theverge--2020-05-13--Apple’s $700 Mac Pro wheels work terribly on skateboards

Unless you ’ ve been living in a cave for the past month , you ’ ll know that Apple has started selling a set of standalone wheels for the Mac Pro for $ 700 .
Yes , it ’ s ridiculous .
At that price , it stands to reason that you probably want them to do more than just transport your expensive Mac Pro around the office .
So why not try attaching them to the bottom of a skateboard instead ?
That ’ s exactly what the YouTube channel Braille Skateboarding has attempted in its latest video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first people to have had this idea after Unbox Therapy made a makeshift skateboard by combining the wheels with the front panel of a Mac Pro , but as far as we ’ re aware , Braille Skateboarding are the first to have actually skated on them .
They even pull off a successful kickflip .
For the most part , the “ Apple Skateboard ” works terribly .
For example , until the team put a set of traditional skateboarding trucks on the board , the wheels constantly pivot in all directions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it also inevitably means falling off in the process .
The wheels themselves held up surprisingly well though , even if the hardware holding them to the board quickly started bending and breaking .
So yes , it ’ s a pretty terrible idea , but it makes for great YouTube content .

Unless you’ve been living in a cave for the past month, you’ll know that Apple has started selling a set of standalone wheels for the Mac Pro for $700. Yes, it’s ridiculous. At that price, it stands to reason that you probably want them to do more than just transport your expensive Mac Pro around the office. So why not try attaching them to the bottom of a skateboard instead?
That’s exactly what the YouTube channel Braille Skateboarding has attempted in its latest video. They’re technically not the first people to have had this idea after Unbox Therapy made a makeshift skateboard by combining the wheels with the front panel of a Mac Pro, but as far as we’re aware, Braille Skateboarding are the first to have actually skated on them. They even pull off a successful kickflip.
For the most part, the “Apple Skateboard” works terribly. For example, until the team put a set of traditional skateboarding trucks on the board, the wheels constantly pivot in all directions. It means you can skateboard sideways, but it also inevitably means falling off in the process. The wheels themselves held up surprisingly well though, even if the hardware holding them to the board quickly started bending and breaking.


theverge--2020-05-13--Half of all Facebook moderators may develop mental health issues

The Interface is a daily column and newsletter about the intersection of social media and democracy .
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In November 2018 I received a message that changed my life .
A person working as a moderator for Facebook in Phoenix through a company called Cognizant asked to get on the phone and talk about some of what he was seeing there .
His experiences shocked me , and after I wrote about what he and his colleagues were going through in The Verge , they would go on to shock a lot more people .
It was an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while still in training , traumatized by daily exposure to gore and other disturbing posts .
Where ever-shifting content policies , and demands for near-perfect accuracy , could make the job itself impossible .
And where months of sifting through conspiracy theories led some moderators to embrace fringe viewpoints , walking through the building insisting that the earth is flat .
I wrote about the experiences of a dozen current and former moderators at the Phoenix site last February .
A few months later , after hearing from employees that conditions at Cognizant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grim , I traveled there and talked to a dozen more workers .
There I learned of a stressed-out moderator who died of a heart attack at his desk at the age of 42 .
I learned of multiple sexual harassment suits that had been filed against various workers at the site .
And I met three brave former moderators who violated their non-disclosure agreements to describe their working conditions on camera .
By then a lawsuit by a former moderator named Selena Scola , which accused Facebook of creating an unsafe workplace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , was working its way through the courts .
And on Friday , lawyers filed a preliminary settlement in the case .
I wrote about it today at The Verge : After a year of reporting on the lives of these moderators — I also profiled people who do the work for Google and YouTube — it seemed clear to me that some percentage of people who work as moderators will suffer long-term mental health consequences .
But what is that percentage ?
Last year I published some leaked audio from a Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acknowledged this range of experiences .
“ Within a population of 30,000 people , there ’ s going to be a distribution of experiences that people have , ” Zuckerberg said , referring to the number of people Facebook has working on trust and safety issues around the world .
“ We want to do everything we can to make sure that even the people who are having the worst experiences , that we ’ re making sure that we support them as well as possible.
” One of the most interesting aspects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it begins to answer the question of how many moderators are affected .
Designing a settlement required that lawyers for Facebook and the plaintiffs estimate how many people would make claims .
And the number is much higher than I had imagined .
This lawsuit covers only people who have worked for Facebook through third-party vendors in the United States from 2015 until today , a group whose size is estimated to be 11,250 people .
( A similar lawsuit is still pending in Ireland covering European workers . )
Both Facebook and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ post-traumatic stress and vicarious trauma .
Based on those discussions , a lawyer for the plaintiffs told me , as many as half of the members of the class are expected to qualify for additional payments .
In other words , if you become a moderator for Facebook , a legal precedent suggests you have a one in two chance of suffering negative mental health consequences for doing the work .
Perhaps those odds will come down as Facebook implements some of the other changes they agreed to in the settlement , such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tools to adjust the content that they ’ re viewing — turning it black and white , turning off audio by default , and so on .
But the risk to human lives is real , and it ’ s not going away .
Another aspect to consider : how much will the average moderator get paid as a result of the settlement ?
The $ 52 million figure is less impressive when you consider that fully 32.7 percent of it has been earmarked for the lawyers in the case , leaving $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The settlement was designed to compensate moderators in tiers .
The first tier grants $ 1,000 to everyone , in the hopes that moderators use the money to get a mental health checkup from a doctor .
For those who are either newly diagnosed or already have diagnoses , the settlement provides an additional $ 1,500 to $ 6,000 based on the severity of their cases .
And then moderators can also submit evidence of distress suffered as a result of their work to win up to $ 50,000 per person in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much smaller depending on how many members of the class apply and are found eligible for benefits beyond the first $ 1,000 .
If half the class were found eligible for additional mental health benefits and received equal compensation — which will not be the case but may be useful for ballpark-estimation purposes — there would be $ 4,222.22 available per moderator .
In my Twitter replies , lots of folks objected to the size of the payment , arguing it should have been much higher .
Here , for example , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day ’ s worth of random market fluctuation in profits for Facebook.
” I won ’ t argue here — many of these content moderation roles are essentially first responder jobs , not nearly as different as you might think from police officers and paramedics , and they deserve compensation and benefits more closely in line with the service they provide and the risks that they take .
I called up Shawn Speagle , a former Facebook moderator who worked at the Tampa site , to tell me what he thought .
Speagle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lawsuit , worked for Cognizant from March to October 2018 .
During that time , he was exposed to videos of extreme violence and animal abuse on a near-daily basis , and he began to overeat and experience night terrors .
After being fired , he was diagnosed with PTSD .
He said that a year of psychiatric care had helped him significantly with his symptoms , but also that the things he had seen continue to haunt him .
“ It ’ s been a very long ride , ” Speagle told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been very difficult to forget about a lot of that stuff .
You never do — it just sticks with you forever .
Even though it was just seen over a screen , those lives are never coming back .
I just wish that Facebook would recognize that.
” Speagle said that he sometimes felt embarrassed describing his PTSD to others , worrying they wouldn ’ t quite believe a person could develop the condition by reviewing Facebook posts .
“ There were a lot of times when it was humiliating , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to understand that the phenomenon known as vicarious trauma — watching others experience pain — is real , and can be dangerous .
He has since become a public school teacher .
I asked him what he thought of the payout he might now be eligible for .
“ I would be fine getting no money , ” Speagle told me .
“ I just wanted to bring this forward .
When I did the job at Facebook , I was told I was making the world a better place for animals and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward was to stick to true to that .
Money and a lawsuit have nothing to do with what I did.
” Today in news that could affect public perception of the big tech platforms .
Trending up : Instagram is launching new features aimed at making the platform a more positive space .
The company says it ’ s rolling out the ability to delete up to 25 comments at once and also block or restrict multiple accounts at the same time .
( Ashley Carman / The Verge ) Trending up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to San Francisco ’ s coronavirus relief fund .
The money will help undocumented and low-income households struggling with the pandemic .
( Dominic Fracassa / San Francisco Chronicle ) Total cases in the US : More than 1,354,300 Total deaths in the US : At least 80,600 Total test results ( positive and negative ) in New York : 1,204,651 Total test results ( positive and negative ) in New Jersey : 425,933 Data from The New York Times .
Test data from The COVID Tracking Project .
⭐ Facebook is working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that would combat regulators trying to rein in the tech industry .
The move escalates Silicon Valley ’ s battle with Washington at time when government officials are still threatening to break up large companies .
Tony Romm at The Washington Post has the story : Facebook released a new report detailing how it uses a combination of artificial intelligence and human fact-checkers to enforce its community standards .
The company is relying more heavily on AI for its moderation efforts .
But some pieces of content , like memes and videos , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
( Nick Statt / The Verge ) Anti-lockdown protests in Australia were fueled by a conspiracy theory Facebook group .
The members have suggested , falsely , that Bill Gates is behind the coronavirus pandemic , and chanted “ arrest Bill Gates ” at a recent rally .
( Cameron Wilson / BuzzFeed ) Misinformation researcher Renée DiResta says she wishes tech companies would expand their definition of who counts as an authoritative source .
In this Q & A she discusses how platforms are managing coronavirus misinformation and where they could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Center ) Coronavirus infection rates are spiking in heartland communities , according to an unreleased White House report .
The news is at odds with President Trump ’ s declaration earlier this week that “ all throughout the country , the numbers are coming down rapidly.
” ( Jonathan Allen , Phil McCausland and Cyrus Farivar / NBC ) Three days after a top White House aide tested positive for COVID-19 , government officials working in the West Wing are being instructed to wear masks .
The rule does not apply to President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Josh Dawsey and Philip Rucker / The Washington Post ) Here ’ s what it ’ s like being a contact tracer in the United States .
These people are tasked with tracking down those who might have been infected with COVID-19 .
( James Temple and Bobbie Johnson / MIT Technology Review ) Nearly 40 percent of Icelanders are using a contact tracing app , the highest number of any country .
Despite the widespread use , experts say the impact of the app has been small compared with manual tracing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told you it would be a month ago .
( Bobbie Johnson / MIT Technology Review ) The Federal Trade Commission indicated that it ’ s looking into privacy complaints related to Zoom .
Lawmakers have been expressing concerns about how Zoom collects and stores user data .
( Reuters ) How big would a hologram of Joe Biden have to be for every person in the continental US to see him ?
Roughly 1,400 miles tall , or 255 Mount Everests stacked on top of each other .
If you ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a subject of debate , you may want to remain uninvolved .
( Makena Kelly / The Verge ) ⭐ Jack Dorsey told Twitter employees they ’ ll be allowed to work from home forever , even after the coronavirus pandemic has passed .
Some jobs that require physical presence , such as maintaining servers , will still require employees to come in .
This is a good thing , but also a few years from now Twitter is definitely going to realize that it has several hundred employees on the payroll who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ages .
Here ’ s Alex Kantrowitz at BuzzFeed : Twitter added former Google AI chief Fei-Fei Li to its board of directors .
Li left Google after coming under fire for her role in the company ’ s military contracts , which sparked employee protests and eventually led the company to abandon the project .
( Tyler Sonnemaker / Business Insider ) Facebook shut down Instagram Lite , its app aimed at emerging markets .
The company — which has always characterized the app as a “ test ” — is planning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these past years to develop a new version of the app .
( Sarah Perez / TechCrunch ) Facebook News publishers are worried that the project might have slid out of the company ’ s top priorities due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The COVID-19 Information Center in particular seems to have been rolled out to solve precisely the type of problem the News tab was originally intended to solve .
( Max Willens / Digiday ) The coronavirus pandemic and subsequent shutdowns have brought back bartering as people trade goods in Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington Post ) In an interview that was immediately read and shared by every working journalist , Quibi co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg blamed the streaming app ’ s rough start on the coronavirus pandemic .
“ I attribute everything that has gone wrong to coronavirus , ” he said .
“ Everything.
” Same , Jeff , same .
( Nicole Sperling / The New York Times ) Hackers are impersonating Zoom , Microsoft Teams , and Google Meet for phishing scams .
As significantly more people are using the tools during the COVID-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to trick people into downloading malware .
( Jay Peters / The Verge ) Ordering food from local businesses is a nice way to support the restaurant industry in your area .
But it ’ s a bit more complicated than you might think .
One Grubhub user tried to order pizza from a supposedly local restaurant that turned out to be an undercover Chuck E. Cheese .
For shame , Chuck E. , for shame .
( Jelisa Castrodale / Food and Wine ) Google Stadia is a lonely place .
Google @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a virtual stadium that is still being built , and the crowds haven ’ t arrived .
( Tom Warren / The Verge ) Charli and Dixie D ’ Amelio have left TikTok ’ s Hype House .
The sisters say they don ’ t have any beef with the house members , though Charli and one of the founders did just break up .
( Starr Bowenbank / Cosmopolitan ) LinkedIn launched a virtual events tool to let people create and broadcast online gatherings on the platform .
( Ingrid Lunden / @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the quarantine .
Read the books these tech executives are into right now .
Try not to murder the person you live with over a petty gripe .
Reading about other ’ s petty gripes might help .
Listen to this Vergecast episode with me , Verge editor in chief Nilay Patel , and former Facebook chief security office Alex Stamos .
We talked about fixing Zoom , misinformation on social platforms , election security , and much more .
Attend a three-day virtual festival on Houseparty with your friends .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Key , Tinashe , Zooey Deschanel , and Doja Cat .
This is just another tweet , but I wanted it to have a place of honor today .
Send us tips , comments , questions , and class action settlements : casey @ theverge.com and zoe @ theverge.com .

In November 2018 I received a message that changed my life. A person working as a moderator for Facebook in Phoenix through a company called Cognizant asked to get on the phone and talk about some of what he was seeing there. His experiences shocked me, and after I wrote about what he and his colleagues were going through in The Verge, they would go on to shock a lot more people.
It was an office where moderators would have panic attacks while still in training, traumatized by daily exposure to gore and other disturbing posts. Where ever-shifting content policies, and demands for near-perfect accuracy, could make the job itself impossible. And where months of sifting through conspiracy theories led some moderators to embrace fringe viewpoints, walking through the building insisting that the earth is flat.
I wrote about the experiences of a dozen current and former moderators at the Phoenix site last February. A few months later, after hearing from employees that conditions at Cognizant’s Tampa site were even more grim, I traveled there and talked to a dozen more workers. There I learned of a stressed-out moderator who died of a heart attack at his desk at the age of 42. I learned of multiple sexual harassment suits that had been filed against various workers at the site. And I met three brave former moderators who violated their non-disclosure agreements to describe their working conditions on camera.
By then a lawsuit by a former moderator named Selena Scola, which accused Facebook of creating an unsafe workplace that had caused her mental health problems, was working its way through the courts. And on Friday, lawyers filed a preliminary settlement in the case. I wrote about it today at The Verge:
In a landmark acknowledgment of the toll that content moderation takes on its workforce, Facebook has agreed to pay $52 million to current and former moderators to compensate them for mental health issues developed on the job. In a preliminary settlement filed on Friday in San Mateo Superior Court, the social network agreed to pay damages to American moderators and provide more counseling to them while they work. Each moderator will receive a minimum of $1,000 and will be eligible for additional compensation if they are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder or related conditions. The settlement covers 11,250 moderators, and lawyers in the case believe that as many as half of them may be eligible for extra pay related to mental health issues associated with their time working for Facebook, including depression and addiction. “We are so pleased that Facebook worked with us to create an unprecedented program to help people performing work that was unimaginable even a few years ago,” said Steve Williams, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, in a statement. “The harm that can be suffered from this work is real and severe.”
After a year of reporting on the lives of these moderators — I also profiled people who do the work for Google and YouTube — it seemed clear to me that some percentage of people who work as moderators will suffer long-term mental health consequences. But what is that percentage?
Last year I published some leaked audio from a Facebook all-hands meeting in which CEO Mark Zuckerberg acknowledged this range of experiences. “Within a population of 30,000 people, there’s going to be a distribution of experiences that people have,” Zuckerberg said, referring to the number of people Facebook has working on trust and safety issues around the world. “We want to do everything we can to make sure that even the people who are having the worst experiences, that we’re making sure that we support them as well as possible.”
One of the most interesting aspects of today’s news is that it begins to answer the question of how many moderators are affected. Designing a settlement required that lawyers for Facebook and the plaintiffs estimate how many people would make claims. And the number is much higher than I had imagined.
This lawsuit covers only people who have worked for Facebook through third-party vendors in the United States from 2015 until today, a group whose size is estimated to be 11,250 people. (A similar lawsuit is still pending in Ireland covering European workers.) Both Facebook and plaintiffs’ lawyers consulted with experts in post-traumatic stress and vicarious trauma. Based on those discussions, a lawyer for the plaintiffs told me, as many as half of the members of the class are expected to qualify for additional payments.
In other words, if you become a moderator for Facebook, a legal precedent suggests you have a one in two chance of suffering negative mental health consequences for doing the work.
Perhaps those odds will come down as Facebook implements some of the other changes they agreed to in the settlement, such as providing more counseling and offering workers tools to adjust the content that they’re viewing — turning it black and white, turning off audio by default, and so on. But the risk to human lives is real, and it’s not going away.
Another aspect to consider: how much will the average moderator get paid as a result of the settlement? The $52 million figure is less impressive when you consider that fully 32.7 percent of it has been earmarked for the lawyers in the case, leaving $35 million left over for everyone else.
The settlement was designed to compensate moderators in tiers. The first tier grants $1,000 to everyone, in the hopes that moderators use the money to get a mental health checkup from a doctor. For those who are either newly diagnosed or already have diagnoses, the settlement provides an additional $1,500 to $6,000 based on the severity of their cases. And then moderators can also submit evidence of distress suffered as a result of their work to win up to $50,000 per person in damages.
The sums could all be much smaller depending on how many members of the class apply and are found eligible for benefits beyond the first $1,000. If half the class were found eligible for additional mental health benefits and received equal compensation — which will not be the case but may be useful for ballpark-estimation purposes — there would be $4,222.22 available per moderator.
In my Twitter replies, lots of folks objected to the size of the payment, arguing it should have been much higher. Here, for example, is person who called the settlement “a day’s worth of random market fluctuation in profits for Facebook.” I won’t argue here — many of these content moderation roles are essentially first responder jobs, not nearly as different as you might think from police officers and paramedics, and they deserve compensation and benefits more closely in line with the service they provide and the risks that they take.
I called up Shawn Speagle, a former Facebook moderator who worked at the Tampa site, to tell me what he thought. Speagle, who was not involved in the lawsuit, worked for Cognizant from March to October 2018. During that time, he was exposed to videos of extreme violence and animal abuse on a near-daily basis, and he began to overeat and experience night terrors. After being fired, he was diagnosed with PTSD.
He said that a year of psychiatric care had helped him significantly with his symptoms, but also that the things he had seen continue to haunt him. “It’s been a very long ride,” Speagle told me Tuesday. “It’s been very difficult to forget about a lot of that stuff. You never do — it just sticks with you forever. Even though it was just seen over a screen, those lives are never coming back. I just wish that Facebook would recognize that.”
Speagle said that he sometimes felt embarrassed describing his PTSD to others, worrying they wouldn’t quite believe a person could develop the condition by reviewing Facebook posts. “There were a lot of times when it was humiliating,” he said. But psychiatrists helped him to understand that the phenomenon known as vicarious trauma — watching others experience pain — is real, and can be dangerous. He has since become a public school teacher.
I asked him what he thought of the payout he might now be eligible for.
“I would be fine getting no money,” Speagle told me. “I just wanted to bring this forward. When I did the job at Facebook, I was told I was making the world a better place for animals and young people. The reason I came forward was to stick to true to that. Money and a lawsuit have nothing to do with what I did.”
The Ratio
Today in news that could affect public perception of the big tech platforms.
🔼 Trending up: Instagram is launching new features aimed at making the platform a more positive space. The company says it’s rolling out the ability to delete up to 25 comments at once and also block or restrict multiple accounts at the same time. (Ashley Carman / The Verge)
🔼 Trending up: Jack Dorsey gave $15 million to San Francisco’s coronavirus relief fund. The money will help undocumented and low-income households struggling with the pandemic. (Dominic Fracassa / San Francisco Chronicle)
Virus tracker
Total cases in the US: More than 1,354,300
Total deaths in the US: At least 80,600
Reported cases in California: 69,520
Total test results (positive and negative) in California: 991,897
Reported cases in New York: 342,267
Total test results (positive and negative) in New York: 1,204,651
Reported cases in New Jersey: 139,945
Total test results (positive and negative) in New Jersey: 425,933
Reported cases in Illinois: 79,123
Total test results (positive and negative) in Illinois: 442,425
Governing
⭐ Facebook is working to launch a new political advocacy group that would combat regulators trying to rein in the tech industry. The move escalates Silicon Valley’s battle with Washington at time when government officials are still threatening to break up large companies. Tony Romm at The Washington Post has the story:
The organization is called American Edge, and it aims through a barrage of advertising and other political spending to convince policymakers that Silicon Valley is essential to the U.S. economy and the future of free speech, according to three people familiar with the matter as well as documents reviewed by The Washington Post. The people spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe the group because it hasn’t officially been announced. In December, American Edge formed as a nonprofit organization, and last month, it registered an accompanying foundation, according to incorporation documents filed in Virginia. The setup essentially allows it to navigate a thicket of tax laws in such a way that it can raise money, and blitz the airwaves with ads, without the obligation of disclosing all of its donors. Many powerful political actors — including the National Rifle Association — similarly operate with the aid of “social welfare” groups.
Facebook released a new report detailing how it uses a combination of artificial intelligence and human fact-checkers to enforce its community standards. The company is relying more heavily on AI for its moderation efforts. But some pieces of content, like memes and videos, can be difficult for AI to parse. (Nick Statt / The Verge)
Anti-lockdown protests in Australia were fueled by a conspiracy theory Facebook group. The members have suggested, falsely, that Bill Gates is behind the coronavirus pandemic, and chanted “arrest Bill Gates” at a recent rally. (Cameron Wilson / BuzzFeed)
Misinformation researcher Renée DiResta says she wishes tech companies would expand their definition of who counts as an authoritative source. In this Q&A she discusses how platforms are managing coronavirus misinformation and where they could be doing more. (Berkman Klein Center)
Coronavirus infection rates are spiking in heartland communities, according to an unreleased White House report. The news is at odds with President Trump’s declaration earlier this week that “all throughout the country, the numbers are coming down rapidly.” (Jonathan Allen, Phil McCausland and Cyrus Farivar / NBC)
Three days after a top White House aide tested positive for COVID-19, government officials working in the West Wing are being instructed to wear masks. The rule does not apply to President Trump, however. (Ashley Parker, Josh Dawsey and Philip Rucker / The Washington Post)
Here’s what it’s like being a contact tracer in the United States. These people are tasked with tracking down those who might have been infected with COVID-19. (James Temple and Bobbie Johnson / MIT Technology Review)
Nearly 40 percent of Icelanders are using a contact tracing app, the highest number of any country. Despite the widespread use, experts say the impact of the app has been small compared with manual tracing techniques like phone calls. As we told you it would be a month ago.(Bobbie Johnson / MIT Technology Review)
The Federal Trade Commission indicated that it’s looking into privacy complaints related to Zoom. Lawmakers have been expressing concerns about how Zoom collects and stores user data. (Reuters)
How big would a hologram of Joe Biden have to be for every person in the continental US to see him? Roughly 1,400 miles tall, or 255 Mount Everests stacked on top of each other. If you’re not clear on why this is currently a subject of debate, you may want to remain uninvolved. (Makena Kelly / The Verge)
Industry
⭐ Jack Dorsey told Twitter employees they’ll be allowed to work from home forever, even after the coronavirus pandemic has passed. Some jobs that require physical presence, such as maintaining servers, will still require employees to come in. This is a good thing, but also a few years from now Twitter is definitely going to realize that it has several hundred employees on the payroll who have not worked for the company in ages. Here’s Alex Kantrowitz at BuzzFeed:
Twitter encouraged its employees to start working from home in early March as the coronavirus began to spread across the US. Several other tech companies did the same, including Microsoft, Google, and Amazon. That month, Twitter human resources head Jennifer Christie told BuzzFeed News the company would “never probably be the same” in the structure of its work. “People who were reticent to work remotely will find that they really thrive that way,” Christie said. “Managers who didn’t think they could manage teams that were remote will have a different perspective. I do think we won’t go back.”
Twitter added former Google AI chief Fei-Fei Li to its board of directors. Li left Google after coming under fire for her role in the company’s military contracts, which sparked employee protests and eventually led the company to abandon the project. (Tyler Sonnemaker / Business Insider)
Facebook shut down Instagram Lite, its app aimed at emerging markets. The company — which has always characterized the app as a “test” — is planning to take what it has learned over these past years to develop a new version of the app. (Sarah Perez / TechCrunch)
Facebook News publishers are worried that the project might have slid out of the company’s top priorities due to the coronavirus pandemic. The COVID-19 Information Center in particular seems to have been rolled out to solve precisely the type of problem the News tab was originally intended to solve. (Max Willens / Digiday)
The coronavirus pandemic and subsequent shutdowns have brought back bartering as people trade goods in Facebook groups. (Rachel Lerman / The Washington Post)
In an interview that was immediately read and shared by every working journalist, Quibi co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg blamed the streaming app’s rough start on the coronavirus pandemic. “I attribute everything that has gone wrong to coronavirus,” he said. “Everything.” Same, Jeff, same. (Nicole Sperling / The New York Times)
Hackers are impersonating Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet for phishing scams. As significantly more people are using the tools during the COVID-19 pandemic, the domains could be used to trick people into downloading malware. (Jay Peters / The Verge)
Ordering food from local businesses is a nice way to support the restaurant industry in your area. But it’s a bit more complicated than you might think. One Grubhub user tried to order pizza from a supposedly local restaurant that turned out to be an undercover Chuck E. Cheese. For shame, Chuck E., for shame.(Jelisa Castrodale / Food and Wine)
Google Stadia is a lonely place. Google’s cloud streaming service feels like a virtual stadium that is still being built, and the crowds haven’t arrived. (Tom Warren / The Verge)
Charli and Dixie D’Amelio have left TikTok’s Hype House. The sisters say they don’t have any beef with the house members, though Charli and one of the founders did just break up. (Starr Bowenbank / Cosmopolitan)
LinkedIn launched a virtual events tool to let people create and broadcast online gatherings on the platform. (Ingrid Lunden / TechCrunch)
Things to do
Stuff to occupy you online during the quarantine.
Try not to murder the person you live with over a petty gripe. Reading about other’s petty gripes might help.
Listen to this Vergecast episode with me, Verge editor in chief Nilay Patel, and former Facebook chief security office Alex Stamos. We talked about fixing Zoom, misinformation on social platforms, election security, and much more.
Attend a three-day virtual festival on Houseparty with your friends. The lineup is very good and includes Keegan-Michael Key, Tinashe, Zooey Deschanel, and Doja Cat.
Those good tweets
And finally ...
This is just another tweet, but I wanted it to have a place of honor today.
Talk to us


theverge--2020-05-13--Smart home platform Wink delays paid subscription deadline by a week

Users of the Wink smart home platform now have until May 20th before they ’ ll have to start paying a $ 4.99 a month for functionality that was previously free , the company has announced in an amended blog post .
The company originally announced a May 13th deadline for the introduction of the subscriptions .
In an email sent to customers announcing the delay , Wink said that it regrets any inconvenience caused by the change .
“ We can appreciate that some of you may need additional time to subscribe or to make alternate considerations , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ read in full over on MacRumors .
“ We can appreciate that some of you may need additional time to subscribe or to make alternate considerations ” Now , on May 20th , any users who decide not to pay for the service will not be able to access their Wink devices from the app , will not be able to control them through the API , and will see their automations disabled .
These features did not require a paid subscription when customers initially purchased their products and , somewhat understandably , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the changes .
Wink has attempted to justify the changes by saying that its previous one-time fee from hardware sales couldn ’ t cover its ongoing cloud costs , product development , and customer support .
It says that the new subscription fee will help it fund the development and growth of its platform .
An October 2019 report about Wink by The Verge painted a picture of a company in financial trouble , and which at the time hadn ’ t paid its workers in seven weeks .

Users of the Wink smart home platform now have until May 20th before they’ll have to start paying a $4.99 a month for functionality that was previously free, the company has announced in an amended blog post. The company originally announced a May 13th deadline for the introduction of the subscriptions.
In an email sent to customers announcing the delay, Wink said that it regrets any inconvenience caused by the change. “We can appreciate that some of you may need additional time to subscribe or to make alternate considerations,” it says. The email can be read in full over on MacRumors.
“We can appreciate that some of you may need additional time to subscribe or to make alternate considerations”
Now, on May 20th, any users who decide not to pay for the service will not be able to access their Wink devices from the app, will not be able to control them through the API, and will see their automations disabled. These features did not require a paid subscription when customers initially purchased their products and, somewhat understandably, many owners have expressed their anger about the changes.


theverge--2020-05-13--Never miss a shot again with this robotic basketball hoop

Robotics and AI are supposed to make people ’ s lives better , so why don ’ t they help me suck less at sport ?
Engineer and YouTuber Shane Wighton has tackled this incredibly pressing issue with one of the cleverest mechanical creations I ’ ve seen on the internet : a basketball hoop that ensures that you never miss a shot .
You can get the gist of how the thing works from the GIF below .
Sensors track the trajectory of each shot and motors attached to the backboard adjust its angle to deflect the ball into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video ( from his channel Stuff Made Here ) goes into some fascinating detail , explaining both the underlying technology and the design process .
For example , the whole process of tracking the shot , calculating the angle , and adjusting the backboard has to take place in just 600 milliseconds .
That ’ s no time at all .
This meant Wighton really had to optimize his design to make it as lightweight , and therefore as easy to move , as possible .
That ’ s why the motors that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ back frame rather than the backboard itself , and why the support struts are hollowed out : all to reduce weight and make the backboard easier to re-angle at high speeds .
There ’ s also a lot of cleverness in the software side , which is powered by a Microsoft Kinect , beloved by DIY hackers everywhere .
These include a facial recognition feature that identifies whether Wighton or his wife is making a shot .
That allows for some unfair and very funny cheating .
I can just imagine some spoiled @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in his home basketball court to make sure he never loses a game .
There ’ s also a similar construction ( which Wighton mentions ) made by YouTuber Mark Rober in 2017 : a moving dartboard that lets you get a bullseye every shot .
Anyway , you can watch the full video from Wighton if you want a clear and entertaining explanation of how it all works .
Next job : a robot that helps me dunk .

Robotics and AI are supposed to make people’s lives better, so why don’t they help me suck less at sport? Engineer and YouTuber Shane Wighton has tackled this incredibly pressing issue with one of the cleverest mechanical creations I’ve seen on the internet: a basketball hoop that ensures that you never miss a shot.
You can get the gist of how the thing works from the GIF below. Sensors track the trajectory of each shot and motors attached to the backboard adjust its angle to deflect the ball into the hoop. But Wighton’s video (from his channel Stuff Made Here) goes into some fascinating detail, explaining both the underlying technology and the design process.
Boom, another. Boom, another. GIF: Shane Wighton / YouTube
For example, the whole process of tracking the shot, calculating the angle, and adjusting the backboard has to take place in just 600 milliseconds. That’s no time at all. This meant Wighton really had to optimize his design to make it as lightweight, and therefore as easy to move, as possible. That’s why the motors that power the thing are attached to the back frame rather than the backboard itself, and why the support struts are hollowed out: all to reduce weight and make the backboard easier to re-angle at high speeds.
There’s also a lot of cleverness in the software side, which is powered by a Microsoft Kinect, beloved by DIY hackers everywhere. These include a facial recognition feature that identifies whether Wighton or his wife is making a shot. That allows for some unfair and very funny cheating. I can just imagine some spoiled tech CEO installing one of these machines in his home basketball court to make sure he never loses a game. There’s also a similar construction (which Wighton mentions) made by YouTuber Mark Rober in 2017: a moving dartboard that lets you get a bullseye every shot.


theverge--2020-05-13--Google tests iMessage-like emoji reactions for RCS Messages

Google is testing a new feature in its Messages app that lets you react to messages using emoji .
First spotted by Reddit users in a thread that was picked up by Android Police , the feature reportedly lets you react to a message by long-pressing on it .
Then , you can select from emoji including thumbs up , thumbs down , anger , and crying with laughter .
The feature appears to only work over RCS , and is not available in SMS-only conversations .
Messages isn ’ t the first chat app to get emoji reactions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Twitter direct messages , and Apple ’ s iMessage .
Similar to iMessage , if you ’ re phone doesn ’ t currently have the feature ( because you ’ re not a part of the test , for example ) you ’ ll receive a standalone message to tell you if someone has used an emoji to respond to one of your messages , rather than seeing the emoji appear next to the message itself .
It sounds like a similar workaround to what iMessage uses for its green bubble users @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be testing the feature with a small number of users .
It ’ s unclear , however , if running the latest beta version of the app is a prerequisite to see the emoji reactions or if it ’ s a service-side flag set by Google .

Google is testing a new feature in its Messages app that lets you react to messages using emoji. First spotted by Reddit users in a thread that was picked up by Android Police, the feature reportedly lets you react to a message by long-pressing on it. Then, you can select from emoji including thumbs up, thumbs down, anger, and crying with laughter. The feature appears to only work over RCS, and is not available in SMS-only conversations.
Messages isn’t the first chat app to get emoji reactions, which are also available in Facebook Messenger, Twitter direct messages, and Apple’s iMessage. Similar to iMessage, if you’re phone doesn’t currently have the feature (because you’re not a part of the test, for example) you’ll receive a standalone message to tell you if someone has used an emoji to respond to one of your messages, rather than seeing the emoji appear next to the message itself. It sounds like a similar workaround to what iMessage uses for its green bubble users.


theverge--2020-05-13--PlayStation 5 still on track for holiday 2020 release, says Sony

Sony says that the PlayStation 5 is “ on track for launch in this holiday season ” despite the COVID-19 pandemic .
The company made the announcement as part of its fiscal 2019 earnings release today , where it also reported 14 percent lower gaming revenue year-on-year .
Sony put the decline down to lower hardware and software sales , highlighting the importance of the upcoming PS5 .
The PS4 has now topped 110 million units sold worldwide .
“ Regarding the launch of PlayStation 5 , although factors such as employees working from home and restrictions on international travel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of the testing process and the qualification of production lines , development is progressing with the launch of the console scheduled for the 2020 holiday season , ” Sony says in its report .
“ At this point in time major problems have not arisen in the game software development pipeline for Sony ’ s own first-party studios or its partners ’ studios.
” Microsoft has said that its competing Xbox Series X console is also still set for a holiday 2020 launch , though Xbox chief Phil Spencer warned that software @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s cross-generational strategy , however , means that there won ’ t be any Series X-exclusive titles in the short term anyway , so the question of a traditional launch lineup may be of less concern than normal .
Sony , on the other hand , is likely to prioritize at least some exclusive PS5 games to promote sales of the new console ; the company just announced new PlayStation Studios branding for its first-party titles , which were perhaps the biggest selling point for the PS4 .
The PS5 itself is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sony has revealed the specs , logo , and controller , but hasn ’ t shown off the console ’ s design or any next-gen games .

Sony says that the PlayStation 5 is “on track for launch in this holiday season” despite the COVID-19 pandemic. The company made the announcement as part of its fiscal 2019 earnings release today, where it also reported 14 percent lower gaming revenue year-on-year. Sony put the decline down to lower hardware and software sales, highlighting the importance of the upcoming PS5. The PS4 has now topped 110 million units sold worldwide.
“Regarding the launch of PlayStation 5, although factors such as employees working from home and restrictions on international travel have presented some challenges in regards to part of the testing process and the qualification of production lines, development is progressing with the launch of the console scheduled for the 2020 holiday season,” Sony says in its report. “At this point in time major problems have not arisen in the game software development pipeline for Sony’s own first-party studios or its partners’ studios.”
Microsoft has said that its competing Xbox Series X console is also still set for a holiday 2020 launch, though Xbox chief Phil Spencer warned that software development could still be disrupted. Microsoft’s cross-generational strategy, however, means that there won’t be any Series X-exclusive titles in the short term anyway, so the question of a traditional launch lineup may be of less concern than normal.


theverge--2020-05-13--One of the world’s biggest esports teams is trying to raise awareness of mental health issues

Esports organization Cloud9 and health care company Kaiser Permanente have announced a new initiative focused on increasing awareness about mental health .
This initiative will aim to help Cloud9 ’ s players work on their own mental health and leverage Cloud9 ’ s large fan base to shed light on ways to address mental health and reduce stigma about the topic .
The initiative has three parts : providing mental health training to Cloud9 players , coaches , and staff ; airing a Twitch series focused on increasing awareness of mental health ; and educating community moderators so they can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The multiyear initiative is called Presence of Mind .
Cloud9 ’ s ‘ League of Legends ’ team will get the training first Cloud9 ’ s League of Legends team will get the training first , with the League of Legends Academy team to follow at a later date .
Cloud9 is one of the stalwarts of League of Legends ’ Championship Series ( LCS ) , and the players are “ under tremendous pressure to succeed , ” said Jack Etienne , Cloud9 ’ s founder and CEO , in an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we haven ’ t always had the tools that Kaiser is bringing to us to deal with it.
” Right now , the League of Legends team is in its offseason between the spring and summer seasons , called “ splits ” in the LCS .
The plan is to educate team managers and coaches before the team begins practicing for the summer split and to implement the mental health work into the team ’ s match preparations during the season .
For the Twitch series , the two companies are thinking about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about mental health awareness and hopefully decrease stigma around mental health issues , said Don Mordecai , Kaiser Permanente ’ s national leader for mental health and wellness , who I interviewed along with Etienne .
Though the show is still in development , here ’ s the official description from today ’ s press release : “ Esports influencers and Kaiser Permanente experts will connect on different episodes to talk about gaming and mental health , including topics such as coping during the COVID-19 pandemic and combating burnout.
” Cloud9 and Kaiser @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next month or so .
The goal in training community moderators is to equip people who interact with the Cloud9 community , such as Twitch or Discord moderators , with appropriate messaging and language to be able to facilitate safe discussions about mental health issues with those communities .
“ Not only in Twitch , but also in Discord , we want to make sure that we ’ re providing safe places for people to spend their time , ” said Etienne .
Cloud9 has been part of the LCS since 2013 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passionate fan base , including nearly a million followers on Twitter .
That dedicated fan base is part of why both Kaiser Permanente and Cloud9 want to work together to normalize mental health discussions .
“ We think it ’ s an awesome opportunity to reach youth and young adults who are in the gaming community.
” “ We think it ’ s an awesome opportunity to reach youth and young adults who are in the gaming community , ” Mordecai said .
“ We wanted to come out and proactively reach them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about mental health issues , [ and ] decrease stigma.
” “ We have a massive audience and they really listen to what our players say , ” said Etienne .
“ They are heroes to a lot of our fans.
” Long term , Etienne told me he wants to take the work the League of Legends teams will be doing doing and apply it to other Cloud9 teams .
“ If we can work with the coaches across Cloud9 , regardless of the game or the team , I think there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread the impact , ” Mordecai added .
The timing of the Presence of Mind initiative could also help players cope with life changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic , which has had a significant effect on esports globally .
For the final matches of the spring split , Cloud9 ’ s players had to adjust from playing in front of live audiences to competing online , for example .
And during the weeks-long offseason , the players have been unable to travel home to see their families like they normally would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This initiative ] couldn ’ t be coming at a more critical time where there ’ s massive need for support , ” said Etienne as we were wrapping up our interview .
“ Our fan base and our players are under an unprecedented amount of stress .
So [ the initiative ] is really well-timed , and having a partner like Kaiser Permanente gives me a lot more confidence going into this next split .
”

Esports organization Cloud9 and health care company Kaiser Permanente have announced a new initiative focused on increasing awareness about mental health. This initiative will aim to help Cloud9’s players work on their own mental health and leverage Cloud9’s large fan base to shed light on ways to address mental health and reduce stigma about the topic.
The initiative has three parts: providing mental health training to Cloud9 players, coaches, and staff; airing a Twitch series focused on increasing awareness of mental health; and educating community moderators so they can facilitate positive discussions on mental health topics. The multiyear initiative is called Presence of Mind.
Cloud9’s ‘League of Legends’ team will get the training first
Cloud9’s League of Legends team will get the training first, with the League of Legends Academy team to follow at a later date. Cloud9 is one of the stalwarts of League of Legends’ Championship Series (LCS), and the players are “under tremendous pressure to succeed,” said Jack Etienne, Cloud9’s founder and CEO, in an interview with The Verge. “And we haven’t always had the tools that Kaiser is bringing to us to deal with it.”
Right now, the League of Legends team is in its offseason between the spring and summer seasons, called “splits” in the LCS. The plan is to educate team managers and coaches before the team begins practicing for the summer split and to implement the mental health work into the team’s match preparations during the season.
For the Twitch series, the two companies are thinking about it as a way to share messages about mental health awareness and hopefully decrease stigma around mental health issues, said Don Mordecai, Kaiser Permanente’s national leader for mental health and wellness, who I interviewed along with Etienne. Though the show is still in development, here’s the official description from today’s press release: “Esports influencers and Kaiser Permanente experts will connect on different episodes to talk about gaming and mental health, including topics such as coping during the COVID-19 pandemic and combating burnout.” Cloud9 and Kaiser Permanente aim to launch the series in the next month or so.
The goal in training community moderators is to equip people who interact with the Cloud9 community, such as Twitch or Discord moderators, with appropriate messaging and language to be able to facilitate safe discussions about mental health issues with those communities. “Not only in Twitch, but also in Discord, we want to make sure that we’re providing safe places for people to spend their time,” said Etienne.
Cloud9 has been part of the LCS since 2013, so it has a large, passionate fan base, including nearly a million followers on Twitter. That dedicated fan base is part of why both Kaiser Permanente and Cloud9 want to work together to normalize mental health discussions.
“We think it’s an awesome opportunity to reach youth and young adults who are in the gaming community.”
“We think it’s an awesome opportunity to reach youth and young adults who are in the gaming community,” Mordecai said. “We wanted to come out and proactively reach them with mental health messages, raise awareness about mental health issues, [and] decrease stigma.”
“We have a massive audience and they really listen to what our players say,” said Etienne. “They are heroes to a lot of our fans.”
Long term, Etienne told me he wants to take the work the League of Legends teams will be doing doing and apply it to other Cloud9 teams. “If we can work with the coaches across Cloud9, regardless of the game or the team, I think there’s a lot of potential to spread the impact,” Mordecai added.
The timing of the Presence of Mind initiative could also help players cope with life changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had a significant effect on esports globally. For the final matches of the spring split, Cloud9’s players had to adjust from playing in front of live audiences to competing online, for example. And during the weeks-long offseason, the players have been unable to travel home to see their families like they normally would due to shelter-in-place orders.


theverge--2020-05-12--Tesla reopens Nevada Gigafactory after bringing California car plant back online

Tesla is fully reopening the Gigafactory in Nevada , where it makes batteries for its electric cars and energy storage products , as well as parts for the Model 3 , according to an internal email viewed by The Verge .
The full reopening is more aggressive move than what the company told employees to expect last week , when Tesla said it would only resume “ limited operations ” as the state began the first phase of its plan to restart some businesses during the novel coronavirus pandemic .
Tesla remains in negotiations with Alameda County , which issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company to shut down its Fremont , California car factory .
Tesla has already resumed production there in violation of the county ’ s public health order .
CEO Elon Musk received support for reopening that factory on Tuesday morning from President Donald Trump , who tweeted : “ California should let Tesla & @ elonmusk open the plant , NOW .
It can be done Fast & Safely !
” “ Furlough Has Ended And We Are Back To Work in Production !
” An official for Storey County , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not respond to a request for comment .
Tesla did not respond to a request for comment .
Tesla stopped production at its US factories in mid-March as counties and states around the country introduced shelter-in-place orders meant to stop the spread of the virus .
The company resumed production at Fremont last weekend and called back all of its furloughed workers on Monday , as The Verge first reported .
On Monday afternoon , Musk confirmed in a tweet that Tesla was restarting production “ against Alameda County rules , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ line ” at the factory , and asked that only he be arrested if law enforcement officials try to shut down operations .
Shortly after Musk ’ s tweet on Monday , Tesla ’ s North American HR boss Valerie Workman sent an email to the Nevada Gigafactory workers titled : “ Furlough Has Ended And We Are Back To Work in Production !
” Tesla promises to provide personal protective equipment and more shuttles “ We ’ re happy to get you back to work and have implemented very detailed plans to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she wrote in the email , a copy of which was provided to The Verge by a current employee .
The plans she referenced include stocking the employee shuttles to the factory with unspecified personal protective equipment , according to the email .
She also said Tesla is increasing the number of shuttles that run to the Gigafactory , which is located about 25 miles east of Reno , Nevada , and reducing their individual capacity .
Employees were told they ’ d be contacted within 24 hours by a manager @ @ @ @ @ @ @ date , and that , “ in most cases , your position , supervisor , responsibilities , pay and hours will remain the same as before.
” Workman told Gigafactory employees that they are allowed to stay home on unpaid leave if they “ do not feel comfortable coming into work , ” just as the company told its factory workers in California .
But because the furlough is ending , she explained that workers may no longer be eligible for unemployment benefits they were receiving during the shutdown .
At one point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen on May 4th at all three of its production sites in the US : the Nevada Gigafactory , the Fremont factory , and New York solar panel factory .
But those states extended their shelter-in-place orders , meaning non-essential businesses had to stay closed .
On May 7th , though , Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak announced the first phase of his state ’ s plan to allow many businesses to reopen .
It requires certain protective measures , including that employees wear face masks , and that employers be vigilant about performing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of COVID-19 .
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced similar measures on May 7th .
But Alameda County did not add automotive manufacturing to its list of essential businesses , and has subsequently said that Tesla ’ s car factory should remain closed .
What ’ s more , Alameda County officials spoke last week about extending its stay-home order until at least June 1st .
Musk took issue with this over the weekend , tweeting that this was the “ final straw , ” and saying that he ’ d move Tesla ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” to Texas or Nevada .
Tesla also filed a lawsuit against Alameda County in an attempt to invalidate the order .
At the same time , the company quietly resumed making cars at the California factory .
The mayors of the cities of Fremont and Palo Alto ( which is home to the company ’ s corporate offices ) voiced support for keeping Tesla in the state and allowing the company to restart production .
But Musk got an even bigger boost from the Trump administration this week — first from treasury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump himself .
Trump has been talking about “ reopening the economy ” for more than a month despite mounting COVID-19 cases and related deaths .
He reportedly voiced support for Musk on a private call with CEOs last month , according to The Washington Post .
Tesla released a detailed plan over the weekend for how it will protect workers at the Fremont factory , which Musk has said is informed by what Tesla learned when it reopened its Chinese Gigafactory earlier this year .
Alameda County officials tell The Verge that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this plan that is under review , too .
The company told Tesla in a Monday letter that it “ must cease ” production until that plan is approved .
Some workers who have already returned to the California factory have described scattershot implementation of the plan so far .
One of them , who spoke to The Verge on the condition of anonymity , said Tesla provided cloth masks during their shift on Monday that were “ so small they don ’ t cover your nose mouth and chin , ” that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t require [ employees ] wear them , ” and that “ social distancing was mentioned but never enforced.
” Three employees also told CNBC it was impossible to implement social distancing during production .
Those employees said Tesla was checking people ’ s temperatures as they arrived to the factor and that the company has staggered their shift and break times .

Tesla is fully reopening the Gigafactory in Nevada, where it makes batteries for its electric cars and energy storage products, as well as parts for the Model 3, according to an internal email viewed by The Verge.
The full reopening is more aggressive move than what the company told employees to expect last week, when Tesla said it would only resume “limited operations” as the state began the first phase of its plan to restart some businesses during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Tesla remains in negotiations with Alameda County, which issued a shelter-in-place order in March that forced the company to shut down its Fremont, California car factory. Tesla has already resumed production there in violation of the county’s public health order. CEO Elon Musk received support for reopening that factory on Tuesday morning from President Donald Trump, who tweeted: “California should let Tesla & @elonmusk open the plant, NOW. It can be done Fast & Safely!”
“Furlough Has Ended And We Are Back To Work in Production!”
An official for Storey County, where the Nevada Gigafactory is located, did not respond to a request for comment. Tesla did not respond to a request for comment.
Tesla stopped production at its US factories in mid-March as counties and states around the country introduced shelter-in-place orders meant to stop the spread of the virus. The company resumed production at Fremont last weekend and called back all of its furloughed workers on Monday, as The Verge first reported. On Monday afternoon, Musk confirmed in a tweet that Tesla was restarting production “against Alameda County rules,” said that he would be “on the line” at the factory, and asked that only he be arrested if law enforcement officials try to shut down operations.
Shortly after Musk’s tweet on Monday, Tesla’s North American HR boss Valerie Workman sent an email to the Nevada Gigafactory workers titled: “Furlough Has Ended And We Are Back To Work in Production!”
Tesla promises to provide personal protective equipment and more shuttles
“We’re happy to get you back to work and have implemented very detailed plans to help keep you safe as you return,” she wrote in the email, a copy of which was provided to The Verge by a current employee. The plans she referenced include stocking the employee shuttles to the factory with unspecified personal protective equipment, according to the email. She also said Tesla is increasing the number of shuttles that run to the Gigafactory, which is located about 25 miles east of Reno, Nevada, and reducing their individual capacity.
Employees were told they’d be contacted within 24 hours by a manager or Tesla representative and given a return-to-work date, and that, “in most cases, your position, supervisor, responsibilities, pay and hours will remain the same as before.”
Related Tesla will live and die by the Gigafactory
Workman told Gigafactory employees that they are allowed to stay home on unpaid leave if they “do not feel comfortable coming into work,” just as the company told its factory workers in California. But because the furlough is ending, she explained that workers may no longer be eligible for unemployment benefits they were receiving during the shutdown.
At one point, Tesla told employees it planned to reopen on May 4th at all three of its production sites in the US: the Nevada Gigafactory, the Fremont factory, and New York solar panel factory. But those states extended their shelter-in-place orders, meaning non-essential businesses had to stay closed. On May 7th, though, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak announced the first phase of his state’s plan to allow many businesses to reopen. It requires certain protective measures, including that employees wear face masks, and that employers be vigilant about performing temperature checks and screening workers for symptoms of COVID-19.
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced similar measures on May 7th. But Alameda County did not add automotive manufacturing to its list of essential businesses, and has subsequently said that Tesla’s car factory should remain closed. What’s more, Alameda County officials spoke last week about extending its stay-home order until at least June 1st.
Tesla called back its furloughed workers on Monday
Musk took issue with this over the weekend, tweeting that this was the “final straw,” and saying that he’d move Tesla’s California headquarters and “future programs” to Texas or Nevada. Tesla also filed a lawsuit against Alameda County in an attempt to invalidate the order.
At the same time, the company quietly resumed making cars at the California factory.
The mayors of the cities of Fremont and Palo Alto (which is home to the company’s corporate offices) voiced support for keeping Tesla in the state and allowing the company to restart production. But Musk got an even bigger boost from the Trump administration this week — first from treasury secretary Steve Mnuchin, and later from Trump himself. Trump has been talking about “reopening the economy” for more than a month despite mounting COVID-19 cases and related deaths. He reportedly voiced support for Musk on a private call with CEOs last month, according to The Washington Post.
Tesla released a detailed plan over the weekend for how it will protect workers at the Fremont factory, which Musk has said is informed by what Tesla learned when it reopened its Chinese Gigafactory earlier this year. Alameda County officials tell The Verge that Tesla has submitted a new version of this plan that is under review, too. The company told Tesla in a Monday letter that it “must cease” production until that plan is approved.
Some workers who have already returned to the California factory have described scattershot implementation of the plan so far. One of them, who spoke to The Verge on the condition of anonymity, said Tesla provided cloth masks during their shift on Monday that were “so small they don’t cover your nose mouth and chin,” that the company “offered gloves but didn’t require [employees] wear them,” and that “social distancing was mentioned but never enforced.”


theverge--2020-05-13--Zipcar will now let you access a car within minutes of signing up for the service

Car sharing service Zipcar will now allow people in the US to access a car within minutes of signing up , which Zipcar is calling Instant Access , the company announced today .
Previously , it could take days after you first signed up until you ’ d actually be able to rent one of Zipcar ’ s vehicles .
Now , as part of the signup process , you can have your identity confirmed by matching a selfie with your driver ’ s license , according to Zipcar .
Then , once you ’ re approved , you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ via the company ’ s smartphone app .
Zipcar says it will still send RFID-enabled “ Zipcards ” to members that you can also use get into cars you reserve .
You ’ ll match a selfie to your driver ’ s license in the Zipcar app “ Shortening the time it takes from joining Zipcar to booking a vehicle has been one of our members ’ biggest requests , and we are proud that we can now make that possible , ” said Zipcar president Tracey Zhen .
“ Bringing people more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has never been more important , as urbanites face new economic challenges and uncertainty in pandemic-times.
” Zipcar , which says it is considered an essential service during the COVID-19 pandemic , also recently introduced Dedicated Zipcar .
The new service lets you reserve a specific car for a monthly fee .
It also introduced a “ Stay Local ” plan that gives you up to 50 percent off standard hourly and daily rates if you take short trips locally .

Car sharing service Zipcar will now allow people in the US to access a car within minutes of signing up, which Zipcar is calling Instant Access, the company announced today. Previously, it could take days after you first signed up until you’d actually be able to rent one of Zipcar’s vehicles.
Now, as part of the signup process, you can have your identity confirmed by matching a selfie with your driver’s license, according to Zipcar. Then, once you’re approved, you’ll be able to access a car via the company’s smartphone app. Zipcar says it will still send RFID-enabled “Zipcards” to members that you can also use get into cars you reserve.
You’ll match a selfie to your driver’s license in the Zipcar app
“Shortening the time it takes from joining Zipcar to booking a vehicle has been one of our members’ biggest requests, and we are proud that we can now make that possible,” said Zipcar president Tracey Zhen. “Bringing people more immediate access to reliable and cost-effective transportation has never been more important, as urbanites face new economic challenges and uncertainty in pandemic-times.”


theverge--2020-05-13--Razer will use face mask vending machines to distribute millions of face masks in Singapore

Gaming accessory maker Razer says it will place 20 face mask vending machines in Singapore by June 1st to help the city-state , where the company ’ s global operations are based , in its COVID-19 relief efforts , Reuters reports .
“ Razer will continue our endeavours in supporting Singapore to be self-sufficient for face masks as a nation , ” Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan , who hails from the city-state , tells Reuters .
The company already has a fully automated face mask production line in Singapore that the company set up in just 24 days last month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its manufacturing to support production of medical equipment in March .
Razer said on April 24th that it ’ s already shipped more than 1 million of those masks all over the world .
With its vending machines , Razer is pledging to give out 5 million masks for free to Singapore residents 16 years and older , and after the initial distribution it will sell the masks directly .
The company is also partnering with Singapore-based plastic manufacturer Sunningdale Tech to up its production to 10 million masks a month .
With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Singapore was initially praised for its largely successful contact tracing strategy that allowed it to avoid lockdowns and keep its COVID-19 case numbers shockingly low .
However , a distressing uptick in confirmed cases — from in the mid-hundreds to more than 25,000 — starting in early April that was concentrated among the city-state ’ s migrant worker population has forced Singapore to alter its strategy and implement strict shelter-in-place orders .
As part of its measures , the Singapore government has made it mandatory to wear face masks in public , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the government finds itself strained to source suppliers .

Gaming accessory maker Razer says it will place 20 face mask vending machines in Singapore by June 1st to help the city-state, where the company’s global operations are based, in its COVID-19 relief efforts, Reuters reports.
“Razer will continue our endeavours in supporting Singapore to be self-sufficient for face masks as a nation,” Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan, who hails from the city-state, tells Reuters.
The company already has a fully automated face mask production line in Singapore that the company set up in just 24 days last month, after it initially shifted some of its manufacturing to support production of medical equipment in March. Razer said on April 24th that it’s already shipped more than 1 million of those masks all over the world.
Razer’s automated face mask production line in Singapore. Image: Razer
With its vending machines, Razer is pledging to give out 5 million masks for free to Singapore residents 16 years and older, and after the initial distribution it will sell the masks directly. The company is also partnering with Singapore-based plastic manufacturer Sunningdale Tech to up its production to 10 million masks a month.
With a population of more than 5 million, Singapore was initially praised for its largely successful contact tracing strategy that allowed it to avoid lockdowns and keep its COVID-19 case numbers shockingly low.


theverge--2020-05-13--Amazon asks Congress to pass a law against price gouging during national crisis

Amazon has requested that Congress pass a law that would make price gouging illegal during times of national crisis , in light of inflated prices on crucial goods like hand sanitizer and N95 masks that have hounded the online retailer during the COVID-19 pandemic .
In an open letter posted by Brian Huseman , Amazon ’ s VP of public policy , the company highlights its own ongoing efforts to try to crack down on price gouging .
To date , Amazon says that it ’ s removed half a million price-gouged listings from its online stores and has banned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alone for violating its Fair Pricing Policy .
And as CEO Jeff Bezos noted in a letter to investors , Amazon has set up a special line of communication for state attorneys general to directly pass along price gouging complaints .
Amazon says that it can only do so much on its own But Amazon says that it can only do so much on its own .
The company says that inconsistent state standards limit its ability to crack down on price gouging — while laws against raising prices during times of crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ US , the rules are highly inconsistent from state to state .
Amazon can kick off as many bad sellers as it can for violating its own policies , but there are often few subsequent legal consequences to help regulate inflated prices .
A federal law , Amazon says , would ensure that there are “ no gaps in protection for consumers ” and would help Amazon and other retailers “ more effectively prevent bad actors and ensure fair prices.
” Amazon ’ s proposal would see a price gouging law that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government declares a public health crisis or national emergency , which will leave no room for doubt for businesses and enforcement agencies .
It should also establish clear pricing standards , define who and what are covered by the law , and ensure strong enforcement authority.
” Unsurprisingly , Amazon ’ s proposed legislation would ensure that only the party that sets the price — like , say , a bad third-party Amazon retailer — be held liable for the inflated price , not the storefront ( i.e .
Amazon ) that hosts @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Amazon has requested that Congress pass a law that would make price gouging illegal during times of national crisis, in light of inflated prices on crucial goods like hand sanitizer and N95 masks that have hounded the online retailer during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In an open letter posted by Brian Huseman, Amazon’s VP of public policy, the company highlights its own ongoing efforts to try to crack down on price gouging. To date, Amazon says that it’s removed half a million price-gouged listings from its online stores and has banned 4,000 seller accounts on its US store alone for violating its Fair Pricing Policy. And as CEO Jeff Bezos noted in a letter to investors, Amazon has set up a special line of communication for state attorneys general to directly pass along price gouging complaints.
Amazon says that it can only do so much on its own
But Amazon says that it can only do so much on its own. The company says that inconsistent state standards limit its ability to crack down on price gouging — while laws against raising prices during times of crisis currently exist in about two-thirds of the US, the rules are highly inconsistent from state to state. Amazon can kick off as many bad sellers as it can for violating its own policies, but there are often few subsequent legal consequences to help regulate inflated prices.
A federal law, Amazon says, would ensure that there are “no gaps in protection for consumers” and would help Amazon and other retailers “more effectively prevent bad actors and ensure fair prices.”
Amazon’s proposal would see a price gouging law that “should kick in immediately when the federal government declares a public health crisis or national emergency, which will leave no room for doubt for businesses and enforcement agencies. It should also establish clear pricing standards, define who and what are covered by the law, and ensure strong enforcement authority.”


theverge--2020-05-13--Moxie is a $1,500 robot for kids

Moxie is a $1,500 robot for kids

The latest educational tech comes in the form of a seven-pound robot that looks like something ripped out of a Pixar movie .
Moxie , an adorable educational robot , is designed for teaching kids at home .
But it ’ s expensive : the robot itself is $ 1,500 , and it requires a $ 60 monthly subscription after the first year .
Embodied , the robotics and AI company behind Moxie , says the robot will teach kids ages six through nine using weekly themes and lessons designed to promote cognitive , emotional , and social learning .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ explore and learn human experiences and life skills , like learning new words or chatting about significant experiences like going to the dentist .
Parents will be able to control Moxie through a “ parent app , ” which will let them check their child ’ s progress and limit their Moxie usage .
Privacy and security issues have been a big concern in kids ’ tech Privacy and security issues have been a big concern when it comes to making educational tech for kids , and Moxie is unlikely to be an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be encrypted , with parents or guardians being the only ones able to access the data for their particular unit , Embodied founder Paolo Pirjanian said during an interview with Fast Company .
But Moxie still has a lot of tech that can be used for interacting with and monitoring those nearby : it has four microphones inside its head and a camera located on the front .
Other kids ’ tech , like a smart Barbie and an attempted smart kids speaker , have run into controversy due to the privacy implications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kids .
Several companies have tried to make friendly robots to interact with at home in recent years .
There ’ s Aibo , Sony ’ s $ 2,900 robotic pet , plus Jibo , a family robot that was successfully crowdfunded only to flop a couple years into its life span .
Moxie is slated to be released sometime this fall .
Fast Company did a deep dive into Embodied ’ s design process behind the product .

The latest educational tech comes in the form of a seven-pound robot that looks like something ripped out of a Pixar movie. Moxie, an adorable educational robot, is designed for teaching kids at home. But it’s expensive: the robot itself is $1,500, and it requires a $60 monthly subscription after the first year.
Embodied, the robotics and AI company behind Moxie, says the robot will teach kids ages six through nine using weekly themes and lessons designed to promote cognitive, emotional, and social learning. Kids will be tasked with helping Moxie explore and learn human experiences and life skills, like learning new words or chatting about significant experiences like going to the dentist. Parents will be able to control Moxie through a “parent app,” which will let them check their child’s progress and limit their Moxie usage.
Privacy and security issues have been a big concern in kids’ tech
Privacy and security issues have been a big concern when it comes to making educational tech for kids, and Moxie is unlikely to be an exception. Moxie’s data will be encrypted, with parents or guardians being the only ones able to access the data for their particular unit, Embodied founder Paolo Pirjanian said during an interview with Fast Company. But Moxie still has a lot of tech that can be used for interacting with and monitoring those nearby: it has four microphones inside its head and a camera located on the front. Other kids’ tech, like a smart Barbie and an attempted smart kids speaker, have run into controversy due to the privacy implications of building microphones into toys meant for kids.
Several companies have tried to make friendly robots to interact with at home in recent years. There’s Aibo, Sony’s $2,900 robotic pet, plus Jibo, a family robot that was successfully crowdfunded only to flop a couple years into its life span.


theverge--2020-05-13--How to buy a Nintendo Switch

How to buy a Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch , like everything else that can lighten the mood during this incredibly tough time , is in short supply .
And as soon as retailers like Best Buy , Amazon , and Walmart gets it in stock , it quickly sells out .
It can be disheartening to miss out on the opportunity to buy a Switch — but fear not !
The purpose of this article is to help you do just that without paying more than it would usually cost at retail .
We ’ re keeping a lookout across the web to find where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buy a Nintendo Switch ( the one you can dock to your TV or remove for portable use ) or a Switch Lite ( the portable-only version of the console ) as well as any bundles that seem like good deals .
Keep in mind that stock — even Switch consoles that are preowned or refurbished — will likely continue to sell out quickly during the pandemic .
But we ’ ll do our best to keep this article up to date with the latest in-stock offers , and we ’ ll tell @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When something gets sold out , we ’ ll try to let you know .
Where can I buy a Nintendo Switch or Switch Lite right now ?
• B & H Photo currently has the yellow , turquoise , and gray Switch Lite consoles in stock , though they ’ re $ 20 above MSRP at $ 220 .
But the purchase is tax-free outside of NY state ( added 5:00PM ET , May 13th ) • Walmart currently has the gray Switch Lite in stock ( added 5:00PM ET , May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ receive new supplies of the Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite consoles fairly regularly , and it ’ s a good strategy to keep these pages open so you can quickly add one to your cart when they come back in stock • Amazon and Walmart have been sold out for a while now , though recently , B & H Photo started to sell the console If you ’ re not against buying a preowned or refurbished console , you ’ ll want to check out GameStop .
Another good place to look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where it sells refurbished Switch consoles .
Those have been sold out recently , but there ’ s no telling when it will restock the page with some repaired , refreshed consoles .
Oddly enough , Nintendo has its own official seller page on eBay , which usually hosts refurbished Switch consoles , though it has been closed “ until further notice ” due to the pandemic .
Still , that ’ s worth keeping an eye on , too .
What accessories do I need to buy for the Nintendo Switch ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that you need to get started and have fun .
However , a few extra purchases can help you get a little more out of your console , and in some cases , help it weather the wear-and-tear that it ’ ll undoubtedly get .
First off , a microSD card will help you extend your Switch ’ s default 32GB of storage .
Amazon , Best Buy , and other retailers regularly sell cards with up to 512GB of storage for around $ 90 .
A 400GB microSD card will cost you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game ranging in download size from 1GB to tens of gigabytes , the card has enough space to store several of them .
Next up , get a tempered glass screen cover .
The display on the Switch and Switch Lite is covered in plastic , and it ’ s just asking to get scratched as soon as you take it out of the box .
Save the heartbreak by getting an affordable , easy-to-apply glass cover at Amazon .
• A two-pack of amFilm tempered glass protectors for the Nintendo Switch is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tempered glass protectors for the Switch Lite is $ 7.99 If you want to play online with friends , ensure that your saves are backed up in the cloud , and get access to a slate of on-demand games from the original Nintendo console and SNES console era , you ’ ll want to get a Nintendo Switch Online subscription .
It ’ s $ 20 per year for a single user on a console , or $ 35 for up to eight users on different consoles each year .

The Nintendo Switch was, like most consoles during the pandemic, once in short supply. Thankfully, retailers like Best Buy, Amazon, and Walmart now routinely stock the Nintendo Switch, Switch Lite, and upgraded Switch OLED model in multiple color configurations, giving those who have continually struck out ample opportunity to purchase Nintendo’s incredibly popular handheld console.
If you’re not sure where you can pick up a Switch as of right now, we’ve vetted stock and rounded up where you can purchase the Nintendo Switch, the Nintendo Switch Lite, and the Nintendo Switch OLED model both online and in-store. We’ve also scoured the web for any bundle that seems like a good deal, as well as discounts that might be applicable.
Where can I buy a Nintendo Switch right now?
If you’re looking to pick up the standalone console with red and blue Joy-Cons, you can currently do so for $299.99 at Amazon, Best Buy, Target, Adorama, and Nintendo. The model with the gray Joy-Cons is not as widely available, but can still be purchased for the same price at Best Buy, Walmart, and Nintendo.
The Animal Crossing: New Horizons Edition of the Nintendo Switch is also available for purchase at Amazon, GameStop, Best Buy, and Nintendo for around $299, its usual retail price. Keep in mind this is a special colorway for the system and Joy-Cons, but it does not include a copy of Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
If you’re not against buying a preowned or refurbished console, you’ll want to check out GameStop and Nintendo’s online store, where you can often find deals on refurbished Switch consoles. Right now, for instance, GameStop is selling refurbished models of the standard Switch and Switch OLED starting at $259.99 and $339.99, respectively.
Where can I buy a Nintendo Switch Lite right now?
The Nintendo Switch Lite has a lot in common with the standard Switch, aside from a few key differences. The Lite only functions as a handheld console — meaning you can’t hook it up to your TV — and it’s smaller, lighter, and sturdier than its dockable counterpart. Its screen clocks in at 5.5-inches, it features a proper D-pad, and can play all the same games as the regular Switch, except those that require detachable Joy-Con controllers (which are very few). Regardless, it's a great handheld for those who prefer to game on the go.
Many retailers carry the Nintendo Switch Lite as a standalone console, though, the available color selection varies by retailer. Best Buy, and Nintendo currently have the best selection, with each offering the Switch Lite in coral, turquoise, and blue for around $199. Other retailers — including Adorama, Target, and Walmart — also have the Switch Lite in stock, but with a more limited color selection. The gray model is a bit harder to come by, but you can currently find the yellow colorway at Nintendo.
Nintendo
Where can I buy a Nintendo Switch OLED model right now?
The Nintendo Switch OLED officially went on sale in October for $349.99, and offers a slew of improvements, most notably a vibrant 7-inch OLED display, 64GB of internal storage, and an improved kickstand that offers greater stability. The speakers get a bit louder and offer a touch more clarity, too, and there’s now a wired ethernet port built directly into the dock.
While the supply has mostly caught up to demand, the Switch OLED model can still go out of stock. Luckily, both color configurations are available at several retailers at the moment.
What accessories do I need to buy for the Nintendo Switch?
Frankly, the Switch comes with everything that you need to get started and have fun. However, a few extra purchases can help you get a little more out of your console, and in some cases, help it weather the wear and tear that it’ll undoubtedly endure.
SanDisk microSD card (200GB) $ 27 $ 35 23 % off $ 27 $ 27 $ 35 23 % off The standard Nintendo Switch ships with 32GB of internal storage, which won’t get you very far when it comes to downloading games. Adding a 200GB microSD card is a smart, relatively affordable way to give your storage a boost. $27 at Amazon
First off, a microSD card will help you extend your Switch’s default storage capacity, especially given each game ranges in download size from 1GB to tens of gigabytes. At Amazon, a 400GB microSD card will currently set you back $43.85, which is 37 percent off the typical price retail price. SanDisk’s microSD cards are also on sale in other size configurations, including a 200GB model for $26.99 ($8 off), which is still large enough that you should have little trouble storing several titles.
Let’s talk quickly about controllers. The Switch Joy-Cons have a somewhat unconventional look. Nevertheless, the Pro Controller is a great alternative for playing most Switch games, though some Mario Party titles require the Joy-Cons to play. If you are looking for a Switch Pro Controller, Amazon has discounted the controller to $54.99. If you prefer a different retailer, Best Buy and Target are both selling the controller at the MSRP ($69.99).
The Switch doesn’t include a screen protector, so make that one of the first things you buy. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Next up, get a tempered glass screen cover. The display on the Switch and Switch Lite is covered in plastic, and it’s just asking to get scratched as soon as you take it out of the box. Fortunately, you can save the heartbreak by getting an affordable, easy-to-apply glass cover at Amazon. Right now, for example, you can pick up two SuperShieldz screen protectors for $7.99, which is far cheaper than replacing a broken display.
If you want to play online with friends, ensure your data is backed up to the cloud, and get access to a slate of on-demand games from the original Nintendo console and SNES console era, you’ll want to get a Nintendo Switch Online subscription. It’s $19.99 a year for a single user on a console or $34.99 a year for up to eight users on different consoles.


theverge--2020-05-13--Amazon adds a new ‘free’ section to Fire TV main menu

Finding TV shows and movies that you can stream on Amazon ’ s Fire TV devices for free without any subscriptions is about to get much simpler .
The company is adding a new “ free ” tab to the main Fire TV navigation bar .
In this section , you ’ ll be able to browse content that can be viewed at no charge — aside from dealing with ads — from apps like Pluto TV , Tubi , Crackle , IMDb TV , the CW , and Amazon ’ s News app .
“ Over the past year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Fire TV customers about their growing interest in watching free content and their desire for an easier way to find the free content that is available on Fire TV , ” Amazon ’ s Michael Polin wrote in a blog post .
“ We wanted to build a curated experience that provides a simple way for customers to find movies and shows they love while also highlighting apps that offer free to watch content they may not have known about.
” Amazon says the free tab will be refreshed regularly and cycle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the free tab consists of a collection of curated and thematic rows of movies and TV shows from our content providers .
It also features a set of personalized , recommended rows of free movies and TV shows across categories like new , trending , and popular , as well as a dedicated row for news content powered by the News app on Fire TV .
Roku , Amazon ’ s chief rival in the streaming hardware business , has taken similar steps by adding a “ Featured Free ” section to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and movies .
One difference between the two , however , is that Roku lets you hide its free section if you don ’ t ever plan to use it .
There ’ s currently no way to hide the new free tab on Fire TV .

Finding TV shows and movies that you can stream on Amazon’s Fire TV devices for free without any subscriptions is about to get much simpler. The company is adding a new “free” tab to the main Fire TV navigation bar. In this section, you’ll be able to browse content that can be viewed at no charge — aside from dealing with ads — from apps like Pluto TV, Tubi, Crackle, IMDb TV, the CW, and Amazon’s News app.
“Over the past year, we’ve received great feedback from Fire TV customers about their growing interest in watching free content and their desire for an easier way to find the free content that is available on Fire TV,” Amazon’s Michael Polin wrote in a blog post. “We wanted to build a curated experience that provides a simple way for customers to find movies and shows they love while also highlighting apps that offer free to watch content they may not have known about.”
Amazon says the free tab will be refreshed regularly and cycle in new content and themes:
Most of the free tab consists of a collection of curated and thematic rows of movies and TV shows from our content providers. It also features a set of personalized, recommended rows of free movies and TV shows across categories like new, trending, and popular, as well as a dedicated row for news content powered by the News app on Fire TV.
Roku, Amazon’s chief rival in the streaming hardware business, has taken similar steps by adding a “Featured Free” section to its main menu that highlights ad-sponsored shows and movies.


theverge--2020-05-13--Donald Trump extends Huawei ban through May 2021

President Donald Trump has extended his executive order banning US companies from working with or buying telecommunications equipment from companies deemed a national security risk until May 2021 , via Reuters .
While the ban doesn ’ t explicitly call out specific companies , it ’ s been used to virtually shut down US operations with Chinese companies like Huawei and ZTE , which can no longer sell products in the US or work with companies like Google or ARM for critical software and licenses .
The White House issued its original executive order almost a year ago , barring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to national security concerns about the Chinese firm supplying equipment for network infrastructure ( particularly as the US undergoes its ongoing rollout for 5G ) .
But since the order was issued in May 2019 , the full ban hasn ’ t actually taken effect yet .
While Huawei hasn ’ t been able to work with companies like Google on new devices , the company has gotten a series of temporary general licenses from the Commerce Department that have allowed it to still support existing hardware with software updates .
That @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change : after receiving extensions in May , August , November , and March , the most recent 45-day extension for the temporary license agreement is about to expire on May 15th .
Neither Huawei nor the Commerce Department has indicated yet whether another extension of the temporary license will be granted .

President Donald Trump has extended his executive order banning US companies from working with or buying telecommunications equipment from companies deemed a national security risk until May 2021, via Reuters.
While the ban doesn’t explicitly call out specific companies, it’s been used to virtually shut down US operations with Chinese companies like Huawei, which can no longer sell products in the US or work with companies like Google or ARM for critical software and licenses.
The White House issued its original executive order almost a year ago, barring US companies from doing business with Huawei due to national security concerns about the Chinese firm supplying equipment for network infrastructure (particularly as the US undergoes its ongoing rollout for 5G).
But since the order was issued in May 2019, the full ban hasn’t actually taken effect yet. While Huawei hasn’t been able to work with companies like Google on new devices, the company has gotten a series of temporary general licenses from the Commerce Department that have allowed it to still support existing hardware with software updates.
That state of affairs may be about to change: after receiving extensions in May, August, November, and March, the most recent 45-day extension for the temporary license agreement is about to expire on May 15th. Neither Huawei nor the Commerce Department has indicated yet whether another extension of the temporary license will be granted.