the shot(s) will require needles, sure, but will also probably need freezers, refrigerated trucks, dry ice, and a whole lot of training.
There’s also the question of who will get the vaccine first. Once a vaccine has data, approval, and a willing population, it still has to be produced, and that’s going to take time. By most estimates, including the CDC’s early guidance, there won’t be enough vaccines for everyone until sometime next year. The National Institutes of Health are already working on a plan for who will get the vaccine first, with health care workers and high-risk populations at the top of the list.
Are we there yet? No. But we’re getting closer.
Now, to switch gears — thanks for reading! This is the first time that Antivirus is getting sent to the inboxes of readers like you, and I really appreciate you taking the time to join us.
For folks who are new to this column-turned-newsletter, here’s what to expect: There are plenty of places that are already brilliantly covering the effects of the pandemic — the political standoffs, the economic collapse, how we’re coping. But underlying all of that chaos is still this tiny virus that’s taken over the world. All the decisions, the deaths, the long-term effects end up coming back to the science of this virus: what does it do, and how can we stop it?
That’s where this newsletter is focused.
Once a week, we’ll give you a snapshot of what’s going on in the world of COVID-19 research. Like I said in the first instance of the column, back in July, we’ll be looking at stories that explore the research into the virus, development of treatments and vaccines, and works that give a human perspective to the pandemic.
Here’s what else is going on this week:
Research
What we’re learning about the virus itself: how it spreads and what it does in the human body.
COVID-19 Can Wreck Your Heart, Even if You Haven’t Had Any Symptoms
For the past several months, health care workers have noticed that some COVID-19 patients develop a worrying symptom — inflammation of the heart muscle, or myocarditis. Emergency room physician Carolyn Barber pulled together a lot of the recent research in a writeup for Scientific American. We still don’t know how common myocarditis is in COVID-19 patients or how long this particular condition lasts for people who do get it, but the data and cases that doctors are seeing is cause for concern.
(Carolyn Barber / Scientific American)
Why Does the Coronavirus Hit Men Harder? A New Clue
A study in Nature published last week found that women produce a stronger immune response to the virus than men. It was a small study, and it didn’t tell researchers why the differences exist. But it could be important information as researchers continue to look at how potential vaccines could affect different people.
(Apoorva Mandavilli / The New York Times)
Flu Season and Covid-19 Are About to Collide. Now What?
This story is more about preparation than research, but flu season is coming and bringing a lot of complications along with it. Maryn McKenna has a good look here at what might happen when the pandemic collides with seasonal flu.
(Maryn McKenna / Wired)
Development
Notable news from the vaccine and treatment fronts: we won’t link to every paper, but we’ll keep track of general progress and major milestones when they come up.
Inexpensive steroids reduce deaths of hospitalized Covid-19 patients, WHO analysis confirms
We’ve seen evidence since June that a cheap steroid can help improve survival in severe cases of COVID-19. Now, there’s even more evidence that this works, thanks to a new analysis from the World Health Organization.
(Adam Feuerstein / STAT)
Human trials of Oxford coronavirus vaccine have begun in the US
The Oxford vaccine, made in partnership with AstraZeneca, just started its testing efforts in the US after already starting tests in Brazil and the UK. The first US participant in the trial was a man who lost seven relatives to the disease.
(Michael Le Page / New Scientist)
Perspectives
This is a disease that has profoundly shaken, wrecked, and ended lives. At a distance, we can sometimes forget that each case and death was a human being. These stories remind us that there are people behind each tick on the case counter or jump in the death toll.
ICU doctor says the challenges of treating COVID-19 patients have changed dramatically since March
John Evankovich is an ICU doctor. He’s been treating COVID-19 patients for months. In this interview, he talks about his experiences with treating patients and with convincing people to take this disease seriously.
I think you can break through some of that confusion and some of the ‘That can’t happen to me’ attitude if you see a personal story with someone you have a connection with, someone who lives close to you, who goes to the same church or school district. Those are more powerful than directives from above.
(Oliver Morrison / Public Source)
Sent Home to Die
Not everyone has Dwayne Johnson’s good fortune. In New Orleans, some COVID-19 patients were sent home or to hospice to die, against their families’ wishes. This is a heartbreaking and important investigation that shines a light on how the health care system can fail some of the most vulnerable patients.
(Annie Waldman and Joshua Kaplan / Propublica)
More Than Numbers
A weekly reminder of the scale of this pandemic.
To the more than 26,655,849 people worldwide who have tested positive, may your road to recovery be smooth.
To the families and friends of the 875,510 people who have died worldwide — 187,777 of those in the US — your loved ones are not forgotten.


theverge--2020-09-05--Ring doorbells and cameras will soon integrate with Lutron’s smart lighting system

Ring cameras and doorbells will soon be able to connect with Lutron ’ s smart lighting systems , so you can set lights to turn on automatically when your Ring device detects movement .
It ’ s a useful feature to either welcome home a family member arriving late at night , or scare off a would-be intruder at the door .
Lutron Caseta , Caseta Pro , and RA2 Select systems will support the integration with all generations of Ring doorbells and cameras .
Once connected , the linked lights will turn on for 15 minutes at 100 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about page , however , there isn ’ t currently a way to adjust the settings so the lights turn off earlier or later , or to set them to turn on at a different brightness .
You also can apply advanced motion settings , timed to turn the lights on when you expect to arrive home , and otherwise customize the settings in the Lutron app , which is available for iOS and Android devices , and the Amazon Fire tablet .
Lutron says the integration will be available starting September 30th @

Ring cameras and doorbells will soon be able to connect with Lutron’s smart lighting systems, so you can set lights to turn on automatically when your Ring device detects movement. It’s a useful feature to either welcome home a family member arriving late at night, or scare off a would-be intruder at the door.
Lutron Caseta, Caseta Pro, and RA2 Select systems will support the integration with all generations of Ring doorbells and cameras. Once connected, the linked lights will turn on for 15 minutes at 100 percent brightness. According to Lutron’s about page, however, there isn’t currently a way to adjust the settings so the lights turn off earlier or later, or to set them to turn on at a different brightness.


theverge--2020-09-06--Karaoke game Twitch Sings will shut down at the end of the year

Twitch Sings , the streaming platform ’ s live karaoke game , is shutting down , the company announced .
The company says it decided to close down the game effective January 1st , 2021 in order to “ invest in broader tools and services that will help support and grow the entire music community on Twitch.
” Twitch Sings launched in April 2019 , and let streamers choose a song from its library to perform .
Singers could belt one out solo or get friends to join for a duet .
The channel doesn ’ t seem to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while Twitch ’ s overall Music category has more than 3 million followers , Twitch Sings only accounted for 161,000 of those followers .
“ Looking ahead , we ’ re excited to share more about the future of music on Twitch and how we ’ re working to make Twitch the best place to bring you closer to the artists and music you love , ” the company said in post announcing the shutdown .
The Amazon-owned streaming platform says it ’ s releasing the entire backlog of 400 new songs so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for one last swan song before things close down for good .
Twitch ’ s music category has been growing since the start of the coronavirus pandemic .
While music remains a small category for Twitch in general , during the month of July , about 17.6 million hours were streamed .
Twitch Sings will begin removing videos and clips as of December 1st , and by January 1st , remaining on-demand videos , including past broadcasts , clips , and highlights will be removed as well .
To archive your past Twitch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Twitch ’ s videos on demand section .
If you have clips from your channel , you can get more information for managing them here .

Twitch Sings, the streaming platform’s live karaoke game, is shutting down, the company announced. The company says it decided to close down the game effective January 1st, 2021 in order to “invest in broader tools and services that will help support and grow the entire music community on Twitch.”
Twitch Sings launched in April 2019, and let streamers choose a song from its library to perform. Singers could belt one out solo or get friends to join for a duet. The channel doesn’t seem to have attracted a huge audience, however; while Twitch’s overall Music category has more than 3 million followers, Twitch Sings only accounted for 161,000 of those followers.
“Looking ahead, we’re excited to share more about the future of music on Twitch and how we’re working to make Twitch the best place to bring you closer to the artists and music you love,” the company said in post announcing the shutdown.
The Amazon-owned streaming platform says it’s releasing the entire backlog of 400 new songs so fans can step up to the mic for one last swan song before things close down for good.
Twitch’s music category has been growing since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. While music remains a small category for Twitch in general, during the month of July, about 17.6 million hours were streamed.


theverge--2020-09-07--Here’s what you need to run Crysis remastered on PC

After a two-month delay following an underwhelming trailer , Crysis Remastered is finally launching on PC , PS4 , and Xbox One this month .
Ahead of its release , Crytek has unveiled the system requirements needed to run the game on your computer , and shockingly you won ’ t need a supercomputer this time .
While the recommended specs only require a 7th-gen Intel CPU or an AMD Ryzen 5 , 12GB of RAM , and either an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti or AMD Radeon Vega 56 GPU , it ’ s unlikely you will take full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ features , such as ray tracing .
Crytek unveiled a new graphical setting in the game called “ Can it Run Crysis ?
” But , if you have a higher-end PC , you ’ ll leverage a lot of that horsepower to run the game .
If you really want to test how powerful your build is , Crytek unveiled a new graphical setting in the game called “ Can it Run Crysis ?
” which Crytek says is “ designed to demand every last bit of your hardware with unlimited settings.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” is a meme that has been ongoing since the original Crysis launched in 2007 .
Following Crysis ’ s release , critics and fans praised the game for its graphical fidelity .
For years , the original version remained a benchmark for gamers looking to test their rigs ’ hardware .

After a two-month delay following an underwhelming trailer, Crysis Remastered is finally launching on PC, PS4, and Xbox One this month. Ahead of its release, Crytek has unveiled the system requirements needed to run the game on your computer, and shockingly you won’t need a supercomputer this time.
While the recommended specs only require a 7th-gen Intel CPU or an AMD Ryzen 5, 12GB of RAM, and either an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti or AMD Radeon Vega 56 GPU, it’s unlikely you will take full advantage of the game’s new features, such as ray tracing.
Crytek unveiled a new graphical setting in the game called “Can it Run Crysis?”
But, if you have a higher-end PC, you’ll leverage a lot of that horsepower to run the game. If you really want to test how powerful your build is, Crytek unveiled a new graphical setting in the game called “Can it Run Crysis?” which Crytek says is “designed to demand every last bit of your hardware with unlimited settings.”


theverge--2020-09-07--LG confirms 2018 TV models will receive support for AirPlay 2 and HomeKit

After much confusion , LG has confirmed that AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support will be coming to some of its 2018 TV models , in addition to its newer 2019 and 2020 TVs .
“ LG ’ s 2018 TVs will add support for Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit later this year , ” the company ’ s official UK Twitter account tweeted , and said more details would be shared as the features become available .
LG UK also said that the Apple TV app is also now available worldwide for the company ’ s 2018 OLED and Super @ @ @ @ @ @ @ iPhone and iPad users to easily stream content from their devices to compatible LG TVs , while HomeKit support lets you control and integrate a TV with Apple ’ s smart home ecosystem .
According to a tracker put together by FlatPanelsHD , various combinations of the features are already available for select Samsung and Sony TVs dating back to 2018 , and Vizio TVs dating back to 2016 .
Confusion over whether LG ’ s 2018 TVs would get support for the features emerged last week when LG ’ s UK Twitter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” to update its pre-2019 TVs with support for AirPlay 2 or HomeKit , MacRumors reports .
However , that tweet has since been deleted .
Previously , a support document indicated they ’ d be arriving on select 2018 LG TVs by October .
AirPlay 2 and HomeKit were first released for LG ’ s 2019 TVs way back in July 2019 .
The Apple TV app , meanwhile , started rolling out for LG ’ s 2018 TVs back in August , after arriving on its 2019 TVs back in February @

After much confusion, LG has confirmed that AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support will be coming to some of its 2018 TV models, in addition to its newer 2019 and 2020 TVs. “LG’s 2018 TVs will add support for Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit later this year,” the company’s official UK Twitter account tweeted, and said more details would be shared as the features become available. LG UK also said that the Apple TV app is also now available worldwide for the company’s 2018 OLED and Super UHD LCD TVs.


theverge--2020-09-07--Nintendo explored making a portable Switch-style GameCube, leak suggests

Before Nintendo released the Switch , the company had early plans to create a similar handheld based on its iconic GameCube console , leaked internal documents suggest .
There ’ s also a leaked presentation which suggests that Nintendo explored the idea of releasing a high-definition console that would have competed more directly with the PS3 and Xbox 360 .
Eurogamer notes that the documents appear to have come from the same source as July ’ s “ gigaleak.
” A technical diagram outlines a portable console that could be attached to a TV via a dock featuring GameCube controller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a port for an SD card .
However , it ’ s unclear if the project ever made it past this early planning stage .
The GameCube had a small carrying handle , meaning that it was technically more portable than either the PlayStation 2 or Xbox , even if you still had to use an external screen , controllers , and power source .
There have been plenty of homebrew attempts to make a portable GameCube console .
The most stylish of these came earlier this year when @ GingerOfMods produced a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ capable of playing both Wii and GameCube games .
Or , if you prefer the Game Boy Advance SP ’ s form-factor to the Game Boy Color , then there ’ s this project from last year .
Alongside details of a portable GameCube , Eurogamer also points to leaked documents that suggest Nintendo explored producing a more traditional console follow-up to the GameCube .
This high-definition console would have been released in late 2005 and competed directly with the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 , with a lower price point and a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Of course , Nintendo never followed through with these plans , and instead released the Nintendo Wii in 2006 .
The Wii offered a unique motion-based control scheme , and hardware that was limited to standard-definition graphics .
It was insanely successful , and eventually sold over 100 million units , more than both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 .
Although it was a very different console to what ’ s shown in this leaked presentation , the Wii did use hardware designed by ATI ( now part of AMD ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deck .
It ’ s impossible to know from these leaks how far either of these plans progressed , but it ’ s fascinating to see how far back Nintendo ’ s interest in the Switch ’ s hybrid form-factor goes .
It ’ s another fascinating peek into the history of one of gaming ’ s most secretive companies .

Before Nintendo released the Switch, the company had early plans to create a similar handheld based on its iconic GameCube console, leaked internal documents suggest. There’s also a leaked presentation which suggests that Nintendo explored the idea of releasing a high-definition console that would have competed more directly with the PS3 and Xbox 360. Eurogamer notes that the documents appear to have come from the same source as July’s “gigaleak.”
A technical diagram outlines a portable console that could be attached to a TV via a dock featuring GameCube controller ports, memory card slots, and a port for an SD card. However, it’s unclear if the project ever made it past this early planning stage. The GameCube had a small carrying handle, meaning that it was technically more portable than either the PlayStation 2 or Xbox, even if you still had to use an external screen, controllers, and power source.
There have been plenty of homebrew attempts to make a portable GameCube console. The most stylish of these came earlier this year when @GingerOfMods produced a beautiful Game Boy Color-style handheld that was capable of playing both Wii and GameCube games. Or, if you prefer the Game Boy Advance SP’s form-factor to the Game Boy Color, then there’s this project from last year.
Alongside details of a portable GameCube, Eurogamer also points to leaked documents that suggest Nintendo explored producing a more traditional console follow-up to the GameCube. This high-definition console would have been released in late 2005 and competed directly with the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, with a lower price point and a bigger focus on games over general multimedia.
Of course, Nintendo never followed through with these plans, and instead released the Nintendo Wii in 2006. The Wii offered a unique motion-based control scheme, and hardware that was limited to standard-definition graphics. It was insanely successful, and eventually sold over 100 million units, more than both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
Although it was a very different console to what’s shown in this leaked presentation, the Wii did use hardware designed by ATI (now part of AMD), whose branding appears in the pitch deck.
It’s impossible to know from these leaks how far either of these plans progressed, but it’s fascinating to see how far back Nintendo’s interest in the Switch’s hybrid form-factor goes. It’s another fascinating peek into the history of one of gaming’s most secretive companies.


theverge--2020-09-07--China celebrates safe landing of secretive spacecraft as ‘important breakthrough’

Chinese state media says the country has safely landed a reusable spacecraft which it claims will provide a “ convenient and inexpensive ” method of getting to and from space .
The craft launched on September 4th and landed on September 6th after spending two days in orbit , according to the state-run Xinhua News Agency .
Very little is known about the spacecraft , including even its basic design .
There are no picture or renders of the craft , but there have been rumors it is a spaceplane similar to the Air Force ’ s X-37B .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Morning Post they could not provide details on the mission but that “ maybe you can take a look at the US X-37B.
” The X-37B is a spaceplane roughly a quarter the size of America ’ s Space Shuttle orbiters , a series of spaceplanes that were launched into orbit from rockets between 1981 and 2011 , and were able to glide back to Earth and land on runways to be repaired and reused .
The X37-B follows the same basic operation but is always uncrewed .
The US Air Force describes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ program ” that is being used to demonstrate reusable space technologies .
The relatively abrupt test of the mysterious Chinese craft may surprise some , but it tracks with the country ’ s ambitions to create reusable spaceplanes , says Andrew Jones , a freelance journalist who follows China ’ s space program .
Jones told The Verge last week : “ There ’ s lots of interest in China in spaceplanes.
” He added : “ They ’ ve said that they ’ re going to do this , and they seem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on schedule.
” Whatever the nature of the craft , China is keen to celebrate its return as a scientific milestone .
Xinhua described the news as an “ important breakthrough , ” while a Chinese military source told the South China Morning Post that there were “ many firsts in this launch , ” which they said explained the secrecy .
“ The spacecraft is new , the launch method is also different .
That ’ s why we needed to make sure there is extra security , ” said the source @

Chinese state media says the country has safely landed a reusable spacecraft which it claims will provide a “convenient and inexpensive” method of getting to and from space. The craft launched on September 4th and landed on September 6th after spending two days in orbit, according to the state-run Xinhua News Agency.
Very little is known about the spacecraft, including even its basic design. There are no picture or renders of the craft, but there have been rumors it is a spaceplane similar to the Air Force’s X-37B. A Chinese military source told the South China Morning Post they could not provide details on the mission but that “maybe you can take a look at the US X-37B.”
The X-37B is a spaceplane roughly a quarter the size of America’s Space Shuttle orbiters, a series of spaceplanes that were launched into orbit from rockets between 1981 and 2011, and were able to glide back to Earth and land on runways to be repaired and reused. The X37-B follows the same basic operation but is always uncrewed. The US Air Force describes the X37-B as an “experimental test program” that is being used to demonstrate reusable space technologies.
The uncrewed US Air Force’s X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle sits on a runway after returning from orbit in 2010. Photo: DoD via Getty Images
The relatively abrupt test of the mysterious Chinese craft may surprise some, but it tracks with the country’s ambitions to create reusable spaceplanes, says Andrew Jones, a freelance journalist who follows China’s space program. Jones told The Verge last week: “There’s lots of interest in China in spaceplanes.” He added: “They’ve said that they’re going to do this, and they seem to be doing it kind of somewhat on schedule.”


theverge--2020-09-07--Motorola’s latest budget phone leaks with 64-megapixel camera and 5,000mAh battery

It looks like Motorola is about to announce a second entry in its budget G9 phone lineup , just weeks after it revealed the Moto G9 Play .
The Moto G9 Plus has appeared in a listing on Orange Slovakia ’ s website that was spotted by WinFuture ’ s Roland Quandt .
According to the listing , the €255 ( about $ 300 ) phone will have four rear cameras , including a 64-megapixel main camera , and a massive 5,000 mAh battery .
Although Motorola ’ s recent flagship phones like the Edge Plus and foldable Razr have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lineup of G-series phones like the recent G Stylus and G Power have continued to offer great value .
Their cameras are generally good for the price , battery life is excellent , and the company makes sensible tweaks to the Android operating system in its software .
The Orange listing says the Moto G9 Plus will have a 6.81-inch 1080p display , 4GB of RAM , 128GB of storage ( expandable via microSD ) , and will run Android 10 out of the box .
There ’ s no mention of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Around the front there ’ s a hole-punch notch for its selfie camera , confirming the design that was leaked by Evan Blass last month .
The G9 Plus looks set to be either the second or third entry in Motorala ’ s Moto G9 lineup , depending on how you count them .
Last month it announced the Moto G9 Play in Europe , which is more or less identical to the Moto G9 it announced for the Indian market the previous day .
The Moto G9 Play is a little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a European price of €169.99 .
It ’ s got a smaller 6.5-inch 1080p display , a triple-camera array with a main sensor that ’ s just 48-megapixels in resolution , and a Snapdragon 662 processor .
( XDA Developers notes that , in contrast , the G9 Plus is expected to use the more powerful Snapdragon 730 . )
However , it ’ s still got that beefy 5,000mAh battery , suggesting that battery life won ’ t be a concern regardless of which of Motorola ’ s budget phones you opt @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on when or where the Moto G9 Plus may eventually release , but with retailer listings already live an official announcement can ’ t be too far away .

It looks like Motorola is about to announce a second entry in its budget G9 phone lineup, just weeks after it revealed the Moto G9 Play. The Moto G9 Plus has appeared in a listing on Orange Slovakia’s website that was spotted by WinFuture’s Roland Quandt. According to the listing, the €255 (about $300) phone will have four rear cameras, including a 64-megapixel main camera, and a massive 5,000 mAh battery.
Although Motorola’s recent flagship phones like the Edge Plus and foldable Razr have been average at best, its budget lineup of G-series phones like the recent G Stylus and G Power have continued to offer great value. Their cameras are generally good for the price, battery life is excellent, and the company makes sensible tweaks to the Android operating system in its software.
The Orange listing says the Moto G9 Plus will have a 6.81-inch 1080p display, 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage (expandable via microSD), and will run Android 10 out of the box. There’s no mention of the resolution of its other three rear cameras. Around the front there’s a hole-punch notch for its selfie camera, confirming the design that was leaked by Evan Blass last month.
The G9 Plus looks set to be either the second or third entry in Motorala’s Moto G9 lineup, depending on how you count them. Last month it announced the Moto G9 Play in Europe, which is more or less identical to the Moto G9 it announced for the Indian market the previous day.
The Moto G9 Play is a little cheaper than the G9 Plus, with a European price of €169.99. It’s got a smaller 6.5-inch 1080p display, a triple-camera array with a main sensor that’s just 48-megapixels in resolution, and a Snapdragon 662 processor. (XDA Developers notes that, in contrast, the G9 Plus is expected to use the more powerful Snapdragon 730.) However, it’s still got that beefy 5,000mAh battery, suggesting that battery life won’t be a concern regardless of which of Motorola’s budget phones you opt for.


theverge--2020-09-06--New trailers: The Forty-Year-Old Version, The Boys in the Band, No Time to Die, and more

I ’ ve been sort of stuck in a rerun rut the past week or so ( fine , OK , yes I ’ ve been rewatching Battlestar Galactica and last night I watched The Matrix .
Keanu forever ) .
Maybe it just feels comforting to watch a show or movie where you know the outcome when things in the real world are so uncertain and frightening ?
In any case , I ’ m going to push myself to watch something new ( or at least new to me ) this week Oh but , ICYMI , September @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ ll hold off on that “ watch something new ” pledge for a day or two .
There are a lot of great new trailers just out , plus a second trailer for No Time to Die .
And while technically the trailer for The Forty-Year-Old Version came out last week I ’ m squeezing it in because Radha Blank is amazing and I can ’ t wait to see it .
Radha Blank makes her feature film directing debut in this story of a playwright approaching 40 whose once-bright star @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rediscovers her love of rapping ( under the name RadhaMUS Prime ) .
Of course as soon as she records her demo , her play starts to become noticed and she has to decide which path to follow .
It ’ s shot in black and white and set in New York City , and earned Blank a directing award at the Sundance Film Festival in January .
In addition to starring in the film which is loosely based on her own life , Blank wrote the screenplay and shares producing credits with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Netflix October 9th .
This is the second official trailer for the movie expected to be Daniel Craig ’ s last appearance as 007 , and we catch a few more glimpses not only of Rami Malek as villain Safin , but of Lashana Lynch as new 00 agent Nomi , and Ana de Armas as CIA agent Paloma .
Phoebe Waller-Bridge ( Fleabag ) is part of the writing team and it ’ s directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga .
It has all the hallmarks of a Bond film : stunning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aston-Martins , no less ) and stunts that seem impossible ( remember Craig had to have surgery after injuring his ankle during filming in Jamaica last May ) .
As long as world events cooperate , No Time to Die will hit theaters in the UK November 12th and in the US November 20th .
The Boys in the Band Based on the 2018 production of the 1968 play ( which was also a 1970 movie ) , The Boys in the Band tells the story of a group of gay men at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ visited by a guest from the past , who play a game meant to reveal deep , dark secrets .
The Broadway cast included Jim Parsons , Zachary Quinto , and Matt Bomer who all reprise their roles here , and is directed by Joe Mantello , who also directed the stage adaptation .
It debuts on Netflix September 30th .
This teaser trailer gives a peek at a documentary that tells the story of teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg and her journey from a protest outside Sweden ’ s Parliament to addressing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hits Hulu November 13th .
A corporate agent uses brain-implant technology to inhabit ( possess ) other people ’ s bodies to carry out assassinations : What could possibly go wrong ?
!
Of course her consciousness becomes trapped inside one of her subjects ( don ’ t you hate when that happens ? )
and hilarity does not ensue .
This creepy film from director Brandon Cronenberg will be in theaters ( again , coronavirus pandemic permitting ) on October 9th .

I’ve been sort of stuck in a rerun rut the past week or so (fine, OK, yes I’ve been rewatching Battlestar Galactica and last night I watched The Matrix. Keanu forever). Maybe it just feels comforting to watch a show or movie where you know the outcome when things in the real world are so uncertain and frightening? In any case, I’m going to push myself to watch something new (or at least new to me) this week Oh but, ICYMI, September 8th is Star Trek Day so maybe I’ll hold off on that “watch something new” pledge for a day or two.
There are a lot of great new trailers just out, plus a second trailer for No Time to Die. And while technically the trailer for The Forty-Year-Old Version came out last week I’m squeezing it in because Radha Blank is amazing and I can’t wait to see it.
The Forty-Year-Old Version
Radha Blank makes her feature film directing debut in this story of a playwright approaching 40 whose once-bright star is starting to fade, when she rediscovers her love of rapping (under the name RadhaMUS Prime). Of course as soon as she records her demo, her play starts to become noticed and she has to decide which path to follow. It’s shot in black and white and set in New York City, and earned Blank a directing award at the Sundance Film Festival in January. In addition to starring in the film which is loosely based on her own life, Blank wrote the screenplay and shares producing credits with Lena Waithe. The Forty-Year-Old Version debuts on Netflix October 9th.
No Time To Die
This is the second official trailer for the movie expected to be Daniel Craig’s last appearance as 007, and we catch a few more glimpses not only of Rami Malek as villain Safin, but of Lashana Lynch as new 00 agent Nomi, and Ana de Armas as CIA agent Paloma. Phoebe Waller-Bridge (Fleabag) is part of the writing team and it’s directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga. It has all the hallmarks of a Bond film: stunning location shoots, car chases (in Aston-Martins, no less) and stunts that seem impossible (remember Craig had to have surgery after injuring his ankle during filming in Jamaica last May). As long as world events cooperate, No Time to Die will hit theaters in the UK November 12th and in the US November 20th.
The Boys in the Band
Based on the 2018 production of the 1968 play (which was also a 1970 movie), The Boys in the Band tells the story of a group of gay men at a birthday party in New York City visited by a guest from the past, who play a game meant to reveal deep, dark secrets. The Broadway cast included Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, and Matt Bomer who all reprise their roles here, and is directed by Joe Mantello, who also directed the stage adaptation. It debuts on Netflix September 30th.
I Am Greta
This teaser trailer gives a peek at a documentary that tells the story of teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg and her journey from a protest outside Sweden’s Parliament to addressing the United Nations. I Am Greta hits Hulu November 13th.
Possessor


theverge--2020-09-06--EA apologizes for putting full-screen in-game ad in UFC 4

EA has apologized for putting a full-screen , in-game ad into its UFC 4 game , after angry fans protested on Reddit .
First reported by Eurogamer , the commercial break , which featured a spot for Amazon ’ s show The Boys , was added to the $ 60 game about a month after its initial release .
An EA spokesperson wrote in a Reddit post that the team had turned on ad placements in the game during the “ replay ” moments , and that while “ this type of advertising inventory is not new to the UFC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limited to “ specific main menu tiles or Octagon logo placement.
” A post on Reddit ’ s r/assholedesign board pointing out the issue had close to 100,000 upvotes .
EA says it has disabled the ads .
“ It is abundantly clear from your feedback that integrating ads into the Replay and overlay experience is not welcome , ” the company spokesperson said .
“ We apologize for any disruption to gameplay that players may have experienced.
” The Wall Street Journal reported in July that WarnerMedia ran test ads in EA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several TV shows .
The Journal article noted that gamers are well known for protesting changes— such as ads— that interfere with the experience , especially for premium games .
The EA spokesperson said the company should have better communicated with players ahead of time about the pending change .
“ We want to make sure our players have the best possible experience playing EA SPORTS UFC 4 , ” the spokesperson said , “ so ad integration in the Replay and overlay experience will not be reappearing in the future .
”

EA has apologized for putting a full-screen, in-game ad into its UFC 4 game, after angry fans protested on Reddit. First reported by Eurogamer, the commercial break, which featured a spot for Amazon’s show The Boys, was added to the $60 game about a month after its initial release.
An EA spokesperson wrote in a Reddit post that the team had turned on ad placements in the game during the “replay” moments, and that while “this type of advertising inventory is not new to the UFC franchise,” it has typically been limited to “specific main menu tiles or Octagon logo placement.”
A post on Reddit’s r/assholedesign board pointing out the issue had close to 100,000 upvotes.
EA says it has disabled the ads. “It is abundantly clear from your feedback that integrating ads into the Replay and overlay experience is not welcome,” the company spokesperson said. “We apologize for any disruption to gameplay that players may have experienced.”
The Wall Street Journal reported in July that WarnerMedia ran test ads in EA’s UFC 3, which promoted several TV shows. The Journal article noted that gamers are well known for protesting changes— such as ads— that interfere with the experience, especially for premium games. The EA spokesperson said the company should have better communicated with players ahead of time about the pending change.


theverge--2020-09-06--Amazon bars foreign sales of plants to the US following deliveries of mystery seeds

Amazon is banning foreign sales of plants and seeds into the US as authorities try to weed out who may be sending packets of mystery seeds to people who did not order them , The Wall Street Journal reported .
The packets of seeds bearing postmarks from China have been arriving at homes around the world for several months , with the US Postal Service , Department of Homeland Security , Customs and Border Protection , and Department of Agriculture all investigating the matter in the US .
Many of the seed packets were labeled as toys or jewelry .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ US states had reported incidents of unsolicited seed deliveries .
Chinese authorities have said that the postmark labels were not authentic .
The USDA says seeds and plants smuggled into the US could do harm to gardens , farms , and the environment , and notes that “ mislabeling packages in order to get seeds and other plant materials into the country is agricultural smuggling , ” which bypasses rules that prevent invasive species , pests , and plant diseases from getting into the US .
Anyone who receives seeds they did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to contact local authorities .
According to the WSJ , Amazon notified foreign sellers on its platform that it would no longer allow seeds or plants to be imported as of September 3rd .
The company updated its sellers ’ rules to include the new policy , and in an email to sellers said the decision was “ part of our ongoing efforts to protect our customers and enhance the customer experience.
” An Amazon spokesperson said in an email to The Verge on Sunday that “ Moving forward , we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sellers who are based in the US.
” Violating the new guidelines could get a seller ’ s account removed , the company added .

Amazon is banning foreign sales of plants and seeds into the US as authorities try to weed out who may be sending packets of mystery seeds to people who did not order them, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The packets of seeds bearing postmarks from China have been arriving at homes around the world for several months, with the US Postal Service, Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, and Department of Agriculture all investigating the matter in the US. Many of the seed packets were labeled as toys or jewelry. As of July, more than 27 US states had reported incidents of unsolicited seed deliveries. Chinese authorities have said that the postmark labels were not authentic.
The USDA says seeds and plants smuggled into the US could do harm to gardens, farms, and the environment, and notes that “mislabeling packages in order to get seeds and other plant materials into the country is agricultural smuggling,” which bypasses rules that prevent invasive species, pests, and plant diseases from getting into the US. Anyone who receives seeds they did not order is warned not to plant them and to contact local authorities.
According to the WSJ, Amazon notified foreign sellers on its platform that it would no longer allow seeds or plants to be imported as of September 3rd. The company updated its sellers’ rules to include the new policy, and in an email to sellers said the decision was “part of our ongoing efforts to protect our customers and enhance the customer experience.”
An Amazon spokesperson said in an email to The Verge on Sunday that “Moving forward, we are only permitting the sale of seeds by sellers who are based in the US.” Violating the new guidelines could get a seller’s account removed, the company added.


theverge--2020-09-06--LG confirms Wing is the name of its new smartphone

LG has confirmed its upcoming phone will be called Wing ( the Wing ? )
and will be revealed at @ @ @ @ @ 14th .
The device is believed to have two screens in a swiveling form factor @ @ @ @ @ video showing what looks like a sliding mechanism that can rotate into a T shape @ @ @ @ @ swiveling screens , reports about the Wing so far have indicated the device will support @ @ @ @ @ camera array with a 64-megapixel main sensor , and will run on a Snapdragon 7-series @ @ @ @ @ be LG ’ s first launched under its Explorer Project , a new mobile category @ @ @ @ @ at “ discovering new ways to interact with mobile devices ... and challenging established user @ @ @ @ @ the Wing will “ deliver a new and different form factor and mobile experience that @ @ @ @ @ with conventional smartphones.
” LG ’ s announcement event kicks off at 10AM ET on @ @ @

LG has confirmed its upcoming phone will be called Wing (the Wing?) and will be revealed at its announcement event on September 14th. The device is believed to have two screens in a swiveling form factor, with a recent teaser video showing what looks like a sliding mechanism that can rotate into a T shape.
In addition to its swiveling screens, reports about the Wing so far have indicated the device will support 5G, have a triple-rear camera array with a 64-megapixel main sensor, and will run on a Snapdragon 7-series processor.
The device will be LG’s first launched under its Explorer Project, a new mobile category the company says is aimed at “discovering new ways to interact with mobile devices... and challenging established user norms,” adding that the Wing will “deliver a new and different form factor and mobile experience that would be impossible to create with conventional smartphones.”