theverge--2020-03-02--Waymo rakes in $2.25 billion in self-driving unit’s first external fundraising

Waymo just announced a significant milestone : its first external fundraising round .
The self-driving division of Alphabet raked in $ 2.25 billion in a funding round led by Silver Lake , Canada Pension Plan Investment Board , and Mubadala Investment Company , the sovereign wealth fund of Abu Dhabi .
Additional investors include Magna International , Andreessen Horowitz , and AutoNation , as well as Alphabet .
To date , Waymo has been an outlier in the world of self-driving cars , relying almost exclusively on the largesse of its corporate parent .
That changes with today ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but potentially lucrative new phase .
“ all in support of the deployment of the Waymo Driver around the world ” Waymo CEO John Krafcik framed it as an expansion of the roster of automakers , fleet logistics firms , transit agencies , and delivery companies with which Waymo already has partnerships .
“ We ’ re expanding that team , adding financial investors and important strategic partners who bring decades of experience investing in and supporting successful technology companies building transformative products , ” Krafcik said in a statement .
“ With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , alongside Alphabet , we ’ ll deepen our investment in our people , our technology , and our operations , all in support of the deployment of the Waymo Driver around the world.
” Waymo is adding external representation to its board , including representatives of Silver Lake and the Canadian Pension Fund , Krafcik says .
Those representatives will join him and other Waymo officials , as well as Alphabet executives .
This external round of investment has been a long time coming .
Reports that Waymo was seeking outside investors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when The Information said that the Google spinoff was seeking capital at a valuation “ at least several times ” that of Cruise , the majority-owned subsidiary of General Motors worth nearly $ 15 billion .
Today ’ s announcement is sure to be welcome news to Waymo ’ s and Alphabet ’ s respective financial teams Today ’ s announcement is sure to be welcome news to Waymo ’ s and Alphabet ’ s respective financial teams , which are charged with keeping the cash-intensive operation afloat .
Waymo is said to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and is only bringing in a paltry amount of revenue from its limited commercial robot taxi service in the suburbs of Phoenix , Arizona .
Waymo says the money will help speed up its plans to commercialize its revolutionary self-driving technology .
From the announcement : A couple of notes here .
Waymo only provides its fully driverless rides ( i.e .
no safety driver ) to customers who have signed NDAs with the company and not as part of its consumer-facing Waymo One service .
The comparison to San Francisco is noteworthy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its self-driving cars in the hopes of eventually launching a similar ride-hailing service ( which it argues is more complex than suburban Phoenix ) .
The fifth generation of Waymo ’ s self-driving system is expected to roll out this year as part of its new fleet of Jaguar I-Paces .
And to my knowledge , this is the first time Waymo is giving a name to its self-driving truck and delivery pursuits : Waymo Via .
So what about these investors ?
Silver Lake is a Menlo Park-based VC firm with investments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , among other tech ventures .
Most recently , Silver Lake helped Dell return to the public market after five years as a private company .
The Mubadala Investment Company manages over $ 225 billion in assets , holds stakes in some of Abu Dhabi ’ s biggest companies , as well as stakes in global firms such as Spanish energy firm Cepsa and Austria ’ s OMV .
The sovereign wealth fund was recently involved in a scandal involving its dealings with a Malaysian state fund .
Auto part supplier Magna was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ car for Sony .
It was also teaming up with Lyft to help build self-driving cars for the ride-hailing company until recently , when the company said it was shifting to driver assist technology .
It also helps run Waymo ’ s factory in the Detroit area .
AutoNation has an existing partnership with Waymo ; the auto retail giant currently delivers Toyota parts in the Phoenix market using automated Waymo vehicles .

Waymo just announced a significant milestone: its first external fundraising round. The self-driving division of Alphabet raked in $2.25 billion in a funding round led by Silver Lake, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, and Mubadala Investment Company, the sovereign wealth fund of Abu Dhabi. Additional investors include Magna International, Andreessen Horowitz, and AutoNation, as well as Alphabet.
To date, Waymo has been an outlier in the world of self-driving cars, relying almost exclusively on the largesse of its corporate parent. That changes with today’s announcement, shifting Waymo into an uncertain but potentially lucrative new phase.
“all in support of the deployment of the Waymo Driver around the world”
Waymo CEO John Krafcik framed it as an expansion of the roster of automakers, fleet logistics firms, transit agencies, and delivery companies with which Waymo already has partnerships. “We’re expanding that team, adding financial investors and important strategic partners who bring decades of experience investing in and supporting successful technology companies building transformative products,” Krafcik said in a statement. “With this injection of capital and business acumen, alongside Alphabet, we’ll deepen our investment in our people, our technology, and our operations, all in support of the deployment of the Waymo Driver around the world.”
Waymo is adding external representation to its board, including representatives of Silver Lake and the Canadian Pension Fund, Krafcik says. Those representatives will join him and other Waymo officials, as well as Alphabet executives.
This external round of investment has been a long time coming. Reports that Waymo was seeking outside investors first surfaced nearly a year ago, when The Information said that the Google spinoff was seeking capital at a valuation “at least several times” that of Cruise, the majority-owned subsidiary of General Motors worth nearly $15 billion.
Today’s announcement is sure to be welcome news to Waymo’s and Alphabet’s respective financial teams
Today’s announcement is sure to be welcome news to Waymo’s and Alphabet’s respective financial teams, which are charged with keeping the cash-intensive operation afloat. Waymo is said to be costing Alphabet nearly $1 billion and is only bringing in a paltry amount of revenue from its limited commercial robot taxi service in the suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona.
Waymo says the money will help speed up its plans to commercialize its revolutionary self-driving technology. From the announcement:
Waymo One, the world’s first public self-driving ride-hailing service, serves thousands of customers in Arizona and has already provided thousands of fully driverless rides to our riders, in a high-speed mixed usage market area larger than San Francisco. The Waymo Driver is now deployed across a variety of vehicle platforms and business applications, including Waymo Via, which is focused on all forms of goods delivery.
A couple of notes here. Waymo only provides its fully driverless rides (i.e. no safety driver) to customers who have signed NDAs with the company and not as part of its consumer-facing Waymo One service. The comparison to San Francisco is noteworthy because that is where Cruise is testing its self-driving cars in the hopes of eventually launching a similar ride-hailing service (which it argues is more complex than suburban Phoenix). The fifth generation of Waymo’s self-driving system is expected to roll out this year as part of its new fleet of Jaguar I-Paces. And to my knowledge, this is the first time Waymo is giving a name to its self-driving truck and delivery pursuits: Waymo Via.
So what about these investors? Silver Lake is a Menlo Park-based VC firm with investments in Alibaba, GoDaddy, and Broadcom, among other tech ventures. Most recently, Silver Lake helped Dell return to the public market after five years as a private company. The Mubadala Investment Company manages over $225 billion in assets, holds stakes in some of Abu Dhabi’s biggest companies, as well as stakes in global firms such as Spanish energy firm Cepsa and Austria’s OMV. The sovereign wealth fund was recently involved in a scandal involving its dealings with a Malaysian state fund.


theverge--2020-03-02--The Google Pixel Slate tablet includes a keyboard and pen for $599

Only the best deals on Verge-approved gadgets get the Verge Deals stamp of approval , so if you 're looking for a deal on your next gadget or gift from major retailers like Amazon , Walmart , Best Buy , Target , and more , this is the place to be .
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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 our ethics policy .
One of the best deals from last year ’ s Black Friday shopping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tablet .
That deal is back , and it ’ s a little better than before .
Not only is it hundreds off of its usual $ 999 price , it ’ s an extra $ 50 cheaper than the previous best price , totaling $ 599 instead of $ 649 for the midrange configuration with an Intel Core i5 CPU .
Plus , Google is throwing in a free Pixel Slate pen and keyboard at no extra cost , which would have sent the price sailing up to $ 1,300 if you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released .
You can find this bundle at the Google Store ( via About Chromebooks ) .
The Pixel Slate is available in a few different configs that vary in terms of storage and processor , but the one we ’ re talking about here features an 8th Gen Intel Core i5 processor , 8GB of RAM , and 128GB of storage for $ 599 .
It also features a Pixelbook pen and a Pixel Slate keyboard ( the Brydge G-Type keyboard is currently sold out ) .
Dieter Bohn ’ s review @ @ @ @ @ @ @ excellent build quality and that you ’ ll probably be happy with the performance of this configuration .
Those yearning for a 3:2 aspect ratio display will like this one , and it ’ s far easier to look past its many software flaws if you use it as a Chromebook , not a tablet .
Thankfully , this deal includes all of the complementary ingredients required to turn it into one , so that won ’ t be an issue .
If you ’ re looking for a better deal and don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be brand-new , you may be able to find open-box Pixel Slates from Best Buy for around $ 430 , though its availability in your area , as well as your satisfaction with its condition , may vary .
Alternatively , the Pixelbook Go starts as low as $ 584 for My Best Buy rewards members for the next few days .

One of the best deals from last year’s Black Friday shopping holiday was on the Google Pixel Slate tablet. That deal is back, and it’s a little better than before. Not only is it hundreds off of its usual $999 price, it’s an extra $50 cheaper than the previous best price, totaling $599 instead of $649 for the midrange configuration with an Intel Core i5 CPU.
Plus, Google is throwing in a free Pixel Slate pen and keyboard at no extra cost, which would have sent the price sailing up to $1,300 if you bought them with the tablet when it released. You can find this bundle at the Google Store (via About Chromebooks).
The Pixel Slate is available in a few different configs that vary in terms of storage and processor, but the one we’re talking about here features an 8th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage for $599. It also features a Pixelbook pen and a Pixel Slate keyboard (the Brydge G-Type keyboard is currently sold out).
Google Pixel Slate (includes keyboard and pen) / Was $1,297, now 54% off $599 at the Google Store
Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
Dieter Bohn’s review of the Pixel Slate called out the excellent build quality and that you’ll probably be happy with the performance of this configuration. Those yearning for a 3:2 aspect ratio display will like this one, and it’s far easier to look past its many software flaws if you use it as a Chromebook, not a tablet. Thankfully, this deal includes all of the complementary ingredients required to turn it into one, so that won’t be an issue.
If you’re looking for a better deal and don’t need the Pixel Slate to be brand-new, you may be able to find open-box Pixel Slates from Best Buy for around $430, though its availability in your area, as well as your satisfaction with its condition, may vary. Alternatively, the Pixelbook Go starts as low as $584 for My Best Buy rewards members for the next few days.


theverge--2020-03-02--Uber and Lyft give drivers guidelines to help prevent coronavirus spread

Uber and Lyft are telling their contracted drivers how best to prevent potential spread of the coronavirus , as more than 90,000 infections have been confirmed worldwide in the two months since the outbreak began .
Uber , like a number of other tech firms and large companies , is also restricting employee travel to China , northern Italy , Iran , and South Korea out of caution .
On Friday , Uber sent drivers around the world a link to a short set of guidelines via push notification in the Uber driver app .
The guidelines mostly stick to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Organization .
Uber told drivers to stay home if they feel sick , specifically calling out any “ mild illness , respiratory symptoms , ” or a fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or above .
Uber advised drivers to wash their hands frequently with liquid soap and water for at least 20 seconds , or to use hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol , and to avoid touching their faces .
The company has also told drivers to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues or an elbow .
And Uber asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surfaces in their cars .
Uber says it has “ formed a dedicated global team of Uber operations , security and safety executives , guided by the advice of a consulting public health expert , to respond as needed in each market where we operate around the world.
” “ We are always working to help ensure the safety of our employees and everyone on the Uber platform , and we continue to be concerned by the ongoing spread of coronavirus , ” the company said in a statement .
Lyft has given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that linked to the coronavirus splash page on its website , the company tells The Verge .
Both Lyft and Uber have warned drivers not to let the coronavirus become an excuse to discriminate against passengers based on race .
Uber had previously suspended hundreds of accounts in Mexico after those passengers allegedly rode with drivers who may have had contact with the coronavirus .
While it ’ s unclear if those two drivers were ever at risk , Uber tells The Verge those deactivated accounts have been reinstated .
Much like food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can ’ t make money when they stay home , and some are worried what the continued spread might do to their livelihoods .
Neither company would answer whether they will offer any assistance to drivers who do stay home , let alone ones who might get infected .

Uber and Lyft are telling their contracted drivers how best to prevent potential spread of the coronavirus, as more than 90,000 infections have been confirmed worldwide in the two months since the outbreak began.
Uber, like a number of other tech firms and large companies, is also restricting employee travel to China, northern Italy, Iran, and South Korea out of caution.
On Friday, Uber sent drivers around the world a link to a short set of guidelines via push notification in the Uber driver app. The guidelines mostly stick to the basics outlined by the World Health Organization. Uber told drivers to stay home if they feel sick, specifically calling out any “mild illness, respiratory symptoms,” or a fever of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or above. Uber advised drivers to wash their hands frequently with liquid soap and water for at least 20 seconds, or to use hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol, and to avoid touching their faces.
Related Everything you need to know about the coronavirus
The company has also told drivers to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues or an elbow. And Uber asked drivers to clean and disinfect commonly touched surfaces in their cars. Uber says it has “formed a dedicated global team of Uber operations, security and safety executives, guided by the advice of a consulting public health expert, to respond as needed in each market where we operate around the world.”
“We are always working to help ensure the safety of our employees and everyone on the Uber platform, and we continue to be concerned by the ongoing spread of coronavirus,” the company said in a statement.
Lyft has given its drivers similar advice in an email that linked to the coronavirus splash page on its website, the company tells The Verge. Both Lyft and Uber have warned drivers not to let the coronavirus become an excuse to discriminate against passengers based on race.
Uber had previously suspended hundreds of accounts in Mexico after those passengers allegedly rode with drivers who may have had contact with the coronavirus. While it’s unclear if those two drivers were ever at risk, Uber tells The Verge those deactivated accounts have been reinstated.


theverge--2020-03-03--Google cloned Apple’s 3D Touch for the Pixel using just software

Yesterday , Google announced the latest “ feature drop ” for its Pixel line of Android phones .
It ’ s part of an effort to get people to realize that the Pixel gets software updates ahead of other Android phones and that some of the features it receives stay exclusive to the Pixel .
And yesterday ’ s “ drop ” epitomizes so many things that are good ( and bad ) about Google ’ s hardware efforts , so I wanted to dwell on it for a moment today .
First and foremost , saying that these features @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaguely accurate .
Instead , the rollout began yesterday and should theoretically be completed for all users in a couple of weeks .
That ’ s significantly better than the last ( and first ) feature drop , which trickled out to Pixel owners much more slowly .
Google has very reasonable reasons for not distributing its updates to everybody on day one , but they undercut whatever excitement people may feel when they hear about them — since there ’ s an indeterminate wait .
I covered all this in the newsletter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So let ’ s look at what ’ s new in this month ’ s update , courtesy of this rundown from Chris Welch .
There are some basic quality-of-life ( to borrow a term from video games ) tweaks : dark mode can be scheduled , adaptive brightness has been improved , and you can set up little actions based on which Wi-Fi networks you ’ re connected to .
There ’ s a new gesture for the Pixel 4 ’ s Motion Sense chip , new emoji , and new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ All fine .
But there was one line on Google ’ s support page for the update that caught my eye ( emphasis mine ) : “ In addition to long press , you can now firmly press to get more help from your apps more quickly.
” “ Firmly press ” sets off alarm bells because it sounds a lot like the iPhone ’ s 3D Touch , which enables different actions depending on how hard you press on the touchscreen .
It was a beloved feature for some people because it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the iPhone ’ s keyboard ( I think long-pressing the space bar works fine for that , but I get that people love it ) .
It ’ s also gone on the latest versions of the iPhone — Apple has seemingly abandoned it because the hardware to support it was too expensive/thick/complex/finicky/whatever .
But now , it seems that Google has done the same thing for the touchscreen that it does with the camera : use its software algorithms to make commodity parts do something special .
That is a very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quite as Googley as the fact that there was virtually no information about this feature to be found anywhere on the internet beyond a speculative note over at XDA Developers .
After a few hours of back and forth , I finally got more details from Google .
Here ’ s what this feature does , according to Google : Essentially , this new feature lets you press harder to bring up long-press menus faster .
In fact , Google ’ s documentation for Android ’ s Deep Press API explicitly says it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it should only be a faster way to execute a long press .
The answer to why it only works in certain apps is that a lot of Android developers aren ’ t using standard APIs for long press actions .
Because Android .
Okay , but how does it work ?
It turns out my hunch was correct : Google has figured out how to use machine learning algorithms to detect a firm press , something Apple had to use hardware for .
Tap your screen right now , and think about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ registered by the capacitive sensors .
Then press hard and note how your finger smushes down on the screen — more gets registered .
The machine learning comes in because Google needs to model thousands of finger sizes and shapes and it also measures how much changes over a short period of time to determine how hard you ’ re pressing .
The rate of smush , if you will .
I have no idea if Google ’ s machine-learning smush detection algorithms are as precise as 3D Touch on the iPhone , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used for faster detection of long presses I guess it doesn ’ t matter too much yet .
Someday , though , maybe the Pixel could start doing things that the iPhone used to be able to do .
So Google made long pressing take not so long .
It also finally brought some updates to Google Pay — specifically , it finally figured out that people might want to switch between cards in Google Pay more easily , so it added a shortcut to get to them by long-pressing the power button @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Apple Wallet .
Getting passes of all kinds into Apple Wallet is easy and common — essentially every airline gives you a button to do so .
It ’ s so much better than Android ’ s method , which requires opening the app or saving a screenshot and then hoping you can find it quickly later .
But integration with Google Pay has been lacking .
Google announced boarding pass support a year and a half ago and virtually no airline uses it .
( As an aside , I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but that brand was already used up so they call it Google Pay , because Google ) .
This annoyance has been going on for years , but now there ’ s finally an answer for Pixel users that is very Google .
Instead of convincing partners to also add a Google Pay button , Google lets you take a screenshot of your boarding pass in your airline ’ s app .
When the screenshot system sees a QR code , the notification gives you a button to save the boarding pass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also lets the Google Assistant know you care about that flight so it will send you updates .
Both the screenshot boarding pass and the firm press detectors share a common bond : they are very clever software solutions that take unique advantage of Google ’ s machine learning strengths to solve problems .
They are also problems that , bluntly , Apple solved via more traditional methods before Google .
Still , credit where it ’ s due , Google is catching up and , in some cases , innovating .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be a literal lifesaver , for example .
And in everyday things , Google is making progress on fixing Android ’ s little annoyances piece by piece and doing so throughout the entire year instead of in one giant operating system update .
Now if it could just do a better job distributing both kinds of updates to non-Pixel owners , we ’ d be cooking with gas .
• The World Health Organization has joined TikTok to fight coronavirus misinformation .
• GDC postponed to later this year over coronavirus concerns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two small conferences ahead of their major ones .
• Nvidia ’ s GPU Technology Conference will now be online only due to coronavirus concerns .
• Facebook pulls out of the SXSW conference citing coronavirus concerns .
• Twitter pulls out of SXSW conference over coronavirus concerns .
The group running SXSW itself said yesterday the conference definitely is still on , unlike many other tech conferences .
I ’ m still planning on going ( and we ’ ll be doing a live Vergecast , too ) .
But in my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pace of cancellations , I have a hard time believing I was wrong .
• Facebook restricts social visitors to its offices over coronavirus concerns .
• Google and Amazon limit employees ’ travel because of coronavirus fears .
• Uber and Lyft give drivers guidelines to help prevent coronavirus spread .
• Sharp will use a TV factory to mass-produce face masks .
• How to make your own hand sanitizer .
• Stanford group wants to use your computer to help researchers study the coronavirus .
• It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make a COVID-19 vaccine than a treatment .
• New coronavirus deaths in Washington show why widespread testing matters .
Liz Lopatto : The two big reviews ( and one big video ) yesterday were Nilay Patel ’ s look at the Mac Pro and the Apple Pro Display XDR .
I think both of them fall in a kind of Pro Uncanny Valley .
They ’ re wildly more powerful than what ’ s been available to Mac users before , sure .
But unless you are a specific kind of user @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll get the full value out of their price .
They ’ re too expensive to be aspirational purchases for most semi-pro users and yet the software isn ’ t quite ready for full-on pro users ( at least in the media creation space ) .
This is a situation that will either resolve itself to the relief of everybody as software catches up ... or it won ’ t .
The latter option is a bit of a worst case scenario , coming on the heels of the bad Trashcan Mac years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ modular design .
I ’ ll just say it again : there ’ s a version of this Mac Pro that starts at , say , $ 2,500 — albeit with more consumer-grade components .
Apple clearly doesn ’ t believe that it ’ s worth making that kind of tower computer anymore .
┏ Mac Pro review : power , if you can use it .
┏ The Vaio SX12 offers too little for too much .
More from The Verge ┏ The Verge tech survey 2020 .
Casey Newton will have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Interface .
I ’ ll just note that I think people overestimate how beloved Apple is and underestimate how beloved Amazon and Google are .
┏ A Final Fantasy VII Remake demo is out now for PS4 .
Here are looks at what ’ s new in the remake from Megan Farokmanesh and Nick Statt .
┏ Imagine a world without YouTube .
Incredible piece of writing by Adi Robertson .
YouTube seems like a piece of the internet that ’ s always been there , been the way it is .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ have gone many other ways .
┏ AT & T TV now available nationwide with Android TV set-top box — and a two-year contract .
How many ways is this ridiculous ?
The two-year contract .
The price hikes after a year .
The $ 120 price of a second box .
The confusing name .
That ’ s four off the top of my head .
If this service is any kind of success , I think it makes the case for AT & T having too much market power .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get off the ground .
┏ Nvidia ’ s GeForce Now is becoming an important test for the future of cloud gaming .
In earlier newsletters I ’ ve presented this as analogous to the channel carriage fits we see on cable TV .
That ’ s still true , but it leaves out the fact that in gaming there are lots of smaller developers who also have concerns .
Nick Statt ’ s evenhanded look at all of the controversy is the definitive take on the subject right now .

Yesterday, Google announced the latest “feature drop” for its Pixel line of Android phones. It’s part of an effort to get people to realize that the Pixel gets software updates ahead of other Android phones and that some of the features it receives stay exclusive to the Pixel. And yesterday’s “drop” epitomizes so many things that are good (and bad) about Google’s hardware efforts, so I wanted to dwell on it for a moment today.
First and foremost, saying that these features were “released” yesterday is only vaguely accurate. Instead, the rollout began yesterday and should theoretically be completed for all users in a couple of weeks. That’s significantly better than the last (and first) feature drop, which trickled out to Pixel owners much more slowly.
Google has very reasonable reasons for not distributing its updates to everybody on day one, but they undercut whatever excitement people may feel when they hear about them — since there’s an indeterminate wait. I covered all this in the newsletter last December with the first feature drop.
You are reading Processor, a newsletter about computers, software, and tech by Dieter Bohn. Dieter writes about consumer tech, software, and the most important tech news of the day from The Verge. You can read an archive of Processor newsletters here and subscribe to all of The Verge’s great videos here! Subscribe
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So let’s look at what’s new in this month’s update, courtesy of this rundown from Chris Welch. There are some basic quality-of-life (to borrow a term from video games) tweaks: dark mode can be scheduled, adaptive brightness has been improved, and you can set up little actions based on which Wi-Fi networks you’re connected to. There’s a new gesture for the Pixel 4’s Motion Sense chip, new emoji, and new AR effects for Duo video chats. All fine.
But there was one line on Google’s support page for the update that caught my eye (emphasis mine): “In addition to long press, you can now firmly press to get more help from your apps more quickly.”
“Firmly press” sets off alarm bells because it sounds a lot like the iPhone’s 3D Touch, which enables different actions depending on how hard you press on the touchscreen. It was a beloved feature for some people because it gave faster access to the cursor mode on the iPhone’s keyboard (I think long-pressing the space bar works fine for that, but I get that people love it). It’s also gone on the latest versions of the iPhone — Apple has seemingly abandoned it because the hardware to support it was too expensive/thick/complex/finicky/whatever.
But now, it seems that Google has done the same thing for the touchscreen that it does with the camera: use its software algorithms to make commodity parts do something special. That is a very Googley thing to do, but not quite as Googley as the fact that there was virtually no information about this feature to be found anywhere on the internet beyond a speculative note over at XDA Developers.
After a few hours of back and forth, I finally got more details from Google. Here’s what this feature does, according to Google:
Long Press currently works in a select set of apps and system user interfaces such as the app Launcher, Photos, and Drive. This update accelerates the press to bring up more options faster. We also plan to expand its applications to more first party apps in the near future.
Essentially, this new feature lets you press harder to bring up long-press menus faster. In fact, Google’s documentation for Android’s Deep Press API explicitly says it should never do a new thing, it should only be a faster way to execute a long press. The answer to why it only works in certain apps is that a lot of Android developers aren’t using standard APIs for long press actions. Because Android.
Okay, but how does it work? It turns out my hunch was correct: Google has figured out how to use machine learning algorithms to detect a firm press, something Apple had to use hardware for.
Tap your screen right now, and think about how much of your fingertip is getting registered by the capacitive sensors. Then press hard and note how your finger smushes down on the screen — more gets registered. The machine learning comes in because Google needs to model thousands of finger sizes and shapes and it also measures how much changes over a short period of time to determine how hard you’re pressing. The rate of smush, if you will.
I have no idea if Google’s machine-learning smush detection algorithms are as precise as 3D Touch on the iPhone, but since they’re just being used for faster detection of long presses I guess it doesn’t matter too much yet. Someday, though, maybe the Pixel could start doing things that the iPhone used to be able to do.
(For the record, Apple’s GarageBand has a sort of software-based detector for how hard you are pressing, but it uses the accelerometer.)
So Google made long pressing take not so long. It also finally brought some updates to Google Pay — specifically, it finally figured out that people might want to switch between cards in Google Pay more easily, so it added a shortcut to get to them by long-pressing the power button. It’s a little catch-up to Apple Wallet.
Getting passes of all kinds into Apple Wallet is easy and common — essentially every airline gives you a button to do so. It’s so much better than Android’s method, which requires opening the app or saving a screenshot and then hoping you can find it quickly later. But integration with Google Pay has been lacking. Google announced boarding pass support a year and a half ago and virtually no airline uses it. (As an aside, I’d prefer it be called Google Wallet, but that brand was already used up so they call it Google Pay, because Google).
This annoyance has been going on for years, but now there’s finally an answer for Pixel users that is very Google. Instead of convincing partners to also add a Google Pay button, Google lets you take a screenshot of your boarding pass in your airline’s app. When the screenshot system sees a QR code, the notification gives you a button to save the boarding pass in your Google Pay wallet. It also lets the Google Assistant know you care about that flight so it will send you updates.
Both the screenshot boarding pass and the firm press detectors share a common bond: they are very clever software solutions that take unique advantage of Google’s machine learning strengths to solve problems. They are also problems that, bluntly, Apple solved via more traditional methods before Google.
Still, credit where it’s due, Google is catching up and, in some cases, innovating. The automatic car crash detection looks like it could be a literal lifesaver, for example. And in everyday things, Google is making progress on fixing Android’s little annoyances piece by piece and doing so throughout the entire year instead of in one giant operating system update. Now if it could just do a better job distributing both kinds of updates to non-Pixel owners, we’d be cooking with gas.
Verge Deal of the day Apple’s AirPods Pro are $30 off at Amazon Normally $250, the Apple AirPods Pro wireless earbuds are down to $220 at Amazon. Compared to the standard AirPods, these feature better sound quality and noise cancellation. We’ve seen these drop a bit lower in price before, but that’s a pretty rare occurrence. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. For more information, see our ethics policy . Prices displayed are based on the MSRP at time of posting.
Coronavirus
Cancelled conferences or conference appearances:
Big tech responses:
Other coronavirus news:
Under the best of circumstances, testing would lag anyway — because most people don’t show symptoms of COVID-19 for a few days. So positive tests are essentially snapshots of where the virus was several days ago. But by keeping the test criteria narrow, the CDC lost valuable time to prevent outbreaks like the one at Life Care. Now health officials are scrambling to catch up.
Reviews
The two big reviews (and one big video) yesterday were Nilay Patel’s look at the Mac Pro and the Apple Pro Display XDR. I think both of them fall in a kind of Pro Uncanny Valley. They’re wildly more powerful than what’s been available to Mac users before, sure. But unless you are a specific kind of user, it’s unlikely you’ll get the full value out of their price. They’re too expensive to be aspirational purchases for most semi-pro users and yet the software isn’t quite ready for full-on pro users (at least in the media creation space).
This is a situation that will either resolve itself to the relief of everybody as software catches up... or it won’t. The latter option is a bit of a worst case scenario, coming on the heels of the bad Trashcan Mac years and the years waiting for this new modular design.
I’ll just say it again: there’s a version of this Mac Pro that starts at, say, $2,500 — albeit with more consumer-grade components. Apple clearly doesn’t believe that it’s worth making that kind of tower computer anymore.
Like so many things Apple, it’s a bit of a walled garden: if you live in Apple’s pro apps, and use Apple’s preferred formats, the Mac Pro will be very fast. But step outside Apple’s ecosystem, and things revert to more familiar territory. The good news is that this Mac Pro seems likely to inspire some optimizations, but it’s hard to say how long those will take.
So this is a puzzle: Apple has to convince all of the people who gasped at the idea of a $5,000 monitor and $1,000 stand that the upgrade to the Pro Display XDR is worth it and convince the people picky enough to spend $43,000 on a reference monitor simply for color use that this display can hit the marks. To be completely honest with you, I have no idea how that’s going to go.
More from The Verge
┏ The Verge tech survey 2020. Casey Newton will have more to say in his newsletter, The Interface. I’ll just note that I think people overestimate how beloved Apple is and underestimate how beloved Amazon and Google are.
By default, Apple will offer $25 to any current or former owner of a covered iPhone. Named class members will receive $1,500 or $3,500, and around $90 million will go toward attorneys.
┏ Imagine a world without YouTube. Incredible piece of writing by Adi Robertson. YouTube seems like a piece of the internet that’s always been there, been the way it is. But the reality is that it could have gone many other ways.
┏ AT&T TV now available nationwide with Android TV set-top box — and a two-year contract. How many ways is this ridiculous? The two-year contract. The price hikes after a year. The $120 price of a second box. The confusing name. That’s four off the top of my head. If this service is any kind of success, I think it makes the case for AT&T having too much market power. In no sane marketplace does this thing even get off the ground.


theverge--2020-03-03--Elon Musk lends support to Twitter’s embattled CEO: ‘he has a good heart’

Elon Musk lended public support to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey who ’ s being pressured to step down by an activist investor .
“ Just want to say that I support @ Jack as Twitter CEO .
He has a good heart , ” Musk tweeted , using a heart emoji because that ’ s how middle-aged billionaires communicate .
On Friday it was reported that Paul Singer , the billionaire founder of Elliott Management , took a stake in Twitter with the intent of making a number of changes at the micro-blogging platform .
Elliott has a more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to CNBC , and has nominated four new board members .
Bloomberg reports that Twitter executives met with representatives from Elliott Management for the first time last week .
Dorsey was absent , even though he was the main topic of conversation .
One change Elliott hopes to make is the removal of Dorsey , who ’ s been accused of being inattentive to Twitter ’ s earnings potential as he splits his time as CEO of Square where 85 percent of his wealth resides .
The Twitter / Square CEO has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with a preference for talking instead of doing .
Dorsey hasn ’ t helped himself by saying he ’ d like to temporarily move to Africa this year .
Dorsey returned as CEO of Twitter in July 2015 was met with advice from Elon Musk .
“ I wouldn ’ t recommend running two companies , ” said the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX .
Twitter shares have since fallen 6.2 percent , while Facebook ’ s have gained more than 121 percent , according to Bloomberg .
Musk and Dorsey were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company meeting in January , where Musk was projected onto a giant screen in front of thousands of Twitter employees .
“ If you were running Twitter , “ Dorsey asked , “ what would you do ?
” Musk ’ s response was get rid of the bots .
Others want to get rid of the CEO , which just might happen .

Elon Musk lended public support to Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey who’s being pressured to step down by an activist investor. “Just want to say that I support @Jack as Twitter CEO. He has a good heart,” Musk tweeted, using a heart emoji because that’s how middle-aged billionaires communicate.
On Friday it was reported that Paul Singer, the billionaire founder of Elliott Management, took a stake in Twitter with the intent of making a number of changes at the micro-blogging platform. Elliott has a more than $1 billion stake in Twitter, according to CNBC, and has nominated four new board members.
Bloomberg reports that Twitter executives met with representatives from Elliott Management for the first time last week. Dorsey was absent, even though he was the main topic of conversation. One change Elliott hopes to make is the removal of Dorsey, who’s been accused of being inattentive to Twitter’s earnings potential as he splits his time as CEO of Square where 85 percent of his wealth resides. The Twitter / Square CEO has also been criticized for moving too slowly, with a preference for talking instead of doing. Dorsey hasn’t helped himself by saying he’d like to temporarily move to Africa this year.
Dorsey’s return as CEO of Twitter in July 2015 was met with advice from Elon Musk. “I wouldn’t recommend running two companies,” said the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX. Twitter shares have since fallen 6.2 percent, while Facebook’s have gained more than 121 percent, according to Bloomberg.
Musk and Dorsey were last seen bromancing each other at a company meeting in January, where Musk was projected onto a giant screen in front of thousands of Twitter employees. “If you were running Twitter,“ Dorsey asked, “what would you do?” Musk’s response was get rid of the bots.


theverge--2020-03-03--Disney Plus to launch on Sky Q in the UK later this month

British Satellite TV broadcaster Sky has struck a multi-year deal with Disney to bring Disney Plus to Sky Q in the UK and Ireland .
The deal means a dedicated Disney Plus app will be available on Sky Q boxes , much like the existing Netflix integration on the set-top box .
Sky will also launch Disney Plus on its streaming Now TV service in the coming months , and the deal includes the first-pay window for 20th Century films like Ford v Ferrari and Terminator : Dark Fate .
It ’ s not clear if the deal is exclusive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like Virgin Media and BT have not yet announced similar deals in the UK .
Sky isn ’ t revealing any special bundles for Disney Plus access today , but the company is promising Disney ’ s streaming service will be available on Sky at launch on March 24th .
“ We ’ ve built a strong partnership with Disney over three decades and we ’ re pleased that our customers in the UK and Ireland can continue to enjoy their world-class content – all in one place on Sky Q , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a statement .
Disney Plus arrives in the UK five months after it launched in the US , providing Brits with access to shows like The Mandalorian .
Disney signed a similar deal with French pay TV company Canal Plus back in December , and the service has grown to more than 28 million subscribers since launch .

British Satellite TV broadcaster Sky has struck a multi-year deal with Disney to bring Disney Plus to Sky Q in the UK and Ireland. The deal means a dedicated Disney Plus app will be available on Sky Q boxes, much like the existing Netflix integration on the set-top box. Sky will also launch Disney Plus on its streaming Now TV service in the coming months, and the deal includes the first-pay window for 20th Century films like Ford v Ferrari and Terminator: Dark Fate.
It’s not clear if the deal is exclusive between Sky and Disney, but rivals like Virgin Media and BT have not yet announced similar deals in the UK. Sky isn’t revealing any special bundles for Disney Plus access today, but the company is promising Disney’s streaming service will be available on Sky at launch on March 24th.
“We’ve built a strong partnership with Disney over three decades and we’re pleased that our customers in the UK and Ireland can continue to enjoy their world-class content – all in one place on Sky Q,” says Jeremy Darroch, Sky CEO in a statement.


theverge--2020-03-03--Foxconn expects to resume normal production by end of March

Foxconn says it ’ ll resume normal production in China by the end of March and that half of its seasonal workers are now back at work , according to Reuters .
Foxconn , the primary iPhone assembler and parts supplier for Apple and others , has had its output curtailed following the coronavirus outbreak .
In addition to mandated government shutdowns , many of Foxconn ’ s seasonal workers had to be quarantined before returning to work after the extended Lunar New Year holiday last month .
Foxconn is the world ’ s largest contract manufacturer .
Foxconn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that China is seeing a slowdown in new coronavirus cases , even as they accelerated globally .
To date , the virus has spread to 70 countries and is responsible for 90,000 infections and 3,000 deaths , mostly in China .
Foxconn ’ s return to strength could be good news for Apple .
iPhone assembly , for example , requires hundreds of thousands of Foxconn workers and mostly takes place at Foxconn ’ s “ iPhone City ” factory in Zhengzhou , China .
But Foxconn is just part of the massive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for example , has over 200 suppliers , many of whom are based in China or rely upon China for manufacturing or materials .

Foxconn says it’ll resume normal production in China by the end of March and that half of its seasonal workers are now back at work, according to Reuters. Foxconn, the primary iPhone assembler and parts supplier for Apple and others, has had its output curtailed following the coronavirus outbreak. In addition to mandated government shutdowns, many of Foxconn’s seasonal workers had to be quarantined before returning to work after the extended Lunar New Year holiday last month. Foxconn is the world’s largest contract manufacturer.
Foxconn’s optimism is likely pegged to reports that China is seeing a slowdown in new coronavirus cases, even as they accelerated globally. To date, the virus has spread to 70 countries and is responsible for 90,000 infections and 3,000 deaths, mostly in China.


theverge--2020-03-03--2021 E-Class will use capacitive sensing to check for hands on the wheel

Mercedes-Benz has just unveiled the 2021 E-Class , and like many of its German luxury siblings , it will come equipped with the company ’ s latest driver-assistance features .
But the new E-Class also changes how the car registers whether the driver is paying attention while using those features , as Mercedes-Benz is introducing a new wheel with capacitive sensing .
Previously , the E-Class ( and other Mercedes-Benz vehicles ) determined whether a driver ’ s hands were on the steering wheel by measuring movement in the wheel .
The problem with this method is that it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ right of how much movement needs to be measured to say for sure that a hand is on the wheel .
Set the bar too low , and it ’ s easy to cheat .
Too high , and you ’ re asking the driver for input that could change the physical trajectory of the car .
Driver monitoring was a focus of a recent government hearing on Autopilot Now , though , the new E-Class will just know that the driver ’ s hands are on the wheel .
That doesn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ways to cheat the system — there always are .
But capacitive sensing could be a more straightforward approach than measuring steering input .
This all matters because new cars are becoming increasingly filled with tech that can take over some of the tasks of driving .
The new E-Class , for example , has active steering assist ( which helps keep the car in the center of the lane ) , adaptive cruise control ( which can adjust speed automatically based on what the cars in front are doing ) , active @ @ @ @ @ @ @ car from city speeds for stationary vehicles and crossing pedestrians ) , and more .
The problem is that , as cars become better at handling these tasks , there ’ s a greater risk that humans will become overconfident in those abilities .
This was one of the central themes during a three-hour-long National Transportation Safety Board hearing last week in Washington , DC about a fatal 2018 crash involving Tesla ’ s Autopilot .
In that crash , the driver ’ s Model X drifted left out of an HOV lane @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fact that he was using Tesla ’ s driver assistance system , Autopilot , at the time .
There were a number of factors that contributed to that driver ’ s death , like that the safety device in front of the concrete barrier was damaged , and that the highway ’ s lane lines were faded .
But the NTSB determined that the driver ’ s overconfidence in Autopilot ’ s abilities was one of the main probable causes .
In fact , the safety board ’ s investigative team found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on his smartphone right before he crashed into the barrier .
Tesla uses a torque sensor to measure whether a driver ’ s hands are on the wheel when Autopilot is active .
And if it doesn ’ t measure enough torque every 15 seconds or so , it will begin a series of escalating warnings to the driver before ultimately deactivating Autopilot until the car is restarted .
But even those protections weren ’ t enough to stop that driver from misusing Autopilot in that 2018 crash .
The industry is split @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pay attention Other companies have gone in a much different direction when it comes to monitoring drivers ’ attention while Autopilot-like features are active .
Super Cruise , which is the driver assistance package on Cadillac ’ s cars , uses eye tracking cameras to make sure the driver is looking out at the road ahead .
Cadillac is so confident in this method ’ s effectiveness that it allows drivers to use Super Cruise hands-free , though only on highways that the company has specifically mapped out .
( Cadillac also uses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ combination with the camera system . )
Exactly which kind of driver monitoring system is best is still hard to say ; all of these technologies are still relatively new .
But more of them are coming to market every year .
The Audi E-Tron has a capacitive steering wheel , for example .
And Ford ’ s new Mustang Mach-E will feature a Super Cruise-like camera system when it hits the road at the end of this year .
Tesla CEO Elon Musk , meanwhile , is sticking with torque sensors , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are “ ineffective.
” The NTSB acknowledged this scattered approach last week , and as part of the conclusion of its investigation , recommended that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration help draw up driver monitoring system standards that would “ minimize driver disengagement , prevent automation complacency , and account for foreseeable misuse of the automation , ” and require it in all vehicles with Autopilot-like features .
Meanwhile , if Mercedes-Benz ’ s capacitive approach seems to work well , it could spread to other vehicles in the company ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is part of a whole new steering wheel generation .
But regardless of the method , NTSB chair Robert Sumwalt ’ s words from last week ’ s hearing are wise to keep in mind : “ if you own a car with partial automation , you do not own a self-driving car .
Don ’ t pretend that you do .
”

Mercedes-Benz has just unveiled the 2021 E-Class, and like many of its German luxury siblings, it will come equipped with the company’s latest driver-assistance features. But the new E-Class also changes how the car registers whether the driver is paying attention while using those features, as Mercedes-Benz is introducing a new wheel with capacitive sensing.
Previously, the E-Class (and other Mercedes-Benz vehicles) determined whether a driver’s hands were on the steering wheel by measuring movement in the wheel. The problem with this method is that it’s often hard to get the balance right of how much movement needs to be measured to say for sure that a hand is on the wheel. Set the bar too low, and it’s easy to cheat. Too high, and you’re asking the driver for input that could change the physical trajectory of the car.
Driver monitoring was a focus of a recent government hearing on Autopilot
Now, though, the new E-Class will just know that the driver’s hands are on the wheel. That doesn’t mean there won’t be ways to cheat the system — there always are. But capacitive sensing could be a more straightforward approach than measuring steering input.
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This all matters because new cars are becoming increasingly filled with tech that can take over some of the tasks of driving. The new E-Class, for example, has active steering assist (which helps keep the car in the center of the lane), adaptive cruise control (which can adjust speed automatically based on what the cars in front are doing), active brake assist (which can stop the car from city speeds for stationary vehicles and crossing pedestrians), and more.
The problem is that, as cars become better at handling these tasks, there’s a greater risk that humans will become overconfident in those abilities.
This was one of the central themes during a three-hour-long National Transportation Safety Board hearing last week in Washington, DC about a fatal 2018 crash involving Tesla’s Autopilot.
In that crash, the driver’s Model X drifted left out of an HOV lane and into a concrete barrier, despite the fact that he was using Tesla’s driver assistance system, Autopilot, at the time.
There were a number of factors that contributed to that driver’s death, like that the safety device in front of the concrete barrier was damaged, and that the highway’s lane lines were faded. But the NTSB determined that the driver’s overconfidence in Autopilot’s abilities was one of the main probable causes. In fact, the safety board’s investigative team found that he was playing a mobile game on his smartphone right before he crashed into the barrier.
Tesla uses a torque sensor to measure whether a driver’s hands are on the wheel when Autopilot is active. And if it doesn’t measure enough torque every 15 seconds or so, it will begin a series of escalating warnings to the driver before ultimately deactivating Autopilot until the car is restarted. But even those protections weren’t enough to stop that driver from misusing Autopilot in that 2018 crash.
The industry is split on how best to make sure drivers pay attention
Other companies have gone in a much different direction when it comes to monitoring drivers’ attention while Autopilot-like features are active. Super Cruise, which is the driver assistance package on Cadillac’s cars, uses eye tracking cameras to make sure the driver is looking out at the road ahead. Cadillac is so confident in this method’s effectiveness that it allows drivers to use Super Cruise hands-free, though only on highways that the company has specifically mapped out. (Cadillac also uses capacitive sensors in its steering wheel in combination with the camera system.)
Exactly which kind of driver monitoring system is best is still hard to say; all of these technologies are still relatively new. But more of them are coming to market every year. The Audi E-Tron has a capacitive steering wheel, for example. And Ford’s new Mustang Mach-E will feature a Super Cruise-like camera system when it hits the road at the end of this year. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, meanwhile, is sticking with torque sensors, having said in 2018 that camera systems are “ineffective.”
The NTSB acknowledged this scattered approach last week, and as part of the conclusion of its investigation, recommended that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration help draw up driver monitoring system standards that would “minimize driver disengagement, prevent automation complacency, and account for foreseeable misuse of the automation,” and require it in all vehicles with Autopilot-like features.
Meanwhile, if Mercedes-Benz’s capacitive approach seems to work well, it could spread to other vehicles in the company’s lineup, as it says the tech is part of a whole new steering wheel generation.


theverge--2020-03-03--BMW’s electric i4 sedan finally shown off in concept form

After years of teasing , BMW is still not quite ready to show off the final version of its i4 electric sedan , the long-awaited followup to its i3 EV and i8 hybrid that ’ s due out sometime in 2021 .
But a new concept version revealed at the ( now digital-only ) 2020 Geneva Motor Show is the best look yet at what the German automaker has in store with the i4 .
First off , BMW is reiterating a lot of the i4 ’ s specs it shared at the LA Auto Show in November 2019 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The big one is range .
When BMW claimed back then that the i4 would get 600 kilometers ( nearly 400 miles ) on a full battery pack , it seemed obvious that the company was relying on the more forgiving European WLTP standard .
Turns out that was right , as BMW now says the i4 will come with an EPA-estimated range of 270 miles ( or around 435 kilometers ) .
The i3 and the i8 are finally getting a successor While that ’ s maybe a little less exciting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ technological achievement considering that BMW says the i4 will be powered by an 80kWh battery pack .
For a rough comparison , Porsche ’ s Taycan Turbo has a 93.4 kWh battery pack and only got an EPA rating of 201 miles , while the slower but lighter Hyundai Kona gets close to 260 miles out of a 64kWh pack .
There are a lot of factors that go into what ultimately determines the EPA ’ s range estimates , but if BMW can really squeeze that many miles out of that size @ @ @ @ @ @ @ somewhat close to the top of the list as far as energy efficiency goes .
BMW is also sticking to its guns that the i4 ’ s single motor will generate 390kW of power , or about 530 horsepower .
That ’ s a lot of power for one electric motor , so much so that BMW says it ’ s on par with one of the company ’ s V8 combustion engines .
BMW says the i4 can go from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 4 seconds .
The good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as they hold up , is that this is all coming from what BMW says is the fifth generation of its electric drivetrain ( the battery pack , electric motor , and other technology that puts the power to the road ) .
While it may have been painful to watch the company make exactly zero successors to the i3 or the i8 in the years since those cars were released , BMW did keep iterating on the underlying electric technology .
Now , that fifth-generation tech will not only power the i4 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China-only iX3 .
The beginning of the future of BMW ’ s electric plans More than anything , what the new concept version of the i4 offers is a better sense of what the electric sedan will look like , and what it will be like to use in day-to-day life .
The i4 concept has a more aggressive front end than most any other BMW on the road right now , especially with the extended , basically gaping kidney grille that stretches almost to the ground .
But from the side or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ modern BMW siblings .
If anything , the sharp tucks in the bodywork make it look more lithe than a BMW usually does .
Inside is a much different experience .
The i4 ’ s interior is a blended evolution of the sports car-inspired i8 cockpit , and the i3 ’ s more spacious , material-mixing aesthetic .
Above everything — literally — is an all-glass roof that offers views above and beyond for every person inside the i4 .
BMW says the i4 ’ s interior is more spacious than it looks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winds up being , the glass roof is sure to offer even the most claustrophobic passengers some peace of mind .
Even better for the rear-seat passengers is the fact that , unlike in the i8 , there are actual full-sized rear seats this time around .
Dominating everything is a big , curved screen that stretches from the left side of the steering wheel nearly all the way to the passenger ’ s seat .
There are basically no buttons around the screen and just a few on the steering wheel , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ touchscreen-forward experience made popular by Tesla .
( There is , however , a knob and some buttons in the center console , next to the drive and gear selector buttons . )
BMW says this whole setup will also be in the forthcoming iNext SUV , too .
It ’ s a far cry from the two separate screens that both the i3 and the i8 offered on their respective dashboards , but is a logical progression given where modern infotainment design has gone .
The i4 ’ s screens and its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s side , similar to how the i8 ’ s interior is biased towards the person who ’ s behind the wheel .
But the interior doesn ’ t look as constricting as the i8 ’ s .
Aiding that is the fact that the i4 is adorned with lighter-colored — and sometimes even reflective — materials .
The way BMW has executed a mixture of cloth and leather in the seats and dash , with bronze and chrome fixtures all around , makes the i4 ’ s interior feel more cohesive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ i3 , too .
Half a decade ago , BMW was in some ways ahead of the curve when it came to electrification .
But the company ’ s effort stalled out .
That has left many BMW fans who were looking for a solid followup to the quirky i3 EV , or the expensive-yet-head-turning i8 hybrid waiting impatiently at best .
The i4 is still a ways away from going into production , but the concept that BMW showed off this week is probably the most coherent vision of the company ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen to date , regardless of how late it arrived .
What happens next is up to the folks in Munich .

After years of teasing, BMW is still not quite ready to show off the final version of its i4 electric sedan, the long-awaited followup to its i3 EV and i8 hybrid that’s due out sometime in 2021. But a new concept version revealed at the (now digital-only) 2020 Geneva Motor Show is the best look yet at what the German automaker has in store with the i4.
First off, BMW is reiterating a lot of the i4’s specs it shared at the LA Auto Show in November 2019, and clarifying a few things as well. The big one is range. When BMW claimed back then that the i4 would get 600 kilometers (nearly 400 miles) on a full battery pack, it seemed obvious that the company was relying on the more forgiving European WLTP standard. Turns out that was right, as BMW now says the i4 will come with an EPA-estimated range of 270 miles (or around 435 kilometers).
The i3 and the i8 are finally getting a successor
While that’s maybe a little less exciting, it would still be a sufficient technological achievement considering that BMW says the i4 will be powered by an 80kWh battery pack. For a rough comparison, Porsche’s Taycan Turbo has a 93.4 kWh battery pack and only got an EPA rating of 201 miles, while the slower but lighter Hyundai Kona gets close to 260 miles out of a 64kWh pack. There are a lot of factors that go into what ultimately determines the EPA’s range estimates, but if BMW can really squeeze that many miles out of that size battery pack, it would put it somewhat close to the top of the list as far as energy efficiency goes.
BMW is also sticking to its guns that the i4’s single motor will generate 390kW of power, or about 530 horsepower. That’s a lot of power for one electric motor, so much so that BMW says it’s on par with one of the company’s V8 combustion engines. BMW says the i4 can go from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour in 4 seconds.
The good thing about these numbers, as long as they hold up, is that this is all coming from what BMW says is the fifth generation of its electric drivetrain (the battery pack, electric motor, and other technology that puts the power to the road). While it may have been painful to watch the company make exactly zero successors to the i3 or the i8 in the years since those cars were released, BMW did keep iterating on the underlying electric technology. Now, that fifth-generation tech will not only power the i4, but the iNext SUV and the China-made iX3 (which is now officially not destined for the US).
The beginning of the future of BMW’s electric plans
More than anything, what the new concept version of the i4 offers is a better sense of what the electric sedan will look like, and what it will be like to use in day-to-day life.
The i4 concept has a more aggressive front end than most any other BMW on the road right now, especially with the extended, basically gaping kidney grille that stretches almost to the ground. But from the side or rear, the i4 resembles its many modern BMW siblings. If anything, the sharp tucks in the bodywork make it look more lithe than a BMW usually does.
Inside is a much different experience. The i4’s interior is a blended evolution of the sports car-inspired i8 cockpit, and the i3’s more spacious, material-mixing aesthetic.
Above everything — literally — is an all-glass roof that offers views above and beyond for every person inside the i4. BMW says the i4’s interior is more spacious than it looks, but regardless of how big it winds up being, the glass roof is sure to offer even the most claustrophobic passengers some peace of mind. Even better for the rear-seat passengers is the fact that, unlike in the i8, there are actual full-sized rear seats this time around.
Dominating everything is a big, curved screen that stretches from the left side of the steering wheel nearly all the way to the passenger’s seat. There are basically no buttons around the screen and just a few on the steering wheel, so BMW is targeting the kind of touchscreen-forward experience made popular by Tesla. (There is, however, a knob and some buttons in the center console, next to the drive and gear selector buttons.) BMW says this whole setup will also be in the forthcoming iNext SUV, too. It’s a far cry from the two separate screens that both the i3 and the i8 offered on their respective dashboards, but is a logical progression given where modern infotainment design has gone.
The i4’s screens and its dashboard seem to curl around the driver’s side, similar to how the i8’s interior is biased towards the person who’s behind the wheel. But the interior doesn’t look as constricting as the i8’s. Aiding that is the fact that the i4 is adorned with lighter-colored — and sometimes even reflective — materials. The way BMW has executed a mixture of cloth and leather in the seats and dash, with bronze and chrome fixtures all around, makes the i4’s interior feel more cohesive and sophisticated than the one in the i3, too.
Half a decade ago, BMW was in some ways ahead of the curve when it came to electrification. But the company’s effort stalled out. That has left many BMW fans who were looking for a solid followup to the quirky i3 EV, or the expensive-yet-head-turning i8 hybrid waiting impatiently at best. The i4 is still a ways away from going into production, but the concept that BMW showed off this week is probably the most coherent vision of the company’s electric future that we’ve seen to date, regardless of how late it arrived.
What happens next is up to the folks in Munich.


theverge--2020-03-03--Sports streaming service DAZN is expanding to more than 200 countries

DAZN , a streaming service competing with ESPN+ to build a “ Netflix for sports , ” has announced aggressive international expansion plans .
Ahead of Canelo Álvarez ’ s next fight on May 2nd , part of an 11-fight deal with the stratospherically popular Mexican boxer , the company says it will launch in more than 200 countries around the world .
DAZN ( pronounced “ da zone ” ) is currently available in the US and eight other countries including Japan and Canada , with differing content offerings in each .
The current US service is heavy on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has a much broader lineup .
In Japan , for example , DAZN now carries live streaming rights for the NFL , MLB , the Premier League , and the domestic baseball , basketball , and soccer leagues , all for under $ 20 a month .
The forthcoming expansion will initially be focused on boxing .
“ Beginning this spring , most of the world will have access to DAZN and its unmatched schedule of boxing events , ” CEO John Skipper says in a statement .
“ Our roster of championship @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s most popular athletes and we ’ ll be working with them to stage spectacular international events for years to come.
” Skipper , who ran ESPN until 2017 , sees DAZN ’ s international growth as a way to amass rights and subscribers around the world before making a major splash at home .
“ Our competition so far has been to mostly be where they [ ESPN ] ain ’ t , ” he tells CNBC , “ but it is our intention over time to compete aggressively everywhere.
” In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NHL streaming rights for the US .

DAZN, a streaming service competing with ESPN+ to build a “Netflix for sports,” has announced aggressive international expansion plans. Ahead of Canelo Álvarez’s next fight on May 2nd, part of an 11-fight deal with the stratospherically popular Mexican boxer, the company says it will launch in more than 200 countries around the world.
DAZN (pronounced “da zone”) is currently available in the US and eight other countries including Japan and Canada, with differing content offerings in each. The current US service is heavy on boxing and MMA, but elsewhere it has a much broader lineup. In Japan, for example, DAZN now carries live streaming rights for the NFL, MLB, the Premier League, and the domestic baseball, basketball, and soccer leagues, all for under $20 a month.
The forthcoming expansion will initially be focused on boxing. “Beginning this spring, most of the world will have access to DAZN and its unmatched schedule of boxing events,” CEO John Skipper says in a statement. “Our roster of championship fighters represents some of the world’s most popular athletes and we’ll be working with them to stage spectacular international events for years to come.”


theverge--2020-03-02--China’s largest private automaker is building a satellite network now, too

The largest private automaker in China is getting into the satellite business .
Chinese automotive giant Geely has broadened its reach to include everything from trucking , to high-speed trains , to passenger drones , to Volvo over the last decade or so .
But its newest effort could tie those things all together , as Geely just announced it ’ s going to build its own satellite network to enable what it calls a “ smart three-dimensional mobility ecosystem.
” Geely announced late Monday that it will erect a satellite production facility and testing center in the port city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Chinese giant calls home .
The facility will be capable of building a “ variety of different satellite models , ” some of which may be for non-Geely entities .
Geely says it will start launching the satellite network as soon as the end of this year , but did not say how big it will be .
Reuters reports that the company is pumping around $ 326 million into the project , and will eventually make 500 satellites a year .
Geely could make up to 500 satellites per year These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , precise navigation , and cloud computing , Geely says , and will enable fast over-the-air updates to its vehicles , as well as “ content delivery ” to the company ’ s owners .
It doesn ’ t appear that Geely wants to open up the its satellite constellations that SpaceX and OneWeb are building , and it doesn ’ t appear that these satellites will be used for standard internet connections .
The navigation piece of the equation could be particularly helpful , Geely says , since current GPS satellites are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their high orbits .
Low-orbit satellites , Geely claims , can be accurate to within a centimeter .
“ This accuracy is not only important for cars , it will also become essential for unmanned flight , ” a company representative said .
If and when the world ever starts to fill up with autonomous cars , the demand for in-car connectivity could stretch far beyond what it is today .
Having your own satellite network to back up that demand could be a crucial advantage over competitors , then .
Wall Street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Elon Musk about this as his other company , SpaceX , started building out its Starlink satellite network .
Musk has said in the near term , though , that he doesn ’ t see an advantage in fitting Teslas to be able to work with Starlink satellites because the hardware required would be too big on the car .
“ The antenna for that high-bandwidth , low-latency [ connection ] is sort of about the size of medium pizza , which you could put on a car , but I think is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said in January .
That said , Musk admitted “ it ’ s certainly something that could happen in coming years .
”

The largest private automaker in China is getting into the satellite business. Chinese automotive giant Geely has broadened its reach to include everything from trucking, to high-speed trains, to passenger drones, to Volvo over the last decade or so. But its newest effort could tie those things all together, as Geely just announced it’s going to build its own satellite network to enable what it calls a “smart three-dimensional mobility ecosystem.”
Geely announced late Monday that it will erect a satellite production facility and testing center in the port city of Taizhou in the Zhejiang province that the Chinese giant calls home. The facility will be capable of building a “variety of different satellite models,” some of which may be for non-Geely entities.
Geely says it will start launching the satellite network as soon as the end of this year, but did not say how big it will be. Reuters reports that the company is pumping around $326 million into the project, and will eventually make 500 satellites a year.
Geely could make up to 500 satellites per year
These low-orbit satellites will support high-speed data transmission, precise navigation, and cloud computing, Geely says, and will enable fast over-the-air updates to its vehicles, as well as “content delivery” to the company’s owners. It doesn’t appear that Geely wants to open up the its satellite constellations that SpaceX and OneWeb are building, and it doesn’t appear that these satellites will be used for standard internet connections.
The navigation piece of the equation could be particularly helpful, Geely says, since current GPS satellites are only accurate to several meters thanks to their high orbits. Low-orbit satellites, Geely claims, can be accurate to within a centimeter. “This accuracy is not only important for cars, it will also become essential for unmanned flight,” a company representative said.
A rendering of Geely’s production facility in Taizhou, China. Image: Geely
If and when the world ever starts to fill up with autonomous cars, the demand for in-car connectivity could stretch far beyond what it is today. Having your own satellite network to back up that demand could be a crucial advantage over competitors, then. Wall Street analysts have even repeatedly asked Tesla CEO Elon Musk about this as his other company, SpaceX, started building out its Starlink satellite network. Musk has said in the near term, though, that he doesn’t see an advantage in fitting Teslas to be able to work with Starlink satellites because the hardware required would be too big on the car.


theverge--2020-03-02--Mario Kart Tour is getting multiplayer on March 8th

Nintendo announced on Monday that Mario Kart Tour , the mobile iteration of the Mario Kart series , will finally be getting multiplayer this weekend , nearly six months after its late September launch .
You ’ ll be able to play with up to seven players locally or online starting Sunday , March 8th at 11PM ET .
Mario Kart Tour is a simplified version of Mario Kart built to be played on your phone .
The whole game is controlled via touch , and you don ’ t even have to press an accelerator to move forward — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left or the right to turn and tap to use items .
The game is free to play , but it also has a premium currency you can spend to try and earn random characters or vehicles to play with .
There ’ s also a $ 4.99 per month subscription that unlocks some in-game items and the faster 200cc mode .
That subscription also got you access to the game ’ s first beta test for multiplayer , which happened in December .
Nintendo also hosted a second beta test that was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mario Kart Tour has been a big success for Nintendo , and was the most-downloaded game on the iPhone in 2019 , beating out other popular free-to-play mobile games like Call of Duty : Mobile and Fortnite .

Nintendo announced on Monday that Mario Kart Tour, the mobile iteration of the Mario Kart series, will finally be getting multiplayer this weekend, nearly six months after its late September launch.
You’ll be able to play with up to seven players locally or online starting Sunday, March 8th at 11PM ET.
Mario Kart Tour is a simplified version of Mario Kart built to be played on your phone. The whole game is controlled via touch, and you don’t even have to press an accelerator to move forward — you just need to swipe to the left or the right to turn and tap to use items.
The game is free to play, but it also has a premium currency you can spend to try and earn random characters or vehicles to play with. There’s also a $4.99 per month subscription that unlocks some in-game items and the faster 200cc mode.
That subscription also got you access to the game’s first beta test for multiplayer, which happened in December. Nintendo also hosted a second beta test that was open to all players in late January.


theverge--2020-03-03--A Dell partner facility was damaged by the Nashville tornado

Monday night , a powerful tornado tore through Nashville , Tennessee and its surrounding counties , killing at least 23 people and leaving power and transportation systems in disarray .
Part of that damage included facilities working for Dell , which operates corporate offices and manages multiple fulfillment centers out of the region .
Reached by The Verge , Dell confirmed that multiple partner facilities have sustained damage from the storm , though its own offices in Nashville remain intact .
“ Our thoughts are of course with the Nashville community and Dell team members in the area as they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this morning ’ s devastating storm , ” said Dell in a statement to The Verge .
“ While we can confirm the Dell facility in the area is intact , we ’ re aware of Dell partner facilities that sustained visible damage and we ’ ve reached out to offer our support.
” A number of Dell ’ s corporate suppliers are located in the Nashville area , and the company works closely with local vendors .
Anecdotal reports suggest that multiple crucial facilities have sustained significant damage .
A source in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run by FedEx , which manages the company ’ s Custom Factory Integration services and also housed Dell retail inventory , was heavily damaged by the storm .
The National Weather Service reported that Mount Juliet , where some of Dell ’ s facilities are located , saw winds over 155 miles per hour during the storm .
The source also said multiple fulfillment centers run by Ceva Logistics were damaged .
If true , this could present a significant challenge to the Dell ’ s supply chain , and might result in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through other cities .
Fedex provided The Verge the following statement : “ Our thoughts are with those affected by the tornado that hit the Nashville area early this morning .
The safety and well-being of our team members is our first concern , and we have some reports of team member injuries related to the storm .
We continue to assess facility damage and operational impact in the area.
” Ceva did not respond to requests for comment .

Monday night, a powerful tornado tore through Nashville, Tennessee and its surrounding counties, killing at least 23 people and leaving power and transportation systems in disarray.
Part of that damage included facilities working for Dell, which operates corporate offices and manages multiple fulfillment centers out of the region. Reached by The Verge, Dell confirmed that multiple partner facilities have sustained damage from the storm, though its own offices in Nashville remain intact.
“Our thoughts are of course with the Nashville community and Dell team members in the area as they begin to cope with the aftermath of this morning’s devastating storm,” said Dell in a statement to The Verge. “While we can confirm the Dell facility in the area is intact, we’re aware of Dell partner facilities that sustained visible damage and we’ve reached out to offer our support.”
A number of Dell’s corporate suppliers are located in the Nashville area, and the company works closely with local vendors.
Anecdotal reports suggest that multiple crucial facilities have sustained significant damage. A source in Nashville told The Verge that a building run by FedEx, which manages the company’s Custom Factory Integration services and also housed Dell retail inventory, was heavily damaged by the storm.
The National Weather Service reported that Mount Juliet, where some of Dell’s facilities are located, saw winds over 155 miles per hour during the storm.
The source also said multiple fulfillment centers run by Ceva Logistics were damaged. If true, this could present a significant challenge to the Dell’s supply chain, and might result in much of its retail volume being routed through other cities.
Fedex provided The Verge the following statement: “Our thoughts are with those affected by the tornado that hit the Nashville area early this morning. The safety and well-being of our team members is our first concern, and we have some reports of team member injuries related to the storm. We continue to assess facility damage and operational impact in the area.”