theverge--2020-01-09--How Facebook’s ad in Teen Vogue came back to haunt it

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Today Facebook appeared at a Congressional hearing about synthetic and manipulated media , and so it was only fitting that the day was consumed by confusion over whether the company had placed a flattering article in Teen Vogue to manipulate the media .
“ How Facebook Is Helping Ensure the Integrity of the 2020 Election , ” a 2,000-word question-and-answer session with five women working at Facebook to protect it from election interference , appeared this morning on the website @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for young people .
Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg called it a “ great piece.
” Unusually for an American publication , the article appeared without a byline .
More unusually , after the article appeared and raised questions among some reporters , it was slapped with a “ sponsored content ” label .
Then Teen Vogue removed the sponsored content label , and then Teen Vogue pulled the article from its website altogether .
Facebook initially insisted that the article had been an act of journalism rather than sponsored content , and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an overzealous copyeditor .
Teen Vogue ’ s only comment on the subject was a reply to a reader who , on Twitter , had asked “ What is this ?
” , to which someone with the magazine ’ s Twitter credentials responded “ literally idk.
” Then that tweet got deleted .
Hours later , The Daily Beast ’ s Max Tani got a statement from the magazine : Regrettably , the statement caused further confusion .
( Condé Nast didn ’ t respond to my request for comment . )
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s events , Facebook itself reversed course and revealed that ... the sponcon was sponcon after all !
“ We had a paid partnership with Teen Vogue related to their women ’ s summit , which included sponsored content .
Our team understood this story was purely editorial , but there was a misunderstanding.
” On one hand , of course , all of this is very silly .
Sponsored or not , the Teen Vogue piece didn ’ t break a lot of new ground on the old platforms-and-democracy beat .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ been scrubbed from the web : On the other , there are a few lessons to be drawn here .
One , Teen Vogue clearly did not hold up whatever its end of the bargain with Facebook had been .
People would have rolled their eyes at a properly disclosed paid advertorial , but publications have survived worse .
Two , Facebook probably erred by commissioning sponsored content about platform integrity .
The thing about your integrity efforts is that you want to promote them with , you know , integrity .
Slipping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a small-font disclosure that the thing was bought and paid for undermines the very credibility you were hoping to bolster .
Especially if the magazine screws up and forgets to disclose !
The whole reason you run sponsored content is control : you script the questions and edit the answers to your liking .
But sometimes what looks like control is only an illusion .
Today Facebook learned that the hard way .
Today in news that could affect public perception of the big tech platforms .
Trending down : Researchers discovered serious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allowed hackers to manipulate user data and reveal personal information .
The company fixed the flaws less than a month after they were discovered .
⭐ Just three days after Trump ordered the assassination of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani , the president ’ s reelection campaign began running hundreds of Facebook ads praising him for ordering the killing .
As of Tuesday , Facebook had taken down a few dozen of the ads , some of which appeared to violate the site ’ s policy against using fake buttons in ads .
Alex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s threats against Iran on Twitter are the latest example of the president seemingly promoting violence , in violation of Twitter ’ s rules .
The rules , notably , don ’ t apply to politicians unless they threaten individuals or incite hatred against particular nationalities , which is why Trump ’ s remarks have gone unpunished .
( Emily Birnbaum / The Hill ) Twitter suspended an account impersonating a New York Post reporter after it sent out a series of fake stories promoting pro-Iranian regime propaganda and attacking adversaries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Rawnsley / The Daily Beast ) A misinformation campaign that states the bushfires in Australia are the result of arson — not climate change — is circulating on social media .
( Brian Kahn / Gizmodo ) Kuwait ’ s state news agency said its Twitter account was hacked and used to spread false information about US troops withdrawing from the country .
It ’ s unclear who may be responsible for a hack .
( Colin Lecher / The Verge ) How a misleading video of former vice president Joe Biden spread @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter , to 4chan , Facebook and Reddit .
( Nick Corasaniti / The New York Times ) One of the people who helped draft the California Consumer Privacy Act ( CCPA ) wrote an op-ed about why the law might not be as effective as people think .
Without proper enforcement , she says , the regulation is “ largely toothless.
” ( Mary Stone Ross / Fast Company ) TikTok updated its content guidelines to spell out categories of videos that aren ’ t allowed on its platform .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , show illegal drug use , feature violent , graphic or dangerous content or seek to peddle misinformation that ’ s designed to deceive the public in an election .
( Tony Romm and Drew Harwell / The Washington Post ) Amazon-owned home security camera company Ring fired employees for watching customer videos , according to a letter the company wrote to Senators .
The news highlights a risk across many different tech companies : employees may abuse access granted as part of their jobs to look at customer data or information .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Misinformation surrounding the new Star Wars movie shows how much power online communities now have to control the cultural conversation .
Ryan Broderick at BuzzFeed explains : Twitter announced that it ’ s going to allow users to limit replies directly from the compose screen .
It ’ s part of a new setting called “ conversation participants ” that the company announced at CES .
( Dieter Bohn / The Verge ) Paul Zimmer , a disgraced TikTok star who left social media nearly two years ago , is trying to reinvent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Zimmer went dark in 2017 after fans accused him of soliciting gifts in exchange for shout outs that never actually materialized .
( Sarah Manavis / The New Statesman ) Twitch hasn ’ t become the advertising powerhouse that Amazon hoped it would be .
The steaming company brought in about $ 230 million in ad revenue in 2018 , and was on track to bring in about $ 300 million last year , which was far short of an internal goal of between $ 500 million and $ 600 million that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Information ) On TikTok , LGBTQ youth role play as future President Pence ’ s conversion therapy campers .
This Joseph Longo piece is honestly more nihilistic than funny , but if you like your comedy pitch-dark you might enjoy these incredibly charming queer youth .
Send us tips , comments , questions , and your favorite Teen Vogue articles : casey @ theverge.com and zoe @ theverge.com .

Today Facebook appeared at a Congressional hearing about synthetic and manipulated media, and so it was only fitting that the day was consumed by confusion over whether the company had placed a flattering article in Teen Vogue to manipulate the media.
“How Facebook Is Helping Ensure the Integrity of the 2020 Election,” a 2,000-word question-and-answer session with five women working at Facebook to protect it from election interference, appeared this morning on the website of Condé Nast’s popular portal for young people. Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg called it a “great piece.”
Unusually for an American publication, the article appeared without a byline. More unusually, after the article appeared and raised questions among some reporters, it was slapped with a “sponsored content” label. Then Teen Vogue removed the sponsored content label, and then Teen Vogue pulled the article from its website altogether.
Facebook initially insisted that the article had been an act of journalism rather than sponsored content, and that the sponcon label had been applied by an overzealous copyeditor. Teen Vogue’s only comment on the subject was a reply to a reader who, on Twitter, had asked “What is this?”, to which someone with the magazine’s Twitter credentials responded “literally idk.”
Then that tweet got deleted.
Hours later, The Daily Beast’s Max Tani got a statement from the magazine:
Regrettably, the statement caused further confusion. (Condé Nast didn’t respond to my request for comment.)
In the grand conclusion to the day’s events, Facebook itself reversed course and revealed that ... the sponcon was sponcon after all! “We had a paid partnership with Teen Vogue related to their women’s summit, which included sponsored content. Our team understood this story was purely editorial, but there was a misunderstanding.”
On one hand, of course, all of this is very silly. Sponsored or not, the Teen Vogue piece didn’t break a lot of new ground on the old platforms-and-democracy beat. The world will survive this exchange having been scrubbed from the web:
Q: Why did encouraging voting become common practice of for-profit media platforms, particularly Facebook? Facebook is about shared experiences, and the chance to use your voice. So is voting.
On the other, there are a few lessons to be drawn here.
One, Teen Vogue clearly did not hold up whatever its end of the bargain with Facebook had been. People would have rolled their eyes at a properly disclosed paid advertorial, but publications have survived worse.
Two, Facebook probably erred by commissioning sponsored content about platform integrity. The thing about your integrity efforts is that you want to promote them with, you know, integrity. Slipping them into online magazines as articles with a small-font disclosure that the thing was bought and paid for undermines the very credibility you were hoping to bolster. Especially if the magazine screws up and forgets to disclose!
The whole reason you run sponsored content is control: you script the questions and edit the answers to your liking. But sometimes what looks like control is only an illusion. Today Facebook learned that the hard way.
The Ratio
Today in news that could affect public perception of the big tech platforms.
🔽 Trending down: Researchers discovered serious security vulnerabilities in TikTok that would have allowed hackers to manipulate user data and reveal personal information. The company fixed the flaws less than a month after they were discovered.
Governing
⭐ Just three days after Trump ordered the assassination of Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, the president’s reelection campaign began running hundreds of Facebook ads praising him for ordering the killing. As of Tuesday, Facebook had taken down a few dozen of the ads, some of which appeared to violate the site’s policy against using fake buttons in ads. Alex Kantrowitz at BuzzFeed has the story:
“Thanks to the swift actions of our Commander-in-Chief, Iranian General Qassem Soleimani is no longer a threat to the United States, or to the world,’’ read one ad. “Take the Official Trump Military Survey TODAY to let me know what you think of my leadership as Commander-in-Chief.” The survey, meant to collect contact information for future outreach, contained questions like “Do you stand by President Trump in his decision to take out the very dangerous Iranian terrorist leader, Qassem Soleimani?” At the end, it asks respondents for their name, zip code, email, and phone number. Those who provided their phone number, according to a footnote, consented to receive texts, automated calls, and phone calls from the president’s reelection campaign and the Republican National Committee.
Trump’s threats against Iran on Twitter are the latest example of the president seemingly promoting violence, in violation of Twitter’s rules. The rules, notably, don’t apply to politicians unless they threaten individuals or incite hatred against particular nationalities, which is why Trump’s remarks have gone unpunished. (Emily Birnbaum / The Hill)
Twitter suspended an account impersonating a New York Post reporter after it sent out a series of fake stories promoting pro-Iranian regime propaganda and attacking adversaries of the Islamic Republic. (Adam Rawnsley / The Daily Beast)
Kuwait’s state news agency said its Twitter account was hacked and used to spread false information about US troops withdrawing from the country. It’s unclear who may be responsible for a hack. (Colin Lecher / The Verge)
How a misleading video of former vice president Joe Biden spread around the internet, from verified accounts on Twitter, to 4chan, Facebook and Reddit. (Nick Corasaniti / The New York Times)
One of the people who helped draft the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) wrote an op-ed about why the law might not be as effective as people think. Without proper enforcement, she says, the regulation is “largely toothless.” (Mary Stone Ross / Fast Company)
TikTok updated its content guidelines to spell out categories of videos that aren’t allowed on its platform. The new categories include videos that glorify terrorism, show illegal drug use, feature violent, graphic or dangerous content or seek to peddle misinformation that’s designed to deceive the public in an election. (Tony Romm and Drew Harwell / The Washington Post)
Industry
⭐ Misinformation surrounding the new Star Wars movie shows how much power online communities now have to control the cultural conversation. Ryan Broderick at BuzzFeed explains:
The misinformation and anger inside the Star Wars fandom is what happens after decades of corporatization and anonymous decentralized networking. It is a glimpse of a future in which anxieties over the motives of the megacorporations that drive our culture — down to our very mythologies — set off conflicts between warring information tribes who inhabit their own artificial narratives. What began with small but vocal insurgent online communities like 4chan or the alt-right has now come for the mainstream. Except there is no “mainstream” culture — just as there is no central Star Wars fandom anymore. Today, popular culture is just Gamergates of varying size.
Twitter announced that it’s going to allow users to limit replies directly from the compose screen. It’s part of a new setting called “conversation participants” that the company announced at CES. (Dieter Bohn / The Verge)
Paul Zimmer, a disgraced TikTok star who left social media nearly two years ago, is trying to reinvent himself online with an entirely new identity. Zimmer went dark in 2017 after fans accused him of soliciting gifts in exchange for shout outs that never actually materialized. (Sarah Manavis / The New Statesman)
Twitch hasn’t become the advertising powerhouse that Amazon hoped it would be. The steaming company brought in about $230 million in ad revenue in 2018, and was on track to bring in about $300 million last year, which was far short of an internal goal of between $500 million and $600 million that year. (Priya Anand / The Information)
And finally...
On TikTok, LGBTQ youth role play as future President Pence’s conversion therapy campers. This Joseph Longo piece is honestly more nihilistic than funny, but if you like your comedy pitch-dark you might enjoy these incredibly charming queer youth.
These days, the coolest place to be on TikTok is a conversion-therapy camp run by Vice President Mike Pence. At Camp Pence, everything is free — from the electric full-body “massage chairs” to the signature bleach drinks. But most importantly, it’s invite-only. Because to get into Camp Pence, you have to identify as a queer youth facing discrimination for your identity. (Per Snopes, Pence infamously supported using federal funds to treat people “seeking to change their sexual behavior” during his 2000 congressional run, which many have interpreted as support for conversion therapy.)
I need a drink.
Talk to us


theverge--2020-01-09--Warner Bros. signs AI startup to help decide which films to back

Storied film studio Warner Bros. has signed a deal with Cinelytic , an LA startup that uses machine learning to predict film success .
The studio will use Cinelytic ’ s algorithms “ to guide decision-making at the greenlight stage , ” according to The Hollywood Reporter , though Cinelytic ’ s CEO Tobias Queisser stressed that the software is only an assistant .
“ right now , an AI can not make any creative decisions ” “ Artificial intelligence sounds scary .
But right now , an AI can not make any creative decisions , ” Queisser told THR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is crunching numbers and breaking down huge data sets and showing patterns that would not be visible to humans .
But for creative decision-making , you still need experience and gut instinct.
” Regardless of who has final say — human or algorithm — the deal is a significant step forward for Hollywood ’ s slow embrace of machine learning .
As The Verge reported last year , Cinelytic is just one of a new crop of startups leveraging AI to forecast film performance , but the film world has historically been skeptical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a film investor and Cinelytic customer , told The Verge that the startup ’ s software hadn ’ t ever changed his mind , but “ opens up a conversation about different approaches.
” Said Scarso : “ You can see how , sometimes , just one or two different elements around the same project could have a massive impact on the commercial performance.
” Cinelytic ’ s software lets customers play fantasy football with films .
Users can model a pitch ; inputting genre , budget , actors , and so on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they tweak individual elements .
Does replacing Tom Cruise with Keanu Reeves get better engagement with under-25s ?
Does it increase box office revenue in Europe ?
And so on .
Many AI experts are skeptical about the ability of algorithms to make predictions in a field as messy as filmmaking .
Because machine learning applications are trained on historical data they tend to be conservative , focusing on patterns that led to past successes rather than predicting what will excite future audiences .
Scientific studies also suggest algorithms only produce limited predictive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like “ Scarlett Johansson is a bankable film star ” ) that can be discovered without AI .
But for those backing machine learning in filmmaking , the benefit is simply that such tools produce uncomplicated analysis faster than humans can .
This can be especially useful at film festivals , notes THR , when studios can be forced into bidding wars for distribution rights , and have only a few hours to decide how much a film might be worth .
“ We make tough decisions every day that affect what — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ films to theaters around the world , and the more precise our data is , the better we will be able to engage our audiences , ” Warner Bros. ’ senior vice president of distribution , Tonis Kiis , told THR .

Storied film company Warner Bros. has signed a deal with Cinelytic, an LA startup that uses machine learning to predict film success. A story from The Hollywood Reporter claims that Warner Bros. will use Cinelytic’s algorithms “to guide decision-making at the greenlight stage,” but a source at the studio told The Verge that the software would only be used to help with marketing and distribution decisions made by Warner Bros. Pictures International.
“right now, an AI cannot make any creative decisions”
In an interview with THR, Cinelytic’s CEO Tobias Queisser stressed that AI was only an assistive tool. “Artificial intelligence sounds scary. But right now, an AI cannot make any creative decisions,” Queisser told the publication. “What it is good at is crunching numbers and breaking down huge data sets and showing patterns that would not be visible to humans. But for creative decision-making, you still need experience and gut instinct.”
Regardless of what Cinelytic’s technology is being used for, the deal is a step forward for Hollywood’s slow embrace of machine learning. As The Verge reported last year, Cinelytic is just one of a new crop of startups leveraging AI to forecast film performance, but the film world has historically been skeptical about their ability.
Related Hollywood is quietly using AI to help decide which movies to make
Andrea Scarso, a film investor and Cinelytic customer, told The Verge that the startup’s software hadn’t ever changed his mind, but “opens up a conversation about different approaches.” Said Scarso: “You can see how, sometimes, just one or two different elements around the same project could have a massive impact on the commercial performance.”
Cinelytic’s software lets customers play fantasy football with films. Users can model a pitch; inputting genre, budget, actors, and so on, and then see what happens when they tweak individual elements. Does replacing Tom Cruise with Keanu Reeves get better engagement with under-25s? Does it increase box office revenue in Europe? And so on.
Studies show algorithms have limited predictive ability
Many AI experts are skeptical about the ability of algorithms to make predictions in a field as messy as filmmaking. Because machine learning applications are trained on historical data they tend to be conservative, focusing on patterns that led to past successes rather than predicting what will excite future audiences. Scientific studies also suggest algorithms only produce limited predictive gains, often repeating obvious insights (like “Scarlett Johansson is a bankable film star”) that can be discovered without AI.
But for those backing machine learning in filmmaking, the benefit is simply that such tools produce uncomplicated analysis faster than humans can. This can be especially useful at film festivals, notes THR, when studios can be forced into bidding wars for distribution rights, and have only a few hours to decide how much a film might be worth.
“We make tough decisions every day that affect what — and how — we produce and deliver films to theaters around the world, and the more precise our data is, the better we will be able to engage our audiences,” Warner Bros.’ senior vice president of distribution, Tonis Kiis, told THR.


theverge--2020-01-09--Panasonic’s VR glasses support HDR and look pretty steampunk

The problem with VR headsets is that they still all look like VR headsets — glorified ski goggles that shut you off from the world .
I ’ m not going to say Panasonic has solved the matter altogether with its own VR glasses at CES this year , but the project does represent something of an improvement .
Basically , they ’ re regular-ish glasses with a dash of steampunk aviator style .
The glasses — and they are glasses , rather than a headset — also offer technical improvements over other solutions in the market .
The micro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kopin , are extremely high resolution with almost no hint of the “ screen-door effect ” that plagues most VR hardware .
They ’ re also the first VR glasses to support HDR , which was particularly impressive during a CG demo of the interior of a Japanese temple , with light realistically bouncing off golden decorations .
Panasonic has made use of its own audio technology in the headset , with Technics drivers in the earbuds providing rich , dynamic sound .
The company says it also used optical designs from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technologies as found in its TVs and Blu-ray players .
The prototype unit I tried had some clear limitations .
The micro OLED panels were smaller than they could have been , resulting in a squarer image with a lower viewing angle than traditional VR headsets .
The glasses were also a little front-heavy and slid down my nose whenever I tilted forward ; this wasn ’ t helped by the cables running directly out of the eyepieces to a gaming PC .
A non-functioning mockup of the envisaged final product , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these problems by being significantly lighter and running a single USB-C cable through the end of one of the glasses ’ arms .
Panasonic is unlikely to ever sell these glasses as a consumer product .
Instead , it ’ s pointing to commercial applications that are likely to spring up alongside the rollout of 5G networks , such as virtual travel and VR sports .
Japanese companies are talking about this sort of thing a lot this year , given the Olympic Games in Tokyo and the fact that 5G services are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But my main takeaway from the demo was that hey , turns out it ’ s possible to make VR glasses that are both better quality and with a better form factor .
It might not make for a practical consumer product just yet , but it ’ s an intriguing look at a step that could make VR technology more appealing to a mainstream audience .

The problem with VR headsets is that they still all look like VR headsets — glorified ski goggles that shut you off from the world. I’m not going to say Panasonic has solved the matter altogether with its own VR glasses at CES this year, but the project does represent something of an improvement. Basically, they’re regular-ish glasses with a dash of steampunk aviator style.
The glasses — and they are glasses, rather than a headset — also offer technical improvements over other solutions in the market. The micro OLED panels, co-developed by Panasonic and Kopin, are extremely high resolution with almost no hint of the “screen-door effect” that plagues most VR hardware. They’re also the first VR glasses to support HDR, which was particularly impressive during a CG demo of the interior of a Japanese temple, with light realistically bouncing off golden decorations.
Panasonic has made use of its own audio technology in the headset, with Technics drivers in the earbuds providing rich, dynamic sound. The company says it also used optical designs from the Lumix camera division and similar signal processing technologies as found in its TVs and Blu-ray players.
The prototype unit I tried had some clear limitations. The micro OLED panels were smaller than they could have been, resulting in a squarer image with a lower viewing angle than traditional VR headsets. The glasses were also a little front-heavy and slid down my nose whenever I tilted forward; this wasn’t helped by the cables running directly out of the eyepieces to a gaming PC. A non-functioning mockup of the envisaged final product, which I also got to wear, solved these problems by being significantly lighter and running a single USB-C cable through the end of one of the glasses’ arms.
Panasonic is unlikely to ever sell these glasses as a consumer product. Instead, it’s pointing to commercial applications that are likely to spring up alongside the rollout of 5G networks, such as virtual travel and VR sports. Japanese companies are talking about this sort of thing a lot this year, given the Olympic Games in Tokyo and the fact that 5G services are yet to launch in the country.


theverge--2020-01-09--This real-life Transformer might be one of the coolest robot toys ever made

I ’ ve always loved toys that have more than meets the eye .
Hidden spring-loaded projectiles .
Secret passages in my LEGO sets .
And of course , Transformers toys .
But while many of the best toys rely on a healthy imagination , it always felt like the Transformers were a little too slow for make-believe skirmishes and adventures ; the good ones took far longer to turn into a robot than they did in the show .
That ’ s why I ’ m sad I didn ’ t personally attend CES in Las Vegas this year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Transformer toy that transforms from car to robot all by itself .
You can literally say “ Transform , ” one of several voice commands , and the Robosen T9 will do so .
And that ’ s just the beginning : with 22 programmable servo motors , this 3.2 pound robot can walk , drive , pose , dance , even do some push-ups on cue .
You can program new gestures with a few different interfaces on tablet or phone , including the popular kid-friendly Scratch visual programming language that other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it directly with a touchscreen joystick and buttons as well .
And though I wasn ’ t at CES to see it myself , my colleague Vjeran Pavic captured some fantastic footage of it in action , some of which I ’ ve screencapped for you : The downsides ?
Well , you ’ ll have to pay a sky-high $ 500 to get your hands on one of these , for starts .
That ’ s how much it costs at Amazon already ( it ’ s $ 550 at Banggood ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the right number — even though a Kickstarter campaign from earlier this year suggested the final retail price might be closer to $ 400 .
It ’ ll also be available later this year at some retail stores including Micro Center , the company confirms .
Vjeran also says it looked a little plasticy in person , there ’ s no camera for your spy missions , and it also doesn ’ t exactly drive like a car in its car mode .
It needs to bend its body just to manage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it doesn ’ t look much like a real car .
Originally , they built a pretty convincing approximation of a transforming Optimus Prime semi — back when the company was known as SenPower — but they later evolved towards something that lies somewhere between “ hot rod ” and “ moon rover ” .
Here ’ s an earlier design , which would have been far better for nostalgia value : Perhaps they just couldn ’ t get the rights from toymaker Hasbro .
Anyhow , $ 500 is a bit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a robot that ’ s not going to vacuum my entire house , but it ’ s not totally out of line for a kid-at-heart with a sizable budget .
The Lego Star Wars Ultimate Collectors Series Millennium Falcon is still $ 800 , after all , and DJI ’ s drifting pellet-shooting laser-tag playing programmable robot tank is also $ 500 .
Me , I ’ ll probably just watch the rest of this 18-minute Korean video of someone quietly playing with most every feature to satisfy myself that I ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope future versions will bring the price down .
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These do not influence editorial content , though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links .
For more information , see

I’ve always loved toys that have more than meets the eye. Hidden spring-loaded projectiles. Secret passages in my LEGO sets. And of course, Transformers toys. But while many of the best toys rely on a healthy imagination, it always felt like the Transformers were a little too slow for make-believe skirmishes and adventures; the good ones took far longer to turn into a robot than they did in the show.
That’s why I’m sad I didn’t personally attend CES in Las Vegas this year — where you can see an unofficial Transformer toy that transforms from car to robot all by itself. You can literally say “Transform,” one of several voice commands, and the Robosen T9 will do so.
And that’s just the beginning: with 22 programmable servo motors, this 3.2 pound robot can walk, drive, pose, dance, even do some push-ups on cue. You can program new gestures with a few different interfaces on tablet or phone, including the popular kid-friendly Scratch visual programming language that other beginner robots often use, and control it directly with a touchscreen joystick and buttons as well.
And though I wasn’t at CES to see it myself, my colleague Vjeran Pavic captured some fantastic footage of it in action, some of which I’ve screencapped for you:
The downsides? Well, you’ll have to pay a sky-high $500 to get your hands on one of these, for starts. That’s how much it costs at Amazon already (it’s $550 at Banggood), and the company says $500 is the right number — even though a Kickstarter campaign from earlier this year suggested the final retail price might be closer to $400. It’ll also be available later this year at some retail stores including Micro Center, the company confirms.
Vjeran also says it looked a little plasticy in person, there’s no camera for your spy missions, and it also doesn’t exactly drive like a car in its car mode. It needs to bend its body just to manage a shallow turn:
And of course, it doesn’t look much like a real car. Originally, they built a pretty convincing approximation of a transforming Optimus Prime semi — back when the company was known as SenPower — but they later evolved towards something that lies somewhere between “hot rod” and “moon rover”.
Here’s an earlier design, which would have been far better for nostalgia value:
Perhaps they just couldn’t get the rights from toymaker Hasbro.
Anyhow, $500 is a bit too much for me to pay for a robot that’s not going to vacuum my entire house, but it’s not totally out of line for a kid-at-heart with a sizable budget. The Lego Star Wars Ultimate Collectors Series Millennium Falcon is still $800, after all, and DJI’s drifting pellet-shooting laser-tag playing programmable robot tank is also $500.
Me, I’ll probably just watch the rest of this 18-minute Korean video of someone quietly playing with most every feature to satisfy myself that I’ve seen what it can do... and hope future versions will bring the price down.


theverge--2020-01-08--TiVo says its unreleased Roku and Apple TV apps are ‘on hold’

Last year at CES , TiVo said it would be launching apps for Roku , Apple TV , and Fire TV sometime in 2019 that would let users watch live or recorded video without needing a separate TiVo Mini box .
Now , a year later , TiVo still hasn ’ t released an app for any of those streaming devices , and you probably won ’ t see one soon .
TiVo confirmed to TechHive that the Apple TV and Roku apps are “ currently on hold , ” and based on a TiVo ’ s executive comments , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seem imminent , either .
TechHive learned that the apps might be having some trouble in an interview at CES with Ted Malone , TiVo ’ s VP of consumer products and services .
Malone actually originally characterized the Apple TV and Roku apps as “ in limbo , ” but a TiVo spokesperson followed up with TechHive to clarify that the apps are actually “ on hold.
” ( Semantics ! )
They were put on hold so the company could focus on the TiVo Stream 4K TiVo ’ s spokesperson said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were put on hold because the company “ re-prioritized several projects in order to focus on the launch of TiVo Stream 4K.
” ( The TiVo Stream 4K is a new $ 69 HDMI streaming dongle the company announced at this year ’ s CES that ’ s designed to compete with streaming sticks like Fire TV and Chromecast . )
The potential of a future Fire TV TiVo app seems to be a bit more complicated .
Here is what Malone said about it , according to TechHive : Malone wouldn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cancelled , and he believes Android TV support may arrive at some point as a tie-in to the TiVo Stream 4K , which runs Android TV .
From there , adding Fire TV support wouldn ’ t be difficult because Fire TV apps are based on Android as well .
Still , he didn ’ t give a timeline for either .
Based on Malone ’ s and TiVo ’ s comments , it seems like we shouldn ’ t expect to see TiVo apps for Roku , Apple TV , or Fire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if we ever do , their stream quality may not be great , at TiVo has already said they would be limited to 720p and 30fps .

Last year at CES, TiVo said it would be launching apps for Roku, Apple TV, and Fire TV sometime in 2019 that would let users watch live or recorded video without needing a separate TiVo Mini box. Now, a year later, TiVo still hasn’t released an app for any of those streaming devices, and you probably won’t see one soon. TiVo confirmed to TechHive that the Apple TV and Roku apps are “currently on hold,” and based on a TiVo’s executive comments, the Fire TV app doesn’t seem imminent, either.
TechHive learned that the apps might be having some trouble in an interview at CES with Ted Malone, TiVo’s VP of consumer products and services. Malone actually originally characterized the Apple TV and Roku apps as “in limbo,” but a TiVo spokesperson followed up with TechHive to clarify that the apps are actually “on hold.” (Semantics!)
They were put on hold so the company could focus on the TiVo Stream 4K
TiVo’s spokesperson said that the Apple TV and Roku apps were put on hold because the company “re-prioritized several projects in order to focus on the launch of TiVo Stream 4K.” (The TiVo Stream 4K is a new $69 HDMI streaming dongle the company announced at this year’s CES that’s designed to compete with streaming sticks like Fire TV and Chromecast.)
The potential of a future Fire TV TiVo app seems to be a bit more complicated. Here is what Malone said about it, according to TechHive:
Malone wouldn’t say definitively that the apps have cancelled, and he believes Android TV support may arrive at some point as a tie-in to the TiVo Stream 4K, which runs Android TV. From there, adding Fire TV support wouldn’t be difficult because Fire TV apps are based on Android as well. Still, he didn’t give a timeline for either.


theverge--2020-01-09--Amazon suspiciously says browser extension Honey is a security risk, now that PayPal owns it

Just weeks after PayPal acquired popular coupon-finding browser extension Honey in November 2019 for $ 4 billion , Amazon shoppers were served a notification that the extension was a security risk .
The security warning was first spotted by Politico editor Ryan Hutchins , and the timing of the message , as a Wired report points out , is suspect .
Honey has been compatible with Amazon for years , so why was the retailer suddenly labeling it as malware at the height of holiday shopping season ?
A free extension for browsers like Chrome , Firefox , and Safari @ @ @ @ @ @ @ codes and automatically applies them to shoppers ’ orders .
It also tracks prices for individual items which is especially helpful for sites like Amazon , where prices are constantly fluctuating , and multiple listings with different prices exist for the same item .
So it seems especially strange that Amazon would suddenly discourage customers from using a tool that incentivizes shoppers to buy from its site .
First spotted on December 20th , the warning read , “ Honey ’ s browser extension is a security risk .
Honey tracks your private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order history and items saved , and can read or change any of your data on any website you visit .
To keep your data private and secure , uninstall this extension immediately.
” While the statement is technically true , it ’ s also true of many browser extensions .
And though Honey does collect data , it ’ s data used for its own service , like which recent coupon codes worked on what sites .
In the company ’ s Privacy and Security policy ( which users consent to before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ states that Honey doesn ’ t sell personal information , nor does it track search engine history , emails , or browsing data on any non-retail site .
Amazon declined to comment further on why it deemed Honey a security risk “ Our goal is to warn customers about browser extensions that collect personal shopping data without their knowledge or consent , ” an Amazon spokesperson told The Verge , but declined to comment further on why it deemed Honey a security risk and the timing behind its decision to do so .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to regularly assess the service .
A cybersecurity firm did find a vulnerability that exposed user information in the extension last summer , but it was patched quickly .
“ We only use data in ways that directly benefit Honey members — helping people save money and time — and in ways they would expect , ” a Honey spokesperson told Wired .
“ Our commitment is clearly spelled out in our privacy and security policy.
” With PayPal paying $ 4 billion in its largest acquisition ever for Honey , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the extension being owned by a competitor in the e-commerce space .
Both Amazon and PayPal compete as online payment processors , and Honey ’ s primary business model involves charging retailers , like Amazon , a percentage of sales made with the online coupons it finds and serves automatically to users .

Just weeks after PayPal acquired popular coupon-finding browser extension Honey in November 2019 for $4 billion, Amazon shoppers were served a notification that the extension was a security risk. The security warning was first spotted by Politico editor Ryan Hutchins, and the timing of the message, as a Wired report points out, is suspect. Honey has been compatible with Amazon for years, so why was the retailer suddenly labeling it as malware at the height of holiday shopping season?
A free extension for browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Safari, Honey scours the web for coupon codes and automatically applies them to shoppers’ orders. It also tracks prices for individual items which is especially helpful for sites like Amazon, where prices are constantly fluctuating, and multiple listings with different prices exist for the same item. So it seems especially strange that Amazon would suddenly discourage customers from using a tool that incentivizes shoppers to buy from its site.
First spotted on December 20th, the warning read, “Honey’s browser extension is a security risk. Honey tracks your private shopping behavior, collects data like your order history and items saved, and can read or change any of your data on any website you visit. To keep your data private and secure, uninstall this extension immediately.”
While the statement is technically true, it’s also true of many browser extensions. And though Honey does collect data, it’s data used for its own service, like which recent coupon codes worked on what sites. In the company’s Privacy and Security policy (which users consent to before they use the service), it states that Honey doesn’t sell personal information, nor does it track search engine history, emails, or browsing data on any non-retail site.
Amazon declined to comment further on why it deemed Honey a security risk
“Our goal is to warn customers about browser extensions that collect personal shopping data without their knowledge or consent,” an Amazon spokesperson told The Verge, but declined to comment further on why it deemed Honey a security risk and the timing behind its decision to do so.
Honey says it works with security firms to regularly assess the service. A cybersecurity firm did find a vulnerability that exposed user information in the extension last summer, but it was patched quickly. “We only use data in ways that directly benefit Honey members — helping people save money and time — and in ways they would expect,” a Honey spokesperson told Wired. “Our commitment is clearly spelled out in our privacy and security policy.”


theverge--2020-01-09--Trump eases approval process for pipelines and infrastructure projects

Approving new pipelines , mines , highways , and other major projects could become much easier under new rules proposed by President Trump today .
Speaking from the White House , the president moved to amend the 50-year-old National Environmental Policy Act ( NEPA ) , a cornerstone of environmental law in the US .
NEPA requires agencies to get public feedback on new projects , and to consider the potential environmental harms associated with any new federal or federally funded project .
It ’ s been used to oppose contested projects like the Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exempt projects that aren ’ t primarily federally funded .
It would also place a tight two-year time limit on performing environmental reviews that typically take years longer , and even puts a cap on the number of pages allowed in the Environmental Impact Statements required by the law .
Trump said the move would speed up critical infrastructure projects that have “ been tied up and bogged down by an outrageously burdensome federal approval process.
” This latest environmental rollback , one of more than 95 since Trump took office , could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ This is a really , really big proposal .
This proposal affects virtually every significant decision made by the federal government that affects the environment , ” interior secretary and former oil and gas lobbyist David Bernhardt said at the White House today .
Turning to the president , he added , “ I believe it will be the most significant deregulatory proposal you ultimately implement.
” Many environmental advocates were outraged .
They ’ re concerned that the proposal will make it easier to push forward projects that add to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communities living closest to energy and infrastructure projects of which NEPA applies .
“ While our world is burning , President Trump is adding fuel to the fire by taking away our right to be informed and to protect ourselves from irreparable harm , ” Gina McCarthy , former EPA administrator under the Obama administration , said in a statement .
She ’ s now the executive director of the advocacy group Natural Resources Defense Council .
“ This is a threat communities across the country but especially to black and brown communities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Heather McTeer Toney , national field director for Moms Clean Air Force .
Toney was also appointed by Obama as a regional administrator for the EPA and served as the first African American mayor of Greenville , Mississippi .
Black Americans are disproportionately exposed to pollution from oil and gas facilities , according to a 2017 report by the NAACP and Clean Air Task Force .
Changes to NEPA were welcomed by oil and gas groups and some labor organizations .
“ Reforming the NEPA process is a critical step toward meeting growing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infrastructure projects currently stuck in a maze of red tape , ” president and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute said in a statement .
There will be a 60-day comment period before the proposed rule change can be finalized .

Approving new pipelines, mines, highways, and other major projects could become much easier under new rules proposed by President Trump today. Speaking from the White House, the president moved to amend the 50-year-old National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), a cornerstone of environmental law in the US.
a cornerstone of environmental law
NEPA requires agencies to get public feedback on new projects, and to consider the potential environmental harms associated with any new federal or federally funded project. It’s been used to oppose contested projects like the Dakota Access and Keystone XL pipelines. Trump’s proposed changes would exempt projects that aren’t primarily federally funded. It would also place a tight two-year time limit on performing environmental reviews that typically take years longer, and even puts a cap on the number of pages allowed in the Environmental Impact Statements required by the law. Trump said the move would speed up critical infrastructure projects that have “been tied up and bogged down by an outrageously burdensome federal approval process.”
This latest environmental rollback, one of more than 95 since Trump took office, could result in the most dramatic consequences yet. “This is a really, really big proposal. This proposal affects virtually every significant decision made by the federal government that affects the environment,” interior secretary and former oil and gas lobbyist David Bernhardt said at the White House today. Turning to the president, he added, “I believe it will be the most significant deregulatory proposal you ultimately implement.”
“the most significant deregulatory proposal”
Many environmental advocates were outraged. They’re concerned that the proposal will make it easier to push forward projects that add to the climate crisis or that will hurt communities living closest to energy and infrastructure projects of which NEPA applies.
“While our world is burning, President Trump is adding fuel to the fire by taking away our right to be informed and to protect ourselves from irreparable harm,” Gina McCarthy, former EPA administrator under the Obama administration, said in a statement. She’s now the chief executive of the advocacy group Natural Resources Defense Council.
“adding fuel to the fire”
“This is a threat communities across the country but especially to black and brown communities suffering from #AirPollution,” tweeted Heather McTeer Toney, national field director for Moms Clean Air Force. Toney was also appointed by Obama as a regional administrator for the EPA and served as the first African American mayor of Greenville, Mississippi. Black Americans are disproportionately exposed to pollution from oil and gas facilities, according to a 2017 report by the NAACP and Clean Air Task Force.
Changes to NEPA were welcomed by oil and gas groups and some labor organizations. “Reforming the NEPA process is a critical step toward meeting growing demand for cleaner energy and unlocking job-creating infrastructure projects currently stuck in a maze of red tape,” president and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute said in a statement.


theverge--2020-01-09--CES 2020 winds down: Intel shows off a DG1 graphics card and Roombas get arms

The 2020 Consumer Electronics Show ( CES ) in Las Vegas is winding down , but there is still last-minute news and product reveals to tell you about in the final hours .
The Verge got a first look at Intel ’ s DG1 graphics card , a rundown on how it ’ s different from its forthcoming Tiger Lake chips that everyone is comparing it to , and how it may be part of a renewed commitment from the company to get back into gamers ’ good graces .
We looked at the wide array of Peloton wannabes at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a good thing if it means more people are working out , even if the machines are a little pricey .
We took a spin in Byton ’ s electric SUV , which is getting attention for its 48-inch dashboard screen .
The Verge ’ s Sean O ’ Kane says the way the screen integrates into the front display makes it less distracting than he expected , but he wasn ’ t convinced that such a large display was totally necessary .
Oh , and Roomba vacuums may be getting arms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but it ’ s apparently a feature Roomba creator iRobot designed a few years back and just never openly discussed until it conceived new use cases , like washing dishes , for its product line .
Still creepy .
We ’ re in Vegas through the end of CES on January 10th .
Here ’ s more of what the staff at The Verge has seen so far at CES 2020 .

The 2020 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has come to a close, and we have all you need to know about the good, bad, and weird gadgets and tech this year’s event had to offer. The overall theme was concepts, our staff determined when deliberating the annual Verge Awards at CES 2020, which meant a lot of show without a lot of substance:
This year, the things that stole attention at the show were not early looks at products that you and I will be able to actually use and buy over the next 12 months. Sure, there’s the occasional laptop and meat substitute that will be available for purchase in 2020. But for every one of those, there’s a rolling ball robot, virtual personal attendant, or entire vehicle that is never likely to ship.
Our Best in Show award went to Lenovo’s Thinkpad X1 Fold, which — even though it’s on the expensive side and left us with a few questions — was the only foldable laptop with a confirmed shipping window and price tag. Most of the other laptops at this year’s CES were pretty boring, however, with little more than incremental updates on display. But there may be hope for the future with 5G modems and new screen technologies on the horizon.
We doled out awards for the most triumphant CES comeback (Lora DiCarlo), the most overhyped thing at this year’s show (Samsung’s Neon digital avatars), and the most concept (Sony’s Vision-S) as well. Of course, the best non-CES news that everyone at the show was talking about was Sonos’ lawsuit against Google, in which, it accuses the tech giant of patent infringement.


theverge--2020-01-09--Some NYC subway riders are accidentally getting double-charged because of Apple Pay

Dozens of subway riders in New York City are being charged extra for their transit rides , and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority suspects that Apple may be partly to blame .
The MTA is not explicitly pointing the finger at Apple , but it appears that some riders may be unwittingly putting their iPhones too close to the system ’ s new tap-to-pay OMNY readers while simultaneously swiping their MetroCards at the turnstile .
Last spring , the MTA began installing tap-to-pay readers as part of its new fare payment system called OMNY , which stands for “ One Metro @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announced a new feature called Express Transit , which would allow customers to pay for riding the subway without opening an app or unlocking their phone .
They simply needed to place their iPhones on the reader and then walk through the turnstile .
The trouble is some people have the Express Transit feature enabled , but are still using their MetroCard to pay for rides .
While swiping their MetroCard , their iPhones are somehow coming into contact with the reader , either because they were holding it in their hands or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MTA suspects .
However it happens , they are getting charged twice for the ride .
Gothamist , which first reported the incidents , highlighted the tweets from some of the people who were doubly charged .
Naturally , many of these people assume the problem is with the MTA , and not their own behavior .
But the MTA insists that it is not to blame , and that it ’ s working with Apple to address the problem .
“ We ’ ve been notified by about 30 customers , out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , about unintended charges when the Express Transit feature of their iPhones is activated , ” Al Putre , the head of OMNY at the MTA , said in a statement .
“ The system is a popular success that ’ s working well for the vast majority of people and we ’ re in touch with Apple about addressing the issue of unintended taps.
” “ We ’ ve been notified by about 30 customers ” Express Transit first arrived with iOS 12.3 and watchOS 5.2.1 updates .
Apple billed it as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for transit with Apple Pay without having to use Touch or Face ID to unlock your phone .
The MTA hopes to have OMNY readers installed in every subway station and on all bus routes by late 2020 , at which time they ’ ll add more fare options .
Initially , Apple customers had to enable Express Transit through the settings on their iPhones .
People who live in New York City who add a credit or debit card to their iPhones are asked whether they want to enable Express Transit .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ without realizing what the feature did , and then continued to pay for subway rides with their MetroCard .
In addition to New York , Apple ’ s Express Transit is available to transit riders in Portland , London , Shanghai , Beijing , and Tokyo .

Dozens of subway riders in New York City are being charged extra for their transit rides, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority suspects that Apple may be partly to blame.
The MTA is not explicitly pointing the finger at Apple, but it appears that some riders may be unwittingly putting their iPhones too close to the system’s new tap-to-pay OMNY readers while simultaneously swiping their MetroCards at the turnstile.
Last spring, the MTA began installing tap-to-pay readers as part of its new fare payment system called OMNY, which stands for “One Metro New York.” Soon after, Apple announced a new feature called Express Transit, which would allow customers to pay for riding the subway without opening an app or unlocking their phone. They simply needed to place their iPhones on the reader and then walk through the turnstile.
The trouble is some people have the Express Transit feature enabled, but are still using their MetroCard to pay for rides. While swiping their MetroCard, their iPhones are somehow coming into contact with the reader, either because they were holding it in their hands or through a pocket or purse, the MTA suspects. However it happens, they are getting charged twice for the ride. Gothamist, which first reported the incidents, highlighted the tweets from some of the people who were doubly charged.
Naturally, many of these people assume the problem is with the MTA, and not their own behavior. But the MTA insists that it is not to blame, and that it’s working with Apple to address the problem.
“We’ve been notified by about 30 customers, out of more than 5,000,000 taps so far, about unintended charges when the Express Transit feature of their iPhones is activated,” Al Putre, the head of OMNY at the MTA, said in a statement. “The system is a popular success that’s working well for the vast majority of people and we’re in touch with Apple about addressing the issue of unintended taps.”
“We’ve been notified by about 30 customers”
Express Transit first arrived with iOS 12.3 and watchOS 5.2.1 updates. Apple billed it as an easy and convenient way to pay for transit with Apple Pay without having to use Touch or Face ID to unlock your phone. The MTA hopes to have OMNY readers installed in every subway station and on all bus routes by late 2020, at which time they’ll add more fare options.
Initially, Apple customers had to enable Express Transit through the settings on their iPhones. People who live in New York City who add a credit or debit card to their iPhones are asked whether they want to enable Express Transit. Some of these people probably said yes without realizing what the feature did, and then continued to pay for subway rides with their MetroCard.


theverge--2020-01-09--Twitch is launching Hype Train this afternoon, which means you’ll get emotes for going off in chat

Hype is important on Twitch .
That ’ s why the company is gamifying it with a new feature called Hype Train , launching on Thursday .
If you donate enough to a partnered or affiliate channel , you ’ ll see a bar pop up above chat , which will give donators rewards as it fills .
Hype is what powers the biggest events on the site — like , for example , Awesome Games Done Quick , which raises an astonishing amount of money for a charity every year .
( This year ’ s beneficiary is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watch the streams live right now . )
One person going off in chat with a large donation or a bunch of gifted subscriptions can prompt other viewers who feel similarly energized to do the same .
When it happens , it ’ s a beautiful thing to see , especially when it ’ s in service of a good cause .
A Hype Train starts when a viewer or group of viewers contribute materially to a channel past a certain streamer-designated threshold .
Twitch calls it a “ spike in support events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — basically an uptick in bits or subs — which kicks off a countdown timer .
As the timer ticks down , viewers who donate above a minimum of 100 bits ( $ 1.40 USD ) will fill a meter that distributes emote rewards for everyone who ’ s donated .
If the meter fills up before the timer ends , a new level is unlocked .
And the more you donate , the more it fills .
It ’ s also not just for charity ; any partner or affiliate channel that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hype train start .
There are five levels , each with custom Twitch-designed ( and randomly distributed ) emotes you ’ ll get to keep after the train ends .
( The harder difficulty settings — Super Hard and Insane — give extra rewards to viewers . )
Streamers can set how difficult it is to reach level goals as well as mandatory cool-down periods .
If a Hype Train happens too often , as Twitch points out , it can fatigue viewers .
And yes , because this is a train , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who donate the most bits and subs .
Hype Train is currently in beta , but expect to see this feature in the wild Thursday afternoon .
So go on !
Toss a sub to your streamer .
Update January 9th , 4:25PM ET : This story has been updated with the date the feature is rolling out , which is this afternoon — Thursday , January 9th .

Hype is important on Twitch. That’s why the company is gamifying it with a new feature called Hype Train, launching on Thursday. If you donate enough to a partnered or affiliate channel, you’ll see a bar pop up above chat, which will give donators rewards as it fills.
Hype is what powers the biggest events on the site — like, for example, Awesome Games Done Quick, which raises an astonishing amount of money for a charity every year. (This year’s beneficiary is the Prevent Cancer Foundation, and you can watch the streams live right now.) One person going off in chat with a large donation or a bunch of gifted subscriptions can prompt other viewers who feel similarly energized to do the same. When it happens, it’s a beautiful thing to see, especially when it’s in service of a good cause.
A Hype Train starts when a viewer or group of viewers contribute materially to a channel past a certain streamer-designated threshold. Twitch calls it a “spike in support events from different viewers in a channel” — basically an uptick in bits or subs — which kicks off a countdown timer. As the timer ticks down, viewers who donate above a minimum of 100 bits ($1.40 USD) will fill a meter that distributes emote rewards for everyone who’s donated. If the meter fills up before the timer ends, a new level is unlocked. And the more you donate, the more it fills. It’s also not just for charity; any partner or affiliate channel that has the feature enabled can have a hype train start.
There are five levels, each with custom Twitch-designed (and randomly distributed) emotes you’ll get to keep after the train ends. (The harder difficulty settings — Super Hard and Insane — give extra rewards to viewers.) Streamers can set how difficult it is to reach level goals as well as mandatory cool-down periods. If a Hype Train happens too often, as Twitch points out, it can fatigue viewers. And yes, because this is a train, there are conductors, aka the people who donate the most bits and subs.
Hype Train is currently in beta, but expect to see this feature in the wild Thursday afternoon. So go on! Toss a sub to your streamer.


theverge--2020-01-09--The appetite for live-streaming is bigger than ever

It would be easy to assume that because competition is so stiff among live-streaming platforms — for talent , for eyeballs — that the market is zero-sum .
But as it turns out , that isn ’ t actually true .
According to a fourth-quarter report from the streaming tools provider StreamElements and the metrics tracker Arsenal.gg , the entire industry grew an astonishing 12 percent in the last year ( based on hours watched ) .
A lot of growth came from Facebook Gaming , which increased its hours watched by a full 210 percent — most likely from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the StreamElements report , Facebook had a 6 percent increase in streamers and a whopping 78 percent increase in the average number of viewers per hours streamed .
While Twitch ’ s market share dropped slightly , it found a new growth in its non-gaming categories — they now represent a full 11 percent of content watched on Twitch , up 3 percent since December 2018 .
And its Just Chatting category was the biggest in December 2019 , in a major first for the site .
That ’ s interesting because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s content is engaged by more than just games , which is obvious , but it ’ s good to see that feeling reflected in the data .
While Twitch ’ s market share dropped slightly , it found a new growth in its non-gaming categories What the StreamElements report really means is that live-streaming is more popular than ever , and that a rising viewership tide really does lift all platforms — even if we ’ re in the middle of a war for top live-streaming talent .
( Every major platform @ @ @ @ @ @ @ site Caffeine wasn ’ t a part of the report , but it only officially launched in mid-November . )
I think that ’ s important to point out that the war for talent doesn ’ t necessarily mean platforms are competing for the same audiences ; the report means that there are more people interested in watching streams who began to watch them last year .
Live-streaming ’ s potential , at least right now , is that it ’ s almost mainstream : a lot of people are aware of streamers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online influencer , but not as many people have had a personal experience watching one .
I didn ’ t get it until I watched a few streams — and then I got it .
And I ’ d bet most people are the same .

It would be easy to assume that because competition is so stiff among live-streaming platforms — for talent, for eyeballs — that the market is zero-sum. But as it turns out, that isn’t actually true.
According to a fourth-quarter report from the streaming tools provider StreamElements and the metrics tracker Arsenal.gg, the entire industry grew an astonishing 12 percent in the last year (based on hours watched). A lot of growth came from Facebook Gaming, which increased its hours watched by a full 210 percent — most likely from its signing of new streamers. According to the StreamElements report, Facebook had a 6 percent increase in streamers and a whopping 78 percent increase in the average number of viewers per hours streamed.
While Twitch’s market share dropped slightly, it found a new growth in its non-gaming categories — they now represent a full 11 percent of content watched on Twitch, up 3 percent since December 2018. And its Just Chatting category was the biggest in December 2019, in a major first for the site. That’s interesting because it means the audience for Twitch’s content is engaged by more than just games, which is obvious, but it’s good to see that feeling reflected in the data.
While Twitch’s market share dropped slightly, it found a new growth in its non-gaming categories
What the StreamElements report really means is that live-streaming is more popular than ever, and that a rising viewership tide really does lift all platforms — even if we’re in the middle of a war for top live-streaming talent. (Every major platform grew over the last year. Streaming site Caffeine wasn’t a part of the report, but it only officially launched in mid-November.)


theverge--2020-01-09--This folding 8K drone could rival DJI and Skydio

It ’ s been a few years since I walked over to the drone section of the CES show floor , but Autel Robotics gave me a good reason to finally revisit it this year .
The company announced a total of three drones — the EVO II , the EVO II Pro , and the EVO II Dual — but the first two models have some serious specs that just blew me away .
All three drones have the same body with different cameras .
Let ’ s start with the EVO II .
It takes 48-megapixel photos and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would make it not only the first drone to do so , but one of the first consumer-grade 8K cameras , flying or not .
The company says it ’ s native 10-bit 8K at 24 or 25 fps shot on a Sony IMX586 sensor , one designed for phones , and it was able to achieve 8K video because there ’ s more processing power and battery in drones compared to phones , as well as more room to cool those parts down .
The 35mm equivalent lens also has a notably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help with filming at night and in other low-light environments , though the small 0.5-inch sensor will likely add a good amount of noise .
Still , knowing that this lens adds a full stop ( and a third ) of light to what you typically get from a drone could help you keep your ISO low .
But that ’ s not all .
The 7,100mAh battery gives you an estimated 40 minutes of flight time ( at least , in perfect conditions with no wind ) compared to 31 minutes for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the company says its 12 obstacle-avoidance sensors make it as good at dodging obstacles as the Skydio R1 , a drone that wowed us with its fully autonomous flying .
( There ’ s a Skydio 2 now , though . )
To make things even better , you can also adjust the virtual protective bubble around the drone , similar to Autel ’ s predecessor , EVO 1 , to theoretically squeeze it into smaller spaces without turning off obstacle avoidance completely .
We don ’ t have specifics on how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ ll limit your max speed .
In general , Autel ’ s quoting similar speeds as the Mavic 2 Pro , including the same 44.7 mph / 72 km/h top speed in Autel ’ s “ Ludicrous Mode.
” Moving on to the EVO II Pro .
This version of the EVO II is tailored more toward pilots looking to get the best-looking footage .
And yes , I know that 8K is automatically better than the 6K footage that Autel promises from the EVO II Pro .
But this drone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and adjustable aperture from f/2.8 up to f/11 , just like DJI ’ s Phantom 4 Pro and Mavic 2 Pro .
It was a big deal when DJI added that ability to adjust the depth of field , and now , it may have competition .
Unfortunately , this version doesn ’ t take 48-megapixel stills ; instead , it takes 20MP shots .
That ’ s still more than plenty of pixels even for larger prints .
Lastly , the EVO II Dual is more of an enterprise product since it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ addition to the 8K camera .
They ’ re capable of recording simultaneously , though seemingly at a very low resolution in thermal mode .
All three drones have a range up to 5.5 miles , built-in 8GB of internal storage , and come with a controller that has a built-in screen , in addition to the ability to plug in your phone .
There ’ s also a bigger optional screen that you could buy , but we don ’ t have info on the pricing of that just yet .
On @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most capable drones out there , and , to be completely honest , it sounds a bit too good to be true .
The drones are currently in production , and the company is expecting EVO II to start shipping in a matter of weeks .
The rest of the fleet should follow shortly after .
While the pricing isn ’ t final yet , the company says we can expect the EVO II to cost around $ 1,495 , and the EVO II Pro will cost around $ 1,895 .
Speaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find the full spec sheets for these drones in our gallery below .

It’s been a few years since I walked over to the drone section of the CES show floor, but Autel Robotics gave me a good reason to finally revisit it this year. The company announced a total of three drones — the EVO II, the EVO II Pro, and the EVO II Dual — but the first two models have some serious specs that just blew me away.
All three drones have the same body with different cameras. Let’s start with the EVO II. It takes 48-megapixel photos and claims to shoot 8K video — which would make it not only the first drone to do so, but one of the first consumer-grade 8K cameras, flying or not. The company says it’s native 10-bit 8K at 24 or 25 fps shot on a Sony IMX586 sensor, one designed for phones, and it was able to achieve 8K video because there’s more processing power and battery in drones compared to phones, as well as more room to cool those parts down.
The 35mm equivalent lens also has a notably wide f/1.8 fixed aperture, which could help with filming at night and in other low-light environments, though the small 0.5-inch sensor will likely add a good amount of noise. Still, knowing that this lens adds a full stop (and a third) of light to what you typically get from a drone could help you keep your ISO low.
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But that’s not all. The 7,100mAh battery gives you an estimated 40 minutes of flight time (at least, in perfect conditions with no wind) compared to 31 minutes for the DJI Mavic 2 line. Lastly, the company says its 12 obstacle-avoidance sensors make it as good at dodging obstacles as the Skydio R1, a drone that wowed us with its fully autonomous flying. (There’s a Skydio 2 now, though.)
To make things even better, you can also adjust the virtual protective bubble around the drone, similar to Autel’s predecessor, EVO 1, to theoretically squeeze it into smaller spaces without turning off obstacle avoidance completely. We don’t have specifics on how small that bubble could be or if it’ll limit your max speed. In general, Autel’s quoting similar speeds as the Mavic 2 Pro, including the same 44.7 mph / 72 km/h top speed in Autel’s “Ludicrous Mode.”
Moving on to the EVO II Pro. This version of the EVO II is tailored more toward pilots looking to get the best-looking footage. And yes, I know that 8K is automatically better than the 6K footage that Autel promises from the EVO II Pro. But this drone has a full 1-inch Sony IMX383 sensor and adjustable aperture from f/2.8 up to f/11, just like DJI’s Phantom 4 Pro and Mavic 2 Pro. It was a big deal when DJI added that ability to adjust the depth of field, and now, it may have competition. Unfortunately, this version doesn’t take 48-megapixel stills; instead, it takes 20MP shots. That’s still more than plenty of pixels even for larger prints.
Lastly, the EVO II Dual is more of an enterprise product since it sports a FLIR Boson thermal camera in addition to the 8K camera. They’re capable of recording simultaneously, though seemingly at a very low resolution in thermal mode.
All three drones have a range up to 5.5 miles, built-in 8GB of internal storage, and come with a controller that has a built-in screen, in addition to the ability to plug in your phone. There’s also a bigger optional screen that you could buy, but we don’t have info on the pricing of that just yet.
On paper, this looks like one of the most capable drones out there, and, to be completely honest, it sounds a bit too good to be true. The drones are currently in production, and the company is expecting EVO II to start shipping in a matter of weeks. The rest of the fleet should follow shortly after. While the pricing isn’t final yet, the company says we can expect the EVO II to cost around $1,495, and the EVO II Pro will cost around $1,895.
Speaking of specs on paper, you can find the full spec sheets for these drones in our gallery below.
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theverge--2020-01-09--Reddit bans impersonation on its platform

Today , Reddit updated its policies about impersonation to no longer allow impersonation of an individual or entity in a misleading or deceptive manner .
That means the new policies won ’ t just affect things like misleadingly altered videos ( like deepfakes ) , but could implicate simple lies made by people impersonating others online .
The new policies expand upon the platform ’ s 2018 ban on deepfake porn videos and were made just days after Facebook updated its own platform policies to ban deepfake videos .
Do not impersonate an individual or entity in a misleading or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ content that impersonates individuals or entities in a misleading or deceptive manner .
This not only includes using a Reddit account to impersonate someone , but also encompasses things such as domains that mimic others , as well as deepfakes or other manipulated content presented to mislead , or falsely attributed to an individual or entity .
While we permit satire and parody , we will always take into account the context of any particular content .
In the announcement post about the updated policies , a Reddit admin said that Reddit updated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we haven ’ t seen much of to date , but could see in the future.
” ( Reddit says impersonation was the second-lowest “ class ” of reported policy violation on Reddit in 2018 , making up only 2.3 percent of reports . )
The admin also cited malicious deepfakes of politicians as an example of content the platform is trying to prevent .
The updated policies seem to imply that any kind of misleading impersonation , deepfake or not , could trigger a removal or ban .
That could mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impersonating a US presidential candidate and making posts that falsely and misleadingly represent that candidate ’ s positions could be banned .
It seems that any kind of misleading impersonation could trigger a ban The new policies do allow impersonation that ’ s seen as satire and parody , however , which could be a hard line to enforce .
Reddit seems to have given itself some flexibility to make judgment calls , though , because it will apparently “ always take into account the context of any particular content ” of satire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also give Reddit a new method to shut down misinformation campaigns , which have appeared on the platform before .
In 2018 , Reddit said it had identified 944 “ suspicious ” accounts that were suspected to be linked to the Internet Research Agency .
Some of the most popular posts from those accounts were negative articles about Hillary Clinton , linked to broader misinformation campaigns around the 2016 election .

Do not impersonate an individual or entity in a misleading or deceptive manner.
Reddit does not allow content that impersonates individuals or entities in a misleading or deceptive manner. This not only includes using a Reddit account to impersonate someone, but also encompasses things such as domains that mimic others, as well as deepfakes or other manipulated content presented to mislead, or falsely attributed to an individual or entity. While we permit satire and parody, we will always take into account the context of any particular content.


theverge--2020-01-09--Mark Zuckerberg is giving up on annual personal challenges

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says he ’ s moving away from his annual self-reflection challenges to take a longer-term focus on what he sees as important over the next decade .
“ Rather than having year-to-year challenges , I ’ ve tried to think about what I hope the world and my life will look in 2030 so I can make sure I ’ m focusing on those things , ” he wrote in a lengthy Facebook post .
“ By then , if things go well , my daughter Max will be in high school , we ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with another person no matter where they are , and scientific research will have helped cure and prevent enough diseases to extend our average life expectancy by another 2.5 years.
” It ’ s somewhat unsurprising Zuckerberg isn ’ t spending too much time reflecting on 2019 ; it was a brutal year for the social media platform .
In July , the Federal Trade Commission levied a record $ 5 billion fine against Facebook for its role in the Cambridge Analytica scandal and other privacy breaches ( although as The Verge ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figure had little consequence for a company that recorded a $ 22 billion profit the year prior ) .
There were also high-profile stories of the horrific working conditions among Facebook content moderators .
But looking forward to what he calls “ a new private social platform , ” Zuckerberg acknowledges that “ the internet gave us the superpower of being able to connect with anyone , anywhere ... ” which brings significant responsibilities with it .
“ ... being part of such a large community creates its own challenges and makes us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a small town , it was easy to have a niche and sense of purpose .
But with billions of people , it ’ s harder to find your unique role .
For the next decade , some of the most important social infrastructure will help us reconstruct all kinds of smaller communities to give us that sense of intimacy again .
This is one of the areas of innovation I ’ m most excited about .
Our digital social environments will feel very different over the next 5+ years , re-emphasizing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smaller communities we all need in our lives.
” Perhaps most significantly , Zuckerberg ’ s plan for the next decade includes what he calls “ new forms of governance.
” He writes that there are “ a number of areas where I believe governments establishing clearer rules would be helpful , including around elections , harmful content , privacy , and data portability .
I ’ ve called for new regulation in these areas and over the next decade I hope we get clearer rules for the internet.
” He adds that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to allow users to “ appeal content decisions you disagree with to an independent board , ” which could be a model for other online communities .
In previous years , Zuckerberg ’ s personal challenges have not exactly succeeded .
His 2019 challenge to “ host a series of public discussions about the future of technology in society ” seemed promising , but ultimately didn ’ t deliver on its goals .
“ Every few weeks I ’ ll talk with leaders , experts , and people in our community from different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ formats to keep it interesting , ” Zuckerberg wrote in January 2019 .
Zuck ’ s 2019 plan to hold public discussions resulted in only six meetings with other tech dudes He ended up holding only six discussions in 11 months , and as The Verge ’ s Casey Newton noted — while recommending Zuckerberg retire the yearly challenge concept altogether — he used the same format of prerecorded conversations in an office for all but one of the talks , mostly with other white men in the tech field .
And in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , do his job as Facebook ’ s CEO .
“ The world feels anxious and divided , and Facebook has a lot of work to do–whether it ’ s protecting our community from abuse and hate , defending against interference by nation states , or making sure that time spent on Facebook is time well spent , ” he wrote .
“ My personal challenge for 2018 is to focus on fixing these important issues.
” The 2017 plan ?
Visit and meet people in all the US states , with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he hadn ’ t spent “ significant time ” ( which sparked speculation he was going to run for president in 2020 ) .
“ After a tumultuous last year , my hope for this challenge is to get out and talk to more people about how they ’ re living , working and thinking about the future , ” he wrote .
The plan for the next decade is a lofty one .
Zuckerberg wants to look at “ generational change ” because , he writes , “ by the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be run by millennials and more policies will be set to address these problems with longer term outlooks .
”

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says he’s moving away from his annual self-reflection challenges to take a longer-term focus on what he sees as important over the next decade.
“Rather than having year-to-year challenges, I’ve tried to think about what I hope the world and my life will look in 2030 so I can make sure I’m focusing on those things,” he wrote in a lengthy Facebook post. “By then, if things go well, my daughter Max will be in high school, we’ll have the technology to feel truly present with another person no matter where they are, and scientific research will have helped cure and prevent enough diseases to extend our average life expectancy by another 2.5 years.”
It’s somewhat unsurprising Zuckerberg isn’t spending too much time reflecting on 2019; it was a brutal year for the social media platform. In July, the Federal Trade Commission levied a record $5 billion fine against Facebook for its role in the Cambridge Analytica scandal and other privacy breaches (although as The Verge’s Nilay Patel pointed out, that figure had little consequence for a company that recorded a $22 billion profit the year prior). There were also high-profile stories of the horrific working conditions among Facebook content moderators.
But looking forward to what he calls “a new private social platform,” Zuckerberg acknowledges that “the internet gave us the superpower of being able to connect with anyone, anywhere...” which brings significant responsibilities with it.
“...being part of such a large community creates its own challenges and makes us crave intimacy. When I grew up in a small town, it was easy to have a niche and sense of purpose. But with billions of people, it’s harder to find your unique role. For the next decade, some of the most important social infrastructure will help us reconstruct all kinds of smaller communities to give us that sense of intimacy again. This is one of the areas of innovation I’m most excited about. Our digital social environments will feel very different over the next 5+ years, re-emphasizing private interactions and helping us build the smaller communities we all need in our lives.”
Perhaps most significantly, Zuckerberg’s plan for the next decade includes what he calls “new forms of governance.”
Platforms like Facebook have to make tradeoffs on social values we all hold dear -- like between free expression and safety, or between privacy and law enforcement, or between creating open systems and locking down data and access. It’s rare that there’s ever a clear “right” answer, and in many cases it’s as important that the decisions are made in a way that feels legitimate to the community. From this perspective, I don’t think private companies should be making so many important decisions that touch on fundamental democratic values.
He writes that there are “a number of areas where I believe governments establishing clearer rules would be helpful, including around elections, harmful content, privacy, and data portability. I’ve called for new regulation in these areas and over the next decade I hope we get clearer rules for the internet.” He adds that Facebook will be implementing an oversight board to allow users to “appeal content decisions you disagree with to an independent board,” which could be a model for other online communities.
In previous years, Zuckerberg’s personal challenges have not exactly succeeded. His 2019 challenge to “host a series of public discussions about the future of technology in society” seemed promising, but ultimately didn’t deliver on its goals. “Every few weeks I’ll talk with leaders, experts, and people in our community from different fields and I’ll try different formats to keep it interesting,” Zuckerberg wrote in January 2019.
Zuck’s 2019 plan to hold public discussions resulted in only six meetings with other tech dudes
He ended up holding only six discussions in 11 months, and as The Verge’s Casey Newton noted — while recommending Zuckerberg retire the yearly challenge concept altogether — he used the same format of prerecorded conversations in an office for all but one of the talks, mostly with other white men in the tech field.
And in 2018, Zuckerberg pledged to, basically, do his job as Facebook’s CEO. “The world feels anxious and divided, and Facebook has a lot of work to do–whether it’s protecting our community from abuse and hate, defending against interference by nation states, or making sure that time spent on Facebook is time well spent,” he wrote. “My personal challenge for 2018 is to focus on fixing these important issues.”
The 2017 plan? Visit and meet people in all the US states, with a focus on the 30 states in which he hadn’t spent “significant time” (which sparked speculation he was going to run for president in 2020). “After a tumultuous last year, my hope for this challenge is to get out and talk to more people about how they’re living, working and thinking about the future,” he wrote.


theverge--2020-01-09--Roomba’s robot vacuum could grow arms in the near future

iRobot , the maker of the popular robot vacuum Roomba , said it ’ s working on a version of the disc-shaped household helper that has arms .
The company envisions a limbed version of the Roomba that ’ s able to help out with more complex tasks , like laundry , dishwashing , and food serving .
Colin Angle , CEO of the Massachusetts-based company , revealed these plans to Bloomberg while at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas .
Angle said iRobot wouldn ’ t start selling the enhanced Roomba for another five years , but he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worked on at its lab .
A Roomba with arms may sound alarming , but Angle told Bloomberg that the company has experience in the area : IRobot previously developed robotic-arm technology for its military unit .
The company sold that business in 2016 but kept the arm assets .
At the time , the company didn ’ t know how to adapt the technology for mainstream use , Angle said , but new advancements in computer vision and the ability for robots to map out a person ’ s home make such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t waiting for iRobot to create a more capable version of the Roomba .
YouTuber and engineer Peter Sripol recently added a trio of ducted fans to a cheap robot vacuum , enabling it to fly over stairs — but also basically destroying its practicality as a vacuum .

iRobot, the maker of the popular robot vacuum Roomba, said it’s working on a version of the disc-shaped household helper that has arms. The company envisions a limbed version of the Roomba that’s able to help out with more complex tasks, like laundry, dishwashing, and food serving.
Colin Angle, CEO of the Massachusetts-based company, revealed these plans to Bloomberg while at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Angle said iRobot wouldn’t start selling the enhanced Roomba for another five years, but he noted that a prototype version was being worked on at its lab.
A Roomba with arms may sound alarming, but Angle told Bloomberg that the company has experience in the area:
IRobot previously developed robotic-arm technology for its military unit. The company sold that business in 2016 but kept the arm assets. At the time, the company didn’t know how to adapt the technology for mainstream use, Angle said, but new advancements in computer vision and the ability for robots to map out a person’s home make such devices possible.
Some hobbyists aren’t waiting for iRobot to create a more capable version of the Roomba. YouTuber and engineer Peter Sripol recently added a trio of ducted fans to a cheap robot vacuum, enabling it to fly over stairs — but also basically destroying its practicality as a vacuum.
Update January 10th, 1:27PM ET: “iRobot has a long history of pushing the boundaries of robotics and developing innovative manipulation technologies, including arms,” a spokesperson for IRobot said in a statement. “New technologies that provide robots with spatial context, including the maps that help our consumer robots navigate, will eventually help open the door to a new generation of home robots with arms because there are a multitude of practical, at-home tasks that could be addressed.