theverge--2020-10-02--Disinfecting drones will clean Atlanta stadium between events

Atlanta ’ s Mercedes-Benz Stadium , home of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC , will use a pair of drones to disinfect fan seating and other areas after upcoming events .
The purpose-built D1 disinfecting drones are being provided by Lucid Drone Technologies , and use electrostatic spraying nozzles to distribute the non-toxic disinfecting chemicals .
The drones will debut after the Falcons ’ upcoming October 11th home game against the Carolina Panthers .
The stadium claims it ’ s the first professional sports stadium to use cleaning drones , and it says they reduce the time it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seating area by 95 percent , freeing up staff to work elsewhere .
The drones will also disinfect the stadium ’ s handrails and glass partitions .
Two drones will be used , with a third to be used as a backup , ESPN reports .
The stadium claims its drones reduce cleaning times by 95 percent As the world has reckoned with how to re-open public spaces amidst a global pandemic , remote cleaning solutions like these have emerged as a high profile way of disinfecting large areas efficiently , while being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from one another .
In May , Pittsburgh ’ s airport rolled out a UV-cleaning robot , and disinfecting robots have also been deployed to a containment zone in Chennai , India .
But an excessive focus on disinfecting surfaces has been criticized as “ hygiene theater ” by some experts in a recent report in The Atlantic .
That ’ s because while the CDC says surface transmission is “ possible ” it “ isn ’ t thought to be the main way the virus spreads.
” Instead , airborne transmission is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , making social distancing and mask-wearing more important policies for cutting down transmission .
Disinfecting areas isn ’ t thought to be directly harmful , but hygiene theater risks creating a false sense of security , The Atlantic reports .
In some cases it may also suck resources away from other areas .
Thankfully it sounds like the disinfecting drones won ’ t be the only hygiene policy in place at the 71,000 seater Mercedes-Benz Stadium .
CNN reports that capacity will be limited , although it says it ’ s unclear exactly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attend , and there will also be 600 hand sanitizing dispensers around the building .
Officials at the Atlanta Falcons ’ parent company AMBSE have previously indicated that face coverings will be mandatory if fans returned to games this year , and that the stadium will enforce a six-feet distancing rule between seated groups , AJC reports .

Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, home of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United FC, will use a pair of drones to disinfect fan seating and other areas after upcoming events. The purpose-built D1 disinfecting drones are being provided by Lucid Drone Technologies, and use electrostatic spraying nozzles to distribute the nontoxic disinfecting chemicals. The drones will debut after the Falcons’ upcoming October 11th home game against the Carolina Panthers.
The stadium claims it’s the first professional sports stadium to use cleaning drones, and it says they reduce the time it takes to clean the stadium’s seating area by 95 percent, freeing up staff to work elsewhere. The drones will also disinfect the stadium’s handrails and glass partitions. Two drones will be used, with a third to be used as a backup, ESPN reports.
The stadium claims its drones reduce cleaning times by 95 percent
As the world has reckoned with how to reopen public spaces during a pandemic, remote cleaning solutions like these have emerged as a high profile way of disinfecting large areas efficiently, while being able to keep cleaning staff socially distanced from one another. In May, Pittsburgh’s airport rolled out a UV-cleaning robot, and disinfecting robots have also been deployed to a containment zone in Chennai, India.
But an excessive focus on disinfecting surfaces has been criticized as “hygiene theater” by some experts in a recent report in The Atlantic. That’s because while the CDC says surface transmission is “possible,” it “isn’t thought to be the main way the virus spreads.” Instead, airborne transmission is thought to be a much bigger problem, making social distancing and mask-wearing more important policies for cutting down transmission.
The drones will spray seating areas, handrails, and glass partitions. Image: Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Disinfecting areas isn’t thought to be directly harmful, but hygiene theater risks creating a false sense of security, The Atlantic reports. In some cases it may also suck resources away from other areas.


theverge--2020-10-02--YouTube website’s picture-in-picture works again on iOS 14

YouTube ’ s website now supports iOS 14 ’ s picture-in-picture mode once again , after the functionality mysteriously disappeared last month .
It can be enabled in both Safari as well as third-party browsers like Chrome or Firefox by expanding a video to play fullscreen , and then tapping the small picture-in-picture icon on the top-left of the interface .
Then you ’ re free to minimize the browser and use other apps while the continuing to watch a video .
You can also slide the PiP window to the side if you just want to hear music without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ picture-in-picture support was added as a new feature in iOS 14 , but shortly afterwards stopped working on YouTube ’ s website for iPhone users .
It continued to work for users who subscribe to YouTube Premium , perhaps unsurprisingly .
It also works for iPad users .
While picture-in-picture now works in browsers , it is not available in the YouTube app itself , where MacRumors notes the feature has never been supported .
Playing videos in the background is possible via the YouTube app , but only if you have a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the service recently tested a picture-in-picture mode in its iOS app , but no official announcements have been made .

YouTube’s website now supports iOS 14’s picture-in-picture mode once again, after the functionality mysteriously disappeared last month. It can be enabled in both Safari as well as third-party browsers like Chrome or Firefox by expanding a video to play fullscreen, and then tapping the small picture-in-picture icon on the top-left of the interface. Then you’re free to minimize the browser and use other apps while the continuing to watch a video. You can also slide the PiP window to the side if you just want to hear music without the video obstructing the display.
OS-level picture-in-picture support was added as a new feature in iOS 14, but shortly afterwards stopped working on YouTube’s website for iPhone users. It continued to work for users who subscribe to YouTube Premium, perhaps unsurprisingly. It also works for iPad users.


theverge--2020-10-02--President Trump says he has tested positive for COVID-19

President Donald Trump tweeted shortly before 1AM ET on Friday that he and his wife Melania have tested positive for COVID-19 , following reports White House advisor Hope Hicks , who had traveled with him this week on Air Force One , had similarly tested positive .
Trump isn ’ t the first world leader to contract the coronavirus .
Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro announced in July that he ’ d tested positive .
UK prime minister Boris Johnson recovered from COVID-19 in April , and Honduras ’ president Juan Orlando Hernández was discharged from a hospital in July .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it is the United States that has long become the nation struggling most with the pandemic , with the most cases and the most deaths , both of which far eclipse its percentage of the world ’ s population .
Over 200,000 people have died of COVID-19 in the United States alone , nearly one-fifth of the 1 million people that have died worldwide .
Over the past months , Trump has famously and repeatedly insisted that the pandemic would magically “ disappear , ” or that the virus was largely harmless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ away , ” among other claims .
In his recent debate against Joe Biden , he continued to downplay the need to wear a mask , stating that he puts on a mask “ when I think I need it.
” The CDC , among others , advises people to wear masks to prevent spreading COVID-19 to others — not necessarily to avoid contracting it yourself , and has advised even people without symptoms to get tested for COVID-19 , because asymptomatic people can still contract and spread the virus .
The question @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contracting the virus will do anything to change their outlook and acceptance of the science around COVID-19 , and whether the American people will change their behaviors now they ’ ve seen that Trump can get it too .

President Donald Trump tweeted shortly before 1AM ET on Friday that he and his wife Melania have tested positive for COVID-19, following reports White House advisor Hope Hicks, who had traveled with him this week on Air Force One, had similarly tested positive.
Trump isn’t the first world leader to contract the coronavirus. Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro announced in July that he’d tested positive. UK prime minister Boris Johnson recovered from COVID-19 in April, and Honduras’ president Juan Orlando Hernández was discharged from a hospital in July.
But as you’ve probably heard, it is the United States that has long become the nation struggling most with the pandemic, with the most cases and the most deaths, both of which far eclipse its percentage of the world’s population. Over 200,000 people have died of COVID-19 in the United States alone, nearly one-fifth of the 1 million people that have died worldwide.
Over the past months, Trump has famously and repeatedly insisted that the pandemic would magically “disappear,” or that the virus was largely harmless, or that it was “fading away,” among other claims.
In his recent debate against Joe Biden, he continued to downplay the need to wear a mask, stating that he puts on a mask “when I think I need it.” The CDC, among others, advises people to wear masks to prevent spreading COVID-19 to others — not necessarily to avoid contracting it yourself, and has advised even people without symptoms to get tested for COVID-19, because asymptomatic people can still contract and spread the virus.


theverge--2020-10-02--HP’s new Spectre x360 14 laptop has a 3:2 aspect ratio plus a Thunderbolt 4 port hiding in the corne

HP’s new Spectre x360 14 laptop has a 3:2 aspect ratio plus a Thunderbolt 4 port hiding in the corner

HP has just announced several new laptops , including the Spectre x360 14 convertible , which brings some notable improvements compared to its already-impressive 13-inch predecessor : a 3:2 aspect ratio display , a 16 percent larger touchpad , quad speakers , and a Thunderbolt 4 port located in one of its diamond-shaped corners so you can plug in your all-in-one cable for charging , data , external monitors and peripherals even if the back or sides of the machine are blocked .
There ’ s also a physical button you can press on the keyboard to block the webcam @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is equipped with Intel ’ s latest 11th Gen “ Tiger Lake ” processors , specifically up to a quad-core 28W Intel Core i7-1165G7 with Intel ’ s Xe integrated graphics onboard ; just one step below the chip that impressed us in a recent Tiger Lake test .
HP says the new laptop should be up to 34 percent faster than last year ’ s Spectre x360 13 model .
More impressively , it ’ s the first Spectre to include a 3:2 aspect ratio display with 20 percent more vertical real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve had before — and you can pay for an OLED version of the 13.5-inch 3000 x 2000-pixel screen , too , though we ’ re not sure how much it costs .
One of the biggest annoyances we had with its 13-inch predecessor was its 16:9 display , which my colleague Dan Seifert called “ cramped ” in his review .
HP ’ s 13-inch Spectre x360 is also sticking around HP also claims the new laptop is its “ most intelligent PC ever , ” and while we ’ d have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the smarts sound interesting .
HP claims the Spectre can detect when it ’ s in a bag , and use Intel ’ s Dynamic Tuning to avoid the battery draining or overheating .
The x360 14 also includes AI Noise Removal , which is supposed to eliminate background noise from communication apps like Microsoft Teams and Zoom , and there ’ s an Auto Color feature that can automatically switch the screen ’ s color space between DCI-P3 , Adobe RGB , and sRGB to theoretically make sure you ’ re looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company ’ s claiming up to 17 hours of battery life , but as little as 10 on the i7/OLED model .
The Spectre x360 14 starts at $ 1,199 ( though presumably not with an i7 and OLED screen ) , and we ’ re eager to see how it ’ ll perform against our current best laptop pick , the $ 999-and-up Dell XPS 13 , particularly now that Dell just gave it a Tiger Lake , Xe graphics and Thunderbolt 4 refresh as well .
Dell also has a 2-in-1 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but it ’ s the 13-inch Spectre x360 that ’ s been our favorite 2-in-1 .
HP ’ s 13-inch Spectre x360 is also sticking around , with the company announcing a refresh today that adds some of the same Intel 11th Gen CPUs and up to 16.5 hours of battery life — which would actually be lower than the company promised from last year ’ s model , though Intel ’ s been trying recently to encourage manufacturers to make more accurate claims ( and we still have a long way to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 13 will start at $ 1,199 as well , though there ’ s also an 4K OLED option that ’ s sure to be far pricier and harder on the battery life ( HP claims as little as 10 hours for this model ) , as well as a 5G variant of the Spectre x360 13 which is launching sometime early next year .
Both Spectres offer pen support , and it looks like some models of the Spectre 14 will come with one in the box .
HP ’ s cheaper Envy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gen Intel CPU refresh today , and we ’ re eager to see how the Intel chips compare to the AMD ones that made it our pick for the best budget laptop you can buy .
It ’ ll also have a fancy Sure View screen option like HP ’ s excellent but expensive HP Elite Dragonfly , where you can press a button to activate a privacy filter .
HP also sells a traditional clamshell laptop called the HP Envy 13 , which will also now be equipped with 11th Gen Intel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same 88 percent screen-to-body ratio as the last refresh , which is two percent less than its competitor the Asus ZenBook 14 UX425EA .
The Envy x360 13 will start at $ 949.99 in November , and the Envy 13 at $ 899.99 in October .
Both Spectres should arrive in October , though the 5G version of the x360 13 isn ’ t coming until early 2021 .
They ’ ll all offer Wi-Fi 6 support .

HP has just announced several new laptops, including the Spectre x360 14 convertible, which brings some notable improvements compared to its already-impressive 13-inch predecessor: a 3:2 aspect ratio display, a 16 percent larger touchpad, quad speakers, and a Thunderbolt 4 port located in one of its diamond-shaped corners so you can plug in your all-in-one cable for charging, data, external monitors and peripherals even if the back or sides of the machine are blocked. There’s also a physical button you can press on the keyboard to block the webcam.
The three-pound HP Spectre x360 14 is equipped with Intel’s latest 11th Gen “Tiger Lake” processors, specifically up to a quad-core 28W Intel Core i7-1165G7 with Intel’s Xe integrated graphics onboard; just one step below the chip that impressed us in a recent Tiger Lake test. HP says the new laptop should be up to 34 percent faster than last year’s Spectre x360 13 model.
An intriguing location for the Thunderbolt 4 port. Image: HP
More impressively, it’s the first Spectre to include a 3:2 aspect ratio display with 20 percent more vertical real estate than the 16:9 screens we’ve had before — and you can pay for an OLED version of the 13.5-inch 3000 x 2000-pixel screen, too, though we’re not sure how much it costs. One of the biggest annoyances we had with its 13-inch predecessor was its 16:9 display, which my colleague Dan Seifert called “cramped” in his review.
HP’s 13-inch Spectre x360 is also sticking around
HP also claims the new laptop is its “most intelligent PC ever,” and while we’d have to put that to the test, the smarts sound interesting. HP claims the Spectre can detect when it’s in a bag, and use Intel’s Dynamic Tuning to avoid the battery draining or overheating. The x360 14 also includes AI Noise Removal, which is supposed to eliminate background noise from communication apps like Microsoft Teams and Zoom, and there’s an Auto Color feature that can automatically switch the screen’s color space between DCI-P3, Adobe RGB, and sRGB to theoretically make sure you’re looking at the most accurate colors. The company’s claiming up to 17 hours of battery life, but as little as 10 on the i7/OLED model.
The Spectre x360 14 starts at $1,199 (though presumably not with an i7 and OLED screen), and we’re eager to see how it’ll perform against our current best laptop pick, the $999-and-up Dell XPS 13, particularly now that Dell just gave it a Tiger Lake, Xe graphics and Thunderbolt 4 refresh as well. Dell also has a 2-in-1 convertible touchscreen variant that we like, but it’s the 13-inch Spectre x360 that’s been our favorite 2-in-1.
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1 / 4 HP’s Spectre x360 14 laptop Image: HP
HP’s 13-inch Spectre x360 is also sticking around, with the company announcing a refresh today that adds some of the same Intel 11th Gen CPUs and up to 16.5 hours of battery life — which would actually be lower than the company promised from last year’s model, though Intel’s been trying recently to encourage manufacturers to make more accurate claims (and we still have a long way to go). The updated Spectre x360 13 will start at $1,199 as well, though there’s also an 4K OLED option that’s sure to be far pricier and harder on the battery life (HP claims as little as 10 hours for this model), as well as a 5G variant of the Spectre x360 13 which is launching sometime early next year.
Both Spectres offer pen support, and it looks like some models of the Spectre 14 will come with one in the box.
The Envy x360 13 will start at $949.99 in November, and the Envy 13 at $899.99 in October. Both Spectres should arrive in October, though the 5G version of the x360 13 isn’t coming until early 2021. They’ll all offer Wi-Fi 6 support.


theverge--2020-10-02--SpaceX aborts launch of updated GPS satellite just before takeoff

Update October 2nd , 10:00PM ET : Just 2 seconds before liftoff , SpaceX stopped the launch of its Falcon 9 rocket , without giving a clear indication of what went wrong .
The next opportunity for SpaceX to fly is Saturday evening , though a launch date hasn ’ t been confirmed yet .
Original Story : Late Friday night , SpaceX is slated to launch a new upgraded GPS satellite for the US Space Force from Cape Canaveral , Florida — the latest spacecraft intended to help modernize the current GPS fleet .
This will be the fourth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the last three years , and the third one to be launched by SpaceX .
The satellite going up on this flight is GPS III SV04 , which will become one of the 31 primary GPS satellites in orbit .
This vehicle is part of a new block of GPS III spacecraft intended to slowly replace the current aging GPS vehicles .
Built by Lockheed Martin , these GPS III satellites are supposed to be three times more accurate than their predecessors and have more advanced “ anti-jamming ” capabilities to prevent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ signal embedded in the satellite .
The GPS III satellites are also meant to be more user-friendly for civilians .
The vehicles sport a new “ civil signal ” that allows them to more easily communicate with other satellite navigation systems in space , notably Europe ’ s Galileo constellation of more than two dozen spacecraft .
That way , civilians and commercial users looking to tap into the system will have more potential spacecraft overhead at any given time .
GPS III satellites are supposed to be three times more accurate than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slow process launching these GPS III replacements , marked by technological and testing delays , as well as delays related to the COVID-19 pandemic .
However , Lockheed Martin says the fifth satellite is ready to go and awaiting its launch date .
In the meantime , five more GPS III satellites are in production , according to the company , and three of them are fully built and undergoing tests .
Once GPS III SV04 launches , up to 12 percent of the current GPS constellation will consist of the new satellites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scheduled for 9:43PM ET , on top of SpaceX ’ s Falcon 9 rocket from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida .
SpaceX is using an entirely new Falcon 9 rocket for the job , though just last week , the Space Force ’ s Space and Missile Systems Center announced it will allow SpaceX to launch two future GPS III satellites on the company ’ s used Falcon 9 rockets .
For this launch , SpaceX still plans to recover the Falcon 9 following the flight and will attempt to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company ’ s floating drone ships in the Atlantic Ocean .
For now , weather is looking okay for launch with a 70 percent chance of favorable conditions .
However , rockets on the East Coast have struggled to launch this week , with three separate vehicles experiencing delays due to technological issues and weather problems .
Tune in tonight to see if SpaceX can break the streak , and get one rocket off the ground this week .
Live coverage is scheduled to begin 15 minutes before takeoff .

Update November 5th, 8:00PM ET: SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket successfully took off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and deployed the GPS III SV04 satellite about an hour and a half later. The Falcon 9’s first stage also successfully landed on SpaceX’s drone ship following takeoff.
Original Story: Thursday night, SpaceX is slated to launch a new, upgraded GPS satellite for the US Space Force from Cape Canaveral, Florida — the latest spacecraft intended to help modernize the current GPS fleet. This will be the fourth GPS satellite of its kind to launch in the last three years, and the third one to be launched by SpaceX.
The satellite going up on this flight is GPS III SV04, which will become one of 31 primary GPS satellites in orbit. This vehicle is part of a new block of GPS III spacecraft intended to slowly replace the current aging GPS vehicles. Built by Lockheed Martin, these GPS III satellites are supposed to be three times more accurate than their predecessors and have more advanced “anti-jamming” capabilities to prevent cyberattacks, thanks to a new M-Code signal embedded in the satellite.
The GPS III satellites are also meant to be more user-friendly for civilians. The vehicles sport a new “civil signal” that allows them to more easily communicate with other satellite navigation systems in space, notably Europe’s Galileo constellation of more than two dozen spacecraft. That way, civilians and commercial users looking to tap into the system will have more potential spacecraft overhead at any given time.
GPS III satellites are supposed to be three times more accurate than their predecessors
It’s been a slow process launching these GPS III replacements, marked by technological and testing delays, as well as delays related to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Lockheed Martin says the fifth satellite is ready to go and awaiting its launch date. In the meantime, five more GPS III satellites are in production, according to the company, and three of them are fully built and undergoing tests. Once GPS III SV04 launches, up to 12 percent of the current GPS constellation will consist of the new satellites.
SpaceX also had some trouble with its Falcon 9 rocket leading up to this flight. This mission was originally set to take off on October 2nd, but the rocket stopped itself from launch just 2 seconds before liftoff. SpaceX later learned that two of the rocket’s nine main engines had tried to ignite earlier than expected, triggering the abort. The early startup was caused by a red lacquer that had been left inside the engines during their construction. SpaceX has replaced the engines and hopes the problem has been solved.
NASA is keeping a close eye on this launch. The same red lacquer that caused the early ignition was found in the engines of the Falcon 9 rocket slated to carry astronauts to the International Space Station this month. The engines are being replaced in that rocket too, but NASA wants to make sure that the GPS launch gets off the ground safely before humans get on the Falcon 9 again.
Takeoff of GPS III SV04 is scheduled for 6:24PM ET, on top of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. SpaceX is using an entirely new Falcon 9 rocket for the job, though in September, the Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center announced it will allow SpaceX to launch two future GPS III satellites on the company’s used Falcon 9 rockets. For this launch, SpaceX still plans to recover the Falcon 9 following the flight and will attempt to land the rocket on one of the company’s floating drone ships in the Atlantic Ocean.
For now, weather is looking okay for launch with a 60 percent chance of favorable conditions. Tune in tonight to see if SpaceX can get its rocket off the ground this week. Live coverage is scheduled to begin 15 minutes before takeoff.
Update November 5th, 4:45PM ET: This article was updated to include new information about the current launch date and the reason behind the October 2nd abort.


theverge--2020-10-02--2020 is giving us another chance to watch Mark Zuckerberg and Sundar Pichai get grilled by Congress

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg , Google CEO Sundar Pichai , and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey have agreed to testify virtually before the Senate Commerce Committee on October 28th , Politico reported Friday evening .
Assuming that the hearing is live-streamed in some way , that means you ’ ll be able to watch some of the world ’ s most powerful people get grilled by policymakers who ’ ve recently discussed changing the laws that let their companies grow to an unfathomable scale .
The hearing , which will take place just six days before the US Presidential election , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ featuring big tech CEOs this year ; the House antitrust committee heard from Pichai , Zuckerberg , Apple CEO Tim Cook , and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos in late July .
We learned a number of interesting things from their testimony and the documents released shortly after the hearing .
It seems likely that we ’ ll learn more about how Facebook , Google , and Twitter operate based on what their CEOs say in October .
The hearing will focus on the liability protections of Section 230 , data privacy , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many politicians have recently introduced legislation attempting to amend Section 230 , including a recently-introduced bill from Sen. Lindsay Graham and one from a group of Senate Republicans introduced in June that stalled out .
Zuckerberg , Pichai , and Dorsey ’ s agreement comes just one day after the committee voted to issue subpoenas to the CEOs , though the CEOs then agreed to testify voluntarily , Politico reports .
Those potential subpoenas followed voluntary requests made last week for the CEOs to appear for testimony on October 1st .

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey have agreed to testify virtually before the Senate Commerce Committee on October 28th, Politico reported Friday evening. Assuming that the hearing is live-streamed in some way, that means you’ll be able to watch some of the world’s most powerful people get grilled by policymakers who’ve recently discussed changing the laws that let their companies grow to an unfathomable scale.
The hearing, which will take place just six days before the US Presidential election, will be the second major Congressional hearing featuring big tech CEOs this year; the House antitrust committee heard from Pichai, Zuckerberg, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos in late July. We learned a number of interesting things from their testimony and the documents released shortly after the hearing. It seems likely that we’ll learn more about how Facebook, Google, and Twitter operate based on what their CEOs say in October.
The hearing will focus on the liability protections of Section 230, data privacy, and media consolidation, according to Politico. Many politicians have recently introduced legislation attempting to amend Section 230, including a recently-introduced bill from Sen. Lindsay Graham and one from a group of Senate Republicans introduced in June that stalled out.


theverge--2020-10-02--You can now sign up to test Microsoft Flight Simulator in VR

The new Microsoft Flight Simulator is an immersive beast of a PC game , and we can only imagine how immersive it might get in VR — but you might not have to imagine much longer , because Microsoft has just opened signups ( via Eurogamer ) for a closed beta of the virtual reality experience .
There are quite a few requirements if you want to be considered , though .
Not only do you have to own the game , have a Windows Mixed Reality headset , be a registered Microsoft Flight Simulator “ Insider ” and sign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a slightly beefier PC than the base game — with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 or better sporting 8GB of VRAM , as well as 16GB of system memory .
And , you ’ ll need to prove your PC qualifies by submitting your DxDiag ( press your Windows start button , type “ dxdiag ” , hit Enter ) so Microsoft can confirm those specs and that your system isn ’ t prone to BSODs or other major system errors .
Intriguingly , it doesn ’ t look like you ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specific headset that Microsoft originally said would get first dibs on the game .
Any Windows Mixed Reality headset will apparently do to start , which should be neat for those who got deep discounts on items like the Lenovo Explorer and Samsung Odyssey over the past couple of years .
The company isn ’ t saying when the closed beta will begin , but it had previously promised a free VR update this fall , so it probably won ’ t be long .
If you ’ ve got an Oculus , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there ’ ll be a second wave of closed beta for other devices as well .
It ’ s not surprising Microsoft might want to be cautious with the VR rollout , because the game initially tended to eat powerful gaming PCs for lunch .
Even our Nvidia RTX 3080 wasn ’ t enough to run it at full bore , partly because we hadn ’ t paired it with a fast enough CPU .
That said , we ’ ve seen some framerate improvement in recent updates , so perhaps VR won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holiday .
And maybe it ’ ll give you more time to find a flight stick .

The new Microsoft Flight Simulator is an immersive beast of a PC game, and we can only imagine how immersive it might get in VR — but you might not have to imagine much longer, because Microsoft has just opened signups (via Eurogamer) for a closed beta of the virtual reality experience.
There are quite a few requirements if you want to be considered, though. Not only do you have to own the game, have a Windows Mixed Reality headset, be a registered Microsoft Flight Simulator “Insider” and sign an NDA, you’ll need a slightly beefier PC than the base game — with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 or better sporting 8GB of VRAM, as well as 16GB of system memory.
And, you’ll need to prove your PC qualifies by submitting your DxDiag (press your Windows start button, type “dxdiag”, hit Enter) so Microsoft can confirm those specs and that your system isn’t prone to BSODs or other major system errors.
(The DxDiag file is basically just an inventory of your system, but it does also list recent application crashes.)
Intriguingly, it doesn’t look like you’ll need the HP Reverb G2, the specific headset that Microsoft originally said would get first dibs on the game. Any Windows Mixed Reality headset will apparently do to start, which should be neat for those who got deep discounts on items like the Lenovo Explorer and Samsung Odyssey over the past couple of years.
In a video Q&A, developer Asobo Studio says the beta should kick off in late October or early November. The company had previously promised a free VR update this fall, so it probably shouldn’t be much longer than that. If you’ve got an Oculus, HTC, or other VR headset, there’ll be a second wave of closed beta for other devices as well — Asobo says it hasn’t decided when that wave will kick off.
It’s not surprising Microsoft might want to be cautious with the VR rollout, because the game initially tended to eat powerful gaming PCs for lunch. Even our Nvidia RTX 3080 wasn’t enough to run it at full bore, partly because we hadn’t paired it with a fast enough CPU. That said, we’ve seen some framerate improvement in recent updates, so perhaps VR won’t be a tremendous stretch this holiday. And maybe it’ll give you more time to find a flight stick.


theverge--2020-10-02--Twitter warns it will suspend users who publicly hope for Trump’s death

President Trump reportedly has COVID-19 , and while some are wishing for his speedy recovery , others have publicly tweeted a hope that he ’ ll die of the disease .
As you might imagine , that ’ s expressly against Twitter ’ s rules — and the company tells Motherboard that it will enforce them .
In other words : You can ’ t tweet that you hope Trump dies of COVID .
Specifically , Twitter tells the publication that it will suspend people who hope for Trump ’ s death , though it ’ s not clear how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so .
Here ’ s an example of a recent reply to Trump ’ s original tweet that already seems to be attempting to dodge detection : And Twitter did tell Motherboard that it won ’ t act on every single tweet .
“ We ’ re prioritizing the removal of content when it has a clear call to action that could potentially cause real-world harm , ” reads a statement from Twitter .
In a tweet , the company added that its rules don ’ t necessarily mean automatic suspension , by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ applies here under Twitter ’ s Abusive Behavior policy , and it ’ s pretty clear : Wishing or hoping serious harm on a person or group of people We do not tolerate content that wishes , hopes or expresses a desire for death , serious bodily harm or fatal disease against an individual or group of people .
This includes , but is not limited to : Hoping that someone dies as a result of a serious disease e.g.
, “ I hope you get cancer and die.
” Wishing for someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ e.g.
, “ I wish that you would get run over by a car next time you run your mouth.
” Saying that a group of individuals deserves serious physical injury e.g.
, “ If this group of protesters don ’ t shut up , they deserve to be shot.
” Trump is currently headed to the Walter Reed Medical Center for testing and treatment .
Update , 7:21 PM ET : Added additional guidance from Twitter that these tweets will not automatically result in a suspension .

Wishing or hoping serious harm on a person or group of people
We do not tolerate content that wishes, hopes or expresses a desire for death, serious bodily harm or fatal disease against an individual or group of people. This includes, but is not limited to:
Hoping that someone dies as a result of a serious disease e.g., “I hope you get cancer and die.”
Wishing for someone to fall victim to a serious accident e.g., “I wish that you would get run over by a car next time you run your mouth.”
Saying that a group of individuals deserves serious physical injury e.g., “If this group of protesters don’t shut up, they deserve to be shot.”


theverge--2020-10-02--Bowser arrested and charged for selling Nintendo Switch hacks

Two members of a console hacking and piracy organization known as Team Xecuter have been arrested and charged with fraud , one of whom is named Gary Bowser .
French national Max Louarn and Bowser , originally from Canada but arrested in the Dominican Republic , allegedly led the group , which makes a line of tools for cracking locked-down gaming hardware .
Team Xecuter is a sophisticated operation known best for its Nintendo hacks , including a USB device called the SX Pro that allows the Nintendo Switch to run pirated games .
The group ’ s for-profit motive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and emulation communities , reports Ars Technica , because those communities tend to focus on open-source efforts and shy away from selling products that could draw the attention of both console makers and federal authorities .
Team Xecuter also makes hacking tools for the Nintendo 3DS and the NES Classic , among other devices .
Nintendo is well aware of the group , having filed two lawsuits against the organization back in May , with the primary intention of shutting down third-party retailers that resell Team Xecuter ’ s products online .
Nintendo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own involving aggressive litigation over unauthorized use of its intellectual property .
In more recent years , Nintendo has gone after so-called ROM sites that host ripped game files and other sites and web stores that traffic in pirated content and related hardware tools .
The Justice Department has gone further .
“ These defendants were allegedly leaders of a notorious international criminal group that reaped illegal profits for years by pirating video game technology of U.S. companies , ” Brian C. Rabbitt , the acting assistant attorney general of the Justice Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
“ These arrests show that the department will hold accountable hackers who seek to commandeer and exploit the intellectual property of American companies for financial gain , no matter where they may be located.
” The Justice Department tries to emphasize the difference between Xecuter ’ s activities and not-for-profit emulation or console hacking .
The release says Xecuter “ attempted to protect its overall business by using a wide variety of brands , websites , and distribution channels , according to the indictment , ” and that the group @ @ @ @ @ @ @ purported desire to support gaming enthusiasts who wanted to design their own videogames for noncommercial use.
” But the primary purpose of the group ’ s activities was to develop and sell for-profit tools for running pirated games , and additionally to help “ create and support online libraries of pirated videogames.
” Both men face severe prison time if convicted , including 20 years for each charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud , wire fraud , and conspiracy to commit money laundering , with up to five years for some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been set .

Two members of a console hacking and piracy organization known as Team Xecuter have been arrested and charged with fraud, one of whom is named Gary Bowser. French national Max Louarn and Bowser, originally from Canada but arrested in the Dominican Republic, allegedly led the group, which makes a line of tools for cracking locked-down gaming hardware.
Team Xecuter is a sophisticated operation known best for its Nintendo hacks, including a USB device called the SX Pro that allows the Nintendo Switch to run pirated games. The group’s for-profit motive has made it controversial in the modding and emulation communities, reports Ars Technica, because those communities tend to focus on open-source efforts and shy away from selling products that could draw the attention of both console makers and federal authorities. Team Xecuter also makes hacking tools for the Nintendo 3DS and the NES Classic, among other devices.
Team Xecutor developed and sold a popular line of Nintendo hacking tools
Nintendo is well aware of the group, having filed two lawsuits against the organization back in May, with the primary intention of shutting down third-party retailers that resell Team Xecuter’s products online. Nintendo also has a controversial history of its own involving aggressive litigation over unauthorized use of its intellectual property. In more recent years, Nintendo has gone after so-called ROM sites that host ripped game files and other sites and web stores that traffic in pirated content and related hardware tools.
The Justice Department has gone further. “These defendants were allegedly leaders of a notorious international criminal group that reaped illegal profits for years by pirating video game technology of U.S. companies,” Brian C. Rabbitt, the acting assistant attorney general of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, said in a statement. “These arrests show that the department will hold accountable hackers who seek to commandeer and exploit the intellectual property of American companies for financial gain, no matter where they may be located.”
The Justice Department tries to emphasize the difference between Xecuter’s activities and not-for-profit emulation or console hacking. The release says Xecuter “attempted to protect its overall business by using a wide variety of brands, websites, and distribution channels, according to the indictment,” and that the group “cloaked its illegal activity with a purported desire to support gaming enthusiasts who wanted to design their own videogames for noncommercial use.” But the primary purpose of the group’s activities was to develop and sell for-profit tools for running pirated games, and additionally to help “create and support online libraries of pirated videogames.”


theverge--2020-10-02--Ubisoft survey reveals that 25 percent of employees have seen or experienced workplace misconduct

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has published the results of an employee survey undertaken by the company over the summer following allegations of endemic harassment and toxicity , and the results are eye-opening .
In the anonymous survey of nearly 14,000 employees , one in four respondents said that they had either witnessed or experienced workplace misconduct themselves in the past two years , and one in five said that they didn ’ t feel “ fully respected or safe in the work environment.
” The results also noted that women and non-binary employees witnessed or were more likely to experience @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and non-binary employees were more likely to experience harassment Ubisoft says that the survey — which was conducted by a third-party research firm , and the results of which were provided to The Verge — started “ shortly after the initial allegations ” of sexual harassment , misconduct , sexism , racism , and a toxic workplace environment came to light earlier this summer .
As a result of those accusations , a host of Ubisoft executives and creative leaders have either been fired or stepped down from their current roles , including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ismail , Serge Hascoët , and Yannis Mallat .
Ubisoft veteran Michel Ancel also recently departed the company ; a later report from French newspaper Libération ( which Ancel denies ) claimed that this was due to an ongoing investigation into Ancel ’ s toxic management of Beyond Good and Evil 2 .
Guillemot ’ s letter goes on to explain how the company hopes to begin to deal with these issues and help create a safer and better work environment at Ubisoft .
He notes that the company has new mechanisms in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they can be investigated further .
Ubisoft is also revising its mandatory company code of conduct and conducting compulsory anti-sexism and anti-harassment training across the company .
Ubisoft is also working to hire a new head of diversity and inclusion and new vice presidents , and it aims to have women comprise at least 24 percent of Ubisoft ’ s staff by 2023 ( compared to the current 22 percent ) .
These changes are in addition to previously announced efforts for increased diversity and representation at the company , which include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minorities .
“ Everyone at Ubisoft should be able to feel confident and have the same opportunities , regardless of their gender , skin color , religion , age , or other individual traits , ” reads Guillemot ’ s closing remarks .
Based on the way that the company has handled business for the last few decades , though , Ubisoft still seems to have a long way to go before it reaches that point .

Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot has published the results of an employee survey undertaken by the company over the summer following allegations of endemic harassment and toxicity, and the results are eye-opening.
In the anonymous survey of nearly 14,000 employees, one in four respondents said that they had either witnessed or experienced workplace misconduct themselves in the past two years, and one in five said that they didn’t feel “fully respected or safe in the work environment.” The results also noted that women and non-binary employees witnessed or were more likely to experience or witness harassment than men.
Women and non-binary employees were more likely to experience harassment
Ubisoft says that the survey — which was conducted by a third-party research firm, and the results of which were provided to The Verge — started “shortly after the initial allegations” of sexual harassment, misconduct, sexism, racism, and a toxic workplace environment came to light earlier this summer.
As a result of those accusations, a host of Ubisoft executives and creative leaders have either been fired or stepped down from their current roles, including Tommy François, Maxime Béland, Ashraf Ismail, Serge Hascoët, and Yannis Mallat. Ubisoft veteran Michel Ancel also recently departed the company; a later report from French newspaper Libération (which Ancel denies) claimed that this was due to an ongoing investigation into Ancel’s toxic management of Beyond Good and Evil 2.
Guillemot’s letter goes on to explain how the company hopes to begin to deal with these issues and help create a safer and better work environment at Ubisoft. He notes that the company has new mechanisms in place to anonymously report harassment accusations so that they can be investigated further. Ubisoft is also revising its mandatory company code of conduct and conducting compulsory anti-sexism and anti-harassment training across the company.
Ubisoft is also working to hire a new head of diversity and inclusion and new vice presidents, and it aims to have women comprise at least 24 percent of Ubisoft’s staff by 2023 (compared to the current 22 percent).
These changes are in addition to previously announced efforts for increased diversity and representation at the company, which include new mentorship programs for women and underrepresented minorities.


theverge--2020-10-02--James Bond’s next film No Time to Die delayed till 2021 — an entire year

No Time to Die , the 25th James Bond film , has been pushed back an entire year .
It will now arrive on April 2nd , 2021 , the film ’ s producers confirmed today .
Originally , the film was supposed to arrive in April 2020 , before getting delayed to this November due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
The new delay gives the world five more months to potentially recover and for people to decide when they ’ re willing to brave theaters again .
Of course , Bond isn ’ t alone : many big tentpole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including Black Widow and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier , and many other films that were already slated for 2021 , like The Batman , whose star Robert Pattinson reportedly caught the virus , have been pushed back by months due to the pandemic .
Hollywood seems to believe that many of these films require a theatrical release , despite the existence of streaming services and experiments with at-home streaming movie rentals like Mulan .
Tenet pushed forward with a messy theatrical release that did still manage to produce a $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Wonder Woman 1984 is still slated for a Christmas 2020 release , but it ’ s one of the few big-ticket films left this year .
Disney / Pixar ’ s Soul is still slated for November and Denis Villeneuve ’ s Dune for December , but it wouldn ’ t be surprising if they got bumped to 2021 as well .

No Time to Die, the 25th James Bond film, has been pushed back an entire year. It will now arrive on April 2nd, 2021, the film’s producers confirmed today.
Originally, the film was supposed to arrive in April 2020, before getting delayed to this November due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new delay gives the world five more months to potentially recover and for people to decide when they’re willing to brave theaters again.
Hollywood seems to believe that many of these films require a theatrical release, despite the existence of streaming services and experiments with at-home streaming movie rentals like Mulan. Tenet pushed forward with a messy theatrical release that did still manage to produce a $20M opening weekend.


theverge--2020-10-02--Apple imagines a foldable iPhone with a ‘self-healing’ display

An Apple patent application published yesterday reveals an idea for a foldable smartphone that would include a “ self-healing ” display cover , allowing the device to repair dents or scratches covering the screen .
The application , spotted by Patently Apple , was originally filed by Apple in January .
As Apple wrote in the patent application , the proposed concept ’ s display would allow the device to repair itself without the user having to manually intervene .
In theory , the foldable ’ s self-healing could activate automatically , such as when the device is being charged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it would use heat , light , or electric current to repair a protective layer above the screen .
The patent application also says the hypothetical device ’ s screen cover may include a layer of elastomer that can lose and regain its shape to keep the sensitive inner workings of a device protected .
In theory , the material for this concept would make the foldable ’ s overall display cover more durable .
Basic self-healing technology has been seen in at least one smartphone already Several tech companies , including Samsung @ @ @ @ @ @ @ styles of foldable phones , but Apple ’ s proposed self-healing feature would add a unique spin to these devices .
Samsung ’ s first take on this type of foldable phone , the Galaxy Fold , suffered from issues with the durability of the screen ’ s display .
The phone was delayed after several review units failed in quick succession , something my colleague Dieter Bohn encountered in his review unit .
Basic self-healing technology has been seen in at least one smartphone already , LG ’ s G Flex from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cover that was supposed to repair minor scrapes , such as a knife scratch .
It wasn ’ t that effective , though : it could not recover from a key scratch during our testing , with our reviewer comparing it to Wolverine if he could only heal from “ paper cuts and nothing else.
” There is no indication that Apple will launch a foldable phone with self-healing material soon , if at all .
But foldable phones are something Apple appears to have been toying around with for years , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a foldable iPhone could look like should it ever come to fruition .

An Apple patent application published yesterday reveals an idea for a foldable smartphone that would include a “self-healing” display cover, allowing the device to repair dents or scratches covering the screen. The application, spotted by Patently Apple, was originally filed by Apple in January.
As Apple wrote in the patent application, the proposed concept’s display would allow the device to repair itself without the user having to manually intervene. In theory, the foldable’s self-healing could activate automatically, such as when the device is being charged or on a predetermined schedule, and it would use heat, light, or electric current to repair a protective layer above the screen.
The patent application also says the hypothetical device’s screen cover may include a layer of elastomer that can lose and regain its shape to keep the sensitive inner workings of a device protected. In theory, the material for this concept would make the foldable’s overall display cover more durable.
Basic self-healing technology has been seen in at least one smartphone already
Several tech companies, including Samsung and Motorola, are already making different styles of foldable phones, but Apple’s proposed self-healing feature would add a unique spin to these devices. Samsung’s first take on this type of foldable phone, the Galaxy Fold, suffered from issues with the durability of the screen’s display. The phone was delayed after several review units failed in quick succession, something my colleague Dieter Bohn encountered in his review unit.
Basic self-healing technology has been seen in at least one smartphone already, LG’s G Flex from 2013. It had a self-healing rear cover that was supposed to repair minor scrapes, such as a knife scratch. It wasn’t that effective, though: it could not recover from a key scratch during our testing, with our reviewer comparing it to Wolverine if he could only heal from “paper cuts and nothing else.”


theverge--2020-10-02--If iOS 14 is causing battery drain, you might need to wipe your iPhone

Operating system updates can often suffer from unwanted glitches , and it seems that the latest iOS 14 and watchOS 7 releases from Apple are not immune .
There have been complaints over the last few days that some people who have updated their devices have found — instead of increased efficiency — a wide range of issues , including missing fitness data , health apps that refuse to open , inaccurate reports of stored data , and increased battery drain on iPhones and Apple Watches .
But while Apple has posted a way to resolve some of these issues @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fix .
When we checked Twitter , there were quite a few irritable messages from users whose batteries were losing power way too quickly .
For example , one user tweeted , “ The battery drain is unbelievable .
From 90 percent to 3 percent in one hour.
” Most people aren ’ t having battery issues nearly as dire , but this does show the level of problems some are encountering .
Apple has already issue one bug fix update ( 14.0.1 ) , but none of these issues were part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggested that if you ’ re experiencing “ two or more ” of the listed issues , you unpair your iPhone and your Apple Watch , back up to iCloud , erase all content from your iPhone , and then restore your iPhone and Apple Watch from the backups .
Unfortunately , it looks like there is no way to restore missing workout route maps , environmental sound levels , or any other missing data — Apple suggests affected users follow its instructions “ to prevent future data loss.
” Haven ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hold off for a few more days until Apple — and other iPhone / Apple Watch users — signals the all clear .

Operating system updates can often suffer from unwanted glitches, and it seems that the latest iOS 14 and watchOS 7 releases from Apple are not immune. There have been complaints over the last few days that some people who have updated their devices have found — instead of increased efficiency — a wide range of issues, including missing fitness data, health apps that refuse to open, inaccurate reports of stored data, and increased battery drain on iPhones and Apple Watches. But while Apple has posted a way to resolve some of these issues, it’s not an easy fix.
When we checked Twitter, there were quite a few irritable messages from users whose batteries were losing power way too quickly. For example, one user tweeted, “The battery drain is unbelievable. From 90 percent to 3 percent in one hour.” Most people aren’t having battery issues nearly as dire, but this does show the level of problems some are encountering.
Apple has already issue one bug fix update (14.0.1), but none of these issues were part of that fix. Instead, Apple has suggested that if you’re experiencing “two or more” of the listed issues, you unpair your iPhone and your Apple Watch, back up to iCloud, erase all content from your iPhone, and then restore your iPhone and Apple Watch from the backups. Unfortunately, it looks like there is no way to restore missing workout route maps, environmental sound levels, or any other missing data — Apple suggests affected users follow its instructions “to prevent future data loss.”


theverge--2020-10-02--Apple’s new spatial audio feature turns the AirPods Pro into a home theater for your ears

Since releasing them last year , Apple has quietly continued to improve upon the AirPods Pro with firmware updates that have tweaked their noise cancellation and sound quality .
The company rarely details or comments on the changes that come in each release of AirPods firmware ; there are no update notes that spell out what ’ s new .
Nor is there any way to manually force install the latest AirPods / AirPods Pro software .
It just ... happens in the background at some point as you use them .
But last month , the AirPods Pro picked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Apple did announce : spatial audio and automatic switching .
Automatic switching is the simpler one , and it ’ ll probably make a bigger difference to your day-to-day use of the AirPods Pro .
( It ’ s also be available on standard AirPods and select Beats headphones and earbuds . )
Without you having to do anything , the AirPods will automatically switch between your iPhone , iPad , and Mac whenever you start using one of them .
This handoff is nearly instantaneous ; you can be listening to music @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pick up your iPad and start playing a video , and the AirPods will be ready for that audio .
Since macOS Big Sur is required ( and still hasn ’ t officially shipped ) , the Mac part of this equation doesn ’ t really work yet .
But when hopping back and forth between my iPhone and iPad Pro , automatic switching has worked just as advertised .
Then there ’ s spatial audio , which is exclusive to the AirPods Pro .
With this feature , Apple is trying to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two earbuds .
I ’ m still surprised and impressed by how well the company pulled it off .
Instead of hearing everything in stereo like usual , it really does feel more like you ’ re in the middle of the action when you ’ re playing content in an app that supports spatial audio .
And so far , quite a few do — including Apple TV , Disney Plus , and HBO Max .
Netflix and Amazon Prime Video aren ’ t on board just yet .
Apple says it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5.1 , 7.1 , or Dolby Atmos ) into spatial audio .
From there , it applies directional audio filters and adjusts the frequencies going to each ear to achieve the immersion effect .
How much of a difference spatial audio makes obviously varies by content .
A Marvel film on Disney Plus is going to give you a more riveting audio experience than , say , Ted Lasso on Apple TV .
( But Tom Hanks ’ Greyhound makes for good demo material on that service . )
Earbuds are never going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a movie through a top-tier Atmos system in a home theater .
But just as the name says , spatial audio makes everything feel more wide and open .
Sure , the directional surround effects are neat , but the expansive sound field also pays off big for dialog clarity .
Speech cuts through the mix without any problems , which you can ’ t always say about stereo audio .
Even if the end result isn ’ t revelatory , spatial audio makes watching movies with your AirPods Pro that much better @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aspect of spatial audio is how it keeps audio fixed in place and tricks you into thinking that the sound really is coming from your iPhone or iPad — almost as though you ’ re looking at a TV screen .
When you turn your head left or right , the primary audio channel stays planted in front of you .
Apple does this by comparing the motion data from the sensors in your device with the gyroscope and accelerometer inside the AirPods Pro .
That ’ s how it detects if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or lower your iPad .
You ’ ll still hear some of the enveloping surround mix in each ear when turning from side to side .
I ’ m impressed by spatial audio in the AirPods Pro , but I ’ m even more excited about how this could all sound when Apple eventually unveils its long-rumored over-ear headphones .
Putting this tech into full-size headphones will give the company even more to work with and could solidify the iPad as the ultimate portable movie machine .

Since releasing them last year, Apple has quietly continued to improve upon the AirPods Pro with firmware updates that have tweaked their noise cancellation and sound quality. The company rarely details or comments on the changes that come in each release of AirPods firmware; there are no update notes that spell out what’s new. Nor is there any way to manually force install the latest AirPods / AirPods Pro software. It just... happens in the background at some point as you use them. But last month, the AirPods Pro picked up a pair of new features that Apple did announce: spatial audio and automatic switching.
Automatic switching is the simpler one, and it’ll probably make a bigger difference to your day-to-day use of the AirPods Pro. (It’s also be available on standard AirPods and select Beats headphones and earbuds.) Without you having to do anything, the AirPods will automatically switch between your iPhone, iPad, and Mac whenever you start using one of them. This handoff is nearly instantaneous; you can be listening to music on your phone, pause it, pick up your iPad and start playing a video, and the AirPods will be ready for that audio. Since macOS Big Sur is required (and still hasn’t officially shipped), the Mac part of this equation doesn’t really work yet. But when hopping back and forth between my iPhone and iPad Pro, automatic switching has worked just as advertised.
Then there’s spatial audio, which is exclusive to the AirPods Pro. With this feature, Apple is trying to cram an immersive surround sound experience into two earbuds. I’m still surprised and impressed by how well the company pulled it off. Instead of hearing everything in stereo like usual, it really does feel more like you’re in the middle of the action when you’re playing content in an app that supports spatial audio. And so far, quite a few do — including Apple TV, Disney Plus, and HBO Max. Netflix and Amazon Prime Video aren’t on board just yet.
For some reason, Control Center always says that content doesn’t support spatial audio — even when it does.
Apple says it uses algorithms to convert surround sound (5.1, 7.1, or Dolby Atmos) into spatial audio. From there, it applies directional audio filters and adjusts the frequencies going to each ear to achieve the immersion effect. How much of a difference spatial audio makes obviously varies by content. A Marvel film on Disney Plus is going to give you a more riveting audio experience than, say, Ted Lasso on Apple TV. (But Tom Hanks’ Greyhound makes for good demo material on that service.)
These devices support spatial audio with AirPods Pro: iPhone 7 / 7 Plus and all later iPhones
iPad Pro 12.9‑inch (third generation and later)
iPad Pro 11‑inch
iPad Air (third generation and later)
iPad (sixth generation and later)
iPad mini (fifth generation) iOS 14 / iPadOS 14 or later is required for spatial audio.
Earbuds are never going to fully rival the experience of watching a movie through a top-tier Atmos system in a home theater. But just as the name says, spatial audio makes everything feel more wide and open. Sure, the directional surround effects are neat, but the expansive sound field also pays off big for dialog clarity. Speech cuts through the mix without any problems, which you can’t always say about stereo audio. Even if the end result isn’t revelatory, spatial audio makes watching movies with your AirPods Pro that much better and more three-dimensional.
The more impressive aspect of spatial audio is how it keeps audio fixed in place and tricks you into thinking that the sound really is coming from your iPhone or iPad — almost as though you’re looking at a TV screen. When you turn your head left or right, the primary audio channel stays planted in front of you. Apple does this by comparing the motion data from the sensors in your device with the gyroscope and accelerometer inside the AirPods Pro. That’s how it detects if you move your head or if you raise or lower your iPad. You’ll still hear some of the enveloping surround mix in each ear when turning from side to side.


theverge--2020-10-03--Save on the OnePlus 8 and PlayStation Plus this weekend

Only the best deals on Verge-approved gadgets get the Verge Deals stamp of approval , so if you 're looking for a deal on your next gadget or gift from major retailers like Amazon , Walmart , Best Buy , Target , and more , this is the place to be .
Welcome to the weekend .
Amazon Prime Day 2020 kicks off in less than two weeks , starting on Tuesday , October 13th and lasting through the 14th .
That ’ s two days to get some of the best deals that we ’ ll see all year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scenes for the event to make sure you ’ re able to get exactly what you ’ re looking for .
But for now , I ’ m going to highlight a few of this week ’ s best deals that are still going on .
Lastly , two quick reminders .
First , you can get a $ 10 voucher to spend on games that cost $ 14.99 and up at the Epic Games Store just by adding Rocket League to your library .
It ’ s available as a free-to-play game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and you have until October 23rd to do this .
Finally , I ’ m probably late to the party in finding out about this , but GameStop is offering $ 200 in trade-in credit for your Xbox One X when you put said credit toward an Xbox Series X or S , or a PS5 .
Granted , doing so probably won ’ t guarantee you a new console on their respective launch day , but it ’ ll make their prices much more accessible .
All of the details are on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ November 30th to take advantage of this trade-in promotion .

Welcome to the weekend. Amazon Prime Day 2020 kicks off in less than two weeks, starting on Tuesday, October 13th and lasting through the 14th. That’s two days to get some of the best deals that we’ll see all year. We’re prepping behind the scenes for the event to make sure you’re able to get exactly what you’re looking for. But for now, I’m going to highlight a few of this week’s best deals that are still going on.
OnePlus 8 $ 400 $ 799 50 % off $ 400 $ 400 $ 799 50 % off The Verizon variant of the OnePlus 8 is the only model that supports the carrier’s mmWave 5G network as well as its Sub-6GHz network. This one’s unlocked, so it can also be used with AT&T and T-Mobile for 4G or 5G. $400 at B&H Photo
Lastly, two quick reminders. First, you can get a $10 voucher to spend on games that cost $14.99 and up at the Epic Games Store just by adding Rocket League to your library. It’s available as a free-to-play game on the Epic Games Store now, and you have until October 23rd to do this.
Photo by Tom Warren / The Verge


theverge--2020-10-03--Bond was the last straw: Regal and Cineworld will reportedly close all theaters in US and UK next we

Bond was the last straw: Regal and Cineworld will reportedly close all theaters in US and UK next week

Cineworld , owner of the largest chain of theaters in the UK and Ireland and the second-largest in the United States — Regal Cinemas — will reportedly close all its theaters next week , according to Variety , The Sunday Times , and others .
Variety reports that all 543 theaters in the US will be closed , which account for the chain ’ s 7,000+ screens in the region .
The Sunday Times reports that it will close all 128 theaters in the UK and Ireland , too .
Both say James Bond is the reason .
Yesterday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Time to Die — was pushed back to April 2021 due to the ongoing pandemic , denying theaters one of the last major tentpole releases due out this year .
Apparently , theaters were counting on Bond , specifically , to arrive on time and help bail them out of poor ticket sales .
The news is coming as a shock to Cineworld ’ s employees , whose action group stated on Twitter that “ there has been no consultation with staff whatsoever , ” and that they learned from The Sunday Times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Cineworld in particular reported a loss of $ 1.6 billion in the first half of 2020 .
AMC , the largest US theater chain , has experienced dire results due to the pandemic as well .
Disney/Pixar ’ s Soul is still slated for theaters in November , and both Wonder Woman 1984 and Dune were expected in December , but it seems even more likely that they ’ d be delayed if these theaters are closed .
At this point , we ’ re beyond mere caution : the dominoes are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t immediately respond to requests for comment .
Deadline reports the chain has been radio silent .

Cineworld, owner of the largest chain of theaters in the UK and Ireland and the second-largest in the United States — Regal Cinemas — will reportedly close all its theaters next week, according to Variety, The Sunday Times, and others.
Variety reports that all 543 theaters in the US will be closed, which account for the chain’s 7,000+ screens in the region. The Sunday Times reports that it will close all 128 theaters in the UK and Ireland, too.
Related Regal is closing all cinemas in the US and UK on Thursday
Both say James Bond is the reason.
Yesterday, the 25th James Bond film — No Time to Die — was pushed back to April 2021 due to the ongoing pandemic, denying theaters one of the last major tentpole releases due out this year. Apparently, theaters were counting on Bond, specifically, to arrive on time and help bail them out of poor ticket sales.
In a statement, Cineworld did not confirm that it would close its theaters, though did say it is “considering the temporary closure of our U.K. and US cinemas.” However, “a final decision has not yet been reached,” Cineworld said.
The news of a possible closure came as a shock to Cineworld’s employees, whose action group stated on Twitter that “there has been no consultation with staff whatsoever,” and that they learned from The Sunday Times that their 5,500-some jobs were in jeopardy.
Cineworld in particular reported a loss of $1.6 billion in the first half of 2020. AMC, the largest US theater chain, has experienced dire results due to the pandemic as well.
Disney/Pixar’s Soul is still slated for theaters in November, and both Wonder Woman 1984 and Dune were expected in December, but it seems even more likely that they’d be delayed if these theaters are closed. At this point, we’re beyond mere caution: the dominoes are falling.
Regal didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Deadline reports the chain has been radio silent.
Update October 4th, 11:43AM ET: Added statement from Cineworld.


theverge--2020-10-03--A shameful security flaw could have let anyone access your Grindr account

You would think a dating app that knows your sexuality and HIV status would take thorough precautions to keep that info protected , but Grindr has disappointed the world once again — this time , with a gobsmackingly egregious security vulnerability that could have let literally anyone who could guess your email address into your user account .
Luckily , French security researcher Wassime Bouimadaghene discovered the vulnerability , perhaps before it could be exploited , and it ’ s now been fixed .
Unluckily for Grindr , the company ignored his disclosures — until security researcher Troy Hunt ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journalist Zack Whittaker ( of TechCrunch ) each confirmed the issue and wrote about it .
The details need to be seen to be believed ( so please look at the image above ) but the short version is this : if you put an email address into Grindr ’ s password reset form , it would send a message back to your web browser with the key you need to reset the password buried inside it .
You could then theoretically just copy and paste that key into a password reset URL @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take over an account just like that .
Grindr COO Rick Marini told TechCrunch that “ we believe we addressed the issue before it was exploited by any malicious parties , ” and says Grindr will both partner with a “ leading security firm ” and introduce a bug bounty program .
That should hopefully mean security researchers like Bouimadaghene will have an easier time getting in touch .
Again , this isn ’ t just an app that contains a few messages .
Grindr users include gay , bi , trans and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the app on a person ’ s phone can indicate something about their sexuality they may not want revealed to the outside world .
And yet this is the company that was caught sharing its users ’ HIV status to other companies , and sharing other personal info to third-party advertisers .
That said , it might be a slightly different company now .
This March , the company ’ s Chinese owners sold it to a group of US investors , who also became Grindr ’ s new management .
Marini @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was one of the investors in the group .
Another , Jeff Bonforte , is the company ’ s new CEO .

You would think a dating app that knows your sexuality and HIV status would take thorough precautions to keep that info protected, but Grindr has disappointed the world once again — this time, with a gobsmackingly egregious security vulnerability that could have let literally anyone who could guess your email address into your user account.
Luckily, French security researcher Wassime Bouimadaghene discovered the vulnerability, perhaps before it could be exploited, and it’s now been fixed.
Unluckily for Grindr, the company ignored his disclosures — until security researcher Troy Hunt (of Have I Been Pwned) and journalist Zack Whittaker (of TechCrunch) each confirmed the issue and wrote about it.
The details need to be seen to be believed (so please look at the image above) but the short version is this: if you put an email address into Grindr’s password reset form, it would send a message back to your web browser with the key you need to reset the password buried inside it.
You could then theoretically just copy and paste that key into a password reset URL (which Hunt did), and take over an account just like that.
Grindr COO Rick Marini told TechCrunch that “we believe we addressed the issue before it was exploited by any malicious parties,” and says Grindr will both partner with a “leading security firm” and introduce a bug bounty program. That should hopefully mean security researchers like Bouimadaghene will have an easier time getting in touch.
Grindr data is particularly sensitive
Again, this isn’t just an app that contains a few messages. Grindr users include gay, bi, trans and queer individuals, and the mere presence of the app on a person’s phone can indicate something about their sexuality they may not want revealed to the outside world. And yet this is the company that was caught sharing its users’ HIV status to other companies, and sharing other personal info to third-party advertisers.


theverge--2020-10-03--YouTube 4K has now come to Apple TV, iPhone and iPad, but no HDR or 60fps on TV

“ A big frustration with the Apple TV 4K is about to be history , ” my colleague Chris Welch wrote , when we learned that Apple ’ s premiere set-top box would finally be able play 4K YouTube videos at their native resolution instead of being stuck at 1080p .
These days , even a $ 40 dongle can do better than that .
But though Apple ’ s latest software updates did bring YouTube 4K to the Apple TV 4K , the frustrations aren ’ t necessarily over .
It turns out you ’ re limited to watching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smooth 60 frames per second , and without the depth of color and contrast that High Dynamic Range ( HDR ) provides .
That ’ s what 9to5Mac noticed yesterday , and we ’ ve confirmed with Google that — for now — Apple TV only supports 4K at 30fps with SDR content .
iPhones and iPads don ’ t necessarily have this limitation On the plus side , the latest iPhones and iPads do support 4K 60fps HDR content if you ’ ve got iOS 14 installed .
Just find a supported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go-tos ) , hit the three-dot settings icon at the upper-right hand corner , and change “ Quality ” to 2160p .
It ’ s just a shame that the best-of-the-best still isn ’ t available on a big 4K TV screen , where you ’ d more easily notice the difference .
On my iPhone 11 Pro , I can ’ t always tell .
Perhaps Apple is saving that for a future model ?
It has been over three years since the company last updated the Apple TV , and there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around that new models are on the way .

“A big frustration with the Apple TV 4K is about to be history,” my colleague Chris Welch wrote, when we learned that Apple’s premiere set-top box would finally be able play 4K YouTube videos at their native resolution instead of being stuck at 1080p. These days, even a $40 dongle can do better than that.
But though Apple’s latest software updates did bring YouTube 4K to the Apple TV 4K, the frustrations aren’t necessarily over. It turns out you’re limited to watching 4K at 30fps, instead of a smooth 60 frames per second, and without the depth of color and contrast that High Dynamic Range (HDR) provides. That’s what 9to5Mac noticed yesterday, and we’ve confirmed with Google that — for now — Apple TV only supports 4K at 30fps with SDR content.
iPhones and iPads don’t necessarily have this limitation
Google also appears to be working out uneven 4K support on the latest iPhones, even with iOS 14 installed. While I was able to fire up one of my 4K HDR go-tos on an iPhone 11 Pro, we heard from readers that 4K content which isn’t HDR won’t play back on an iPhone or iPad yet. When you press the three-dot settings icon at the upper-right hand corner, and change “Quality” to 2160p, some videos display it, but I’ve now seen others show the message “Upper limit: 1080p” when you try to change the resolution.
Google now says 4K will come to supported iPhones and iPads “soon,” and will work with standard 4K content when it does.
Either way, it sounds like the best-of-the-best still won’t be available on a big 4K TV screen, where you’d more easily notice the difference. On my iPhone 11 Pro, I can’t always tell.
Perhaps Apple is saving that for a future model? It has been over three years since the company last updated the Apple TV, and there’s at least one rumor going around that new models are on the way.


theverge--2020-10-03--Your first real look at the Monster Hunter movie is 13 seconds of surprised soldiers with guns

James Bond may not avert his next death until 2021 , but apparently Paul W.S .
Anderson ’ s Monster Hunter movie will still hit the big screen this year : the just-posted official teaser trailer for the movie confirms that it ’ ll arrive this December , “ only in theaters.
” At just 13 seconds of footage , it ’ s not much of a teaser — and where are the swords ?
Milla Jovovich mans a minigun , and her squad has a couple rifles at their disposal .
But as our sister site Polygon points out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a Black Diablos , which is just the sort of gigantic sand-loving Triceratops-esque mega-beasts that the teaser seems to show .
Don ’ t worry about those swords , by the way .
As the movie ’ s synopsis makes clear , Jovovich and co will trade their guns for blades before long : When an unexpected sandstorm transports Lt. Artemis ( Milla Jovovich ) and her unit ( TI Harris , Meagan Good , Diego Boneta ) to a new world , the soldiers are shocked to discover that this hostile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and terrifying monsters immune to their firepower .
In their desperate battle for survival , the unit encounters the mysterious Hunter ( Tony Jaa ) , whose unique skills allow him to stay one step ahead of the powerful creatures .
As Artemis and Hunter slowly build trust , she discovers that he is part of a team led by the Admiral ( Ron Perlman ) .
Facing a danger so great it could threaten to destroy their world , the brave warriors combine their unique abilities to band together for the ultimate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve already seen some still images of the crew in their more appropriate costumes .
Here ’ s the highest-res image I could find ( click it a couple times on desktop to zoom ) : And in an interview with Empire , Jovovich revealed that the dual blades will be her weapon of choice .
Anderson told SyFy Wire that the film was already “ 100 percent finished ” back in July .
Monster Hunter : World is Capcom ’ s best-selling game of all time .

When an unexpected sandstorm transports Lt. Artemis (Milla Jovovich) and her unit (TI Harris, Meagan Good, Diego Boneta) to a new world, the soldiers are shocked to discover that this hostile and unknown environment is home to enormous and terrifying monsters immune to their firepower. In their desperate battle for survival, the unit encounters the mysterious Hunter (Tony Jaa), whose unique skills allow him to stay one step ahead of the powerful creatures.
As Artemis and Hunter slowly build trust, she discovers that he is part of a team led by the Admiral (Ron Perlman). Facing a danger so great it could threaten to destroy their world, the brave warriors combine their unique abilities to band together for the ultimate showdown.


theverge--2020-10-03--Apple is hiding a smile behind its new mask emoji

In a move that , I ’ m sure , has absolutely no relation to anything going on in the world today , Apple has quietly updated its “ Face with Medical Mask ” emoji with friendlier eyes , eyebrows , and rosy cheeks .
Before , it looked a little lethargic .
Now , it ’ s almost happy ?
You can practically imagine a smile underneath .
Except you don ’ t have to imagine .
Wait for it : As Emojipedia points out , the new emoji is literally Apple ’ s existing “ Smiling Face ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you think the artist was imagining a frown under there ?
Probably not .
It ’ s just the latest way that emoji have evolved to express the anguish of 2020 — even as other emoji are getting delayed until 2021 .
It ’ s also the latest way that Korea appears to have a jump on the United States where masks are concerned , seeing how Samsung beat Apple to the idea of a happier mask back in March : The full Emojipedia piece is a neat look at how a symbol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is due out sometime this fall .
This is also probably a good time to remind you that submitting your own emoji is remarkably easy .
Here ’ s how my colleague successfully made the yawning face and waffle emoji that you use today .
Seriously !

In a move that, I’m sure, has absolutely no relation to anything going on in the world today, Apple has quietly updated its “Face with Medical Mask” emoji with friendlier eyes, eyebrows, and rosy cheeks. Before, it looked a little lethargic. Now, it’s almost happy? You can practically imagine a smile underneath.
Except you don’t have to imagine. Wait for it:
GIF: Emojipedia
As Emojipedia points out, the new emoji is literally Apple’s existing “Smiling Face” with a mask on top. Do you think the artist was imagining a frown under there? Probably not.
Juxtaposition: Emojipedia
It’s just the latest way that emoji have evolved to express the anguish of 2020 — even as other emoji are getting delayed until 2021. It’s also the latest way that Korea appears to have a jump on the United States where masks are concerned, seeing how Samsung beat Apple to the idea of a happier mask back in March:
The full Emojipedia piece is a neat look at how a symbol like this can evolve. iOS 14.2 is due out sometime this fall.


theverge--2020-10-03--Steve and Alex from Minecraft are coming to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on October 13th, and here are

Steve and Alex from Minecraft are coming to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on October 13th, and here are their moves

Nintendo revealed on Thursday that Steve and Alex from Minecraft will be added to the character roster in Super Smash Bros .
Ultimate for the Nintendo Switch , and now we ’ re getting the full reveal : they ’ ll arrive on October 13th , and there ’ s a whole video you can watch where longtime Smash series director Masahiro Sakurai shows off their new moves , including the ability to build your own platforms out of blocks !
See it above .
The video reveals that you ’ ll effectively have six different Minecraft characters to choose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three different skins each : Plus , there ’ s a Zombie and an Enderman at around 4 min into the video .
You ’ ll be able to harvest materials from the walls and ground with your various tools to craft upgrades on the fly , and the materials you get depend on the stage : a Star Fox level will get you a lot of iron , for instance .
What Kirby looks like after swallowing Steve or Alex is also pretty cool : This is the second character announcement in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s available for $ 29.99 , following Min Min from Arms , but you can also nab the Minecraft pack for $ 5.99 on its own .
Mii fighters can also dress up as a Creeper , a Pig , or wear some Diamond Armor with new costumes that cost $ 0.75 each .
( There are new Bomberman and Travis Touchdown costumes , too . )
In the original presentation ( see video below ) , a brief preview showed off Steve in action , playing in a special Minecraft-themed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Masahiro Sakurai , explained following the announcement that Steve and the blocky Minecraft style presented a big challenge for the team .
He said , “ We have to rework all our existing stages so that blocks can be placed in them.
” If for some reason you haven ’ t jumped into the game yet , the first Fighters Pass , available as an add-on for $ 24.99 , added a slew of interesting characters to its already-packed roster .
You ’ ll get Dragon Quest XI ’ s hero , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Three Houses , Joker from Persona 5 , and Fatal Fury ’ s Terry Bogard .
You can rewatch the original announcement below ( skip to 29:42 for the action ) .
Update October 3rd , 12:58PM ET : With new video and details .

Nintendo revealed on Thursday that Steve and Alex from Minecraft will be added to the character roster in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for the Nintendo Switch, and now we’re getting the full reveal: they’ll arrive on October 13th, and there’s a whole video you can watch where longtime Smash series director Masahiro Sakurai shows off their new moves, including the ability to build your own platforms out of blocks! See it above.
The video reveals that you’ll effectively have six different Minecraft characters to choose from, because Steve and Alex have three different skins each:
Plus, there’s a Zombie and an Enderman at around 4 min into the video. You’ll be able to harvest materials from the walls and ground with your various tools to craft upgrades on the fly, and the materials you get depend on the stage: a Star Fox level will get you a lot of iron, for instance.
What Kirby looks like after swallowing Steve or Alex is also pretty cool:
This is the second character announcement in the Fighter Pass Vol. 2 DLC that’s available for $29.99, following Min Min from Arms, but you can also nab the Minecraft pack for $5.99 on its own. Mii fighters can also dress up as a Creeper, a Pig, or wear some Diamond Armor with new costumes that cost $0.75 each. (There are new Bomberman and Travis Touchdown costumes, too.)
In the original presentation (see video below), a brief preview showed off Steve in action, playing in a special Minecraft-themed stage. The game’s director, Masahiro Sakurai, explained following the announcement that Steve and the blocky Minecraft style presented a big challenge for the team. He said, “We have to rework all our existing stages so that blocks can be placed in them.”
You can rewatch the original announcement below (skip to 29:42 for the action).